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On the cover: The Joplin METS Ambulance team. Front row, left to right: Kati Natalini, Leigh Anne Garrett, Erin Rust, Jon Krieckhaus, Andrew McGee, Kody Morgan, Angelina Wilson Back row, left to right: Shane Rearrick, Jeff Florer, Scott Keatts, Kris Leek, Nelson Daniels, Tony Surratt, Dave Evans
14 Riding with Angels
27 Featured Nurses
18 Teacher of Trauma
42 Just Junkin’
20 Making Angels
44 Style
22 New JPD Police Chief
58 Taste
24 Fallen Heroes
48 Pet Tales
25 Joplin’s Strides in Public Safety
52 Day Trippin’
HEAD WRITER Amanda Stone CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Michael Coonrod David O’Neill Bobbie Pottorff CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Roger Nomer Laurie Sisk Curtis Almeter Bobbie Potorff
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COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Curtis Almeter Brian Huntley CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Courtney Adams Regina Carnahan Brian Huntley Justin Oden LAYOUT/DESIGN Courtney Adams Brian Huntley
In each issue: 8 The 10 Spot 13, 62 & 64 The Scene 65 The J List 66 The Parting Shot
THE JOPLIN GLOBE PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Mike Beatty 417.627.7291 mbeatty@joplinglobe.com EDITOR Carol Stark 417.627.7278 cstark@joplinglobe.com JMAG EDITOR Kevin McClintock 417.627.7279 kmcclintock@joplinglobe.com
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Brent A. Powers 417.627.7233 bpowers@joplinglobe.com CIRCULATION MANAGER Jack Kaminsky 417.627.7341 jkaminsky@joplinglobe.com JMAG is a publication of Newspaper Holdings, Inc. and is published bi-monthly. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be produced in whole or in part without the written permission from the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited materials.
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Letterfrom the
Editor In a time of crisis — a heart attack or stroke suffered by your mother orfather; a vehicle accident on a side street involving your teenaged son or daughter or a weather-related crisis like the kind we saw on May 22, 2011 — a first responder is likely to be among the first person you’ll see. They are emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters or police officers, and they may be that person who you ultimately will owe your life. The edition of J MAG is dedicated to the often nameless men and women. Amanda Stone, one of our reporters, wrote the stories about how men and women choose to become first responders. She spend a day riding along with three Joplin first responders in the back of an ambulance recording what they said and witnessed. Her account of those harrowing hours comprise the primary story of our cover story. It’s a great piece, and it’s a story you will want to read to the very end. J MAG contributing writers Mike Coonrod and David O’Neill also pen cover-related stories, with Mike writing about Joplin’s new police chief, Matt Stewart, while David talks about the new
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training center now under construction in north Joplin that has members of the Joplin Fire Department excited. And our Style section, photographed by Laurie Sisk, highlights medical uniforms that some first responders and others in the medical profession might wear on a given day. Elsewhere in the magazine you’ll read about the history of Northpark Mall, complete with many vintage, never-seenbefore pictures. Our 10-spot previews the second season of the Joplin Blasters, while we take a day trip across the Oklahoma/ Missouri border into Grove to visit two popular tourist spots there. You’ll also read about a local man who blogs about food, a local business that creates one-of-a-kind jewelry from carbon-fiber bicycle frames, and a former Joplin couple who makes
portraits of people’s pets and donates part of their proceeds to a number of animal shelters nationwide, including our very own Joplin Animal Shelter. Remember, if you have an interesting idea for a story, or if you know someone who would make a great subject for a feature, don’t hesitate to contact us or leave a message. You can reach me at kmcclintock@ joplinglobe.com, by mail at JMAG, 117 E. Fourth St., Joplin, Mo. 64801 or by calling us at 417.627.7279.
Kevin McClintock Editor, J MAG
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The
TenSpot Written by Kevin McClintock
Joplin Blasters preview If you’ve already seen one or more Joplin Blasters games last summer at the renovated Joe Becker Stadium, then you don’t really need to read this introduction. Go ahead and move on down to the bullet points below. But for those of you who have yet to see the Blasters in action, make a mental note to do so. Baseball is back, however, in the form of the Joplin Blasters, professional players playing professional baseball in the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. Last year, the May 21, 2015 game against the Wichita Wingnuts inaugurated the franchise and its 100-game regular season, when the former El Paso Diablos relocated to Joplin. The Joplin Blasters start their second season on May 19, 2016. They will play 50 of their 100 games at Joe Becker Stadium this year.
1.
Blasters inaugural seasons
The Joplin Blasters’ first season was a winning season, finishing 55-45. Maikol Gonzalez, 29, led the team with 70 runs, 115 hits, 46 stolen bases and a .305 batting average. Jake Taylor led the team with 15 home runs and 56 runs batted in, followed by 13 home runs and 49 RBI from Carlos Ramirez. Nestor Molina led the team with seven wins in 17 starts and 104 innings pitched. Winston Abreu had a miniscule 0.77 ERA in 47 innings and 23 saves and 80 strikeouts. “It’s really more than just baseball,” said General Manager Gabriel Suarez. “We had a lot of entertainment come in, and obviously we had a great team. I was just impressed with the boys and how they competed.”
2.
A familiar name
Last year and again this year, the Blasters harbor a former Missouri Southern State University player, Jake Taylor. Taylor, 6-1 and 175 pounds, a first-team all-MIAA shortstop for the MSSU Lions in 2010, played five seasons in the minor leagues, with the last four being in the American Association. Two years ago, he played 61 games for the St. Paul Saints and batted .283 with nine home runs and 34 RBI. During his first year with the Blasters, Taylor led the team in home runs and RBI. In 2010, Taylor hit 15 home runs, nine triples and had a slugging percentage of .795 for MSSU. This year Taylor continues to bring versatility to the Blasters, playing games at catcher, second base, third base, shortstop and in the outfield during his pro career. Taylor was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 35th round of the 2005 MLB June Amateur Draft from Chaffey College in California. 8
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Jake Taylor, former MSSU standout player and second year Joplin Blaster, watches his ball pull fair during a 2015 game against Lincoln.
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3.
The 2016 Blasters
Former MSSU player Taylor, Juan Medina (catcher), Mitch Glasser (infielder) and Steve Tinoco (outfielder) returns from last year’s above-.500 team. New acquisitions include Willie Cabrera (outfielder), Santos Arias (pitcher), Ronnie Richardson (outfielder), catcher-infielder Scott Tomasetti, along with big-armed starters Jason Zgardowski and Josh Hodges. “We had a great team in our inaugural year and with that comes the acquisition of our players to MLB teams and international baseball,” Suarez said. “We lost some very talented players. (However), we were able to bring back 50 percent of our players. In professional ball that’s nice to do. I was happy to bring back the guys we have coming back. But with the resigning of (closer Winston Abreu) and now adding (Hodges and Zgardowski), we are putting together a staff that can shut down a team from the 1st to 9th inning. “We have some guys who know how to pitch and young guys who play the game the right away that are coming back,” Suarez continued. “We want those guys who are hungry to win any sport you play. We have a great group. We’re really looking forward to it.”
4. Maikol Gonzalez, shortstop, and Oscar Luna slap hands after a successful squeeze play plates a run during a 2015 game.
5.
Special Promotions
Oscar Mesa connects with the ball during a summer game against visiting Grand Prairie last year.
Daily promotions
Daily promotions include: • Sunday - Family Fun Day (Kids run the base pads and meet the players) • Monday - Margarita Monday (Margaritas on the rocks) • Tuesday - Free Taco Tuesday (A free taco with a purchase of a beer) • Wednesday - Wacky Weenie (Buy one hot dog, get one free) • Thursday - Thirsty Thursday (Beer night) • Friday - Friday night fireworks (Everybody’s favorite promotion, Black Market Fireworks) • Saturday - Entertainment or a giveaway “Literally,” Suarez said, “there is something going on every night.”
Season 2 will see a “ramping up” of entertainment during ballgame nights and even during days when the Blasters are on the road in St. Paul or Dallas or Wichita. Some special promotions include: First Responder Night (May 25), Nerd Night (May 30), Star Wars Saturday (June 4), Jurassic Ballpark (June 16), Gold Glove for Mercy (June 18), Zombie Zone Canned Food Drive (June 28), 60s Night at the Joe (June 30), Military Appreciation by Golden Corral (July 3), Midget Wrestling World Title Match (July 9), Praise in the Park Concert (July 17), Ronald McDonald House Night (July 27), Bark in the Park (July 30), Trivia Tuesday to win prizes (Aug. 9), Members Only concert (Aug. 20) and Blasters Beer Fest (Sept. 10). 10
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6.
Increase in attendance
The inaugural season of the Joplin Blasters brought out nearly 70,000 people to Joe Becker Stadium — 67,975 to be exact. Considering Joplin is by far the smallest of the American Association’s cities, that’s not too shabby. And while St. Paul drew more than 404,000 people and Winnipeg, Canada drew 258,922, Laredo, Texas drew less people than Joplin, despite having a population four times that of Joplin. And Sioux City, Iowa (82,684 population) drew less than 77,500 people. “One of the compliments we got was (our fans) felt like they weren’t even in Joplin anymore when they came out to the baseball field,” Suarez said, and that primarily has to do with the level of talent playing on the field. Suarez hopes to see attendance reach 100,000 in 2016. “We’re definitely expecting a bump (in attendance),” he said. Last year, they had 45 home games. Five of those games were rained out and five more were “severely affected” by the weather. “With good weather, I think we can reach 100,000. I’m sure that with the help of a winning team I know we can do that.”
7.
Concessions and food
The food at Joe Becker Stadium tastes great and is reasonably priced. There are three themed concession stands located at the stadium — in 2015 they were “Cafe 66”, “Ozark Roadhouse Grill” and the “Mine Shaft.” There were also several food and drink kiosks, including a popular pretzel/popcorn location. Suarez said they have finalized a contract with Chik-Fil-A to serve their famed chicken sandwiches from a concession stand. There will also be a few other outside local vendors coming into the ballpark, as well. Omar Luna slides head-first into third base during a 2015 game.
8.
A grueling schedule
You think your job is tough? Sure, these guys play a recreational game for a living, but you might have a different view on what they do when you realize they play 100 games in 110 days — just 10 days off, and five of those are spent on a bus and on the road with the other players. “It’s a grind,” Suarez said. “They are very tired. They sleep a lot.”
Jairo Perez slides into second base with a successful steal during 2015 play against visiting St. Paul. MAY • JUNE | JMAG
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9.
Aaron Brill completes a successful double play during a 2015 game.
10.
How to get tickets
For tickets, call (417) 622-4838, go online at joplinblasters.com or visit the Blasters’ offices beyond the left-field wall Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., located at 131 South High Avenue in Joplin. “This is an all-encompassing thing. It’s fun. It’s not just baseball — you have a restaurant going on at the same time as a baseball game. You have beer sales, a retail store and there will also be concerts and a beer festival,” Suarez said. “We’re more of a community thing. We’re the Joplin Blasters, but we’re here for the (entire) four states. There is pride wherever we go.”
Tickets and mini-packs
Tickets at the renovated Joe Becker Stadium range from $14 (behind home plate) to $7 (general admission. Kids pay $5. The infield box is $12, upper reserve is $11 and behind the dugout is $10. But new this year are the Blasters mini-pack prices. There are 10- and 15-game packs available. Behind home plate, pack prices are $140 (10 games) and $210 (15 games). Infield box pack prices are $120 and $180. Upper reserve pack prices are $110 and $165. Dugout box pack prices are $100 and $150. General admission pack prices are $70 and $105. These mini-pack tickets are good for regular season games and playoff games. “You can buy tickets and give them to friends or families,” Suarez said. “You can use five tickets for one game or one ticket for 10 or 15 games — you can use them however you please. There are no blackout days, and if (the Blasters) make the playoffs you can use them then.”
Blasters ballplayers play 100 games and only receive 10 days off. Five of those 10 days are spent on a bus. Here, the 2015 Blasters team makes 13-hour trip from Joplin to Fargo, North Dakota. 12
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The
Scene Photography by Roger Nomer
Brittany Henderson helps her son, Legend White, 6, of Carthage, bowl a ball during the Southwest Area Special Olympics Spring Games.
Trinity Stanley, 9, of Carthage, giggles as she makes a successful jump. Jacob Solomon, Joplin, celebrates his medal during the April 22 Southwest Area Special Olympics Spring Games at Carl Junction High School.
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Riding with
Angels A first-person account with Joplin first responders Written and photographed by Amanda Stone
When I called their office, Jason Smith, Chief of Emergency Medical Systems, told me to come down anytime and there would probably be someone I could interview. It wasn’t worth trying to schedule a time because the EMTs and paramedics could be called away at any moment. I was led through the halls of the building by Captain Glen Nichols, as he knocked on bedroom doors searching for available first responders. We walked past the empty kitchen and living area, out the back door and into the sunshine where we found who we were looking for: EMTs and paramedics gathered together in between calls. Vinnie Martinez, EMT, was sitting down at a picnic table to enjoy the meal he had just pulled off the grill. Dakota Harwood, EMT, and Erin Rust, paramedic, sat talking and laughing with Martinez. Nichols and I joined the group to a chorus of groans at having to speak to a reporter. Their act was pretty transparent, though; they were eager to dispel the myth of “ambulance drivers” and quick to open up about what their profession is really like. At first, the group seemed a bit cynical. Compared to other fields in EMS (emergency medical services), their job is thankless. The hours are long, the work is physically and emotionally exhausting and the wages are notoriously low. They joke that firefighters get all the glory. However, it’s quickly very clear to me that no one gets into this line of work for the glory. The veteran first responders at the table, Nichols and Martinez, have more than 55 years of combined experience. “It’s really easy to become cynical in this job. We see people in their homes, with all of their cars and nicer stuff than a lot of people can afford. They may be a third generation Medicaid abuser, so abusing the system is all they know,” Martinez said. “We see a lot of the same folks over and over. Sometimes they really are that sick, but lots of times they are abusing the system,” said Nichols. I speak up to say there has to be plenty of good that comes from their job, such as responded to a call from a desperate parent dialing 911 because their baby isn’t breathing. Nichols immediately responded with, “Oh yeah, we had one of those this morning.” Thankfully, all went well. “A happy baby is a crying baby. Or a breathing baby,” said Martinez with a shrug. For them, it’s all in a day’s work. Dakota Harwood, who has been an EMT for a year, was sitting quietly nearby. When I asked him what he thought, he simply smiled and said, “No regrets so far.”
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Shane Rearrick, a Joplin first responder, checks their vehicle’s equipment before hitting the road on an early Monday morning.
Andrew Anderson, a Crowder College paramedic student, checks the status of a patient as they make their way to the hospital.
Carl Talent, a Paramedic Field Training Officer, shares a laugh with Andrew Anderson during a rare down moment back at the EMT office.
“There’s a huge paramedic shortage,” said METS Training Chief Dave Demery. “It’s a very underpaid profession with lots of hours, including lots of training hours and required continuing education hours. There are lots of extra certifications we have to have. It’s not entirely thankless; it depends how you look at it. We have our own reasons for doing this work. It’s very gratifying.” Erin Rust was the only female first responder I encountered during my visit. A paramedic for three years, Rust said, “As a female, it can be a hard field to work in. It’s a very physical job. It’s emotionally tiring. Our bodies are tired all the time. It’s hard for women, I think, to have children and a family with this job. We’re gone for 24 hours at a time, 48 if you want a good paycheck.” I’m told that a new EMT makes a little over $9 per hour. Since they are trained to make quick medical decisions in emergency situations using basic life support (BLS), I was surprised and saddened to hear that taking on second jobs is fairly common. They pick up extra 24-hour shifts, or work other jobs entirely. Their radios beep and everyone falls silent as they listen to the dispatcher. Harwood and Rust climb in their ambulance and drive the few blocks over to the Joplin Public Library. I learn that they’re called to the library a lot. For Joplin’s homeless population, it’s a warm place when it’s cold, and a dry place when it’s raining. The first responders that come in and out of our picnic table conversation agree that in recent years, the calls they get have changed. Many of the calls they go on now are due to substance abuse, mental illness and assault, as opposed to back in the day, when they were primarily medical calls. “Everyone thinks it’s all blood and gore. That is such a small percentage of what we do. Most of the time it’s not traumas, but those are the ones that can stick with you,” said Nichols. And then there was silence. Although I can only imagine what horrors these first responders have seen, they make it clear they don’t want me to ask about them. “Unfortunately, we tend to retain the bad calls instead of the good outcomes,” said Demery. “You’ll go crazy trying to second guess yourself, wondering if there’s sometime else you could have done. Calls
Carl Talent checks some information on a computer.
involving kids are awful and so are suicides. You see that stuff and it changes you. It’s hard to deal with death in our personal lives when we see it all the time.” Demery alluded to the 2011 tornado aftermath, but that was the only time it was mentioned. I imagine their memories of it are locked tightly away, shared few and far between. Martinez returned from inside and sat down at the picnic table. He said matter-offactly, “if you want to know what this job is really like, you need to do a ride along.” I jumped at the chance, ignoring the knot trying to form in my stomach.
The Ride Along I arrived a little after 7 a.m. on a rainy Monday. I greeted unfamiliar faces, and learned that I would be joining Shane Rearrick, EMT, and Carl Talent, Paramedic FTO (Field Training Officer), along with Andrew Anderson, a Crowder College paramedic student. It would be his last required ride along as a student. Their 24hour shift would begin at 7:30 a.m.; they were all chatting at a dining room table in the common area by 7:15 a.m., in uniform and ready to go. Rust and Harwood pass through looking tired, headed home as their shift ends. As they all talked and joked, I felt at ease immediately, which I now realize is a
skill imperative in their line of work. First responders give necessary medical care. But just as important, they comfort. So often, they are the soothing calm, the eye in a patient’s frightening storm. Bedside manner can be taught, but first responders choose their work because they want to help people. They are caregivers through and through. Soon after my arrival, they go into the massive garage where the downtown METS ambulances wait. They prep the truck for their shift by taking an inventory of supplies, re-stocking them and cleaning the back of the truck. A missing glucometer, assumed pocketed absentmindedly, results in phone calls to the tired pair of first responders from the previous shift. Talent hangs up the phone, ending the call with, “Okay, get some sleep. Bye.” Minutes later, we had our first call. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was a fraud. Would people know I didn’t belong in the ambulance? Due to METS’ Ride Along Program, anyone interested in EMS can do what I was doing, but the feeling lingered. I was scared that someone in need would think I’d be able to immediately help them. I understood that helpless feeling that inspires so many first responders to get into the field in the first place. As an EMT, Rearrick was in the driver’s seat, leaving Talent available to provide ALS (advanced life support) if needed, and to supervise Anderson. The call was for a MAY • JUNE | JMAG
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Talent let Anderson make the calls, typing away on a rubberfire at a convenience store across town. Rearrick explains we’ll “run bumpered laptop, recording the woman’s answers to Anderson’s hot,” meaning lights on and siren wailing. We sped off, my heart questions. thumping hard. This was my first tiny glimpse into the adrenaline I took it all in, comprehending that her response to her birthdate rush that first responders get when speeding into the unknown. was the year 1918. The writer in me, or maybe it’s just the human, Upon arrival minutes later, unneeded, we were cleared to leave couldn’t help but think about her story. Does she have people that the scene. I knew that was good news; it meant the firefighters and check on her? Does anyone know about her worried little dog? Will the victims didn’t need medical attention, but the writer in me was she get to go home after this? Such is the life of a first responder. guiltily hoping for a more exciting outcome. They rarely get to know the end story. As we pulled away from the scene, another call came in and we We delivered her to the hospital, where Talent and Rearrick were off. Speeding along, Rearrick schooled me in EMS codes. I learn that they use Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and on up to Omega, each greeted the staff in a way that only those familiar with the tasks at code signifying a level of emergency status and the care that may be hand can. EMS workers are cut from the same cloth, working long, often thankless hours with compassion. needed. We were on a Charlie call, or a potentially life threatening “We’re all in it together, doing the job for the same reason. The emergency. As Rearrick scanned houses for the correct address, goal is for the patient to be I was reminded that first able to walk away feeling responders are regular people, better than when they got looking for the right address. there,” said Talent. They are not superheroes; they I’m envious of their are human and they use GPS, comradery, but at the same just like you and me. time, I don’t want to do what Arriving on scene on the they do and I’m so grateful for next call, Talent, Rearrick those that choose to. and Anderson entered the After the woman is taken home, along with firemen into the care of the capable who had arrived shortly after nurses in the ER, Talent, us. I hovered in the doorway, Rearrick and Anderson head unsure of my place, and took to “the bubble” to discuss the in the tiny front room. The patient’s care and write up first responders were crowded the report. “The bubble” is in, focused on a frail-looking a rounded area near the exit elderly woman wearing of the ER, enclosed in glass. slippers and a bathrobe. The Nurses come in to refill their TV blared, knick knacks lined drinks, get ice and say hellos the shelves and a crocheted to the men, as Talent patiently blanket lay nearby. Her little talks with Anderson about dog yapped protectively as the inserting IVs in older patients. three first responders asked “You didn’t do anything Andrew Anderson and Carl Talent check the status of an unidentified woman her questions. The gurney was after a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of South Main and Second Street. wrong. Your treatment wheeled into the room, she was spot on. Your bedside was carefully placed on it and manner was great. You just the men maneuvered her out need to move a little faster, but that will come with time,” Talent the door and down the concrete steps of her front porch. said, reassuring Anderson. Talent teaches Anderson what can’t be I was consciously aware that if I were an EMT at that moment, I learned from books but only from years of experience. don’t know that I would be able to lift the gurney, tiny woman and Enclosed in “the bubble,” I watch as a delirious man is wheeled in all, up, and then down the steps. Talent would touch on this subject through the ER doors. I hear nurses saying they think he’s coming later; he is currently going back to school and hoping to teach down from meth. He’s cold. His mouth is dry. It’s raining, and he full time, because he’s unsure how much longer his body can take wants a meal and a comfortable place to be. Everyone talks about the physical nature of being a paramedic. He’s been lifting people the full moon, the rain and how the combination runs them for 26 years, and they’re getting heavier and heavier. It is a very ragged. real concern in a fairly new field, with its first generation nearing By 10 a.m., we’re back at the station. We’re all seated back at retirement age. the dining table — Rearrick is typing up a report, Anderson “I love my job, though. I would still want to do this part time,” has pulled out a massive textbook and highlighter and said Talent. Talent is eating breakfast while he can. Other on-duty We sped toward the hospital, with Anderson taking the lead paramedics and EMTs float in and out of the room. in the woman’s care as we rocked back and forth. I marveled at They discuss cooking, crossword puzzles and Anderson inserting an IV in the woman’s fragile-looking arm, all current news, but above all, they laugh together. the while fighting the staggering sway of the moving ambulance. 16
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“We all use humor to communicate. We have to,” said Talent. They discussed how working in EMS is not a job, it’s a lifestyle. Holiday gatherings have to be rearranged, or they won’t be there. The long hours are difficult to work around. “Support of family is so important. It’s hard for people who are not EMS to understand our lifestyle. It’s hard to have a social life, or to hang out with people who aren’t EMS,” said Talent. Rearrick and Talent are partners at work, and friends outside of work. Their families go on vacation together. They know each other so well, that others joke about them being like an old married couple. Near noon, a call comes in about a woman with uncontrollable bleeding from a foot laceration. My mind fills with horrific visions of spurting blood. Upon arrival, the guys quickly surmised what I did not. Her primary problems were not due to a bleeding foot; in fact, the wound, wrapped with filthy gauze. She was a psych patient. We found her lying in her bed, soaked head-to-toe in urine. The smell was nearly overwhelming. They loaded her into the ambulance. Anderson unwrapped the foot bandage, which was in shreds. Rearrick scribbled her information in pen on his gloved hand, for typing up the report at the next opportunity. They delivered her to the emergency room, and Talent
Hastily scribbled notes on a disposable glove is all a part of the job when things become too hectic.
asked to speak with the nurse outside of her room. He let them know that she was a repeat customer, probably a psych patient, and that it was time for an outside caregiver to intervene. The woman’s long-standing foot laceration was a call for help. “Sometimes we all just need to be heard, and to know someone is listening and paying attention,” said Talent. We climbed back into the ambulance. Back inside the ambulance, headed back to the station, I took in their workspace. Boxes of disposable gloves in small, medium and large sizes were at every turn, ready to grab in a hurry. The gurney, all 55 pounds of it, took up the center of the ambulance. Neon vests, cleaning wipes, buckled canvas bags in a rainbow of colors holding more bags, all plastic and zippered. Stethoscopes and other medical equipment I don’t have names for is strapped and Velcroed everywhere. In this tiny hospital on wheels, everything has its place. In the afternoon, we were called to a nearby, downtown collision. I put on my neon vest, as instructed. I simultaneously felt very official and very much like an imposter. I gulped as we arrived on the scene. Two cars were pretty banged up, with airbags deployed. Rearrick checked out one driver, who was uninjured, save for some redness on the side of her face from the airbag. The other driver’s face was swollen and bleeding. She was a young woman, shaken and scared. I wanted to hug her, but instead I hovered nearby while Talent and Anderson did their jobs.
Police officers, firemen and emergency vehicles were everywhere. Although Talent and Anderson recommended that she get checked out at a hospital, but the young woman refused. They gave her an ice pack and a blanket, cleaned her wounds and made sure she had someone coming to pick her up. We headed back to the ambulance. I took one last look at her sitting alone and scared, and I had to fight the urge to run back, sit down next to her, hold her hand and tell her it’s all going to be okay. As we headed back to the station, Talent, Rearrick and Anderson agreed that I’d had a pretty easy call so far. In my mind, I had experienced enough for the day. My mind and heart were overflowing. They still had the night and early morning hours ahead of them, but it was time for me to get back to my real life. I wondered how their night would go, and part of me really wanted to stay. Although they have bedrooms for their 24-hour shifts, they don’t always get to sleep in them. When they do sleep, it’s not good sleep. They’re constantly ready for a call. Rearrick joked about having bedhead, while Talent laughed and said that’s why they all have buzz cuts. The following day, Talent was scheduled to teach at Missouri Southern State University at 8:30 a.m., after his shift ended at 7:30. It being a Monday night, he was hoping it would be slow and he might get some sleep before his next full day of work. Sadly, the rain and full moon prevailed. I saw Talent the next afternoon during his skills lab for paramedic students. His redrimmed eyes said it all. “You should have stuck around. It was non-stop,” he said. He loves what he does, but he was exhausted. The next day, his day off, his only plans were to turn off the alarm clock. All the same, Rearrick and Talent agree that the thought of working a boring job with an 8-hour work day is terrible. “This is not a job you do to get you by until you find something better. We do it because we love it,” said Talent. MAY • JUNE | JMAG
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A Teacher of Trauma Thad Torix teaches MSSU students about emergency response By Amanda Stone Photography by Roger Nomer and Missouri Southern State University
Thad Torix was a teenager growing up in a small Idaho town when he first witnessed a person collapse and die. Several people
were there, but no one knew what to do. As helplessness washed over him, he knew he never wanted to feel that way again. In 1994, Torix became an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician). He admitted he’ll never forget his first call. “I nearly broke the key off in the door getting the ambulance unlocked; I was so nervous. I made a dollar an hour to be on call, and five dollars an hour if I got a call. The pay was horrible, but I loved it,” said Torix, beaming. Twenty years after that first exhilarating call, Torix began teaching first responders at MSSU. As a clinical coordinator in the Emergency Medical Services department, he instructs EMT and paramedic classes. “When a student leaves here to do their clinical time in an ambulance or hospital or wherever it may be, part of my job as clinical coordinator is to check up on them,” said Torix. “They’re my responsibility. I make sure they’re being treated well and that they’re treating people well.”
Thad Torix lectures at Missouri Southern State University.
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When Torix is speaking to students, he commands the room, effectively utilizing and sharing his experiences from over 20 years as a first responder. He tells students about times when he gave his best care and saved lives, and about how it feels when his best care isn’t good enough. He said that on the first day of class, he discloses to eager paramedic students a choice he made that resulted in the loss of his job in law enforcement. In a traffic stop, “I thought a motorist was being aggressive; he was trying to push my buttons, and I let him get to me. In that role, my job was to not let people push my buttons. It’s important to know your limits, and to step back.” Like that one, many of his experiences on the job as a first responder have become teachable moments in his classroom. He tells students the gory details of being a paramedic. Not about the haunting traumas and the saved lives; those times are few and far between, but about the long hours, the strain the job can have on family and the emotional stress that is sometimes impossible to shake.
The suicide rate and the divorce rate among first responders is high. It is often a thankless job, but a gratifying one. In the first couple of weeks of class, Torix tells students what patients need most from them isn’t in their text books. “They need your grace and mercy. Your comfort, your compassion,” he said. “Lots of times, our job means giving someone a warm blanket, holding their hand and being their captive audience.” Keeping their own mental health in check is something that first responders are now being taught the importance of. “We see horrible things. Scenes from the 2nd Annual MSSU Health & Safety EXPO, hosted by MSSU EMS at Missouri Southern State University. The first annual Biohazard Students hear a lot from Games were coordinated by students from MSSU’s Denal Hygiene, EMS, Nursing, Respiratory Therapy and Show Me Gold departments. me about emotional first aid. I tell them all the time to give themselves permission to be human,” Torix said. “You need to let people know when you’re struggling. You are not exempt from being annoyed or disgusted, either. I teach my students to take care of people as if they’re family, and they’ll sleep a lot better at night.” Torix wears his heart on his sleeve; he admits that he’s an easy crier. “It’s part of being human. Sometimes I just let the family know that something bad happened, and I need some time. It gives everyone permission to be a little awkward. I may come home from work, wake the kids out of a dead sleep and hold onto them real tight. I just tell them I had a bad call and that everything’s alright.” Torix recently addressed a lecture hall packed with high school sophomores visiting MSSU for Sophomore Day. Every 15 minutes, the room cleared out and another group of and be happy,” said Torix. paramedic, the only way you’re going to impressionable young people filed in. Each He shared an inspiring story about bringing time Torix paced the room, climbing up and get into my program is if you really care a patient back to life after a massive heart down the stairs and around the back row, about people. I don’t want you here if you’re keeping the students engaged while demanding attack, including meeting him and his family motivated by something else. You have to care later because the man wanted to shake his their attention. He stressed the importance of about people first. If that’s you, give me a call,” hand. He shares the good stories to inspire, and having goals, and that being wealthy shouldn’t said Torix. The session ended, the room slowly the bad ones to prepare the students for the be the main one. physical and emotional weight that comes with emptied and Torix went out into the hall to “Money is a fine motivator, just make sure greet the next group of tomorrow’s potential it’s not the only motivator. If you’re doing a job the job. only for the money, you won’t do it for long first responders. “If you want to learn about being a MAY • JUNE | JMAG
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Making
Angels Missouri Southern instructor molds students into life-savers By Amanda Stone Photography by Roger Nomer
The choice to become a first responder is not one made lightly. Students go into Emergency Medical Services (EMS) knowing that they will see humanity at its worst, but their innate desire to help people must overrule the negative. EMTs and paramedics are usually natural caregivers; empathy comes easily to them. Ryan Larson, a paramedic student at MSSU, has been an EMT for two years and will graduate in July with a paramedic certificate. “There has to be a natural sense of empathy. I think we all
Addie Menwasser, a Missouri Southern senior from Neosho, practices infant intubation.
have that sense of wanting to help and care for people. You don’t get thanked. If you don’t care more about the person above the fact that they’re vomiting all over you, you’re not going to last long in this field,” said Larson. Overwhelmingly, first responders get into their line of work because they want to have the skills to come to someone’s aid. After Joplin’s 2011 tornado, Larson felt helpless. He became an EMT because
Carl Talent works with a group of Missouri Southern State University students during a lab session.
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he wanted to be able to help, should he be faced with devastation again. As a student and working EMT, Larson often finds himself working back-toback 24-hour shifts at different locations. “That’s the lifestyle commitment. It’s 24 here, 24 there, “Larson said. The hours were difficult at first, particularly on his family. “My son remembers when I did social work, and I was home every evening. But now, realistically he’s asleep for half of my shift, and then I get to be home with them.” For the heft of responsibility they hold, students can become an EMT or paramedic in a relatively short amount of time. In one semester, a student can become an EMT and be certified to provide Basic Life Support (BLS). Three additional semesters and an anatomy and physiology course later, they can receive their paramedic certificates which enables them to provide Advanced Life Support (ALS). Many of an EMS student’s hours are spent in lectures and studying textbooks as any other student would. However,
they are also required to supplement their course work with laboratory and clinical and field experiences. Sam Evans will receive her paramedic certificate from MSSU in July and works for Mercy Carthage EMS. “As students, we want and need to see it all, so that we can learn. When we can see it for real instead of with dummies, it makes such a difference,” said Evans. Paramedic students at MSSU are required to complete a minimum of 316 clinical hours in critical care Carl Talent, an instructor at MSSU, helps Addie Mengwasser with the finer details of infant intubation. units, emergency “I love helping people. There is nothing want to get hurt. I’m not ashamed to ask departments, more gratifying. ” for help,” said Evans. psychiatric units and operating rooms, As far as being a woman in a maleAndrew Anderson, a paramedic student among several other units. A minimum dominated field, Evans brushes off the at Crowder College, will receive his 360-hour field internship requires jokes and ribbing from her colleagues. The certificate in May. A former police officer students to work with an experienced physical side of the job can’t be brushed and marine who served in Iraq, Anderson preceptor in an Advanced Life Support off as easily, but Evans is confident that knows what to expect as a first responder. ambulance. she knows her limitations. “There are With a fiancé and a June wedding, he is Students practice scenarios, where things I can’t do. I can’t lift a 400-pound eager to start his new chapter in life. As he instructors strive to make situations patient. There are always other EMS completed his last few required ride-along seem as real as possible. One of the many on the scene that can help; we definitely hours, he said, “I’m ready to be done and difficult parts of a first responder’s job is utilize the firemen. We’re all on the same start working in the field. I’m just hoping death notifications. Along with learning team. Knowing limitations is huge; I don’t to pass the test and land a job soon.” how to deal with medical emergencies and traumas, students practice telling families that their loved ones have died. Students are taught that good bedside manner is crucial as a first responder. They are required to take refresher courses to renew their license every two years, and for the state, every five years. Paramedics have continuing education hours that must be completed on a regular basis, as well as community service hours, which many complete through teaching classes, such as CPR. Evans already earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in biology. Soon she’ll add a paramedic certificate to her awards. Her mother is a nurse, and Evans credits a childhood filled with stories from her mother’s work with her interest in being a first responder. MAY • JUNE | JMAG
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New JPD Police Chief Speaks Matt Stewart outlines his outlook on Joplin’s future security By Michael Coonrod Photography by Laurie Sisk
Choosing a life of service to one’s fellow man is a very serious commitment: requiring long hours, time away from loved ones and much personal sacrifice. When you consider those factors, we should appreciate what these men and women do even more. Matt Stewart is the newly appointed chief of the Joplin Police Department. He grew up on a farm near Highlandville, Mo; later earning bachelors, associates and masters degrees in criminal justice and law enforcement from Missouri Southern State University. “I had an interest in law enforcement early on in my high school years,” says Stewart. “My grandfather was a member of the Sheriff ’s Posse when I was younger and that always interested me. I have some cousins who were in law enforcement as well. My parents instilled in me a need to always do the right thing, even when the right
New Joplin Chief of Police Matt Stewart sits near some memorabilia of his career in his office at the Joplin Police Department.
thing may not be the easy way or the popular way to do things. This is mainly what drove me to a career in law enforcement.” Stewart started as a patrol officer, later becoming a field training officer, and being promoted to assistant chief in 2015. “I have been fortunate to be able to work in every bureau that the police department has. This has allowed me to be able to have firsthand knowledge about each area of our department,” Stewart says. He’s worked on the SWAT team, in Internal Affairs, and the Investigations
into the position of police chief. “Each position that I have held has given me more knowledge and experiences to draw from as the chief,” says Stewart. “I truly enjoyed working in each different assignment and have been fortunate to meet a lot of great people along the way. “If I had to pick one assignment as my favorite, it would be the time that I spent working with the SWAT team,” he continued. “I experienced some good training, and I enjoyed the comradery with everyone on the team. It taught me the true value of teamwork as well as being able to rely on others to do their job.” Stewart also had the opportunity to train with federal law enforcement personnel. “Attending the FBI National Academy was the highlight of my career,” says Stewart. “It was tough having to spend 10 weeks away from my family, but being exposed to so much was wonderful. It was great to get to know so many other law enforcement professionals from around the world. I made contacts from across the country that I still stay in touch with. The best part of the training was being exposed to what a leader in law enforcement should be like.” Stewart and the rest of the department
“Go to college. Get an education. Understand the law, the profession and our constitution so you understand your responsibility to the people and the trust you are granted – and to stay true to it.”
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-Sheriff Dave Brown Bureau. After being promoted to lieutenant in 2011, he transferred to the Special Enforcement Bureau for two years, then the Support Service Bureau; something he says was critical in teaching him what he needed to know for stepping
were given a trial by fire, or more accurately, by Mother Nature in the horrific May 22, 2011 tornado. “I think the biggest lesson that we learned from the tornado response is to never say never. The officers that worked here during the tornado got about five years of experience in a short amount of time. The Joplin Police Department is recognized throughout the country after our response to the tornado,” Stewart says. “We need to continue to build upon that reputation and continue to make our agency a great agency. We have shared what we learned during the tornado with other agencies in the hope that if they ever have to deal with such a tragedy that they will be better prepared. We also got to experience the great amount of assistance that we received from all of the agencies that responded. We now look for ways that we can assist other agencies whenever they have a need.” Stewart calls the men and women of JPD an “excellent group” and doesn’t envision making any major changes. “We are fortunate to have an excellent group of professional men and women working for our department,” says Stewart. “The biggest challenge that we currently have is the recruiting
Joplin of Police Matt Stewart responds to e-mails in his office at the Joplin Police Department.
and retention of police officers for our agency. The recruitment of officers has been a challenge that is faced by several agencies in the country. I want to get out in the community and listen to what our citizens and businesses have to say as well as educating them on what our agency does.” Stewart hopes to move forward with Intelligence Led Policing; making it a goal to share more information with other agencies and make Joplin an even safer place to live and work. His hopes for the future? “The City of Joplin is still in the recovery process after the tornado. We are much further along than many other communities that have experienced a tragedy similar to ours,” Stewart says. “My hopes are that our city continues to grow as we rebuild. We will continue to work with our community to make Joplin a safe and vibrant community. As I stated earlier, JPD is a very professional department that has great people working for our community every day. I have high hopes for our department as we continue to grow and move Joplin Chief of Police Matt Stewart goes over an organizational staffing chart with new Assistant Police Chief, Major Sloan Rowland inside the Joplin Police Department. forward.”
“It is a lot harder now to be a police officer than what it used to be.” – Steven Seagal
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Fallen Joplin Officers From JMAG staff Photography courtesy Missouri Southern State University
Since the Joplin Police Department began in 1873, there have been 20 Joplin police officers who have given the ultimate sacrifice. For many years, all of the officer’s names have been displayed with their picture on a wall inside the Dr. Donald Clark Public Safety Building at 303 E. Third St. As another way to remember these officers and honor their sacrifice, the name of each officer has been placed on a police car. Each name is represented on at least two different cars. Joplin police officers, as well as the public, will see these names each day and will serve as a reminder of the sacrifice that each of them gave for the Joplin community. More information about each officer can be found on the department’s web site — www.joplinpolice.org. Officer Daniel Sheehan, July 19, 1885 — gunfire Officer James Sweeney, April 23, 1901 — gunfire Officer Bert Brannon, April 23, 1901 — gunfire Officer Theodore Leslie, April 14, 1903 — gunfire Officer John Ledbetter, June 7, 1903 — assault Officer Claude Brice, Dec. 31, 1904 — gunfire Officer William Smith, Nov. 15, 1909 — gunfire Reserve officer Louis S. Wells, June 3, 1916 — gunfire Detective William Woolsey, Dec. 8, 1917 — gunfire Chief of Detectives Jessie Laster, Aug. 23, 1926 — gunfire 24
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Detective Alan Brown, Dec. 18, 1928 — gunfire Captain Alex Lachman, June 26, 1931 — gunfire Detective Harry McGinnis, April 14, 1933 — gunfire Chief Kendrick Lloyd, April 17, 1948 — vehicle crash Officer Ray Endicott, Oct. 8, 1949 — motorcycle crash Officer Robert Clifton, Dec. 5, 1967 — gunfire Office Paul Harlan, Dec. 6, 1979, vhiecle crash Lieutenant Richard Gammill, Sept. 7, 1989 — gunfire Officer Timothy Nielson, Sept. 14, 2004 — explosion K-9 Cezar, Sept. 11, 2007 — gunfire Officer Jefferson Jeff ” Taylor, June 3, 2011 — lightning — A member of the Riverside Police Department, he was included in the list of fallen officers due to his assignment to Joplin and serving the community when he was killed. The Joplin Fire Department also faces dangers on a daily basis, and they also go to great lengths to cherish the memories of the men who have fallen in the line of duty during their 130-plus years in the community. Below is a list of those men. Firefighter Lee Sherwood, Feb. 13, 1923 — explosion Firefighter Frank Krudwig, June 26, 1934 — auto accident Firefighter John Serage, Nov. 15, 1941 — heart attack Lt. James Kallenberger, 1972 — heart attack
Joplin’s Strides In Public Safety By David O’Neill Photography by Laurie Sisk
When it comes to heightening emergency preparedness and the safety of those it serves, a paramount concern for the Joplin Fire Department and Joplin Police Department is continually broadening the education and capabilities of its personnel. “It’s important because as technology changes and building construction changes, we must change with it and make sure we’re proficient at our jobs,” says Fire Chief James Furgerson. “The citizens expect us to be at the top of our game, and training is how we get it right.” The advent of the Joplin Public Safety Training Center, to be used by the city’s firefighter and police forces and slated for completion in 2017, represents unprecedented strides in this area. “There are no training facilities like this within 100 miles,” says Furgerson, and what’s planned is impressive. The training grounds — located on city property along Highway 171 just south of the former Joplin Regional Airport terminal — will represent a comprehensive setting for education and training that’s just enough out of the way. Says Furgerson, “the training center will provide a great place for both police and fire to train in a location that’s away from the hustle and bustle of the city and with some of the latest technology in place.” The grounds will contain an 180,000-square-foot driving pad, a K-9 obstacle course, a SWAT team course, a special operations training area and exterior props for firefighting training. A four-story training tower will include three burn rooms, a self-contained breathing apparatus course, and multiple spots from which to rappel. “This structure also gives us the ability to train in both commercial and residential settings,” says Furgerson. The 19,900-square-foot building will contain six classrooms, three of which can be combined into one larger classroom area. Additional building features will include a defensive tactics training room, a simulation suite outfitted with driving simulators, a firearms training simulator, and simulations for jailers and dispatchers. Offices, a fitness room and an apparatus bay will round out the facilities, which will complement the “many facets to fire training that we have to stay on top of,” he says. These areas of study include safety and survival, building
Joplin Fire Chief James Furguson outlines the advantage of the Joplin Fire Department’s training tower and center during a recent press conference.
Joplin firefighters physically demonstrate a rope rescue.
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Joplin Fire Department Training Chief Mark Cannon extinguishes a mock burning car at the new Public Safety Training Tower during demonstrations back in December at the tower. A cold Wednesday back in December was the official ribbon cutting ceremony for the tower and its several public safety training components.
construction, search and rescue, fire suppression, and ventilation, hazardous materials handling, vehicle extrication, technical and special rescue, and EMS continuing education. In the past, Furgerson says, firefighters
have had to travel to other departments, or the training staff used older, dilapidated structures for their exercises. While that situation wasn’t ideal, says Furgerson, the new facility will afford the use of a variety of drills and scenarios because of the
Joplin Fire Department Training Chief Mark Cannon observes a red-hot flame inside the Public Safety Training Tower.
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numerous training features it will offer the city’s public safety staff. Whereas the new training facility will be for internal training, new recruits will still attend the requisite eight-week training academy. Currently, qualifications to be hired by the Joplin Fire Department include a high school diploma or GED, Firefighter I and II training, and EMS continuing education. “A firefighter who graduates our academy goes right to work. For aspiring firefighters who must take Firefighter I and II or EMT, those are both semester-long classes that can be taken at local colleges.” The training center will be staffed by two chief officers. Chief Mark Cannon will be in charge of Fire/Special Operations Training, and Chief Scott Cranford will head EMS/Special Events. Both will work to further the training center’s mission, Furgerson says. “It will aid all the participants an opportunity to learn in an environment that is very suitable for learning.” Fire service personnel are required to accrue 20 hours of training in every month—with a department of almost 100 personnel, that’s 2,000 hours a month. This kind of continual, consistent and comprehensive training is crucial because training in the fire service is truly career long. “I’ve been doing this job for more than 15 years and I learn something new every day. So, in essence, we never stop training.”
Celebrating Nurses Week Friday, May 6 through Thursday, May 12
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."
– Leo Buscaglia
freemanhealth.com 27 MAY • JUNE | JMAG #FreemanCares4U
National Nurses Week is Friday, May 6, 2016 - Thursday May 12, 2016. The Joplin Globe and J Mag would like to celebrate the profession of nursing and honor those who have dedicated their lives to the care of patients. Thank you to our readers for the nomination of the four-state area nurses listed below. Twelve nominees were also selected for an expanded feature.
ALL NOMINATIONS Carrie Wilkinson - RN ..........................................32nd Street Surgery Amanda Reasoner - RN .......................................................Cox Health Lorri Ghan - RN ..................................................... Cox Health, Monett Marcy Long - RN ..............................................Cox Health, Pierce City Bartricia Shuler - Infection Control Officer ...... Freeman Health System Charline Chotrow - RN ................................... Freeman Health System Christian Bedore - RN .................................... Freeman Health System Jordan LeFevers - RN .................................... Freeman Health System Kristen Bradley Hufman - Charge RN ............. Freeman Health System Melissa Nimmo - ICU Nurse ........................... Freeman Health System Rachel Neugebauer - RN ................................ Freeman Health System Stacy Coleman Wood - RN, CNOR ................. Freeman Health System Tabitha Matthews, RN .................................... Freeman Health System Brenda Riffle - Psychiatric Nurse ......................Freeman Ozark Center Amanda Grounds - Nurse Practitioner ......Freeman Pain Management Lorie McCreary, DNP ................................Freeman Pediatric Partners Jamie Powell - RN ...................Integris Baptist Regional Health Center Angie Bidleman - CNO ........................ Integris Grove General Hospital Rebecca Campbell - RN ..................... Integris Grove General Hospital Bobby Handshy - Adjunct Instructor ........ Labette Community College Susie Tippit - RN ................................Medical Legal Nurse Consultant Thad Torix - EMS Educator ........................................................MSSU Shelly Mascher - RN ........................................ Neosho School District
Cheri Watkins - RN................................................ Phoenix Home Care Rose York - Complex Nurse Manager ..............................Tyson Foods Jennifer Stansberry - RN, Clinical Instructor ..............Vatterott College Jessica Cobb - RN .................................................... Via Christi Health Jordan Howard - RN ................................................. Via Christi Health Kristen Spicer - Nurse Manager ............................... Via Christi Health Brenda Cupp - DNP, RN-BC, APRN, FNP-BC ...............................Mercy Ellen Welling - RN, BSN ..............................................................Mercy Griffin Kabala - RN ......................................................................Mercy Jessica Caylor - RN, BSN ............................................................Mercy Marci King - Critical Care RN .................................Landmark Hospital Ona Pitts - RN ........................................................Landmark Hospital Delanie Clifford - RN ..........................................Miami Women’s Clinic Jamie Wilson - RN .................................... Seneca R-7 School District Katie Whitekiller - RN ................................ Seneca R-7 School District Stacey Whitney - RN ........................Carl Junction R-1 School District Cindy Ray-Chalker - Pediatric RN ............................... Craig Homecare Morgan Taylor - RN ... Labette Health (Labette County Medical Center) Amy Root - RN .........................................................Mosaic, Pittsburg Laura Mallett - RN ...........Neosho Memorial Medical Center - Chanute Reanna Villagomez - Infection Preventionist Nurse .......Nevada Regional Medical Center Wendy Bolinger - RN .......................................Office of Dr. Elias Tawil Amber Moreland - RN ..................................... Webb City R-7 Schools
Attempts were made to verify nominees, certifications and associated organizations. Some had not responded at the time of publication.
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Tabitha Matthews RN, BSN Freeman Health System
Even though she has only been a nurse for two years, Tabitha Matthews is a third generation registered nurse. “My grandmother, Marilyn Thomas, worked as a nurse and nurse educator throughout her career,” says Matthews, who works for Freeman Health Systems. “My mother, Nancy Pitts Wallace, continues to work at
Nevada Regional Medical Center and has been a nurse for over 30 years.” When Matthews was getting her Master’s Degree in American History she took a great interest in the history of medicine and her research led her to the realization that she was really interested in the medical field. That’s when she took a year off from her Master’s Degree and served a year in AmeriCorps at the St. Louis Public Schools. “It was this experience that made me realize teaching was my love, but nursing would be my passion,” Matthews recalls. “I applied to nursing school and never looked back!” She received her nursing degree from the Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes Jewish College in St. Louis and she also has a Bachelors Degree in Education from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. As a nurse, Matthews says she is honored to serve people on what could be one of the hardest days of their lives. “Whether I am providing care to my patient or their family and loved ones, I will forever be a part of their story,” Matthews says with pride. “That relationship is a huge privilege that humbles me and drives me everyday.” She says she also loves the challenge of working with people and solving different problems everyday. One of those problem solving challenges led to one of the funniest things Matthews has had to deal with since becoming a nurse. “One of my first months as a new
nurse I took care of a patient in St. Louis who was in need of surgery and was also an alcoholic. We needed this patient to not go through detox before being able to consent for the life-saving surgery. As part of his treatment plan he would be given a beer with each meal and one at bedtime. I worked all day around red tape to get this man a beer with his dinner. Dietary finally delivered an ice cold Budweiser. I poured the patient his beer in a glass, he took one drink and spit it out. When I told him it was beer and asked what was wrong he responded with “I only drink Keystone” and refused to take another sip!” But so far the worst part about being a nurse for Matthews is working weekends and holidays. And nursing is a job she says is much more technical than she ever dreamed it would be. “The medical field is constantly expanding and people are living longer with conditions that weren’t survivable twenty years ago,” she says. “As health care expands, so do the roles and opportunities for nurses.” According to Matthews, nursing today is more than providing comfort to sick people and while nurses can have a hard exterior, she says she wants everyone to know that all nurses do care. “Being a nurse can be an intense, adrenaline-packed, twelve-hour sprint,” says Matthews. “When we aren’t at work, we are thinking about our patients and their families.”
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Amy Root RN, BSN, CDDN Mosaic, Pittsburg
Inspired by her mom and a former employer to be a nurse, Amy Root is one of just four Certified Developmental Disability Nurses practicing in the state of Kansas today. While she’s been doing this job for the last 14 years, Root has been a nurse for nearly 21 years. She graduated from Baker University School of Nursing at Stormont Vail Campus in Topeka, Kansas. Her mom, Mary Osborn Jaeger, was a well- recognized nurse who graduated from St. John’s Sisters of Mercy School of Nursing Diploma program in Joplin and a member of the U.S. Navy Nurses Corp. Root credits her mom’s lessons in selfreliance as one of the things that shaped her into the woman, and nurse, that she is today. Another person she credits with her career choice is Julie Gay Green. Root used to babysit for Gay Green when Root was just a teenager growing up in rural
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Columbus. Gay Green worked in the cardiac care unit at the former St. John’s Regional Medical Center and was a great advocate for organ donation. She told Root that being a nurse didn’t mean she only had to work in or for a hospital. Gay Green told her she could do just about anything as a nurse. “My mom reared me to have the commitment and work ethic needed to be a nurse and encouraged me to continue with my education at Baker University,” Root says. “Julie seeded the desire to be a nurse through the diversity that the nursing profession is.” Both women have since passed away, but their influence is still felt in everything Root does and she says being a nurse is a profession where she can be herself in a constantly changing and diverse profession. Whether she is singing a lullaby when holding a baby during clinicals or saying good-bye to a patient at a funeral service, Root says she gets to use her voice to help and encourage patients. “I can speak up for improved nursing to patient ratios or encourage clients to speak up for improvements,” says Root. “I can request politicians listen to my clients or participate in the community integrating those I serve. It took me several years to find my voice to speak up and found nursing welcomed it.” For Root, communication is one of the most important aspects of nursing and although paperwork is what she calls a “necessary evil,” it is a very essential piece of the communication puzzle. “Paperwork helps to provide for the viability of my employers, past and present, to continue to serve their communities, those I serve,” says Root. “When I worked in the hospital setting, that paperwork many times provided important communication to the treating
physician. In my current specialty, I have been known to tell new employees that communication is essential and if you are not good at it please quietly leave this room and don’t come back. The safety of those we serve comes first.” Root says that competition from all other professions pulls current nurses away from the field and even steals them before they can become a part of this very well-respected community. “Nursing is a diverse profession with several specialties,” she says. “After all, it is a profession that requires continual creative critical thinking and the partial skill set of an educator, mechanic, chemist, security guard, forensic scientist, business woman, negotiator and the ultimate salesperson.” One funny story Root tells, and a great lesson she learned as a nurse, was the time she received a call from a patient who thought they had taken too many antihistamines. “My response, okay what is the name of the antihistamine? Caller stated “antihistamine!” After a few rounds it clicked, I wasn’t getting the answer I needed, so I finally asked, will you please spell the name of the medication? The caller spelled out “a-c-e-t-a-m-i-n-o-p-he-n.” It was hard to contain my laughter and I immediately asked how many total… 2 tablets instead of one the caller said. I breathed a sigh of relief.” That incident and many more are evidence of how important communication is for nurses, and Root joked that “many would say nurses eat their young. I would not agree.” “I want the young nurses and those interested in the profession to see the joy of nursing,” Root says. “It is a career choice that can grow as you grow as a professional. Nursing is what you make of it!
Jamie Powell
RN Integris Baptist Regional Health Center in Miami, OK
Powell received her B.A. in Communications at the University of Oklahoma and her nursing degree from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. She says there will always be a high demand for nurses because the population continues to grow and age, but the shortage, she thinks, is partially because there just aren’t enough instructors to teach and many
applicants get turned away. The good outweighs the bad for Powell, however, in her chosen profession as a nurse and she says she wants people to know that you will never quit learning and you can do anything for twelve hours. “ I consider myself very privileged to have such an amazing job,” says Powell.
“In my field of practice the best part about my job is undeniably experiencing the miracle of birth,” says Jamie Powell, RN at Baptist Regional Health Center in Miami, Oklahoma. “But overall I love helping people, sharing my knowledge, and learning from others.” Having the ability to take care of people you don’t know is a characteristic to be admired. And while nurses are tasked with remaining objective about a patient’s care, caring about the patient is a key component to the equation. Just how do they manage to strike the right chord and keep that harmonious relationship? “I just felt like it was my calling because I love interacting with and helping others,” says Powell. “It ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.” Powell has been a nurse for five years and says that this line of work can be very unpredictable. “Normal situations can turn terrible in seconds,” she says. “So it can be extremely stressful and emotionally challenging at times.” But Powell says she has always admired the nursing profession and at first she considered it as a career choice, but just never pursued it. “Instead I got my B.A. in Communications,” she says. “After five years of work I wasn’t happy with my profession and knew I needed to go back to school to be a nurse.” MAY • JUNE | JMAG
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Jessica Cobb RN, BSN, CEN Via Christi
If someone told you that your chosen profession would consist of occasionally watching people die and getting covered in someone else’s urine, would you still want to pursue that line of work? That didn’t stop Jessica Cobb, an emergency room nurse at Via Christi in Pittsburg, Kansas. Her mom is a nurse and Cobb grew up watching her and being inspired by her career choice. “I always knew I wanted to do something in the medical field because it was so interesting to me,” says Cobb. “I knew I wanted to be a nurse in high school and never looked back.” She has been a nurse for two years now after graduating from Pittsburg State University and she says one of her favorite things, so far, about being a nurse is how unpredictable it is. “You never know what is going to happen in the emergency room when you walk in the doors that day,” says Cobb. “It is a privilege to meet so many different people and help them through some of the hardest points of their life.” Whether it’s helping a child stay calm while getting sutures or helping a patient who’s having a heart attack, “It is so rewarding to know that you played a part in making someone’s day or life much better.” Cobb knows she works in a tough job and that there will always be a need for nurses, especially as the U.S. population continues to live longer and have more complex medical problems. “Nurses are in high demand because there is a shortage of nurses coming out of nursing schools,” Cobb says. “There isn’t necessarily a shortage of those who want to be nurses, but not everyone is able to achieve that goal. Nursing programs are very competitive and getting accepted is difficult.” And she says once you get into a nursing program, passing nursing school is definitely not an easy task. “Most nurses will tell you that nursing school was a rough couple of years for them,” she exclaims. But there is one aspect of nursing Cobb says is the most difficult of all. “Death. Hands down,” she says. “It doesn’t matter if it was the first patient I had die or the last. It never gets any easier. As a nurse, it’s in our nature to want to help and save everyone. Unfortunately, that isn’t always possible.”
One really important thing Cobb wants to makes sure people know about nursing is that it’s a juggling act, especially working in the emergency room with several emergencies happening at the same time. “We try to deliver every patient excellent care with a smile and compassion,” she says. “However, it can be so difficult to walk into one room with a smile on your face and walk into the next while a family member is mourning their significant other who just passed. “I’m sure we as nurses can sometimes come across as a little disconnected. I wish that everyone could see that any perceived detachment is simply the result of handling multiple cases and emergencies at once,” Cobb says. One of the funniest things Cobb has had to deal with since becoming a nurse is one of those things that if you don’t have a strong stomach, it could result in a serious upchuck response. “When I was carrying a commode full of urine out of a patient’s room I ending up dumping it all over myself,” she laughs. “I had to walk through the rest of the ER with soaked scrubs and my shoes squishing to call our supervisor to get me a new pair of scrubs. Then I had to explain to my patient when I went back in the room why I had different colored scrubs on.” Cobb says she has received amazing support of her peers, administrative team and the whole Via Christi organization since going to work there. She is proud of the high quality of care they provide to patients in the region. “I’m so proud to be a nurse and to be part of a profession that is well respected nationwide,” she says. “I love what I do. Our entire team does.”
Congratulations to Jessica Cobb, RN BSN CEN on your recognition for the Salute to Nursing edition.
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Thank you for your commitment.
Delanie Clifford
RN Miami Women’s Clinic After thirteen years in the nursing profession, Delanie Clifford, a registered nurse at Miami, Oklahoma Women’s Clinic, says helping people through the good times and the bad is the best part about being a nurse. “I’ve always worked in women’s health, therefore typically outcomes are either very rewarding or very sad,” Clifford says. She graduated from the LPN program at Northeast Technology Center in Afton, Oklahoma in 2003 and went back to the RN Fast Track program, graduating from that in 2011. Her sister becoming a nurse and having pre-term twinboys spend several months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Tulsa were both reasons Clifford became a nurse. Advocating for her patients is another positive aspect for Clifford when it comes to her profession. “Always try to put yourself in the patient’s situation,” she says. “You never know what they are going through and how you can change their experience.” Clifford says the reason nurses might be in such high demand in some way has to do with the declining health of our society. “Floor nurses typically get into other areas of nursing such as management so patient to nurse ratio can be overwhelming,” she says. In order to get more people into nursing programs, Clifford likes the idea of schools becoming more accommodating to non-traditional students because there are so many out there.
“We are very proud of you and your accomplishments!”
Miami Women’s Center enter Call Us Today! 1.918.542.4300
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Brenda Cupp
DNP, RN-BC, APRN, FNP-BC Mercy She will tell you it was the desire to make a difference in the lives of others and a calling from God that caused her to become a nurse 24 years ago. And according to Dr. Brenda Cupp, Mercy Heart Care/ Mercy Hospital, one of the most important things she has learned since becoming a nurse is that she could not do her job without the help of others and says her work family at Mercy is her rock and has been the backbone to her success.
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“Respect your support staff and let them know how important they are to you and those you care for,” says Cupp. “Let the physician and other healthcare providers also know that you appreciate their support and their respect.” Cupp is graduating with honors on May 14th with her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. While this will end her formal nursing education, she also has a Masters of Science in Nursing from Pittsburg State University, a Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Southwest Baptist University and her RN diploma from the Burge School of Nursing, she says she follows the same slogan as a national home improvement store. “I like the Lowe’s slogan that simply
says “Never stop improving,” says Cupp. “And I believe that this can be applied to nursing and to education.” Her favorite part about being a nurse is the diversity of patients and potential for growth due to the complex nature of the healthcare field. “Nursing allows you to care for people in various settings and at various points in their need for healthcare,” Cupp says. “I believe that nurses are now recognized as valued professionals and that their level of education and commitment to the patient, to research and to the development and execution of policies that direct healthcare has heightened awareness as to the ever changing role of the nurse.” And that role is continually changing and is just as diverse as the patients themselves. However, one thing remains the same, there is a continual shortage of nurses. Cupp says that shortage causes an increased workload with decreased resources and that’s one of the more stressful and challenging issues she, along with many other nurses, face today. “Nurses work long hours and are caught in the middle of the desire to promote and ensure a positive patient experience with concern that they are not doing enough due to lack of support help,” says Cupp. Some of the changes in healthcare have eliminated a few of the rather uncomfortable, yet funny, incidents in Cupps career. She explains that back when paper charts used to be left at a patient’s bedside sometimes they would use shorthand or abbreviations for some of the medical terminology. “Patients don’t know what some of our abbreviations mean such as “SOB” which really means short of breath,” she laughs. “There are many abbreviations we used that caused the need for explanation. So many stories!”
Griffin Kabala RN, Mercy
“Nurses are always in demand because I believe health is the number one treasure that human beings can have,” says Griffin Kabala, RN at Mercy Hospital, Joplin. “The
idea of making a difference in somebody’s life.. if I could make them smile and forget their problems for a second, then I know it’s a reason to be a nurse.” Kabala is from Nairobi, Kenya, where two of his aunts were nurses. He says both of those women, along with the sadness of helplessly watching his father’s declining health after a car accident, were reasons he decided to become a nurse. “I have been a nurse for 4 years now and I was fortunate to have veteran nurses who taught me to understand what nursing is,” says Kabala. “Knowing that teamwork in nursing is key to having a successful day at work.” Kabala received his nursing degree from Northeast Oklahoma A&M College in Miami and he says among others, he would like to give credit to Nancy Clark and Jamie Watoyi for their continuous teaching and encouragement and really helping him when he was just starting. “They showed me the ropes and what it takes to be a good nurse,” says Kabala. “You have to love being a nurse to be a better nurse.”
Kabala says understanding what nurses deal with daily would give people a better perspective on what it means to be a nurse. “Nurses deal with individuals who are having a rough time and need to have the patience to tolerate and comfort them,” he says. “We don’t deal with individuals like the ones going to the mall who are having a good time shopping.” Kabala says the hardest parts of being a nurse and the challenges they face involve a numbers game. “The rate of the population growth is higher than the rate of nurses graduating, and the nurses retiring,” he says. “Also we have many people living longer, all these contribute to the high nursing demand.” He says another difficult aspect of nursing is giving care to the sick individuals who have had multiple bad things happen to them or to family members. “When their loved one is dying and you can’t do much to change the outcome, it’s tough,” Kabala sighs.
We’re blessed with the best. Healing can come in many forms. Simple words of assurance, hospitality or a smile are just as important as good physical care. Nurses know this so well. Those who are called to do this work give their best each day to care for others. Today, we honor nurses everywhere who are a blessing to their patients — with special thanks to our “Salute to Nurses” honorees. Griffin Kabala, RN Mercy Hospital Joplin Float Pool
Jessica Caylor, RN, BSN Mercy Joplin ICU
Ellen Welling, RN, BSN Mercy Joplin Emergency Department
Brenda M. Cupp, DNP, RN-BC, APRN, FNP-BC Mercy Clinic Cardiology
Your life is our life’s work.
mercy.net/JoplinNurses
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Marci King
RN, BSN Critical Care Nurse, Landmark Hospital She served her country for seven years and received some medical training as a licensed practical nurse, but after Marci King finished her business degree and tried other professions like real estate, she figured out that was not her true calling. “I believe that I have been blessed to be in this place at this time with these skills,” says King, Critical Care Nurse at Landmark Hospital in Joplin. She says the most important and best part of being a nurse is doing the right thing at the right time for her patients. “But what really makes me go back for more is being able to bring some sort of peace and comfort to my patients and their families,” say King. That’s just what inspired her to become a nurse in the first place. King says first when she was a teenager she witnessed an accident and really wanted to learn how to react to those situations and then when her husband was injured in a military accident. “It was a nurse that recognized how bad his/our situation was at the time,” King recalls. “She got him a referral to the perfect doctor for him, and it put our family on the road to recovery. I don’t remember her name, but I will always remember how she made us feel.” King received her nursing degree from Missouri Southern State University in 2014 and she knows how important nurses are and how high the demand is for their services. And it’s not a career for everyone. “It’s expensive and exhausting to get 36
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the education,” King says. “Then the hard part starts.” And one of the hard parts for King is getting attached to the patients and their families. “It’s painful to see them go through their struggles,” she says. “We work so hard to be the best we can be, so that we can better our patients’ experience.
If for some reason we fall short, we are human.” However, King says everyone should remember that nurses are on your side. “It is always my sincere wish to share with others what that nurse, so long ago, shared with me… the feeling that someone really cares and is working hard to make a difference.”
Rhonda Wagner
RN BSN Dr. Robert Stauffer, Cardiologist “Since becoming a nurse, I have learned so much,” says Rhonda Wagner, Primary Office Nurse for Freeman Physician, Dr. Robert Stauffer. “Most people don’t realize nurses don’t really learn how to be a nurse during school. They learn as they go on the job.” And Wagner has been “learning on the job” for nearly 20 years now. She has primarily focused on critical care and heart care throughout her career, spending the first ten years at her patients’ bedsides in the Intensive Care Unit and Cardiovascular Intensive Care unit at Freeman Hospital. Wagner received her nursing degree from Indiana University School of Nursing. Coincidentally, she works for Dr. Stauffer, a cardiologist, who also went to Indiana University and who also specializes in caring for patients’ hearts. “I have learned that compassion and understanding are just as important as medical therapy,” Wagner says. “My favorite part of being a nurse is not only helping patients, but their families.” Often times patients are too sick to care for themselves and she says being able to provide education to families and caregivers to better help them take care of their loved one is essential in patient care. Wagner says her first memory of wanting to become a nurse was when her grandfather had open heart surgery. “I was in high school at the time and
never questioned my decision once,” Wagner recalls. “However, at the time I always assumed that I would have wanted to be a pediatric nurse.” A big change in the last 20 years has been the shift to the digital age and the evolution of the electronic health record. Many physicians and nurses found the transition to be not only costly, but also difficult with respect to continuity of patient care, when it was supposed to be created to make things easier. “It actually hinders us from being able to be the nurse we were 20 years ago,” Wagner echoes that sentiment. “We are
now taking care of a computer, not the patient.” Costly health care and difficult insurance procedures also get in the way of patient care and are some of the biggest challenges facing patients and healthcare staff today. “I would say, in my current position, patients can’t always get the recommended care due to the extreme cost of some medications and complicated insurance requirements to get necessary testing done,” says Wagner. MAY • JUNE | JMAG
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Reanna A. Villagomez
RN, BSN Infection Prevention/ Employee Health Nurse, Nevada Regional Medical Center
“I wish the world knew that Grey’s Anatomy, House, ER, and Scrubs do not do the field of nursing any justice,” says Reanna Villagomez, Infection Prevention/Employee Health Nurse at Nevada Regional Medical
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Center. “Webster’s definition of a nurse is a person trained to care for the sick or infirm, especially in a hospital. And, wow, does that leave many duties unspoken.” Those duties include bed-maker, commode-emptier, family mediator, spiritual supporter and overall gopher for just about anything and everything, says Villagomez. “And in those little moments, bonds and memories that sometimes last a lifetime are formed,” she laments. “The “behind the scenes” moments are something I wish more people were aware of and took a little time to reflect and appreciate.” Although Villagomez has only been a nurse for five years, she graduated from Pittsuburg State University with her Bachelors of Science in Nursing, she has known healthcare was her calling in life since she was seven years old. “My four year old cousin was diagnosed with cancer, and lost his battle,” she says. “I was always in awe of how the entire family spoke of the wonderful staff and the impression was made on me then that “one person” could have a great impact on the day of another individual.” It just so happens to be that the “one person” who influenced her family so greatly turned out to be a nurse and Villagomez knew then, “I wanted to have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of others during one of their most vulnerable times in life, during illness.” She says her goal of being that “one person” comes with sadness, and
heartbreak, but it also comes with the joys of life and hope. “While my goal in nursing was to impact the lives of others, each and every patient I have touched has affected me with a greater magnitude than I ever could have imagined,” remarks Villagomez. “I have learned so much from being a listening ear that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.” As with most nurses, the hardest part of their job is not being able to “fix” everything for everyone. “Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to sit back, watch, and wait,” says Villagomez. “Each day in healthcare holds a silver lining; you just have to look for the signs of hope. And, some days, the silver linings are hard to find.” She says there are some days you walk away exhausted and defeated. But seeing the pain and suffering somehow reminds you to live life to its fullest. “You will never find a job more rewarding than choosing the career to be a nurse,” says Villagomez. “I have been blessed beyond words to have been a part of the various experiences and roles in my short five years in this field. Every day brings its own set of challenges, and keeps you on your toes. There is something in the field of nursing for everyone, you just have to be willing to lay the ground work and commit to being a life-long learner. Not a week goes by that I don’t have a new take-away from my current role as the Infection Prevention/Employee Health Nurse.”
Cheri Watkins RN, BSN Phoenix Home Care
With only two years of nursing under her belt, Cheri Watkins with Phoenix Home Care, has the history of great women influencing and guiding her decisions.
“I have learned since becoming a nurse, and I want to share with the world that we are more alike than different,” says Watkins. Her mentors include some of the greatest black women trailblazers in history, including Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth and Susie King Taylor. Those names might sound familiar because they were all recently chosen to be the new faces to grace the United States currency. Tubman, a very well known abolitionist, worked as a nurse and a cook in the Union Army and Susie King Taylor was the very first black Army nurse. Watkins says it was the care she received from the nurses and staff at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, where she was born and raised, that inspired her to become a nurse. And because the ways in which nurses can help patients and the jobs they can do are so vast and vary so widely, nurses will always be in high demand, according to Watkins. “My favorite part about being a nurse is documenting successful moments,”
says Watkins. “The worst part of nursing is forgetting self care.” She says a few of the things schools and health care organizations can do to recruit more nurses is to develop more programs focused on confidence building, test taking and leadership skills. That’s one of the things Crowder College does incredibly well according to its students and graduates, like Watkins. Crowder College also, during certain semesters, offers the accelerated nursing program. This is a fast-track curriculum where a student who already has a degree, could be eligible to get their nursing degree in as little time as two years. It was an elderly man who gave Watkins the highlight of her nursing career to date. And by highlight of course she means the most memorable funny moment. “The funniest thing that has happened to me as a nurse is that an octogenarian propositioned a kiss on the cheek on New Year’s Eve,” she laughs.
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Amanda Reasoner RN, BSN Cox Health
When you think about a nurse you might think they are there just to take a patient’s vital signs and give medications or help the doctor with paperwork. But Amanda Reasoner, a Registered Nurse at the Post Anesthesia Care Unit at Cox South in Springfield says most days her patients help her more than they will ever know. “I love what my patients teach me and share with me,” Reasoner says. “I have been given marriage advice from a man who was excited to make it to his 70th wedding anniversary. I’ve had terminal cancer patients tell me to travel the world and never take a single thing for granted.” Reasoner (who was actually just married a couple of weeks ago) started her nursing career just three short years ago, in 2013, after graduating from Missouri Southern State 40
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University and she says it was mainly her Aunt Melinda that inspired her to become a nurse. “I always liked talking with her about everything from anatomy and physiology classes, to nursing stories that she had,” says Reasoner. “Also, I’ve always enjoyed helping people with whatever it is they may need.” And Reasoner says nursing is so much more than helping people with their medical needs and if you want to get into the nursing field you really have to know what you are facing. “Nurses are so important, and it’s a physically and emotionally demanding career that takes a special person to be able to do it,” she says. “Yes, you might ‘always have a job,’ but the pay isn’t as great as most think. Most importantly, can you hold someone as they grieve? It’s so hard, but it’s so rewarding.” One of the worst parts Reasoner says is the unknown. She says not knowing how things turned out with a patient is sometimes difficult. “I always wish I could follow up with all my patients,” she says. “I wish I could congratulate them if they beat cancer, or send condolences if things unfortunately didn’t end the way they hoped. I still have patients that made such an impact on my life that I will think about from time to time.” But it’s not all bad Reasoner says. There are some really great aspects and even some funny incidents that make those tough days worth it. “I was in clinicals and a toddler stole my stethoscope and hit me with it,” she laughs. “They are quick. I now know to watch out for the kiddos!” Reasoner says nursing is such an amazing career and it has changed her life. “It opens your eyes to so much that you never imagined,” she says. “There have been days I come home and just cry, but other days I feel so blessed to be able to do what I do everyday.” If there is one thing she has learned since becoming a nurse that she could share with the world it would be that even on your “worst day,” someone else’s is always worse. “I used to get upset or worked up over the silliest things,” she says. “After some of the things I have seen in just three short years, I now stop and think…Is this really a big deal? Am I going to sound ridiculous complaining about this to someone else? “I can promise you, I’m usually just being sensitive or dramatic,” she laughs. She also says it’s important for nurses to be kind to their patients and their families. “You never know when you’ll be on their side of things.”
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Just Junkin’: “Re-CYCLE” Jewelry Local business creates jewelry from carbon-fiber bicycle frames By Amanda Stone Photography by Roger Nomer
Jon and Rachel Reed are bringing fresh meaning to the term “re-cycle.” The Reeds are the couple behind RideWear, which specializes in jewelry and accessories handmade from broken carbon-fiber bicycle frames. A business that relies on bicycles seems a natural next step in the couple’s relationship. The pair met through a shared interest in running and cycling. Now married for more than three years, cycling around town and on area trails with friends is a favorite pastime. There was a time, though, that a bicycle caused the couple some serious, albeit short-lived, heartache. Rachel’s beloved road bike was strapped to the roof of Jon’s
Rachel and Jon Reed showing off finished examples of their RideWear line.
car when he pulled into the garage. “The sound was like a shotgun going off. It was not a good day,” said Jon. The carbon-fiber frame was beyond repair. “He had my broken bike for a few days before he told me,” said Rachel, laughing. “He was trying to see if he could get it fixed.” It was so funny, there was just no way Jon could soften the blow by suggesting they make Rachel a pair of earrings from the broken frame; he was
Rachel Reed grins as she works on a piece of jewelry of carbon fiber from a broken bicycle frame.
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ready with the materials they would need. Rachel loved the idea, and RideWear was soon in the works. The Reeds share a passion for working with their hands; individual strengths fuel their RideWear partnership. Jon loves numbers and poring over spreadsheets, but at the same time enjoys working on and building cars and other largescale projects. Rachel’s background in architecture, illustration and graphics lends itself well to the intricate details of their work. “Rachel is really good at the fine designs and makes really beautiful earrings. I’m more like the guy that makes the table she’s working from. I like really big projects and she’s great at the finer details,” said Jon. Together, they are RideWear. Their method for creating one-of-akind earrings, as well as their product, has evolved with time. The Reeds admit they are learning along the way, and are completely self-taught. Making accessories from carbon-fiber wasn’t something that they could ask for advice on; it simply wasn’t being done. They’ve gone from experimenting in Jon’s parents’ garage with woodworking tools, to having a sleek set-up in their own living room, complete
Rachel Reed uses bike frames to create jewelry for the RideWear line of products.
with an air system that Jon built. After searching for an ideal drill bit that would leave a tiny, seamless hole in carbon-fiber, they stumbled upon bits meant for dental work. They proved perfect. Rachel’s self-taught skills, such as wire-wrapping and soldering, also added to the variety of pieces RideWear could produce. Carbon fiber is an incredibly strong, light material, therefore the pendants produced by RideWear are nearly weightless. Each pair is made with excruciating attention to detail, resulting in a finished product that is not only wearable art, but handmade with quality to last. Each piece is different, including earrings in a pair. “That’s just me and my quirky touch. I try to have a variety, from more matching to completely nonmatching. It’s impossible to have them exactly match just because of the bikes,” Rachel said. “The bikes already lend themselves to a unique pendant quality, but then I come in and have fun with them. Some people prefer something more symmetrical and some like to go funkier. We cover both.” Although they have a stack of broken bike frames in a rainbow of colors, they’re always looking for more.
“People think we’re crazy to buy broken bikes, but it makes sense when you think of it as us buying our raw materials,” said Rachel. The varying colors and thickness of the frames result in a diverse range of RideWear pieces, each named according to the bike from which they came. Newer bikes have lighter frames, with thinner walls of carbon-fiber. Older frames have thicker walls; it all plays a part in the process of cutting, sanding and drilling to prepare the frame for its transformation. The artistry and attention to detail
doesn’t end with the product itself. The earrings are packaged on a hand painted watercolor card, made by Rachel. Consumers who purchase from their website and have their items shipped will appreciate the attention to detail in their box, which is perfectly designed to hold their product. The Reeds give a portion of their sales to the nonprofit organization Trips for Kids. “We love that we get to have this creative outlet and do something of our own. It’s such a blessing. God has gifted us with this, and we want to give back out of that,” said Rachel. The couple ran across Trips for Kids when they were searching for a way to give back. They agreed that it was a perfect fit. “We ran across lots of non-profits giving bikes away, and that is so great, but we loved Trips for Kids because they work hands-on with kids, teaching and equipping them with skills to help further their lives. It’s based in California; part is a bike shop where they refurbish bikes to sell to fund their organization. Kids come in the shop and help work on bikes. They earn hours toward trips. It’s really cool and we’re so excited to contribute,” said Rachel.
Pieces of jewelry coming together, one small bit at a time.
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Scrubs Photography by Laurie Sisk
ds top, $27, Healing ; Edna in Premiere by Healing Han $13 nd, dba hea ded Ban ; Brian in and eisma pants, $32 $32 and Banded headband, $13 ts, pan ma eis Car , Anne in Careisma top, $30, Car $28 , top ma ts, $30. jacket, $32; Andrea in Careis py top, $27 and Code Happy pan Hap e Cod Hands pants, $31 and Careisma in ndy Ma ; .50 $35 atomy by Barco pants, Marvel top, $26 and Grey’s An
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Clothing and accessories provided by Freeman Health Essentials, 1130 E. 32nd Street
Nurse’s bag by Code Happy, $50; Brian in Grey’s Anatomy by
Barco top, $31.50 MAY • JUNE | JMAG
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Mandy in Green Label by Healing Hands jacket, $36
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Pet Tales:
Former Joplin couple’s business based on love for animals By Kevin McClintock
It all started with a Yorkie named Lily. Sherry Wemple had just lost her beloved Lily to cancer, and she had little to remind her of her darling other than a scattering of digital pictures. She approached an artist about commissioning a portrait of Lily based on one of those pictures, but the astronomical price he quoted forced her to back away from the idea. Luckily, her husband, Tim, was an accomplished artist, and he was able to bring Lily back to life through his artistic talents. But her experience got her to thinking: Surely she wasn’t the only pet owner out there who missed a beloved pet and longed for a professional portrait showcased on the bedroom wall? And surely such portraits could be rendered at a more affordable price? Thus, the seeds that would soon blossom into Andy’s Paw Prints were planted. “I wanted to create Andy’s Paw Prints because I saw the overwhelming need,” Wemple said. “I believed that (it) would be something that people would be interested in.” While volunteering her time at the Joplin Humane Society, she fell in love with the people working there and the pets they cared for. She saw what they did for the animals, and she wanted to personally add more to the cause than just sacrificing a number of hours each week. “I knew I had to do something that would help them even more,” she said. She approached shelter officials about the Andy’s Paw Prints idea — that she and Tim would commission pet portraits for the public, and the couple would then donate proceeds from each sale back to the shelter. The response they received was a universally enthusiastic thumbs up. On March 14, 2014, Andy’s Paw Prints was born. The “Andy” in the title is the name of a rescue terrier the couple adopted from the shelter’s kennels. Andy was one of hundreds of animals that survived the 2011 Joplin tornado. “I did not want to be the person who said I would love to do something but I can’t or don’t know how to,” Wemple said. “I wanted to impact the lives of animals and make a financial donation to the shelter every month. It takes a lot of money to run a shelter and care for all of 48
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the homeless animals.” Within days, the Joplin couple was creating and printing portraits of various pets — a grinning German shepherd, a soulful-eyed Siamese kitten, a dour-faced basset hound. “I have processed many orders and cried over how touching the stories are and how important a portrait will be to people,” Wemple said. “We have processed orders of military dogs and fallen K-9 heroes to everyday stories of families who love their pet and want a keepsake. “We receive a mixture of clients wanting a keepsake of a beloved pet that has passed away or pets that they are currently have or have recently adopted.” While the Joplin Humane Society was the very first animal shelter the couple gave money to, it certainly wasn’t the last. Today, they now partner with more than 200 animal welfare organizations nationwide. In total, they have donated nearly $25,000 to their various partners, including Joplin. That’s roughly 25 percent of the total cost donated to help animals in need. 50
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“Animals are a part of our everyday life,” she said. “Animals have always been very special to us, and our dogs are like our children. They are with us 24/7. We travel with them. They are with us when we are working, and we include them in our everyday lives.” Throughout the past two years, Andy’s Paw Prints has created 3,000 animal portraits. A vast majority of these, Wemple said, have been of dogs and cats, kittens and puppies. But there have also been portraits commissioned for ferrets, monkeys, a wolf, a lion, an elephant and a bearded dragon. Each portrait is based on a clean image of the animal. Blurry photos or pictures showing a dog with a stick in its snout simply won’t work. Ideal images are those that clearly show the animal’s eyes. “The eyes are the life of our artwork, and photos of the pet in natural lighting and at (their eye level) usually makes the best portraits,” Wemple said. It takes 24 to 72 hours for Sherry and Tim to complete a portrait. “All the portraits are created with Adobe Photoshop and/or
Illustrator. Tim has been working with Photoshop for about 20 years with his photography,” Wemple said. “Each style requires a different amount of time. A pop art digital illustration can have up to 40 different layers in Photoshop, and each one requires hand-painted eyes. The true-to-life digital paintings are a combination of Photoshop filters and hand painting. The other styles are a result of a lot of time experimenting with different plug-ins for Photoshop and
combining them in ways that Tim can get consistent results. “I would say,” Wemple said, “our most popular style is true-to-life digital painting with the pop-art digital illustration a close second.” The couple sold their Joplin home in 2015 and began traveling in an RV throughout the country. Because Andy’s Paw Prints is an online business, traveling hasn’t hurt their business. They ship their portraits worldwide.
“We love animals and know how important they are to us, and (we) make every effort to make that show in our work and customer service,” she said. Ultimately, “Our goal is to help make a difference in the lives of animals through our artwork,” she continued. “We are art with heart.” To learn more about this unique business or to commission a portrait, visit www. andyspawprints.com.
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❖ Clubhouse with resident events ❖ Dog walk area
Square Feet: 1,248 | Rent: $925/ Month Residents are responsible for electric, water and sewer bills. Trash removal is provided.
Want a tour?
Your pets are welcome too!
Give us a call to schedule! You can download an application at www.redwoodgardenestates.com MAY • JUNE | JMAG
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Day Trippin’: Grove, Oklahoma Written and photographed by Kevin McClintock
Roll out of bed, pour coffee to go and hop in the car — it’s time for a day trip across the Oklahoma border to the biggest body of water lying closest to Joplin: Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees. While Grove is a fairly small community (population less than 7,000 people), it seems much larger than that thanks in part, of course, to the lake and a number of superb attractions that can eat up a Saturday afternoon. Better yet, Grove sits less than an hour away from Southwest Missouri, making it an ideal day-trip destination. So grab your hat, jump into the backseat and hold on tight, folks! We’re traveling at a southwestern slant from Highway 43 in Missouri to Highways 60 and 10 before entering Grove from the less-populated eastern side. First stop — Har-Ber Village Museum 4404 W. 20th Road, Grove, Oklahoma 10 a.m. It’s a bit ironic that the two main places I wanted to visit for this story were found on the same road. In fact, you pass my second stop on your way to the first, so feel free to choose which one you want to visit first. If you do decide to go to Har-Ber first, don’t make the same mistake I did. Because I’m not all that familiar with Grove, I took Main Street south to E. 13th road (also known as Har-Ber Road), turning right (it runs by the Harps Food Store). The signage along this road for both attractions could be a bit better (hint hint city officials!), but in their defense, there is a sign that screams “HAR-BER VILLAGE” at the intersection of 13th Street and 595 Road. But instead of turning left onto 595 Road (which leads you to the village entrance), I continued straight forward, eventually turning left on 590 road and almost exiting a boat ramp into the green waters of Grand Lake! So be mindful of the correct turn-off. This was the first time I’d ever actually been inside Har-Ber Village, though I’d read about it and even written of it before. I was greatly impressed. I dubbed it “Silver Dollar City” but without the theme rides. From a historical standpoint, it may actually offer more historical examples than the larger Branson attraction, and I
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Time was important during work on the gallows.
came away with a hefty respect for those who lived in this area back in the 1800s. Har-Ber is, essentially, a 19th Century-era village frozen in time, lifted from its roots and shoved forward to modern times and dropped along the tranquil edge of Grand Lake. The village opened in 1968, and today it is the largest pioneerera village/historical museum of its type found anywhere in the Sooner State. There are more than 100 buildings in this village. Some are actual representations of their century-old counterparts — a bank, a drug store, a church, a post office, a school, etc. Others showcase specific items or trends from that era — mid-1800s clothing, for example; toys and dolls from that era; handheld tools; rifles, pistols, swords and knives; a grist mill; a carpenter shop; a very interesting Native American museum and a blacksmith shop. Antiques, collectibles and reproductions are scattered throughout the village. Depending on your time, a visit to see everything the village has to offer can be done as quickly as an hour or can last, literally, all day. The village was a gift to the general public by Harvey and Bernice Jones (Har-Ber) — there’s a monument to the founders along the drive right before you reach the parking lot. The two areas that stood out to me was the church and the schoolhouse. The church, located near the lake shores and shadowed by a 10-foot-tall statue of Jesus, was built with bricks hand-made prior to the Civil War. It is a peaceful place, this church — the very first of the buildings to be purchased by the Jones couple and brought to the village in western Grove. I stayed inside there, by myself, for a good 15 minutes or so, just listening to the soft church music being played inside the structure, while outside the birds sang in the trees above and the waves crashed against the shore below. The one-room schoolhouse was the third building relocated to the grounds from fields afar — some of the desks and school supplies found inside the building were found in the upper attic. From this beginning, one thing led to another until there were scores of wooden log structures erected on the grounds, each one housing its own unique display. Admission is $10 per adult, $7.50 for seniors and $5 for children ages 6-13.
The 10-foot tall, white marble statue of Jesus shadows the one-room church found near the shoreline of Grand Lake. The church was one of my personal favorite structures.
The interior of the oneroom schoolhouse — the desks are authentic from that era, and children learned their numbers and letters via hand-held chalk tablets.
Uncle Ned’s Barn and a privy are one of 100-plus buildings on display inside the mid-18th Century village.
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The front porch from Dr. Sisco’s office looking out across a portion of Har-Ber Village.
Har-Ber Village has some pretty famous people living inside it, including the famed seven Disney Dwarfs.
One of my favorite spots, the lush Oriental garden and Tea pavilion located near the back of the Gardens.
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Second stop — Lunch! The Café at Her-Ber Village 12:43 p.m. After walking through the village twice, stopping at every display and getting a pretty good workout (there are some semisteep hills to negotiate), I was ready for lunch. Lucky for me there is a cozy little cafe located on the premises. I’m a brisket connoisseur, and I almost ordered the smoked brisket sandwich ($7) and an order of potato salad ($2) when something else caught my eye. See, I’m a sucker for a tried-and-true grilled cheese sandwich. So that’s what I ordered, grilled cheese on Texas toast ($4). For my sides, I got the potato salad and a second side of War Eagle Cornbread ($1). It was delicious, and it perfectly hit the spot. Though they offered homemade desserts, I passed on it — not because of the price but because of my already-expansive waist line. I’m on a diet, folks. But the restaurant also offers hamburgers, a smoked bologna sandwich, all-beef hot dogs, salads and wraps.
Third stop — Lendonwood Gardens 1308 Har-Ber Road 1:23 p.m. Turning right back on to E. 13th Street and motoring east back toward Main, Lendonwood Gardens will pop up on your left-hand side. Like Har-Ber Village, this botanical garden is a must-stop and see. It’s by far the closest garden of its type to Joplin. For anything like it, you’ll have to motor to the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis or similar gardens in Springfield, Wichita, Kansas or Tulsa, Oklahoma. When you first enter the gardens, you’ll notice a red box to your right. This is where you place the entry fee — $5. I actually walked right past it without paying, and the two men at the entrance didn’t say anything to me (they are the ones who, if you request it, will give you a guided tour using a golf buggy). Knowing that I had read about the entry fee but expecting to find a pay booth, I went back to the two men and asked if I should pay them directly. They pointed me to the
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box. Just take a $5 or five $1 and slip them into the box. It’s a very small price to pay to witness such beauty spanning little more than eight acres of land. In all, there are more than 1,200 different plants and trees found here — all of them lovingly marked. Also included is one of the largest collections of cypress trees found anywhere in the United States. There’s also an amazing collection of rhododendrons, 25 dogwood species and 500 varieties of daylillies. Highlights include an Angel of Hope garden that surround a statue of an angel (in memory of all lost loved ones), an absolutely jaw-dropping gorgeous Oriental garden complete with a small fish-filled pond, and an Azalea garden, which bloomed back in April, with colors ranging from pink to lavender to red and white. Lendonwood is also a popular wedding destination.
Other places to visit in Grove: • Grand Lake = With more than 1,300 miles of shoreline, this manmade lake accommodates a wide range of water activities for the entire family, from power boats to cruises, from sailboats to water skiing. • Pensacola Dam (Located on the northeast side of Grand Lake): Hey, it’s a big dam, and not every community has one sitting just miles away. In fact, the Pensacola Dam is the longest multiple arch dam found anywhere in the world — its main span consisting of 51 arches totaling 5,145 feet (1,568 m) in length, and supporting a walkway and a narrow two-lane highway. Without the dam, there would be no Grand lake; without Grand Lake, Grove would not be the tourist paradise it’s known as today.
A tranquil waterfall.
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Gnomes peer out among the plants and flowers inside beautiful Lendonwood Gardens in Grove.
Flowers surround the Angel of Hope statue inside Lendonwood Gardens.
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Taste: Speaking frankly food blogger merges love of cooking with love of teaching Written and photographed by Kevin McClintock
If you really want to know just how rich and deep Frank Reiter’s food knowledge truly is, and how important he is to local food connoisseurs, just ask this long-time Joplin resident about garlic scapes. Garlic scapes, you ask? Yep, garlic scapes. Few people here in
Southwest Missouri knew what the heck these things even were around this time last year. At least not until Reiter began educating locals at the award-winning Webb City Farmers Market about these leafless stems that grow out of the garlic bulb. See, most farmers cut and cast aside these flower buds in the field. Reiter, however, knew that these cast-off buds tasted just like garlic when popped into the mouth, and could just as easily be used for garlic in almost any food dish. So during one of his popular, weekly demonstrations held at the market, he focused his attention on these garlic castoffs, making several dishes built around them. In other parts of America and the world, the scapes are a highly sought after item. Locals who were at the market that day and watched Reiter’s demonstration were intrigued by what they heard and, more importantly, tasted. “By the next Spring,” Reiter said, “all of the local farmers started bringing them
Frank Reiter does what he loves and does best — slicing up ingredients for a dish.
Slicing up mushrooms for his brown sauce. Notice the correct way he does this, by using the middle finger to steer the knife into the vegetable, and not into flesh.
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for sale to market. And every vendor who brought them from their farm sold out of them that day. That’s just another valueadded product for them that otherwise would have been a waste product. “But it is a fun thing I like to do on the side,” he continued. “I like to teach people. That’s why I do so many demos at the farmers market, I like to show people what they can do with all the fresh local produce and try to keep them from having to buy from the chain stores.” So you’re beginning to see just how valuable local farmers view Reiter and his instinctive knowledge concerning food, and how food serves as the connecting tissue to everything the man does. He’s a cook, working in a professional kitchen since he was 15 years of age and serving for a while at Joplin Holiday Inn as a lead line chef. He loves to educate people about food, which is why his ongoing demos at the Webb City Farmers Market are so popular. And he’s a biologist by trade,
It’s almost done — Frank Reiter’s German specialty, breaded Jägerschnitzel, and a pan of brown mushroom sauce ready to be popped atop a plate. While he loves Italian food (who doesn’t?), his favorite dishes are German, he said.
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scoring a degree on the subject from the University of Central Missouri State. Combine that with his many live television appearances on “Cooking With Carol” with Carol Parker over the years, and it’s easy to see why Reiter is one of the leading food critics found in the Four State. And we haven’t even touched on his blog yet, an endeavor that Reiter calls a “spigot to my mind pouring forth ideas on food, cooking, and drinks.” Launched in 2011, “Frank About Food” combines everything Reiter loves in his life – his love for cooking and his love in teaching people about food dishes and not-so-common food ingredients. It also showcases both his humble nature and good sense of humor. “I finally sat down and set up a page,” he said. He does a little bit of everything on the page: he posts his food recipes, he’ll sometimes critique a restaurant, review a local eatery’s most popular dishes; he’ll share videos of his Farmers Market demos or television bits. “One of the things I want to do this summer is a series on getting to know
your local farmer,” Reiter said. “I want to go out to their farm and talk about what they do…” The posts, he continued, would highlight who the farmers are, what they grow/raise, and even some insight into the farming practices they utilize in their business. “I’ll probably do one per week and maybe take videos of them at farm – asking them direct questions and finding out what they do.” Another new item he’d like to add to the blog is a farmer’s market guide, maybe zeroing in on two or three ingredients sold at a vendor’s tables (“especially the Asian tables,” he said) and dig into what those (ingredients) are, get some background information on them” and find out how be to use them in your cooking. “I like to find something unique and really highlight it,” he said. Just some of the items found on his blog include: • Reviews of a new micro-brewery in Joplin. • Traditional dish ideas for St. Patrick’s Day, Thanksgiving and Fourth of July.
• Sausage-encased hard-boiled eggs, breaded and baked or fried. Yum! • Numerous “Cooking with Carol” television appearances. • Several Webb City Farmer’s Market demos showcasing spring vegetables and goat cheese. • Recipes for Asian-inspired lettuce wraps. • A fun and amusing pizza blind taste test of four Joplin pizza restaurants. (The best overall pizza? Sorry. Read the blog to find out!) Reiter is very passionate about teaching people the differences in prepping a dish using fresh meats and vegetables compared to those bought from a brick and mortar supermarket. “My No. 1 goal is to (educate) people about what they’re buying from,” he said. “People always complain that it costs more to buy organic or farm-fresh foods, but that’s not true. This is (the farmers) livelihood. It’s quality food.” He talked about conducting a test with his 8-year-old son. He fried a store-bought
Jägerschnitzel and spätzel (soft egg noodles from southern Germany and Austria), with a glass of German beer. Bon Appétit!
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Frank Reiter talks about why local farmer’s markets are the best places to buy the freshest and healthiest foods.
egg. Next, he fried a farm-fresh egg. He had his son taste both. The son immediately pointed to the farmers market-bought egg as the better tasting of the two. “See,” he said. “You’re getting what you pay for.” Reiter did admit that some day he would like to own and operate his own food restaurant. In fact, he chuckled when that question eventually surfaced. “I get asked that question all the time,” he said. He made it clear that he wouldn’t quit his non-cooking job to work for someone else’s operation. “I don’t think I would like to be working for a restaurant that isn’t using my own menu,” he said. Furthermore, “the thing that is attractive to me right now is a food truck; not opening a brick and mortar building but pretty much containing everything I need in a single unit. Food trucks are really catching on around here. It’s something I’m thinking about.” But, like any professional cook, he said the best part of cooking isn’t making a dish for yourself. “It’s doing it for someone else,” he said. “Cooking should be shared.” To learn more about Frank, visit his blog at www.frankaboutfood.net. Be sure to also “like” his Facebook page and check out some videos on his Frank About Food You Tube channel.
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Scene Photography by Laurie Sisk
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Meet the ‘bad girls’ of Joplin Face it, good girls finish last. Why? Because nobody ever remembers the good girls; only the bad girls stand the test of time. While most cities are known for so-called bad boys — Jesse James and the James-Younger gang tied with both Kearney and Liberty, Missouri, for example, or serial killer duo Ray and Faye Copeland tied to tiny Mooresville — Joplin has deep ties with some rather famous bad girls. Some of these women did bad things because they were forced to, while others did bad things because they wanted to. Some of the famed “bad girls” that had Joplin connections include:
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Belle Starr, the hatchet-faced “Bandit Queen” born in Carthage, attended the Carthage Female Academy and became associated with a number of Missouri-born criminals, including Jesse James. She was ambushed and killed in 1880, and nobody was ever convicted of her murder, though some pointed fingers at the woman’s husband, her son and even her daughter.
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Bonnie Parker and Blanche Barrow helped place Joplin on the map after a 13-day stay inside a Joplin apartment on Oakridge Drive was abruptly ended in a huge shootout in March, 1933. In the aftermath, detective Harry McGinnis and Constable John Wesley Harryman were both killed by the gang. On the plus side, many items left behind by the gang after fleeing Joplin included rolls of film, including the now-legendary photo of Bonnie with her foot on a fender, pistol in her hand and cigar clamped in her mouth. These photos helped authorities hunt the duo down and kill them a year later.
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Zeo Zoe Wilkins married Joplin millionaire Thomas Cunningham — whose wealth was valued at $2 million in 1912 — and used her wit and sheer pluck to ensnare and steals hundreds of thousands of dollars from him and at least four other men — all of them married men. She eventually crossed the line into criminality and attempted murder. She was later beaten to death inside her Kansas City home; some say her killer was none other than her last lover, the son of Jesse James.
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Ma Barker, the mother and alleged leader of the Barker-Karpis Gang, which committed a spree of robberies, kidnappings and other crimes between 1931 and 1935. The woman lived for a time in Webb City, and was very protective of her children, one time famously marching down to the Joplin police station and ranted and raged until her incarcerated son was released. Historians now claim the popular image of Ma Barker as the gang’s leader was hogwash. Regardless, she was killed, along with her son, Fred, in Florida in 1935, following an hour-long gunfight with the FBI.
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Dorothy Lucille (Billy Tipton) was born the former but assumed the latter, dressing and acting like a man, to blend with other members of jazz bands, since career opportunities for women in jazz at the time were extremely limited. As Billy, she would go on to love and marry five different women and rear several adopted children — all the while keeping her sexual identity secret. Dorothy lived as Billy for nearly 50 years, and as a famous American jazz musician and bandleader, played several gigs in Joplin and briefly even lived here with one of her five wives. She actively concealed her female body by breast-binding and packing. She even kept her identity from her various wives by always dressing in private and preferring to touch, and not be touched, during moments of intimacy inside darkened bedrooms. She died in 1989. MAY • JUNE | JMAG
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Parting
Shot
Welcome Back Photography by Roger Nomer Rain clouds move in as the iconic Route 66 Motel, Boots Court, shines its neon lights last month in Carthage.
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