Connection May 2015

FREE HISTORY OF HERITAGE Waldensian Church shares archives through exhibit

HEROES COME IN ALL SIZES

Larger than life journey back to freedom

FLUFFY SALADS! Delicious dishes perfect for parties

Celebrating Mother’s Day Kerry Mattingly on motherhood, milestones and making lasting memories May is a perfect time for pampering

2015 CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 1 MAY 2015 A MAY magazine dedicated to Southwest Missourians

Opening in May! • Artisan Farmstead CHEESE • Fresh, bottled MILK

Serving the area communities since 1887

Edgewood Creamery 5888 Farm Road 1090 • Purdy, Mo. (One mile E. of Hwy. 37 on FR 2062)

417-236-4219 Owners: Charles & Melissa Fletcher

Willis• 417-847-3300 Insurance, Inc. | 800-556-2393

100 W. 7th Street, Cassville www.willisinsured.com

Bridgeway Plaza, Shell Knob

417-858-3747

MOW LIKE A

BOSS! We have Toro Walk-Behind and Zero-Turn Mowers.

Let us supply your lawn and garden needs!

Monett

sales parts service

RENTAL & SALES www.monettrental.com 417-236-0308 3 Miles East of Monett on Business 60 2 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

The Style You Want If you’re running out of space in your home, it’s time to talk with Morton about a new building. From basic storage buildings to garages that complement your home, Morton will work with you from concept through completion to ensure your project runs smoothly and results in a quality building.

Morton buildings are custom built to meet your needs and style. Working with your sales consultant, you can get exactly what you want and need in a building.

��� ���� �����������

417-235-7804 Monett Mo

©2012 Morton Buildings, Inc. All rights reserved. A listing of GC licenses available at mortonbuildings.com/licenses.aspx.

Reference Code 043.

������������ � ������������������� MAY 2015

MAY 2015 CONNECTION MAGAZINE

Contents 8 Mother’s Day Pampering

13 Giving back Dale and Janice McCracken always make time for their community 16 The worst day of the year 33 History of heritage Waldensian Church shares archives through exhibit 40 Heroes come in all sizes Larger than life journey back to freedom

n

CONNECTION LIVING

6 Proud Parent cutest kid 20 Cancer FREE 26 Green Acres Gal My life has gone to the dogs 27 Connection’s Cutest Pet 29 Young writers Imagination

n

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

30 On the spot with Kerry Mattingly 49 My Connection 52 Familiar Faces

n

CONNECTION FOOD

38 Healthy Connection A full-spectrum diet 44 Recipes Fluffy salads 47 Bottles and Brews Mimosas for Mom

MAY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 3

Connection

AlwAys

Defining exciting &

A MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO SOUTHWEST MISSOURIANS

UniqUe

PUBLISHER Jacob Brower jwbrower@yahoo.com EDITOR Sherry Tucker thorntonlives@gmail.com ART DIRECTOR Veronica Zucca connection@monett-times.com

416 Broadway, Downtown Monett

417-235-7622

ADVERTISING MANAGER Lisa Craft community@monett-times.com

OIL CHANGE ANY MAKE OR MODEL

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Sheila Harris James Craig Marion Chrysler CONTRIBUTORS Murray Bishoff Meagan Ruffing Nancy Ridgley Darlene Wierman Sheila Harris Susan Funkhouser Pam Wormington Amanda Reese Anne Angle Layne Sleeth Dori Thomas Katrina Hine Kim McCully-Mobley Brad Stillwell Melonie Roberts

As Low As s12 49* Each i Can’t find

that perfeCt new or used vehiCle?

let us find it for you!

We have a huge network of trading and special purchase partners assisting us with finding you the right vehicle, at the right price, and fast!

Call us today or submit the CarFinder form at http://www.gocountrydodge.com/.

Let us do the work!

Full Service Oil change including Oil, Filter and multi-pOint check up.

*RequiRes puRchase of Buy 1 Get the Next 3 fRee MaiNteNaNce plaN at $49.95. $49.95/4 = $12.49 each. 5 quaRts of oil. Diesels, eNGiNes RequiRiNG aDDitioNal quaRts of oil, aND syNthetics hiGheR. see DealeR foR coMplete Details. offeR suBject to chaNGe without Notice. while supplies last.

www.gocountrydodge.com hwy 37 south | Cassville | 417-847-2137 4 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPHERS Chuck Nickle Jeff Terry Rob Lotufo DISTRIBUTION Greg Gilliam Kevin Funcannon TO ADVERTISE 417-847-2610 - Cassville 417-235-3135 - Monett Send e-mail inquiries to thorntonlives@gmail.com Mailing address: P.O. Box 486, Cassville, MO 65625 Connection is published monthly and distributed free in Cassville, Monett, Exeter, Washburn, Pierce City, Mt. Vernon, Aurora, Verona, Roaring River, Eagle Rock, Shell Knob, Purdy, Wheaton, Freistatt, Marionville, Seligman, Golden and other surrounding areas.

Connection is a publication of the Cassville Democrat, The Monett Times and Rust Communications.

MAY 2015

E

Editor’s note M

ay is here and the children are counting down the days till the end of the school-year. The official beginning of summer is almost upon us. With that in mind, I encourage all of our readers to take photos when you head to the lake. In July we will do a special reader submitted photo section featuring “lake life.” Part of the enchantment of living in our beautiful area are the tranquil lakes. Whether on a boat, skiing, fishing, camping or just enjoying a family cookout, lake life is a fun part of our summers. Send your photos to connection@monett-times.com.

Congratulations to all the high school seniors getting ready to walk through their school hallways for the last time. It’s a great achievement and a transition toward adulthood.

It’s an exciting time, but it’s sometimes hard on moms. Kerry Mattingly, who can be described as a pretty typical mother and featured in this month’s On the Spot interview, shares her mixed emotions about her daughter’s senior year, and the graduation day. While being a great celebration, is also going to be very emotional as she sees a goal met after 13 years of school. It’s a day that brings together all the childhood memories, goals and hard lessons, from learning to read, to passing the driver’s test...and the door opens to life as an adult.

In this month’s issue, Connection writers helped share stories that can be hard to tell. I hope reading them will bring some enlightenment and encouragement. Among those are several stories of women, and about mothers – and whether or not you are a mother...we all have a mother. Another story, shared by Katrina Hine, is an account from a soldier of WWII. Reading of his horrific experiences puts current events in perspective, and is a reminder of that era of personal sacrifice for our country’s sake. Thank you to all the men and women who now serve, or have served, our country.

On the cover:

Mom, Kerry Mattingly with daughter, Logan, are preparing for the long awaited senior graduation. Read this month’s “On the Spot” to see how this big milestone is affecting Kerry, and what she is doing to help prepare Logan for her future.

Photo by Veronica Zucca

Take care now,

Sherry Tucker Do you have an interesting story you’d like to see featured in Connection? I’d love to hear your idea! Email thorntonlives@gmail.com and share it with me!

MAY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 5

6 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

MAY 2015

Proud Parent Cutest Kid Contest

O Lyndsie VanDerhoef is the 4-year-old daughter of

Dan and Leilani VanDerhoef.

She is May’s cutest kid.

Congrats, Lyndsie!

Are you a proud parent?

If so, take this opportunity to show off that cute kid of yours.

We invite you to share a photo of your child to be featured in Connection’s very own proud parent cutest kid contest.

Email your child’s photo to connection@monett-times. com. Photos should be sent in the original JPG format at the highest resolution possible.

Remember to include your child’s name, parent’s name, age, city and your contact information. The contest is open to children ages 10 and under. The photos submitted will be used for the sole MAY 2015 purpose of this contest.

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 7

PERFEC

May is just for some Mother’s Day pampering STORY AND PHOTOS BY KIM MCCULLY-MOBLEY

P

8 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

erfect Images’ Melissa Essary started cosmetology school at the age of 17.

It was something she had dreamed of doing since she was a young girl – growing up in the hills and hollows of Stone County, near Galena. She had encountered lots of practice in cutting and fixing the hair of her sister’s dolls. She cared too much about her own dolls to use her own, though. Ironically, those childhood stunts paid off as Perfect Images salons in Monett and Aurora are busy, successful salons, six days a week.

The smells of beauty (hair spray, shampoo and perms) permeate the air as one customer heads to the back for a facial, while another rests in the spa chair for a pedicure. The door chimes a greeting as the phone rings. An older gentleman needs a trim. A local businesswoman needs a cut and color. A little blonde toddler grasps a sucker. A local teacher leans back in the chair to get her eyebrows waxed.

“Perfect Images. This is Melissa. How can I help you?” says the dark-haired beauty behind the counter.

In 1993, at the age of 24, Melissa decided to open the doors to her own salon.

She had a five-year-old son and a baby daughter. The first year found her renting a building in a strip mall. She knew right away she wanted more…she wanted a place of her own to literally, “grow a business” to offer numerous services to a wider range of customers. So, in 1994, she plunged forward as she and her husband, Brian, purchased the building at 23 W. Church Street in Aurora.

“The night we closed on the building, I sat on the floor and cried,” she said. The emotions turning over in her heart and mind involved fear, anxiety, excitement and worry. The building needed a total transformation and a ton of elbow grease.

MAY 2015

ECT

It needed some patience, work and tender loving care. Ironically, she has been giving her clients that same attention to detail through the years, as well.

Soon, renovations were in full swing.

In 21 years, they have updated the facility and added over 500 square feet in Aurora.

The Aurora facility grew from two stylists to nine. The Aurora salon also boasts two nail technicians and two aestheticians. A second facility has been in place in Monett for 19 years. For 12 of those years, Melissa rented a building in a strip mall. In 2008, she built a salon at 200 Hess Drive. Jenni Dalton is the manager in Monett and has been with Melissa since the salon opened.

MOTHER-DAUGHTER DUO CARRIE BOATWRIGHT AND MELISSA ESSARY ENJOY TRAVELING WITH THE OTHER PERFECT IMAGES EMPLOYEES TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST TRENDS AND TECHNIQUES.

It’s not just a HAIR AFFAIR

MELISSA ESSARY IS THE OWNER/MANAGER OF PERFECT IMAGES SALONS IN BOTH AURORA AND MONETT.

Those wanting some extra pampering during the month of May (or any time) should call 417678-5850 in Aurora and 417-235-4247 in Monett.

MAY 2015

Services offered at both locations include: complete hair for men, women and children; foiling and coloring technique specialization, massage, customized facials, waxing, tanning, teeth whitening, hair extensions, spa pedicures, spa manicures, acrylic nails and shellac nails.

She supervises a total of 22 employees now at both locations.

She has watched them grow in their areas of expertise. She has also watched them grow as colleagues, friends and family members. That sister whose dolls she used to trim their hair now works for her and has for 19 years. That toddler daughter (Carrie Boatwright), who used to play in her playpen in the floor, while the adults painted, cleaned and remodeled, is also a licensed cosmetologist—having started as an apprentice when she was a junior in high school.

All employees undergo 12 weeks of training and are given regular opportunities at additional training and techniques to meet the growing needs of today’s customers. They laugh, cry and celebrate together.

Customers become family at Perfect Images, as well. Whether the clients are in Aurora or Monett, they are treated with courtesy, respect and love when they walk through the doors.

“I also feel I speak for all our staff when I say that we also have many customers that are not just customers, they are like family. In our industry, we are closely connected with our customers, we’ve celebrated in the special events in their lives such as first haircuts on their babies, doing prom styles, helping with the hair and makeup for wedding parties, etc.

But, unfortunately we have also mourned with them during their loss of loved ones or lifechanging events. With that said, I’ve personally experienced great support from customers, friends and employees during loss and difficult times,” explained Melissa.

Roots in culture, progress and pride

She expressed her deep appreciation to her employees, family, customers and friends as she has grown both businesses in two strong communities – rooted in culture, progress and pride. Special appreciation is given tearfully to her sister, her daughter and husband, Brian. Brian is her built-in carpenter and construction consultant. He is also always willing to pick-up or deliver needed supplies.

“I love the salon industry and everything that comes with the forever-changing styles and techniques. I can’t imagine life without it or somehow being connected with it in some way. I know the day will come when I will need to exit from behind the chair. But, for now, I’m here and hope to grow more great stylists and offer our customers the best products, the best services and the best techniques,” she concluded with a grin. Then it was back off to work as the doorbell chimed and another customer walked through the door. n CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 9

It’s your world.

Read all about Renew your subscription to Connection, southwest it your way... most popular magazine

from the comfort of your home.

Have Connection delivered right to your doorstep for $40 a year.

Thank you for subscribing to Connection. Your subscription will expire next month. If you wish to continue receiving Connection by mail, please send in your check with the accompanying subscription request.

We appreciate your support of Connection, and we hope you look forward to receiving and reading the magazine each month. If you have any suggestions or feedback you would like to share, please don’t hesitate to contact me at editor@monett-times.com.

Sincerely,

Connection magazine will continue to be offered free to anyone in our distribution area.

Lisa Schlichtman Connection editor

Connection magazine will continue to be offered free to anyone in our distribution area.

Please fill out the attached subscription form. Send the form along with a check payable to The Monett Times, a money order for $40 or your credit card information to P.O. Box 40, Monett, MO 65708. or P.O. Box 486, Cassville, MO 65625

Name __________________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________________ City_____________________________________ State ________ Zip ______________ Phone __________________________________________________________________ I have enclosed $40 by check (check number _____ ) for a one-year subscription to Connection magazine.

I have enclosed $40 by money order for a one-year subscription to Connection magazine.

I have enclosed credit card information to be billed $40 for a one-year subscription to Connection magazine.

Card # _____________________________________ Exp. Date _____________

10 | ConneCtion CONNECTION MAGAZINE auguSt 2013 36 Magazine

Please fill ou form. Send t payable to M for $40 or yo P.O. Box 40,

MAY 2015 ConneCtion Magazine | 53 February 2014

Con P.O. Box

Toll Free: 87

Missing Teeth?

Loose Dentures?

We have the solution!

on

The HOME TURF advanTagE! $500 Rebate Pioneer E & S Lazer Z E April 1 – May 31

west Missouri’s

Mini implants can replace missing teeth or secure loose fitting dentures for a fraction of what they used to cost!!

Call today for your FREE consultation!

Crane Family Dentistry

204 North Commerce • Crane, Missouri

417-723-1723

www.cranefamilydentistry.com *Implantology is a specialty area not recognized by the ADA that requires no specific educational training to advertise this service.

www.exmark.com 0% interest for 48 months, WAC

Swartz Tractor Sales & Service “Your #1 Tractor Repair Service in the Four State Area!”

12483 Hwy. 59 • Neosho (5 1/2 Miles East of Walmart)

417.451.2224 • 417.850.7572

Not only do our equipment, warranties and services exceed industry standards,

so do we.

With over 60 years of combined experience, our reputation speaks for itself.

Our technicians receive the highest level of training to provide you with the quality service you deserve. We use the best computer technology to secure and better serve our customers by providing better information, faster service and more consistent quality.

ease fill out the attached subscription m. Send the form along with a check yable to Monett Times, money order $40 or your credit card information to O. Box 40, Monett, MO 65708.

s ’ n e K

AvAilAble for WeDDiNGS

CHURCH SERVICES:

712 W. 10th St. • Cassville, MO 65625 417-847-1200 • 800-900-1593 Cell: 417-846-5252 • Fax 417-847-1600

Connection

P.O. Box 40 • Monett, MO 65708

MAY 2015 oll Free: 877.403.6397 • 877.752.9275

www.kenscollisioncenter.com

Sunday School: 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Sunday Service: 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

22653 Farm Rd. 1150. Verona, MO

417-498-6511

Non denominational • Rev. Charles Bahn

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 11

New Patient Special Free Dental Exam and X-rays

Available at

Nerium AD Brand Partner www.kayepilkenton.nerium.com 123 Madison, Downtown Aurora

417-678-4462

Exclusive Dealer For Amazing Hoops

Open Mon-Sat at 10 a.m.

Pierce City, MO. 417-737-0430 hillcreeklodge.com info@hillcreeklodge.com

Dale A. Kunkel, DDS and Associates 2 Convenient Locations 825 Hwy 60, Ste. H • Monett, MO 65708 P. 417-635-1173 • F. 417-635-1174 2040 LaQuesta Dr • Neosho, MO 64858 P. 417-451-1566 • F. 417-451-5262

4statesdentalcare.com You don't have to pay to find out what's wrong…

Only to fix it!

Wrongful Death • Personal Injury • Auto Accidents Tractor Trailer Accidents • Domestic Relations • Criminal Law • Family Law • Adoptions • Guardianships

Free consultation

Law office of

J.Michael Riehn In practice for over 25 years 301 W 8th St, Cassville, MO 65625

Hablamos Espanol 12 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

417-847-1339

The choice of a Lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements

MAY 2015

A home town couple gives back

DALE AND JANICE MCCRACKEN ALWAYS MAKE TIME FOR THEIR COMMUNITY

STORY AND PHOTOS BY BECKIE PETERSON

Thanks for coming.”

“

With those well-known closing words, Dale “Gizmo” McCracken finishes his act, takes off his clown makeup, and after loading their trailer, he and his wife, Janice, head either to their next rodeo event, or to their beautiful home outside of Fairview.

For 38 years, Dale has been traveling the rodeo circuit, first as a bullfighter and later as a specialty comedy act. He first started at age 15 and realized that comedy was an area that he loved. Over the years, he has built a show that is well known, has a variety of acts and is family friendly. “You need to keep it family friendly, to help people forget about their problems, and have fun. They don’t ever have to worry about what I’m gonna do,” stated Dale.

MAY 2015

Dale is most known for his ambulance act and his shrinking machine, and in 2014, he was nominated for Comedy Act of the Year. But his greatest accomplishment comes outside of the rodeo arena. “If I had to name my greatest accomplishments, it would be being saved by my Lord and Savior – then Janice, my girls and my grandchildren,” shared Dale. “Family is the most important thing. Second is making a living doing what you love. If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.”

Janice stated that in the rodeo life, the greatest accomplishment is working the National Finals Rodeo, in which Dale has been a featured act. They work 40-45 rodeos each year, with around 200 total CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 13

performances. They travel all over the United States, and have even performed in Canada. But at the end of the day, there is nowhere that makes them happier than being home. “My favorite place to be, is on the front porch,” added Dale. “We don’t have to set an alarm clock, and we can play with the grandkids.” Dale and Janice have two daughters, Miranda and Cassie, and four grandchildren, Jaylen, Bronc, Brimley and Raeley.

“If my girls have to decide on something to keep my memory alive, I want it to be to keep the pink walk going.”

– Janice McCracken But for all the traveling, and the fame, Dale and Janice admit to being a home town couple. Over the years they have owned several businesses in Wheaton, the town where they grew up. “It was in my heart to help my community, and bring something back home,” stated Dale. They built an Event Center, and brought several events to town, including a circus, concerts and the rodeo. But one of his biggest blessings was the Big God events. “When we owned the event center, we felt called to do some sort of Jesus Crusade,” shared Dale. What came about was Big God across the Ozarks, and in the first three years of the event over 1,500 people made decisions for Christ.

Over the years they have also been active in the Wheaton Historical Society, the Community Club, organized an Easter egg hunt for local kids, the Train Depot project and each year they sponsor the Spud McCracken horseshoe pitching contest, in honor of Dale’s brother Carl “Spud” McCracken.

But a downturn in the economy led to a loss of the businesses, and they went through a bankruptcy and a major life change. “I felt like I was doing what God wanted us to do,” said Dale. “But I wasn’t what I needed to be. My relationship with God had gotten to be more like dating, talking to Him just once in a while.” He went on to add that after things fell apart, and he got his priorities in line, God began putting it back together, and restoring them. “He showed us the desires of our heart that we never even knew we wanted,” Dale added.

14 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

Power of Pink walk form can be found at www.gizmomccracken.com.

The walk is held on the Saturday before Mother’s Day at the Wheaton City Park.

JANICE HAS A PASSION FOR THOSE BATTLING BREAST CANCER Janice, while being fully involved in the rodeo career she shares with her husband, is also very passionate about helping women who are battling breast cancer.

During the time that they had the Event Center, she started raising money with the Power of Pink events. At the rodeos they sold a variety of products, including T-shirts and wrist bands and were able to give $1,000 each to two local women with breast cancer. The next year she started the Power of Pink 5k walk/run. The walk is

held on the Saturday before Mother’s Day at the Wheaton City Park. When asked why she chose that weekend for the annual walk, Janice stated, “It’s to honor Moms.

You have more families together on that weekend, and I think it’s an awesome thing for a mother and daughter to do, to spend the morning before Mother’s Day, walking together, for Breast Cancer.”

Over the five previous years of the Power of Pink events, Janice stated that 12 women have been helped, with a total of MAY 2015

would not be guaranteed a T-shirt the day of the walk. Shirts ordered after the deadline would cost an extra $6, which would include shipping them to the participant.

“We get a lot of support for the walk,” stated Janice. “We help someone, the money doesn’t go to an organization. It goes directly to someone who needs help.”

Several local people donate time to help organize the shirts, sign in the walkers, hand out water and serve snacks. Janice’s father Lawrence Ridenour, travels the route on a golf cart, handing out water, and giving

rides to anyone unable to finish the route.

Their daughters, Cassie and Miranda, spend countless hours helping with the event as well, knowing that it is something important to their mother. “When I am gone,” Janice shared, “if my girls have to decide on something to keep my memory alive, I want it to be to keep the pink walk going.”

“It’s fun to help people,” stated Dale. “God tells us to give. And you can’t out-give God. So, when you give to people, you’re giving to God.” “Nothing is more exciting than giving those checks out,” agreed Janice.

LIVING THEIR FAITH THROUGH SONGS The latest project that Dale and Janice have going is the release of their first gospel CD, entitled “Sunday’s Coming.” They visit several churches, both locally and Cowboy Churches out on the road, and are often asked to sing and share their testimonies.

something they can listen to. We pray over them a lot.”

When asked how they chose the songs on the CD, Janice stated, “These were the songs that brought us through the hard times.” Dale went on to share that the title has a very profound meaning. “Friday was a terrible day, but Sunday’s coming.

Better days are coming, we had a way out,” he stated. “No matter what you’re going through, tough times, or bad relationships, better times are coming.”

“It was in my heart to help my community, and bring something back home.”

– Dale McCracken

$35,000 being raised. Each year, 200-300 people sign up, with more showing up the day of the walk. “Some people sign up, but don’t walk,” admitted Janice, adding that they just want to contribute. Every person who pre-enrolls receives a commemorative T-shirt. There is also a separate shirt for cancer survivors, who are honored at the beginning of each walk. Local businesses donate funds to help pay for the T-shirts so that every dollar brought in by the entrants goes directly to the women being helped.

The 2015 Power of Pink walk will raise money for Megan Knox and Amy Graham.

Janice added that anyone who missed the deadline of May 1 can still participate, but MAY 2015

“People kept asking us to put out a CD. The Lord showed us that with the cowboy churches, and the people we know through the rodeo, that they might buy a CD of ours because of who we are in the industry,” shared Dale. “It helps extend our ministry.

When we sing somewhere, we can leave

Dale and Janice had much to say about following their dreams, and for anyone who has big dreams to follow. “Never give up,” shared Janice.

“Make sure your dream is lined up with what God wants you to do. Pray about your dream a lot and when you start living your dream, keep your eyes on Him,” replied Dale.

“When you are down, and nowhere to look but up, He has your full attention,” added Janice.

LIVING IT OUT With 38 years of comedy under his belt, Dale stated that he isn’t anywhere close to quitting, but he did admit that should his rodeo act end, he felt that they would still have their singing. Janice admitted, “If you mention Dale McCracken, very few people know who that is, but if you mention Gizmo, then people are like, ‘Oh, we know him.’” With being so well

known within the rodeo industry, it would be very easy to lose sight of your roots, but Dale stated that it was his family that keep him grounded.

“Knowing what we have and Who gives it to us, keeps us grounded,” responded Janice. “What we have, God gave us. Keeping our faith in Christ is important.” n CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 15

The worst day of the year

Wooing the stork

BY SUSAN FUNKHOUSER

Mother.

Perhaps no more powerful word exists in the English language. A child frightened by a dream cries it out into the darkness, a soldier returning from an overseas tenure shouts it joyously across a crowded airport, a pair of dying lips, thirsty for the peace and comfort only found in the arms of that one, special woman, whispers it with a final breath, “Mother.”

History tells us of mothers both famous and infamous. It proves their influence. It lends credence to William Ross Wallace’s poetic assertion that, “The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.” One such historically venerated mother bore a daughter in the closing years of the American Civil War. According to historian Katherine Lane Anatolini, Ann Reeves Jarvis was a social activist in our nation’s most turbulent and divided era. As the battles raged on the home front, Ann organized Mothers’ Day Work Clubs to teach the suddenly single mothers of West Virginia how to care and provide for their children. After the fighting ceased she applied a mother’s love to healing the great rift among the American people. According to an article on the History Channel website Ann Reeves Jarvis hosted Mothers’ Friendship Day in 1868, bringing together Union and Confederate soldiers, along with their mothers, to promote reconciliation. In the midst of her tireless work Ann bore a namesake daughter, Anna Marie Jarvis.

Little Anna developed an early admiration for the phenomenal woman who gave her life and love. As a twelve-year-old, Anna heard her mother offer a closing Sunday school prayer that would shape the course of her life. The elder Jarvis intoned, “I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mothers day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. She is entitled to it.”

In 1908, three years after her mother’s death, Anna Jarvis assisted God in answering her mother’s prayer. She organized the first Mother’s Day at a local Methodist church, to honor the sacrifices all mothers make for their children. Anna received financial backing from John Wanamaker, a prominent Philadelphia department store owner, who hosted an honorary event for mothers at his store. Inspired by this first success, Anna Jarvis spent the next several years of her life working for the inclusion of Mother’s Day on the national calendar of holidays. Anna Reeves Jarvis surely smiled down upon her daughter in 1914, when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Mother’s Day a national holiday.

Anna Jarvis gave birth to the day we celebrate this month, a day set aside to pay homage to the beautiful women who give so much of themselves to their families.

Unintentionally, she also created what many women consider the worst day of the year.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 11 percent of women aged 15-44 have difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a child to term, but that’s just a number.

Please allow me to give you a name. Let me introduce you to a person in whose chest beats a mother’s heart, but whose womb cannot bring forth life. Her name is Erin.

16 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

John and Erin Morlan began their quest to have a baby shortly after they wed.

Erin recalls, “We stopped ‘trying not to have a baby’ pretty early in our marriage.

After a couple of years, we started actively trying to conceive. After more than a year of no results, we started underwent various fertility-related tests. Eventually, I was diagnosed with endometriosis. I underwent two surgeries to address that issue, followed by more attempts at natural conception. Eventually we decided to try in-vitro fertilization (IVF). We underwent six unsuccessful rounds of IVF over the course of about two years. Last fall I underwent a full hysterectomy due to complications from my Endometriosis.

The whole process, from casually trying to conceive to completely giving up hope, was about a decade long for us.”

As a child of the God who embraces little ones in every sense of the word, infertility baffles me. Why on earth would God withhold the blessing of motherhood to a woman like Erin, who seems so perfectly suited to it? Erin notes, “I’ve always wanted to be a mom. I’ve loved children since I was a small child. I’ve only ever dreamed of being a wife and mother.

I love kids, and taking care of them has always come naturally to me.”

Although God’s decision in the matter is a mystery to Erin, her faith remains intact. “I haven’t actually felt angry with God. Not that I consider myself above feeling that way, it’s just not something I personally went through.

Rather, I have felt confused by God.”

Erin is a far stronger believer than I. I, too, am confused by God’s choice in the matter, but my mystification often turns to anger. John and Erin would be amazing parents. I’ve known and loved them for years. Full of faith, unwavering commitment to family and barrels of fun, the Morlans are fully capable of blessing the world with MAY 2015

children that will change it for the better.

I often remind God of these truths when I read about parents who chain their children to bedposts after beating them senseless or sell them into sexual slavery. God just doesn’t make sense sometimes. He has the power to fix it, and He should. My selfrighteous attitude is dangerous. I know this from experience. It often leads me to try to

“fix it” myself. Anybody else suffer from Savior Syndrome? I thought so.

That’s why I asked Erin to share her experiences with infertility and to school us on how best to understand the pain that infertile women experience on Mother’s Day and how best to help.

The kid question

Soon after marriage Erin, like most young women, observed a shift in her family and friends’ well-intentioned questioning. Instead of, “Are you seeing anyone special?” or “Have you set a date?” she encountered investigations into her family planning. Erin shares, “Before people knew we were going through infertility, we got a lot of ‘When are you going to have a kid?’ or ‘Why don’t you have kids yet?’ I’m trying to think of any scenario where those are appropriate questions and I can’t come up with one. It’s very personal stuff that usually has a pretty complicated answer, yet a lot of people ask those questions as casually as, ‘How ‘bout this weather?’

“Once people began to realize we were dealing with infertility, their instinct shifted from asking why we didn’t have kids to trying to solve the problem. ‘Have you tried X-Y-Z?’ is almost always a well-intentioned question, but rarely helpful. The worst response for me, personally, was any version of ‘Well, there’s always adoption!’ That’s like telling someone who is terminally ill, ‘Well, there’s always the afterlife!’ I can see why people think that might be comforting, but trust me it’s not. I’m not against adoption as an alternative to conception (or against the afterlife as an alternative to the life I’m living now), but they are different things with different motivations and emotions attached.”

On home remedies

A simple Google search gives birth to a veritable plethora of old wives’ tales and infertility home remedies.

Supposedly, standing on one’s head after intercourse aides in conception, as does the consumption of hot sauce, raw eggs, grapefruit juice and a Chinese herb called Dong Quai. Erin received several such pieces of well-meaning advice, but one was particularly cruel. “I had a couple people offer old wives’ tales, mostly that I MAY 2015

needed to rid myself of some sin in order to become pregnant. This was very rare though.”

Well-meaning though they may be, offered “solutions” rarely help. Erin notes, “I think the best thing friends and family can do is recognize that there isn’t much they can do. People going through infertility get plenty of advice, suggestions, and stories of what worked for someone else. I don’t think there is such a thing as blanket

advice that applies to every situation or every personality. Because it is such a personal process, the advice I’d offer to the friends and family of people going through infertility is to let it remain personal. If they’re like me, all they want is some normal time with their friends and family without having to think about infertility for a while.

The most refreshing thing people did for me was say ‘That sucks’ and then move on with normal conversation.”

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 17

Every day is Children’s Day

According to Erin, Mother’s Day isn’t the only difficult day for women experiencing infertility. “Any holiday or kid-centric occasion can be difficult.” What does she recommend for people who want to ease the pain of Christmas, birthday parties, Halloween, baby showers, kids’ programs at church and others? “The easiest and most effective way for people to make those occasions less difficult is simply to act normal. I’m at my worst when I can sense I am being pitied, coddled, singled out, or otherwise treated differently. As long as people aren’t behaving strangely around me, I am usually okay.”

Managing Mother’s Day

While Erin celebrates the love and impact of two precious women in her life on Mother’s Day – her mother, Jenny, and her mother-in-law, Donna – the day is still filled with pain. “Mother’s Day is hard – that’s the thing I wish people understood – the fact that Mother’s Day is an awkward day for a lot of women, and not just for those of us who can’t have kids, but those who have chosen not to, those whose mothers have died, those who don’t have good relationships with their mothers or their

children, etc. The natural tendency is for people to assume it’s a happy day for all women, and it really isn’t.”

In addition to making a concerted effort to understand and acknowledge the heartbreak of Mother’s Day for many women, showing genuine friendship is also a priceless gift. Such support involves accepting an infertile woman’s absence at a Mother’s Day social or church service without expectation of explanation, treating her as a friend and loved one instead of a childless woman to be

{ } Erin invites women struggling with infertility and considering IVF to email her for information and support at erinmomail@gmail.com.

pitied and being the truest kind of friend – one with open ears and a closed mouth. Erin notes, “The people that were the most helpful to me were people who were willing to listen if I needed to vent, but didn’t feel compelled to offer inspiration or advice. I also found a lot of comfort in people who understood the gravity of the situation but could also find the humor in it and lighten the mood. When you’re going through any difficult time, it’s nice to have someone who understands that not all problems have a solution.”

A final word on the founding mother

Mother’s Day became a source of extreme bitterness for its founder, Anna Jarvis, in her later years of life. As commercialism overtook the Mother’s Day celebration in the 1920s, Anna railed against what the day had become. “A printed card means nothing except that you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world. And candy! You take a box to Mother—and then eat most of it yourself. A pretty sentiment.” According to the History Channel article, she launched a crusade against those who profited from Mother’s Day, even filing lawsuits against the use of the title and draining her personal savings in the process. All these historical evidences point toward her hatred of commercialism as the source of Anna’s unhappiness, but perhaps a more personal explanation exists. As she battled against florists, confectioners and card companies Anna may have fought a war of the soul similar to the one Erin faces each second Sunday in May, for the founder of Mother’s Day never became a mother.

Anna Jarvis’s personal struggle with Mother’s Day misery may or may not have occurred, but for Erin and others like her it is reality to be accepted. “I’m still working to find peace. I’m getting there. It’s been hard, but I’m slowly finding it. I pray a lot. I fully accept it.

It’s my reality, and I find I’m not as freaked out about that every day. I used to feel my identity was tied to being a mom. Because that’s impossible I’m finding other things to think of as my “identity.” I’m a wife, aunt, daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, “Nee Nee” to the kids that come to my daycare, a friend. And I still may be a mother some day.” n

For more information on the history of Mother’s Day, please refer to Katherine Lane Anatolini’s thesis, “Memorializing Motherhood: Anna Jarvis and the Struggle for Control of Mother’s Day” (PhD Diss), West Virginia University, and the History Channel’s article, history.com/topics/holidays/mothers-day, both of which were consulted for this column.

18 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

MAY 2015

Renew your faith!

Topsoil • Gravel Excavation

1613 N. 17th Street Monett, Missouri 65708

Sunday Morning Bible Study - 9:30 a.m.

Worship - 10:30 a.m.

Sunday Evening Worship - 6 p.m.

Wednesday Evening Bible Study - 7 p.m.

Outpatient surgery… right here in town.

You don’t have to travel far to get the surgery you need. Surgeons Marcus Henderson and Roger Casady will be at Mercy Hospital Aurora on a regular basis to offer a variety of outpatient procedures.

Our surgeons offer these procedures and more: • Gallbladder, appendectomy and hernias • Endoscopy, including EGD and colonoscopy • Skin cancer and lesion removal For an appointment, call: Roger Casady, MD Marcus Henderson, DO 417-678-7844 or 1-866-576-4799 Your life is our life’s work. mercy.net

MAY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 19

Cancer

FREE

BY MEAGAN RUFFING

20 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

A

s a mother of three young children, I am reminded every day of the wear and tear that these little people can bring into my life. I am also reminded of the many blessings they pour onto me by simply being who they are and knowing they are mine to love for the rest of my days. I try to surround myself with women who lift me up and help me be the best mom that I can be, and I seek to find those who might find the same in me.

Candace Meyer is one of those moms who I try to be in the company of. She inspires me to be a kinder, gentler and more loving mom when I sometimes feel like I have nothing left to give anyone, never mind myself. It might be in the way that she holds her son Zachary’s hand ever so gently or the way she loves on Molly, a little girl she watches during the week, or the way she casually mentions her son Curtis getting into the gifted program at school. It might be the pictures she posts on Facebook of her daughter Josie all dressed up or maybe, maybe it’s the pictures she recently posted of her son Jacob who passed away six years ago this year that make me stop and think... she is such a good mom.

I wanted to write this article about Candace in the hopes that her parenting might be a light to another parent going through something as surreal as losing a child. I ask her how this has made her a different mom, and she tells me that she is afraid of losing another child and that she is more protective now. “I’m more nervous,” says Candace. “I’m more aware.”

MAY 2015

CONNECTION LIVING n

Jacob was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer when he was 22 months old called Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS); a tumor of the muscles attached to the bones. There is no cure for this type of cancer. A tumor had started growing in Jacob’s stomach, but Candace did not know that at the time. She says, “His diapers wouldn’t fit. I thought he was just backed up so I called the family doctor who told me to bring him right in.

They took one look at him and told me to take him to the Emergency Room.”

Candace and Jeremy Meyer’s lives would forever change from that moment on. With a 4-year-old son and a 4-monthold baby girl at home, they left for Kansas City early the next morning and spent the next two weeks with Jacob while he underwent many tests and even started radiation. “There were other moms on the floor that I could connect with,” explains Candace. “When your child is going through cancer, you can’t just call your best friend because she doesn’t know what it’s like.”

Several months after Jacob’s diagnosis, he developed an infection in his Hickman line (a catheter used for chemotherapy) so his surgeon put in a permanent port. “We used to call them his tubies,” says Candace, “because they had two tubes running down his chest.” By his side were always his stuffed tigers. Candace says he called them his ‘babies.’ “He had three of them,” she says,

“He just took to them and loved them and carried them everywhere.”

Two of those tigers are buried with Jacob and the third one sits in a glass case with a few other special items that Candace hangs on the wall. The only time she takes the tiger out is for family pictures. She has one of her children hold the tiger in the picture as a reminder and a keepsake for Jacob. “I remember just always holding him,” says Candace. “He loved Scooby Doo and Curious George, and we would watch hours of that at the hospital.”

Candace took me to Jacob’s grave, and I listened as she told me about the toys that were surrounding his headstone. A

truck he used to play with in the hospital looks weathered from being outside all of these years but the yellow ribbon with the words “Cancer Free” read brightly above his nickname, “Jake-a-Roo.” I cannot pretend to know what it is like for Candace and her family, but I can watch from afar at the grace, love and wisdom she showers upon her children. I sometimes tell myself that if I could have just one ounce of the maternal mindfulness that Candace has, then my kids will have that much better of a mom for it.

Her relationship with Jeremy has been described as always being one of closeness but she admits to arguing less and not sweating the small stuff anymore. “Candace has always been a strong woman but she never realized it until she went through all this,” says Jeremy.

Jacob passed away on March 20, 2009, with his parents by his side. He was two months away from turning 3 years old.

You can read more about Jacob’s story by visiting his Caring Bridge page (an online journal) at www.caringbridge.org/visit/ jacobmeyer/mystory. n

Meagan Ruffing is a freelance parenting writer living in southwest Missouri. She enjoys spending time with her three children and husband, who reminder her daily what a crazy, wonderful life she has.

MAY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 21

European Cut Diamond in a vintage style mount.

On The Square Cassville, MO • 417-847-2195

New PatieNts welcome!

GET THE SMILE YOU ALWAYS WANTED IN 6 MONTHS! • Average treatment times of only six months • Straighter teeth are easier to clean, helping maintain a healthy mouth and gums • Fewer orthodontist visits and less cost than traditional braces • Virtually invisible brackets and teeth-colored wires This cosmetic teeth brace system gives adults & older teenagers the smile they want, in just 6 months. www.carolynhunterdmd.com

(417) 847-2461 or (800) 639-4959 77 Smithson Drive, Cassville, MO

22 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

MAY 2015

MAY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 23

Need a work boot?

Happy Mother’s Day! Place your Graduation bakery orders now.

Need a sandal?

New Brand!

Designed for diabetics, stylish for EVERYONE!

• Enamelware • Cast iron cookware • Unique cutting boards

THE JANE STORE

Monday - Friday 6 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

A unique Ozarks experience

2980 Rains Rd., Jane, Mo. • 417-226-1234

Mother’s Day & Graduation..

Make them special with an ice cream cake!

Ready to go, or made to order.

Please allow 48 hours for special orders.

100 Chapell, Monett • 417-635-1100

For all your prescription needs!

WE WANT TO HELP!

AUTO LOANS • HOME LOANS • BUSINESS LOANS

1000 N. Central • Monett 235-7188

SPRING IS HERE!

JACK NICKOLS Designated Broker Broker/Salesperson 417-342-1506 jacknickols@yahoo.com LARRY DANIELS Realtor/Salesperson 417-846-7306 idaniels@mo-net.com BILL HILL Broker/Salesperson 417-847-3241 billhill.realtor@hotmail.com LEA HILL Realtor 417-847-0156 lea.hill@hotmail.com

Check Us Out O nline ! w w w .thecorner stoneb ank.net

Our market in Southwest Missouri has shown a big increase since last year! A lot of our customers use their computers to find listings; and we are now a member of FLEXMLS, allowing us to place our listings on more than 77 Internet search engines.

WE ARE READY TO HELP YOU FIND YOUR NEW HOME!

JEAN NICKOLS Broker/Sales Person 417-880-5446 jean.nickols@yahoo.com CINDY CARR

Broker/Sales Person 417-847-7514 ccarr7514@aol.com

Southwest City • 117 N. Main St. • (417) 762-3257

RESIDENTIAL | COMMERCIAL FARMS | LAND

Tiff City • 10703 W. Hwy. 76 • (417) 775-2700

87 Main Street • Cassville, Mo.

Goodman • 120 N. Royhill Blvd. • (417) 364-4900

417-847-0156

Lanagan • 308 S. Main St. • (417) 436-2606

www.fourseasonscassville.com

24 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

fax: 417-847-5009

MAY 2015

L

LOVIN’ THE LAKE

e! ak L k oc R e bl Ta at es m ti n fu of os ot Send us your ph BOATING | WAKEBOARDING | PICNICKING | SWIMMING We’d love to feature photos of you, your family and friends enjoying the lake. Photos can be emailed to connection@monett-times.com.

MAY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 25

n CONNECTION LIVING

My life has gone to the dogs

T

oday’s tribute is to Taco, the little Corgi/Healer mix the milkman delivered to our home one day about 15 years ago.

Every day my man would come home talking about this cute little dog on the milk route that looked like the dog from the Taco Bell commercials and every day, the girls and I would acknowledge him until the day he quit telling us about the dog and brought it home. Taco made the porch his home sleeping in a galvanized tub.

He had enough Healer in him to know if the cows got too close to the fence to chase them but not enough to know what to do with them beyond that. Taco quickly became my friend.

This dog was my sidekick during hay season. He would follow me everywhere in the summer.

Whatever field I was raking, he would hang out until I moved to the next field and then follow me. At the end of the day, I would stop the tractor and he would jump in and we would head for home. Taco was such a sweet dog, he even attended Show and Tell with our youngest daughter. We never trained him to do any tricks beyond “lay down.”

My aunt once asked if that was his middle name because that was the command that so frequently came after his name. He could climb a round bale of hay, outrun a four-wheeler or stay in the house without making a mess, but don’t expect him to shake your hand or fetch. He was a watch dog like no other, he would watch for someone to arrive and then greet them with a friendly tail wagging in hopes of receiving a pet or two. He would bark at critters and shadows in the night but never at any human. He, later in life, discovered if he barked long enough after bedtime that he would get to come in the house. He was always content on sleeping by the back door unless it was stormy and then he would take shelter in another room and it was always a mystery where one might find him.

Feeling left out, the farmowner wanted a man’s dog. One that would play, wrestle and scare off intruders. My dad found a Boxer for him. Scooby was his name. Cute dog, not very smart but manly. Oh, I’m going to get in trouble for that statement. Scooby also made his home on the porch and by chance if you moved his 26 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

BY PAM WORMINGTON

bed from under the window he would stand there and give you a scolding in the most hilarious dog voice. Cold weather came, and I thought he needed a dog sweater. I know he loved it because he wore it all the time. Ok, if you’ve ever tried to dress a hyperactive dog with four long legs, you quickly realize the task is like putting doll clothes on an octopus. I wasn’t about to make this a daily routine. Unfortunately, Scooby is no longer with us. He was in a car accident. We suspect he was chasing a car and it hit him.

Missing the boxer, we decided to get a look-a-like puppy.

Buster was an expensive FREE dog. Boxers aren’t born looking like Boxers so to the vet we go for all the cropping. Cropped his ears, cropped his tail, cropped…well let’s just say we didn’t want him making any more puppies. He was the most loveable puppy.

Of course, the big brown eyes were so pitiful along with all his cropping bandages. Once his ears were cropped the vet placed a cardboard cylinder in each ear and taped it – to train his ears to stand straight. The process was to be repeated frequently, which we did ourselves instead of making additional visits to the vet and cash flow. Economan and I are (of course) capable of changing bandages, and I knew I could intervene and save us money.

MAY 2015

Pam Wormington is a city girl by birth, and a farm girl by marriage. She lives in the country, with husband Kirk, and two step-daughters, Nicole and Kimberly. Though she grew up as a Navy “brat,” and moved many times and swore never to marry a farmer or rancher, or live in a small town, God had different plans. Pam loves her life in the country, and admits, “There is never a dull moment in our lives; however, I do wish for them occasionally.”

Buster grew up and everything grew like it was intended. He loved to play in the yard while I worked in the flower bed. It was a sad afternoon when a passerby stopped and asked if ‘that was my dog in the road’; ready to give him a scolding I discovered he too had become another traffic fatality. At this point, we vowed to be a one dog family. Taco was the dog!

Taco and I continued to do everything together. He loved to ride in the back of the mini truck as we would make trips to the other farm. One sunny day as he was perched in the back of the truck a low hanging limb brushed the top of the cab and he thought the sky was falling and jumped out of the truck. We came to a screeching halt worried he had broken his little short leg. The vet informed us it was a torn ACL. Explain that to people who never see the dog leave the porch. He healed but had an occasional limp depending on who was watching and might give him some pity petting.

The farmer became concerned about the coyotes that were coming closer and closer to the house and possible intruders and once again thought he needed a more intimidating dog than Taco.

At this point we were going to ‘try out’ a black Lab. I wasn’t sure what that meant until he explained that the owners would bring her to our house, see how we liked her and if she got along with Taco, who by this time was getting old and grumpy.

As you can guess, the owners never returned and Black Betty became a permanent resident. She is a very loyal and loveable dog despite the lethal tail. She is also big enough to block you should you try to pass without giving her a proper petting or hand shake.

She likes to jump up and kiss you on the cheek unlike short Taco who only kisses you on the cheek if you are squatted behind a tree.

She will greet you buy nudging your car door open and perching herself just inside so you will be sure to tell her about your day at work and of course, give her a petting. She is learning a few tricks but remains to be timid if scolded. You can expect no arguments from her just a tucked tail and a silent slither as she goes to her bed, which is also on the porch.

Just before Christmas, Taco became sick with liver failure. He spent a few days at the pet hospital in Purdy before returning home.

We knew he would want to spend his last days on his own porch. He never complained but I knew our time with this little dog was coming to a close. My heart was broken as he curled up and I watched him go to sleep for the very last time. My man gave him a proper pet burial and I know that next time I rake hay; he will be out there in the field just waiting for me to make the last round before heading home.

Once again we are a one dog family and I am ok with that. I can’t imagine not having these furry creatures around to love me unconditionally. They protect us from varmints and intruders, sadness and loneliness. They bring lots of funniness to this farm and for that we are thankful. n MAY 2015

CONNECTION’S

CUTEST PET

{

}

Meet Trooper, the 7-year-old Jack Russell mix, owned by Jasmine Smith, of Purdy. Trooper loves to play and model for the camera. He knows over 40 tricks and commands.

MAY’S WINNER! If you think your furry or feathered friend is the cutest in the area, let us know!

We invite you to share a photo of your pet to be featured in Connection’s very own Connection’s Cutest Pet contest.

Email your pet’s photo to connection@monett-times.com.

Photos should be sent in the original JPG format at the highest resolution possible. Remember to include your pet’s name, city you reside in and your contact information.

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 27

Ava Belle’s

ANTIQUES & FLEA MARKET Vintage furniture • Used appliances Antiques • Collectibles Home decor items Now open Sundays 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

108 S. MADISON DOWNTOWN AURORA

417-678-2210

Size doesn’t matter; big or small, we buy it all.

LOCAL HEROES. Whenever you’re in a pinch, you can count on your electric cooperative to step up. We’ve been a part of the communities we serve for more than 60 years. And in that time we’ve learned how to deliver the best possible service to our members—by protecting your power supply in the field and in your home, and providing programs that utilize a nationwide network of energy resources. Power is something you can count on in the clutch. Because we’re doing our best to keep you in the game.

4015 Main St. • Cassville, MO 65625-1624 (417) 847-2131 • barryelectric.com @ 2010 Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. All rights reserved.

Happy Mother’s Day!

From the staff at Acambaro Mexican Restaurant

505 Plaza Drive, Monett • 417-354-8408

acambarorestaurant.com We cater!

28 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

MAY 2015

CONNECTION LIVING n

YOUNG WRITERS

Imagination HOSTED BY AMANDA L. REESE

“Someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.”

C.S. Lewis

D

uring childhood, I regularly exercised my imagination. A typical day often included a sword fight with my brother, battling for some valiant cause. We also played cowboys and Indians. I stuck a feather in my horses bridle and swung up onto his bare back. Then with a stick in hand, I chased my brother with an imaginary spear. Of course there were tea parties, and I was a news anchor reporting on the most happening breaking news. I could be anything or anyone, all I had to do was imagine.

Then I grew up. Along with adulthood, reality set in. Responsibility and life’s demands filled the space where play and imagination once took place. While reading this month’s submission, I was reminded of the vastness of a child’s imagination.

This month’s young writer is twelveyear-old Reagan Tipton, daughter of Shannon and Kristy Tipton. Reagan is home schooled and in the 6th grade. She loves to make up stories and is super excited to share her story.

Reagan Tipton, Age 12 In Missouri there was a small, not very well known community called Jacket. This place was so small there was only about 50 families that lived there. Almost everyone’s occupation is farming. On the largest dairy farm in the community lived the Tipton family. They didn’t actually own the farm, but the mom’s parents did and they lived on some of their land.

The Tipton family includes Reagan, Layton, Haley, and their mom and dad. The reason they didn’t farm was because of a secret they had. It all started on a trip to Walmart. They were going over a bridge and BANG! Their car was struck by lightning and it fell into Big Sugar Creek below. After the Tiptons escaped from the debree they noticed something different about themselves. They were animals! Their mom was a lightning bear, their dad was a wind cougar, Reagan was an ice owl, Haley was a fire fox, and Layton was a thunder eagle. They trained on the farm and learned to control their powers.

They started using their powers to help people. They once saved a man who was fishing near the bridge where their car crashed. The man was attacked by the evil black horned snake. The black horned snake was the creation of an evil wizard who wished to destroy the family and steal their powers and use them to take over the world.

While defeating the black horned snake the family realized that the weaker he got he began to change. He was MAY 2015

looking more human. He ended up being their reclusive neighbor, Al, who no one had seen in a long time. They took him to see the sorceress, who was their grandmother.

When they got there, they told their grandmother what had happened and she healed Al from his injuries. Then Al explained to them why the evil wizard wanted to stop them.

The family asked Al where the wizard lived, and Al told them he lived in Wildcat Cave, which was located near their home. So they thought up a plan to stop the evil wizard.

The plan was that they would go to the cave and while the wizard was asleep they would set a trap.

They put their plan into action at midnight the next day. They quietly set up the trap. When they got to the cave they peeked in the entrance and Haley and Reagan could see the wizard doing tests on a snake. Then Layton accidentally sneezed and the wizard almost saw them, but they quickly jumped back. They then changed into animals and sneaked in the cave. When the evil wizard saw them he ran at them with his staff.

Their mom struck him with lightning which just made him mad. Their dad got him in a tornado hold which got him closer to the trap. Haley and Layton combined their powers and created a fire thunder storm. Finally the wizard was completely under the trap so Al cut the rope and the cage came down right over the wizard! Reagan froze him so he wouldn’t try to escape, and they saved the day! They all went to Sunrise Cafe to celebrate! n CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 29

ON THE

SPOT

with Kerry Mattingly

T

his month seniors all over the area will be placing that graduation cap on their heads and marching down the isle to collect their high school diplomas that they have worked hard to acquire. That day really marks the first day of the rest of their lives. From that day forward, their future is in their hands as they decide to proceed with education, work, learn a trade, or carry on a family business.

Those are the typical things we think of when graduation rolls around each year. But, what about Mom? Moms of graduates have all those thoughts, plus so much more. That milestone officially marks the end of a routine that she has nurtured and supported for at least 13 years. The feeling of triumph of graduation is also stewed in memories and joys that are endeared, but are now passed. Moms have a lot of emotions stirred when proudly watching those wings spread and soar, but at the same time let go.

Kerry Mattingly is the proud mother of two daughters, Logan and Jolie. She and husband Rod are getting ready to experience just this, when they watch their senior, Logan, experience her last few weeks of high school. Logan has been a student at Exeter for her entire schooling, and is looking ahead and marching forward. Let’s see how Mom is dealing with all these changes.

Connection: What are some of the emotions that you are feeling right now as you prepare for your oldest daughter to graduate this month?

Kerry: There has been a tie-dye of emotions throughout Logan’s senior year.

You get a feeling of accomplishment to know you have raised a child to become a successful adult. Who is able to make good solid Christ-based decisions about her life.

This senior year marks the end to a lot of things, but will also be the start of so many new beginnings that are full of potential and possibilities for my daughter. I’m not really sad; the tears are those of pride and happiness!

30 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

Connection: Has it been a rough year in general?

Kerry: It’s really not been a rough year; it’s been fairly smooth and VERY fast.

Logan has had a lot of great teachers and administrators and school faculty that have encouraged and guided her. We are both thankful and will be forever grateful for each and every one of them.

Connection: How are you reaching out to friends and family for support and encouragement?

Kerry: There have been several of us “Senior Moms” that confide in each other when we have our “moments.” It’s nice to

know there are others feeling the same thing. Many of us are going through this for the first, and some it’s their last, time and will no longer have a child in school.

So, it’s great to be able to have that camaraderie with one another. Our family is so supportive, and is just as excited to see Logan excel, just as I am.

Connection: I know you love to have a reason to celebrate, what are your plans to make Logan’s graduation the best ever?

Kerry: Yes, it’s always great to celebrate a great accomplishment and this certainly is one!

We have a graduation party planned. Several Exeter High School students are joining to have a celebration together. This will include all of their friends, families and teachers. This is a time not only to celebrate these graduates but to congratulate them on a job well done. They all deserve the very best!

MAY 2015

COMMUNITY CONNECTION n

Connection: Your younger daughter, Jolie, will be graduating in the future; do you think it will be easier or different with her?

Kerry: Different yes, Jolie has different interests and ideas of her own. Rod and I value her for that. She takes pride in herself.

I think the steps through the graduation process will be easier since we will know what to expect. But then in turn, it is my last child go through school after she graduates – that’s it.

Connection: What are Logan’s plans for the future, and how have you encouraged her to continue her education and set goals?

Kerry: Logan has had several options to choose from this year as to where and how to continue her education to reach her goal to becoming a special education teacher. Upon high school graduation,

she will be halfway through her Freshman year in college. Thanks to summer college classes and AP classes and her dedication she will have her associate’s degree in only a year and half while attending Crowder College. With this option she will obtain that degree pretty much for free. She will then transfer to a university and finish her teaching degree.

She takes on a big adventure in June; she will be touring Europe for 18 days.

It will be a great learning experience for her.

Logan has enjoyed the last couple of spring breaks and summers at Camp Barnabas as a camp counselor, which has inspired her to become a teacher to those with special needs.

She also enjoys her job at God’s Little Kingdom, which she will continue to work as she completes her degree. n

TOP

FIVE 5

THINGS THAT YOU ARE GLAD THAT YOU DID WITH LOGAN DURING HER SCHOOL YEARS: Being involved Laughed, we have laughed a lot together All the summer basketball trips with the ball teams Encouraged and pushed her to be her very best I loved her...

MOM’S ADVICE TO LOGAN AND JOLIE: “Your hard work and efforts will pay off, keep your head up and your heart filled with love and joy!”

4

TIPS FOR OTHER GRADUATE MOMS: First DON’T BLINK! It will all be over before you know it.

Take it all in; don’t miss anything if you can keep from it.

Pray, Pray and Pray some more…

Encourage your kids to step out of their box, experience new things – meet new people.

Remember when things end, something new will begin.

3

THINGS YOU ENJOY DOING WITH LOGAN: We like to watch movies Go shopping Having her friends over

2 This senior year marks the end to a lot of things, but will also be the start of so many new beginnings that are full of potential and possibilities for my daughter.

MAY 2015

GREAT SCHOOL MEMORIES? When she was inducted into National Honor Society and then became the chapter president The whole Senior Year!

1

THING YOU WANT LOGAN TO KNOW: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 31

F

ohn

w w w. f o h n f u n e r a l h o m e . c o m

AUTO • HOME • FARM BUSINESS • BONDS

Fu NERAl Ho ME

The area’s most often chosen funeral home.

www.trogdoninsurance.com

TROGDON AGENCY, INC. SERVING SOUTHWEST MISSOURI SINCE 1907

P.O. Box 405 • 111 S. Market St. • Mt. Vernon 417.466.2800 • fax: 417.466.3066 Toll Free: 1.800.748.7756

180 W. third Street • Verona 417-498-6487

EXPERIENCE MAKES THE

DIFFERENCE.

Mon. - thurs. 11 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Fri. 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Sat. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Sun. 10 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Cassville, Missouri 417-847-2141 or 417-847-2157 Shell Knob, Missouri 417-858-3151

McQueen Funeral Home Wheaton, Missouri 417-652-7268 32 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

MAY 2015

Stop counting sheep and start catching ZZZs. Sleep. Your good health depends on it. If lack of quality rest has you dozing through your day, you may be suffering from a sleep disorder.

Our Sleep Center can help diagnose it, which is the first step to better sleep.

Are you a candidate for a sleep study?

Find out today. 417-678-7844 Mercy Sleep Center 417-678-7844 Mercy Hospital Aurora mercy.net/auroramo Your life is our life’s work. mercy.net

Great, Friendly Service Committed to Barry County Prompt Decisions Made Locally

SBSECURITY BANK OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI

Your Locally Owned Independent Bank

Let All Our Friendly Faces Serve You At Any Of Our Three Locations:

Cassville

Jct. 37, 76 & 86 417-847-4794

Wheaton

302 Main Street 417-652-3204

Exeter

Bill Pay & Internet Banking at www.sbswmo.com MAY 2015

Front Street 417-835-8111 CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 33

Heritage HISTORY OF

STORY BY SHERRY TUCKER | PHOTOS BY ROB LOTUFO

Waldensians celebrate their 140th anniversary of the church’s establishment in Monett with a historical exhibit that illuminates the church history and movement into the United States.

34 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

MAY 2015

H

istory has always been a fascination. From the earliest civilizations, artifacts, of every kind, have been kept in safe places to archive the life of a specific time. In our present day, you need to look no further than the Library of Congress as an epic example of the cataloging of items and books.

People have held fascination in all aspects of history, whether it’s a

Mark McMeley, exhibit curator, is a decendant of the Bertalot family (in Barry County since 1881) and the Balmas family (here since 1891).

Both the Bertalots and Balmases were farming families originally from the Cottain Alps of northwest Italy – just like most of the Waldensian immagrants who settled here.

Left page: This Bible, in French, was brought by the immigrants to Missouri and is part of the exhibit.

MAY 2015

certain era during the past American or world history, or maybe just their own genealogical history. Why is it so interesting? Michael Crichton (famous twentieth century author) said, “If you don’t know history, then you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree.” Maybe the simple truth is that our history unites us. It brings some kind of strength, pride and enlightenment to know that whether it’s our family, religion or humanity itself, we

are all the same – and have made great achievements, struggled through defeats, and carried on into the next generations.

Locally, we have good reason to take pride in the pioneers of southwest Missouri. Whether they moved from earlier settlements in the east, or came from another country to establish a home on the frontier, they were resilient explorers. Take, for example, the Waldensian church south of Monett, established in 1875. The church is fortunate to have a documented history of the settlement, due to, in part, letters that were kept and archived.

Mark McMeley, a Monett native and professor of history, is involved with history every day, in research, writing, teaching and traveling. Exposing and exhibiting archived Waldensian artifacts is something that Mark has been working toward for a while.

Though fascinated with all history, he says that the nineteenth century is his favorite era, “I love the 1800s – in that century, we recognize a lot of ourselves. Their increased mobility – so mobile that they could move across the ocean or land. And, with that movement they were bringing language and customs. At the same time they are distant enough that their ideas and habits seem strange...it was a bridge century.” Mark is curator of the exhibits that will be held yearly, “We’re aiming for exhibit openings as close as possible to February 17 of each year. That was the date in 1848 when Waldensians in Piedmont were granted their civil rights by King Charles Albert.

Since then, the date is commemorated as “Emancipation Day” among Waldensians in Italy and the Americas.”

This year’s exhibit helps shed some light on the personal lives of the actual people that were part of the formation of a new community and church. Mark shares, “My research in the Waldensian Archive in Torre Pellice, Italy, produced a rich trove of letters from Jean Pierre Michelin Salomon and from Carlo Buffa, the two Waldensian ministers born and trained in Italy and who served as pastors in the church in Barry County in the late 1800s. These two men wrote their letters to their seminary professors and to their colleagues reporting on their work and their lives in Missouri. They included comments about what appeared unusual to them about life in the United States, CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 35

and about conditions in general for all people living at a time when Monett was just coming together as a community.

Their letters, then, provide a window not only into the lives of these two people and into the lives of the other immigrants, but also into the history of our town in the late nineteenth century.”

36 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

But, where did the Waldensians come from, and how did they arrive in Missouri?

The Waldensian story dwells deep, and is imbedded in European history. Mark explains the roots of the church, “The Waldensians have long been multi-cultural and multi-lingual. From the Waldensians’ beginning in southern France in the late 1100s, their message of a deeply personal commitment to Christianity spread through Central Europe. For the rest of the Middle Ages the Waldensians were a lay movement, officially banned or excommunicated by the Church in Rome in 1215, but tied together by itinerant lay preachers who visited these small clusters of followers, using memorized books of the Bible and sermons to preach their message of a personal kind of faith. In 1532, one of the last surviving concentrations of Waldensians, living in the western Alps, was persuaded by envoys who were sent from the nearby city of Geneva, Switzerland, to join the rebellion against

the official church, the protest that would soon take the name of the Reformation.

Geneva, itself, was about to become an important center of the Reformation movement with the arrival of the French cleric John Calvin. The Waldensians in the Alps spoke a variation of the Occitans of southern France, but the language of the Geneva Reformation was standard French and so French became the language of the new Waldensian Church. The Waldensians began to use a printed Bible in French, their ministers were trained in Geneva in French, and the hymns they sang were Psalms that had been translated into French.”

Waldensians as a church, are now recognized as part of the Presbyterian or Reformed family of churches, and Mark explains, “Today there is no difference in theology between the Waldensians of Italy and South America, and Presbyterians in the United States.”

MAY 2015

The remnant of French-speaking, Italian descended Waldensians included explorer, Jean Pierre Planchon. Mark explains, “The first person to leave the Waldensian homeland in the Italian Alps for South America in 1852, Jean Pierre Planchon, persuaded his brother and then others to come to Uruguay in the following years. This small group of settlers established the first Waldensian settlements anywhere in the Americas, on the ranch land of southwestern Uruguay.”

Not many years later, a northern movement, that would lead them to Monett took place. From Mark: “It was the same Planchon who, with his family and couple dozen other Waldensians in Uruguay, migrated to Missouri in 1875 and founded the first Waldensian colony in the United States.” Mark continues, “These some forty Waldensians from Uruguay, were soon joined by others directly from the Waldensian Valleys in Italy and other Protestants from France and Switzerland. French was the one language that everyone in the settlement could understand, read and write.

“A hundred thirty years ago in this community south of Monett, one could hear the patois or ‘country language’ of the Italian Alps as people visited with one another – French in church, and a smattering of Italian and Spanish that younger people had picked up in Europe and South America. At the time the Waldensians arrived there were many other immigrants speaking German and Polish who were also immigrating to northern Barry and southern Lawrence counties, a fact that caught the attention of these arrivals from Italy.”

Mark noted, “These were the ancestors of many people descended from the Waldensian community in Monett.

Monett’s first mayor, Etienne (Stephen) Courdin, was born in Uruguay and as a twelve-year-old was part of this group that immigrated from South America.” Other surnames of the early colony included Reynaud, Lautaret, Long, Courdin, Balmas, Bertalot, Andrion, Hugon and Beux. Their settlement was assisted by a 40-acre land donation by the railroad. It was common for the railroad to do that with land they had been granted by the Federal Government, a practice which, in turn, encouraged westward migration.

MAY 2015

S

pecial thanks to Mark McMeley, who enjoys his life as an adjunct professor of Humanities at Valencia College in Orlando, Florida, and the director of River Plate Seminars, an educational services company that organizes short-term study programs for U.S. universities in Argentina and Uruguay. Mark holds a bachelor’s degree from Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota, a master’s degree in American Civilization from the University of Texas at Austin, and a PhD in U.S. and Latin American History from the University of Missouri at Columbia. I personally greatly enjoyed visiting with Mark and look forward to seeing the future exhibits that he will be establishing as curator of the Waldensian Historical Exhibits.

Mark’s enthusiasm for history is infectious, and I asked him to provide some tips for anyone wanting to establish archives that will provide important information for future generations.

Tips on creating small archives

BY MARK MCMELEY Creating an archive of documents, personal papers and images is important to retelling the history of a person, a family, or an organization. The key is to start collecting. Finding others who might have papers that complement the first documents is also helpful. Digital technology lends a useful tool to share that information and to keep it indefinitely in digital format.

KEY TIPS: START COLLECTING WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. Photographs, letters, documents, and paper records of all sorts are useful. Don’t forget emails!

IDENTIFY WHAT YOU COLLECT. Write down who, what, when, where, and, if it fits, why. If you can’t identify a document, ask someone who can.

ORGANIZE. Separate papers and images by topic, using folders when possible.

RESEARCH OTHER SIMILAR DOCUMENTS AND IMAGES. Ask others who might have materials to contribute, if not their originals, at least a photocopy or digital image. Be sure they identify the materials.

MAKE COPIES. Photocopies or digital images of your materials, if done only a few times, rarely damage materials. Copies are sometimes more legible than originals.

USE COMMON-SENSE PRESERVATION. Remove paper clips and staples when practical. Keep materials in a dry environment, at room temperature, in areas free of bugs. Avoid storage in humid basements.

CONSULT WITH PROFESSIONALS. The archivists at Special Collections at Missouri State University’s Meyer Library in Springfield can help. And they’re great people!

With some effort, your archive of personal, family or organization documents and images will be a resource for years to come. An archive can be done at little or no cost, but the fun and learning you gain from your archive will be immense.

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 37

About the exhibit

This year’s exhibit, which was on display in March and April, set the stage for exhibits that will follow. Mark said, “The exhibit features a brief history of the lives of Jean Pierre Michelin Salomon and Carlo Buffa, the kind of theological training they had in Italy before departing for the Americas (Michelin Salomon went to Uruguay first), and what became of them once they left Missouri. Their letters about living in northern Barry County in the 1800s have a central place in the exhibit. Photographs from collections in the United States, Europe and South America help illustrate their story. We also included one of the Bibles, in French, brought by the immigrants to Missouri,

as well, to underline the importance that reading and interpreting the Bible directly had for these people.”

Though the Waldensian story is unique, this type of immigration westward was not. Mark hopes this exhibit encourages others to search out history in their family, or community, “Even though the exhibit focuses on this one immigrant community in our region, their story is similar to the experience of the Germans, Poles, Swedes and other groups who settled the rural parts of the county in the late 1800s. I hope others in our area will find inspiration in our exhibit to explore their own stories that are part of the fabric of our region’s history.”

What’s next?

The Waldensian exhibits will be an ongoing, yearly event sponsored by a newly formed non-profit organization, the Waldensian Foundation, dedicated to the task of preserving and teaching about the history of all immigrant groups in Barry and Lawrence counties.

Mark shares his vision for next year’s exhibit, “We expect this will be the first of a series of exhibits in coming years explaining the history of the Waldensians and the French and Swiss Protestants who helped form the community south of Monett. In 2016, we plan an exhibit on Marguerite Mondon Marin Courdin, a Waldensian woman born in Italy who emigrated first to the colony in Uruguay and then 38 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

came with the first group to Missouri in 1875. She is an ancestor of many people in our area. In following years we expect to create exhibits on the peculiar relationship between the Waldensians in Italy and the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, Waldensians in Monett and their involvement in women’s peace campaigns and in the military during World War I, and wedding traditions at the church, with an exhibit of wedding dresses across the years. The current exhibit will likely go to the other Waldensian community in the United States in 2016, and in translated form to the Waldensian museums in Colonia Valdense, Uruguay and Torre Pellice, Italy, starting later this year.” n MAY 2015

CONNECTION FOOD n

YELLOW Provide disease fighting antioxidants, and vital nutrients such as vitamin C. For those upping your exercise this time of year, vitamin C has been proven to decrease recovery time, allowing less time between workouts.

A FULL-SPECTRUM DIET

BY SHAWN HAYDEN

RED Strawberries or that red bell pepper decreases your chance for cardiovascular disease, and increases your intake of vitamin C, folate and critical disease fighting antioxidants. Are you and endurance athlete? Recent studies have shown that the nitrates from beet juice increase vasodilation and oxygen absorption during high intensity efforts. So before you next run or bike ride, have a glass of beet juice with your water and coffee.

GREEN

This time of year, there is an abundance of color around us.

Trees and flowers are blossoming, the sky is bright, and fresh fruits and vegetables are ripening in the garden.

It is also the time when we are getting anxious about the “winter weight” that we have possibly accumulated during the cold months.

One of the easiest ways to assist in weight loss, and healthy living in general, is to increase your consumption of colorful, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Think about it as eating the colors of the rainbow.

To the right are examples and tips for getting the most of your “rainbow” diet.

Resources for fresh fruits and vegetables will increase this summer for residents living in Barry and Lawrence counties. Efforts are currently underway for the creation of the Monett Community Garden, and a new Monett Area Farmers’ Market. Enjoy! n

Shawn Hayden is the project coordinator for the healthy communities program at Cox Monett Hospital. He has an undergraduate degree from Drury University in chemistry and biology, as well as a master’s degree from Missouri State University in health promotion and wellness management. Shawn is an avid cycling enthusiast racing most weekends across the area. He enjoys spending time with his wife hiking and camping and their two fur kids.

MAY 2015

Fresh spinach, kale, and chard are rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamin A and C. Avocados are rich in potassium, while broccoli and brussel sprouts are high in folate and fiber and very low in calories. If you are looking for a great snack, try dipping your favorite vegetable in hummus (rather than eating chips). It will increase your fiber intake and will be less sodium and calories than salty chips.

BLUE Blueberries are high in antioxidants, B-vitamins, and are essential for disease fighting, brain and overall health. An easy way to add these fruits to your diet daily is by simply adding them to your morning smoothie. Also, just by adding kale and spinach to your smoothie, you are halfway through your daily fruits and vegetables.

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 39

HEROES COME IN ALL SIZES A LARGER THAN LIFE JOURNEY BACK TO FREEDOM

STORY BY KATRINA HINE

At what point does a person develop courage?

Is it a quality one is born with or is it a result of life experiences? Possibly a reaction to injustice, a greater wrong that hones a person into something bigger than oneself? For Robert Faultersack, or Bob as he prefers to be called, it may have been all of these things and more, such as the role model of his father, Adam, the strong will of Hildred, his mother – or the orneriness of his brothers toward their much smaller brother.

Bob grew up in Upper Michigan, the second child of seven, all of whom had the strong personality lent from their German/ Irish heritage. Bob recalled one instance where his older brother and a cousin dropped a Pine snake down his coveralls, scaring him half to death. Fortunately, the snake slid out the back trap door of the coveralls, but not before his father witnessed the scene and gave both boys a paddling. “My Dad didn’t stand for someone picking on his kids and it didn’t matter who it was,” Bob grinned. His grandparents spoke perfect German, which would serve Bob many years later as a POW. This

BOB HOME FROM BOOT CAMP BEFORE HIS DEPLOYMENT TO AFRICA. BOB PROPOSED TO HIS LOVE, JOSEPHINE BRAFORD, AFTER RETURNING FROM BASIC TRAINING IN 1943.

40 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

allowed him to understand what the SS were saying and often he expressed his disgust in their native language. Growing up with such a strong heritage would prove an asset in the fight for his life.

Military service was almost a given for young Bob, his father served in the Navy during WWI in the boiler room of a ship that was struck by a bomb, burning him. Bob’s older brother, Rodney, served in WWII in the Navy, stationed in the Philippines, brother David also served in the Navy during the Korean conflict and younger brother Ardee served in the Air Force building landing strips in Korea. So at age 18, Bob enlisted in the U.S. Army, the date was March 30, 1943.

He found Boot Camp in Little Rock, Arkansas, most unpleasant due to the hot humid days and the multitude of bugs and snakes. Bob was the shortest in his family, and the Army took note of his 5 ft. 5 in. frame, tapping him to be a scout since he made a small target. Possibly the only thing that kept his mind off the humid Arkansas weather was the love of his life, Miss Josephine Braford. In fact, as soon as they turned him loose from boot camp, he returned immediately to Michigan and proposed to Jo. One of his most treasured articles was a picture of Jo holding her niece.

He often used this picture to get out of going to town to party with the other soldiers, telling them it was his wife and child. One day the Commanding Officer asked him if this was true and once Bob explained why he was fibbing about the picture, the C.O. just laughed as he left the tent.

MAY 2015

S

HIS STORY OF WAR

Assigned to the Fifth Army, Third Division, Seventh Infantry, 15th Regiment, Company G, Bob was shipped to North Africa, but Montgomery had chased Rommel into the desert, so the troops were sent to Italy to engage the Germans. He fought in the invasion of Salerno Beach and later transported by landing craft to the beachhead at Anzio. According a Military History Online article by Irwin Kappes, Operation Shingle was an effort to draw the enemy away from the Gustav Line. The plan would require swift movement into German-held territory using the element of surprise. The Fifth Army under the command of Gen. Mark Clark was tapped as the distraction with Gen John Lucas leading the troops on the ground. Lucas, however, felt he had too few resources for the advance and laid back long enough for MAY 2015

the Germans to send reinforcements. Some of which included new weapons never used until this campaign such as the “Fritz X” guided missile and Great Gustaf gun, the largest caliber weapon ever used in combat, so large it had to be transported by rail car.

The attempt at diversion so Clark could move on to Rome proved to be very costly in lives and equipment. The Battle at Anzio remains one of the blunders of WWII, and resulted in over 30,000 casualties from late 1943 until May of 1944. Some sources point to Gen. Clark’s careerist attitude and desire to claim the glory for liberating Rome, as the reason for leaving so few troops to “hold the line.” One of those troops left to hold the line was Bob Faultersack. Out of the troops left behind against unsurmountable odds, only 26 from Bob’s immediate location survived to be

taken prisoner; the date was February 5, 1944. The men were loaded into unmarked boxcars in the frigid cold of winter with no blankets. During this and many other winter prisoner movements, Bob’s feet would freeze, something he would suffer from the remainder of his life. The Army’s historical records note that the Germans reported they captured of 6,800 prisoners from various allied units during the onslaught.

No one knew what had happened to Bob or the others, and according to military historical information, the beaches were pounded so hard by artillery that many remains were never found, let alone identified. It was at this time of uncertainty that the Red Cross contacted Bob’s mother to have him declared dead. However, she refused, possibly a mother’s intuition or just her strong will.

He was taken by train to his first camp, the trains were to be marked with large red X’s on each boxcar, however, Bob recalled one incident of American planes strafing the train and Americans climbing out the tops. Upon arriving at Stalag 1A, the troops were told to salute the German officers with “Heil Hitler,” however, Bob told them to go to hell. While being interrogated, he was asked how he got to Italy and Bob responded in German saying, “svimmin.”

The guards did not appreciate the response and struck him in the back with the butt of a gun. He would find out many years later that his rib was cracked from the incident.

Conditions were not good and food was usually potatoes or some sort of mystery meat soup. The first time Bob was allowed to write back home to let them know what had happened to him, in a letter to his future father-in-law, he wrote, “If the dog doesn’t behave you can always put it in the soup.” Indicating some of the meals he was served. His mother sent back a picture of new little sister, Nancy, which he carried along with the one of Jo and a little Bible in a metal case where he wrote names of men he encountered. He recalls only receiving one Red Cross care package during his over 15-month captivity.

He would later be transferred to Stalag 2B near what is now Czarne, Poland, reportedly one of the worst camps. While at this camp, a man also named Faultersack came to see Bob, telling him he was a traitor to his heritage and spit on him. Even though Bob knew not to strike back at the man, he did slip a few choice words in German at the CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 41

man. At this camp the men were hired out to work at orchards or large gardens. The volunteers were usually fed better so they could work. The soup usually was full of maggots, which they joked was their meat.

The bread was made with sawdust to make it go further and the men were sure this made their teeth whiter. Often five or six men were used in place of horses to plow fields for the Burgermeister.

During one workday, a delivery wagon rolled up and seizing the opportunity, Bob and a buddy, Johnny Debowski, rolled underneath and held onto the frame. At that moment, a guard strolled by with his guard dog who began to growl at the pair under the wagon. For some reason the guard thought the dog was growling at him, so he kicked the dog. What could have been a horrible event turned out to be their ticket out and Johnny spoke Polish, so they thought they were free. However, after 13 days of trudging over the land, a group of Hitler Youth who intended to hang the pair, caught them. Fortunately for the two, camp guards arrived and took them back to camp where they spent 26 days in solitary confinement boxes measuring 4 ft. x 4ft. x 6ft. Once again, they were allowed to work and as Bob hoed in the large gardens, he would cut the plant roots with the hoe.

Once he did work for one Burgermeister who was kind and fed the men well.

On November 29, 1944, the Russians were getting close to many of the German camps, prompting them to force the workweary prisoners to march deeper into the interior of Germany. The march known as the Black March, trekked over 576 miles in the dead of winter. The soles of Bob’s boots began to fall off, so he wrapped some burlap bags

around them. While marching near a farm, a couple of the men slipped into the farmer’s smokehouse and Bob stole a ham. However, the farmer noticed that it was missing and told the guards. He dropped the ham in the ditch, rolling, it disappeared into the dirty water. “I was sure sad to see it go,” he said.

War is a horrible thing, bringing sights and sounds never meant for human souls to bare. Bob noted that as prisoners died, their bodies were thrown into the back of big trucks, “All you could see was their shoes,” Bob pauses, “There are some things I’ll never be able to forget.” During this winter march, the group was brought to the renowned concentration camp of Auschwitz to rest and clean up. They saw the long ditches with bodies being burned

by Germans. The men saw with horror the treatment of the Jews and when ordered to take showers, they refused. To ease their mind, one of the guards went in the shower to prove they would not be gassed.

On April 30, 1945, Russian forces had caught up and liberated the mass of emaciated troops and civilians. Bob was taken to a separate barn to be treated for pneumonia. The Russians were very good to the prisoners, even bringing them women.

However, this caused some concern among

American officers in the group, especially since the Russians invited the Americans to go back to Russia with them. It was decided that someone would need to go and attempt to locate the American lines to tell them of their location. A fella called Tex McFadden, volunteered to head out but he did not want to go alone. After a long silence and no other volunteers, Bob stepped up to make the journey with Tex. The two would walk for six weeks, enduring dangerous situations, like a sniper almost killing Bob, as they followed the Russian sweep through Germany.

The Russians were killing anyone in sight, often innocent civilians. At one home while looking for food to eat, they saw a baby bayonetted to the wall by Russian troops. In many communities, the Russians chased the villagers with swords on horseback, hacking at them. In one instance, Tex and Bob were mistaken for German civilians as a huge Russian bore down on them with sword held high to take their heads. Fortunately, they shouted, “Amercanski, Amercanski” and the man pulled his horse up just short of where they were standing. The sight shook Bob to the core and still haunts him to this day, admitting he wished he could forget many of things you just can’t un-see.

STALAG 1A LOCATED IN WHAT WAS EAST PRUSSIA. PHOTO CREDIT, JANUSZ KAMINSKI. A WWII MAP OF KNOWN PRISON CAMPS.

42 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

MAY 2015

Because of the barbarity, they decided to travel a different route.

They arrived at the Elba River where the Americans were situated on the other side. A Russian guard told them they would have to wait till morning. They decided to bribe the guard with bikes they were given by another Russian who took them from Germans in a previous town. Accepting the bribe he told them of an American who had a boat he used at night to take people across. The American proved to be very rude and told them they would have to pay to get across. Tex not taking any guff informed the insolent man that he would shoot holes in the boat.

While this discussion was going on a 15-year-old girl came out of the tall grass with a bag and asked to go across with them. The American with the boat, wanted her for himself but Bob would have none of it and took her bag to the boat, raising his rifle at the man. Tex touched Bob on the shoulder to keep him from filling the man with holes and instead used his rifle to fill the boat with holes. They took the girl to the American Headquarters were she was safe. Bob was taken to France because he was ill and had developed a heart condition while in captivity. Tex led the Americans back to the POW camp where they rescued over 1200 prisoners.

That was the last time Bob ever saw Tex but over the years with the help of his daughter, Elaine Faultersack James, who transcribed all his war memories, they have continued the search for his travel partner and the other hero, Tex McFadden.

Bob returned home on June 16 and he married his Jo on June 24, 1945. He had been a prisoner for 15 months and 20 days, having traveled over 1,000 miles and half of it on foot. He was told he would receive a medal for his heroic acts to rescue other POW’s and also rank up to Sergeant but neither happened supposedly because he didn’t stay in longer.

The couple would go on to have three children: Robert, Elaine and Janice. The couple will celebrate 70 years of marriage this coming June and even though the war was hard on Bob, he continued in civilian life with the tenacity he revealed during his time as a prisoner. While Bob never was shot or severely injured, he, like so many other veterans, witnessed firsthand things unspeakable, but just like all those unsung heroes of wars past and present, Bob stands MAY 2015

as a testament of the American will to fight for right and build a foundation of freedom for others here and across the globe.

Even though the years have flowed by, much like the creek nestled under

the boughs of the redbuds near his rural Ridgely home (near Wheaton), the memories of his sacrifice and the sacrifice of so many others still causes him to pause.

And, so should we all, as we are still free. n

Out of the troops left behind against unsurmountable odds, only 26 from Bob’s immediate location survived to be taken prisoner, the date was February 5, 1944. War is a horrible thing, bringing sights and sounds never meant for human souls to bare.

LETTER OF REPLY FROM THE ARMY CHAPLIN TO BOB’S MOTHER, HILDRED FAULTERSACK. BOB LOOKS ON AS JO DISCUSSES THE PIECE IN A POW HISTORY BOOK PUBLISHED BY THE VA.

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 43

Fluffy Salads Fluffy Strawberry Salad 1 6 ounce box strawberry gelatin dessert 1 cup boiling water 1 cup cold water 1 5 1/8 ounce box instant vanilla pudding 1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple 4 cups mini marshmallows 1 12 ounce container non-dairy whipped topping, thawed 1 16 ounce container strawberries Pour gelatin packet into a medium sized bowl. Heat 1 cup of water to boil and pour over gelatin. Stir well, until gelatin is dissolved. Pour 1 cup cold water in bowl, stir well and place in refrigerator for 10 minutes or until gelatin is slightly set up. It should be as thick as pudding. While the gelatin is setting up, pour one can crushed pineapple along with juice into a large mixing bowl. Pour 1 large box of vanilla pudding over the top of the pineapple and stir to combine. Add 4 cups mini marshmallows. Add thawed nondairy whipped topping, and stir all together with a wooden spoon. Stir bowl of setting gelatin up well then pour it into the non-dairy whipped topping/marshmallow/pineapple mixture, stir to combine and set aside. Cut stems, wash and slice strawberries, and stir into gelatin mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Cranberry Fluff 1 cup cranberry juice 1 16 ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce 1 3 ounce package raspberry gelatin 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped Heat cranberry juice in a medium-sized saucepan. When boiling, add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Stir in cranberry sauce. Chill until thickened. Fold in whipped cream and serve.

44 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

Watergate Salad 1 4 ounce package instant pistachio pudding mix 1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple with juice, undrained 1 cup miniature marshmallow 1/2 cup chopped nuts 1 3/4 cups non-dairy whipped topping, thawed Stir pudding mix, pineapple with juice, marshmallows and nuts in a large bowl until well blended.

Gently stir in whipped topping.

Refrigerate one hour or until ready to serve.

Fluffy Fruit Salad 1 box lemon instant pudding 1 container non-dairy whipped topping 1 can pineapple tidbits, drained 1 small can mandarin oranges, not drained 1 cup marshmallows Mix all ingredients above together in large bowl. Serve immediately.

MAY 2015

CONNECTION FOOD n

Fluffy Lime Salad

1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple 1 small package lime gelatin 1 cup chopped walnuts 3 tablespoons water 1 cup miniature marshmallows 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set the pineapple aside. In a saucepan, combine gelatin, water and reserved juice. Cook and stir over low heat until gelatin is dissolved. Refrigerate until syrupy, about 30 minutes. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Stir in gelatin mixture, walnuts, marshmallows and reserved pineapple. Fold in the whipped cream. Transfer to 1-quart glass bowl and refrigerate for one hour before serving.

Cherry Fluff

1 8 ounce container non-dairy whipped topping 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk 1 21 ounce can cherry pie filling 1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, well drained 2 cups mini marshmallows 1 cup shredded coconut ½ cup chopped pecans Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl. Fold in remaining three ingredients. Refrigerate for one hour before serving.

MAY 2015

Banana Split Fluff Salad

1 3.4 ounce box instant banana pudding 1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple (do not drain) 1 8 ounce container non-dairy whipped topping 1 cup mini marshmallows 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts + 2 Tbsp for garnish 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips 2 ripe bananas, sliced 1 10 ounce jar maraschino cherries, halved Stir together the pudding mix and pineapple until dissolved and thickened. Fold in the non-dairy whipped topping.

Gently stir in the marshmallows, nuts, chocolate chips, bananas, and cherries. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to chill.

Makes about 8 cups salad.

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 45

- Grande Tire Since 1971 -

GRANDE TIRE, INC.

“Mastercraft Tire Made In America Since 1908”

Quality passenger, truck, light truck and farm tires at the most competitive price in the 4-state area!

Goodyear ~ Firestone authorized Dealer also available: Michelin • Goodrich • Toyo Mastercraft • Jetson Check Ou r Mounted/ Balanced FREE Stem s OUT THE DOOR PRICES!

1-800-535-3542 AURORA 417-678-2128

CASSVILLE 417-847-2934

PIERCE CITY 417-476-5156

JOPLIN 417-781-9280

w w w. b e n n e t t w o r m i n g t o n . c o m

A NAME YOU CAN TRUST

BW

Big store with a lot of stuff!

FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1946

BENNETT-WORMINGTON FUNERAL HOME 216 Second St. • Monett, MO 65708 417-235-3141 • 800-743-9697 Rick Wormington ~ Owner

Race Brothers carries a complete line of farm and home supplies including clothing, lawn and garden, outdoor power equipment, pet supplies, tack and livestock supplies and much more!

You will find our service outstanding whether your needs are for home or acreage in the country.

Authorized dealer

Family owned and operated since 1971

235-7739

210 Hwy 37, Monett

862-4378

2310 W Kearney, Springfield

46 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

358-3592

2309 Fairlawn Dr., Carthage

MAY 2015

&

n CONNECTION FOOD

bottles

brews

Mimosas for Mom THE CLASSIC 1/4 cup pulp-free orange juice 1/4 cup Prosecco Fill a champagne flute half-way way with prosecco. Add orange juice.

YOU CAN MAKE YOURS NONALCOHOLIC BY SUBSTITUTING CHAMPAIGNE FOR GINGER ALE OR LEMON-LIME SODA.

ISLAND LIFE 1/4 cup champagne 3 oz. part pineapple juice 1 oz. Malibu Coconut Rum dash of Grenadine frozen pineapple chunks, to garnish and keep drink chilled (optional) Fill a champagne flute 1/2 way with champagne. Add pineapple juice and rum.

Top with a dash of grenadine. Drop in 2-3 pineapple chunks to keep drink chilled.

SMOOTH STRAWBERRY 1 part cup strawberry puree 2 parts champagne Pour puree into champaigne flute. Fill with champaigne.

BLUSHING BUBBLES 2 cups orange juice 1 cup pineapple juice 2 tablespoons grenadine 1 bottle Champagne or sparkling wine Stir together first 3 ingredients. Pour equal parts orange juice mixture and champagne into champagne flutes.

ORANGE DREAM 8 cups chilled Champagne 2 cups orange sherbet 1 cup whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks 8 mint sprigs 2 tangerines or Clementines, sliced In large pitcher combine champagne and orange sherbet.

Spoon mixture into 8 glasses. Spoon 2 tablespoons whipping cream over top of champagne mixture. Garnish with a mint spring and tangerine slice.

MAY 2015

Come see our large selection of

BEER, WINE

& SPIRITS

Visit our locations in

Monett Purdy and Cassville CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 47

Mocha Jo’s

Good for breakfast, lunch and supper... or just come in for coffee and dessert

404 East Broadway • Monett

635-1107

PEOPLE WHO KNOW NUTRITION TRUST DIET CENTER Mendy Hubbard Manager Rita Rogers Office Manager 309 Kyler, Monett, MO 65708 417-235-7175 • schild@sofnet.com Hours: Mon. & Thurs. 6 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. • Tues. & Wed. 6 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Money Market Savings Monday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Thursday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Tuesday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Friday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Wednesday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Sunday - Closed Gift Cards, Mugs, Sweatshirts, and Consignment Items.

Let us do the dirty work for you.

You better Let have us do the dirty workto fordo. you. things

You haveWithbetter our Soft Touch and Touch Free thingsAutomatic to do. car wash, you willand be sparkling With our Soft Touch Touch Freeclean summer Automatic car wash, and you ready will befor sparkling clean and ready for summer fun funininno notime. time.

• $1,000 minimum to open.

• Variable rate of interest paid on the average daily balance during each monthly statement cycle. Interest is tiered so that higher balances of Southern Missouri earn higher rates.

• The $8 monthly maintenance fee will be waived if you maintain a $2,000 minimum daily balance throughout the monthly statement cycle.

• Limited to 6 debits (withdrawals) per monthly statement cycle; additional debits $10 each.

www.freedombk.com

1060 Old Exeter Rd. • Cassville 417-846-3711 Hwy. 76/112 • Cassville

1060 Old Exeter Road • Cassville 417-846-3711 Hwy. 76/112 • Cassville 48 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

GoLdEN WILLARd CASSVILLE ShELL KNob 36042 Hwy 86 502 S. State Hwy AB 97 S. Main Street 24828 Hwy 39 417-742-1776 417-271-3814 417-846-1719 417-858-3136

SELIGMAN Hwy 37 S. 417-662-7000 MAY 2015

COMMUNITY CONNECTION n

MY CONNECTION “My Connection” photos should be e-mailed to connection@ monett-times.com. Photos should be sent in the original JPG format at the highest resolution possible.

A short explanation of who is in the photo and where the photo was taken should also be included.

Theresa Mahaffey and Olivia Garner in Indio, California. The car is a 1928 Ford Leatherback and owned by family friends Mert and Joleen Gayler. This picture was taken in March outside IHOP after enjoying a pancake breakfast.

Larry and Charlotte Schoen, of Monett, recently took a cruise with long time friends, Rich and Vickie Friedeck, of Milwaukee.

The seven-day Caribbean cruise on the Emerald Princess took them to Roatan, Honduras, Belize City and Mahogany Beach, Belize and Cozumel, Mexico. The cruise was to celebrate the Schoen’s 50th wedding anniversary. While on the cruise, three of the four also celebrated their birthdays. While in Cozumel, they posed with a handmade Connection magazine.

MAY 2015

The Shiveley family recently traveled to Oahu, Hawaii in February, to visit their grandson, Michael Marshall, who has been stationed at Pearl Harbor for six years with the U.S. Navy. Marshall showed the family all around the island of Oahu. In the front ront row: Bridges Madison, Bill Shiveley and Steve Shiveley.

Back row: Garrett Marshall, Dianne Shiveley and Cari Shiveley.

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 49

Nancy Cook and husband, John, posed in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with her copy of Connection with her longtime friend Becky Caddell on the cover, who she works for at Farmers Daughter Floral and Greenhouse in Shell Knob.

Chet and Bev Shaw, owners of Crystal Waters Travel of Shell Knob, hosted a small group that sailed on the Celebrity Summit out of San Juan, Puerto Rico on March 28. Traveling with the Shaws were Gary and Wanda Burrell, Nora Lee Faulkner, Steve and Donna Lehr, Terry and Dorothy Moran, Jan Stewart, Bryant and Julie Ward, and Oren and Lynn Ward.

Charlie and Connie Lauderdale, of Purdy, along with their children, ten Grandchildren and Aunt Gail Byrd cruised to Cozumel in December. In the frontrow: Artie Joe Cole, Tori Rose, Hadley Hughes, Caitlyn Brown, Gail Byrd, Ashton Lauderdale, Lee Anne Wingo, Lyla Wingo and Ashley Cole.

Backrow: Robyn Cole, Jennifer Rose, Brandon Rose, Connie Lauderdale and Kole Rea.

50 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

MAY 2015

COMMUNITY CONNECTION n

MY CONNECTION

Scott, Ian, and Amber Kragh, of Willmar, MN, with Dave and Lisa Fielder, of Shell Knob, are having some family time on the beach at Delmer Wiggins State Park in North Naples, FL. Ralph Kelley and Pat Chapman took Connection to California to visit family and friends. They also took in some sight-seeing.

John and Rose Newman of Exeter visited James and Gladys Hargis at their winter home in Harlingen Texas.

They enjoyed February at South Padre Island, and they took along their Connection Magazine.

Marty Frost and Cheryl Hodde started Ozark Christian Writers Guild in 1987. It was to be at their church, First Baptist Church, Monett, and to be a writer’s class. Through the years the membership just grew. We are an informal group - no minutes, dues, officers, reports, etc. It became a group of writers of poetry, articles, short stories, novels, genealogy, and much more.

The basic premise is to support, encourage and inspire. We share our knowledge of how to “say” it grammatically correct and when and where to punctuate, where to send our treasured work for professional critique or acceptance for publication.

The most amazing aspect of this group is -- though we each would like to have our work out in the public -- everyone is so excited when success comes to a writer friend. We have often done research for each other to get the best possible exposure for their writings. These are individuals who love to read, write, share and of course, “support, encourage and inspire.”Pictured in the front row: Marty Frost, Tammy Schell, Jeannie Smith Cash, Pat and George Shaner. Back row: Pam Wormington, Edith Head, Bev McCauley, Maime Lane, Yvonne Kerr, Cherie Snider, Linda Blankinship and Kayla De Palma.

MAY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 51

n COMMUNITY CONNECTION

1

4

2

3

5 6

7

9

9

10

11

12

Familiar faces Trinity Lutheran School in Freistatt held its annual carnival and dinner fundraiser at the school on March 6.

1. Shannon Kleiboeker and daughter Cobie. 2. Josh Moore and Sammy Clapper. 3. Raice and Layna Essary. 4. Dale and Ellen Morlan. 5. Elizabeth and Ashur Harper, Justin holding Emery Harper. 6. Brandi & Gabby and Rob Armstrong. 7. Dottie and Nolan Kleiboeker. 8. Katelyn Hansen and Thelma Barnes. 9. Charlotte George and Steve Greimann. 10. Dana Wormington, Terry Wormington and Ayden Elmore. 11. Phillip and Beckett Elbert.

12. Tammy Doss, Myka Masters and Christen Henderson.

52 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

MAY 2015

COMMUNITY CONNECTION n

1

4

2

3

5

6

7

9

9

10

11

12

Familiar faces The Monett Chamber of Commerce held its annual membership meeting and banquet on March 12 at the Scott Regional Technology Center in Monett.

1. Vicki and Paul Nelson. 2. Keith and Karmen DePriest. 3. Tiffany Tallent and Walter Branch. 4. Sara Clark and Deanne Petersen. 5. Mela Sorrano and Dahlia Bradley. 6. Jeff Meredith, Sarah Johnson and Beth Carlill. 7. Front: Marissa Gifford, Yia Vang, Samantha Hull and Tina Shaw. Back: Mandi Higgs and Jake Bailey. 8. Billie and Bob Wakeman, Roger and Kay Osborne. 9. Blake Spain and Brittie Oakley. 10. Shawn and Brandee Thurman. 11. Sarah Wilson and Krista Adams. 12. Patsy and Kobus DuPlessis.

MAY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 53

CAll toDAY For neW 2015 CAtAlog 1-888-845-9582

Making Memories Tours

1

A tour for every wish and every budget.

You take care of the memories, we’ll take care of you.

www.makingmemoriestours.com

5

WAshington DC AnD 4 PresiDents lAter

AlAskA the lAst Frontier

July 1 – 8, 2015

July 22 - Aug 16, 2015

MACkinAC islAnD & Western CAribbeAn FrAnkenMuth Cruise

Aug 13 - 20, 2015

sept 5 – 14, 2015

Check out the website for more details about our trips.

Customer Appreciation You are invited!

Jackie Dalton Seven time Springfield raceway champion will be on site with his car signing autographs along with local driver Brian Green.

June 6th, Saturday (rain reschedule June 13th)

1‐3 Free Food & Drinks Giveaways & Drawings!

9

All kinds of fun

1304 Bond St. Monett, MO 65708 54 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

15

MAY 2015

COMMUNITY CONNECTION n

2

3

4

6

7

8

10

11

12

13

14

Familiar faces Trout season formally opened on March 1 at Roaring River State Park near Cassville.

1. Mindi Arthurton and Raylene Hart. 2. Zach Barnhard and Garrett Royster. 3. Lucas White and Justin Hilburn. 4. Joe Klewer. 5. Darrel Tilford and Hayden Fox. 6. Ron Brown and Brett Brown. 7. Andy Wiles. 8. Phil and Vanessa Glaze. 9. Alex Witt. 10. Dutch Morris. 11. Corey Doyal. 12. Richard Witt.

13. Caleb Brown and Garrett Bennett. 14. Luke and Chuck Beaty. 15. Josh Talbert and John Carter.

MAY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 55

We repair hail damage!

www.edwardjones.com

Dress your garden!

Plymouth Junction

Antiques & Flea Market

Saving for your child’s education graduates you to best mom ever.

Every day you prepare your children for the challenges of life.

But are you prepared for the challenge of paying for their education? Edward Jones can help by working with you to explore your education savings options.

Join the nearly 7 million investors already working with their own Edward Jones financial advisor. To learn more about your education savings options, call or visit today.

311 Broadway Monett, MO

Shane A Boyd

Jeramie Grosenbacher, CFP®

802 West Street Cassville, MO 65625 417-847-5238

1418 South Elliott Aurora, MO 65605 417-678-0277 1-866-678-0277

Nathan Roetto AAMS®

Donald E Weber

304 W. Mount Vernon Blvd.

Mt. Vernon, MO 65712 417-466-4620

100 Chapel Dr Suite B Monett, MO 65708 417-235-7465

Financial Advisor

417-393-0511

Financial Advisor

Tues. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Sun. 1 - 5 p.m.

Booth space available • No commission 56 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

MKD-7705-A

Financial Advisor

Financial Advisor

Scott Young Financial Advisor 100 Chapel Dr Suite B Monett, MO 65708 417-235-7465

Member SIPC

MAY 2015

COMMUNITY CONNECTION n

1

3

2

4

5

6

Familiar faces The annual Whitetails Unlimited banquet was held Saturday, March 14, at St. Mary’s Activity Center in Pierce City.

7

8

1. Mary Reed with her sons, Henry and Porter. 2. Chad Yarnell and Eldon Skinner. 3. Brad Bunnell. 4.

Steve Roden and grandson, Weston Roden. 5. Casey Ganoung and Sasha Crumpler. 6. Lori Oxendine and Tammy Smith. 7. Phil Brooks, Juli Senters and Artie Koehler. 8. Mike Lucariello and Donny Sorenson. 9.

Rick Wortz, Robyn Rosewicz and Kelly Rosewicz

MAY 2015

9

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 57

ADVERTISING INDEX Acambaro Mexican Restaurant 28 Ava Belle’s Flea Market 28 Barry Electric Cooperative 28 Baywash Car Wash 48 Bennett-Wormington Funeral Home 46 Carolyn Hunter, DMD, PC 22 Cassville Health Care & Rehab 22 Community National Bank 38 Country Dodge 4 CoxHealth 60 Crane Family Dentistry 11 Dairy Queen 24 Diet Center 48 Doug’s Pro Lube 54 Eastside Church of Christ 19 Edgewood Creamery 2 Edward Jones 56 First State Bank of Purdy 23 Fohn Funeral Home 32 Four Seasons Real Estate 24 Four States Dental Care 12 Freedom Bank 48 Grande Tire 46 Guanajuato 32 Hill Creek Lodge 12 Ila Bohm’s 12 J. Michael Riehn 12 Ken’s Collision 11 Lackey Body Works 56 Les Jacobs Ford 32 Making Memories Tours 54 Mercy 19, 33 Mocha Jo’s Coffee Café 48 Monett Rental and Sales 2 Morton Buildings 2 Old Town Pharmacy 24 Peppers and Co. 4 Plymouth Junction 56 Ramey 47 Race Brothers 46 Rowdy Beaver 6 Security Bank 33 Smile Designers Dentistry 58 Swartz Tractor Sales & Service 11 The Cornerstone Bank 24 The Jane Store 24 Tomblin’s Jewelry & Gifts 22 Trogdon Agency, Inc. 32 Wickman’s Garden Village 23 Willis Insurance, Inc. 2 Woody’s Express Topsoil and Trucking 19 Youngberg Chapel 11 58 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

Do you have an interesting story you’d like to see featured in Connection?

Email your idea to thorntonlives@gmail.com

New, State-Of-The-Art Dental Office

Children’s & Family Dentistry We offer digital X-rays, ortho, crowns, bridges and root canals.

We accept most dental plans Missouri Medicaid providers up to age 21.

Thomas ALMS Jr., D.D.S.

155 W. Patterson • Mt. Vernon, Mo. • 466-3443 HOURS: Mon. - Thur: 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 - 5 p.m.

MAY 2015

Parting Shot

BY ERMA MAST

Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.

Stevie Wonder

MAY 2015

CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 59

60 | CONNECTION MAGAZINE

MAY 2015