Connection February 2023

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UPCOMING PROGRAMS IN M ONET T:

Mountain Dulcimer Chording Class with Emor y Mosier Star ts March 4, 2023 Saturdays at 10 am. This is a free 10 week class that will meets in the New Monett Library Community Room. Register at the Library or call 417-235-7350.

Cozy Up with the Winter Reading Challeng e The Barr y-Lawrence Regional Librar y’sWinter Reading Challenge runs until March 31st register for this online program at blrlibrar y.beanstack.com

Teen Clubs at the Monett Library Anime Club (3:306:30pm) on 1st Thursdays,Ukulele Club (4:30-5:00pm) on 3rdThursdays, and Dungeons & Dragons on 3rd Saturdays (1:00-5:00pm). Register at the Librar y or call 417-235-7350. Programs require parent permission form.

Babies Are So, So Cute!

Lets admit it, most of the time a baby of any sort, animal or human, is adorable and all you can do is look at it, make ridiculous faces so they react and talk baby talk.

In turn, I always thought that the Valentine baby boy, Cupid, was absolutely adorable especially with his wings and that little bow and arrow. And why shouldn’t he be cute? He represented love on the day of love, Valentine’s Day! A magical baby boy who flies around shooting arrows at people, powerful arrows of love.

I have been known to put hearts and Cupid on my school Valentine’s boxes. I just loved him and there was no reason to not think he was the ‘baby of the year’ since he held the power of love!

Then social media happened and the access of history at your fingertips evolved. I found out that despite his infant form, that baby, widely known as Cupid, began his mythological life as a man who supposedly had more power than any god. Say what??

In the Greek literary sources that we have access to, Cupid is depicted as just unconquerable. Richard Martin, a classics professor at Stanford University, said, “Whatever he wants to happen, happens, and he causes disaster.”

How in the world can that cute baby that we all have grown to know and love cause disaster?

The original Cupid was more of a heartthrob than a cherub. Traced back to 700 BC, this character of legend was called Eros. Martin explained that Eros is the Greek word for desire. In the Archaic period, Eros, the son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, would play with the hearts of mortals and gods to cause mayhem. Depicted as a young man in his late teens, he was considered both handsome and threatening, as he would use his power to make people fall in love. He supposedly could force the wrong people into love.

This is pretty far off from the modern depiction of this god as a playful little boy. I will be totally honest, I was a bit flabbergasted at the history I read and how sexual they portrayed Eros or Cupid.

When the Romans conscripted the Eros mythology, they chose to bring over the more recent iteration of the god as a cute little kid.

Valentine’s Day was already becoming popular in the 18th century, and by the turn of the 19th century, Cupid had become linked to the holiday for his love-creating abilities.

It may seem strange, still, that we would collectively associate a baby with a boy and arrow as a symbol of this extraordinarily popular holiday. But it’s actually quite simple. Though Roman and Greek traditions left us with this partly mischievous, partly powerful Cupid, he serves a different purpose in modern culture. The Greek conception of Eros as a god who used his power for ill is not what Cupid stands for today.

I am so very thankful I did not know the history of that little baby boy when I was younger. I would have been terrified in stead of looking at him as a symbol of love in the month of February.

So I believe I will continue to see Cupid as I always have and do my best to forget what I have learned, if I can!

We wish everyone a very happy Valentine’s Day and if you ever see an arrow flying about, make sure you are standing near the one you want to love.

Owner & Publisher, Connection Magazine

Lisa Craft is owner and publisher of Connection Magazine and The Monett Times. She can be reached at

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Lisa Craft monettcommunity@gmail.com

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Melonie Roberts

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Pam Wormington

Christa Stout

Annie Lisenby Smith

Mike Gervais

Murray Bishoff

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FEBRUARY 2023

12 | THE WAY THEY SEE IT

Kids give us their views on love

18 | WEDDING TIME

Considering a wedding planner can open opportunity for making memories

23 | OZARK FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with “Love is in the Air” performance, Feb. 19

27 | YEARS TOGETHER

Mike and Phyllis Garrett share their matrimonial joys with 55 years, still going strong

32 | MARRIED 74 YEARS THIS YEAR

The Scotts of Monett continue to show support for and honesty with each other

37 | SERIAL STORY: Keeping Secrets

Part seven by Annie Lisenby Smith

SUNDAY, FEB. 19

The third concert in the OFO’s 43rd season has the theme of “Love Is In The Air.” Music director Alexandra Kovatch has chosen some of her favorite romantic selections for the concert, a special event paired with the annual Young Artists competition.

by Meagan Ruffing

A Year’s Worth of Ideas for Reconnecting with Your Kids

I always think of love when the month of February rolls around. Recently, I’ve started spending my money on experiences with my kids rather than things.

I know this isn’t a new concept per say, but my kids are at an age where the things that they want keep getting more and more expensive. Can you relate? Instead of trying to keep up with the newest electronic game or fad, I decided to come up with an experience to do with my kids each month.

It dawned on me recently that my 14-year-old son only has four more years in the house with me. I want more time with him and the best way I can think to get that is to make it a priority. Here’s what my plan is for the next 12 months with my kids. Instead of buying cards covered in love words that cost a fortune, save the money and follow along with these fun ideas.

FEBRUARY – Take your kids on a ‘date’ this month and go to the movies. Make coupons that say, “Date with Mom,” and attach them to a box of candy and a bottled water or $5 to buy their own drink at the theater.

MARCH – Top Golf in Rogers, Arkansas is a fun way to get outdoors while staying somewhat warm this month. They have heated booths while you’re golfing and food will be delivered to your bay so you can visit with the kids while having fun. Tuesdays are half-price.

APRIL – This month is a great time to get outside and go for a walk with your kids. Stop at your local coffee shop and get yourself a warm drink (or iced if you prefer) and set a goal of walking for one hour. If you’re more of the outdoorsy-type, plan a hike at a nearby hiking trail and see how many different types of plants you can spot.

MAY – This is the month when schools get out so make it a double-whammy and do something big with the kids to celebrate all of their hard work (and yours, too!) Find an indoor rock-climbing venue or jump at an in-door trampoline park. The kids will get a kick out of seeing you be active and try to keep up with them.

JUNE – It’ll be hot this month so plan on swimming! Take your kids to a waterpark and pack a cooler full of their favorite snacks. If you have a pool in your neighborhood, let the kids invite some of their friends over and make it an official

‘summer party.’ Your kids will have a blast and you can get in on the fun of playing sharks and minnows or basketball in the pool.

JULY – Take a trip. It could be a big one to the beach or a smaller day trip. Plan an excursion this month to get you and your kids out of town. Sometimes a change of scenery is what everyone needs to hit the reset button. Let your kids in on the planning and make it a family affair. I’m going to take my kids to St. Louis this year since none of us have ever been there.

AUGUST – This is the month when everyone is back in school. Think of something you can do with your kids that they would really enjoy as a last-hoorah before having to wake up early for the bus. Pick a family favorite restaurant and enjoy being together. I love bringing ‘conversation cards’ with me to get the conversation going when we’re out of things to talk about. You can Google different decks and find the one that best suits your family’s interests.

SEPTEMBER – Make pottery with your kids. Find a local pottery place where you can either paint pottery or use a wheel and create your own. Put the date on the bottom of your piece and make it a yearly tradition.

Meagan Ruffing is a parenting journalist and mental health counselor living in northwest Arkansas. As a single mom, she enjoys finding new ways for her and her three kids to connect as the years fly by.

OCTOBER – Go Trick-orTreating with your kids! Dress up and be part of the fun. Your kids will get a good laugh out of seeing you get into costume and experience the excitement of the holiday through their eyes. When I reflect on Halloween’s from the past, the best ones were always the ones when I dressed up.

NOVEMBER – Take a baking class with your kids. There are tons of cookie-making events this time of year. Register everyone and enjoy watching your kids make something yummy (while relishing in the fact that the mess is not in your kitchen!)

DECEMBER – Look at Christmas lights and make a whole night of it. Get matching pajamas, hot cocoa, candy canes and load up in the car with the warm air blasting. Do your research and find out all the hot spots for light shows. You might even just stumble on a few that you didn’t know about.

JANUARY – Get a gym membership for you and your kids. If getting healthy is one of your New Year’s resolutions, let it be theirs, too.

BONUS TIP – Be sure to take pictures each month you check off your excursion so that you can make a calendar showcasing all of the fun experiences you shared. Gift the calendar to each one of your kids to hang in their rooms or buy one big one and hang it somewhere visible where you and your kids can enjoy talking about the “remember when we…” moments. n

KIDS’ VIEW ON

Well-known and wellloved author Erma Bombeck once said, “Children make your life important.” Too often today, families get caught in the rush of life and don’t sit down and ask kids their thoughts. For Valentine’s Day, I connected with families in the area and they asked their kids what their thoughts are on love. What I thought might be a list of silly and humorous answers quickly turned into a great lesson on love.

Children are honest to a fault. Any mother who asked her four-

1) Maggie—age 6

What does it mean to love someone? To care for them and help them through anything.

How do you show love? By respecting others and saying please and thank you and doing kind things.

How do you know if you love someone? When you think of them, you get a heart feeling and it makes you smile.

2) Riley—age 6

What does it mean to love someone? Like and care about them.

How do you show love? Be kind, be helpful, share my toys.

How do you know if you love someone? They are nice to me and make me happy.

year-old daughter what she thought of her outfit will tell you that you only make that mistake once. Children will tell us when we’re funny, fat, or just plain don’t make sense. And that honesty has been found again in these answers about love.

I think we could all learn something from these children. Love is respect. Showing love is kindness. Loving someone makes us want to be with them. These are simple reminders of the complex concept of love. We don’t need the Beatles or Taylor Swift to tell us about love. We just need a group of honest children.

3) FynnLee—age 7

What does it mean to love someone? You open your heart to them.

How do you show love? Saying sorry.

How do you know if you love someone? When you get butterflies in your tummy.

4) Remington—age 8

What does it mean to love someone? If they’re mad you give and show them love. How do you show love? You kiss them.

How do you know if you love someone? Sparks fly!

5) Simon—age 8

What does it mean to love someone? To care for them.

How do you show love? Hugs.

How do you know if you love someone? You just feel it.

Story by Annie Lisenby Smith

6) Bella—age 9

What does it mean to love someone? You have feelings for the person you love.

How do you show love? Respect the person you love.

How do you know if you love someone? If you want to share your happiness with the person you love.

7) Cici—age 9

What does it mean to love someone? It means to care about them and like them for who they are.

How do you show love? Help them up when they are down. Be kind to them.

How do you know if you love someone? You feel it. You think about them and miss them when they’re not there.

8) Aarilyn—age 9

What does it mean to love someone? To feel caring and compassionate towards someone else.

How do you show love? I say “I love you” and I hug the people I love. I also give gifts from the heart.

How do you know if you love someone? Because they are kind to me. Because they care for me. I prefer to do the same things back.

9) Brady—age 9

What does it mean to love someone? You really like them. How do you show love? Kiss and hugs.

How do you know if you love someone? They are family. You want to hug and kiss them.

by Pam Wormington

She married the Monett Milkman...

Little did she know that the milkman works just like a United States Postal mailman. Rain, snow, sleet, or shine, he picks up and delivers the milk 365 days a year including holidays. He doesn’t wear a fancy suit or have the latest technology but you can bet, he works hard and is loyal to his producers and processors. He may not make it home at the same time every day for supper or arrive at the children’s ballgame or school program on time, or even make it to church on Sunday but you know he tried. Some days he may want to just quit and trade it all in for a ‘simpler’ way of life but then he looks around and remembers, this is the simpler way. That does not make it easy or always fun but at the end of the day, he knows he did a good job and earned an honest wage to provide for his family.

As the third-generation milkman, the title of “Papa” outweighs them all. When the grandsons became fascinated with trucks, horns, and cows that made it all the better. You see the fourth-generation is all girls and taking on the responsibility of this business is not their choice. In the meantime, the fifth generation has become the

milkman’s tag along. Before they were big enough to ‘haul’ milk with Papa Kirk, they learned to make the honking sign with their arm so when the haulers pulled in the lot at the end of the day, they would honk their horns before parking their trucks.

It is without a doubt a pleasure to watch these grandsons follow their Papa’s footsteps from doing chores to working on trucks.

They not only know the trucks but also which hauler is behind the wheel. These boys even have

homemade flash cards that help them spot a truck and call it what it is, a Peterbilt, Kenworth, International, Western Star. If you ever want a good chuckle, check out my Facebook page for a video. Maybe the truck thing is just something that comes natural for boys. Nonetheless, their interest and enthusiasm has made their Papa’s heart grow big. But all good things must come to an end and this is true for the milk route that has provided for our family for three generations, starting with Austin Wormington back in the day when milk was hauled in heavy cans and a can truck and going into later years his wife, Helen drove a milk truck with a bulk tank.

The business was then passed down to Tom and Richard Wormington and then to Tom’s sons, Kirk, and Jared. The simplicity of hauling milk to the local processing plant over the years turned in to tanker trucks and long hauls to other states. Small family farms faded away as large corporate dairies became more popular in our country. My ‘real’ job turned into being self employed by Wormington Trucking learning bookkeeping, personnel, and reporting. The pay was not what it once was during my career but the benefits were good enough to allow me to participate in worthwhile projects and be available for family.

This decision to park the trucks after 40 years did not come easy but rather with prayer and planning. We will always be thankful for those folks that made our living a good life. And with humble and grateful hearts we look forward to spending more time with those grandsons, traveling, and seeing how other people choose to live. n

We will always be thankful for those folks that made our living a good life.

Wedding Time

For many couples, the daunting task of putting a wedding together can overshadow the simple joy of what they’re doing. With a wedding planner, couples can be sure that they’re on task before the big day, and spend their big day enjoying each other.

Help Is on The Way

For many of us, a wedding will be the biggest – and often most important – party we will ever plan.

There’s a lot to do: catering, decorating, flowers, vows, rings, officiant, DJ or band, a photographer, etc., etc. etc. The to-do list for wedding planning goes on and on – for about a year by many standards.

One of the first feelings a couple experiences when they really sit down to plan their big day can be panic. There’s so much to do, and, to be honest, most couples have zero experience putting this type of thing together.

That’s where Amie Fisher of Events by Amie comes in.

“People immediately think, ‘I can’t afford a wedding planner,’” Amie said. “But there are a lot of different packages from full planning, which includes financial planning, to event management, which includes keeping everyone on task and on a schedule day-of. With me, you can pick and choose a custom package that fits your needs.”

Story by Mike Gervais

With dozens or even hundreds of friends and family members in attendance, planning and managing a wedding can become a huge task: and that’s why wedding planners are here to help.

Amie said Events by Amie sees most couples opting for partial planning. On that program, she meets with couples monthly, proposes a timeline for hiring the various vendors needed for a wedding and helps to keep plans on track and ensures that some miscellaneous tasks, like ensuring that flutes for a champagne toast are available, and, are handled at the appropriate time.

“For my business, partial planning is super popular,” she said. “The couples do all their own budgeting, and I provide the guidance and recommendations for vendors. I never force my clients to go one way or the other, but I have worked with a lot of these vendors and I do share my honest opinion about if certain vendors can meet their needs and expectations.”

Amie also does event management for a lot of the couples she works with, which allows the bride, groom and their family

to sit back, relax and enjoy the day, rather than running here and there to organize, prepare and herd guests from one event to another.

“Most of the time what I hear is that the wedding party is going to do this and the bride’s aunt is going to take care of that, but then, on the day, when everyone gets there, they’re excited and they want to spend time with the bride and groom and everyone ends up rushing around to get things done. With the event management, I say let us handle everything so everyone can enjoy the day.”

Amie said she works closely with the couple for event management, including getting a clear expectation from them on what kind of music will be played, what specific songs they would like for specific moments, when and where photos will be taken and what guests should be doing during that down-time.

“I always want to get a very clear idea

of a couple’s expectations for everything, music, food, their officiant, so I can help guide the event.”

But that “getting to know you” aspect of the job isn’t just for the event management portion of her services. She said it’s important to know the vision for the event to better make recommendations for vendors, and, possibly most importantly, how to handle off-the-cuff decisions she may have to make on a couple’s behalf when they’re too wrapped up in the magic of their wedding day to have to bother with little details.

“If I’m managing an event, I’m the point of contact for tricky situations, and I always like to have a sense of how the couple would want something handled while they enjoy their day. I can always catch up with them after to let them know if there was a hiccup.”

Another service couples might want to consider as they plan their big day is the Rentals Events by Amie offers.

“There are wedding planners who provide rentals, but in this area, that might be unique to me,” she said. “We’re in kind of a remote area directly between Joplin and Springfield, so we don’t have

a lot of specific vendors in our area that you might find in the bigger cities.”

Since she began her wedding planning business in 2017, Amie said she has been able to identify what services aren’t available or convenient in our area, and has done her best to fill that need, acquiring a selection of linens, decor and other items couples may wish to use for their wedding.

For Amie, the job is about providing a stress-free event for her clients to enjoy and create a day that will be memorable.

“The biggest piece of advice I give to my clients is why work and stress on your day and not fully enjoy it when you’ve spent so much time planning it,” she said. “Everyone can use a professional. One of the things I hear most is, ‘sorry, I’ve never done this before,’ and of course you haven’t, that’s where I can come in and help.”

She also said that, contrary to popular belief, hiring a wedding planner can actually save couples money in the long run.

“It can actually save you enough money to cover the cost of the wedding planner and then some. I’m always dili-

It’s about making memories, not stressing out over the details. Or at least, it should be. Wedding planners know the couples who contact them have little or no experience with how and when to make decisions about their big day.

gent about going over contracts to make sure there aren’t any mistakes, and most planners have worked with a lot of these vendors consistently and can help you pick the best service for the best price.”

She also said that wedding’s aren’t the only events that need planning, and she is available for everything from baby showers and birthdays, to corporate events, retirement parties and anniversaries.

“If you have an event worth celebrating, I can help,” she said. n

497 State Hwy 76

Cassville, MO. 65625 417-847-3600

‘LOVE IS IN THE AIR’ at

Ozark Festival Orchestra concert

Ah, love, that great mover and shaker of all things.

The celebration of Valentine’s Day offers an ideal opportunity for musicians to celebrate through their own language as well. Composers, like Tchaikovsky, have been described as wearing emotions on their sleeve, gushing with feelings of all kinds. What better way to celebrate romance than through the voice of love, music itself?

That’s what the Ozark Festival Orchestra will do on Sunday, February 19. The third concert in the OFO’s 43rd season has the theme of “Love Is In The Air.” Music director Alexandra Kovatch has chosen some of her favorite romantic selections for the concert, a special event paired with the annual

Young Artists competition, bringing talented young people forward to play a solo concerto movement with the OFO musicians.

This will be Kovatch’s third outing with the local orchestra, having led concerts in October and December. By now she’s developed a feel for this ensemble and its music making skills.

“OFO really works together as a team and I think that has impressed me the most,” she said. “When I first started I had several members tell me ‘We’re like a family here,’ and that seems very true!”

Bringing out the “romantic” feeling in music is a bit different than playing a fugue or a repeating round without any particular emotion. Kovatch understands it takes a special approach.

Music director Alexandra Kovatch returns to conduct on Feb. 19, a performance that brings together romance of the ages in music

Story by Murray Bishoff

Alexandra Kovatch, OFO music director

“Much of the 19th century is known as the ‘Romantic Period’ in music,” she said. “You can hear this reflected in large orchestration, luscious melodies, and music that reflects on life, love, and death. Romantic music also includes music that reminds the listener of something sentimental, or can be a classic love song. For this upcoming concert, we’re doing a mix of all of the above.”

For this concert, Kovatch is taking a deep dive in romanticism. Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” fantasy overture and Leonard Bernstein’s take on the Shakespeare play by way of

“West Side Story” dive straight into the deep end of the pool.

“‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘West Side Story,’ though they are composed in different centuries and have very different sounds, both are passionate, forbidden, and ultimately tragic love stories. They’re also absolute classics that audiences love to hear and musicians love to play,” Kovatch said.

“Of course ‘Salut D’Amour’ (Song of Love) fits into the program well and is composed by Englishman Edward Elgar. We are also playing his piece ‘Nimrod’ from ‘Enigma Variations.’ Though this doesn’t fit into

the program as obviously as the others do, ‘Nimrod’ is one of the 19th-century style pieces that is hard to listen to without feeling some kind of deep emotion. In contrast, we will be playing ‘As Time Goes By,’ which is more light-hearted.”

And how do you bring out that romantic sentiment that moves the players? Kovatch has a strategy for that.

“I think being enthusiastic and having a clear musical idea in mind is the best thing a conductor can do to inspire musicians,” she said. “With this music, it’s very easy for me to do that, because I just love all of this repertoire!”

To keep the audience grounded, the Young Artists will tread on the solid foundation of the concert hall repertory. The players will include 16-yearold pianist Owen Cornell of Bolivar in the first movement of J.S. Bach’s Piano

Concerto No. 7, violinist 15-year-old Kate Caddy of Walnut Grove on the third movement of Vivaldi’s Violin

Concerto Op. 3 No. 6, and 11-yearold pianist Theo Jones of Rogersville on the Concerto Romantique by Catherine Rollin.

Leading kids in a performance offers

its own challenges, for both the soloists and the conductor. Kovatch said it all boils down to making good music together.

“I think making sure the orchestra is well prepared and can really truly accompany the soloist well is the key. After all, a concerto is all about the soloist!” she added.

The concert will be at 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 19, at the Monett High School Performing Arts Center.

Cost is $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, and free to students high school age and younger. The Young Artists program, an ideal opportunity for

young people to see how they too can achieve with discipline and hard work, is underwritten by the Barry-Lawrence Area United Fund.

“I have been and am still excited about our entire season,” Kovatch said, “but this concert in particular was crafted with great attention and I think every single piece on this concert is worth attending for! Plus, our three soloists are just fantastic.”

The love of music and music making is what brings players in the Ozark Festival Orchestra together. The “Love Is In The Air” concert will be music to everyone’s ears. n

A Love to Last a Lifetime

Local couple share

55 years together

Mike and Phyllis Garrett have been married for 55 years, and they still hold hands.

Phyllis Deloteus and Mike Garrett met in 1959 at a national Presbyterian Youth Rally at University of Tulsa. At the time, Phyllis was living in Bowling Green, Ky., and Mike was attending Maryville College in Maryville, Tenn.

“Phyllis had a friend, Chris, who wanted to meet me because I was going to Maryville,” Mike said. “Phyllis decided to attend Maryville as well, so she was a freshman and I was a sophomore.”

“We had assigned dining seats for a year,” Phyllis said. “We asked if we could sit with Mike, because we knew him from the rally.”

Mike was getting his core curriculum out of the way so he could apply for law school.”

Life on a college campus is insular, especially when there are no cars allowed on campus. Young lovers would have to rely on a bus service to Knoxville or attend special events on campus.

Story by Melonie Roberts

“So hold my hand tight. Hold my hand with confidence. For this love can last forever. For this love, we shall share it together.”

— Shelby Dawson

These hands have offered connection, comfort, teaching, passion and a lifetime of promises.

“I was walking Phyllis back from a football game and started to take her hand,” Mike said. “She pulled back and asked if we should really do that.”

“He was dating another girl from my dorm and I didn’t want there to be any problems,” Phyllis added. “But he asked me out again and I let him hold my hand. I knew that he was the one from early on.”

The two proceeded to attend classes and special events, and in her senior year, Mike proposed. She happily said yes.

The two discussed their future and decided to wait until they were out of college before getting married.

Then life happened.

“In 1963, I had the opportunity to attend seminary classes for a year in Chicago,” Mike said. “It was through a Rockefeller Foundation Scholarship.”

“We broke our engagement,” Phyllis said. “I finished school and taught school in Owensboro, Ky. I never dated anyone else. It just wasn’t the right time for Mike. I knew.”

At the seminary, professors lived on campus, creating a family-like environment, making themselves available to students even when classes were not in session.

“At the end of the year, I struggled with the decision on whether to continue with seminary or go to law school,” Mike said. “I didn’t feel like I

could wholly give my heart to the seminary, so I left and went to law school at University of Missouri in Columbia. It was a whole different world from the family environment at seminary. On the first day, my professor told us to look to the person on our left, then look at the person on our right. He said at the end of the year, two of the three of us wouldn’t be here.”

Mike tended bar and served as a night supervisor in the student union, as well as preaching at two small, country churches as he worked his way through law school.

“During my last two years of law school, Phyllis taught third grade at Columbia,” Mike said. “Our class graduated one of the first female law students at the university, as well as one of the first [African American] law students.

“Phyllis had an apartment in Columbia, and I did as well,” he said. “We marched against de facto integration in public schools and attended a candlelight vigil for the events that occurred in Birmingham.”

But closer to home, the couple became engaged on April Fool’s Day and married June 10, 1967, at First Presbyterian Church in Bowling Green, with the church pastor and Phyllis’ uncle officiating.

“He gave me the same ring that he gave me the first time,” Phyllis said.

“I just put it away,” Mike said. No exotic honeymoon followed.

“Unless you count a night at Kentucky Lake Holiday Inn and then another night in St. Louis,” Phyllis laughed.

Upon graduating law school, Mike said he had no idea where to practice law or where an opportunity might be. Mike purchased the house at 700 Lincoln two months before Christmas 1967.

“When I first came up to Monett,

After 55 years of marriage, Phyllis and Mike Garrett still hold hands. They credit sharing “love, laughter and coffee” as keys to their 55 years of wedded bliss.

“Holding hands with you is like a promise that, if even for a brief moment or a few hours, we don’t have to face the world alone.”

Unknown

the train stopped at every town in Arkansas with a “Springs” in its name,” Phyllis said. “I was born in New Orleans, La., and when I was six, we moved to Bowling Green, Ky. I had never lived in a small town. I never thought I would be living in a small town. Monett felt like a ghost town. But I love it. Mike’s mom was my best friend in Monett.”

Mike landed a job with E.L. Monroe in Monett, after the Honorable Bill Pinnell was promoted to Circuit Judge. He later worked with Almon Maus, who he described as a very respected attorney in the state.

“When Almon was appointed as a judge to the Missouri Court of Appeals, I was left by myself with a very busy two-man practice,” he said.

Enter both Victor Head and Carr Wood, who worked at the practice with Mike.

“It’s unusual that the three of us wound up serving as associate circuit judges,” Mike said.

Phyllis initially taught third grade at Monett School District, but ended up quitting in the first semester of her second year, as she prepared for the birth of their first child, Kelly, in 1970.

“Her sister came to help out and she ended up teaching the second semester for Phyllis,” Mike said. “It was great having her here, with us having a newborn.”

That teaching gap lasted 15 years, as Phyllis chose to be a stay-at-home mom and raise their children, Kelly, Pat and Tim.

As the boys reached an age of self-sufficiency, Dr. Ralph Scott contacted Phyllis. She said he “took a chance on her teaching kindergarten for half a year.”

“Twenty-one years later, I retired,” she laughed.

“She is a natural-born teacher,” Mike said. “She still maintains a very

special relationship with some of her students.”

Other than a 4-year span when the family moved to Jefferson City, when Mike was appointed supervisor of Liquor Control under Kit Bond, the family has lived in Monett. As the state reorganized, Mike also became responsible for Public Safety, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Water Patrol and the National Guard for his tenure in Jefferson City.

Phyllis Deloteus and Mike Garrett on their wedding day June 10, 1968

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“Once we landed here, we stayed here,” he said. “We’ve been very blessed. Monett is a great place to live and raise children.”

Since retiring, the couple traveled to western Europe, and look forward to resuming their travels now that borders have opened up following the Covid pandemic.

Mike continues to practice law from his home office, helping people with wills, estate planning and probate.

“It’s taken on a life of its own,” he said of his home practice. “We enjoy traveling, so I don’t do trial work anymore.”

The secret to their longevity may be as simple as truly enjoying each other’s company.

“There was never a particular time that I “knew” she was the one,” Mike said. “Phyllis is fun, engaging, athletic and she has always made me laugh. A sense of humor is an important part of a relationship. We laugh at each other and at ourselves. I knew I wanted to be happy, and Phyllis makes me happy. It was a good choice. She’s made me very happy.”

“I knew in Tulsa,” Phyllis said. “I admired him from afar for a long time. I always liked being around him. We have the same spiritual values.

“There was never a doubt in my mind,” she said. “I never questioned our growing relationship. We’ve always shared love, laughter and coffee.”

Though retired, the couple remans active in community events and projects such as Phyllis playing cello with Ozark Festival Orchestra, (“Monett’s best kept secret,” said Mike), Cox Monett Hospital Auxiliary and the Monett Area YMCA.

“We’ve had a good life,” Mike said. “Lot’s of good memories.”

But, perhaps the best part of all, is that they still hold hands. n

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Jim Randall, member of Randall, Masri & Randall, PC law firm and title agency, was a scheduled instructor in a nationally broadcast continuing education seminar for attorneys, title companies, lenders, realtors and other real estate professionals conducted by National Business Institute, a nationwide seminar production company. The online seminar was conducted on August 11.

James J. Randall III

James J. Randall IV

Fares H. Masri

A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN — OR NEAR ENOUGH

Most Monettians’ lives have been touched by Dr. Ralph and Mary Scott in some fashion or another. Both are educators, and have undoubtedly helped shape the hearts and minds of countless students.

Both have dedicated their time and efforts to a number of service clubs - so even if you’ve never met Ralph or Mary in person, if you’ve ever stayed at Cox Monett Hospital or received help from the Lions Club for your eyes or ears, chances are, they’ve impacted your life too.

Ralph and Mary have both been active in the Methodist Church and one or both of them were instrumental in everything from helping to get the Monett YMCA up and running to setting up the original Ozark Festival

Orchestra, to working on getting the new hospital built to helping organize the Methodist preschool - and the list goes on, and on, and on.

Another thing many may not know, is that from the first day they met, this couple was a match made in heaven, or near enough.

As young adults in Arkansas, both Ralph and Mary were active in their home church, where Mary met Ralph’s parents when she was a college freshman. At the time, she was living in Russellville, Ark. and Ralph was in Ft. Smith, Ark.

“Ralph’s mother and father, for one reason or another, thought he should be dating me, and not someone else,” Mary said. “So one day, he sent me a letter. It took me a couple weeks to write back.”

Ralph tells it a little different. According to him, he was in a new community, without many friends or lady friends to call on. One day, he filed that complaint with his mother, who gave him a name and address – that’s when the letter to the future Mrs. Scott got dropped in the mail.

This day and age, many of us know the feeling of hitting that refresh button on our email or DMs, hoping we got a response after shooting our shot. Imagine checking the mail every day for a week or more, hoping to get a letter back from the lady or gentleman you’re hoping to court.

Lucky for Ralph, Mary did end up responding, and they set up a date: dinner and a movie. But neither could have known what was to come. It’s fitting that the couple were brought

Story by Mike Gervais

Dr. Ralph and Mary Scott raised three children, retired from two careers and have spent countless hours serving the community of Monett through various groups, organizations and activities.

together through their connections to the church.

“We met on a blind date. Our first date was on Christmas Eve,” Ralph said. “I don’t even remember what we did (dinner and a movie, according to Mary), but I know the Catholic Church there in Arkansas was all lit up for Christmas, and they were getting ready for their midnight mass. I asked Mary if she’d ever been to a midnight mass before. I hadn’t, and neither had she, so we went.”

Mary recalls that the young Methodist couple snuck into the back, where they froze through the service as the doors continually opened and closed.

Ralph remembers that the entire service was conducted in Latin. Mary had four years of Latin under her belt at that point. Ralph spoke not a lick. And she didn’t translate for him.

That was it. That was the beginning for one of the most respected power couples in Monett – dinner and a movie that went so well, they wanted to hold on to the night as long as possible, and found one of the few places still open late into the night on Christmas eve.

They continued to date for a year and the following December Ralph proposed. The following August, on Aug. 14, 1949 to be specific, they wed, with Ralph’s father (one of the match-makers) as the best man.

“We fell in love on that first date, or at least had very strong feelings,” Ralph said.

From there, the couple started building a family that would ultimately include three children. Early on, Mary was a homemaker, and Ralph was a teacher. When the state of Arkansas began discussing reducing the school year to eight months a year, they decided to pull up stakes and find a more secure school district.

“We looked at every small town with less than 10,000 people in a 200 mile

radius, and sent letters to every school district,” Ralph said. Monett was one that responded, and here they landed.

When their oldest child was in high school and the youngest was in first or second grade, Mary went to work for the school district serving as a tutor for migrant students, working one-on-one with new transfers to the school district to get them up to speed with local curriculum.

Ralph worked as a teacher at the high school and junior college, and coached just about any sport he could.

Over the years, working in the same field, gave the couple a lot to talk about, and a lot to learn.

“Working in the same field, we grew together,” Mary said. “Ralph was quiet, he didn’t talk much, but when he did, I understood.”

“My wife is undoubtedly an unusual person, in that, even today, she understands if a wide out didn’t run the right route, and she’ll tell me. One day she told me I didn’t know how many football games she’d gone to when I was coaching. She even accused me of

Dr. Ralph and Mary Scott married Aug. 14, 1949

planning my Monday practices during Sunday church services.”

And outside of their home and career is all the volunteer and service work the couple is a part of.

“It’s just part of our make-up,” Mary said. “When the boys started Boy Scouts in grade school, I came home a den mother,” Mary said.

“And I came home an assistant scout master,” Ralph added.

“With a lot of our (service) work, we’ve kind of stayed a part,” Mary said.

“I’ve been a Lion for 50 years, and I can’t get her to join, and she hasn’t gotten me into the hospital auxiliary yet,” Ralph added.

But the couple says that’s one unique aspect of their relationship. While Ralph worked in a classroom, Mary was educating students on a oneon-one basis. While Ralph was dedicating his time to helping people pay for eye and ear care through the Lions, Mary was helping to care for patients at the local hospital through the auxiliary. They have similar interests, and a similar drive to help. And while they have worked side by side, arm-in-arm on many projects, they’ve also maintained their independent roles and interests.

“We’ve kind of stayed apart with that work, but we’re always very supportive,” Mary said.

But there is no secret to their success.

“I’m 95 and she’s 93, and we’ve been married for 73 years,” Ralph said. “We’ve maintained our belief in God as our Creator and Jesus Christ has taught us to live in peace and harmony.”

Mary said their relationship is built on a foundation of support.

“You have to be honest with each other and support each other,” she said. “If you see something that needs to be done a different way, suggest that.”

“And you have to be understanding,” Ralph added. n

by Muneeba Hasan

Muneeba Hasan is a first-generation Pakistani American who can fluently speak Hindi, Urdu, and English. Born and raised in Arizona, she graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. She is currently completing her Masters in Clinical Nutrition Diagnostics at Cox College in Springfield, Mo. She is passionate about nutrition and health and strives to foster a career in educating individuals about the benefits of eating a well-balanced diet and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

How Sleep and Hormones Affect our Weight

Sleep is essential for both the mind and body to function and work optimally throughout the day. Many of us have felt the grueling effects of sleep deprivation. Whether that be exhaustion, difficulty focusing, or fatigue, our body is letting us know that we need to rest.

However, a side effect many people are unaware of is how lack of sleep can cause unintentional weight gain. New research is indicating that there is a correlation between lack of sleep and increased BMI. This can put you at risk for many different chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.

Why does this happen?

Our body has two main hormones that affect our hunger. Leptin is our satiating hormone and allows our brain to know that we are full and can stop eating. Ghrelin is our hunger hormone, and it signals to our brain that we need to eat more. When we are hungry, our ghrelin levels increase and then drop when we are full.

After we are finished eating, our leptin levels increase and start to lower again as our body utilizes its food stores. Our hormones

are sensitive to change and one factor that can easily alter the body’s normal ghrelin and leptin levels is sleep. One recent study looked at nine healthy adults who spent three separate nights in a sleep lab where they had the participants sleep 7 hours for one night, 4.5 hours the other night, and kept the participants sleep-deprived during their final night in the sleep lab.

When comparing labs during a full night’s rest (7+ hours) to their labs after a night of sleep deprivation, the results indicated that ghrelin jumped up by 10 percent in sleep-deprived patients when compared to adequate sleep. This means that just one night of poor sleep can have a direct impact on your appetite the following day.

What are the long-term effects?

Individuals who are consistently deprived of sleep will have elevated ghrelin and decreased leptin levels when measured against people who get adequate sleep. In comparison, people who are overweight/obese also have higher levels of ghrelin in their system and lower levels of leptin in their blood when assessed with individuals with a normal

BMI. This is important to note because people who are classified as obese, over time run the risk of becoming leptin resistant.

This means that no matter how much leptin the body produces, the receptors in the body that acknowledge the leptin will stop working. This can better help us understand why reversing obesity is not a simple task, when the hormones meant to regulate your hunger do not function normally anymore.

What can you do?

The good news is long restful sleep can rehabilitate your ghrelin and leptin levels to normal. If you practice good sleep hygiene, over time you can positively influence weight management. According to the Sleep Foundation, healthy adults need anywhere between seven to nine hours of sleep every night.

Tips such as closing all the lights in the bedroom, going to sleep without the television, limiting caffeine intake after noon, turning off your phone, and finishing eating two hours before bed can help build a more natural environment for sleep. In no time at all you, can curate your nighttime routine that can help you get back on track to help you get quality sleep every night. 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 Brayden, Paige’s friend from school, and tech guy Tom, they track Alice down and find Nathan, Paige’s dad. After Piper holds Paige hostage, Alice tries to strike up a deal to finally get out of this whole mess. But just when Alice finally gets the upper hand, the police show up to arrest her and Paige.

Keeping Secrets part seven

By Annie Lisenby Smith

“This stinks,” Paige says resting the side of her head against the window of the police cruiser. Shifting, she tries in vain to release the pressure of the handcuffs from digging into her wrists.

“I’m so sorry,” Alice replies, tears streaming down her face. With her head drooped forward in defeat, the tears fall to her lap leaving dark circles on her slacks.

Paige and Alice, mom and daughter, ride in silence the rest of the way to the police station. Alice had already instructed Paige not to say a word about their evening. Her eyes are so intense that Paige knew she was deadly serious. The only saving grace was that when the police cruiser passed Tech Guy Tom’s white SUV, Paige could clearly see the silhouette of two men in the front seats watching as the car slipped by.

“We’re here,” a gruff officer says from the driver’s seat. He and his partner, a middle-aged woman with gray hairs escaping her tight bun, climb out of the car and adjust the various items on their belts before opening the doors for Paige and Alice to climb out.

“She’s my daughter,” Alice says, “so we should be kept together.”

The policeman huffs, his face soured by years of dealing with criminals. “That’s up to the chief.” He ushers Alice and Paige into the quiet police station. Not surprisingly to Paige, there aren’t many criminals or police lingering in the station at 2:00 a.m.

As Paige is stifling a yawn, Alice leans over and whispers, “Don’t forget your one phone call.”

“Who am I going to call?” Paige asks with a pointed glance at Alice. “Grandma won’t hear the phone without her hearing aids, and I think that Dad is off the table for now too.”

“Her hearing is that bad now?” Alice frowns. “I know she

was going downhill a few years ago, but…”

“Mom,” Paige starts, “you’ve been gone two years. What did you expect?”

Alice bites her lip, which makes Paige want to wrap her arms around Alice in a huge hug. Wearing handcuffs makes this impossible, so she leans into her mom, resting her chin on Alice’s shoulder.

“No touching!” the lady cop commands. At this, the guy cop comes out of an office, his face even further soured. “Put them in interrogation room 3.”

The lady cop leads Alice and Paige into a stark room with only a table, two chairs, and a big mirror. Paige is stifling another yawn when she catches sight of her reflection. Her hair is fried, flying in all directions. Circles are darkening under her eyes, and she has a ketchup stain on her shirt. It’s been the longest night of her life and it’s not over yet.

“Don’t say anything,” Alice says sinking into one of the chairs. “Let me do all the talking.”

Paige nods and leans against the wall, the cold cinder blocks against her arms helping to stimulate her senses and keep her away. But after a few minutes, a new cop with lots of decoration on his uniform comes in, introduces himself as Captain Graves, and starts throwing questions at Alice.

Each of her replies are either “I can’t comment on that” or “I don’t have knowledge of that.” The back and forth between Alice and Captain Graves continues forever. Without a clock on the wall or a phone in her hand, Paige has no idea what time it is. But with her arms stiff from the handcuffs and her eyes drying from exhaustion, Paige knows she needs a change of location ASAP. If not, she’s sure she’ll fall over dead asleep on the floor in the next two minutes.

“I want to make my phone call,” Paige says from the corner of the room.

Captain Graves shifts his gaze to Paige with a quirked eyebrow. Swiveling in her chair, Alice’s eyes ask questions that Paige can’t answer.

“And I really have to pee,” Paige adds. “It’s been forever, and I just really have to go now.”

Paige has no idea what she’s doing, she hasn’t all night long. Getting out of this room is the biggest goal she has now and she’ll take any chance she can get to make that happen.

“Officer Fisher!” the captain yells at the door. When the lady cop opens it, he instructs her to take Paige to the restroom. As she leads Paige down the hallway, the squeak of Piper Glen’s voice bounces through the halls from another interrogation room. As they pass, Paige leans for the door trying in vain to hear what lies Piper is making up now. Just the sound of her mouse-like voice makes Paige’s blood run cold.

Standing in the tiny, tiled bathroom with the scent of industrial cleaners stinging her nose, Paige turns to Officer Fisher. “Can these come off?” She nods at her hands still cuffed behind her. “It’s kind of hard to do this without my hands.”

Officer Fisher’s eyes tighten as she looks Paige over from head to toe. “Okay,” she says reaching for her keys. “But make it quick. I’ll be standing right here, so don’t try anything.”

“Okay,” Paige shrugs. With the click of two tiny locks, Paige is released from the handcuffs. She immediately rubs her wrists. Red lines cover them from where the metal had dug into her skin for the past few hours. She stretches her fingers relishing their freedom.

“Hurry up,” Officer Fisher nods at the stall door. Going quickly, but not too fast, Paige takes care of her business and goes to wash her hands. As she squirts thick pink soap into her palm, she sees the numbers still scrawled there. They’re faded, but she can clearly make out Brayden’s phone number. The idea hits like a ton of bricks. Brayden. Her last phone call. She can’t do anything to save herself now, but she can call Brayden to apologize for getting him wrapped up in this mess. And she can make sure that he’s okay, that Piper’s henchmen haven’t gotten to him.

Turning around and holding her hands out in front of herself, Paige tells Officer Fisher, “I’m ready for my phone call.”

To her great relief, Officer Fisher cuffs her hands in her front before leading her out. “Sit down,” Officer Fisher points to a chair next to a desk. It’s covered in cheap vinyl, cracks splitting and digging at the back of Paige’s legs where her shorts don’t cover. But Paige quickly dismisses the comfort when Officer Fisher passes her the phone from her desk.

Her fingers trembling with anticipation, Paige dials Brayden’s number. It rings but goes to voicemail making

Paige’s heart quicken. She can’t do this over voicemail. No one uses voicemail anymore anyway. Her gaze jumps to Officer Fisher.

“He didn’t answer,” she says. “Probably because it’s so late. I guess it is, I don’t know what time it is now.” Paige looks around the room searching for a clock.

With a quick glance at her computer screen, Officer Fisher says, “It’s 3:50 a.m.”

“Oh, wow,” Paige says surprised. This is the latest she’s ever been up. Even at slumber parties, she is always the first person to fall asleep. “Can I just try the number again?”

“Sure,” Officer Fisher says wrapping her arms over her chest and yawning widely.

The line connects and the phone rings. Paige holds her breath counting the rings. One. Two. Three. Four. Fiv—.

“Hello?” Bryden’s sleep-filled voice cracks over the phone.

“Brayden!” Paige jumps as she shouts his name with excitement. She presses the phone harder against her ear.

“Who is this?” Brayden asks to the sound of him shifting in his bed.

“Paige. It’s Paige,” she replies feeling hopeful to hear his voice but also dreading all she has to tell him in a short amount of time. “Did you get my text earlier?”

“Paige?” His volume rises as he wakens. “Are you okay? After that weird text message, I didn’t know what to do. Did you get my texts? You never replied.”

“No, I didn’t get them,” Paige blurted, her words falling like a waterfall. “I had to destroy my phone. Was that you who called the police? Because I’m kind of in some trouble now and I was worried you were in trouble too.”

“Yeah, I called the police,” Brayden says. “They didn’t believe me at first. Then this one guy called back right after I hung up. He said he was with the CIA. Paige, what is going on?”

A look at Officer Fisher assured Paige that she was eavesdropping. Watching her words, Paige replies, “Look, I just need to know that you’re okay.”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Brayden says. “Are you okay?”

Searching for the right words, Paige licks her lips. “Yeah, I’m fine. Things are weird, but I’m fine.”

“What can I do to help?” Brayden asks.

“Nothing. Just forget everything tonight,” Paige says. “Everything is going to work itself out, that’s what my mom said. So, I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Smiling as she talks, Paige hopes with all her heart that Brayden believes her. Her speech teacher last year had said to smile when you talk to win over your audience. Paige doesn’t know if that works over the phone, but she keeps the smile plastered anyway.

“Okay,” Brayden sighs. “So you’re okay?”

What is happening? Paige falls in line behind Alice and the surfer suit guy. The Latin suit guy follows behind.

“Mom?” Paige whispers.

“No talking,” commands the surfer suit guy.

“Yeah, I wanted to thank you for calling the police,” Paige replies sinking into her chair. Across the room, two men in dark suits stride down the hall like they’re on a mission. When they stop at the interrogation room where Alice is still talking to the captain, Paige freezes.

“Paige? You still there?” Brayden’s voice is tight, strained. Does he feel the tension filling every cell of Paige’s body?

“Yeah, I’m here,” Paige forces out. “Thanks. And sorry to call so late. My phone is broken. And I just wanted to make sure everything was good there.”

The two suits knock quickly, then enter the interrogation room. The stern looks on their faces and the briskness of their movements makes Paige sit up taller.

“I’m fine here, just stayed up too late playing Fortnight with the guys.” A faint knocking sound comes over the line. “Hold on,” Brayden says.

“What is it?” Paige asks.

“Time’s up,” Officer Fisher informs her reaching for the phone.

Paige grabs the phone and presses it against her chest. “Just give me another minute,” Paige says. “Brayden, are you still there?”

“Come on, kid,” Officer Fisher rolls her eyes.

“There’s someone here. That’s weird,” Brayden says.

“Who is it?” Paige asks avoiding Officer Fisher’s hands reaching for the phone.

“Kid, cut it out,” Officer Fisher warns. “Give me the phone.”

“My mom is talking to them, probably no one,” Brayden says sending a wave of relief over Paige. He’s home. He’s safe. Nothing will happen to him. “Hold on. I gotta go. Mom says I need to go down and talk to someone.”

Every alarm bell in Paige’s body goes off at once. “No! Don’t!” she yells into the phone, but the line is dead. Brayden is gone. Paige doesn’t try to deflect when Officer Fisher grabs the phone from her hands.

“Officer,” a booming voice comes from across the room. Outside the interrogation room, one of the suits is motioning to Officer Fisher.

“Let’s go,” Officer Fisher lifts Paige under the arm and pulls her to standing. As she directs Paige’s feet toward the suit, Paige feels every nerve in her body screaming to run, to get away.

The suit, a Latin man with thick hair and a thin beard, stands in the doorway. His face is neutral, like a gambler. It says nothing. And that nothing is crazy scary to Paige. He looks over his shoulder and with another nod, the other suit leads Alice out of the room. This guy is blonde and tanned, looking like a surfer in a sharp suit.

“Ladies,” he says, “come with us.” Alice gives Paige a deflated nod. What is happening? Paige falls in line behind Alice and the surfer suit guy. The Latin suit guy follows behind.

“Mom?” Paige whispers.

“No talking,” commands the surfer suit guy.

They follow in silence down the hall and outside to where a big, black SUV waits. After the night she’s had, Paige bucks at the SUV.

“Ladies,” he says, “come with us.” Alice gives Paige a deflated nod.

Love Your Family, Love Your Car!

“No way,” she says as the Latin suit guy behind her presses her toward the back door.

“Sweetheart,” Alice pins Paige with a glance. “Go. It’s okay.” Her gaze drifts to the suit guy’s side, to the noticeable bulge that Paige knows is a gun.

Paige groans as she climbs into the back of the SUV. Not again. Not more guns. Will this ever end?

When the SUV squeals turning out of the parking lot, Paige is thrown against Alice in the wide backseat. After a few miles of quick turns and more sliding around, the SUV comes to an abrupt stop in front of a darkened grocery store.

“ETA one minute,” surfer suit guy says, removing his fingertips from his ear and back to the steering wheel.

“Are these the good guys?” Paige whispers to her mom.

Before answering, Alice looks to see if the suits are listening. “I think so,” she replies.

“You think?” Paige gasps.

“There they are,” Latin suit guy points out the front window to another dark SUV zipping into the parking lot.

When the suits get out of the car, Paige tries the door handle. It’s locked from the outside. She’s looking around the SUV, trying to find a way to escape when the door next to her swings open, and two cops shove someone into the backseat with Paige and Alice.

A body crashes against Paige, shoving her closer to Alice. “Hey, watch it,” Paige cries. The surfer suit guy smiles and slams the door shut.

That’s when the new person lifts his head. Thick hair. His hazel eyes wide with fear find Paige.

“Brayden?” Paige gasps. She whips to face Alice. “Mom, these are not the good guys.” n

by Christa Stout

To learn more about Pit Ridge visit their Facebook page:

Also check out their website: PitRidge.org

Pit Ridge’s ‘Pittie’ Progress

“OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE HAVEN FOR DOGS IN NEED OF A MOMENT MORE TIME TO HEAL THE EMOTIONAL PAST THROUGH NATURAL THERAPY, POSITIVE BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION, AND AN ACCEPTANCE FOR WHO THEY ARE AT A PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME. WE MAKE A PROMISE TO OUR DOGS THAT THEY WILL BE SAFE AND LOVED FOREVER NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.”

The above was my introduction to Pit Ridge Rescue and immediately I knew the people running it were dedicated and amazing people who cared about their charges so very much that it is actually a sanctuary as well as a rescue. Rescue means they pull dogs from high kill shelters nationwidethey truly rescue them from being euthanized, and “sanctuary” means that no matter what, the dog will

have a comfortable, fear-free and forever home. They work with Animal Control Officers and shelters in North Central and Northwest Arkansas, but also those in Missouri and all of the United States.

Of course, the majority of Pit Ridge’s dogs are pitbulls and bully breeds - dogs with stigma attached, prejudiced by unfortunate incidents that were not the fault of the dogs, as well as BSL (breed specific legislation), which prohibits owning a bully breed dog or makes it financially prohibitive by enforcing expensive insurance requirements.

kennels clean, the dogs fed, adoption appointments made, intake of dogs, vet appointments and of course training for all of them. And that’s not all, there is so much more to running a rescue, I would encourage everyone to volunteer at a shelter even for a few hours to find out how much work must be done.

TACO AND TUNA - a bonded pair of 5 year old pocket pits that were surrendered due to a divorce; the owner brought them to Pea Ridge to have them euthanized. Fortunately, Moriah overheard the conversation and took them home on the spot. They are now adoptable.

I met with Melody, Pit Ridge’s Event Coordinator, and Dog Groomer by profession. She is also one of the three people who make it their life’s mission to save the neglected, injured and difficult to adopt dogs. Moriah, is the founder and owner of Pit Ridge, as well as owner of the 6 acres and 2 barns that have a capacity for 50 dogs and a need for many more, and last, but not least, there is Pit Ridge’s Director, Jennifer.

Moriah works nights and during the day, shares with Melody and Jennifer, the work of keeping

Moriah is working on becoming a certified trainer and is responsible for assessing and training incoming dogs. She does not allow the use of prong or shock collars, nor any kind of harsh treatment, but instead insists on positive reinforcement during training.

Although the background of the incoming dogs is generally not known, you can guess that many have been neglected or mistreated and the training will need to teach them to overcome their fear, to start trusting humans again, and to obey basic commands.

My personal experience has been that “pitties” are gentle, affectionate and loyal, and issues with ANY dog are likely due to owner inexperience, neglect or mistreatment, not the dog’s breed. As Melody said, she has been bitten many

more times by small dogs.

It is sad that Pit Ridge has to fight not only inhumane prior treatment, but also human prejudice. Melody told me that a couple of years ago they had a fundraising event scheduled, but the event supporters withdrew their support when they discovered that the dogs involved were mostly pitbulls - the event had to be cancelled. However, despite the difficulties they encounter and the discouragement that sometimes overtakes them, they are happy to report they have adopted out 50 dogs in 2022 50 dogs’ lives saved! Congratulations!

Melody also pointed out that they take extra steps to make successful adoptions and prevent getting a dog returned, such as offering training at their home and giving them additional education. But Pit Ridge has many other future goals, such as a community pantry where needy dog owners will be able to obtain food, flea and tick treatment and low cost vaccinations. Bathing clinics is also on their list. And as with other rescues, spay and neuter clinics are high priority.

Since Moriah lives on the property and pays most of the expenses out of her own pocket, they are also hoping to make some improvements to heating and cooling equipment in the barns to increase efficiency. A facility that allows meeting the adoptable pets is also high on their list, currently they rely on pet stores for their adoption events.

Please consider helping Pit Ridge continue to be such an asset to Arkansas and Missouri by donating monthly recurring donations (see the link on their website) would allow them to have a place for prospective adopters to meet their sweet dogs. All amounts and frequencies are greatly appreciated to help them save dogs. n

Nacho

“ Nature does not compromise; a pelican is not a compromise between a crow and otter, it is just a pelican. Nature makes no compromises; any inefficient products are recalled to the manufacturer! ”

— Amory Lovins

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