CNSTC: August 2, 2023

August 2, 2023

Llama llove

Around Town

Eagle Eye Alpaca and Llama Haven traveling petting zoo brings a menagerie of animals to educate, entertain and comfort people of all ages

By Brett Auten

Denise Hollinshed went from reporting on and writing about the gritty crime on the streets of St. Louis to toting around, among other species, llamas, alpacas, and a tortoise who will, according her, “out live us all.”

Hollinshed owns and operates Eagle Eye Alpaca and Llama Haven, a traveling petting zoo that though based out of Spanish Lake, she and her husband Pierre Guerin spend so much time in St. Charles County with their cavalcade of animals, this side of

the Missouri River feels like a second home.

Hollinshed has a unique lineup of llamas, alpacas, dwarf Nigerian goats, Angora and mini Rex rabbits and more. She brings them to children and adult day care centers, elementary schools, birthday parties, neighborhood fairs. The primary reasons for introducing alpacas and llamas to children and adults is to educate, entertain and comfort them.

And don’t forget weddings. Most may scratch their head at the notion. but during the COVID-19 pandemic, weddings were a godsend.

“Weddings came out of the clear blue sky and we do a lot of them,” Hollinshed said. “It saved the business. The llamas look beautiful up there. (The llamas) have also helped escort out the bridal party.”

According to Hollinshed, alpacas and llamas provide a sense of peace to those who are distressed or challenged with life’s troubles. She also enters the llamas and alpacas in Westminster-like competitions.

“They can help us emotionally, psychologically, and socially,” she said.

See ‘LLAMA’ page 2

Features

Recipe, Movie & Sudoku. Pg. F-1

CLA SSIFIEDS AND HOME & GARDEN. Pg. F-2 /F-3 Moore On Life, Lifestyle & Crossword. Pg. F-4

Weather

FRIDAY

Scattered Showers 89/73

SATURDAY

Partly Cloudy 90/71

SUNDAY

Partly Cloudy 87/69

READ

Voting for Cuivre River Electric Cooperative’s Board of Directors now open. Pg. 4

Youth Tour delegates enjoy trip in D.C. Pg. 3

Submitted photos

Eagle Eye Alpaca and Llama Haven make frequent appearances in St. Charles County with its traveling petting zoo. Most recently, children in the Weldon Springs area got to see an array of creatures.

Hollinshed was a reporter at the Belleville News Democrat and then the St. Louis Post-Dispatch where in 2007 she had her first llama experience while on a story in Collinsville. You could say it was love at first sight.

“I had never been exposed before and I was just so surprised,” she said. “Back at the newsroom I told a colleague, I am going to have them as pets one day.”

When the opportunity came, she jumped at it. And before you know it, she and her husband Pierre were the owners of two al-

pacas, Cheyenne and Cherokee, and a snow white llama named Avalanche.

After a barn and fence were put in place, the variety of animals started to grow and that is when the idea to bring these animals to the people was sprung.

“People in the inner city are usually the last to learn about or be exposed to these things,” Hollinshed said. “It brings me a lot of joy and it is a lot of fun. You go into a nursing home and you see people come to life. A lot of them were brought up on or around farms, so you see someone who is usually quiet and reserved, throwing their popcorn in the air

Fortitude for the faint of heart Inspiration Corner:

I have recently been enchanted by a Facebook reel. Aside from cute animal videos and coordinated dancing shenanigans, I stumbled across a video by an elderly woman called, “GrandmaGreat” who speaks to the camera with a kind of faltering voice.

She gives practical life advice and tells the viewer at the end of each, “…and I love you.”

She reminds me of Fred Rogers.

GrandmaGreat says, “You can do hard things” with an emphasis on the “can.”

I suppose I was feeling a lot like I couldn’t do hard things when I watched one of the videos, which is why it caught my attention. But something in it resonated with me.

Therefore, when I was jogging uphill the other day and was struggling with my breathing, instead of giving up and walking instead, I croaked out, “I can do hard things!” and jogged to the top.

How is it that a simple video of a “Grandma” I’ve never met could inspire me to push through?

What if I don’t want to do hard things?

Conversely, I’m getting to an age and experience level where sometimes I don’t have to

do hard things. I have resources to hire someone to mow the grass. I prefer not to troubleshoot my own computer and usually take it to a shop. And the dear reader will be interested to know I have no interest in changing my own tire. But there is one area where I have been challenged beyond my comfort zone, my granddaughter’s hair.

I am a girl, and I don’t like styling my own hair much less someone else’s. So, when I began spending more time with my granddaughter, it became necessary to give her a bath and style her hair.

The catch is, she is African American. She requires specific hair care products and a healthy dose of patience when trying to comb out the tangles. It took me 90 minutes the first time and I was really tempted to cut it all off. After all, she’s only three years old and marathon hair sessions are not her strong suit –much less mine. But I pushed through. I managed to untangle and braid it. It looked awful, but at least it wasn’t matted to the back of her head, so I considered it a win.

Fortitude is practicing courage during pain or adversity. It requires mental tenacity and a

because they are so excited.”

In general, alpacas and llamas are odorless animals and they are unique because they have three stomachs. They have been described as curious, intelligent and friendly animals who are quite easy to care for. You just need enough room and a clean, well-ventilated barn or three-sided shed. Ideally, llamas should have access to pastures with good grass.

To find out more about Hollinshed and Eagle Eye Alpaca and Llama Haven, visit www. pettingzoohaven.com.

focused determination to persevere when one really wants to flop on the floor and whine. One might not consider it very painful to work with a little girl’s hair, but it is especially challenging for me.

I continue to challenge myself to change my mindset from, “I don’t want to wash and braid hair” to “I will enjoy quality time with my granddaughter.”

Sometimes I even stream old episodes of “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood” while I work. Today, if you are struggling to do hard things, remember that practice makes perfect. For more inspiration, visit me on my blog: www. destinationdiscipline.com.

Margaret Wolfinbarger is a wife and mother of three peculiar children. She lives in St. Charles and likes to shine light into dark places.

‘ LLAMA’ from cover

Submitted photos

Eagle Eye Alpaca and Llama Haven make frequent appearances in St. Charles County with its traveling petting zoo. Most recently, children in the Weldon Springs area got to see an array of creatures.

Youth Tour delegates enjoy trip in D.C.

One hundred and three high school students participated in the 60th annual Missouri Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., June 12-18.

Local delegates sponsored by Cuivre River Electric Cooperative were Bailey Schneider, Leah Guss, Alexis Kennon, Olivia Ketterer and Grayce Knisell, all from Warrenton High School; and Audrey Lovell, Bowling Green High School.

The seven-day tour provides an action-filled week for high school students, offering them opportunities to learn firsthand what it is like to be involved in politics, leadership positions, community service and today’s pressing issues.

“The Youth Tour is the highlight of the summer for many students and we’re proud to send our best and brightest to our nation’s capital to participate,” said Chris Massman, vice president of Member Services for the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. “Each of these delegates will meet someone or see something that inspires them, and in some cases will create a path to their future career.”

Highlights of the trip include the Missouri delegates visiting

with representatives from their congressional districts, touring monuments, the Smithsonian Institution’s museums, Arlington National Cemetery and the International Spy Museum. The group also took a sightseeing and dance cruise on the Potomac River one evening with the delegations from five other states.

Other events of the week included participation in the Electric Youth Day, during which a

special program coordinated by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association brought together over 1,000 Youth Tour delegates from across the United States. The delegates enjoyed featured speeches by government leaders and motivational speakers, such as Mike Schlappi, an inspiring four-time paralympic medalist and two-time world wheelchair basketball champion.

Job Seekers Garden Club celebrates with ribbon cutting

Job Seekers Garden Club of St. Louis held a job fair, family fundraiser, and networking event at the St. Louis Premium Outlets Mall. To commemorate the event, the company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 23.

Members of the Cottleville Weldon-Spring, Chesterfield, and Creve Coeur Chambers of Commerce, Bob Nation, the Mayor of Chesterfield, and other community leaders were in attendance.

“The mission of the Job Seekers’ Garden Club of St. Louis is to foster a warm and caring community in

which job seekers, recruiters and connectors come together to nurture and support one another, and to find both career and growth opportunities through networking in order to make St. Louis a stronger and more vibrant community. The nonprofit was formed in 2020 to address the needs of tens of thousands of job seekers who suddenly lost their jobs due to the pandemic,” says Executive Director Bob Kolf. For more information on Job Seekers Garden Club of St. Louis visit jsgcstl.org.

Submitted photo

Cuivre River Electric Cooperative sponsored six students to attend the National Youth Tour Conference June 12-18 in Washington, D.C. Pictured (from left) standing in front of the U.S. Capitol Building are Alexis Kennon (Warrenton), Leah Guss (Warrenton), Audrey Lovell (Bowling Green), Bailey Schneider (Warrenton), Olivia Ketterer (Warrenton) and Grayce Knisell (Warrenton).

Submitted photo

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VETERINARY

Voting for Cuivre River Electric Cooperative’s Board of Directors now open

Voting for candidates to fill four, three-year term seats on Cuivre River Electric Cooperative’s (CREC) Board of Directors opens on July 17. Candidates are as follows (incumbents have an asterisk following their name):

• Lincoln County District 1: Christopher Williams, Mike Cherry*

• Warren County District 3: Phil Dunk*, Mark Konya

• St. Charles County District 4: Karen Berra*, Arthur Madden, Shirley Pecoraro

• St. Charles County District 5: Ted House*, Joseph Frazier

The voting process is being handled by the independent firm of Survey and Ballot Systems (SBS), based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

Candidate bios are available when voting via a secure internet site, by paper ballot, or in person. Bios are also being published in the August issue of Current Times/Rural Missouri. Members may vote online until 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 21, or by paper ballot which must be received at SBS by the close of business on Aug. 21.

Members also have the option to vote in person at the CREC’s Annual Meeting at 4 p.m. on Aug. 24 at the cooperative’s headquarters in Troy.

While members are welcome to attend the annual meeting, the meeting will also be streamed live online to view. To access it, please visit the home page of our website, cuivre.com on Aug. 24.

All members who cast a vote (online, paper, or in person) will be entered into a drawing for free electricity. Attendance at the meeting is not required to be eligible for voting participation prizes; the winners will be announced in the week following the meeting. The complete slate of winners will also be posted in CREC’s monthly newsletter, Current Times, on the CREC website, social media channels, and in CREC Connections, the cooperative’s e-newsletter.

“There is an opportunity to win prizes – if you vote,” said Chris Ryan, vice president of member engagement and technology. “Members do not have to attend the annual meeting to win. They simply need to vote.”

For further information, contact Ryan at 636-6954831/email cryan@cuivre.com.

As ongoing wildfires in Canada continue to cause intermittent air quality concerns in St. Charles County and across the U.S., the St. Charles County Department of Public Health’s Division of Environmental Health and Protection is advising residents to take time every day to check their local air quality forecast and make adjustments to keep themselves and their families healthy.

“Air quality concerns were most noticeable during recent weeks when smoke from the Canadian wildfires was visibly present, but some of those concerns remain even without the visual smoke,” says Ryan Tilley, Division Director for the Division of Environmental Health and Protection. “Air quality varies on a daily basis and is something to keep an eye on if you are vulnerable and planning to be outside for an extended period of time.”

Air contamination consisting of ozone and smoke particles from wildfires, even in less-visible amounts, can cause eye or respiratory irritation, Tilley says. Exposure to high concentrations, or to smaller amounts over multiple days, is linked to aggravation of pre-existing respiratory and cardiovascular disease and increased risk of premature mortality.

According to the American Lung Association, the people most vulnerable to

health symptoms from poor air quality include children and teenagers, older adults, and people with heart or respiratory health conditions, as well as those who spend longer periods of time outdoors.

“The county has real-time information about regional air quality at sccmo.org/AirQuality. We recommend this as a tool for anyone in the community, but particularly for people in one or more at-risk categories,” Tilley says. “On days when the air quality is worse than normal, it’s wise to consider reducing prolonged or strenuous outdoor activity.”

Tilley recommends residents reduce their gas or smoke emissions on poor air quality days by carpooling with others, combining errands to reduce trips, and postponing burning yard waste and using gas-powered lawn equipment.

For broader information about air quality and health impacts from wildfires, go to airnow.gov/wildfires and click on the “Smoke from Fires and Your Health” link.

Air quality is reported using a nationally standardized index that uses colors to communicate current conditions. Below is what each of those colors mean, according to the U.S. Air Quality Index:

• Green (Good): Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.

• Yellow (Moderate): Air quality is acceptable. However, there may be a risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.

• Orange (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups): Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected.

• Red (Unhealthy): Some members of the general public may experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.

• Purple (Very Unhealthy): The risk of health effects is increased for everyone.

St. Charles County Environmental Health advises ongoing air quality awareness

Take Notice . . .

The events listed in this section are the latest updates as of press time, please check with individual sites for the most up to date cancellations and reschedule info.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Aug. 24-27: Orchestra auditions

St. Charles County Youth Orchestra auditions will be held on Aug. 25, 26 and 27. Students at all levels of string, wind, brass, and percussion are invited to audition. The auditions will be held at the Grace Baptist Church Fellowship Hall St. Charles. Auditions are by appointment please visit www.sccyo.org/ auditions.

ONGOING EVENTS

Mondays: Optimist Club meetings

The Wentzville/Lake St. Louis Optimist Club meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Wentzville IHOP, 10 Layla Lane, Wentzville, MO.. For more information contact Ed Jurotich at 314-560-1868.

Mondays: Alcoholics Anonymous

If you want to drink, that’s your business. If you want to stop, we can help. Call Alcoholics Anonymous at 636970-0013.

Mondays: Take off Pounds

Sensibly

TOPS meet every Monday at Holy Cross Lutheran Church at 8945 Veterans Memorial Hwy in O’Fallon. Meetings at 9:30 a.m. with weigh in beginning at 8:30 a.m. For more information please call Leogene Weber. 636-399-3124.

Mondays: NAMI St. Louis Connection Recovery Support Group

If you have mental health concerns and need support, please come on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. at Friedens United Church of Christ at 1703 Old Highway 94 South in St. Charles.

Mondays: Parent support group

Because I Love You, (BILY), Gateway parent support group meets every Monday at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church at 801 First Capitol Dr. in St. Charles. For information and directions, please contact the helpline at 314-993-7550 or email gateway_parent_help@yahoo. com. BILY is a program of self-help for parents of trou-

bled children (all ages). We are not professionals, but parents helping each other. The meetings are free to attend.

Mondays: Kiwanis Club meeting

Cottleville-Weldon Spring Kiwanis Club meets the first Monday of the month at noon at Bandana’s at 3446 Pheasant Meadows Dr. in O’Fallon. Contact Mary Vaughan at 314-581-0497 or Karen Grant at 773-914-4900 for more information.

Mondays: Seasoned eye carvers meeting Meetings are held from 9 to 11 a.m. at the St. Charles Senior Citizens Center at 1455 Fairgrounds (near the Bass Pro Shop). Visitors are always welcome. For more information visit http://www. stcharlesareawoodcarvers. com/ or contact Charles Sapp at cwsapp@charter.net.

Mondays: St. Peters Rotary Club

Noon at St. Peters City Hall, One St. Peters Centre Blvd. www.stpetersrotary.org.

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: Fitness First Exercise Class 9:30-10:30 a.m., American Legion Hall, 504 Luetkenhaus Blvd., Wentzville. 314-3696521.

Mondays: Choral Arts Singers practice Choral Arts Singers practice on Mondays, from 7-9 p.m. at Connection ChristianChurch, 1332 Feise Road in Dardenne Prairie. New singers (high school and older) are welcome. Auditions are not required. See www.concertarts. org.

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: Fitness First Exercise Class 9:30-10:30 a.m., American Legion Hall, 504 Luetkenhaus Blvd., Wentzville. 314-3696521.

Mondays: St. Charles County Council of the Blind meetings

Business meetings are held on the first Monday of each month unless otherwise specified. Currently, during the COVID pandemic, meetings are held via conference call,

starting at 6:45 pm. For more information, contact Beverly Kaskadden at 636-561-6947.

Mondays: American Legion Post 388 Meets

Meets the fourth Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at American Legion Hall, 607 Westridge Dr., O’Fallon, 636219-0553

Mondays: Measurement

Mondays:

10 a.m. - 12 noon at the ST. Charles Health Deparment in the Upper Level Conference room. Measurement Mondays is a family-friendly breastfeeding support group. We are open to all moms and moms-to-be who are breastfeeding or interested in breastfeeding. The group is supported by the St Charles County WIC program so there will be information about the program available at each meeting. Each meeting will be a little different than the last. There will be baby weigh-ins, introductions, games, interactive education, group conversation, and even snacks.

Mondays and Wednesdays: Tai Chi for arthritis class

Every Monday and Wednesday a Tai Chi for arthritis class, sponsored by the city of St. Charles Parks and Recreation, takes place from 9:1510 a.m. at Webster Park across from the Family Arena. This is a class that is taught nationally to manage arthritis and to prevent falls. For more information call 636-949-3372.

Tuesdays: Toastmasters Meeting

7 p.m. at the Midwest Bank Centre Board Room at 2299 Technology Blvd., O’Fallon, MO 63368. Info: 636-3792505.

Tuesdays: Cribbage Club

Meets every Tuesday, 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. at The Falls Golf Course Clubhouse. Relaxed, friendly play and is open to all. Call 314-954-3364 for info.

Tuesdays: Women’s AA weekly meeting

Candlelighters Women in Recovery meets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Dardenne Prairie Presbyterian Church (enter at Adam Lamb pre-School, turn left) at 7400 South Outer 364 at the corner with Bryan Road.

Tuesdays: Seniors luncheon

On the third Tuesday every month a luncheon for seniors takes place from 11 a.m. – 2

p.m. at Transfiguration Episcopal Church at 1860 Lake St. Louis Blvd. For more information call 636-561-8951. Free bingo and cards are available.

Tuesdays: Optimist Club meeting

The St. Charles Optimist Club meets Tuesdays at noon at Pio’s Restaurant. For more information contact Jack Ross at 314-287-0569 or jack-ross@ att.net.

Tuesdays: Cribbage

Looking for an evening out? Come and play cribbage Tuesdays at 6 p.m. at Rookies at 15358 Veterans Memorial Pkwy in Wentzville. Win prizes and awards with semiannual tournaments. ACC sanctioned. For more information contact Dee at 636-233-8032.

Tuesdays: Diabetes support group

A diabetes support group meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month except November and December from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. at 400 Medical Plaza, Suite 102 in Lake St. Louis. A new speaker each month. Questions? Call Amanda Meyer at 636-625-5447.

Tuesdays: Kiwanis Club of St. Charles

12:05 p.m. at Ginghams

Homestyle Restaurant, 1566 Country Clcub Plaza Drive, in St. Charles. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time. The group is looking for new members who want to better our community and help its youth. If you are interested in

making a positive impact in St. Charles for generations to come, please come for lunch. For more information call 636-206-2483. You can also visit http://stcharleskiwanis. com

Tuesdays: Quilting Guild at the O’Fallon Family YMCA

1-4 p.m. Free. Quilt for local charities. No sewing experience required.

Tuesdays: NAMI St. Louis Connection Recovery Support Group

If you have mental health concerns and need support, please come on the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Grace United Church of Christ at 8326 Mexico Rd. in St. Peters.

CROSSWORD answers from page F-4

SUDOKU answers from page F-1

Sports you see with Gary B . . .

Hart added to his RBI total on the day in the eighth inning, when his hit to left field left the park and scored two runs, tying the game at 5-5.

Hoots playing hard as regular season nears

The O’Fallon Hoots play their home games at CarShield Field in O’Fallon and play in the Prospect League.

The Hoots (25-25, 10-13) traveled to Peru, Illinois recently to start a two-game set against the Illinois Valley Pistol (24-25, 12-10). The first game ended in favor of the Hoots, who needed 10 innings to take down the Shrimp, 8-5.

Inside the Box Score:

Michael Long led all players with four RBIs, thanks in large part to his two home runs. He totaled three hits on the night as well as three runs scored.

Chase Beattie also collected a home run in addition to three hits and two RBIs.

Tyler Ferguson and Zach Beatty tallied the other two RBIs for the Hoots.

Sam Feltz picked up his fourth win of the year in his two innings of relief, allowing no runs.

How it Happened:

Michael Long started the scoring in the second inning with a solo shot in the lead-off spot. Chase Beattie then doubled and was soon driven in on a Zach Beatty single, setting the score at 2-0 in favor of O’Fallon.

Illinois Valley cut into the lead in the bottom of the second. With runners on first and second, Isaiah Hart singled to drive a run in and cut the lead in half, 2-1.

Long struck again with another homer in the top of third. This time, he did it with two runners on after Drew Mize singled and Tyler Ferguson walked. The three-run blast upped the Hoots’s lead to 5-1.

Ryan Bakes got a run back for his Pistol Shrimp when he started the bottom of the third with a solo home run, making the score 5-2.

In the fifth, Bakes joined Long in the multi-home run club when he powered his second long ball over the center field run to bring Illinois Valley one run closer, 5-3.

After both teams’ offenses were stymied in the ninth inning, Ferguson started extra innings with an RBI single that scored Jack Meyer, who was placed on second to start the 10th. Now up by one, Long collected his third hit of the night with a single, and Beattie added to the home run bonanza with a tworun bomb, adding to O’Fallon’s lead, which now sat at 8-5. Sam Feltz shut the door on the Shrimp in the bottom of the tenth, clinching the win for the Hoots.

The team’s regular season ends this Saturday so check the web to see a game www.OFallonHoots. com

*Fun, exciting season

Hoots former player gets drafted

The Prospect League is proud to announce five Prospect League alumni have signed as undrafted free agents following the 2023 MLB Draft.

Since 1963, the Prospect League, formerly known as the CICL, has seen nearly 200 alumni reach Major League Baseball and over 800 alumni play professional baseball. These five players join the 15 Prospect League alumni drafted in the 2023 MLB Draft taking the next step in their careers.

The Hoots organization are proud to announce that the following player is one of the five:

Collin Baumgartner

2022 O’Fallon Hoots

University of Kansas

Colorado Rockies

Good luck in negotiations for your future baseball opportunity.

*Remember us when you make it big

Gary Baute, a St. Louis native, may be educated in business but he lives and breathes sports. As a fan or an athlete, Gary is all sports all the time. He hosted a radio sports program on KFNS, emceed the River City Rascals’ inaugural sea son, among many other activities. I am currently host ing a Health show on 97.1 FM, ‘Prime Time Health’ www.PrimeTimeSTL.com. It broadcasts Saturday nights at 8 and Sunday mornings at 9.

RECIPE : Recharge for summer fun with a sweet superfood

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups North Carolina

Sweetpotatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

3 tablespoons maple syrup

salt, to taste

coarse pepper, to taste

4 celery sticks

1 red pepper

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup hot water

1/4 cup soy cooking cream

1 tablespoon soy sauce

12 sheets rice paper (22-centimeter diameter)

2 tablespoons chopped, roasted peanuts

DIRECTIONS:

Peel sweetpotatoes and cut into 1-centimeter thick strips.

SWEETPOTATO SUMMER ROLLS

Recipe courtesy of the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission Servings: 4

In skillet, heat olive oil. Fry sweetpotato strips 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally; sprinkle with sesame seeds, deglaze with maple syrup and boil down briefly. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and let cool. Wash celery and red pepper; cut

Movie:

By Steve Bryan

Born and raised in South St. Louis, Steve Bryan is now based in Anaheim, California, and has been allowed access to movie and television sets to see actors and directors at work. Though his writing has taken him far from St. Louis, Steve is, at heart, still the same wide-eyed kid who spent countless hours watching classic movies at neighborhood theaters.

into strips.

Mix peanut butter with water, cream and soy sauce.

Let rice paper sheets swell according to package instructions.

Spread strips of sweetpotato, celery and red pepper on top half

n March 4, 1994, John Franklin Candy passed away at age 43 from a heart attack. The beloved Canadian actor attended Neil McNeil Catholic high school and considered becoming a professional football player until he severely injured his knee. He later married Rosemary Margaret Hobor and had two children, Jennifer and Christopher. Candy also was a co-owner of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football league.

Looking back on Candy’s body of work, his greatest contributions were on the big screen. In Ron Howard’s “Splash,” for instance, Candy played Freddie Bauer, the brother of Allen Bauer (Tom Hanks). As a boy, Allen had been saved by a young mermaid and, as an adult, he grew up to run a wholesale fruit and vegetable business. When Allen encountered his mermaid again, she took the name “Madison” and the two of them fell in love. When Madison was exposed as a mermaid, Freddie helped the two of them escape the authorities in comic style. Candy’s contributions to “Splash” made this film one of the best of 1984.

Directed by Carl Reiner, 1985’s “Summer Rental” cast John Candy as Jack Chester, an air traffic controller in dire need of a vacation. Given five weeks of paid leave, Jack took his

of one sheet rice paper. Drizzle with sauce. Fold lower half over strips then edges. Repeat with remaining rice paper sheets and ingredients. Sprinkle summer rolls with chopped peanuts. Serve with remaining sauce.

family to the town of Citrus Cove, Florida in the hopes of having a nice vacation. Nothing went as well as expected; however, and Jack ran afoul of Al Pellet (Richard Crenna), the local sailing champion who wanted Chester and his family gone immediately. “Summer Rental” had some good moments, in particular Rip Torn playing a restaurant boat owner who identified with pirates.

Directed by John Hughes, 1989’s “Uncle Buck” was another perfect vehicle for John Candy. After Bob and Cindy Russell moved to the Chicago suburbs, Cindy’s father suffered a heart attack. She then had to rely on Bob’s brother Buck, played by Candy, to watch their children. John Candy’s performance here was funny and touching at the same time. He even matched wits with a very young Macaulay

Culkin and their conversations sounded like a police interrogation.

1991’s “Only the Lonely” gave John Candy a solid opportunity to be the romantic lead. He played Danny, a Chicago police officer and the adult son of Rose (Maureen O’Hara). Rose, unfortunately, had her son tied tightly to her apron strings. After Danny fell in love with Theresa Luna (Ally Sheedy), a girl who worked in her father’s funeral home, he wanted to marry her. John Candy was great in “Only the Lonely,” especially in his interactions with the wonderful Maureen O’Hara.

Written, produced and directed by John Hughes, “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” contained outstanding performances from John Candy and Steve Martin. Martin played Neal Page, an advertising executive who was anxious to return home to his family for the holidays. At LaGuardia Airport, he met shower curtain ring salesman Del Griffith (Candy), a man who always seemed to be around. Steve Martin and John Candy did amazing work in this film and embodied the frustrations of holiday travelers.

No matter if it was a comedy, drama or thriller, John Candy always worked hard on his memorable performances. Thank you for the smiles, laughs and tears.

Fill in the blank squares in the grid, making sure that every row, column and 3-by-3 box includes all the digits 1 through 9.

Remembering John Candy

Moore on Life: Stay-cation

Summer is in full swing and this year we decided to have the out-of-state kids and their families come to our house for a stay-cation.

If you don’t know what a stay-cation is let me define it for you: a grueling form of self-torture done over a never-ending period of time.

In the beginning, it was all smiles and laughter, but then came the first event: the family hike-Shoe Mountain. Shoe Moun tain had conveniently formed itself in our front entryway. It consisted of a hill containing every possible type of footwear the grandkids and their parents owned. The summit was somewhere near the base of the ceiling’s chandelier.

They all knew of my rule about no shoes in the house, but I would cut them a break this one time by giving them a subtle reminder. I mounted the riding lawn mower and rode it over Shoe Mountain until there was nothing left but a nice rubbery pile of mulch.

Hey, it’s summertime. Being barefoot is in style.

Next came mealtimes. I started off with a big breakfast. Somehow everyone thought that the cook (me) was also responsible for cleaning up as well. I faced a buffet that looked as if it had been struck by a semi. There were dirty pots, plates and silverware along with half-eaten bowls of cereal and opened boxes of donuts and unfinished glasses of juice left strewn out on every surface.

All this was ignored while the makers of the mess were in the backyard digesting and sunning themselves

By Cindy Moore CROSSWORD: FINISH THE LYRICS

obliviously on the loungers or playing on the lawn.

I went into the garage and flipped on the sprinkling system and turned it up to “turbo”. Soon I had a drenched team of cleaner-uppers inside the kitchen murmuring words not fit for polite society, but they were soon doing my bidding.

The final straw came with the teenagers…or should I say the “screen zombies.” They wouldn’t pull their faces away from their devices for anything except the latest updated version of iPhone. I confiscated each of their charging cords and watched with disturbed glee as their lips quivered while their phones slowly drained of power.

It was the greatest pleasure of my stay-vacation, that and learning of a helpful term to cure my stress and anxiety-Holiday Inn.

Cindy Moore is the mother of three superlative kids, servant of two self-indulgent felines and wife to one nifty husband. Her ficticious occupation? Archeological Humorist: someone who unearths absurdity and hilarity in strange and unusual places including public restrooms, the lint filter, and church meetings. Most recently, she excavated a find in her neighbor’s bird feeder.

The opinions expressed in this column are Cindy Moore’s alone and do not reflect the opinion of the owners or staff of Community News.

ACROSS

1. *"Back in ____ I hit the sack"

6. Lavatory, abbr.

9. Arctic floater

13. Revered Hindu

14. Three, to Caesar

15. Poison ampules, e.g.

16. Neckwear option

17. *"Sometimes it's hard to be a woman, giving ____ your love to just one man"

18. Most populous country

DOWN

1. Undergarment

2. Catalog

3. Fungal spore sacs

4. "____ at the bit"

5. Soldier's knapsack

6. Pinocchio, e.g.

7. Be unwell

8. Pancho's last name

9. Like certain print

10. *"Here's a story of a lovely ____"

Warmer

months are likely to have the whole family eager to dive into outdoor activities. This year, as you tackle the garden, find ways to get the youngest family members in on the action, too. Not only is gardening an activity you can enjoy together, there are numerous ways to incorporate age-appropriate, teachable moments from counting and colors to responsible care of living things.

Creating a positive first experience with gardening can start with this simple advice:

• Dedicate a spot for a junior garden, which allows you to instill a sense of pride and ownership in the little gardener while protecting your own garden areas from ambitious young hands.

• Provide appropriate tools in child sizes. Just as you would teach a child the finer points of baseball using a bat and glove, demonstrate the joys of gardening with tools such as a rake, hoe and trowel, all of which can be found in sizes more manageable for little helpers.

• Let the kids choose what to plant. Whether flowers or food plants, allow children to make their own decisions (within reason) about what they would like to grow. This can help them engage in the magic of watching items they selected emerge from the ground and grow into their finished forms.

• Encourage exposure to unfamiliar plants that entice the senses with appealing smells and flavors. Herbs such as chives, mint and basil are good choices, or consider edible flowers such as pansies or violets.

• Set an example for your child to imitate by giving regular and proper care to your own garden.

Remember to bring the lesson full circle by enjoying the bounty of your garden together, whether it’s a small hand-cut bouquet or a meal featuring your child’s freshgrown produce. Find more tips for gardening with your kids at eLivingtoday.com.

Cindy Moore is the mother of three superlative kids, servant of two self-indulgent felines and wife to one nifty husband. Her ficticious occupation? Archeological Humorist: someone who unearths absurdity and hilarity in strange and unusual places including public restrooms, the lint filter, and church meetings. Most recently, she excavated a find in her neighbor’s bird feeder.

The opinions expressed in this column are Cindy Moore’s alone and do not reflect the opinion of the owners or staff of Community News.

19. *"It's going down, I'm yelling ____"

21. *"Sugarpie honeybunch, you know that I ____ ____"

23. Act on IOU

24. Spanish sparkling wine

25. Mel ____, Giant Hall-of-Famer

28. Garbage in, garbage out, acr.

30. *"If everybody had an ocean ____ the U.S.A., then everybody'd be surfing"

35. Less than average tide

37. All's opposite

39. ____, Wind & Fire

40. Gas station brand

41. Bottom-ranking employee

43. *"The future's not ours to see, que ____"

44. ____ Coffee, whisky drink

46. African river

47. Part of a sweatshirt, sometimes

48. ____-____-tat, drum roll sound

50. Please get back to me, acr.

52. 007, for one

53. Impulse

55. Consume food

57. *"I'm going to ____, I'm gonna mess around"

61. *"And I will ____ love you"

64. Do penance

65. Melvin Purvis' org.

67. High school balls

69. Goes with shaker

70. Cardinal, color

71. Lock horns

72. Eurasian duck

73. Pop-ups, e.g.

74. Earp of the Wild West

11. Assortment

12. Genesis twin

15. Fast and lively, in music 20. Giving a once-over

Spermatozoa counterparts

Reassert 25. *"Believe it or not, I'm walking ____

26. Sailor's cry: "____ firma!"

27. Like an implied agreement 29. *"You're here, there's nothing I fear, and I know that my heart will ____ ____" 31. Possible allergy symptom 32. Black and white treats

Leather razor sharpener

*"Will the real Slim ____ please stand

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