April 10, 2019
Love rains down
Around Town Mid Rivers Mall Drive reopened at railroad crossing north of I-70. Pg. 2
Shower of Love is an annual baby care drive that collects thousands of basic goods for families in need in St. Charles County
Special Section Summer Camp Guide. Pg. 4
School Three FHSD seniors named candidates in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. Pg. 6 Zumwalt students make up one-fifth of SLSO’s Top 100 artists. Pg. 6
By Brett Auten Look around. Week-to-week. Month-to-month. There are families that are hanging on by a thread. In St. Charles County, local agencies receive hundreds of inquiries each month asking for diapers, baby clothes, car seats and other basics. And each year, Shower of Love looks to remedy that. Since 2007, Shower of Love has collected $966,000 in donations for nonprofits in St. Charles County, assisting hundreds of mothers, infants, and families each year. According to Shower of Love Coordinator Jeanne Spencer, federal programs do not typically provide diapers and baby care items, and for many families spending an average of $100 a month for baby supplies can be a struggle. Shower of Love wants to make sure that no mother has to reuse diapers or trust second-or-third-hand equipment, which can lead to serious physical and developmental problems for babies. “No baby should have to sit in a dirty diaper because mom or dad doesn’t have enough diapers,” Spencer said. “One box of diapers may be all of the difference in the world for these moms.” Slated for May 2, the 13th annual Shower of Love is a baby care drive sponsored by the Community and Children’s Resource Board of St. Charles County. In April, over 40 businesses, churches, schools, and civic groups will host donation
Features
Recipe, Movie & Sudoku. Pg. F-1 CLASSIFIEDS AND HOME & GARDEN. Pg. F-2 /F-3 Moore On Life, Yeggs & Crossword. Pg. F-4 Photo by Kate Edmonson At the Crisis Nursery in St. Charles, Maggie Middleton (Program Coordinator), Julie Sinner (Volunteer Coordinator), Jeanne Spencer (Administrative and Grants Assistant CCRB), Lisa Cholley (Play Therapist) and Mandy Blankenship (Site Coordinator) stands with donations.
drives for the Shower of Love and things are kicking off this week with a new event, Fill the Ambulance for Babies. Mid Rivers Mall and the St. Charles County Ambulance District (SCCAD) Grants Administrator want to help local families by partnering to “Fill the Ambulance for Babies” on Saturday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mid Rivers Mall in St. Peters. Shower of Love and SCCAD representatives will be accepting donations of baby basics, such as baby wipes, diapers, Enfamil
formula, new car seats, pack ‘n plays, and strollers. Look for the SCCAD ambulance at the entrance near V-Stock and Macy’s. Fill the Ambulance for Babies is just one of several local events benefiting Shower of Love. On April 27, O’Fallon’s Good News Brewing and Alpha & Omega Roasting Company are hosting a baby shower to support of Shower of Love. If you bring in a donation See ‘LOVE’ page 2
Serving St. Louis, St. Charles and Lincoln Counties | FREE Online at mycnews.com | Vol.21 No.15 | 636-379-1775
Weather FRIDAY Sunny 55/37 SATURDAY Sunny; Showes Late 58/43 SUNDAY Showers 57/41 FirstWarn Weather
prepared by meteorologist Nick Palisch. For the latest updates visit www.facebook.com/nickswx.