2022 Parkland Living

Parkland

Living JUNE 2022 - MAY 2023

YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

The PARKLAND IS PERFECT for cycling Read more on Page 14

Sponsored By

INSIDE: A glimpse of Parkland’s leading employers, PAGES 46-48 12 months of festivals, PAGES 54-55

OPPORTUNITY AWAITS.

PARKLAND HEALTH CENTER CAREER FAIR Tuesday, June 28 | 4-7 p.m.

Join us at BJC HealthCare’s upcoming fair at Parkland Health Center to speak with talent advisors and hiring managers about various positions available.

Positions include: Registered Nurses (ER, Med Surge, Tele, and ICU) Medical Assistants Licensed Practical Nurses Patient Care Technicians Behavioral Health Community Support Specialists

Register for the Parkland Career Fair:

bjcjobs.info/ParklandCareers

PRESIDENT’S NOTE

It’s time to continue to build on all of the great assets and resources of the Parkland … the place we call home.

W

elcome to Parkland Living Magazine, your essential guide to living your best life in Southeast Missouri.

In this magazine, we highlight many of the great things about living, working and playing in the Parkland.

We explore the region with a detailed look at the five-county area and the people who make it such a great place to call home.

As a relative newcomer to the area, I really enjoy learning about the rich history of the Parkland. Reading the Q&A’s from our local leaders this year makes me want to do more to give back to the community. Candy Hente, Chris Morrison, Dan Bullock, Jon Page, Jane Hull and Jeff Cauley offer insights into how they lead their respective organizations and share their favorite aspects of working, living and playing in the Parkland.

Outdoor adventures are around almost every corner of the Parkland.

Our cover story highlights Parkland residents’ love for cycling, as well as visitors who come here for the experience. The area offers so many options for recreational, as well as serious, competitive riders.

We have so many opportunities right at our doorstep, with camping, hiking, biking, hunting, floating at state parks and privately-owned resorts and outposts.

Special thanks to Editor Teresa Ressel-Inserra and her team who compiled the data, lists and stories in this edition. Thanks also to Advertising Sales Manager Michelle Menley and the sales team for their hard work. It’s truly a group effort and I’m fortunate to work with such a talented team.

If you have ideas for stories for our next edition of Parkland Living Magazine, please e-mail us at editorial@dailyjournalonline.com and let us know. We always enjoy hearing ideas from our readers.

And please continue to shop locally and support our locally-owned businesses. With their help, we’re able to bring you publications like this. Be sure to check out the Parkland Business Honor Roll and Doing Business in the Parkland profiles in this edition.

Regardless of the season, I think you’ll find something is always happening in the Parkland. I look forward to seeing you while we’re all out exploring this beautiful area we call home.

Michael Distelhorst President

Parkland

Living President Michael Distelhorst Editorial Staff Teresa Ressel-Inserra Sarah Haas Kevin R. Jenkins Victoria Kemper Alan Kopitsky Mark Marberry Bobby Radford Danielle Thurman

Advertising Staff Michelle Menley Dustin Holland Travis Smith Circulation Staff Shad Hicks Terrie Devoto Bryan Ramsey Photographers Daily Journal staff Brandon Scheldt

INDEX COMMUNITY 4 Census information in the Parkland 10 A closer look at census numbers 12 Resources: Elected officials, hospital and school information ARTS AND CULTURE 54 Twelve months of festivals 56 Arts and culture 58 Calendar of events OUTDOORS/ATTRACTIONS 2 A beautiful place to live 14 The Parkland is perfect for cycling 20 Parkland offers easy to off-the-beaten path hiking trails BUSINESS 46 The Parkland’s leading employers COMMUNITY LEADER Q&A 22 Candy Hente 24 Chris Morrison 26 Sheriff Dan Bullock 28 Jon Page 30 Jane Hull 32 Jeff Cauley

Parkland

Living JUNE 2022 - MAY 2023

The PARKLAND IS PERFECT for cycling Read more on Page 14

ON THE COVER: YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

Bruce Williams enjoys a bicycle ride with Scott and Amy Griffin.

PHOTO BY BRANDON SCHELDT/ HIGHLIGHTPICS

Sponsored By TRANS AM CYCLERY

INSIDE: A glimpse of Parkland’s leading employers, PAGES 46-48 12 months of festivals, PAGES 54-55

June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 1

Located off Highway 21, Elephant Rocks State Park is home to giant, billion-year-old granite boulders.

MISSOURI STATE PARKS

A BEAUTIFUL place to live

W

Kevin R. Jenkins

ith a breathtaking beauty rarely found nowadays in a world where large cities and congested freeways increasingly dot the landscape, the Parkland offers a quiet place where one can stop and smell the flowers, enjoy the site of tree-covered rolling hills, or spend the day at a lake or river where you can cast and fish, camp and hike, jump and swim or just sit and dream.

All-in-all the Parkland is a great place to take in all of nature’s splendor.

If that isn’t enough, the Parkland is also home to a wide variety of wildlife, local festivals and fairs, mountain racing trails for cyclists and plentiful spots for off-roading, canoeing and even skindiving for those who are so inclined.

Certainly, one of the best ways to enjoy the Parkland is to take a leisurely drive and perhaps stop at a restaurant for a snack or a meal.

This is undoubtedly the reason 2 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

why the Parkland — much of which is located within or on the outskirts of the expansive 3,068,800-acre Mark Twain National Forest — is also home to a number of state parks that draw visitors from literally around the world.

Conservation areas in the Parkland are plentiful and include Madison County’s Silver Mines Recreation Area, Millstream Gardens Conservation Area, Amidon Memorial Conservation Area, Marquand Access, Thompson Ford Access and Roselle Access; the 1.188-acre Bismarck Conservation Area, located southwest of Bismarck; the Buford Mountain Conservation Area in Iron and Washington counties; the Ketcherside Mountain Conservation Area, Riverside Conservation Area, Funk Memorial State Forest and Graves Mountain Conservation Area in Iron County; the Gruner For Access, Leadwood Access, Mineral Area College Range, Syenite Access and Knob Lick Towersite in St. Francois County; the Hickory Canyons Natural Area, Pickle Springs Natural Area, Magnolia Hollow

Conservation Area and St. Mary Access in Ste. Genevieve County.

The Parkland is also home to Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park, which became the 422nd unit of the National Park Service in October 2020. Established by 1750, Ste. Genevieve was the first permanent European settlement in Missouri. The Ste. Genevieve Welcome Center, 66 S. Main St., provides a good starting point where visitors can learn about the park and programs, reserve a free house tour time slot, watch a 10-minute introductory video or obtain other general information.

Missouri State Parks found in the Parkland include: Hawn State Park, located 14 miles southwest of Ste. Genevieve. The state park’s nearly 5,000 acres include three state-designated natural areas — Pickle Creek, LaMotte Sandstone Barrens, and Botkins Pine Woods.

The 2,735-acre St. Francois State Park, located five miles north of Bonne Terre, features a campground, trails for hiking and horseback riding, and swimming and fishing on the Big River. The 49-acre Coonville Creek Natural Area, made up of Coonville Creek and its narrow valley, is found within the park.

St. Joe State Park, consisting of 8,243 acres on the south side of Park Hills, includes the Missouri Mines State Historic Site with its former St. Joe

Minerals mill buildings and museum of geology and mining. One of the park’s most popular features is a 2,0000-acre off-road vehicle riding area located on the old mine tailings dumps. The park also offers camping facilities, trails for hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding.

The 2,147-acre Washington State Park is located on Highway 21, around 14 miles northeast of Potosi on the eastern edge of the Ozarks in Washington County. The state park is noted for its Native American rock carvings and for its Native American rock carvings and for its finely crafted stonework from the 1930s.

Elephant Rocks State Park, located off Highway 21, four miles north of Pilot Knob in Iron County, is the home of giant, billion-year-old granite boulders that stand end-to-end like a train of red circus elephants. A self-guiding trail, with Braille signage, winds among these geologic wonders and takes visitors past what remains of the long-dead mining operation. Picnic sites, a playground and flush restrooms are available.

The Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site in the city of Pilot Knob, commemorates the Sept. 27, 1864, Civil War engagement between Confederate troops under the command of Major General Sterling Price and Union troops fighting under the command of Brigadier General Thomas Ewing Jr. and Major James Wilson. An on-site visitors center provides further insight into the battle, as well as a selection of historic memorabilia.

When Parkland residents are ready for something different, here’s several other area attractions that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Bonne Terre Mine, a national historical site located in the city of Bonne Terre, is the world’s largest freshwater dive resort where water conditions remain constant with over 100-foot visibility. Come to the privately-owned attraction for the experience of seeing the mammoth architecture and stick around for the guaranteed year-round driving conditions. For more information call 314-209-7200.

The Space Museum, 116 East School Street in Bonne Terre, has numerous items on display that include everything from spacesuits to space rocks. Founded by Earl Mullins, the museum also offers on- and off-site educational programs. Call 573-631-2546

Farmington Water Park is a great place to spend a summer day.

St. Joe State Park offers a 2,000-acre off-road vehicle riding area.

for additional information.

Farmington Water Park, 2 Black Knight Drive in Farmington, is open from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. seven days a week during the summer. It includes a 24-foot corkscrew slide, lazy river, raindrop fountain, vortex whirlpool and kiddy fish slide. Classes and lessons are available to meet the needs of many fitness levels.

River’s Edge Splash Pad is open daily from 9-10:30 a.m. Call 573-756-0900 for more information.

River Rapids Water Park, 1301

Progress Parkway in Ste. Genevieve, includes several tubular tall water slides. The lazy river offers a relaxing float around the park. A six-lane lap pool features a zip line, climbing ropes, and a diving board. A children’s play area has 30 different activities to enjoy. Open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily during the summer. Call 573-880-5515 for more information.

Public swimming pools are also available in the cities of Bonne Terre, Desloge, Fredericktown and Ironton. PL June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 3

Census Information in the Parkland

A tribute at the Blues, Brews and BBQ honors 13 soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan last year.

Source: census.gov Age and Sex Persons under 5 years: 5.4% Persons under 18 years: 20.8% Persons 65 years and older: 22.3% Median age: 45.9 years

Iron County, Missouri PEOPLE Population Population estimates, April 26, 2020: 9,537 Population estimates base April 1, 2010: 10,615 Population percent change April 1, 2010 to April 26, 2020: -10.2%

4 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Race and Hispanic Origin White alone: 8,689 Black or African American alone: 147 American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 65 Asian alone: 34 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 2 Two or more races: 586 Hispanic or Latino: 177 White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 8,602

Population Characteristics Veterans: 10.1% Foreign born persons: 1.3%

HOUSING Housing units, 2020: 4,688 Homeownership rate 2020: 73.2% Housing Value, 2020, 45.9% of houses range from $50,000 to $99,999 Median gross rent, 2020: $624 Vacant housing units: 796 Families & Living Arrangements Households, 2020: 4,102 Average family size, 2020: 2.88 Married-couple family: 50% Male householder, no

spouse present: 18.4% Female householder, no spouse present: 25.9% Language other than English spoken at home: 1.9%

EDUCATION High school graduate or higher: 81.2% Bachelor’s degree or higher: 11.9% Percentage of population enrolled in K-12: 75.4%

HEALTH With a disability: 23.8% Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years: 12%

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY In civilian labor force,

total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2020: 46.7% In agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, female, percent of population, 2020: 61.9% Establishments with less than 5 employees: 133 Total accommodation and food services sales, 2012 ($1,000): 4,741 Total health care and social assistance receipts/ revenue, 2012 ($1,000): 34,774 Total retail sales, 2020 ($1,000): 70,838 Total employer establishments, 2020: 210 Total annual payroll, 2020 ($1,000): 61,296

TRANSPORTATION Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16

years+, 2020: 28.6 Percentage of commuters who travel alone: 83.9%

INCOME & POVERTY Median household income, 2020: $40,082 Median income families: $52,157 Median income married-couples: $62,427 Median income nonfamily households: $23,237 Persons in poverty, percent: 22.1% Poverty under 18 years: 30.8% Poverty 65 years and over: 12.2%

GEOGRAPHY Population per square mile, 2020: 17.3 Land area in square miles, 2020: 550.3

Alaska Native alone: 63 Asian alone: 46 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0 Two or more races: 704 Hispanic or Latino: 342 White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 11,555 Population Characteristics Veterans 2020: 12.1% Foreign born persons: 8.7%

HOUSING Housing units, July 1, 2020: 5,832 Homeownership rate 2020: 70.5% Housing Value, 2020: 26.9% of houses range from $50,000 to $99,999 Median gross rent, 2020: $666 Vacant housing units: 808

Madison County, Missouri

Families & Living Arrangements Households, 2020: 4,851 Average family size, 2020: 2.97 Married-couple family: 54.6% Male householder, no spouse present: 15% Female householder, no spouse present: 25.8% Language other than English spoken at home: 2.5%

PEOPLE

EDUCATION

Population Population estimates, April 26, 2020: 12,626 Population estimates base April 1, 2010: 12,217 Population percent change April 1, 2010 to April 26, 2020: +3.4%

High school graduate or higher: 86.1% Bachelor’s degree or higher: 29.9% Percentage of population enrolled in K-12: 74.4%

Age and Sex Persons under 5 years: 5.5% Persons under 18 years: 23.3% Persons 65 years and older: 18.9% Median age: 41.9 years

With a disability: 24.7% Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years: 14.3%

Race and Hispanic Origin White alone: 11,615 Black or African American alone: 56 American Indian and

Total accommodation and food services sales, 2017 ($1,000): 0 Total health care and social assistance receipts/ revenue, 2017 ($1,000): 38,938 Total retail sales, 2017 ($1,000): 138,030 Total employer establishments, 2020: 246 Total annual payroll, 2020 ($1,000): 87,015

TRANSPORTATION Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2020: 27.1 Percentage of commuters who travel alone: 77.8%

INCOME & POVERTY Median household income, 2020: $47,984 Median income families: $63,105 Median income married-couples: $71,201 Median income nonfamily households: $21,195 Persons in poverty, percent: 14% Poverty under 18 years: 13.8% Poverty 65 years and over: 13.6%

GEOGRAPHY Population per square mile, 2020: 25.5 Land area in square miles, 2020: 494.4

HEALTH

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2020: 51.2% Establishments with less than 5 employees: 152

St. Francois County, Missouri PEOPLE Population Population estimates, April 26, 2020: 66,922 Population estimates base April 1, 2010: 65,369

Population percent change April 1, 2010 to April 26, 2020: +2.4% Age and Sex Persons under 5 years: 5.5% Persons under 18 years: 21.0% Persons 65 years and older: 16.6% Median age: 39.2 years Race and Hispanic Origin White alone: 59,940 Black or African American alone: 2,658 American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 212 Asian alone: 403 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 21 Two or more races: 3,284 Hispanic or Latino: 1,089 White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 59,474 Population Characteristics Veterans: 12.1% Foreign born persons: 1.2%

HOUSING Housing units, 2020: 28,636 Homeownership rate 2020: 67.9% Housing Value, 2020: 28.9% of houses range from $50,000 to $99,999 Median gross rent, 2020: $667 Vacant housing units: 3,844 Families & Living Arrangements Households, 2020: 24,572 Average family size, 2020: 2.95 Married-couple family: 49.1% Male householder, no spouse present: 18.7% Female householder, no spouse present: 25.2% Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2020: 6.3%

Bachelor’s degree or higher, 2020: 14% Percentage of population enrolled in K-12: 78.6%

HEALTH With a disability, 2020: 20.9% Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years: 10.3%

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2020: 49.7% Establishments with less than 5 employees: 744 Total accommodation and food services sales, 2012 ($1,000): 76,258 Total health care and social assistance receipts/ revenue, 2012 ($1,000): 379,439 Total retail sales, 2020 ($1,000): 882,776 Total employer establishments, 2020: 1,391 Total annual payroll, 2020 ($1,000): 580,913

TRANSPORTATION Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2020: 26.2 Percentage of commuters who travel alone: 82%

EDUCATION High school graduate or higher, 2020: 85.2% June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 5

INCOME & POVERTY Median household income, 2020: $46,307 Median income families: $57,314 Median income married-couples: $66,833 Median income nonfamily households: $25,029 Persons in poverty, percent: 16.1% Poverty under 18 years: 19% Poverty 65 years and over: 8.9%

GEOGRAPHY Population per square mile, 2020: 148.1 Land area in square miles, 2020: 451.9

Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri PEOPLE Population Population estimates, April 26, 2020: 18,479 Population estimates base April 1, 2010: 18,147 Population percent change April 1, 2010 to April 26, 2020: +1.8% Age and Sex Persons under 5 years: 5.1% Persons under 18 years: 21.4% Persons 65 years and older: 19.6% Median age: 43.7 years Race and Hispanic Origin White alone: 17,270 Black or African American alone: 320 American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 54 Asian alone: 29 Native Hawaiian and 6 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Other Pacific Islander alone: 2 Two or more races: 743 Hispanic or Latino: 269 White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 17,127 Population Characteristics Veterans, 2020: 9.6% Foreign born persons: 0.9%

HOUSING

Total accommodation and food services sales, 2012 ($1,000): not disclosed Total health care and social assistance receipts/ revenue, 2012 ($1,000): 59,457 Total retail sales, 2012 ($1,000): 103,418 Total employer establishments, 2020: 386 Total annual payroll, 2020 ($1,000): 199,292

Housing units, July 1, 2020: 8,301 Homeownership rate 2020: 80.9% Housing Value, 2020: 27.5% of houses range from $200,000 to $299,999 Median gross rent, 2020: $729 Vacant housing units: 1,197 Families & Living Arrangements Households, 2020: 7,252 Average family size, 2020: 2.82 Married-couple family: 58.2% Male householder, no spouse present: 17.5% Female householder, no spouse present: 16.4% Language other than English spoken at home, 2020: 1.9%

TRANSPORTATION

EDUCATION

Population per square mile, 2020: 37.02 Land area in square miles, 2020: 499.2

High school graduate or higher, 2020: 90.9% Bachelor’s degree or higher, 2020: 18% Percentage of population enrolled in K-12: 78.7%

Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2020: 30.6 Percentage of commuters who travel alone: 84%

INCOME & POVERTY Median household income, 2020: $61,746 Median income families: $80,612 Median income married-couples: $87,253 Median income nonfamily households: $34,203 Persons in poverty, percent: 10.3% Poverty under 18 years: 15.7% Poverty 65 years and over: 6.5%

GEOGRAPHY

HEALTH With a disability, 2020: 15.4% Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years: 6.3%

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2020: 59.7% Establishments with less than 5 employees, 2019: 206

Washington County, Missouri PEOPLE Population Population estimates, April 26, 2020: 23,514 Population estimates

base April 1, 2010: 25,201 Population percent change April 1, 2010 to April 26, 2020: -6.7% Age and Sex Persons under 5 years: 5.8% Persons under 18 years: 23.3% Persons 65 years and older: 16.6% Median age: 40.5 years Race and Hispanic Origin White alone: 21,465 Black or African American alone: 610 American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 79 Asian alone: 40 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 1 Two or more races: 1,216 Hispanic or Latino: 227 White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 21,378 Population Characteristics Veterans: 9.4% Foreign born persons: 0.6%

HOUSING Housing units, 2020: 10,719 Homeownership rate 2020: 76.4% Housing Value, 2020: 27% of houses are less than $50,000 Median gross rent, 2020: $585 Vacant housing units: 1,800 Families & Living Arrangements Households, 2020: 9,278 Average family size, 2020: 3.1 Married-couple family: 51.7% Male householder, no spouse present: 18.6% Female householder, no spouse present: 23.4% Language other than English spoken at home, 2020: 1.6%

EDUCATION High school graduate or higher, 2020: 79.6% Bachelor’s degree or higher, 2020: 11.4%

Percentage of population enrolled in K-12: 79.8%

HEALTH With a disability, 2020: 25.25% Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years: 13.2%

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2020: 46.2% Establishments with less than 5 employees: 207 Total accommodation and food services sales, 2012 ($1,000): not disclosed Total health care and social assistance receipts/ revenue, 2012 ($1,000): 66,265 Total employer establishments, 2020: 348 Total annual payroll, 2020 ($1,000): 92,667 Total retail sales, 2012 ($1,000): 122,281

TRANSPORTATION Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2020: 32.6 Percentage of commuters who travel alone: 81.6%

INCOME & POVERTY Median household income, 2020: $42,849 Median income families: $51,662 Median income married-couples: $56,154 Median income nonfamily households: $26,690 Persons in poverty, percent: 20.3% Poverty under 18 years: 24.9% Poverty 65 years and over: 8.3%

GEOGRAPHY Population per square mile, 2020: 30.9 Land area in square miles, 2020: 759.9

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A closer look at the Census numbers for the Parkland

E

Victoria Kemper

very 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau takes on the massive task of conducting a census of the entire country.

It does this in order to provide quality data about the people and economy of the United States.

According to census.gov, the goal of the agency is to provide the best mix of timeliness, relevancy, quality and cost for the data collected and

10 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

services provided.

The most recent data collected for the 2020 Census reports the population of the United States is 331,449,281.

This number represents the total amount of people living in the 50 states as well as the District of Columbia.

This first statistic shows the population of the United States has increased 7.4% since 2010 when the population was 308,745,538.

The United States overall has grown at a higher rate than the state of

Missouri. At a population of 6,154,913 Missouri has increased by 2.8% since 2010. But how does that growth compare to the Parkland?

The Parkland is considered to include Iron County, Madison County, St. Francois County, Ste. Genevieve County and Washington County.

Iron County had a decrease of 10.2% in its population. It’s now at 9,537 dipping under the 10,000 mark.

Madison County saw an increase of 3.4% but failed to surpass the 13,000 mark, sitting at 12,626.

Ste. Genevieve County also had a slight increase of 1.8% with 18,479 residents. Lastly, Washington County saw a decrease of 6.7% but still has the second largest population in the

Parkland with 23,514 residents.

St. Francois County increased slightly by 2.4%, similar to the state increase but far lower than the national average, with a population of 66,922.

When you look at the Parkland as a whole, the five-county area has a population total of 131,078 or 2% of the state numbers. This is actually a decrease of .36% or 471 people.

By population, the state of Missouri is ranked 19th of the 50 states and St. Francois County is ranked the 17th largest county in the state.

The population may have decreased in the Parkland, but so did the number of individuals under the age of 65 with a disability, though it was only by a small percentage. Data from 2019 shows 23,056 disabled individuals, where the 2020 numbers came in at 22,321, a decrease of .5%.

According to the Census Bureau, in 2020, 8.6% or 28 million people, did not have health insurance at any point during the year. It was also reported that more children under the age of 19 in poverty were uninsured in 2020 than in 2018.

The number of persons without health insurance under the age of 65 in the Parkland was previously reported at 11.99% or 15,767.

Unfortunately, in 2020, that number increased by 1,114 to 16,881 increasing the percentage to 12.88%. All five counties in the Parkland have a higher percentage of uninsured than the national average of 10.2%.

According to the Center for Disease Control, adults without health insurance are more likely to skip medical care due to cost concerns, which can lead to higher long-term health care costs, poorer health and early death.

The 2020 Census reported higher poverty levels in the Parkland,

16.01%, compared to the national percentage of 11.4%. Poverty rates are 16.3% in Madison County, 19.5% in Iron County, 16.2% in St. Francois County, 9% in Ste. Genevieve County, and 19.4% in Washington County.

From 2019 to 2020, the census shows the Parkland has seen a decline in employers in all five of the Parkland counties. The report shows 53 employers were lost from 2019 to 2020 or a 2.01% decline. Madison County saw the biggest percentage change with a decrease of 5.41% and St. Francois County lost the most by the numbers with 28 fewer employers in 2020.

The decline of employers is reflected in the employment numbers. In 2019, the five counties had a combined 32,377 jobs and by the 2020 report the number had dropped to 31,864, a loss of 513. The largest decline was in Ste. Genevieve County with a dip of 7.54%. Madison County saw the largest increase with an addition of 83 jobs in 2020.

With a decline in employers and decline in employment came a decline in total annual payroll being distributed to those Parkland employees. In 2019, Parkland businesses paid 1,133,992 ($1,000) in payroll. In 2020, that amount dropped by 3.07% to 1,099,176 ($1,000).

The census shows the median household income in the Parkland has not increased drastically but it has gone up 4.28% from $45,830 in 2019 to $47,794 in 2020. This is roughly an increase of $1,964 per household. Madison County saw the largest increase in median income going from $43,636 in 2019 to $47,984 in 2020, an increase of

$4,348. St. Francois County was the only Parkland county to see a decrease in median income with a small decrease of $159.

The income increase is needed as Parkland families, as well as families across the nation, have noticed an increase in costs of goods sold.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration in May of 2010 a gallon of gasoline was $2.27, and now it is not unusual to see the same product costing more than $4 a gallon.

In other census data, it appears residents of the Parkland are still spending close to 30 minutes commuting to their jobs. The number increased just slightly from 28.52 minutes to 29.02 minutes. These numbers are reflective of 2019 and 2020 respectively and do not include the full magnitude of the COVID-19 “work from home” movement. It will be interesting to see how numbers fluctuate in the 2030 census.

As the need for technology increases over the years, it is easy to believe the number of households with a computer is 85.31% in 2020 increasing only 2.2% from 2019.

Those with broadband in the home increased slightly higher from 74.33% in 2019 to 79.09% in 2020.

Both of these figures are well below the percentage for the United States, with 91.9% having a computer in the household and 85.2% with broadband internet.

The 131,078 people who live in the 2,755.57 square miles of the Parkland are living these statistics every day. PL June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 11

Resources Our elected officials Iron County Presiding Commissioner Jim Scaggs Western District Associate Commissioner Ronnie Chandler Southern District Associate Commissioner Ben Young Assessor David Huff Circuit Clerk Sammy “Gail” White Collector Crystal Skaggs Coroner Tim Harbison County Clerk Marsha Womble Prosecuting Attorney Brian Parker Public Administrator Lisa Light Recorder of Deeds Karen Reagan Sheriff Jeffery Burkett Treasurer Carol Hardy Madison County Presiding Commissioner Jason Green First District Associate Commissioner Tom Stephens Second District Associate Commissioner Larry Kemp Assessor Paula Francis Circuit Clerk Tenia Hermann Collector Debby Boone Coroner Collin Follis County Clerk Donal Firebaugh Prosecuting Attorney M. Dwight Robbins Public Administrator Carol Lachance Recorder of Deeds Saundra Ivison Sheriff Katy McCutcheon Treasurer Jessica Stevens St. Francois County Presiding Commissioner Harold Gallaher First District Associate Commissioner Kary Buckley Second District Associate Commissioner David Kater Assessor Eric Dugal Auditor Louie Sieberlich Circuit Clerk Vicki Weible Collector Pamela Williams Coroner Jason Coplin County Clerk Kevin Engler Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Gilliam Public Administrator Gary Matheny Recorder of Deeds Jay Graf Sheriff Dan Bullock Treasurer Parks Peterson Ste. Genevieve County Presiding Commissioner Garry Nelson First District Associate Commissioner Karen Stuppy 12 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Second District Associate Commissioner Randy Ruzicka Assessor Linda Wagner Circuit Clerk Julie Bova Collector Claudia Stuppy Coroner Eric Basler County Clerk Sue Wolk Prosecuting Attorney Wayne Williams Public Administrator Amanda Kuehn Recorder of Deeds Peggy Yamnitz Sheriff Gary Stolzer Treasurer Sara Hoog Washington County Presiding Commissioner David Sansegraw First District Associate Commissioner Doug Short Second District Associate Commissioner Cody Brinley Assessor Heather Eckhoff Circuit Clerk Ashley Gum Collector Carla Zettler Coroner Steve Hatfield County Clerk Jeanette Allen Prosecuting Attorney Josh Hedgecorth Public Administrator Judy Gillam Recorder of Deeds Jamie Miner Sheriff Zach Jacobsen Treasurer Phyllis Long

LEGISLATORS State Sen. Elaine Gannon, 3rd Dist.

JC: 573-751-4008 Elaine.Gannon@senate.mo.gov State Rep. Dale Wright, 116th Dist.

JC: 573-751-3455 Dale.Wright@house.mo.gov State Rep. Mike Henderson 117th Dist.

JC: 573-751-2317 Mike.Henderson@house.mo.gov

Congressman Jason Smith, R-8th District, visits Farmington Regional Stockyards in September of 2021.

State Rep. Cyndi Buchheit-Courtway, 115th Dist.

JC: 573-751-7735 Cyndi.BuchheitCourtway@house.mo.gov State Rep. Mike McGirl, 118th Dist.

201 W. Capitol Ave, Rm. 201A Jefferson City, MO 65101 JC: 573-751-2398 Mike.McGirl@house.mo.gov State Rep. Chris Dinkins, 144th Dist.

JC: 573-751-2112 Chris.Dinkins@house.mo.gov State Rep. Rick Francis 145th Dist.

JC: 573-751-5912 Rick.Francis@house.mo.gov U.S. Rep. Jason Smith 2230 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-225-4404 rep.jason.smith@mail.house.gov U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt 260 Russell Senate Office Bldg.

Washington, DC 20510 DC: 202-224-5721; Fax: 202-224-8149 http://www.blunt.senate.gov U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley B40A Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 DC: 202-224-6154 http://www.hawley.senate.gov

Hospital information

Our Schools

Iron County Medical Center’s (ICMC) has been providing “Compassionate Care, Close to Home” since 2006.

A critical access hospital, ICMC has a 24/7 emergency room and rural health clinic that is currently undergoing an emergency expansion project. ICMC offers radiology, a healthcare clinic, outpatient therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, respiratory services, surgery, pharmacy infusions, laboratory services, emergency assistance and Survival Flight. They also have patient visits from Scout, the therapy dog.

Iron County Medical Center is located at 301 N. Hwy 21, Pilot Knob, 573-4325095, icmedcenter.org.

IRON COUNTY Arcadia Valley R-II, 750 W. Park Dr., Ironton, 573546-9700, www.avr2.org Belleview R-III, 27431 MO-32, Belleview, 573697-5702, www.belleviewbraves.org Iron County C-4, 20 Missouri Ave., Viburnum, 573-244-5422, www. ironc4.k12.mo.us South Iron County R-I, 210 School Street, Annapolis, 573-598-4241, www.sipanthers.k12.mo.us Arcadia Valley Career Tech Center, 650 Park Drive, Arcadia, 573-5469700, www.avr2.org

Madison Medical Center (MMC) is located in Fredericktown and provides medical services to Madison, Wayne, St. Francois, Iron, and Bollinger Counties. They have a 24-hour emergency room with air ambulance accessibility. MMC is affiliated with the SSM Health Care-St. Louis network and has a staff of 270 employees.

MMC has a variety of outpatient services with specialists available. A rural health clinic handles preventative care. Stockhoff Nursing Home is part of their services provided along with a home health agency.

Madison Medical Center is located at 611 W. Main, Fredericktown, 573-783-3341, madisonmedicalcenter.net.

Parkland Health Center (PHC) is located in Farmington and Bonne Terre in St. Francois County.

As part of the BJC Healthcare system, PHC has a full line of medical care: cancer center, pregnancy and childbirth, diabetes, emergency services, geriatric psychiatric services, home care, hospice, hospitalist program, Huckstep Heart & Lung Center, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, imaging, infusion center, mammography, nutritional counseling, respiratory care, sleep disorders center, therapy services and wound care center.

Parkland Health Center is located at 1101 W. Liberty, Farmington, and 7245 Raider Road, Bonne Terre, 573-756-6451, parklandhealthcenter.org Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital (SGCMH) is located in Ste. Genevieve.

SGCMH has a full line of medical services including emergency care and has a walk-in clinic at Bloomsdale with physician offices and emergency services. SGCMH also has a walk-in clinic in Pointe Basse Plaza in Ste. Genevieve.

Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital is located at 800 Ste. Genevieve Dr., Ste. Genevieve, and 255 Boderman Lane, Bloomsdale, 573-883-2751, www.stegenevievehospital.org Washington County Memorial Hospital (WCMH) is located in Potosi and provides these services: anesthesia, cardiology, emergency medicine, family medicine, gastroenterology, general surgery, neurology, orthopedics, pathology, psychiatry, pulmonology, radiology, nephrology and urology. WCMH also has a rural healthcare clinic.

Washington County Memorial Hospital is located at 300 Health Way, Potosi, 573-438-5451, wcmhosp.org.

MADISON COUNTY Fredericktown R-I, 704 E Hwy 72, Fredericktown, 573-783-2570, fpsk12.org Marquand-Zion R-VI, 205 E Morley St. Marquand, 573-7833388, www.mz.k12.mo.us ST. FRANCOIS COUNTY Bismarck R-V, Bismarck, 165 Campus Drive, 573734-6111, https://bismarckindians.org Central R-III, 200 High Street, Park Hills, 573-4312616, www.centralr3.org Farmington R-VII, 510 S. Franklin, Farmington, 573-701-1300, www.fsdknights.com North St. Francois County R-I, 300 Berry Road, Bonne Terre, 573-431-3300, www. ncsd.k12.mo.us West St. Francois County R-IV, 768 State Hwy M, Park Hills, 573562-7521, www.wcr4.org Unitec Career Center, 7163 Raider Road, Bonne Terre, 573-431-3300, https://uniteccareercenter.wixsite.com/ unitec-career-center Mineral Area College, 5270 Flat River Road, Park Hills, 573-431-4593, mineralarea.edu St. Joseph Catholic School, 501 Ste. Genevieve Ave. Farmington, 573-756-6312,

stjosephfarmington.com St. Paul Lutheran School, 608 E. Columbia, Farmington, 573-756-5147, www.stpaulgiants.com St. Paul Lutheran High School, 4337 Showplace Drive, Farmington, 573756-1099, stpaullutheranhs.com Special Acres State School, 519 8th St., Park Hills, 573-431-3076, https://dese.mo.gov/ special-acres-school STE. GENEVIEVE COUNTY Ste. Genevieve R-II, 375 N. 5th street, Ste. Genevieve, 573-8834500, https://www. sgdragons.org Valle Catholic, 40 N 4th Street, Ste. Genevieve, 573-883-2403, www. valleschools.org St. Agnes Catholic, 30 St. Agnes Drive, Bloomsdale, 573-4832506, www.stagneselementary.org St. Joseph Catholic, 11824 Zell Road, Ste. Genevieve (Zell), 573883-3481, www.stjosephzell.org Sacred Heart Catholic, 11742 State Route N, St. Mary (Ozora), 573-543-2209 WASHINGTON COUNTY Kingston K-14, 10047 Diamond Road, Cadet, 573-438-4982, kingston. k12.mo.us Potosi R-III, 400 N. Mine Street, Potosi, 573-4385485, potosir3.org Richwoods R-VII, 10788 State Hwy A, Richwoods, 573-678-2257, www.richwoodsr7.org Valley R-VI, 1 Viking Drive, Caledonia, 573779-3446, www.valleyschooldistrict.org St. Joachim, 10120 Crest Road, Cadet, 573-4386181, stjoachimschool.com Citadel State School, 400 S. Mine Street, Potosi, 573-438-2472, https://dese.mo.gov/ citadel-school

June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 13

Cyclists gather at Trans Am Cyclery in Farmington for a ride to St. Joe State Park. They ride a couple times a week.

The PARKLAND IS PERFECT for cycling

I

Kevin R. Jenkins

t may not be common knowledge for many Parkland residents, but cycling has long been a popular means of recreation and sport for those living, visiting or riding their bicycles through this part of the country.

In 2019, American Indian cyclists embarked on a deeply personal journey to honor their Cherokee ancestors who were removed from their homelands 180 years ago. Traveling from the Trail of Tears State Park to Farmington, they retraced their ancestor’s steps on bicycles in remembrance of the hardships their ancestors endured while traveling on foot. It is estimated that 4,000 Cherokees died during the relocation.

Meanwhile in Iron County, the new Shepherd Mountain Bike Park is promising to bring more tourists and tourist dollars to the Arcadia Valley. Open for only two years, it’s already hosted two 14 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Big Mountain Enduro races — one right after it opened in May 2021 and again in May 2022.

The race kicks off the five-stop Yeti Cycles Big Mountain Enduro presented

by Maxxis series. Racers are drawn to the Parkland by new trails crafted by Jagged Axe Trail Designs, the mastermind behind the infamous trails at Glorieta Camps in New Mexico.

There’s also the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail that brings cyclists to the Parkland.

The TransAmerica Bicycle Trail, also known as U.S. Bicycle Route 76 (USBR 76), runs straight through downtown Farmington. For those who may be unfamiliar with the trail, it is one of the two original bike trails in the United States, stretching all the way from Williamsburg, Virginia, to Astoria, Oregon.

In October 2014, a ceremony dedicating the route was held in front of Al’s Place, a bicycle hostel on the second

floor of the Old St. Francois County Jail named after the late Al Dziewa who, along with his family, welcomed a number of riders into their home for rest and recuperation throughout the early years of the trail.

Speaking to the crowd attending the ceremony, Saara Snow, with the Adventure Cycling Association, said, “The history of the TransAmerica Trail and US Bicycle Route 76 is the story of the Adventure Cycling Association.

It is also the story of how bicycle travel has evolved over the past 40 years.

The TransAm has become an iconic cross-country bicycle route that was established in 1976 for the Bicentennial Ride that commemorated America’s 200th birthday and launched the Adventure Cycling Association. This 4,250-mile route is the one taken by thousands of people — young and old and of all backgrounds — that introduced them to bicycle travel.”

Opened in May 2021, Shepherd Mountain Bike Park in Iron County hosts the Big Mountain Enduro each May. PHOTOS BY SUSAN SMITH KLINE

Father and son, Michael Sullivan I and Michael Sullivan II share a love of cycling.

Dziewa’s widow, Kathy, believes few people can understand the impact USBR 76 has had on her family.

“When my family and I moved to Farmington in 1993, it was unusual to see cyclists on the road,” she said. “We changed that. My husband Al rode on many amateur cycling teams. He loved the challenge, the competition and the comradery with fellow cyclists. He introduced our son, Brian to the sport, and with all the change over the past two decades, cycling has been the constant.”

She went on to say that USBR 76 was “a place where a father and son could bond over bikes” and “a ride to Taum Sauk [was] where my husband could mentally escape his cancer diagnosis.”

Al’s Place is the only bike hostel between Farmington and Virginia along the trail. It is equipped with 14 bunk beds, a kitchen and seating areas, plus cable and wireless access. Because of its excellent facilities, Al’s Place has earned Farmington a place on the international map for biking enthusiasts and has hosted riders from all around the world.

LT Blackwood, manager of Trans Am Cyclery, 1007 N. Washington, said USBR 76 is one of the major reasons his father decided to open a business in Farmington — and also provided the store its name. They get a lot of June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 15

The TransAmerica Trail brings cyclists from all over the country.

Al’s Place is the only bike hostel between Farmington and Virginia along the trail.

customers who are cycling cross-country on the TransAm trail, but most of their business is made up of cyclists who take part in the sport locally.

Blackwood is especially proud of the group rides the store sponsors every Tuesday and Thursday nights.

“We’ve got a big cyclery community around here — a lot of road bikers,” he said. “Along with the weekly rides, every early summer and in the early fall, we do two big group Sunday rides. We usually get 50 to 60 riders on those. We just hang out and go for a ride in the morning and then have barbecue afterwards.

“Each year we get more and more people on our group rides and I’m getting more people coming in here inquiring about road bikes. I think it’s a bigger road bike community around here, but we sell a lot of mountain bikes too. We’ve done a lot of great stuff down here. We’ve been open for 11 years now, so you can’t complain about that!”

Among the weekday riders that show up for the Tuesday night ride are Michael Sullivan I and his adult son, Michael II, both long-time Parkland residents.

According to the elder Michael, he has enjoyed riding a bicycle for a long time — even though he took a break 16 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

from riding for several decades before taking it up again.

“Of course, I did it as a kid and then into my early- to mid- 30s and I got out of it,” he said. “I got back into it about 10 years ago because I was tired of running. I’d run about — oh, a rough estimate of — 50,000 miles. I started running at 14 and ran all the way until I was 54 and I went back to the bicycling.

“Running kind of eliminates running with friends at a certain pace and trying to keep up with them but biking you can go as a group. The fast guys can go out and then slow down and wait for us slower guys to catch up and we’ll find a good place to eat, and you can burn it off.”

Asked what he likes most about cycling, he said, “I like the group rides and being competitive with the younger guys. I’m grandpa age — I’ll be 72 in August. I don’t do it for health reasons.

I do it because I like it. If you don’t like the exercise you’re doing you won’t stay with it.”

Michael II admits his father’s interest in cycling was an encouragement, at least in part, to get involved with the sport himself.

“Yeah, riding with him when I was a kid,” he said. “I started getting into

cycling about 12 years ago, I’d say. I was a runner before, and I still run a little bit. My body was starting to break down with injuries over the years. I had several foot and shoulder surgeries.

So, I bought a bike. Actually, my first bike was from Trans Am Cycling — the old store.

“My foot was actually in a cast when I bought it — I was recovering from surgery. I decided to get it so, I just went in and bought it. I didn’t test ride it or anything. I kinda got hooked and I still couldn’t run for a couple of years, so I just started cycling. Recently, in the last two years, I started getting back into running a little bit — but I’m still riding.”

Cycling has helped Michael II lose about 40 pounds over the last few years, but that’s not the only reason he sticks with the sport.

“It’s kind of relaxing,” he said. “It’s a stress reliever, it’s healthy and I like riding with others in groups. Some of my friends ride, so if we’re not riding together, we’re still hanging out, go out to eat and stuff. It’s sort of a family-friendly thing to do.”

While there are times when just he and his father ride together, Michael II swears it’s not competitive.

“We kind of aggravate each other

with it sometimes,” he said with a grin.

Among other cyclists who take part in the weekly rides are US Tool Group CEO Bruce Williams and Griffin Automotive Design owner Scott Griffin and his wife Amy. Williams began cycling after suffering an injury while running.

“I started cycling about 10 years ago,” Williams said. “I guess it was because I used to jog and my knee started bothering me, so I started cycling and I love it! I went to buy an e-bike (electric bike) at Trans Am and they said, ‘Hey, we ride on Tuesday and Thursday nights.’ I ride with them on Tuesday evenings and it’s really fun because it gives you a group to go with and a reason you’ve got to get on your bike and ride it.

“It’s great exercise and they tour through the backroads around Farmington and through the hills and valleys and we have a great time — especially when the weather’s good.”

The Griffins began cycling at the invitation of a family friend after both were injured while running.

“I ended up hurting my back and wasn’t able to run anymore, so I then got into cycling because it was lower impact and great exercise,” Scott said. “We met with the group at Trans Am and we’ve been going for a couple of years with them now. It’s great exercise, obviously, and it’s a great way to see the community. We’ve gotten a lot of friends from it. You meet people cycling, so it’s also a social thing, I guess.”

Amy was also injured while running prior to taking up cycling and now she takes part in both sports.

“One year while I was injured running, that’s when I took up cycling also,” she said. “I still do run, but I’ve found that passion for cycling and just stuck with it.

“It’s fun because it’s something that Scott and I can do together. Everyone is so wonderful on the Trans Am rides.

They are so welcoming. Early on we were beginner riders and we were very apprehensive about going. I thought I was going to be way too slow and didn’t know anything. But they just take you in and teach you everything you need to know about road riding. They don’t care if you’re slow at first and now, a couple of years later, I can keep up with them all!” PL

The Shepherd Mountain Bike Park trails were crafted

by Jagged Axe Trail Designs, the mastermind behind the infamous trails at Glorieta Camps in New Mexico.

PHOTO BY SUSAN SMITH KLINE

Al’s Place was named after Al Dziewa, who along with his family, welcomed a number of riders into his home for rest during the early years of the trail.

June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 17

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June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 19

Parkland offers easy to off-the-beaten path hiking trails

T

Danielle Thurman

here are dozens of trails throughout the Parkland, but some may be a bit off the beaten path and relatively unknown.

Todd Kline, a retired Mineral Area College professor and leader of the MAC Hiking Club, knows exactly what to look for when looking for a place to hike.

Before doing any hiking, Kline suggests doing research on the trail of interest and bringing a map of the area when going on the hike. In some places, a four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended to reach the trailhead.

One trail that Kline highly recommends is the Lower Rock Creek trail in the Mark Twain National Forest. Near Fredericktown, this trail is about 5.5 miles long and is considered a moderately challenging route, taking over two hours to complete on average. This is a popular trail for birding, as well as backpacking and camping.

Kline does warn that snakes can be everywhere at the Lower Rock Creek trail.

Another trail off the beaten path that Kline recommends is the Silver Mine Trail at the Silver Mine Recreation Area.

This trail is just under 2 miles and takes just about an hour to complete and

20 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Located in Taum Sauk State Park, Mina Sauk Falls Trail provides access to two of Missouri’s most important geologic wonders - its highest point and its tallest waterfall.

is rated as just a moderate trail. The trail follows the bank of the St. Francis River. Historic mines, as well as a rock dam. can be found on the trail. While hiking, you may even see the occasional kayaker.

Interested in a well-known place though? There are plenty of places in the Parkland that has frequent visitors, and are easily accessible.

Elephant Rocks is known for its

giant boulders, but there are trails in the state park. One of the most interesting trails is the Braille trail. One of the shorter trails, the trail is about a mile long and takes under a half hour to complete. What makes this trail interesting though is that the trail was designed for people who may have a physical or visual disability according to the Missouri State Parks website. It also provides an excellent view of the elephant rocks, and

St. Francois State Park, known for its bluebells in the spring, offers beautiful scenery along its trails.

MISSOURI STATE PARKS

A twisted tree is at the start of a Millstream Gardens Conservation Area trail.

Lakeview Trail is a trail at St. Joe State Park.

MISSOURI STATE PARKS

One trail Todd Kline recommends is the Lower Rock Creek trail near Fredericktown.

can show the old mines where Missouri red granite was mined.

Another popular area for hiking comes from Pickle Springs. Off of Highway 32 close to Hawn State Park, Pickle Springs offers unique rock outcroppings on a trail that’s relatively short, just about 2 miles and takes only about an hour. Besides having unique rock formations, there’s also the chance to experience birding, as well as waterfalls, depending on the season. Dogs are not allowed on the trail.

Heading to the north, the St. Joe State Park offers various trails for hiking, and one of the longer trails is the Pine Ridge Trail. The trail, just more than 12.5 miles takes roughly 9.5 hours to complete. The trail has a natural surface type, but it can range from dirt to extremely rocky area. Hikers will also go through sections where it can be a typical hardwood woodland while other sections may take hikers through pine trees.

The St. Francois State Park is about five miles north of Bonne Terre, and has a few different trails. One of the available trails at the St. Francois State Park is the Mooner’s Hollow, going for about 3 miles and considered a moderately challenging route that takes a little more than an hour to finish. There are a few steep hills, some water crossings, glades, and hilltop vistas that hikers may experience. After heavy rains it may be a good idea to call the park office to check and see if the trail is open.

With summer coming up, hiking is an excellent way to enjoy the warm weather and the generally sunny skies.

There are a few things to remember when it comes to hiking safely. One thing to remember is to bring water, not all trails have access to safe drinking water. Another important consideration is to study the trail if possible, and bring a map. Lastly, keep an eye out for ticks, and use bug spray if possible, the Missouri State Parks recommend 20 to 50% DEET on clothing and footwear. If there are ticks on a person, remove the tick with a pair of tweezers by gripping as close to the skin as possible and remove by pulling straight on the tick.

Afterward, wash hands and the area of the bite, and apply antiseptic. PL June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 21

Q&A

T

ell us about yourself and how you ended up in Farmington at the Chamber of Commerce: I am a native of the Houston, Texas area. I have three daughters: Bethany, Mallory and Christy and my husband is Stephen Hente.

I attend Parkland Chapel Church. I moved here in 2007, my husband at the time was a helicopter pilot and we moved here for his job. I had been a military wife for 18 years and lived in many different places. I had lived in Germany for three years and prior to my first marriage, I had lived in Mexico for 2-1/2 years.

I started out at the St. Francois County Community Partnership Office as the Special Programs Consultant. I really enjoyed that and got to meet a lot of people in the community. Al Sullivan was the director at the time and was a fantastic person to work with and he introduced me to many people in the community. It was two days a week and I worked three days a week at the Parkland Pregnancy Resource Center. I also worked with Young Faith in Christ as the mentor coordinator for Teen Parent Choices one day a week. I was offered a full-time position at the LIFE Center doing full-time Employment Benefit Analysis, working there for five years. I came to the Chamber and have been here almost five years.

I have been on many different boards in the past and was a founding member of the St. Francois County Mental Health Board and founding board member of Hope 4 Autism.

How does the Parkland stack up compared to the other places you

22 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Candy Hente

Executive Director of the Farmington Regional Chamber of Commerce

“THE THING I LIKE MOST ABOUT WORKING AT THE CHAMBER IS THE IMPACT THAT WE CAN MAKE ON THE COMMUNITY.”

have lived?

I love living here. The irony is that my family is very proud Texans, they can’t fathom that I want to live anywhere except Texas. But my parents begrudgingly admitted the first or second time visiting that it is really pretty here. The people here have been so welcoming. I have lived in smaller communities before where people were very close-minded. You could live there ten years and they would still say you are new in town. Everyone really works to make it a better place to live. I think it says a lot that I’ve stayed here for 15 years, it’s probably the longest I’ve lived anywhere.

I like that we have four seasons here, but that we don’t have a harsh winter, I lived in upstate New York. I like that I’m five minutes from everything, and I can feel like I’m in the country and all the conveniences of the city.

What do you do for fun in your free time?

I love music and to sing. My husband is a very accomplished pianist and organist and I love listening to him play. I enjoy events related to art. I love going to live theater, live music performances, art museums. I enjoy writing,

I am working with Parkland Chapel with their devotion writing team. I like reading a lot of non-fiction, self-help or professional development type books.

I love my dog, Duke. I love gardening and hiking.

Your job at the chamber is by definition dealing with community leaders. What are the common characteristics you recognize in these leaders?

People that I’ve seen around here that are community leaders that

actually get things accomplished are people that ask really good questions.

They’re humble, they have an attitude where they are open minded about different projects. They’re curious and generally easy to get along with.

They are also straightforward about what they think about something. If it’s a good or bad idea they tell you upfront with reasons and logic and I appreciate that.

Being of a deep Christian Faith, how does that factor into your

leadership role?

I feel like it’s beneficial. A lot of the qualities that a Christian is supposed to embody — that kindness and respect for other people — governs the way I interact with people.

When people feel warmly welcomed, they’re much more receptive to working together.

What is it like directing the destiny of the chamber and helping shape Farmington’s future?

I love my job at the chamber. I

think the thing I like most about working at the chamber is the impact that we can make on the community.

I’m always assessing everything we do, taking a step back and seeing how to make it better. I know people might look at some of the things we do and we are going backwards with things, but there’s reasons for every decision we’ve made. While it might not be obvious to the outsider looking at those decisions, there’s a lot of thought and a lot of people weighing in on those decisions, it’s not just me. PL June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 23

Q&A

T

ell me about yourself: I am from De Soto, MO and graduated from De Soto HS in 2001. I attended the University of MissouriColumbia, graduating with a degree in Personal Financial Planning. I’ve worked for State Farm since 2005. I worked for a State Farm agent in St. Louis for 7 years. I knew that when the opportunity came for me to open my own agency, I wanted to be a part of a community and not just set up a business. Farmington has provided that, and then some, with the wonderful sense of community here.

My wife, Jennifer, and I have 3 kids, Jack (14), Crosby (8) and Florence (6) and reside in Farmington.

How many years have you lived in the Parkland?

My business has been in Farmington for 10 years. We opened the office in August of 2012 as a New Market agency. As a family, we moved to Farmington in 2018. We knew that we wanted to be in the heart of Farmington and were lucky enough to find the perfect home in historic downtown that allowed us to help preserve history but also add some of our own personal style. We joke that we bought a money pit, but we wouldn’t trade it for anything.

What do you like about living and working in the Parkland?

I have a hard time putting it into words because it’s just a feeling you get when you live here. My experiences, from being involved in City government and civic organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary club and other boards has allowed me to see how special of a community we live in.

Whether that is the incredible amount of support at the Help the Hungry Bake sale each year, the crowds at Country Days & B3, or just how we step up to help one another when help is needed makes this community so special.

24 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Chris Morrison

Agent/Owner Chris Morrison State Farm Agency

“I THINK FARMINGTON, AND THE ENTIRE PARKLAND REGION IS AN AMAZING PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK.”

You are very active in Farmington.

You are a business owner, mayor pro tem and immediate past board chair of Farmington Chamber of Commerce. What would you most like to see for Farmington in the next 5-10 years?

I think Farmington, and the entire Parkland region is an amazing place to live and work. I’ve been so impressed with the consistent growth our area has experienced in my time in the community. I would like to see our community continue to have steady growth and embrace the things that make our community so special. I’ve found our community to be one that values work ethic and has strong family values. I’ve always been amazed on how the community supports each other. Despite the growth over the years, it has still maintained that small town value system.

I would like to see Farmington continue that steady growth into the future. I think taking advantage of the things that attracts folks to our region.

We have such a beautiful area with all the parks and recreation. We are also a hub for commerce for our region which allows the city to continue to provide 1st class services, such as our Police & Fire departments, library, civic center and parks etc. I would like to see Farmington continue staying pro-active to keep it an amazing place to live, work and raise a family. Finally, if we could figure out a way to bring a Target to town, I would have one happy wife!

Tell me about the Chris Morrison State Farm Giving Thanks Classic Basketball Tournament and how you got involved.

The Giving Thanks Classic is something that I’m so grateful to be a small part of. Dave and Luann Honerkamp first shared their vision about Hope for Autism during an insurance review quite a few years ago. I thought it was a such an amazing cause, and one that served a population that didn’t get enough support from communities.

When they started working with MAC Men’s Basketball coach, Luke Strege,

coaster. It’s hard to think back to the beginning of COVID because it seems so long ago, but I remember at the time we didn’t really know how it was going to impact our business. State Farm put in place some programs to assist our clients with making payments and returning some of their premium since we had fewer people on the roads than Pre-Covid, so there were fewer claims.

In the end, like many businesses, we just had to adapt to the new normal.

Our business was built on sitting down face to face with customers, and that has changed as we have fewer customers that do business in person. Prior to Covid I very rarely held an insurance review virtually, and now that is a common activity in our office.

What do you like about working for State Farm?

I’m grateful for the opportunity that State Farm has given me. I have the ability to own my own business, represent the #1 insurance company in the industry, be an active member of our community and most importantly, have a work/life balance with my family.

The best part of my job is having the opportunity to sit down with people and learning about them. I love to hear “Their Story” about their family, career, hobbies etc. In learning about someone it better positions us to be able to help them develop a plan I really enjoy working in the insurance and financial planning industry.

We can help customers manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams.

Simply put, we can get to know are customers and help them build and protect a life for their family. who has become a great friend of mine, they came up with the idea of hosting a basketball tournament. I couldn’t think of 2 better organizations to support so it was a no brainer for me. I remember being in a room listening to Luke speak early on during his time here, and he spoke about fighting for people that don’t have the ability to fight for themselves. That message stuck with me and when we had the ability to get involved, I couldn’t pass it up. It’s about so much more than basketball too, to watch how the Tournament has grown has been awesome. We have one of

the teams, Ft. Scott CC, that has been back every year to play, and they even raise money in their own community to help support our mission. It has turned into to such an awesome weekend of basketball with the added bonus of bringing awareness to something that affects 1 in 44 people. Luann, Dave, Jessica and Luke make it all possible and we are really proud to be a small part of it each year.

How did COVID affect you and your business?

You know it was a bit of a roller

What is your favorite way to unwind after a long week?

Well, I’m not sure we really get to unwind very often, but if we survive the work week, practices, games, and homework, then our weekends are usually spent maintaining our 120-year-old house. My wife is so talented and creative, which is awesome, but it also leads to a project list that never seems to get any smaller.

We love to travel and experience different cities and cultures, so we try to do that as much as possible. I also enjoy playing golf, watching Cardinals, Blues and Mizzou sports. PL June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 25

26 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Q&A

T

ell me about yourself: I am 68 years old. I was born and raised in Bonne Terre, Missouri to the late James C. and Wanda Lee Bullock.

I have lived here in the county for all of that time.

I am married to Virginia Marie Bullock. We have four children: two boys, Dan (Zeke), Marcus; two girls, Paula and Kim; twenty-three grand and great grand kids. I have five siblings: four brothers John, James ( Jebo), Tim and Chris plus one sister, Sandy.

I went to school in Bonne Terre public school and graduated from North County High in 1972. Since then I have attended and graduated from the Missouri Highway Patrol Academy and earned literally thousands of hours in basic and specialized police training.

I belong to numerous organizations: Elvins Ionic lodge #154; National Rifle Assoc.; Republican National Task Force; AMAC; National Republican Committee; Second Amendment Foundation; American Battlefield Trust; Rocky Mountain Elk Federation; United Transportation Union (past member); Mineral Area Drug Task Force Board; advisory board for Mineral Area Police Academy; Law enforcement board 911; BackStoppers Board; Missouri Sheriffs Association Zone Leader; and numerous other present and past associations.

What do you like about living and working in the Parkland?

The best part of living in this area, as opposed to that of many of my colleagues across the nation, is that the law enforcement in and around the Parkland have the support of the citizens, area businesses and organizations. This is something that is rarely found in this day and age.

Dan Bullock

St. Francois County Sheriff

“I ENJOY PLAYING MUSIC WITH MY FRIENDS AND ACTUALLY HAVE A GROUP WE CALL THE SHERIFF AND DEPUTIES BAND.”

You are known for pulling jokes on people and saying you are “pure as the driven snow.”

It is not a must, but it is beneficial to have a good sense of humor to work at the sheriff’s department as we enjoy pulling a good prank from time to time.

A policeman’s job is often way too serious to not have a little fun at each other’s expense. Often when you see an officer driving down the road or maybe eating a donut or having a cup, you may say that officer is getting overpaid, but that officer before their shift is over may be called upon to do something or make some decisions that you could not pay them enough money to do. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Do you still play music? Tell us about your other hobbies.

I enjoy playing music with my friends and actually have a group we call the Sheriff and Deputies Band. We will often play for area churches, or to raise money for a good cause and sometimes just for fun. My other hobbies are raising Black Angus cows and horses on my little farm in the northeast part of the county. When I’m not working around the farm, I raise beagles for running rabbits and spend a lot of time between Sept. 15 and Jan. 15 in the woods watching and hunting deer. My family has a cabin in rural Madison county and when relaxation is required,

that is where I usually retreat to.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about going into law enforcement now?

Time may be passing me by, but anyone going into law-enforcement need heed these words: always be reasonable in your decisions and your actions; when you say it, mean it; don’t say things you can’t back up; and treat everyone else like you would want you or your family to be treated.

Are you ready to retire?

I have 40 years in law enforcement in this county and 29 as Sheriff. I am the longest running Sheriff in St. Francois counties history and though, we never say never, I probably will not seek another term as times and technology are passing me by and it’s getting time to get some younger blood in, and for me take a break.

How many employees do you have?

82 employees including 18 road officers.

What are some of your proudest accomplishments? Bringing the sheriff’s department into the 21st century.

Everything was very antiquated … And of course, the Shop with Cop program. I say it’s the best thing we do all year. PL June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 27

Q&A

T

ell me about yourself: I have been married to my wife Sarah for 18 years and we have two sons. Cooper is 12 and Cole is 7. We are a very busy family; Sarah is on the Blackcat Community Partnership Board which is a collaboration of leaders in the community that tries to enhance communication between parents of school aged children and businesses from schools to churches. My son Cooper is active in the youth football program here and will be stepping into his first year of school-based sports. Cole’s love is baseball and motocross; his summer baseball league is just starting, and he just received his first dirt bike for his birthday, so he will be busy this summer.

We love the outdoors and very rarely get to spend a weekend at our house; we travel and spend as much time as we can visiting new places.

How many years have you lived in the Parkland?

I have lived here my entire life.

Sarah’s family has a successful family-owned pork farm right here in Fredericktown, which has been in operation since 1968, and my family has been involved in the community since my father Phil Page started Cap America in 1985 when he moved from St. Louis to Fredericktown.

What do you like about living and working in the Parkland?

I like this area for two reasons. One is the vast array of outdoor activities to do. We love fishing as a family, and we can fish anything from a small pond to a nice spring-fed river. The second and most important reason is the people.

People in the Parkland treat each other

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Jon Page

Vice President of Production at Cap America as family and help each other more than lots of other places I have traveled.

Cap America is known for its philanthropy, why is it so important to your family and the company to support the community?

If you know my father or talk to employees at Cap America, they will tell you that he has a huge heart and enjoys being able to help out where he can, and this bleeds over into the community that we love. We believe that one of the most important aspects of our community to the future of Cap America and to the future of Fredericktown as a whole is the local school system. Cap America has pledged 1 million dollars over 10 years to Fredericktown R1 school district. With this pledge, along with multiple pledges from other gracious business owners in Fredericktown, the school foundation board is able to update things like the football field and soccer field, and they are currently building a new track – they haven’t been able to hold a state-sanctioned meet in over 20 years. Future plans are to help build a better robotics department and more outdoor class areas and playground equipment.

How long has Cap America been in business and how much has it grown since your dad started it?

He started in headwear in St. Louis then quickly realized that there was a need for a company that could be more versatile, so he started Cap America in 1985 with 30 people and 18 heads of embroidery. Over the years it has seen significant growth and as of this interview we have 415 employees and over 500 heads of embroidery. With this increase we are able to embroider

“IF IT WASN’T FOR ALL THE DEDICATED EMPLOYEES WE HAVE THAT TREAT THIS COMPANY LIKE THEIR OWN, WE WOULDN’T BE AS SUCCESSFUL.” around 25,000 baseballs caps a day.

The fastest growing part of our business currently is the knitting department; we have the largest circular knitting operation in North America with a daily production capacity of 14,000 knits, and we are proud to say these are 100% “Made in the USA” knit hats. With this department we are able to compete with countries like China and build them right here in Fredericktown for our clients so they do not have to worry about any international shipping issues.

How does it feel to be part of such a successful family business? Did you always think you would grow up to work for Cap America?

I feel very humbled to be a small part of what we do here. Honestly if it wasn’t for all the dedicated employees we have that treat this company like their own, we wouldn’t be as successful. This comes from the top all the way down.

Mark Gammon is our CEO and has a work ethic that is second to none, we have 9 employees that have been here for 30+ years and we have the Hinkle family that has 3 generations working here. All of this ties into our family business model and helps us continue

to thrive. I always wanted to make my own name, so after high school I joined the National Guard and started working in construction. I learned skills in UniTec during high school and then honed those after graduation. In 2004 my plans got put on hold as our National Guard unit got deployed to Iraq. I served as a Combat Engineer and our mission was to find and eliminate roadside IEDs. Most of my unit was from the Parkland area, which meant most of us knew each other, and this made the experience much nicer because we all treated each other like brothers. I worked in residential construction for about ten years, then became a conductor for Union Pacific for about 4 years before making my way to Cap America. I look back at these jobs and I do not have any regrets other than I wish I would have started here earlier in my career because there is so much to learn in this company that I am excited about.

Has Cap America been impacted by the current employment shortages

and increase in product costs?

We have definitely seen several changes over the past 2 years involving wages and cost of goods. Our leadership team got together in 2021 and made the decision to raise our starting wages, which has helped us retain many good employees and train them, but we actually are still in need of people in various locations at Cap America. Our always shifting costs for goods is on the rise also; for example, a container of blank caps use to cost us $4,000 dollars in early 2019 and now that same container of goods will be $30,000, so with these rising costs of goods and labor we had to raise our cost for caps. Since raising the costs, we saw a quick return because of the new pricing, but the unit sales were not great in 2021. However, in 2022 we have seen great growth in all areas.

This is somewhat inventory driven, as we had product when other competitors didn’t, but we are confident we will be able to retain these customers and continue to provide great customer service for future growth.

Can you explain how the new expansion project is going to impact the company and the community?

In 2019 we purchased the old Walmart building here in Fredericktown and turned it into a warehouse. We affectionately call it the “May Building.” It’s named after Richard May who was an integral part of Cap America’s growth in the early years. We quickly realized that even though this building was right down the road, we had logistical problems, so we sat down as a group and decided we need a new warehouse on site. We met with Sargent Construction and came up with plans for an expansion. This additional space will give us the room for the growth we are experiencing.

The warehouse is 37,500 feet and can house 3 million hats, it employs 18 people and we couldn’t be happier with the new building. I am excited to see us in this growth mode; the vibe here at the factory is still very much family oriented and I never want to lose that.

Overall I love this company and cannot wait to see what the future holds. PL June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 29

Q&A

T

ell me about yourself: I am a widow, married to my husband, Eddie for 41 years before he passed in 2013.

We have two children, Christy and Jonathan. Christy and her husband Kevin have 9 children and live in Ste. Genevieve. Jonathan and his wife Sara live in Farmington.

I have been employed with Farmington Presbyterian Manor for 42 years. I worked in various capacities such as human resources and business office manager before becoming the executive director in 1993. I am a member of the Missouri Association of Nursing Home Administrators.

How many years have you lived in the Parkland?

Born and raised in Farmington and never found any reason to leave.

What do you like about living and working in the Parkland?

Parkland is my home. I know so many folks and Parkland provides a real sense of a community. We have seen growth, but the friendly home town atmosphere remains with unique shops, festivals, entertainment events, etc.

The Parkland has much to offer those of all ages. The close proximity to St. Louis provides an easy drive for additional shopping, cultural events and entertainment.

You have been with Presbyterian Manor for quite a long time, what sets Presbyterian Manor apart from other care facilities?

First of all, we try hard to educate the community about what we do as a senior living provider. Farmington

30 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Jane Hull

Executive Director of Farmington Presbyterian Manor “CARE TODAY IS FOCUSED ON A PERSON’S STRENGTHS AND PROVIDING AN ATMOSPHERE FOR MEANINGFUL HUMAN INTERACTION.”

Presbyterian Manor is home to many.

Thus, you’ll never hear me say the word “facility.” No one wants to live in a facility.

Farmington Presbyterian Manor is the only not-for-profit continuing care retirement community in St. Francois County. Several things set us apart from other communities.

Our mission has been serving the Farmington community since 1962.

Presbyterian Manor offers a full continuum of senior living options all on one campus. Our services include long-term nursing care, short-term rehabilitation services, Alzheimer’s/ Memory Care, respite care, assisted living and Independent living. Heart and Soul Hospice provides end-of-life care and is part of our Presbyterian Manor family. There is no doubt, we are dedicated to serving our residents with a culture inspired by our mission — to provide quality senior services guided

by Christian values. Our faith teaches us to put others first, so our team members work every day to embody this value of service.

The COVID pandemic was a very

trying time, especially for nursing homes. What did you learn from the pandemic? What adjustments did you have to make?

Of course, I never dreamed of experiencing a pandemic of this magnitude.

Probably one of the biggest hurdles was and remains the ever changing regulations and adapting and leading the residents and staff through these changes. Transparency has always been our focus when it comes to informing our residents, families, staff and public of the COVID-19 cases. Knowing exactly where you stand provides a great sense of trust for those we serve.

More and more older people are being diagnosed with dementia/

Alzheimer’s Disease. How has care changed or how is it changing for those with memory issues?

Realizing the need to provide care for the increasing number of people being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Presbyterian Manor was one of the first providers in the area to pioneer memory care for residents living with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

Memory care has changed significantly from a clinical, institutional model to a home-like, person-centered environment. Care today is focused on a person’s strengths and providing an atmosphere for meaningful human interaction, activities and support and providing this care in a safe, and

secure environment.

While dementia care has improved significantly over the past decades, it is important we continue to support research and discover innovative ways to care for those we serve.

What do you like to do to unwind?

Do you have any hobbies?

I love spending time with friends and family. My hobbies include shopping, gardening, cooking and spending time outdoors. I have a cat that I spoil and she gives a lot of love back too.

Presbyterian Manor has undergone expansions over the years. What are you most proud of ?

Without a doubt, I am most proud

of the addition of the Hull Family Fellowship Center. Completed in the summer of 2021, the 3,500 sq. ft. center offers indoor and outdoor spaces for our residents to enjoy activities and spend time with friends and family.

The center was made possible by a $1 million gift from an anonymous donor and the vision of the Manor’s Mission Committee members.

Community leaders joined together to support The Give.Gather.Grow campaign to provide an additional $250,000 in funding. We are very thankful for the generous support of our community.

It is an honor and a privilege to work with so many generous people and I am blessed and honored to have the center named after my family. PL June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 31

Q&A

T

ell me about yourself I have been fortunate enough to travel to nearly every state and more than 15 countries. That said, Bonne Terre will always be home, and I’m always glad to come back.

My parents were Junior and Rosamary Cauley. They were happily married for 50 years. Both of my parents and both of my siblings are now deceased.

Education: North County High School Class of 1986, associate degree from MAC, bachelor’s degree from Southeast Missouri University and master’s degree from William Woods.

My wife Sherry and I have been together for nearly 30 years. She still inspires me every day. Both Sherry and I were the first generation college graduates. We have four children (David, Anthony, Brittany, and Jeffrey). All of our kids are North County graduates and all graduated from college.

I am a member of Missouri MOACTE, which is an organization that supports career and technical education. In August, I was recognized as the Missouri CTE Administrator of the Year. I am a founding member of the UniTec Educational Foundation and a proud member of the Industry and Education Partnership.

What do you like about living and working in the Parkland?

As a teacher, you learn to love summers and I am a summer guy. That said, I still like living in an area that has four seasons. While I am not a fan of cold weather, I do love the snow in short intervals and Missouri is beautiful in the fall and spring.

How long have you been in education, and what kind of positions have you held?

I started working full time at the Central School District in 1996. I started teaching at North County in

32 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Jeff Cauley

UniTec Career Center Director

“WITH THE ASSISTANCE AND GUIDANCE OF OUR GREAT INSTRUCTORS, THESE STUDENTS THRIVE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.”

2003. I taught high school English and Films for more than 15 years and I will tell anyone who will listen that teaching is the best and most rewarding job I’ve ever had. To date, I am the only person in North County to have worked in an educational role on every campus. I have been a K-6 assistant principal, a middle school assistant principal, a high school teacher, and now I am the director of UniTec Career Center.

What drew you to a career in education?

I credit Denny Norris and his wife Leann, Jim Sherrill, and Pete Webb (Central R-3 assistant superintendent) for pushing me to pursue education. I will forever be grateful for their friendship and advice. They saw something in a young substitute teacher and baseball coach that I never saw in myself.

Despite my success at Central, Pete Webb was not an easy man to please.

He was extremely hard on me, but once told me that he, “Didn’t want to get the best of me, he wanted to get the best out of me.” I never forgot that line and I have used it for years when pushing students and staff to do more than they feel they are capable of.

What’s the biggest challenge you experience as director of UniTec? Getting the students and the public to understand that UniTec is NOT just

a vocational school, but a career center.

While we are proud of our widely successful vocational programs, we also offer a wide variety of academic programs. The recent addition of our Pathways to Teaching program is designed to attract academic students who want to not only become great teachers, but want to stay in the area and teach.

Like directors before me, I want to continue to promote UniTec and attract students from all walks of life.

What’s the biggest reward you experience as director of UniTec? My biggest reward is seeing many of our students who may not have been as successful at their high schools, come to

UniTec and excel. Many students find their niche here at UniTec. With the assistance and guidance of our great instructors, these students thrive in this environment. Our students leave UniTec with great job offers and or college opportunities. This year, every single graduating senior in Construction Technology had a union job offer after graduation. That is amazing and it is just an example of how hard our instructors, counselor, and office staff work to ensure student success.

trivia questions?

You have to know your crowd when writing questions. If I’m writing questions for a competitive event that might include players like Bart Mitchell or Howard Noble, I might make the questions a bit more difficult. If I am writing questions for a high school club or group, I will gear those questions towards areas of interest that the group may have. No one wants to attend a trivia and not know anything and no one wants to attend an event that is too easy either.

You’re often asked to emcee trivia nights and come up with the questions. What’s the secret to great

Heard you were something of a one-man, part-time car and truck trader. How did that come about?

I grew up around the car business.

My dad and brother always operated a used car lot and I picked up on bits and pieces. I’ve always been a huge car guy. As a kid, my dad was friends with many of the St. Louis dealers like Dave Sinclair and Frank Bommarito.

I spent so much time around some of those car guys that it rubbed off on me. I continue to enjoy dabbling in cars and trucks in my spare time.

When I was growing up, my dad always had cool cars around. I can remember a 1969 GTO Judge, 1967 Ford Fairlane, 500 Convertible, and a 1934 Ford Coupe (ZZ Top style). How can you look at those and NOT want to be a car guy? PL June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 33

D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N T H E PA R K L A N D

The team at Crystal & Rich’s Produce provide quality items and service every day

SPONSORED CONTENT

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Crystal & Rich’s Produce

ich and Crystal Figge have been doing business in the Parkland since 2013 when they had two fold-up tents and two fold-up tables set up next to Casey’s near their current location.

The couple first worked at Rich’s parents’ produce business in Festus before starting their own business in Farmington.

In their first eight years as business owners, Rich and Crystal only opened their business seasonally from March to October.

The business, located at 525 Potosi Street, has since been expanded to a year-round business that specializes in

34 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

fresh, homegrown produce.

They’ve added many other items to their expansive offerings, including a variety of fruits and vegetables, seasonal items, jams and jellies, specialty items like chocolate-covered strawberries, plants and flowers, Christmas trees, pumpkins, grave blankets, and more.

Items that are popular with customers are the freshly cut fruit and veggie platters and dips as well as fresh seafood inventory of shrimp, crab legs and crawfish.

“I think our customers have grown to love our overall availability of items, including fresh produce and our specialty items,” said

Rich. “They also appreciate our attentive, personal service by our hard-working staff members.”

Recent customers’ reviews show the business’s success not only with its products but also customer service.

One customer said, “Great selections and wonderful produce here year-round.”

Someone else likes supporting local farmers and local small businesses by purchasing fresh produce at Crystal & Rich’s. “The staff are super nice and very helpful, too.”

Another customer commented that they drive the “extra distance” to shop at Crystal & Rich’s because of the excellent quality of produce

and unusual items such as seafood and high-quality bedding plants.

One customer perhaps summed it up best: “Awesome hometown store.”

Recently the Figges acquired county property located behind their store. Plans are to use the property for future growth to expand Crystal & Rich’s outdoor inventory.

Crystal & Rich’s Produce

525 Potosi Street, Farmington Hours of operation: Monday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Phone: 573-218-9200 Website: Facebook – Crystal and Rich’s Produce

D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N T H E PA R K L A N D

Harold’s Famous Bee Co. products are available at their downtown Ste. Genevieve location and online at HaroldsFamous. com, Amazon and more than 100 retailers nationwide.

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Harold’s Famous Bee Co.

t’s a unique, nostalgic and immersive experience at the oldest commercial building on Market Street in historic downtown Ste. Genevieve.

Harold’s Famous Bee Co. is owned by two patented beekeepers, Harold Gallaher and Amanda Hutchings.

The business first began after Gallaher was involved in a motorcycle accident in 2010.

While being treated in the ER, it was discovered that he had a cancerous tumor on his spine and was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

He received chemotherapy and experienced severe nausea and lethargy as a result of his treatment. While working the bees one day, he was stung by a honey bee.

Gallaher noticed his appetite and energy returned.

His bee sting experience led him to seek treatment through an apitherapist, which is using honey bee

products to improve one’s health.

At that time Gallaher realized there was a need for the ready-made remedy that did not require bee stings.

That’s when he and Amanda Hutchings – experienced in the pharmaceutical industry – combined her work experience with his health crisis to create the company’s flagship product, Harold’s Famous Bee Cream.

This bee cream is the only patent-approved formulation that harnesses the healthy benefits of honey bee venom to effectively soothe joints, muscles, and dry, rough skin.

The pair have created a line of skin products that are made 100 percent from nature, free of synthetics, dyes, parabens, fragrances and harsh ingredients. The business is also a cruelty-free company which means no honey bees are harmed during extraction of their venom.

At Harold’s Famous Bee Co., customers enjoy free honey tastings. There is also a mead bar, honey ice cream, products of the hive, décor and more.

“We formulate products using ingredients harvested from the honey bee and make healthy products to help people while maintaining environmental responsibility,” said Hutchings.

Customers love Harold’s Famous Bee Co. products.

One customer recently wrote that they visited Harold’s Famous Bee Co. because they are fascinated with bees. “The staff was immensely helpful, informative and welcoming.

Will definitely visit again.”

Another satisfied customer said they “love, love, love this store.”

“The honey tastings are so much fun,” they wrote.

“The mead is fantastic. We use the bee cream for any

painful joints. The honey ice cream is amazing. But the best thing about this store is the amazing staff. They are so knowledgeable and kind.”

Whether it’s honey, ice cream, or their patented products, the mission for Harold’s Famous Bee Co. is simple: to promote the quality of life for their customers and the conservation of the honey bee.

Harold’s Famous Bee Co. products are available at their downtown Ste. Genevieve location and online at HaroldsFamous.com, Amazon and more than 100 retailers nationwide.

Harold’s Famous Bee Co.

234 Market Street, Ste. Genevieve 800-748-9810 www.HaroldsFamous.com Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 4 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 35

D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N T H E PA R K L A N D

The Denbys work hard to ensure all of their customers are satisfied with Parkland Pest’s services.

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ason and Mandy Denby have owned their pest control business in the Parkland for three years.

The couple acquired Parkland Pest in 2019 from Jeff Barnes, who originally opened the business in 2007.

The Denbys help homeowners and business owners deal with insects including spiders, ants, mosquitos, roaches, bed bugs and more. They also perform pest control for small rodents and do termite inspections and treatments.

Out of all the insect treatment services offered at Parkland Pest, one service they provide that is not offered at all pest companies is bed bug treatment.

“What sets us apart is that we do bed bug treatment as well,” said Mandy.

She explained that bed bugs

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Parkland Pest are a problem in the area.

She receives many calls on a regular basis from customers seeking treatment for these pests. The company does multiple weekly treatments for the insects.

“At some point, homeowners or business owners might deal with an infestation of some kind that is beyond their control,” said Mandy. “That’s where Parkland Pest comes in to help.”

The business receives many calls about what specific pest services work best.

Mandy takes those calls and schedules all service visits.

“All kinds of insects can find their way into homes or businesses, and some even cause costly damage to the structure of the building,” she said.

Mandy added that customers appreciate the time she takes to explain various

treatments and the habitats of the bugs they’re treating.

“We take pride in helping our customers come up with a solution for their home or business and going through the process with them,” she said. “We explain that some processes work while others don’t. Our customers appreciate the fact that we take the time to explain how the treatments work and explain the overall process.”

Not all pests are a one-anddone treatment. In fact, they often require a plan to control an infestation.

“Our goal is to get ahead of the game and treat them before it becomes a major problem,” she said.

The owners take pride in their exceptional customer service. They listen to their customers’ concerns and needs so they can create a plan of action to ensure they’re satisfied. Customer

referrals are important to the owners.

The Denbys work hard to ensure all of their customers are satisfied with Parkland Pest’s services.

“I receive calls all the time from our customers who are full of excitement and appreciation of the treatment we recently completed for them,” said Mandy. “To us, it’s about building a relationship with our customers.”

She said, “We genuinely care about our customers and their situations, and we treat other people’s homes as if it was our home because we’d want someone else to do the same for us.”

Parkland Pest

1007 Ste. Genevieve Ave., Farmington ParklandPestServices.com Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N T H E PA R K L A N D

Ste. Genevieve County Community Center Executive Director Brad Arnold (pictured here) says one feature that the park offers that is unique is the wavy river.

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River Rapids Waterpark

he area’s second waterpark opened in the Parkland in 2019.

Ste. Genevieve’s River Rapids Waterpark opened three years ago and has been a favorite summer hangout since then.

The waterpark is part of the Ste. Genevieve County Community Center complex, along with Challenger Field and Pavilion, Progress Sports Complex, and Braden and Friends Challenger Playground.

The waterpark includes four water slides: the tube slide, a 340-foot fully-enclosed adventure full of twists and turns which ends with a splash down beside the Lazy River; the 250-foot four-lane mat racer; body slide, a 311foot twisting thriller; and the

146-foot speed slide.

The Lazy River – a 450-footlong journey that meanders throughout the waterpark – features a beach entry and two walkouts along the way to provide easy accessibility for all.

The lap pool, featuring six lap lanes and a spring diving board, is perfect for exercising as well as swimming. A 13-foot climbing structure parallels the water.

The Kid Zone has two 32-foot enclosed body slides, tubes, sprayers, splashing spots, water guns, overhead tippy bucket and more.

Ste. Genevieve County Community Center Executive Director Brad Arnold said, “One feature that our park offers that is unique is our wavy river. Some parks offer a wave pool, so to be unique, we

incorporated a wave machine in our lazy river.”

This means the wave machine turns on periodically and causes the calm flowing lazy river to turn into a wavy river.

“It is very popular among the patrons, so much so that the kids are always yelling at the lifeguard ‘turn on the waves,’” said Arnold.

River Rapids Waterpark – which has a capacity of 1,200 – is available for rent for special events from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The Kid Zone is also available to private rental in twohour blocks on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. for up to 50 children.

Birthday party packages are available in various options.

To book an event, call Joann

at 573-883-5244.

A full-service concession stand offers cold treats and hot eats such as bottled water and other drinks, various foods and snacks, Kona Ice, Lemon Shake-Ups, and more.

Cash and credit/debit cards are accepted. Guests can also purchase necessities such as sunscreen, towels and more.

Season passes may be purchased only at the Ste. Genevieve County Community Center. For information, call 573-883-5244. Visit www.sgccc. com for more details.

River Rapids Waterpark

is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day with limited days once school is in session in August.

June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 37

D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N T H E PA R K L A N D

Owner, Nichole French says that Sweet Things pride themselves in offering customers such a wide variety of toys, books and candy under one roof.

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Sweet Things Sweet Shop

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weet Things Sweet Shop has been doing business in the Parkland for decades.

The business originally opened in the 1980s as Les Sweets by sisters Thelma Maynard and Shirley Giesler.

Joy and Nichole French are the current and fourth owners of the business. French is manager of the shop.

The shop has been a customer favorite for many years. From candy-loving kids to grandparents seeking a special gift, customers find a variety of options from which to choose.

38 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Whether it’s a special birthday present or sweet treat to satisfy someone’s sweet tooth, this Ste. Genevieve shop carries an assortment of candies and treats, books, dependable toys, and gift items.

Over the years, the store has remained some form of candy store. But it wasn’t until the Frenches took ownership in 2013 that it became a candy, toy and book store.

From new and retro candies to handmade specialty chocolates, Sweet Things Sweet Shop has it all. Topselling treats include the sea salt caramels, turtles

and milk chocolate doubledipped peanuts.

In addition to candy, there are numerous toy options for kids, plus 500- and 1,000-piece puzzles and games for adults.

Books are available for all ages.

“The store has become a great place for locals to shop for birthday and holiday gifts,” said Nichole. “This is evident when repeat customers return time after time so I can help them select the perfect gift for their friend or relative.”

She said the shop has gained a loyal following of customers because of their wide selection of children’s books. Each year they’ve expanded their

selection and continue to sell more and more.

“We always have something that is unique and not found anywhere else in the area,” she said. “We pride ourselves in offering our customers such a wide variety of toys, books and candy under one roof.”

Sweet Things Sweet Shop

242 Market St., Ste. Genevieve Hours of operation: Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 4 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Phone: 573-883-7990 Website: stegencandy.net

D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N T H E PA R K L A N D

Stan Janis and Jordan Wood co-own The Shed Vapes. They have two full-time associates, Gage Lee and Mikel Blount.

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tan Janis has been doing business in the Parkland for five years.

The reason he opened his business in 2017 wasn’t to make money.

Instead, he opened The Shed Vapes to help other people.

Stan smoked cigarettes and chewed tobacco for more than three decades. He tried everything to quit, including acupuncture, hypnosis and Nicotine gum. Nothing worked for him.

At the time, Stan’s daughter worked at a vape shop. He went to visit her and ended up buying himself a vape and supplies from there. That was the turning point in Stan’s life when he chose an alternative to tobacco use, and he’s been sharing this story with everyone who will listen.

“Quitting was my inspiration to others,” he said.

“When I found out that vaping was the way to quit smoking and chewing, I started sharing this information with others.”

Since then, Janis – along with co-owner Jordan Wood who became a partner in 2021 – have been guiding others away from cancer-causing

The Shed Vapes cigarettes and tobacco. When customers enter his business in Bonne Terre, they often say they’re sick of smoking and need help.

Customers can buy everything they need to quit smoking from him for as low as $35. He only sells authentic vape equipment and only name-brand FDAsubmitted products.

The Shed Vapes is wholesale to the public.

“This means we give people options,” said Stan.

“Instead of just a few pieces of equipment, we carry several different pieces and a variety of flavored juices.”

Out of the 200 flavors and brands of juice he sells, two of the most popular flavors are blue raspberry and iced banana with a menthol flavor.

When Stan started his business, it began with a “mission and ministry to get people to quit smoking and chewing.”

“We estimate that we have had over 5,000 people quit smoking and chewing,” he said.

Stan added that they do not simply sell products at The Shed Vapes.

“We teach people how to

use the items they purchase from us,” he said. “We’re not in the business to make money. Our goal is to help people quit smoking and chewing, and then we help them quit vaping.”

Stan said it’s important to help their customers decrease their nicotine levels. That’s one of the biggest things that separates them from other shops.

“We actually teach people to use the equipment, and we teach them about what they’re getting and why they’re getting it,” he said.

Stan explained there are nearly 5,000 chemicals in traditional tobacco. Of that total, nearly 70 have shown to cause cancer.

But according to Stan, “So far, nothing has been shown in vapor products that causes cancer. The eliquid products we carry are premium-brand ejuices made with food-grade products and ingredients.”

In addition to The Shed Vapes, Stan owns a shipping company, so any profit earned from his vape business goes back to the community.

This is yet another way his business stands out from the competitors.

The Shed Vapes made a $1,000 donation to Shop with a Cop this past winter.

“That money comes from our customers,” Stan said, “and we make sure it’s clear that our customers get the credit for that. They throw their spare change in a box and we match it.”

The business donates to other area charities, including the sheriff’s and fire departments and other local organizations.

“We give our customers the credit,” he said. “Without them, we wouldn’t be here or be able to help others.”

Stan and Jordan co-own The Shed Vapes. They have two full-time associates, Gage Lee and Mikel Blount.

The Shed Vapes will expand into a larger building with a wider selection of products and more parking at the end of July.

The Shed Vapes

6326 Hillsboro Road, Bonne Terre 314-471-5453 Facebook and Instagram: TheShedVapes Monday-Sunday, noon to 8 p.m.

June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 39

D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N T H E PA R K L A N D

Clay Zimmerman with Stone Haus Furniture has been providing quality furniture to the Parkland since 2010

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Stone Haus Furniture

lay Zimmerman and his family have been doing business in the Parkland for more than

a decade.

Although the family opened Stone Haus Furniture in 2010, Clay’s experience in the furniture world started in 1987 as a manufacturer. The focus was on high-quality hard wood furniture.

There are many different family-owned shops that supply them with their furniture.

The family-owned business is located about two miles north of Farmington on Highway D. Stone Haus Furniture is filled with quality Americanmade furniture. There is a variety of furniture from which to choose: kitchen, 40 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

bedroom, office, dining or living room.

Customers order their furniture from customizable options in various sizes, woods and stains. Stone Haus staff deliver and set up items at customers’ homes.

At the business, customers aren’t pressured to purchase items.

“We want you to come into our store, feel the finish, sit in the chairs and discover the experience that shopping online can’t compare to,” said Clay.

Although the Stone Haus staff can offer advice on which pieces to select or information on customization, they let the furniture do the selling.

“Our customers fall in love with our furniture,” Clay said.

“We have an appreciation for quality design and good value and believe our customers do

as well.”

Solid construction practices are used in Stone Haus furnishings. No particleboard is used to make any of the items.

Satisfied customers, word-of-mouth referrals and positive online reviews have allowed Stone Haus Furniture to grow and gain many new and repeat customers. The Stone Haus goal is to treat each customer with the utmost respect.

“Drop on by, even if you just want to window shop,” said Clay. “You may find a quality piece you didn’t realize you would love to have.”

“Excellent quality items and very friendly service” is one recent online review.

One customer described her purchases as “solid, quality wood and beautiful craftmanship. Staff is very

helpful and professional. The store is clean and organized.

Great store!”

Clay said customers are pleased when they make a purchase because they know they’re investing in highquality real-wood furnishings that hold value over time and become family heirlooms.

Stone Haus Furniture’s website perhaps says it best: “Our hardwood furniture combines age-old craftmanship with modern styles to give you something to pass on for generations to come!”

Stone Haus Furniture

4938 Highway D, Farmington 573-327-9702 Stonehausfurniture.com Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N T H E PA R K L A N D

After high school, LT Blackwood (pictured here) moved from St. Louis to Farmington to manage Trans Am Cyclery. He has always been interested in cycling while growing up in the “bike family.

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Trans Am Cyclery

rans Am Cyclery has been part of the Parkland since March 2011.

It’s the area’s premier location to purchase bikes, accessories and parts, as well as seek repairs and full service.

The business’s customers, who vary in age from kids to senior citizens, choose from a full selection of road, mountain, hybrid, sport fitness and BMX bikes.

Tony Blackwood owns Trans Am Cyclery. In fact, the bicycle business has been in the family since 1932 when the family opened the

shop South Side Cyclery in St. Louis off Grand Avenue and Meramec. The family business has been passed down to future generations since the first store opened.

Recently Tony and wife Donna retired in January and are enjoying time at Lake of the Ozarks. Son LT Blackwood grew up in St. Louis and worked at two of the family’s businesses, South Side Cyclery and South County Cyclery. The South County location ended up closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After high school, LT moved from St. Louis to Farmington to manage Trans Am Cyclery.

He has always been interested in cycling while growing up in the “bike family.”

“I had no choice,” he said, laughing. “The bike shop was my day care when I was young. When I wasn’t sleeping, I would help out around by cleaning floors and polishing bikes.”

When LT grew old enough, he started working at the shops to build bikes and learn how to repair them.

After work days, he typically went on a 10- to 15-mile ride on the Grant’s Trail in St. Louis County.

“Sometimes on the weekend, we went mountain

biking at places such as Castle Wood and Cliff Cave,” he said.

LT said he currently loves off-road riding at Shepherd Mountain Bike Park in Ironton and St. Joe State Park. A group rides together on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

“Riding with friends is a great way to exercise and have fun,” said LT. “Cycling is for everyone.”

Trans Am Cyclery

1007 N. Washington, Farmington 573-756-7888 Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. except Sunday and Wednesday June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 41

First State Community Bank, the wellknown and respected local financial institution, has grown to include 57 branches in Missouri, from Marshall to the Bootheel and everywhere between.

D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N T H E PA R K L A N D

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First State Community Bank

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irst State Community Bank has been doing business in the Parkland for a long time.

It was nearly 70 years ago when local people founded the bank. Although the business has grown exponentially, it has remained true to its roots.

First State Community Bank’s story began with local businesspeople who were part of the tight-knit community in Farmington, a prosperous town nestled in the rolling hills of Southeast Missouri.

During a time of economic struggle, a forward-thinking businessman named B.H. Jennings saw a need for locally-owned banking services in the area. After gathering investors, he formed First State Bank in 1954.

Fast forward several decades later, that small bank continues to practice community-led banking.

First State Community Bank, the well-known and respected local financial institution, has grown to include 57 branches in

42 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Missouri, from Marshall to the Bootheel and everywhere between.

For FSCB, building relationships with their customers is their most important priority. No matter what a customer’s financial picture looks like, this banking connection with them is important to FSCB. They believe in offering unique benefits and advantages to their customers.

Since they opened their doors in 1954, FSCB has maintained an important philosophy: what matters to their customers matters to them. They know their customers work hard, so FSCB works hard for them.

This type of neighbor-toneighbor banking encourages strong relationships with their customers.

These relationships are the foundation of FSCB’s approach to banking and community relations.

“We believe in helping our local economy grow and thrive,” said FSCB CEO/ President Matt Sebastian.

“We believe in helping our customers reach their

financial goals, and we believe in giving back to the community. When it comes to banking, our FSCB customers always come first.”

There are many ways that FSCB helps its customers.

From opening a checking or savings account, home loans, and so much more, FSCB employees work hard to help their customers maximize their savings and achieve their financial goals.

FSCB also helps their customers in another important area: giving back to the community. Through a bank-wide project created in 2016, employees take part in helping to make a difference in their communities. The Impact Initiative Project, led by FSCB Assistant Vice President/Privacy Officer Kristin Gilbert, allows FSCB employees from all 57 branches to find needs within their communities to make an impact.

FSCB employees at the individual branches choose which organizations they help throughout the year. This involves meeting organization representatives, learning about their purpose and who

they serve, and determining their needs.

Overall, more than $450,000 in monetary donations have been given through the project.

Whether it’s through their Impact Initiative Project or providing free financial courses and videos on their website, FSCB has grown exponentially since first opening its doors. But nearly 70 years later with 770 employees at 57 different branches, they remain true to their roots and continue to focus on building strong relationships within their communities.

When customers walk into FSCB, they aren’t simply customers. They’re families who FSCB has served, generation after generation.

This is community-led banking at its finest.

First State Community Bank

Customer service: 877-955-3722 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

24-hour telephone banking 1-888-443-3722

D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N T H E PA R K L A N D

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Cozean Memorial Chapel and Crematory

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ew businesses can boast to have been open for a century and a half. But Cozean Memorial Chapel and Crematory has a rich history stretching back 157 years and is one of the oldest mortuary establishments in the state.

Cozean’s commitment to its community is deeply rooted in Missouri history. The business was originally organized in 1864 by Thomas Lang, one of Farmington’s leaders during the 19th century. Later that same year Lang was given permission to cross Union lines to Fort Davidson in order to return casualties of the battle of Pilot Knob back to the Farmington area for funeral services and burial.

The Lang family’s commitment to excellence in funeral service continued when the business was sold to Henry Rinke, pioneer embalmer who operated Rinke Undertaking Co. in Flat River.

Rinke, Flat River’s first mayor, along with his daughter and son-in-law, Elva and Rolla

Cozean, renamed the business Cozean Funeral Home. But ties to the past weren’t severed in 1916; the business’s corporate name, the Farmington Undertaking Company, is still retained to this day.

Significant changes later took place in 1930 when the business was expanded to a larger building on North Washington Street where Elva coordinated many different aspects of the firm’s operations.

Continued growth prompted a move for the business in 1940 to its present location on the corner of West Columbia and “A” streets.

Three years later, Rolla and Elva’s son Charles Hugo took over the business, which he continued to expand for the next 40 years.

It was in 1983 when Jon Cozean, living in Washington, D.C. at the time, moved back to Missouri immediately after his father died so he could help with the family business.

Although it was an adjustment at first from his career in journalism, Jon

grew to thoroughly enjoy his work in the family business.

He believed in helping people and found numerous places in the business where he could make improvements.

He attended many funeral directing seminars to learn and modernize the business, including updating their records using computers, and he took on leadership roles in the Missouri Funeral Directors Association.

In 1993 and 1994, the building was remodeled and enlarged to make it the largest facility in this part of the state.

Additional changes occurred in 2000 to enlarge and expand the main visitation room. A new parking lot has since been added adjacent to the funeral home.

Jon Cozean, owner and operator, is the fourth generation of funeral directors to operate the family business. He and his staff continue the excellent professional service and care for the bereaved. They have earned numerous prestigious national awards for their work.

Jon has been recognized as past

president of the Missouri Funeral Directors Association and a longtime member of Missouri Funeral Trust Board of Directors.

The business is the exclusive invitation-only area member of the two leading national professional organizations, the National Selected Funeral Directors and the International Order of the Golden Rule.

In addition, the firm’s unique professional webcasting capabilities were recently featured in a fourpage article in a national funeral profession magazine.

Nearly 160 years later, Cozean Memorial Chapel and Crematory continues its longstanding tradition of award-winning service and impact on this community.

Cozean Memorial Chapel & Crematory 217 W. Columbia St. Farmington, MO (573) 756-4541 Cozeanfuneralhome.com Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Saturday 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Sunday Closed Available by phone 24 hours a day

June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 43

D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N T H E PA R K L A N D SPONSORED CONTENT

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Parkland Health Center

arkland Health Center has been doing business in the Parkland for decades.

The hospital’s history dates back to 1911 with the St. Joe Lead Company hospital followed by the Bonne Terre Community Hospital. The hospital’s Medical Arts Clinic opened in 1938. In 1952, the Mineral Area Osteopathic Hospital began serving the southern part of St. Francois County, followed by the Farmington Community Hospital’s opening in 1969 at the current location of Parkland Health Center.

In 1992, the Bonne Terre and Farmington Community Hospitals merged to become Parkland Health Center.

Parkland was affiliated with Christian Hospital in 1984 and then became part of BJC when BJC HealthCare was formed by the affiliation of BarnesJewish, Christian, Missouri Baptist and St. Louis Children’s Hospitals in 1993.

The current Bonne Terre site for Parkland Health Center opened in 1995, followed by Parkland’s acquisition of Mineral Area Regional Medical Center in 2015.

Over the years, healthcare delivery has become much more complex. The need for high-end technology and 44 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

specialization to diagnose and treat conditions creates extreme financial burdens for small community hospitals.

The support from the BJC HealthCare system is crucial in the Parkland Health Center staff’s ability to care for their community.

According to Parkland Health Center President Annette Schnabel, many new services and specialties are being implemented at the facility. One example is how technology is being used in unique ways. Currently, patients in Parkland’s ICU can be monitored electronically by experts at Washington University.

“Our critical care colleagues are able to communicate with the patient, our staff, and our medical providers to support the local care we provide at a level that exceeds what can normally be found in a community hospital for our size,” said Schnabel.

In addition, specialists are now able to consult with hospitalists – or physicians who manage inpatient care – through technology. For example, one pulmonologist travels from Missouri Baptist Medical Center to see patients in the clinic and hospital. On days when he is at Missouri Baptist, he does televisits with patients and consults with hospitalists on patients’ plans

of care.

This same telecommunication service will be added for infectious disease.

Parkland and BJC Medical Group have brought increased care to local residents through the addition of physicians and advance practice clinicians such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

A new medical arts office building located on Parkland Health Center’s campus will provide more space for the increased staff. The projected completion of this new building is early 2024.

In addition, a retail pharmacy is being added to the hospital. This will allow patients whose treatment has been completed after hours to obtain their prescriptions upon leaving the hospital and avoiding further delay in their recovery. The hospital’s retail pharmacy will also support the oncology clinic.

“These are just a few examples of the exciting growth we are planning for the care of our community,” said Schnabel.

From the doctors and nurses and other support staff to housekeeping, maintenance and dietary staff, it’s evident that all members are not only important but also contribute to patient care at Parkland Health Center.

“Healthcare is truly about the people who deliver care,” said Schnabel. “There is nothing better than the personal human touch, and we provide that locally with the support of our great team members from all over the Parkland region.”

The hospital employs 566 people, while Medical Arts Clinic has another 130 employees. The number of employees has grown as services have been added to care for more people locally.

With this many staff, Schnabel said they have “the most awesome opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, often when they are most vulnerable.”

“We are truly community members caring for our family, friends and neighbors,” she said. “Our team cares for the community with such passion. How we take that expertise and put it to use to care for the health of our rural community is what sets Parkland Health Center apart from other hospitals.”

Parkland Health Center 1101 W. Liberty Street, Farmington 573-756-6451 ParklandHealthCenter.org

Parkland Health Center 7245 Raider Road, Bonne Terre 573-358-1400

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June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 45

The Parkland’s Leading Employers Bobby Radford

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Parkland Health Center

patients can receive this important care here in our community.

“We have the most awesome opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, often when they are most vulnerable,” said Schnabel.

arkland Health Center (PHC) includes two locations in St. Francois County. PHC’s larger facility, US Tool Group sometimes referred to as US Tool Group employs 475 Parkland South, is located at 1101 W. Parkland residents at their Farmington Liberty St. in Farmington. Just 12 miles north of the Farmington facility is PHC’s facility, with a total of 821 dedicated professionals positioned Bonne Terre location at in company and customer 7245 Raider Rd. The two facilities across the sites offer emergency United States, Canada, room services and a and Mexico. wide range of medical, “COVID had a big diagnostic, and rehabilitaimpact on us, so we are tion services, employing re-growing into where hundreds from various we were before,” said professions and trades.

CEO Bruce Williams.

Parkland Health “But during COVID, we, Center employs 566 unfortunately, had to have people, and the Medical some layoffs, which were Arts Clinic has another very devastating for us.

130 staff members.

But we are growing back Annette Schnabel Annette Schnabel very nicely to has served as president of Parkland Health Center the size that Parkland Health Center for we used to be.” two years and has worked in healthcare The company was for 35 years. founded in 1958 by Paul “Healthcare is truly about the people G. Williams, Bruce’s fawho deliver care,” Schnabel explained. ther. The manufacturer’s “There is nothing better than the local operations began in personal human touch. We provide Desloge before relocating that locally with the support of our to Farmington in 2015. great team members from all over the The CEO said the Parkland region. We are truly commucompany takes much nity members caring for our family, delight in being in the friends, and neighbors.”

Parkland area.

Schnabel said the expansion of Bruce Williams “It is a wonderful services at the organization creates a Cap America area,” Williams said. “We remaining demand for employees. have great employees here; “The number of employees has grown as we are adding services to care great team members that work for the team here. for more people locally,” she said. “We “We really work hard at being a comare adding new physicians and advance pany that cares about people and has a practice providers in our clinics and in pleasant place to work,” he explained. the hospital. Thus, there will continue to be a need for more nurses, therapists, “We’re air-conditioned, and we have a very bright and cheerful work area. We technicians, and support staff. We have events for our employees. We have recently added cardiac cath services so

46 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

things like Care and Share, which is when an employee gets into trouble with finances or health or whatever it may be.

We all help each other out. Our employees are fantastic at donating to other employees who are having difficulties and helping them through these tough times.”

Williams said when many people think of factories, they may think of the old images of dark and dreary workspaces. He said they have made their facility a pleasant place to work with bright lights, cool colors, medically-rated air filtration, and an altogether cheerful atmosphere.

“Even though we’re a manufacturing facility, you walk in here, and it looks very high tech, clean, and is a comfortable place to work,” he noted. “We’ve done that on purpose because we’re here all the time, too, and I want to be in a nice place, and I want employees that want to be in a nice place. I want employees to care about each other and work together as a team. And we have that.

“Not that everything’s perfect by any means, but our employees get along, care for each other, and have smiles on their faces,” said Williams. “A lot of times when customers come to visit, they walk around and say, ‘this is weird.

I haven’t been in a factory in a long time where people have smiles on their faces.’ And it’s because they’re enjoying what they’re doing.”

US Tool has grown to be the largest cutting tool reconditioning company globally, one of the largest integrated suppliers to the aerospace, defense, and metalworking manufacturing market, and one of the largest AutoCrib automated vending systems providers to the industrial market.

The company remains a family-owned, US-based company with third-generation leadership. Bruce’s son, Brent Williams, is US Tool’s current president.

“We are a family-held business, and we love it that way,” said Williams. “My son, Brent, and I own the company.

I’m past retirement age, but I have no

intention of retiring. I love my work.”

“We’ve grown into being a very large company. We satisfy customers in the aerospace industry all over North America,” he said. “I’m very proud of that. And now we’re fortunate enough that my son, Brent, is coming in behind me, taking over the company, and doing a fantastic job of that.”

First State Community Bank First State Community Bank (FSCB) opened in Farmington in 1954. Since then, the financial institution has expanded throughout the Parkland and the state. FSCB’s workforce operates 58 locations in Missouri with 11 Matt Sebastian branches in the Parkland FSCB Region, including three locations in Farmington, two in Park Hills, and locations in Desloge, Bonne Terre, Terre Du Lac, Ste. Genevieve, Ironton, Potosi, and Fredericktown.

President Matt Sebastian has been with First State Community Bank for 31 years. He said the company employs about 300 people at its Parkland locations.

“Over the years, obviously, we’ve grown a lot,” he said. “In the near term, [our growth] all depends on whether we grow as far as buying another the bank or something like that.

“We’ve got pretty good infrastructure in place now where we have some good depth in our employment base,” Sebastian explained. “Technology has provided us the opportunity to grow without adding a whole lot more people but I would suspect in years to come, based on our past history, we will continue to add people.”

In terms of current employees, the president said many choose to remain with the organization for the duration of their working careers.

“Every employer is going to have some turnover in the market that we’re in today,” he noted. “Overall, we wish it could be better, but for the most part, we have a very tenured staff. I know we’ve got a lot of people that have been here for over 30 years. And there’s quite a

variety of different positions. There are so many different areas in banking.”

Sebastian explained some of the different fields of work necessary to operate the organization. From credit analysis, business services, accounting, and human resources, to IT management and cyber security, the president said there is always a need for qualified people to get the jobs done. He said the company is generally always hiring for some position. However, he said it can sometimes be hard to find qualified people in today’s working environment.

“Every job that we hire for has different qualifications,” Sebastian explained. “But the main thing in job interviews is to always come prepared. Do a little research on the company you’re applying for. Be promptly on time, and dress professionally. Appearance is a lot. You’ve got one time to make a first impression.”

Cap America

Cap America, located in Fredericktown, manufactures headwear Sarah Burgin of many different types Cap America and styles. Since operations began in 1985, the company has been a leading employer, filling positions in accounting, administrative and support services, customer service, graphic design, marketing, maintenance, order entry, production, shipping, and warehousing.

HR Director Sarah Burgin said Cap America currently employs about 420 people. She said the company had seen tremendous workforce growth since she started.

“I started here seven years ago, and we’ve doubled in headcount since then,” she said. “We’ve doubled in size, so it’s been pretty crazy for us.”

Burgin said the working environment at Cap America is favorable with leadership that cares about the people who work there.

“It’s the best place I have ever worked,” she noted. “The owners, Phil and Mary (Page), are very employee-centered and very community-minded.

“We’re in the promotional products industry, and many of our customers seem to be having a tough time fulfilling customer needs,” she mentioned. “And we’re able to do that.”

Burgin said that while production employees will always be needed at their facilities, the company is working to implement technology that will allow some employees to work from anywhere.

“Right now, capacity is a little bit of an issue for us in terms of desk space and office space,” explained Burgin.

“So as we grow as a company and we integrate more technology, I definitely see us continuing to grow. I don’t see that our growth is done by any means.

We’ve got so much work and so many people wanting us to do business for them. So it’s a good situation to be in.”

Illustrating versatile upward mobility within the company, Burgin said she is transitioning into the role of vice president of finance within the organization. She explained Liz Capone would be taking over as the HR director after working in customer service for the company for nearly 21 years.

“I would say one of the many things that we pride ourselves on is promoting from within,” she said.

“We love to give our internal employees an opportunity to progress through the ranks and even move to different jobs, and to have a wider skill set, which is beneficial for the company.”

Centene Corporation

The Centene Corporation is the largest Medicaid managed care organization in the United States. The Fortune 50 Company is headquartered in St. Louis. The company employs more than 600 team members at its Parkland location, 1 Centene Dr., inside Farmington’s Industrial Park.

Dawn Komar, director of Claims Operations at Centene’s Farmington June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 47

Claims Center, described Centene as a wonderful company that continues to provide opportunities for so many in the Parkland area.

“I can personally attest to the growth opportunities for myself over the years, as someone who came from the education space and had no background in health insurance or the medical field,” said Komar. “I had the opportunity to learn a critical function of Centene’s business – claims processing and operations.

“The opportunity for growth, not only in the functional areas that the Farmington Claims Center serves, but also enterprise-wide, has allowed for many of my colleagues and team members to advance their careers,” she explained.

“I am celebrating 19 years with Centene in November,” she said. “The Farmington community has always been home to me – I was born and raised just 20 miles away. I’ve always been at the Farmington Claims Center, starting off in an entry-level claims position, growing into a supervisory role, then manager, and now director.”

Komar explained that Centene recently announced a fresh perspective on flexibility based on employee feedback, which she said has been well-received and allows for additional career growth.

“So now, I see colleagues moving into business analyst, claims configuration, claims contracting, and member enrollment roles, just to name a few, while staying rooted in our Parkland area,” she said. “Our team is dedicated to being a welcoming, collaborative work environment.

“In addition to Centene having great health insurance benefits and other incentives, our team here in Farmington and across the organization goes above and beyond to connect team members, even when our working environment looks different today,” she noted.

The claims operation director said the company provides its employees with ways to engage with colleagues throughout the organization.

“Many of our team members are also connected to those across the country through Employee Inclusion Groups, which are employee-led groups that provide professional and leadership development opportunities, contribute to community engagement initiatives, 48 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

and support business innovation,” Komar said “We have continued to see Centene’s growth impact our team’s growth,” she said. “The Farmington Claims Center is a long-term strategy for Centene with over 600 team members at this location.

Farmington is a critical location that is tied to and embodies Centene’s mission, and we are pleased to continue that commitment to this community.

“Centene has been a cornerstone for this community,” Komar noted. “And we are so grateful that Michael Neidorff, our longtime chairman, president, and CEO, who recently passed away, identified Farmington as the location for this claims center 22 years ago. Not only did Centene build a claims center here and employ so many residents, but we are embedded into the Parkland area community.

“We partner with the Chamber of Commerce, Mineral Area College, and so many local organizations through various sponsorships,” she mentioned. “I love when we have the onsite mammogram van and blood drives or collecting school supplies for back-to-school. Centene has served this community – OUR community – in such a great capacity.”

Komar said an aspect of working for Centene that she particularly enjoys is watching her colleagues grow personally and professionally.

“We each grow in knowledge of claims processing and operations, and I’ve seen so many colleagues take that knowledge as a stepping stone to move into other areas of the company – that is so rewarding to see the growth,” she said. “One special thing to note – I want to particularly highlight and thank a group of unsung heroes who work behind the scenes here in Farmington.

“We have about 60-70 team members who come into the office every single day to sort through the mail and process paper claims,” Komar explained. “They work two shifts (day and night), with the night team coming in around 5:30 p.m. and working hard until after 2 a.m. This team of dedicated employees is a critical part of our success, and I don’t want them to forget that.”

The Missouri Department of Corrections Of the 21 correctional centers operated by the State of Missouri, three facilities are located within the Parkland area and employ hundreds of Parkland residents. The Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center (ERDCC), located on Highway K in Bonne Terre, was opened in 2003 and can house 2,684 male offenders.

The Farmington Correctional Center (FCC) is located on Columbia Street in Farmington. Opened in 1986, the FCC is a custody level four institution that maintains a capacity of 2,632 male offenders. The Potosi Correctional Center (PCC) opened in 1989 as a custody level five institution located in Mineral Point.

The institution has a capacity of 862 male offenders.

Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center Located at 1010 W. Columbia St. in Farmington, Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center (SMMHC) provides psychiatric evaluation and treatment services and inpatient mental health services. Additionally, the facility works with its six administrative agent centers, which administer follow-up services for discharged clients in the local community.

Mississippi Lime Company

Located in Ste. Genevieve, Mississippi Lime Company (MLC) has several opportunities for truck drivers, laborers, engineers, technicians, and managers. The company is headquartered in St. Louis and is a leading supplier of high-calcium quicklime, hydrated lime, calcium carbonate products, trucking services, and technical solutions.

Washington County Memorial Hospital Washington County Memorial Hospital (WCMH) serves the medical needs of thousands of Parkland area patients. The critical access facility is located in Potosi. It is a leading employer, hiring medical professionals, accountants, receptionists, housekeepers, lab technicians, and more. PL

June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 49

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12 MONTHS of Festivals

O Sarah Haas

ne of the attractions of living in the Parkland is a vibe that’s distinctly “chill” - when it’s not throwing a party, that is.

And many of these towns know how to throw a party.

In addition to special civic events, festivals and fairs, almost every town has at least one big, annual party – or more— and they love to have guests.

Every Christmas brings parades and merchant-organized, fun shopping weekends that stretch from early November up to the night Santa Claus goes chimney-sliding. In springtime, you can count on Easter egg hunts that bring out little bunnies and chicks seeking eggs, candy and treasures in many cities’ parks.

But some events require teamwork and hard work that are the hallmark of rural towns.

Here are the highlights, the bigger events annually taking place around the Parkland. Caveat: This list of free fairs and festivals isn’t exhaustive, though, because creative fun-seekers who live here are always dreaming up new, bigger and better events.

54 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Arcadia Valley

Occurring every spring and fall, thousands flock to the Arcadia Valley Mountain Music Festival around the Iron County Courthouse Square in Ironton. Missouri bluegrass, old-time mountain and Americana music is played by a series of bands over the course of two days. There are vendors, crafters, kids’ activities and dancing in the street. There’s even an area set

aside for pickers, so bring along your guitar, banjo, harmonica or washboard.

The next festival is Oct. 7-8.

Bonne Terre

During the Big River Chautauqua, held annually in July over the course of three days, hundreds flock to Veterans Park behind Bonne Terre City Hall to watch and listen to scholars offer fascinating, impersonating interpretations of

whole family. Be sure to wave to Mr. and Mrs. Country Days, the weekend’s special ambassadors.

Fredericktown

One of the first to kick off the cavalcade of festivals and fairs, the Azalea Festival happens on the first full weekend in May with activities mostly contained in the aptly-named Azalea Park. An Azalea Festival Queen reigns over the proceedings of the weekend, with her little prince and princess to keep her company, and thousands flock to the rides, concession stands, games, car show, crafters, vendors, concession stands, truck and tractor pull, kids’ activities and parade.

Park Hills

For the last couple of years on the first Saturday of October, Cruisin’ for a Cause has brought hundreds of people to the historic downtown area for hot-rodding, cruising Main Street, funny contests, cornhole tournament, vendors, crafters and concessions, bands, and a car show.

Potosi

the world’s most famous people, all under the canopy of a huge tent. Authors, professors and history lovers dress as the person they’ve extensively studied, taking on their persona and offering insightful takes on historic figures. It’s as entertaining as it is intellectually stimulating, with local singing groups and bands performing, as well. It’s set for July 14-16 this year.

Caledonia

It might be the smallest town on this list, but Caledonia’s Pumpkin Fest packs a wallop and for a weekend, it sends the town’s population skyrocketing. Every second Saturday in October, thousands of people clog this small hamlet, taking advantage of the good times in small spaces, the corn maze, crafts, concessions, music, petting zoo and their charming parade.

Desloge

Everyone knows Desloge owns Labor Day in the Parkland. Bringing in thousands of people from surrounding areas, the town festival salutes the working men and women who make our country strong. A parade, beer garden, rides, bands, games and competitions, dancers, merchants and tons of kids’ activities make it a popular capstone to most of the summer fairs, festivals and events in our area.

Farmington

Summer wouldn’t be complete without early-June’s Country Days, which attracts thousands from surrounding towns and counties to its parade, concessions, beer garden, rides, games, myriad bands, talent contest, vendor booths, car shows and other activities geared to fun for the

The illustrious history of this old lead-mining area is celebrated with Moses Austin Festival which takes place over two days in late June downtown. A parade, games, demonstrations, kids’ area, petting zoo, race, car show and old-time demonstrations of arts and crafts of the past are all part of this unique festival.

Ste. Genevieve

Recently named a national park, Ste. Genevieve is the last word on the area’s French colonial history. Jour de Fete takes place every August and features several days of concessions, vendors, crafters, a parade, live music, competitions and you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for figures dressed in colonial costumes. Ste. Genevieve takes its heritage seriously, and with such a long history, they have experience in throwing city-wide parties.

As said before, this is not an exhaustive list of all the great fairs, festivals and events each of these towns can offer in a year. Be sure to regularly consult your local media, Chambers of Commerce and local Facebook pages to stay up-to-date on additional, unique events. PL June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 55

Finding culture, appreciating the arts in the Parkland The Young People’s Performing Arts Theatre alternates annual performances of “Merry Christmas Show” and the “Nutcracker.”

F

Sarah Haas

or a rural area, the Parkland is pretty lucky when it comes to cultural and artistic options, nestled as it is between the more metropolitan St. Louis and Cape Girardeau. But even closer to home, one can exercise their appreciation of music, fine art, dance and cultural celebrations.

One of the most commonly known agents of culture on the local scene is Mineral Area Council on the Arts (MACOA), a longstanding nonprofit community arts organization. Its declared mission is to “promote and strengthen the cultural environment in all segments of the area served by Mineral Area College,” the arts council offers many free events, but reasonably-priced tickets are discounted even further for members who take advantage of season tickets.

Housed at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, many arts council events take place in the campus theater, although for larger events, crowds pack the Centene Center in Farmington. The council frequently takes its show on the road, bringing presentations to local schools and further-afield venues like Arcadia Valley’s Thee Abbey and historic St. Paul Episcopal Church. The council has brought in traditional folk dancers,

56 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Mineral Area Council on the Arts holds a K-12 art show every year.

children’s plays, Cajun fiddlers and Celtic bands.

Unveiling a unique schedule of programming every fall, the arts council also oversees perennial events such as the popular K-12 Art Show and the downtown street-light banner campaign, which started in downtown Farmington and has spread to Arcadia Valley, Bismarck, Bonne Terre, Caledonia, Desloge, Frankclay, Fredericktown, Park Hills and Potosi.

The Mineral Area Fine Arts Academy

is a relative newcomer to the local arts and entertainment scene, starting when the music, art and theatre programs were cut back in July 2021 by Mineral Area College. Many members of the MAC Fine Arts Department faculty and community supporters quickly banded together to keep some of the department’s most popular traditions alive, such as the Carol Moore Memorial Jazz Festival that’s happened every March for the past 31 years, numerous Kicks Band and Choral Groups’ performances in the

Mineral Area Fine Arts Academy presents “Music Man.”

Fredericktown middle school students perform in the Mineral Area Fine Arts Academy’s Shakespeare musical, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

spring and fall, and annual Christmas concerts. It’s also a place for musical education of all ages and offers summer camps to keep young musicians active and sharp between school terms.

They’ve had successful, often sold-out community theatre performances.

Another magnet for arts and culture in the Parkland is the Farmington Civic Center, which has been a venue for bands on the rise, graduations, tournaments and championships, and annual exhibitions.

The adjoining Centene Center, an

upscale conference center and auditorium added on to the Civic Center in 2003, is where audiences of up to 725 can take in such annual shows as the Young PPAT’s Nutcracker and Merry Christmas Show, the annual Baby Boomer Concert, and the History of County Music Show. In addition to entertainment, the Centene Center has hosted weddings and receptions, civic meetings, fund-raisers, concerts, recitals, town hall meetings and even church services.

Local Chambers of Commerce (Bonne Terre, Desloge, Park Hills/ Leadington, Farmington, Ste. Genevieve and Arcadia Valley), as well as tourism centers for Farmington and Ste. Genevieve all feature a variety of cultural offerings on an annual basis, such as live concert series, art walks, cultural speakers, singers and exhibits in addition to fun merchant-related events such as cookie-walks, scavenger hunts, parades, fairs and festivals.

They’re often sponsored or organized by the chambers, or they’re using entertainment websites and social media to help spread the word.

Arguably, no area in the Parkland can best old Ste. Genevieve for arts and culture. For decades, the new member of the National Park System has attracted visitors to its 18th

century architecture and amazed them with creative ways of sharing the Mississippi River town’s rich history.

The shops, restaurants, and art galleries of downtown Ste. Genevieve draw in visitors from all over the country who suddenly understand what Thomas Hart Benton and John James Audubon appreciated when they spent time in the quaint little city.

During 4th Friday Art Walks, Ste. Genevieve art galleries give visitors the chance to see and often buy the works of local and regional artists displaying their talents in a variety of formats.

Many businesses in the Historic District participate by extending their store hours from 6 to 9 p.m. during the Fourth Friday Art Walk.

Start your tour at the Ste. Genevieve NHP Visitor Center, formerly where the interpretive center was housed. It’s a repository of anything and everything you need to know about the French-founded town.

The 4th Friday Art Walk is sponsored by the Gallery Association of Sainte Genevieve, and art walks are on the fourth Friday of each month from February through November.

As always, to learn more about local arts and cultural events, check social media and your local media for listings. PL June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 57

Events St. Francois County Fair June 22-26 St. Francois County Fairgrounds William Clark Green performance June 24 SFC Fairgrounds Discover Farmington Main Stage Summer Movie Series: “Boss Baby: Family Business” June 24 Bonne Terre City Pool

Firecracker ‘Night’ Run June 25 Downtown Park Hills Honey Festival & Market June 25 Downtown Ste. Genevieve Block Party featuring Sweet Water Holler 7-10 p.m. July 1 Downtown Farmington near 102 Taphouse Fireworks/Summer Concert Series: Shannon Cox and Eric Thompson July 4 Park Hills Sports Complex

58 | ParklandLiving | June 2022

Fourth of July Freedom Celebration July 4 Ste. Genevieve

Light up the Sky/ Johnathan Braddy Band 3-10 p.m. July 4 Bonne Terre City Park

Two Shoots for 2022 (fireworks) July 4 Engler Park, TBA

Fourth of July Parade July 4 Ironton Fourth of July Fireworks July 4 Battle of Pilot Knob

Freedom Fest July 4 Bismarck TBD Big River Chautauqua July 14-16 Bonne Terre Veterans Park (behind city hall) Missouri Mudders Miner Tough Weekend July 16-17 St. Joe State Park

“Beauty and the Beast July 20-23 Farmington Centene Center

Christmas Parade/Winter Wonderland opening Dec. 2 Downtown Farmington

Summer Concert Series: Queens Blvd.

July 22 Columbia Park, Park Hills

Jingle Bell Run Dec. 3 Desloge Kings Ball First weekend of February Ste. Genevieve

Summer Concert Series: French Family Band July 29 Columbia Park, Park Hills

Missouri Whitewater Championship March 2023 Millstream Gardens Conservation Area, Fredericktown

Washington County Fair Aug. 3-6 Washington County Fairgrounds, Potosi Summer Concert Series: Sweetwater Holler Aug. 13 Columbia Park, Park Hills Jour de Fete Aug. 13-14 Downtown Ste. Genevieve

Arcadia Valley Lions Club IPRA Aug. 19-22 Lions Club Fairgrounds

Desloge Labor Day Parade Sept. 3 Desloge

Desloge Labor Day Picnic Sept. 2-5 Desloge

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Madison County Fair Oct. 7-9 Fredericktown Shop Small, Business Bingo Nov. 26 Area businesses, SFC

Lincoln Street Block Party May 5 Desloge Azalea Festival First weekend of May Fredericktown Farmington Country Days June 2-4 Downtown Farmington June 2022 | ParklandLiving | 59

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