Connection March 2023

I have heard it over and over again, “There is no such thing as a dumb question.” I generally believe this to be the case, as I think being inquisitive is important. But, then I hear a question on Super Bowl Opening Night, the Monday before the Super Bowl LVII. Nick Sirianni, Head Coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, was asked by a reporter if the Super Bowl was a “must-win” game. Well, it is the last and most important game of the entire NFL season, so …. I just have to say I was impressed that the coach honored the question with a simple answer of “yeah” without even smirking and/or rolling his eyes before taking a less rhetorical question from another reporter.

I am often asked a lot of questions about the mystery that is mental health treatment. I have never been asked a “dumb” question, and I always try to give thoughtful answers. I want people asking questions about mental health because it is a topic that needs thoughtful discussion.

Below I have answered a couple questions I am asked frequently:

“Most of the folks you treat at the Clark Center have alcohol/drug addictions don’t they?” No. The vast majority of those served have NEVER had a substance use problem.

Show Me Hope @ The Clark Center

“Working with the folks you work with, do you ever feel unsafe?” No. I feel safer walking into any Clark Center office than I do walking into Wal-Mart or the movie theater. While it is often believed that individuals with mental illness should be considered dangerous, data suggests the opposite is true. A mentally ill individual is much more likely to be a victim of violent crime than a perpetrator of violence.

“Do the people you treat ever get better?” YES! We have seen depressed, disabled individuals be able to return to work. We have seen once homeless individuals with psychosis be able to maintain adequate housing. We have seen individuals who historically struggled with opiate and alcohol use disorders sustain recovery for years. Of course, we daily see a majority of individuals with much less severe problems improve and thrive. Treatment can work.

Have other questions? Feel free to ask.

The Clark Center 417-235-6610

2021 was rough. Show Me Hope at the Clark Center is connected to resources for nancial help, mental health help, and self-care. The program is free and con dential. Programs are created to assist our communities with the ability to rec er from the grief, uncertainty and frustration of recent times. We are here to listen and help. yone in community with concerns about their recovery, or that of another individual or group is encouraged to call and seek assistance. Points of focus for Show Me Hope are resiliency, self-care and experiencing loss. Here 24/7......

w Me Hope, call or text: 1-800-985-5990

Clark Center: 417-235-6610

If you or someone you know needs crisis support now. Call or text 988 Resiliency Community Recovery

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

Spring Forward, Fall Back… Already??

At 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 12 we will reset our clocks to read one hour ahead. Yes, daylight saving time has once again changed our sleeping schedules and many of us will be late for church or other functions because we forgot that the change was happening.

I personally do not mind daylight saving time. I enjoy it staying lighter later but I’m not real crazy about it being dark in the morning. What I would really like is for the time to stay at daylight saving time year-round.

DST does have a tendency to throw off your schedule and the sleep effects tend to linger for a few days. I really honor my sleep and hold it very near and dear to my heart. I mean at my age, it is very important to get as much beauty sleep as I can!

But there are benefits to DST. For me, enjoying the daylight well into the evening hours is better than only a fleeting moment of daylight before work and driving home in the dark. More light gives one more time to do what you want or need to do, which usually equals a happier you.

Research has shown that robbery rates after daylight saving time fall an average of 7 percent, with a much larger 27 percent drop during those light-filled evening hours that didn’t exist before the time change.

It minimizes energy consumption and lowers your costs. When you enjoy more natural daylight, you use less artificial light and that makes a real impact on the overall cost of energy consumption.

Driving home in the daylight versus the darkness is easier when you can see your surroundings and where you are going. Studies actually show that we could save hundreds of lives per year if we implemented daylight saving time year-round.

Now maybe you all have found all of this information quite boring. But the controversy as to if/when and why we should just keep one kind of time year-round has been ongoing for quite some time.

I can remember when I was a little girl staying out late at night to play with the others in my neighborhood. Playing outside is not as common now days as it use to be, but we would ride our bikes, swim, climb trees and numerous other outdoor activities. One of the really fun things that I remember doing was catching lightning bugs and putting them in a jar to watch them light over and over again.

This subject has been debated and contested over many years, for many reasons.

I think you can guess what I lean towards but I am not sure that my opinion will make much difference in the grand scheme of things. But in the meantime, make sure that before you go to bed on March 11, you reset all of your clocks that do not reset automatically.

Maybe one should catch some extra hours of sleep to build up for it or at least go to bed early, and let’s do our best to be positive about the change. Some won’t be happy about this, so let’s do our best to try to turn those frowns upside down.

Owner & Publisher, Connection Magazine

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

A

MAGAZINE DEDICATED

OWNER/PUBLISHER

Lisa Craft monettcommunity@gmail.com

MULTI-MEDIA SALES EXECUTIVES

Marion Chrysler

CONTRIBUTORS

Meagan Ruffing

Susan Funkhouser

Pam Wormington

Christa Stout

Annie Lisenby Smith

Mike Gervais

Murray Bishoff

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Chuck Nickle

DISTRIBUTION

Kevin Funcannon

TO ADVERTISE

417-235-3135 - Monett

Send email inquiries to monettcommunity@gmail.com

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.

6-month

9-month

4.75 4.70

3. 25 2

4.85

3.45

2/17/2023.

% % %

12 |

MONETT AIRBNB

Above the hum of the downtown there’s a hidden gem of an overnight stay to boost the hometown EXPERIENCE

21 |

MEANT 2 BE OUTDOORS

Brian Hoffman and Ben Brandell follow their faith to form an LLC based on community support and the love of the outdoors

26 | GRACE CAMP

This notable Monettan led the way to establish special education in the region, winning the hearts of those she knew and leaving a lasting legacy

31 |

UNSCRIPTED AND UNDENIABLE

Benjy Fenske breathes life into the tales he tells of many memories as an educator

39 | SERIAL STORY: Keeping Secrets

Part eight by Annie Lisenby Smith

MARCH 2023

Grace Camp with mother and doll, Evelyn. Learn more about Grace’s story on page 26.

497 State Hwy 76

Cassville, MO. 65625 417-847-3600

by Meagan Ruffing

Spring Cleaning for the Inside and Outside of Your Home

Can you believe that warmer, brighter weather is just around the corner? I don’t know about you but seeing glimpses of the sun gets me excited for home improvement projects and new beginnings. I made a list of things for me to take care of this month to help get my spring started off right. Feel free to add to this list as you prepare for sunnier days

Inside the Home:

• Clean bathroom rugs

• Deep clean towels (wash in hot water and 1 cup of vinegar, wash towels a second time in hot water and 1 cup of baking soda, dry towels without fabric softener)

• Dust high ceilings, corners, and baseboards

• Empty clean outs from washing machine and dishwasher

• Clean lint trap from dryer

• Change air filters

• Run a clean cycle on your dishwasher, clean garbage disposal with packets, run a clean cycle on your washing machine

• Dust your blinds and wash windows

• Deep clean showers and bathtubs

• Empty kitchen cupboards and donate or sell unused items

• Wipe down cupboard handles and household doorknobs with Lysol wipes

• Change bed sheets and vacuum behind dressers, nightstands, and chairs

• Dust household surfaces and wipe down with Lysol wipes

• Go through clothes and donate what you don’t wear anymore

• Clean bathroom mirrors and frames around the house

• Clean winter jackets, hats, mittens, and scarves and stow away for the season

• Clean out fridge and throw away expired items

• Vacuum and mop floors

• Change burnt out lightbulbs

• Vacuum couch cushions (and underneath!)

• Steam clean rugs

Meagan Ruffing is a parenting journalist and marriage and family therapist living in northwest Arkansas. She has already started chipping away at her spring-cleaning list.

Tomblin’s Jewelry & Gifts

Outside the Home:

• Landscape cleanup (rake leaves, trash pickup, weeds, add more rocks)

• Clean outside windows

• Tidy up the garage (blow out, hang things up, organize)

• Service your lawnmower (sharpen blades, check oil, etc.) or line up lawn mowing services with a company to be ready for that first mow of the year

• Pick up after your pets

• Discard of any loose items in the yard (old toys, broken household items, etc.)

• Clean gutters

• Organize shed

• Wash outdoor furniture cushions

• Clean inside and outside of car

• Paint/stain shutters and touchup areas around the outside of the house

• Replace ripped screens from windows and doorframes

• Buy new outdoor welcome mats to freshen up the look of your house

• Hang a new wreath from your front door

• Clean off your front stoop

Include the kids in your spring cleaning this year but make it family-oriented with playful challenges like, who can find the room with the most dust bunnies? Or, who can make the straightest lines in their rug when vacuuming? It can be as silly as you want.

Enjoy the sunshine this month and make sure you reward yourself when all your projects are done! n

Hidden Gem in Downtown Monett

Downtown Monett is hiding a secret gem for those with visiting friends and family or those who may be visiting Monett on business.

Located at 308 E. Broadway, area resident Brett Heman has opened a new Airbnb property that has been described in multiple reviews as simply “beautiful.”

The two bedroom, 1.5 bathroom apartment is located upstairs from a business Heman said he is planning to open in the near future that will offer an office-type workspace for residents and visitors.

Story by Mike Gervais

A two-bedroom, 1.5 bathroom Airbnb is open in downtown Monett, offering a convenient location near local restaurants, coffee shops, shopping and more.

Before opening the property for rentals, Heman said he did an overhaul of the property to modernize the living space and provide an updated aesthetic for visitors.

“There was a living space there, but we went in and updated it,” he said. “One of the key things are the windows in the living room. We added these large, maybe seven-foot tall windows that really showcases the space. It makes you feel like you’re in a huge sky scraper building with views of downtown Monett.”

With its beautiful view, modern interior and all the amenities of home, possibly the best feature of the Broadway Airbnb is the location.

“The idea we had for this property is someone can come in and stay for a week to visit for the holidays or something, and they will have a work space available right downstairs with high speed broadband and everything you’ll need,” Heman said.

Heman said the property has attracted some industry managers who were in town for extended stays, “but that’s just a small piece of the guests we’ve hosted,” he said. “Mostly, it’s someone who comes in to stay for a week, or to visit for the holidays to see family. But we do get people who are coming in for work.”

While many Airbnb properties have minimum stay requirements of two or more nights, Heman said he recently opened the Broadway property up to single-night stays.

Heman said the benefit of an Airbnb rental is that it comes with all the amenities one would expect from their home, including a full kitchen and living room for relaxing or even entertaining.

The benefit of an Airbnb over a hotel is often the amenities that are offered, including a full kitchen for those who prefer to cook, and living space for renters who are looking to entertain during their stay.

A full kitchen and a small market within walking distance of the Airbnb are just two of the amenities on offer.

Come On In And Feel The Luck With Our Large Variety Of Preloved & New Clothing and Accessories.

“You’re right down the street from Mocha Jo’s for coffee, Romey’s Restaurant, there’s groceries at a little market there on the corner, and the Monett Historical Museum is a short walk away,” Heman said. And that’s not to mention the Glen and Sharon Garrett Downtown Park or numerous other shopping opportunities to be found in downtown Monett.

In addition, the property is ideally situated for visitors who travel to Monett for special events, like the annual Repurposed Fair held in the downtown park each August, or Monett’s annual Christmas parade each December.

While a downtown loft is something someone might expect to rent in a large city, it might be a surprising addition to our small town. But Heman’s property has been receiving rave reviews online.

“Beautiful place, so much attention to detail, very comfortable,” one review states. “We loved the convenience of the cute coffee place with great sandwiches!”

Another renter was thrilled with the interior decor.

“Beautiful, newly remodeled, spotless and peaceful place to stay! Everything - including the furnishings, amenities and decor - is thoroughly and thoughtfully planned out to provide a modern, clutter-free, serene and inspiring environment,” a review from January states. “I highly recommend staying here - it was great! The location is awesome (had fun walking down the street to Mocha Joe’s) and Brett is friendly and quick to respond to messages.” n

Melida V. Pardo is a Cox College dietetic intern who is fully committed to help others achieve better health through nutrition. She is interested in the role of food and nutrition in promoting wellness and preventive care.

by Melida V. Pardo

Too Much Sugar Changes the Gut Microbiome

Overconsumption of sugars and sweeteners is associated with an increase in the cases of disorders such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The relationship between sugar and these disorders has been assumed to be partly via the gut microbiome. The microbiome is composed of the totality of microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi present in the gastrointestinal tract.

The inference is that increased intake of sugars and sweeteners has changed the pools of carbohydrate accessible by the microbiome,

forming unique environments in the gut filled by growing microbes, some of which are bacterium. The increased prevalence of these disorders is becoming a serious public health issue that is more prevalent than infectious diseases, resulting in greater number of deaths.

In both children and adults, the World Health Organization strictly endorses lowering the intake of added sugars and sweeteners to below 10 percent of the total energy consumption and proposes a further decrease to less than 5 percent.

View blog online

Several studies have focused on the harmful impacts of western dietary patterns on wellbeing and the intestine. While intake of dietary fat coming from fatty foods and fried foods is well evaluated, the precise effect of sugars and sweeteners is not properly accounted for, even though refined sugars and sweeteners total up to 40 percent of daily caloric consumption within the developed nations.

EXCESSIVE INTAKE OF SUGARS AND SWEETENERS IS RELATED TO NUMEROUS ORGAN AND TISSUE DYSFUNCTIONS.

RANDALL, MASRI, AND RANDALL P.C.

We have a solid reputation as effective legal practitioners and possess a depth of experience, serving Monett and surrounding area with 70 years of combined experience in the law business.

The only home-owned Title and closing Agency in Monett

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.

Both sugar and sweetener consumption and high blood pressure disturb the intestinal barrier, hence raising the permeability of the gut resulting in intense gut microbiota dysbiosis (reduction in microbial diversity), which in turn leads to disturbance in the immunity of the mucosa that facilitates the susceptibility of infections.

ONE WAY TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF OUR GUT IS BY REDUCING THE CONSUMPTION OF SUGARS AND SWEETENERS AND INCREASING PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS INTO OUR DIET, SUCH AS WHOLE GRAINS, VEGETABLES, FRUITS, DAIRY, NUTS, AND SEEDS.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that generally improve and restore the gut flora or good bacteria. Probiotics can be found in yogurt, kombucha (fermented tea drink), fermented soy, and fermented vegetables. Prebiotics are compounds in food that induce the growth of beneficial microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. Some examples of prebiotics are legumes, bananas, berries, tomatoes, artichokes, onions, garlic, broccoli, asparagus, and flax seeds.

65708

Salads can be made into a fiber-rich prebiotic boost by adding blueberries, cranberries, cashews, and edamame. Add some Greek yogurt-based dressing to get those probiotics in and enjoy this salad with kale, lettuce, or spinach. n

Gabriella Marie Sizemore is the 2-year-old daughter of Jake and Chekota Sizemore of Cassville.

Stepping Out in

Faith and Making Dreams Come True

There is a saying that if you truly love your job, you will never work a day in your life. That seems to be the case for Brian Hoffman and Ben Brandell, co-owners of Meant 2 Be Outdoors, an adventure company set on introducing southwest Missouri residents to the great outdoors.

Brian and Ben grew up in the same small town but only knew of each other. The two graduated from Spokane High School a few years apart, but both shared a love of outdoor adventuring and working with a variety of entities ranging from Wonders of Wildlife to Camp Barnabas and working with at-risk youth.

Story by Lisa Craft and Melonie Roberts

SURVIVAL FIRE TRAINING

Connect with Meant 2 B Outdoors

Email m2boutdoors@gmail.com or visit their website for for information

Meant2BOutdoors.com

FA/CPR SKILLS

They began working together in 2009 and quickly became friends over their shared passion for the outdoors. Both of them shared a dream about teaching people everything that they loved about the outdoors.

Brian and Ben later worked for The Johnny Morris Foundation where they continued to discuss and dream about one day doing their own thing which happened in 2021. They got the courage to step out in faith and start Meant 2B Outdoors, LLC.

“I’ve always loved being outdoors, and always felt safe,” said Brian Hoffmeyer, co-owner and biologist for the company. “I have learned more about my Creator by spending time outdoors. I love white-tailed deer, I love the land and creation, and it breaks my heart to see it broken and wasted.”

Brian and Ben expressed that it is their hope that their love for Christ and His sacrifice for us shines through in everything that they do, from the way they teach to the way they treat others. If they know that someone would be made uncomfortable or driven further from Christ by including Him in the programs, then they teach the same truths, but without directly relating it to Christ.

If a group or organization would like a more devotional or Bible lesson-type program, they incorporate scripture into all that they do. More than anything, Brian and Ben want it to be known that they love and want to teach everyone, they aren’t called to only educate or include people that just agree with them.

Archery is taught by simply teaching the skills and safety, then allowing participants to put them into practice or they teach archery while including what the Bible says about hunting, being stewards and having dominion over the earth.

“A large part of our programs right now are tailored to home school and public school students,” said Ben. “Some of the things we teach include survival, fire building, creating shelter and gathering food; stream ecology,

archery, shooting, tree identification and team development.”

Meant 2 Be Outdoors focuses all of their programs around the outdoors. They believe in sharing skills that allow people to better enjoy the outdoors and be more safe while doing so. All of the programs are considered experiential and hands on.

“It is one thing to learn things in ‘theory’, but we believe learning is reinforced when what is learned is put into ‘practice’,” said Brian. “Survival skills have been our most popular programs, but we teach many other things, like: Stream Ecology, archery, CPR, and first aid. We would also love to book more team building and development programs.”

Brandell and Hoffmeyer tailor adventure packages to the age, experience

ARCHERY

level and scope of what the organizer or client desires.

“We have had groups as young as Kindergarten all the way up to those in their 80’s,” Brandell said. “The packages all depend on what the goal of the organizer might be. Everyone has their own definition of team-building and team development, so we get a sense of what the end goal is and go from there.”

Some of the memorable events that have taken place on a guided adventure included a trip in 2022.

“We were wrapping up a trip when a father approached us to express how thankful he was for his two teenage sons to experience and learn from two men of God,” said Brandell. “ It was very humbling. We consider ourselves to be so imperfect and just there to love and serve. Leaving there knowing that a father would consider us a positive influence for his children is really a testament to the redeeming work of Christ.

“We messed up a lot in our lives, but He is still using us to impact His people.”

“Watching people gain confidence in themselves while learning something new, really touches our souls,” said Brian. “Another story would be from a spring backpacking trip we did with Springfield Outdoor Initiatives. As dark was falling on camp we set out to teach them about hanging a ‘Bear Bag’. One woman volunteered to serve the group by throwing the rope over a high-up limb. We could see on her face she doubted herself. She let the water bottle with the top tied to it, fly high into the air and as it sailed over the limb, she let out the biggest squeal of excitement.”

March through November is considered to be their busy season. Advance bookings are the best way possible but they do take last minute calls and try to accommodate. During the summer they teach summer camps at local parks, homeschool and public schools.

Meant 2B Outdoors works yearround and loves the outdoors so much they don’t consider there to be an

STREAM ECOLOGY & SURVIVAL SKILLS

offseason. They podcast twice a week all year and share their adventures on the podcast.

In the next three to five years, they would like to purchase property and transition the business to include more options for the individual consumer and not strictly business to business operation.

“We have sacrificed a lot to be doing what we are doing today. We left successful careers and leadership positions to do this, so people should know that we take every program, relationship, and opportunity very seriously,” said Brian. “We believe in leading by serving and because of that we put ourselves fully into developing and delivering programs with lasting impacts.” n

Grace Camp

During Women’s History Month, looking back at the often unsung achievements of women provides new insights on what is possible. Not that long ago, when few women reached the board room or elected office, women worked behind the scenes, often completing the efforts started by others or laying the groundwork for great achievement that would eventually come, whether or not the groundbreakers got the credit.

Story

by Murray Bishoff

Community Service Award winner remains a beacon after 40 years

a woman to remember

Grace Camp’s job hunting photos after graduating from Tarkio College

Forty years ago this month, the Monett Chamber of Commerce gave its highest honor, the Community Service Award, to Grace Camp. Hers is one of those stories.

Grace was generally known as the wife of E. Earl Camp, Monett’s school superintendent for 25 years. But Grace was much more than that, as a closer look shows.

Coming from humble roots, Grace Wright was born in 1905 in Chicago, where her father worked for a steam ship company. After he died of tuberculosis, despite the family relocating to Arizona, she and her mother moved in with relatives in Mound City, Missouri. She graduated from Tarkio College seeking a career in teaching, and met E.E. Camp, who was teaching and coaching at a small town in north Missouri. They came to Monett in the late 1930s, where they both lived out their days.

Smart, industrious and committed, Grace was a woman of her time, very proper, devoted to her church and the children that came into her care as a teacher. She also knew teachers plant the seeds for the future, even if no one sees it at the time.

Back in that period, communities had invisible people, family members kept out of sight for one reason or another, especially if they had a disability

or special needs. Think of the context: the Monett Area Extended Employment (Sheltered) Workshop did not come into existence until 1968. The Missouri General Assembly did not authorize special education programs in the public schools until 1973, and the Barry-Lawrence County Development Center, targeting services for pre-school age children, started that summer.

(left) Grace Camp with son Paul and husband Earl Camp. (below) Grace Camp at grandfather’s homestead in Montana

About 20 years earlier, in the early 1950s, Grace Camp started special ed ucation in Monett, on her own, with minimal support from the Monett school board. She secured use of a room in the basement of Monett’s 1905 high school, and used her own car to go to the homes of special needs children to bring them to her class and take them home.

“She wrote her own curriculum,” said Jeanne Ann Camp, who married the Camps’ adopted son, Paul. “She felt like she needed to take the kids as far as they could go. She would teach them reading, math, and to at least print or write. She took the risk of being ostracized herself. I believe she would have had the nerve to do it even if she hadn’t been married to Earl. Sometimes she just did stuff.”

Ralph and Mary K. Scott remember Grace well, especially for the graciousness of inviting them into the Camp home when Ralph came to town for a job interview in 1951, when Mary K.

especially for the betterment of handicapped children. She was totally the instigator of the special education program.”

Ralph recalled when he took on duties as head coach in Monett in 1957, he sought out potential athletes. One prospect, a ninth grader named Joe Watkins, came down with muscular dystrophy, and initially was given three months to live.

“I got involved with Joe,” said Ralph, “but low and behold I couldn’t find him. I was told he was over with Mrs. Camp. He could walk, but dragged a foot. She got ahold of him and had him with her, helping her work with the handicapped children. He loved it. I made him a student manager. If I couldn’t find him, I knew where he was, with her. She was so dedicated to making that happen.”

Grace’s efforts impacted many families. David and Margaret Whitlock moved back to Monett from Ohio so that their daughter, Candy, could bene-

The Whitlocks’ daughter Susan Whitlock Kelley said, “We moved back to Monett so Candy could be in the new ‘special education’ class that Monett was going to offer...and it was a new concept. [Our parents] thought Candy flourished with Mrs. Camp’s instruction.”

The Whitlocks became very involved in the community. Both David, who ran a local insurance agency, and Margaret would volunteer in a number of organizations, such as the Jaycees, the American Legion, the Masons, BLARC and the Ozark Festival Orchestra, that enriched local living. Their contributions would resonate for years to come. And that’s just one family.

Paul Camp would say every time the Methodist Church in Monett opened its doors, his mother was there.

“You could always count on Grace Camp to complete what she said. Her entire life was dedicated to making a better world.”

She taught Sunday school, and joined an evening circle group, since teaching kept her busy during the day.

Grace also joined the Etta Gardner Garden Club and played bridge avidly.

The Scotts commented that one of Grace’s greatest achievements was “managing” Earl Camp. By all accounts, E.E. Camp was a very idiosyncratic character. He was an indomitable leader, one who might terrify you, and yet someone who had a great heart for children and teachers. He hand-picked Ralph Scott as his successor as leader of the Monett school district, a choice that proved invaluable to the Monett community.

Stories abound about Earl Camp. Grace didn’t let him put on a lot of airs, calling him “Camp” rather than Earl. She would tell stories about him, like the time he was addressing Christmas cards, finished the box of cards then proceeded to address additional envelopes of the family’s stockpile of congratulations, condolences and get well cards, which went out without explanation to their friends. Known to be forgetful, Earl Camp one time practically walked off a dock on Table Rock Lake with his mind elsewhere. A boating enthusiast, he one time failed to fully secure the

motor on his boat, only to watch it sink in Table Rock Lake. He drove like he never fully adapted to an automatic transmission, winding up the engine only to let it subside then repeated the process, doing this on one trip all the way to Jefferson City.

“He was the kind of guy who loved to play golf,” Jeanne Ann Camp recalled. “One day he decided it was taking too much of his time, so he stopped, completely. That showed the kind of determination he had.”

Grace didn’t let Earl Camp take himself too seriously, and saw comic moments in his situations. She also ran a warm, supportive household. Without a companion for their adopted son, the Camps would invite Paul’s school friends and contemporary neighbors, like Gerry Reynaud and Janie Bass (Bates) to come to sleep-overs or go on vacations with them, or on one of their many weekends at their cabin near Shell Knob.

For his part, the Camps’ son Paul developed a rather off-beat sense of humor, and took many opportunities to poke a little fun at his mother’s properness. She seems to have taken that, too, in stride.

Grace Camp receiving her Community Service Award Grace and her father Paul Wright

Grace and Earl Camp out west

“She was a wonderful person,” Janie Bates said, whose mother, Ozelle Bass, was one of Grace’s closest friends. “I never heard her raise her voice. She was very concerned about everyone. She was like a second mother to me. Our families spent a lot of time together.”

After Earl died in 1971 at age 69, Grace continued to work. Teachers did not pay into Social Security, and many single women retired into poverty, though today’s teacher’s pension programs are very good. Grace held jobs as a teacher’s aide, a companion for Mrs. V.B. Hall, and even at The Monett Times, probably as a proofreader.

“There was no money when she died,” Jeanne Ann Camp said. “They had spent it on trips and things. Earl never earned that much. He always said, ‘Money that comes to the school should go to the teachers first.’ She took care of people almost to where she needed to be taken care of.”

Grace Camp’s impact may have reached beyond what anyone can trace. She was active in the Council for Exceptional Children, a national organization, in Missouri, and the Retired Teachers Association, and was wellknown around the state in education circles. Her example may have been instrumental in getting the 1973 law passed that expanded educational opportunities in Missouri.

“She was always a special lady,” said Mary K. Scott. “When she wasn’t teaching, she was volunteering with a handicapped group. She was helpful in getting us acquainted in the community, told us what to do and where to go shopping for a house. She was an outstanding citizen.”

Janie Bates still puts flowers on Grace’s grave at the Monett IOOF Cemetery. Grace’s example still shines, making the community she served a better place for being there. n

lessons to inspire the educator

Benjy Fenske has had quite a career as an educator.

He spent 11 years at the Pierce City school district, 10 as a coach, and 23 years in Clever, where he retired in June 2022 as superintendent, after previously serving as a building administrator.

What made the journey meaningful were the stories Fenske collected. Now he has assembled some of them into a book: Unscripted and Undeniable: Unforgettable Tales from a Teacher, Coach and Administrator.

“I started off just wanting to write a manuscript so that my kids would have a record of my experiences,” Fenske said. “This was just going to be a collection, but I found all the stories had a moral. As I thought about it, everything that happens to me in life is an aggregate. It makes up the person that I am. I learned everything happens for a reason. You need to learn from everything that happens to you. If you don’t, you’ve wasted an opportunity.”

Story by Murray Bishoff

Benjy Fenske collects his years of education experience into his new book Unscripted and Undeniable: Unforgettable Tales from a Teacher, Coach and Administrator.

How a coin toss, a basketball shellacking and a 90-year-old judge shaped a book of memories

Fenske’s book has four parts in eight chapters: stories of family and other jobs beyond education, stories of a teacher, coaching stories and administrator stories. The package was published by Streamline Books and is available on Amazon. His editor completed the book by contacting people in Fenske’s “distant and not-so-distant” past for quotes that intersect the stories.

“The best story in the book is about a young man I was teaching,” Fenske said. “I was getting ready to take kids to a business contest at a local university. I needed to take seven kids. Picking the first six was easy. I couldn’t decided between two for the last position. I asked the kids if we could flip a coin, and that chose the final team member, a sophomore. At contest, that kid got so into business that he turned in the top individual score. We had a strong team and mowed through the competition that day.

“After that, I couldn’t turn him off. He had an excitement never shown before. He was the only kid I ever taught who completed my entire accounting curriculum. I created a class for him. After he graduated from Pierce City High School, he got a business degree at Texas A&M, and an MBA at the University of Missouri. Today he manages $10 billion in assets at a firm in Dallas. He reached out to me a few years ago. We reminisced about flipping the coin.

“You have to give kids a chance. You never know where they will take it.”

The funniest story in the book came from a girls basketball game Fenske coached where his team was losing badly. Coming down to the last minutes of the game, with the outcome certain, one of the referees commented to Fenske, “They say you should guard the person who’s hurting you the worst.” So Fenske put his best defender on the other referee. For the final minutes, she guarded him closely, even kept him from breaking away.

“I thought for sure he was going to call a technical foul on us, but he didn’t,” Fenske recalled with a smile. “The other referee was dying laughing. After the game, one of my supervisors came up and asked me, ‘Did he score?’ People still ask me about that. They don’t believe it.

“That’s the thing about this book. It is not a storybook. It’s a book of stories, based on fact. It’s amazing that all these things happened to one person, and they’re all true.”

Trying moments often made Fenske’s best stories. His first year as a superintendent turned into a nightmare. The school district was hit by ransomware in November. While systems came back online by Christmas, in January Fenske became ill and ended up in the hospital, where he watched the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the 49ers. Then COVID hit. It was the perpetual “If it’s not one thing, it’s another.”

Unexpected experiences occurred along the way. Fenske’s assistant coach in Pierce City turned out to be his wife.

“Fate was involved in that one,” he recalled. “Cindy applied for a job elsewhere, and someone from Pierce City took that job. So she looked into the position being vacated in Pierce City and got that job. We were married five years later.”

She tells the story in an afterword in the book. Initially she heard the person hired was from “Prairie City,” but could never find such a town in Missouri. Pierce City was the closest thing, so she went there, and oddly enough found the local administrators were expecting someone to come for an interview that day. She waded through a variety of seemingly irrelevant questions to her teaching skills, such as her religion, political party, whether she owned horses and could she coach. She wrote, “I guess I answered all of those correctly — I was hired on the spot.”

Fenske found that kind of story consistent with his experience.

“Life is so happenstance sometimes,” he said. “I think you have to have a consistency of purpose, a ‘This is the way it needs to be done.’ At the end of the day, you have to think, ‘I did the best job I could, despite what others might think.’

“My message to educators is: Stay the course. Educators are great people who sacrifice a lot. You need to work hard and make the world better one kid at a time.”

Sometimes a defeat turned into a better learning experience. One chapter tells of the time Fenske, as a new Future Business Leaders of America sponsor, took a group of Future Farmers of America students versed in Robert’s Rules of Order to a parliamentary procedure contest. They made their presentation before a 90-year-old judge from

the local Parliamentarians Club. After running through their mock “meeting,” the older judge observed, “You boys are a bunch of Aggies, aren’t you? I could tell by how often you used your gavel. You used it more times than a carpenter uses a hammer.” The evaluation went downhill from there as she made point after point where the proper procedure was not followed.

Fenske apologized to his team afterwards for not better preparing them for such a grueling exam. Then they proceeded to console him, saying they would be better after that. All five went on to professional careers, two taking state and national FFA offices. None of them forgot that day.

Some of Fenske’s stories put the spotlight on colleagues, and some on himself. His practical jokes chapter came with a caution that some gags can go

Benjy Fenske has collected experience as an administrator, broadcaster and school bus driver over the years. All his experiences are collected in his book, Unscripted and Undeniable.

too far, and he tried to never leave bad feelings. His final chapter ruminated over an eighth graduation ceremony in Pierce City where a student wore a “We Don’t Need No Education” T-shirt derived from the Pink Floyd song that got under Fenske’s skin. He recalled that situation on several occasions when he moved on as an administrator in Clever. He proudly recalled that his insistence of a formal dress code for ceremonies helped inspire a new pride, not only among students but also among family members. Again, a bad situation could be turned into a positive one.

He ends the book with 34 bullet-point lessons he learned through his career.

In his writing strategy, Fenske chose not to mention anyone’s name.

“Read the book, if you were there, you would know,” he said. “I wanted to protect the innocent and the guilty. In some stories, I wanted to protect them. Those who recognize themselves will be honored.”

Fenske said he’s been asked to write another book. He’s considering it.

“I have 36 stories in this book. I’ve got hundreds more.”

In the meantime Fenske has not finished with education. Though retired from K-12 education, today Fenske works with the University of Missouri as part of the Network of Educator Effectiveness, helping to train principals and superintendents on properly evaluating teacher effectiveness.

He also wants fellow educators to learn, as he did, from experience.

“I learned that I’ve been surrounded by a lot of really good people, my co-workers, students and players,” he said. “If I had no other experience than that one kid who became excited through a coin toss that led to a successful career, I would have been a success. I’ve been blessed to have had so much more.” 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. In a chase that has lasted all night long Paige’s dad is freed but now Alice and Paige have been apprehended by unknown men. To make matters worse, Brayden, the boy from school who’d helped Paige and Alice has been taken too.

Keeping Secrets part eight

By Annie Lisenby Smith

The SUV’s tires squeal speeding away from the empty parking lot. Crickets sing into the night as a twinge of dawn creeps toward the horizon they’re racing toward. No one in the SUV speaks as they zip past the few early morning commuters on the road with bleary eyes and giant mugs of coffee. Paige watches their lights pass wishing that one of them, just one of them would look at the SUV and see that she, her mom, and Brayden were being held against their will. Just one person to make this night finally end.

But no one does.

A nudge from Alice’s elbow captures Paige’s attention. Her mom is more composed now. The tears are gone, but she still looks like a wreck with her hair loose from her ponytail and thin streaks of mascara trailing down her cheeks from her tears earlier. With her hands tied behind her back still, Alice can’t do anything about it. She nods at Brayden’s foot that rests next to Paige’s.

Paige hadn’t noticed before but Brayden’s toe taps rapidly on the floor of the SUV. Besides the whisking sound of cars passing, the tapping is the only noise in the vehicle. A glance at Brayden’s face is all Paige needs to know that he’s scared to death. Paige bitterly thinks that Brayden is doing well for his first kidnapping. She’d already been pulled or tossed into a car a handful of times tonight.

“Brayden,” Paige whispers as she rests her foot on his toes to still them. His gaze darts to Paige with eyes wide with fear. The mixture of greens and browns that Paige had fawned over during many band practices are overshadowed. He’d always been the guy Paige had looked for in the full band room. He was always nice to her and friendly, so it broke part of Paige’s heart to see him like this now.

“I’m sorry,” Paige mouths. When the surfer suit guy and

the Latin suit guy in the front seats are distracted by a crackling sound coming through the speakers in their ears Paige adds, “We’re going to get out of this.”

“What’s going on? What do they want with me?” Brayden asks.

“They want me,” Alice whispers across Paige. “You helped me and they’re cleaning up loose ends.”

“Loose ends?” Brayden’s eyes widen further. His chest rises and falls with rapidity as panic takes over.

“Breathe,” Alice says gently sounding like a mom again and not a CIA agent. “Just breathe, Brayden. Bend forward and put your head between your knees. And just breathe.”

With his head between his knees, Brayden’s breaths come more slowly. Without thought, Paige rests her handcuffed hands on his back and rubs slow circles. It was something her mom had done when she was upset. The last time Alice had comforted Paige like this was the night before she’d left for her new job. Paige had been upset because girls in her class had been making fun of her for some silly reason Paige couldn’t remember now. But as she brushed her hand over Brayden’s back feeling the bones of his ribs and spine she remembers clearly her mom’s hands tracing the same pattern. That was when Alice had promised she’d be home after two weeks. Those two weeks had been extended and extended again and again until Paige stopped asking when her mom would come home. Two years later, those feelings of abandonment boil in her gut as she remembers how brokenhearted she’d been.

“Brayden, it’s okay,” Paige says. “We’ll get out of this. I know we will.”

“This is next-level chaos, Paige,” Brayden shudders taking a deep breath.

“Trust me, I know,” Paige huffs.

“Quiet back there,” the Latin suit guy orders, a hint of an accent in his words.

Paige looks to Alice for guidance. A quick nod tells Paige that she needs to follow their commands. Maybe it’s because she’s been up all night, maybe it’s because she’s just not used to all the kidnapping and evil guys in suits. Whatever it is, Paige is done with all the deception.

“Or what?” Paige asks, her voice loud in the small space.

The Latin guy in a suit turns in his seat to glare at Paige.

“Seriously, or what?” Paige raises her voice louder.

“Paige,” Alice scolds.

“Mom, for real. What are they planning on doing? I mean if they want to kill us all, why can’t we have a little chat in the back of the bad guy’s SUV?” Paige’s heart skips a beat as her mind races through old feelings of hurt and new feelings of fear. They’re mixing with her exhaustion and making her mind a mess, a puddle of nonsense and recklessness.

“Maybe you’re right,” the Latin suit guy says. “Maybe you’re wrong. Do you want to find out?”

“What if I do?” Paige challenges, a tsunami of fear rushing over her. But she holds her gaze and doesn’t blink.

The Latin suit guy stares her down, his dark brown eyes boring into her. A smile tugs at the side of his mouth as he slaps the surfer suit guy’s arm.

“I like her,” the Latin suit guy says with a chuckle. “We might need to keep her around. She’s tough.”

“Whatever you say, boss,” the surfer suit guy says. This earns him another slap on the shoulder from the Latin suit guy, but not the playful kind. He’s being chastised.

“Turn there,” the Latin suit guy says. He brushes his thick black curls out of his face as he points. The movement accentuates his chiseled jaw, a chiseled jaw that Paige remembers seeing on Piper’s mobile phone screen.

“Mom,” Paige whispers elbowing Alice in the side with more force than she’d expected.

“Paige,” Alice replies recoiling from Paige’s elbows. “What?”

Brayden leans forward trying to capture what Paige is telling Alice. “That’s him,” Paige says, her heart in her throat. “That’s the guy. The bad guy.”

“I thought we’d already established they were bad guys,” Brayden nods at the front seat.

Glaring at Brayden in frustration, Paige leans into Alice. “Not bad guys. Bad guy. What was his name? I can’t remember, something like it was from a movie.”

Her eyes widening with realization, Alice speaks with her full voice. “Sebastian Miranda.”

The Latin suit guy turns to face Alice. With a debonair

smile, he says, “Nice to meet you.”

“Wait,” Brayden looks between Alice and Sebastian. “Who is this guy?”

Her gaze cold and locked on Sebastian Miranda, Alice answers, “Sebastian Miranda. One of the FBI’s top ten wanted criminals. He smuggles and sells anything that will make him money. Art. Drugs. People.”

“I see my reputation proceeds me,” Sebastian Miranda says his smile still plastered on his face. “But I also like long walks on the beach and puppies, but no one in the FBI or CIA likes to talk about my better qualities.”

“What are your plans with us?” Alice’s jaw tightens.

“I’m going to finish what Piper couldn’t,” Sebastian Miranda replies. “I’m going to get those files, for real, and destroy them. Without that evidence, no one can bring charges against me. And I’ll be free to do as I please.”

Paige can’t resist glancing at the necklace that hangs around her neck. The flash drive is still hidden in the Lego brick disguise. There’s no way that Sebastian Miranda could know that the files he wants are literally within his grasp now. Paige hopes with all her heart that he never finds out.

“We don’t have the files with us. I told Piper that but she didn’t believe us,” Alice lies.

Shaking his head and tsking his tongue, Sebastian Miranda leans closer to Alice. “That can’t be true. Piper may have done some things wrong tonight but she did a lot of things right. She’s already cleared your personal belongings and your storage clouds. She didn’t find the files. That can mean only one thing. They are somewhere in your possession. And now you’re going to tell me where they are.”

The SUV skids to a stop, gravel spitting from the tires. Both men in the front seats climb out and open the back doors. Alice is pulled out from Paige’s left as Brayden is pulled out from her right. Sebastian Miranda reaches for Paige, but she skids backward across the seat. Her escape attempt is cut short when surfer suit guy tightens his grip around her arms and yanks her from the SUV.

Off-kilter and stumbling, Paige falls to the grass. “Keep your hands off her,” Alice commands, stepping between Paige and the surfer suit guy. He sneers in response and steps back. The first lights of dawn break into the night. It lights the dirt road in front of them. Paige adjusts her glasses and squints looking closer at the road. It’s surrounded by dense forest that has been cleared for at least 20 feet on each side. Down the road, a red light flashes on and off.

“This is your last chance to do this the easy way,” Sebastian Miranda says shoving Brayden next to Alice. “Tell me now and this will all end. String me along more and I won’t play so nicely.”

Standing, Paige bites her lip. She wants to tell them that all the information they want is hanging from her neck. But she can’t. Alice had made that clear. This is one really bad guy and he needs to be put away for a very long time. As if confirming that they’re keeping their silence, Alice stands straighter and keeps her mouth shut.

“Look, I don’t know anything about this,” Brayden says, his voice quivering.

“Doesn’t matter,” Sebastian Miranda says holding his hand out to the surfer suit guy. Overhead the hum of an engine breaks through the morning birds singing in the trees. Paige realizes that the road isn’t a road, it’s a landing strip. Sebastian’s glance at the sky confirms it.

Pulling something from the back of the SUV, the surfer suit guy drops it into Sebastian’s hand. In the early morning dimness, Paige can’t tell what it is until Sebastian lifts it and points it at Brayden.

“You’re a part of this now whether you want to be or not,” Sebastian says leveling a gun at Brayden’s chest.

“No!” Paige screams as she lunges between Brayden and Sebastian. In response, Alice reaches for Paige, clawing to pull her back.

When the gun goes off, Paige feels a ripping sting in her shoulder. She screams out in pain as she falls to the ground. Her eyes are swimming, the world around her looking blurry. Squinting in concentration, Paige looks at her burning shoulder and sees a thin tube sticking out. As Sebastian turns the gun on Alice and Brayden, Paige realizes that she hasn’t been shot with a bullet. It’s a tranquilizer that’s making her head foggy and her eyelids feel like they’re weighted with all the bricks in the world.

“Mom,” Paige mutters trying to lift her hand for Alice. But Alice is limp next to her. A tranquilizer tube sticks out of her thigh. Paige blinks and blinks again, each time finding it more difficult to open her eyes. She forces herself to roll on her back and turns her head to Brayden. He blinks heavily at her, his eyes focused on nothing. With the last of her strength, Paige reaches for Brayden’s hand. Her final thought before drifting into unconsciousness is how warm Brayden’s fingers are. n

by Christa Stout

To learn more about Rescue One visit their Facebook page:

Also check out their website: RescueOneSpringfield.org

Rescue One Makes Way

My daughter Karen has been a foster for Rescue One in Springfield for some time. So when a sad case came up where a perfectly healthy puppy was potentially going to have to be euthanized, Karen and I decided to join in being fosters for the cutest little Lab pup. The dog mom was unfortunately not able to take care of her four-month old puppy any longer due to housing issues, and the local pound north of Springfield as well as all rescues and shelters in the area were full. Rescue One was willing to take the pup, but did not have any fosters available for 11 days. Karen and I discussed it and decided we could make this work; after all, 11 days isn’t a long time. And it was my turn to do exactly what I was asking others to do, foster.

It turned out to be a little scary, a lot of fun and definitely rewarding. Scary because it was new to me and he was not one of my own. I knew nothing about this pup and I wanted to make sure I did everything right.

I was elected to pick the pup up at the Rescue One Vet office in Springfield, where he got his first round of shots and from there we went to the Rescue One office to get some basic supplies, food, treats, puppy pads, toys, and a hoof to chew on. I found out that his name is Zero (stands for industrious, loving and resilient, loves

companionship) and that he was already scheduled to go to the spa (a gentle word for getting neutered) the following Monday.

Since my German Shepherd, Rudi, wasn’t used to having other canines around, we let him sniff the newcomer thru the kennel. Rudi was pretty blasé about the whole thing, and poor Zero wanted to play, but no such luck. Of course, Rudi is approximately 10 years old – the equivalent of 66 years for humans, so having to play with a young whipper snapper was not on his schedule.

And that kind of set the stage for the next 11 days. I can’t complain, Zero was a wonderful first foster, he was absolutely no trouble, was learning potty training and to my chagrin, he figured out the doggy doors. There was no stopping him after that. He loved playing with toys and had the squeakers going on all of them. Rudi was a little jealous because he can only occasionally get a squeak out of his toys. The ‘sit’ command was no challenge for Zero who loved treats and knew exactly what he needed to do to get some.

When it was time to let Zero outside, Rudi would go into a different room until it was time for the pup to come back. We started potty training with him on the leash, but that didn’t work. And I understand that many dogs will not pee or poop as long as they are on a leash. The fenced yard was enough

for him, especially since he didn’t roam very far the first few days. It also snowed during that time and he wasn’t quite sure what to make of that, but trying to catch snow balls was fun!

Then it was time to visit his other foster mom and her 5 dogs. Oh my goodness did he have fun chasing and being chased by her dogs. And he got to visit the police department, where he was welcomed by everyone. No, no handcuffs for little puppies, just puppy love. When he got back to my house, he was totally worn out and ready for a nap that lasted all night long!

The following Monday, I drove him to his appointment very early, we arrived at the vet clinic before 7:15. While his surgery was going on, I ran some errands and at one o’clock, picked him up to take him home. He was still a little sleepy and rested all the way home. No more running around or jumping

for a couple of days to keep the wound intact. Although I worried about that since he is pretty energetic, he had no issues whatsoever. Zero is a fun puppy with a Lab nose. Outside, he had his nose to the ground many times following a trail. I suspect he could smell rabbits, moles, squirrels and other pests around the yard.

We had a wonderful time together. I’m not saying it was all fun and games, because he did wind up with a case of diarrhea from the wormer medicine he received, and while it was snowy outside, he elected to run to the bathroom and pee (mostly) on the puppy pads.

Of course, as a foster you worry that you are doing everything right, but in retrospect, with Zero, that was not a problem. I guess I was lucky to take care of him as my first foster, because he was such a good and fun pup, and I suspect his former mom had been a very kind person.

So, if you are looking for a new family member, check with Rescue One to see if Zero is still available. Take a look at his pictures! And put Rescue One on your list for donations or supplies. n

is

but

will Save the

You can now add Towing to the list of ser vices Ken’s provides. Ken’s Collision has acquired Wilson’s Towing Ken’s can now:

Evening Chapel Bridge, Lucerne, Switzerland

“ Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. ”

— Søren Kierkegaard

Get the Right Care, Right Now.

When you need care, it’s not always easy to know where to go. Primary care, urgent care, a virtual visit? What’s best for your symptoms? Your schedule? Our Care Finder tool at coxhealth.com can help.

Search for your symptoms or view common conditions, and we’ll point you to the care that’s right for you.

coxhealth.com/carefinder