Inside Columbia's May Prime 2016 by Inside Columbia Magazine

May 2016 Prime Magazine

Prime Magazine

May 2016

Contents

Volume 8, Issue 2

Mother’s Day Experiences New Gift Ideas To Share With Those You Love

Whirlwind Romance Warren And Shelly Mayer Share Their Love Story

Prime Time Can’t Miss Events For May

Tinseltown Talks Peter Mark Richman Discusses His Acting, Writing And Paintings

24 Tell Me About It Get Angel’s Relationship Advice 26

Fun & Games Sudoku, Tiger Vision & More

Sherman’s Stories Sherman Brown Jr. Has Made His Business “Story Friendly”

32 Recipe Box Try These Delicious Holiday Recipes

12 30

Reading Brightens The Day Find Out How Reading To Adults Can Cheer Up Their Day

36 Faces And Places Find Out What Events Are Happening Around Columbia 38

Columbia Confidential Publisher Fred Parry Takes On The Issues Columbians Are Talking About

Prime Magazine May 2016

Welcome

May Means Mother’s Day There’s something special about the month of May. It’s a beautiful time of year and the temperatures seem just perfect. Of course, it’s also Mother’s Day, which is a special day for many of us. If your mother is no longer with us, it’s a great opportunity to look through photos and just remember your special bond. It’s also a terrific time to share with your son or daughter. In this month’s issue of Inside Columbia’s Prime, we reveal several new opportunities for including your loved ones in this special day. Speaking of loved ones, you’ll be encouraged by this month’s profile couple, Warren and Shelly Mayer. What an interesting story of a whirlwind romance from online dating to marriage in 12 weeks! They share tactics about combining their blended family and help us better understand the effects divorce can have on second marriages. They’ve used their experience to help others navigate life after divorce. There are other articles you won’t want to miss in this spring issue. Writer John Robinson travels in his retirement and outlines his love of finding roads with different souls. He gives suggestions on what his favorite roads might be. You’ll also read about Sherman Brown Jr. in this issue. He’s the owner of Lindsey Rentals, a party and equipment retail store he has worked at for 48 years. Brown touches many people through his store on Sexton and is a trusted confidant to many. In this May issue, you’ll also find a lot of your favorite articles, including the celebrity column Tinseltown Talks, Angel’s advice column and Fred Parry’s column on the Boone County Fairgrounds. You’ll also find recipes and a number of games to play. I wish a special day to all those who have mothers or children to cherish on Mother’s Day. Let us know how you spent the special day. Drop us an email or your story submission – we’re always glad to hear from you.

staff Publisher Fred Parry Associate Publisher & Managing Editor Melody Garnett Parry Chief Executive Officer Cathy Atkins Inside Columbia Editor Katherine Foran Editorial Assistant Peg Gill Graphic Designer Trever Griswold Joe Waner Photo Editor L.G. Patterson Marketing Representatives Adam Brietzke Rosemarie Peck Kourtney Pickel Sean Zullo Director Of Customer Retention Gerri Shelton Operations Manager Kalie Clennin Operations Assistant Lilly Smith Finance Manager Brenda Brooks Distribution Manager John Lapsley

Melody Parry Associate Publisher Email me at prime@insidecolumbia.net

Prime Magazine is published by OutFront Communications, 1900 N. Providence Road, Suite 324, Columbia, MO 65202, 573-442-1430. Copyright OutFront Communications, 2013. The magazine is published 12 times a year on the first day of every month. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

May 2016 Prime Magazine

Contributing Writers Peg Gill, Hailey Godburn, Pam Ingram, Katherine Foran, William McDonald, Angel Donnette Robertson, John Robinson, Nick Thomas,

SERVING THE BOOMER & SENIOR MARKETS

Prime Magazine May 2016

Gift Guide

No Wrapping Required

5 Mom’s Day Gifts That Are All About The Experience BY HAILEY GODBURN

Are you looking for some new gift ideas to share with your children for Mother’s Day? Perhaps you’re tired of the same gift certificates and you’re looking for new experiences. Consider these five “out of the box” Mother’s Day gifts that you might intrigue you. Invite your mother or daughter to come along to share the experience with you.

Enjoy a day at Sarah and Chef Craig Cyr’s farm just 12 minutes from downtown Columbia. You’ll spend the morning outdoors with the Wine Cellar and Bistro owners, learning the finer points of kitchen gardening before indulging in a luscious lunch prepared by Chef Craig Cyr, with a seasonal, organic wine pairing selected by Sommelier Sarah Cyr. The Wine Cellar Gardening Project — a partnership between the Wine Cellar and Bistro and the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture — offers several classes throughout the growing season for moms to choose from. “The herb class and the flower class are the most popular, but every class is a wonderful experience,” Sarah Cyr says. “They can customize the experience by letting moms choose the class that is best for her and what she would like to learn about.” More information is available at www.winecellarbistro.com. To sign up for a class, pick a date and email Sarah Cyr at sarah@winecellarbistro.com.

Mom, You Rock! Why should your kids have all the fun? For those mothers who are looking for a memorable experience, consider The Bouldering Garden. This humble storefront is the portal to a topnotch professional rock climbing and bouldering gym. The sport of bouldering, which owner Marcus Floyd and 6

May 2016 Prime Magazine

PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH CYR

Garden Party

A gardening class paired with a delicious lunch night be the perfect gift to receive for Mother’s Day. his team will introduce you to, offers creative, individualized workouts in a family-friendly atmosphere. Climbing maneuvers combine the stretching and balance of yoga with building strength, dexterity and endurance. Afraid of heights? All climbing structures, caves, walls, stalactites, pillars, slack lines and tread-wall offer novelty without the need for ropes or high climbs.

A $25 introductory class helps firsttimers learn basics. One-on-one coaching sessions are also available. If you want to learn more about climbing, Floyd offers outdoor, guided instruction. As a side benefit, gym members can rent kayaks and other boats to try out, too. To find out more information, visit www.theboulderinggarden.com or call 573-474-4997.

Prime Magazine May 2016

Culinary Classes With culinary classes from the Columbia Area Career Center, you can step out of your comfort zones to cultivate new skills within the camaraderie of a cooking class. Elizabeth Tate, program manager of professional and community education, says she sees the classes as an opportunity to “invest in yourself so that you can invest in others.” Tried-and-true courses, open to the public and fee-based, teach basics like knife skills, but new classes are offered each semester. This Mother’s Day, learn how to make cheese, bagels, pretzels, pies and much more. It’s especially fun signing up as a couple or a make it a mother-daughter activity. To register, go to www.career-center.org/ pce/ and click on “Course Catalog.” Classes resume for the fall semester in September, but to ensure mom gets a spot in whichever class she wants, purchase a gift certificate now to present to her on Mother’s Day.

Get above the frenzy for a day, literally. Ask your children for a balloon ride from BalloonStormers. Passengers experience balloon flight from beginning to end, starting with inflating the balloon and ending with a champagne or sparkling juice toast upon landing. In between, moms will fly both high and low — so low they will be able to pick leaves off trees. “I personally love everything about ballooning, from the inflation to the toast at the end. So, we do our best to share the entire experience with our passengers,” says Jan Sines of BalloonStormers. Families can participate in this experience, too. They can help with the inflation, chase the balloon during the hour-long flight that will depart from the Boone County fairgrounds, and join in the toast at the end. To schedule a balloon ride, contact Jan at 573-814-4000, or email balloonstormers@gmail.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRACY SINES

Up, Up and Away

Share your Mother’s Day gift with others. Families can experience the thrill of hot air ballooning.

LET’S TOAST ANNA’S IDEA FOR MOTHER’S DAY Toast a woman named Anna Jarvis, as well as your mother, this May 8. In 1905, in memory of her mother, Jarvis started a onewoman campaign to make “Mother’s Day” a recognized U.S. holiday. An Appalachian homemaker and peace activist who cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, Jarvis’ mother had once tried to organize 8

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a “Mother’s Work Day” to raise awareness about dire health conditions in West Virginia. In 1914, Jarvis’ lobbying paid off when President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mother’s Day. For years, the day was observed by wearing a white carnation, Jarvis’ mother’s favorite flower.

PHOTO COURTESY MONTY MURPHY

Create your own masterpiece this Mother’s Day.

Perfect Pairing Painting classes and sipping wine or cocktails from glasses sound like a memorable Mother’s Day pairing whether you’re a closet Mary Cassatt or you’ve never picked up a paintbrush before. Moms with a creative bent will enjoy Columbia venues that offer step-by-step instructions along with a relaxed vibe where chatting over a glass of wine and dancing when inspired are encouraged. Arrange a group event to enjoy a night out with friends or involve the whole family in creating this year’s masterpiece. “It’s a wonderful escape, a chance to get away from it all while meeting new friends, learning new things or stretching your artistic abilities,” says Monty Murphy, “The Talent” and owner of Paint the Town. To reserve seats at Paint the Town, call 573-777-7795, or visit the website at www.paintthetowncolumbia.com. The Canvas on Broadway offers online reservations through its calendar page at www.thecanvasonbroadway.com. v Prime Magazine May 2016

Outdoor Living

My Favorite Road The Answer Is All In The Name BY JOHN DRAKE ROBINSON

May 2016 Prime Magazine

PHOTO BY JOHN ROBINSON

What’s your favorite road?” I get that question a lot. It’s natural, since folks know I’ve driven every mile on the Missouri highway map. They’re curious. What’s my favorite restaurant? Favorite bed-and-breakfast? Favorite state park? Visiting with Columbia’s Kiwanis, the questions came up. I told the audience I love the restaurants along Broadway from one end to the other. But when traveling, my car’s wheels often gravitate to Highway 6, seasoned by a pair of great Mexican restaurants, one in St. Joseph, another down the road in Milan. But there are great Mexican restaurants here in Columbia, my friends protested. So is Highway 6 my favorite road? No. I told a local Rotary gathering that I love Providence Road. After all, it runs past my favorite stadium. Around the time of the Civil War, Providence was an old plank road to the Missouri River. Now it delivers me to my favorite walk-in cooler, the Devil’s Ice Box at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park. But my favorite road? At a Steelville Chamber of Commerce banquet, I answered that Highway 8 is a pretty ribbon through their town, looping past Maramec Spring and the legendary concerts at Wildwood Springs Resort, and the kayaks, canoes and campers along the Huzzah Valley and Courtois Creek. But my favorite? It’s tough to limit my choice to one favorite road, or one favorite restaurant, or one favorite Missourian. In a London studio a few years ago, I had fun chatting with BBC listeners about Missouri. Understandably, they didn’t know much about the Show-Me State. Or so they thought. I reminded listeners that

The road through the forest. a London newspaper had surveyed its readers a few months earlier, asking one simple question: “Who is your favorite American?” The top three responses were Mark Twain, Jesse James and Mickey Mouse. Yes, all Missourians. But my favorite? A question during a visit with Grant Elementary fourth-graders had me revealing my favorite stream. “I love

biking beside Perche Creek and the Hinkson as they braid with the Katy Trail Spur to the Missouri River,” I told them. But my canoe favors scraping through the gravel chutes and riffles of the upper Jacks Fork River. A Columbia radio interviewer guessed that my favorite road might be Route 66. “Love the Mother Road,” I gushed. “And those other legendary Missouri

PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM McCARTY/RURAL MISSOURI

Route K, south of Columbia, is just one of John Robinson’s favorite roads. highways: Highway 36, The Avenue of the Greats; Highway 7, The Tightwad Turnpike; Route 71, Bushwhacker Boulevard; and Highway 5, the Fox Trotter.” But none are my favorite. “There are so many great roads,” I told a Columbia Cosmo Club crowd. “And each road has its own soul. From Blues Alley (Highway 61) to the Blue Eye Byway (Route 86), The Great River Road (Highway 79), The Route of the Canoes (Highway 19) and Little Swiss Parkway (Highway 143 past Sam A. Baker State Park). The Baldknobber (Route 76 leaving Branson in either direction) offers spectacular views in spring and fall. The Toad Suck Trail (Highway 125 south to Arkansas) gets its name from its eventual destination: the Toad Suck Ferry across Bull Shoals Lake. “Some of those nicknames,” I confessed, “are my own.” Motorcycle riders search for rollercoaster roads, and I point them toward self-guided tours along the Ozark Hellbender, the Jesse James Getaway, and the Elephant Rock and Roll. Real trails … all twisty fun! Check out the maps at www.motorcycleozarks.com.

But my favorite? Historians point to several westward expansion trails that began in Missouri, offering hope for pioneers who found themselves in a rut. In fact, the eastern terminus of the Santa Fe Trail began a few miles west of Columbia at Franklin. You can even follow the nearby Lewis & Clark Trail and the Boonslick Trail, both historic. But neither is my favorite. My favorite road always will be Highway 17, for one special reason. Winding south from Eugene, past the Tuscumbia graves of Ruth and Paul Henning — creators of “The Beverly Hillbillies” — along a robust Roubidoux Creek through Waynesville, unfolding toward Houston — the home of the world’s greatest clown (Emmett Kelly) — long before it crosses my favorite Ozark stream (the upper Jacks Fork), Highway 17 approaches a tiny Texas County town and becomes the Road to Success. Ah, yes, the Road to Success. My favorite road. v More of John Robinson’s favorites are at www.johndrakerobinson.com/blog. Prime Magazine May 2016

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helly Mayer was a divorced mother raising three kids when she took the bait from a cousin to check out an online dating site on Valentine’s Day in 2004. With a bottle of wine in hand and an evening with nothing better to do, she took advantage of the Christian dating site’s “Try Before You Buy” offer and began a seven-day-free-trial with no expectation of actually meeting someone worth her time. During this season of her life, her number one priority was “to be a single mom to my three kiddos for however long, maybe forever, if I didn’t find someone to be real with,” she says. Her cousin, a serial internet dater who met one “loser” after another online, challenged Shelly to, at least, check out the site just to see what Christian guys look like. Her cousin’s online dating experience seemed to validate a funny Pinterest meme: “I love online dating! - Said No One Ever!”

On Dating Shelly Mayer’s first and only online dating experience was entirely different from what most encounter when looking for love online. “I met one man the entire week [Warren Mayer] and married him!” she boasts.” The site proudly claims, “25,000 marriages have resulted!” Fifty-five-year-old Warren Mayer, IT-Net administrator for the University of Missouri School of Journalism, was also taking advantage of the “Try Before You Buy” offer that same week when he met Shelly. When the trial period ended, the two began talking on the phone, emailing, exchanging photos and finally agreed to meet up in person. Shelly thought she’d met a strong Christian man, but was still somewhat skeptical and remembers telling her mom, “He’s funny, he’s a great writer, really sharp…he must be four feet tall.” She insisted that their first meeting take place somewhere public – at a Cracker Barrel Restaurant. When Warren immerged from his

truck wearing a black leather jacket and sunglasses, she gushed, “Oh my…he looks good too!” Looks aside, she was still cautious and immediately warned, “My mother and my cousin know where I am, so if they don’t hear from me within the next hour, they’re going to call the police.” While suspicion may have offended some, Warren had grown up in Detroit, was street-wise and appreciated her caution. “I’ve always been a locked-down kind of guy and don’t like leaving things to chance,” he says. To him, she was simply crossing her t’s and dotting her i’s. One thing she learned during their whirlwind romance was that neither of them wanted a relationship built on pretense. On that first date, she made it clear that she was only interested in dating in a way that would honor God, especially with her sexuality. “Something I had never done before,” she admits. “I don’t know if I can do it,” she told him. “But I want to try, and he said that’s what he wanted too.” They spent the next 12 weeks discussing their past checkered histories: failed marriages, painful divorces, broken relationships, blunders and plenty of what Shelly calls “nonsense.” “I had dated two guys after my divorce the way any other 30-something would, and neither went terribly well,” Shelly says. She was more than ready for a no-nonsense kind of relationship. Between them, they had five children, ages 4 to 13 and they had a sixth child four years after marrying. From the very beginning, Warren told her that one of his daughters was actually a stepdaughter whom he had chosen to raise. “It was pretty easy for me to see the kind of character he had when he told me that, ” she remembers. From that point forward, the relationship was on the fast track - a very fast track! Within six weeks, Warren began having a custom ring made, in spite of cautions offered by friends and relatives. Those concerns had nothing to do with any red flags they saw in either of them. “It had more to do with how little

Prime Magazine May 2016

The Mayers were married on May 29, 2004, at E-Free Church in Columbia. (Left to right) Nate Herndon, Shelly Mayer, Warren Mayer, Mary Herndon, Makenzie Mayer, Clarie Herndon and Olivia Mayer. we knew each other and how little time had passed,” Shelly explains. The only person who gave them a green light to go ahead and marry was one of their pastors, Dave Cover. He is the same pastor who asked them to start a divorce recovery ministry for The Crossing Church years later. “I could tell Shelly was very different than other girls he’d been dating. Different in maturity and character,” Cover recalls. “Also Warren was different, in a good way, when he was with her. It doesn’t take too long in order to see that kind of dynamic in a relationship.” He adds, “I’m not a believer in long engagements. Long being more than four months. Maybe six. I just think a lot of bad things happen during the engagement period. And the longer it drags on the harder it is on even the best relationships.”

On Marriage And Children The pair married exactly 12 weeks after meeting online and that’s when their intensive, hands-on “training” to help divorced people began. “We both finally and fully healed from our divorces after we were married,” Warren explains. Their kids got along well at first, but the difficulty began when they moved under the same roof. “There was a honeymoon period when we really enjoyed getting to know each other, but within a year, we started to see resistance to our authority in the lives of each other’s kids,” Shelly recalls. She sincerely believed that because the kids got along so well 14

May 2016 Prime Magazine

the Mayers, the process was a refining and while they were dating, it would be easy spiritually invigorating one. “It really is the to weave their lives together. “That was grace of God that we made it past the first naïve,” she admits. “There were plenty of few years. If we’d been pursuing our own times when a seemingly simple struggle, agendas, we would not be together,” adds like what sports activities the kids could Shelly. Though they sometimes disagreed participate in, became a tug of war.” And on how to best handle problems during sometimes plans were further muddled those early years, Shelly always felt that when decisions had to include input from her husband was on her side and was still the kids’ other parents. “Looking back,” committed to pursuing Christ together as Shelly says, “I can see a lot of things I they worked to make their blended family a could have done differently to make the happy and healthy one. transition easier for all of us.” According to Warren, “Healing “If you’re entering takes far longer than into a blended we think it does. You family, you’d better think you are dropping be ready to be a a stick of dynamite selfless servant,” on a relationship, but Warren insists. you’re really dropping Before marrying an atomic bomb.” He Shelly and merging surmises that at least the two families, a hundred people are he’d only been a affected when a couple part-time parent. divorces. “It’s going to After they married, rip a whole community he had to adjust apart,” he warns. “The to having children in-laws, the soccer underfoot 24-hoursWarren and Shelly in their first year of coaches, the kids, your a-day. “Not having marriage. employers…people any quiet times wore grossly underestimate the amount of pain him down,” Shelly says. They would both they’re going to go through, and they grossly agree that the difficulty they experienced underestimate the amount of pain they’re in the first few years of marriage going to cause others.” nurtured in them the wisdom, humility and compassion needed to help others Warren and Shelly Mayer not only lived recovering from divorce. through that pain, but most people who know this couple saw them blossom in “Almost everybody says, ‘I didn’t think the process. Shelly’s 20-year-old daughter, it would be that hard,’” Warren shares. For

In Divorce Care classes, the Mayers teach others how to avoid common traps in divorces and second marriages. Claire Herndon, was only 8 years old when they moved from Kansas City to Columbia to start their new life. She remembers being excited to meet the man her mom was dating, but after they married, found it difficult to have so many people living in one house. Shelly’s three kids and Warren’s two little girls came every other day. Herndon had a front row seat to watch her parents, step-by-step, iron out problems during those early “dysfunctional” years. “People have a hard time making other marriages work,” Herndon says. “I think that they are proof that God can do incredible things, especially with a second marriage.” “People are encouraged that we’ve made it through,” says Shelly. “I am thankful that God has found a way to redeem my own foolishness and rebellion…past, present and future.” Long-time family friend, Linda Lademann, also observed the transformation of the Mayer family. “I’ve seen them go through those rough times,” she says. “They’ve been there and have such a desire to see God work in people’s lives - people whose lives have been destroyed by divorce.”

On Teaching Divorce Classes In Divorce Care classes, the Mayers always stress the importance of being transparent and accountable to avoid those “common traps” that sometimes ensnare the newly divorced: dating too soon, bad-mouthing the ex wife or husband, and becoming a “de-facto spouse” i.e., maintaining a

co-dependent relationship. “Guilt over the divorce often keeps people’s feelings enmeshed,” Warren explains. They both have a deep passion for people to understand that divorce, though painful, does not relegate anyone to second-class citizenship – not in life, not in church and not in God’s eyes. Dale Wilcox, a retired University of Missouri administrator, met Warren Mayer in 2010 when his life was in shambles. Wilcox’s marriage of 25 years had just ended and he was trying his best to navigate the murky waters of divorce when someone suggested that he meet Warren Mayer, who later invited him to a Divorce Care class. Divorce Care is an international, nondenominational organization that offers help and healing for the pain of separation and divorce. There are 14,000 Divorce Care support groups worldwide. As Wilcox nervously pulled into the church parking lot that first night, he thought, “I know I need to do this.” That first step was a difficult one for him, but life changing. “What a difference that first night made!” he says. “Warren shoots straight as an arrow and I liked that. I had never been through a divorce, so I had a lot of questions.” He was strengthened by the weekly video lessons taught by experts – mostly PhDs and medical doctors. He was further encouraged by the break-out group discussions and his one-on-one meetings with Warren, savoring every chance to talk to someone who understood. He said Warren was full of compassion but would “call him out” when he needed it. “He was

very understanding and not judgmental,” Wilcox says. “He helped so much with all the emotions that one goes through in divorce, whether you’re married two months or decades,” he shares. “I learned a lot from just listening and observing those two in action; I had no one else to talk to that I trusted the way I trusted Warren.” Wilcox was impressed by the ease with which both Warren and Shelly could personally connect with each person in the group. “I learned in a very personal, handson way; theory is good, but I have to be able to apply it to my life.” Warren explains that the 13-week-long sessions are not a “follow these steps and you’ll be healed kind of ministry.” Anyone at any level of faith, or no faith at all, can attend and pick up practical helps for healing. They just want to see people get the support they need after a family falls apart. And that’s the kind of help that stitched Dale Wilcox’s once-fractured life back together. “I felt like I hit the gold mine in getting to know those two,” Wilcox says. “They helped me so much and I try to pay that forward. They are the most genuine and honest people I know and that’s what resonated with me when I had lunch with Warren that first day.” Wilcox is now one of the ministry’s facilitators. “Any person I come in contact with, regardless of where they are in life or what church they go to, I try to give them what Warren and Shelly gave to me,” he says. The couple gives a whole lot of TLC after divorce. v Prime Magazine May 2016

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May 2016 MAY 5 Enjoy an evening outdoors! Bring a blanket or low chair out to the Stephens Lake Park Amphitheater for the Concert Series’ Kids Night. Free; 6 p.m.; 100 Old 63 N.; 573-874-7460; www.gocloumbiamo.com/ ParksandRec

MAY 6–8 Three wishes and it’s a whole new world! Join the Stephens College Theatre Department in the Warehouse Theatre for “Disney’s Aladdin Jr.,” a magic carpet ride through a musical adaptation of the beloved Disney film. This production will have you rooting for your favorite underdog as he vies for the love of Princess Jasmine. $8, $6 students & seniors; 7 p.m. May 6–7, 2 p.m. May 7–8; 104 Willis Ave.; 573-8767199; www.stephens.edu

May 7 The concert “Rebirth” will feature the Chamber Choir, a subset of the Columbia Chorale. $10 in advance from website or Sparky’s ice cream or $15 at the door; 7:30 p.m.; First Presbyterian Church, 16 Hitt St.; www.choralartsallianceofmissouri.com or email info@ choralartsallianceofmissouri.com

MAY 7 Columbia College Commencement takes place at the Southwell Complex Gymnasium on the Columbia College campus. The May commencement features two ceremonies, each open to all master’s, bachelor’s and associate degree candidates. Free; 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.; 700 Range Line St.; 573-875-7658; www.ccis.edu

MAY 7 University Concert Series presents the Missoula Children’s Theatre’s original adaptation of the classic children’s story “Rumpelstiltskin” in Jesse Auditorium.

MAY 4–6 Don’t miss Stephens College Theatre Department’s version of “Cabaret” at Macklanburg Playhouse. Set in 1931, this timeless musical explores life in an age of distress as a young writer encounters Sally Bowles and examines the society that is imploding around him. This icon of musical theater features well-known numbers such as “Maybe This Time,” “Cabaret” and “Willkomme.” $16 adults, $8 students & seniors; 7:30 p.m.; 100 Willis Ave.; 573-876-7199; www.stephens.edu Help Clara guess the mischievous little gnome’s name. This heartwarming tale of friendship answers more questions than “What is that little man’s name?”$14 adults, $12 staff/faculty, $9 youth, $7 MU student; 3 and 6 p.m.; Jesse Hall (MU campus); 573-882-3781; www.concertseries.org

MAY 7 The Stephens College Undergraduate Commencement takes place at the Missouri Theatre. Prior to the ceremony, graduates, faculty and staff parade from Senior Hall on the Stephens College campus down Locust Street to the Missouri Theatre. Free; 11 a.m.; 203 S. Ninth St.; 573-876-7213; www.stephens.edu/parents/ parents-events/commencement

MAY 7 The 14 annual Jay Dix Challenge to Cure 10K Run & 5K Walk/Run is a family event that supports a local cause. The event offers three distances to choose from: a 5K walk, and 5K and 10K runs. Each is chip-timed and starts simultaneously from Flat Branch Park. The Jay Dix Challenge to Cure is run in memory of the late Jay Dix — physician, former Boone County medical examiner and Columbia Multisport member — to raise funds for Ellis Fischel Cancer Center. 5K $35/$40 day of race, 10K $40/$45 day of race; 8:30 a.m.; Fourth and Locust streets; info@challengetocure.com; www.challegetocure.com Prime Magazine May 2016

MAY 7–8 Go wild on the Wild Bacon Wine Trail at seven winery stops on the Hermann Wine Trail. Enjoy fabulous bacon and wine pairings, sure to please your palate. Read more on Page 27. $30; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday; 312 Market St., Hermann; 800-932-8687; www.hermannwinetrail.com

MAY 9 The Blind Boone Piano Concert Series presents pianist Audra Sergel & Friends at Montminy Gallery. The program will also feature a 5- to 10-minute opening by a young, local pianist. Young guest artists are usually between the ages of 5 and 14. $20 adults, $10 children younger than 13; 7 p.m.; 3801 Ponderosa St.; 573-443-8936, ext. 310; www.boonehistory.org

MAY 13 Warm up your vocal cords and head to Cosmo Park for Movies in the Park “Frozen” Sing Along. Enjoy the antics of Elsa, Olaf and the others, and let it go! Free; 8:30 p.m.; 1615 Business Loop 70 W.; 573-874-7460; www.gocolumbia.com/ParksandRec

MAY 13–15 The University of Missouri Commencement ceremony and related events take place over three days in various locations on the Mizzou campus. Each school/college graduates together. Most ceremonies take place at the 18

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Hearnes Center, Mizzou Arena or Jesse Auditorium. Tickets depend on the school/ college; various times and locations; Mizzou campus; 573-882-7881; www. commencement.missouri.edu/may.php

MAY 14–15 Come out to Douglass Park for Heritage Weekend, the unofficial opening of the park for summer! Activities include balloons, table games for kids and adults, live music and family fun. Free; 4 to 8 p.m.; 400 N. Providence Road; 573-874-7460; www.gocolumbiamo.com/ParksandRec

MAY 16–22 The 15th annual Bike, Walk & Wheel Week encourages Columbians to use active modes of transportation to get around town. Participate in trail rides, public tours, workshops and more. On Friday, May 20, enjoy a free breakfast at various locations around town. Bicyclists may ride city buses for free all week. Free; various times; throughout Columbia; 573-874-7460; www.gocolumbiamo.com/ParksandRec

MAY 18 Don’t miss Columbia Parks & Recreation’s Family Fun Fest: Be Kind, Be Healthy, at Cosmo Park. There will be all kinds of fun and educational activities for families to enjoy. Free; 6 to 8 p.m.; 1615 Business Loop 70 W.; 573-874-7460; www.gocolumbiamo. com/ParksandRec Prime Magazine May 2016

MAY 21 It’s time for the GoGirl Run, Columbia’s only all-women marathon, half-marathon and 5K run/walk events. Gather with your girlfriends, co-workers and family members at Flat Branch Park for a celebration of friendship and sisterhood. Men are discouraged from attending, but not restricted. $35 to $105; marathon and half-marathon begin at 7 a.m., 5K begins at 7:15; 101 S. Fourth St.; 573-445-2664; www.ultramax.com

in Boonville. Prices vary; ride starts between 7:30 & 10 a.m.; 101 S. Fourth St. (Flat Branch Park), 757 Third St., Boonville (Kemper Park); 573-2344642; www.pedalersjamboree.com

MAY 25 MAY 19 The 10th annual Dancing With Missouri Stars takes place at the Holiday Inn Expo Center. Several prominent members of the mid-Missouri community will be paired with Missouri Contemporary Ballet professionals to compete for the prestigious DWMS trophy. One dance couple will include a pro from the Ballroom Academy of Columbia. $20 adults, $15 students; 7 p.m.; 2200 I-70 Drive S.W.; 573-219-7134; www.missouricontemporaryballet.com

May 2016 Prime Magazine

A Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the veterans memorials at the Boone County Courthouse will kick off Memorial Day weekend observances in Columbia. Wreaths will remain on display through Monday, Memorial Day. Free; 6:30 p.m.; 705 E Walnut St.; www.salute.org

MAY 28–29 The annual Pedaler’s Jamboree over Memorial Day weekend is a bikingbased music fest along the Katy Trail from Flat Branch Park to Kemper Park

MAY 28–29 Things will be looking up when the 28th annual Salute to Veterans Air Show returns to Columbia Regional Airport on Memorial Day weekend. The two-day event features more than 60 current and vintage military aircraft on display and a packed schedule of thrilling aerobatic performances. Free; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 11300 S. Airport Drive; www.salute.org

Save the Date

MAY 30 The annual Salute to Veterans Memorial Day Parade will wind its way through downtown Columbia. Featuring a new route this year, the parade will end at Columbia College, closing out with a jump by the U.S. Army Golden Knights and Canadian Armed Forces Skyhawks into R. Marvin Owens Soccer Stadium. Free; 10 a.m.; downtown Columbia; www.salute.org

JUNE 4–5 Debuting in 1958, Art in The Park is the oldest and largest fine arts festival in mid-Missouri and one of the most popular festivals in Columbia. More than 100 visual artists from near and far gather at Stephens Lake Park to display a variety of media including painting, drawing, photography, pottery, jewelry, fibers, sculpture, wood and glass. Free; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; 2001 E. Broadway; 573-4438838; www.artintheparkcolumbia.org v

JUNE 4 The people have spoken, and now it’s time to celebrate! Join us for the 2016 Best of Columbia Block Party at The Blue Note on Ninth Street. Access to the outside street party is free. The Insider Bash inside The Blue Note, featuring favorite foods, VIP access, live music and more, is ticketed. For tickets and more information, visit the Inside Columbia website. Price varies; 4 p.m.; 17 N. Ninth St.; www.InsideColumbia.net

STAY CONNECTED

Submit your event to our online calendar, the comprehensive digital guide to what’s happening in mid-Missouri. Simply visit www.InsideColumbia.net/Calendar and register an account. Fill in the event’s information in a brief form and click Save.

Prime Magazine May 2016

Tinseltown Talks

Peter Mark Richman: The Pharmacist-Turned-Actor

BY NICK THOMAS

Recognized for hundreds of television roles dating back to the 1950s, Peter Mark Richman broke into film alongside Gary Cooper in the 1956 Civil War western, “Friendly Persuasion.” “But I’m not only an actor, I’m also a playwright,” notes Richman, who turned 89 in April, from his home in Los Angeles. “‘A Medal for Murray’ just finished a two-year run in Israel and it toured Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa.” Richman was doing a scene from his play in Los Angeles several years ago with Sean Penn’s mother, Eileen Ryan. Afterwards, he was approached by noted Israeli actress Efrat Lavie during her visit to the U.S. “She loved the play but was heading back to Israel and wanted to take a copy of the script back home with her,” Richman says. “The next thing I knew, it was translated into Hebrew and became a smash hit over there.” But years before he entered the world of arts and entertainment, a family member almost pressed him down a different career path. “My father died when I was 16 and my brother was kind of a surrogate father,” recalls Richman. “He was a pharmacist and I worked in his store as a teenager. He thought I should get a real education so I ended up reluctantly going to pharmacy school. I expected to flunk out after six weeks but stuck it out, graduated and became a licensed pharmacist in two states.” However, the attraction of the stage proved more enticing than dispensing penicillin. “I managed a drugstore for a year, but always wanted to act,” Richman says, who studied at New York’s Actors

May 2016 Prime Magazine

Peter Mark Richman in one of his many TV roles, with the cast of “Three’s Company.”

Below: Peter Mark Richman (left) meets Gary Cooper in “Friendly Persuasion” (1956) along with Antony Perkins and Dorothy McGuire.

Peter Mark Richman in 2016.

Studio before finding his way onto the East Coast stages in the early 1950s. “I was touring in a play called ‘The Rainmaker’ with Eva Marie Saint in New England when my agent called to say Producer/Director William Wyler wanted me to do a screen test for ‘Friendly Persuasion.’ I caught a private plane out west and got the role.” Richman says working with Cooper, a living legend in 1956, was a joy. “He was just terrific, a hell of a guy, and very learned – far from the ‘yup’ character he is often depicted as in some films. When exchanging dialogue, he really digested what you said before replying – there was a thinking process going on rather than just reciting lines.” In addition to acting and writing plays, novels and short stories, Richman is also a prolific artist (see www.petermarkrichman. com) and enjoys painting figurative expressionist portraits, holding numerous one-man shows over the years.

“I’m a real painter, not a celebrity artist,” he stresses. “I began painting in oils when I was 12 and have a good background in the mechanics of faces and figures.” Richman has a major writing project in the works, too. “I also finished my autobiography and have high hopes for its publication – it’s called ‘I Saw a Molten White Light.’” But he continues to be visible as a frequent character on cable TV through reruns of dozens of classic TV shows such as “Matlock,” “Murder She Wrote” and “Three’s Company.” “I appeared in over 500 TV episodes,” he remembers, “I played a lot of doctors, but never did play a pharmacist!” v

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University in Montgomery, Ala. His features and columns have appeared in more than 600 newspapers and magazines. Follow him on Twitter @TinseltownTalks.

Prime Magazine May 2016

Prime Advice

Tell Me About It WITH ANGEL DONNETTE ROBERTSON

Every month we have a relationship expert who answers questions from our readers.

My significant other has an 11-year-old daughter who is very manipulative. Her mother is basically absent, so she is used to having her father to herself and apparently plans to keep him to herself. We haven’t had an actual date in more than a month because she is “sick” or “sad” or just throwing a tantrum. Is it unreasonable to end a relationship with a great guy because of his daughter?

What do you want from the relationship? If you are considering long term, then a partner’s consensus on parenting styles is an important aspect. She may be manipulative, but if she is, he is allowing the behavior. His daughter is always going to be an important part of his life, as she should be. As I hope you want her to be. But you are not unreasonable to expect to have a date more than once a month, barring severe circumstances. Does he know your expectations? He may not be unreasonable to expect his significant other to have patience with his struggling daughter. Do you know his expectations? If you have not had a date in more than a month, he ought to have at least a suspicion that you are not happy. You should speak with him, without criticizing his parenting skills — none of us tend to accept that well. But if you have expectations, you cannot fairly assume he knows them, much less will meet them. And you need to know his, as well. However, if you are looking for a long-term relationship, then you need to accept that the antics will likely continue for a while, even if he decides to attempt some parental control. You can waste a lot of time waiting for “better.” Only you can decide if the possibilities in the relationship are worth that wait.

During my childhood, my father was a mean drunk. He rarely physically abused me, but he verbally abused me even into adulthood. Late last year, he started attending meetings and quit drinking.

And, now, my mom says he’s changed and she expects me to just forgive and forget, to visit more, to leave my sons with them. I’m glad he is getting help but I am not ready to play happy family. I may never be ready. I’m still struggling with my recovery from the abuse. My mom accuses me of being unforgiving. Am I?

The definition of forgiveness seems to differ from person to person. Whatever your definition, you need to work to release any lingering bitterness and anger. You don’t want those emotions corroding your life. And they will hurt you more than your parents. But you will work through those emotions at your pace, not your mother’s or your father’s. And if your father has actually changed, if he is remorseful for the harm he caused you, he will allow you the time you need. You will certainly never forget. And no one should expect you to. No one should expect you to “play happy family.” No one should expect you to visit more than you are comfortable with. No one should expect you to leave your children with a man who abused you, especially as your father has not even had a year of sobriety. Rare physical abuse is still abuse. And verbal abuse does its own brand of damage. You control your recovery. Not your father, who hurt you. Not your mother, who didn’t protect you and is still not protecting you. Just you. And only you get to determine when and how much you trust. I hope that your parents can aid you in your recovery in whatever manner you need. But you should never compromise your boundaries. If your father ever deserves even a measure of your trust, then he will have been willing to earn it. If your mother ever deserves your trust, then she will also have been willing to earn it. And then no one has to “play” at happy family. v Angel Donnette Robertson is not a professional counselor, but she has a lifelong appreciation for the beauty and complications of relationships.

Have a relationship question for Angel? Contact her through her blog at www.angeldonnette.wordpress.com. She will select reader questions to answer, along with questions she finds, in upcoming issues of Inside Columbia’s Prime. 24

May 2016 Prime Magazine

Prime Magazine May 2016

Fun & Games

THEME: POPULAR EXPRESSIONS 43. INTEREST ____

11. C&H CROP

44. WRITER BEHIND A WRITER

12. PRODUCT OF CREATIVITY

46. RODEO DRIVE TREE 47. COLD WAR’S WARSAW PACT, E.G. 48. PROTECTIVE EMBANKMENT

15. QUANTITY 20. VITAL LIFE, IN SANSKRIT 22. ____-WAN OF “STAR WARS” 24. SERVER ON WHEELS

50. *”YOU ____ WHAT YOU SOW”

25. *”____-WATCH” A LOT OF TV

52. KING KONG, E.G.

26. WET NURSES

53. KICK OUT

27. *”WREAK ____”

55. INDIA’S SMALLEST STATE

29. COARSE FILE

57. *ADD THIS TO INJURY?

31. KIND OF APPLE, GRITTY AND ACIDIC

60. *DISORDERLY PERSON OR THING

32. ____-____-LA

64. ICE CREAM AMOUNT

33. BAR BY ESTOPPEL

65. ROSWELL SUBJECT

34. *”____ OF CAKE”

67. FIGURE WITH VERTEX AND RAYS

36. TABLE IN MEXICO

68. COASTAL TOWN IN SOUTHERN ENGLAND

38. AFRICAN RIVER 42. IDEALIZED IMAGE

69. ANIMAL’S NOSE

45. GROUP OF PERFORMERS

70. LEG OF LAMB

49. AFGHAN MONETARY UNIT

71. ACTRESS HATHAWAY 72. *”A BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH ____ IN THE BUSH” 73. CARDINAL COMPASS POINT AT 90 DEGREES, PL.

51. THICK SOUP 54. DANGEROUS MOVIE TRICK 56. PLURAL OF AMNION 57. DESKTOP PICTURE

DOWN

58. LUNCH TIME?

1. *”DON’T ____ AROUND THE BUSH”

59. WORN FROM WALKING

2. *”TO ____ HIS OWN” 3. CHILLS AND FEVER

ACROSS

16. LESS THAN 90 DEGREES

28. READY AND EAGER

1. SANTA AND UNCLE SAM HAVE THIS IN COMMON

17. GRASS BRISTLE

30. FOOT PART

18. HAD IN MIND

35. MOSQUE V.I.P.

19. *”RETAIL ____”

37. INDIAN RESTAURANT STAPLE

6. BE IN A CAST 9. PLURAL OF CECUM 13. *”____ BEAVER” 14. *”PITCHING ____” 15. SACRIFICIAL SPOT

21. *”____ IT” 23. BRUIN LEGEND BOBBY 24. FORBIDDEN FRUIT, E.G. 25. *”____, HUMBUG!”

May 2016 Prime Magazine

39. BODIES 40. PART OF CATHEDRAL 41. BINARY DIGITS CODE

4. OLD BUT IN 5. LIKE RAINY AFTERNOON? 6. *”AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR ____” 7. *”DON’T HAVE A ____!” 8. POLYNESIAN KINGDOM

60. GREAT DEPRESSION DRIFTER 61. *DON’T PUT THESE INTO ONE BASKET 62. VEGAS BANDIT 63. THEY MAKE UP A TENNIS MATCH 64. R&R SPOT 66. “THE ____. THE PROUD. THE MARINES”

9. HORSEFLY 10. SHORT FOR “AND ELSEWHERE”

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 37

Prime Magazine May 2016

Fun & Games Sudoku

Do You Have Tiger Vision? We’ve hidden this tiger face somewhere in the magazine. Find it, and send an email to prime@insidecolumbia.net telling us the page number where the tiger is hiding. Readers with a correct answer by May 31 will be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card to Smokin’ Chicks BBQ.

WINNER! Congratulations to John Dye Jr., winner of our April Tiger Vision contest and a $25 gift card to Smokin’ Chicks BBQ!

Cryptogram Decipher this quote by unraveling the secret code. Each letter stands for another letter. We’ve given you a few hints to get you started.

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 37

May 2016 Prime Magazine

Prime Magazine May 2016

Encounters

Simply Remarkable Sherman Brown Jr. Rocks As A CoMo Mentor

BY KATHERINE FORAN

Sherman Brown Jr. will tell you as directly as the doctors told him. He has incurable cancer. “I didn’t like what they said to me, but we’re gonna run it ’til there’s nothing left,” he says. “I’m a year and one week out, and I’m still here, and I’m still enjoying every minute.” As Brown tells it, his life has been nothing remarkable. He’s just the guy who owns Lindsey Rentals, a party and equipment rental store on Sexton Road where he started working 48 years ago this May. His first job there at the end of his junior year in high school was to keep the Lawn-Boy mowers clean, blades sharpened. In 1970, when he went into the military reserves, Lindsey held Sherman’s job open until he returned. Ten years later, Lindsey made it possible for Brown, with his thenpartner, Billy Spry, to buy out the company that’s morphed over the decades into “a bar without the alcohol,” he says. “Some of the stories that have been told … Some of the things people will share with you. Sometimes, it’s just needing to come in for a good laugh, hear a good story, or get a smile or to make sure that somebody cares.” Brown has lost count of the young men he’s mentored through the years, but the community hasn’t — honoring him this past February with the Youth Empowerment Zone’s Black Men Rock 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award. When they came by to tell him, Brown thought they were lost or crazy: “What do I deserve an award for? Where’d you get your information from?” he asked. “But that’s the one thing about cancer — it gives you a chance to find out who you are and what you’ve done in your life.”

May 2016 Prime Magazine

As soon as word got out about Brown’s relapse, support poured in from a generation or two of Columbians who know Brown as a generous mentor and trusted confidant.

“So many kids who’ve worked for me and customers who’ve come through here: I look at what they’re doing with their lives — doctors, people who’ve gone on to the military, real estate, lawyers, business PHOTOS BY L.G. PATTERSON

owners, you name it, who’ve gone on to bigger and better places. Well, it’s overwhelming to feel that you’re loved like that.” Along with his wife, Vickie, their son and two daughters, and 12 grandchildren, Brown counts everyone at Lindsey as part of his extended family. A Columbian through and through, Brown grew up with his five sisters and brother on property where Joe Machens Nissan now stands, playing on the mountains of sand that became part of the I-70 roadbed. His dad, Sherman Brown Sr., worked at Stephens College for more than 40 years, along with bartending and side jobs. His mom, Madge, cleaned at radio station KFRU. “Anybody who knew my mother — white, black, green — first question she’d ask you when you opened the door, ‘Are you hungry? Let’s sit down and have something to eat.’ It was like a swinging door. That’s why I am who I am. Those two,” he says, pointing to his parents’ pictures on his office wall. Brown says he tries hard to carry on that spirit — bridging the gaps and bringing people closer, as one customer explains Brown’s impact. “My parents are the ones who taught me that giving is a whole lot better than receiving,” Brown says. “If there’s one thing, I hope that people see me as trying to do the right thing.” v Prime Magazine May 2016

Recipe Box

Cook Up a Mother’s Day to Remember

Mother’s Day is a time for wining, dining and celebrating moms everywhere. Make this Mother’s Day one to remember by hosting a special brunch get-together for the special ladies in your life. Although quality time together is the true purpose of the day, you can add some special touches to help create a one-of-a-kind brunch to share old memories while you make new ones. Plan your tablescape. Colorful, fragrant flowers and luxurious linens make your everyday table shine. Use plates in complementing shades and sparkling glassware for an elegant touch. If you

SPRING VEGETABLE AND CHEVRE TART 1 package (2 sheets) puff pastry 1 cup chevre, divided 1 large beefsteak tomato, thinly sliced 8 ounces thin green beans 2 beets, thinly sliced 4 mini zucchinis, thinly sliced 1 egg white, beaten until slightly foamy Heat oven to 350 F. On well-greased baking sheet, arrange one puff pastry sheet. Crumble chevre across pastry. Lay tomato slices then green beans, zucchini and beets over chevre, leaving a 1-inch border around all edges. Crumble second half of chevre on top. Lightly wet edges of pastry. Slice four 1-inch strips of second sheet of pastry and lay over edges of bottom sheet. (Optional: create basket-weave pattern with remaining pastry dough). Brush pastry with egg white and bake until pastry is deep golden brown, about 35 minutes. Serve immediately.

May 2016 Prime Magazine

have room, add personal touches to the centerpiece, such as mementoes from shared trips or small picture frames with pictures of the two of you through the years. Prepare a sophisticated menu. Give a nod to the importance of the day with dishes that are a step above standard brunch fare. A richly flavored entree such as this Spring Vegetable and Chevre Tart looks elegant but is surprisingly easy to make. For a cohesive spread, remember to give the basics a boost, too, such as a homemade flavored whipped butter. Offer a gift with meaning. To truly elevate the occasion, serve (or gift) your

mom with a deliciously meaningful wine, such as Cambria Benchbreak Chardonnay or Pinot Noir from the famed Santa Maria bench in Santa Barbara County. Cambria is a familyowned winery that believes in honoring women across the United States and globally. Each year, the winery gives $100,000 to women making a difference in their communities through their Seeds of Empowerment program. For more recipes and ideas to enhance your celebrations, visit cambriawines.com. v

Prime Magazine May 2016

Reader Submission

Reading: The Antidote To Loneliness

BY WILLIAM MCDONALD There are more than 65 million caregivers in the United States caring for a senior or a parent or family member. Chances are pretty good you know one or two of them. This article is for every one of them. It was submited to Inside Columbia Prime by reader William McDonald to give those millions of caregivers out there one more way to help get them through the day and, at the same time, brighten the day of the person they’re caring for. They don’t ask for much - just a good story now and then. Sometimes, a lot of the time, they may not be able to ask, but you can see it in their eyes. Tired eyes that are saying “I can’t make out the words anymore.” Proud eyes that hate to say, “I’ve had a stroke. I can’t hold a book in my hands.” Quiet eyes that are asking, “Could you take a minute and read me a story?” Usually a love story that might take them back to a time when they were young and in love as only the young can love. Helen closes her eyes when I read, perhaps to keep me from reading something in them that is for her eyes only. But she cannot hide the smile that dances across her face. She can not hide the way her hands, folded over her chest, sway back and forth to a melody of memories only she can hear. Rebecca asks me to change the names in every story to Rebecca and Franklin. She does not close her eyes when I read. She stares, beyond the room, beyond the walls, beyond the building – beyond time itself, into a world where a man named Franklin and a woman named Rebecca lived and loved and promised a forever to each other. John likes me to read to him. Most men don’t but John does. I think it’s because every woman in every story is, in John’s mind, a woman whose heart he once won.

May 2016 Prime Magazine

Reading to someone is an easy way to brighten the day of those who no longer read and offers a good place to escape. He doesn’t say it but … and lost. I used to wonder if the seniors I read to considered me a time thief, stealing a little of what little they might have left. But no. I have learned that reading to someone is the antidote to loneliness. It is like giving and

getting a hug when we need it most. A good story is a good escape. A good safe place to hide. From a step that isn’t quite as strong as it once was, from eyes a little dimmer than just the other day, from a mind not quite as sharp.

A good story can turn today into yesterday, when loneliness was absent, love and respect ever present. A good story is, indeed, a good escape from, as Shakespeare wrote, “second childishness and mere oblivion, sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.” My grandmother was considered forever lost to Alzheimer’s. The last time I saw her, her eyes were closed. No, they were crushed shut. Her fists were clenched so tightly around her Bible I could almost see the blood draining from her veins and she was tap, tap, tapping her feet, faster and faster until the tapping became an angry stomping. She was digging into her mind, trying to remember someone, something, anyone, anything, but the deeper she dug the further down she fell into the abyss that was once a well of golden memories. Every memory that had been tucked away for safekeeping, every moment of love and hope, every dream, every victory, every loss, every moment worth saving – no longer accessible.

I removed the Bible from her grip then sat on the floor and started reading. Before long her hands relaxed, she stopped stomping her feet and the only sound in the room was the sound of my voice. I read to her for about an hour. Finally, sadly, I kissed her goodbye. My hand was on the doorknob when she called to me. “Billy? Is that you?” I turned. Saw the recognition in her eyes. “We had some times, didn’t we, Billy?” That was all. As quickly as it had come, the light went from her eyes and she was gone again. Don’t be afraid to read to someone considered forever lost to Alzheimer’s. You might just find yourself in the middle of a miracle. Gwenna is 93. In our world. In hers, she is somewhere between seven and eight and what somewhere between seven and eight-year-old doesn’t like a bedtime story? Gwenna prefers

stories about angels. One night, long after the bedtime story had lulled her to sleep, Gwenna woke, saw me sitting at her bedside, book of stories still on my lap and asked, “Are you my guardian angel?” “Yes, darlin’, I am.” “And you have a book.” “And I have a book.” “I like that.” Carry a book of stories with you. Read to someone who can no longer read for himself or herself. A good story will lift your old friends from a life as empty as a weed-ridden patch of dirt into the Garden of Eden. v

William McDonald is an Emmy Award winning writer and author of Old Friends (Endless Love). For many years he was a caregiver in assisted-living homes, memorycare homes and private homes. Contact him at www.oldfriendsendlesslove.com.

Prime Magazine May 2016

Faces And Places 1

Coyote Hill Pancake Breakfast The longest standing tradition of Coyote Hill Christian Children’s Home, the Pancake Breakfast, began in the mid 1990s. This year’s breakfast, held on March 5 at Memorial Baptist Church, drew more than 750 people in attendance. More than $5,500 was raised, making this year’s breakfast one of their most successful to date. 1. Larry McDaniel, Grayson Boyd, Chuck Basye, Don Waterman, Caleb and Willem Rowden, with Rebecca Buchholz 2. Austin and Calvin Temple 3. Isaac Van Doren, Eli Meyers and Annika Moser 4. Eric Denton 5. Samuel and Kari Hopkins 6. Jack Campbell

May 2016 Prime Magazine

fun & games solved Challenge your brain with this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s puzzles found on Pages 26-28. Cryptogram Answer God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers. - Jewish proverb

Crossword Puzzle

Sudoku Puzzle

Prime Magazine May 2016

Columbia Confidential: Publisher Fred Parry On The Issues Columbia Is Talking About

A Fresh Perspective On The Fairgrounds

It’s fair to say I’ve been an astute observer of the Boone County Fairgrounds for much of the last 17 years. In 1999, I appeared before the Boone County Commission to request a delay in the purchase of the fairgrounds until after commissioners could formulate a business plan for operating the fairgrounds. I was concerned because the previous owners, who had considerable experience running this type of venue, had failed to make the fairgrounds financially viable. I couldn’t imagine that county government would be in any better position to ensure that this property would not eventually become a drain on county revenues. The commissioners proceeded with their decision to buy the 135-acre parcel on Oakland Gravel Road. Now, after more than 15 years and a dozen special reports from a wide variety of consultants and experts, only one major factor has changed: the fairgrounds is now closed to the general public. Voters overwhelmingly rejected a sales tax proposal to fund fairground operations in August 2014, and the commission closed the fairgrounds on Jan. 1, 2015. Not much has changed with the overall physical structure of the fairgrounds since the county’s purchase at the turn of the 21st century. Unfortunately, years of deferred maintenance have left some serious issues with infrastructure on the property, including roof leaks as well as electrical and sewage problems. Insiders, intimately familiar with the property, estimate that the coliseum alone may need as much as $2 million in repairs just to bring it up to compliance with current building codes. In March of this year, the Boone County Commission issued a request for proposals that would allow interested parties to take over portions of the fairgrounds for a period of up to three years. By the county commissioners’ way of thinking, if someone wanted to rent the horse barns or the 85,000-squarefoot coliseum, they could do so without regard for maintaining any other portion of the fairgrounds. This piecemeal approach to generating revenue from the facility is shortsighted and likely will jeopardize the possibility of any viable long-term solutions. While picking up some miscellaneous revenue is certainly a step in the right direction, tying up major portions of the property for the next three years would derail any chance for more creative, lasting solutions. I believe the highest and best use of the Boone County Fairgrounds involves the creation of a multifaceted recreation complex. A partnership between the county and Columbia Parks & Recreation has been suggested many times. Unfortunately, the current strain in city/county relations makes such an arrangement nearly impossible. With a new mayor in place and the prospect of two new county commissioners in the near future, the idea of collaboration should be revisited next January. Working with the city of Columbia makes perfect sense. The fairgrounds property is within a stone’s throw of the city’s new 50-acre Norma Sutherland Smith Park currently in

May 2016 Prime Magazine

development. The property is also within spitting distance of a new trail project under construction by the city. If you’re the parent of a child involved in the city’s recreational sports leagues, you are keenly aware of the shortage of soccer, football and lacrosse fields as well as basketball courts in our city. There’s plenty of room to accommodate these needs at the Boone County Fairgrounds without jeopardizing facilities deemed critical to hosting the Boone County Fair. A long-term lease agreement between the county and city would seem to be a win-win for all parties. If we really want to think big about the fairground’s future, we should strongly consider adding an updated multipurpose arena that could handle large equestrian events, concerts, trade shows and basketball tournaments. While we’re thinking big, let’s look at making room for a baseball stadium large enough to accommodate the many baseball tournaments hosted by the Babe Ruth League, American Legion and the Missouri State High School Activities Association. Getting folks from out of town to help fund these facilities with user fees and related tourism dollars is not a bad solution. Admittedly, the biggest hurdle to overcome with the fairgrounds is funding. The years of deferred maintenance have created the price tag that is much higher than it should be. With a solid business plan and a concerted effort to attract tournaments, events and activities back to the fairgrounds, one could argue that fairground operations could be self-sustaining and even profitable at some point in the near future. It will take a detailed plan, trusted advocates and a slight leap of faith by local voters to make this work. I can see support for a dedicated 1/8-cent sales tax that would sunset after just three years. Coupled with economic development tools that are readily available, fairground operations could be in the black within this short, three-year period. All we need is a little vision and a desire to make it work. As much as the citizens of our city love parks, trails and recreational amenities, a well-thought-out plan might get a better reception than anyone dares to expect. v

Fred Parry, fred@insidecolumbia.net

Prime Magazine May 2016

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