CrossRoads: May. 2013

Farmers Market Season Is Here Missouri & FDR Marvel Comic Movies Meet Our New Funny Lady

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MAY around town

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2013 contents

Missouri Native Wildflowers on Sale Parents: Check Window Coverings Complete Your Workout I-70 South Service Road Name Change to Veterans Memorial Parkway St. Charles County Among Missouri’s Healthiest Missouri Marriage Indexing

entertainment

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A Marvel Movie

food

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Simply Sizzling Grill Idea

VOL 10 | NO 5

always an adventure 10 Published monthly with direct mail circulation to Wentzville and Lake Saint Louis, plus newsstands in Troy.

Publisher Editor Production Manager Production Columnists Photographer

Bob Huneke Shannon Cothran Rebecca Brockmann Vicki Seagraves, Donna Huneke Avalanche, Brian Guerrero, Cindy Moore Ray Rockwell

2139 Bryan Valley Commercial Dr. O’Fallon, MO 63366 Ph: 636.379.1775 Fx: 636.379.1632

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Copyright 2013 Huneke Publications, Inc. No part of the publication may be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher.

Crossroads is a trademark of Huneke Publications, Inc. Any published use of Crossroads implying affiliation is strictly prohibited.

Marathon

by Avalanche

Moore on Life 11

Feeling Blue

by Cindy Moore

history 12

80th Anniversary of Civilian Conservation Corps

spotlight 14

Farmers Market Grows Roots in Lake Saint Louis

business 16

Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce News

By Tony Matthews

Financial Spring Cleaning

For advertising information, please contact us at:

Community News

by Brian Guerrero

photo op 18 community calendar 19

Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House May

Editor’s Note: It is with a heavy heart that I write this note. Boston is my hometown, you see, and I’m grieving even though none of my family or friends were affected by the recent attack. I’m grieving for my home and all my former neighbors. Avalanche had written his column about marathons well before the attack, and I have decided to run it even though the topic of marathons is a sensitive one right now. I’m running it because it celebrates the heart of every runner, and I believe that’s what we need to heal.

MAY 2013 CROSSROADS

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AROUND TOWN

Missouri Native Wildflowers on Sale Choose from a huge variety of native wildflowers, ferns, trees and shrubs for home landscaping at the Shaw Nature Reserve’s annual Shaw Wildflower Market on May 11 from 9am - 4pm. The annual sale offers the widest array of native plants available in the metro St. Louis area, selected by the Reserve’s horticulture staff and several local nurseries. Admission to the sale is included with Reserve admission of $5 for adults and free for Missouri Botanical Garden members. Children ages 12 and under are free.

The Shaw Wildflower Market offers hundreds of varieties of annual and perennial plants that are beneficial in attracting native species of birds and butterflies. Select from the showiest and hardiest native plants for sun or shade, including pale purple coneflower, butterfly milkweed, rose turtlehead, dwarf crested iris, cardinal flower, compass plant, wild phlox, maidenhair fern, bottle-brush buckeye and fringe tree.

“Right now, native plants are in huge demand,” said Scott Woodbury, horticulturalist at the Shaw Nature Reserve. “The Shaw Nature Reserve will offer hundreds of Missouri species of native plants that are great for home gardens, rain gardens, prairies, wetlands and woodland gardens.”

Along with the Shaw Nature Reserve, participants include Forrest

Keeling Nursery, Missouri Wildflower Nursery, Pan’s Garden, Wild Ones Natural Landscapers, Ozark Berry Farm and Andy Weiss Native Plants.

You’ll also enjoy the chance to shop for wine, honey, meat, bread, beer, eggs, cheese, cut flowers, birdhouses, artwork, books and much more while enjoying the toe-tapping live acoustic music by The Folk School on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

After shopping the Spring Wildflower Sale, take time to explore the 2,400-acre Shaw Nature Reserve, where the Whitmire Wildflower Garden offers an example of home landscaping with Missouri native flowers and plants. Explore the tallgrass prairie, walk the boardwalk in the wetland or visit the historic Bascom House.

Admission to the Spring Wildflower Sale is included with Reserve admission of $5 for adults and free for Missouri Botanical Garden members. Children ages 12 and under are free. Cash or checks only are accepted at the sale. For more information, visit www.shawnature.org/nativeland/plantsale.aspx or call 636.451.3512. The Shaw Nature Reserve is a division of the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Parents: Check Window Coverings The Window Covering Safety Council is reminding parents and caregivers of potential window-cord dangers and urging them to make the right choice and only use cordless window covering products in homes with young children. Owners, renters, and caregivers should replace all corded window coverings in the home with today’s safer products.

According to the CPSC, corded window coverings are one of the top five hidden hazards in American homes, with infants and children dying each year from accidentally

strangling in window cords. Some of these incidents involve older products that are still in use but don’t have the safety devices or designs instituted in the past decade.

To maximize window-cord safety when young children are present, consumers are urged to follow these safety guidelines: Install only cordless window coverings in homes with young children. Replace window blinds, corded shades and draperies with today’s safer products.

Move all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away

from windows and window cords, preferably to another wall.

Keep all window pull cords and inner lift cords out of the reach of children. Make sure that tasseled pull cords are short and continuous-loop cords are permanently anchored to the floor or wall. Make sure cord stops are properly installed and adjusted to limit movement of inner lift cords.

For more information on window covering safety and to order free retrofit kits please visit www.windowcoverings.org.

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CROSSROADS MAY 2013

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Complete Your Workout As New Year’s resolutions become distant memories this time of the year and opportunities arise to trade in daily workouts for work and personal extracurricular activities, you may be tempted to skip your workout and derail your health and fitness goals.

To help keep you focused on your ultimate fitness goals and ensure your workout commitments stay intact as we head into spring, incorporate the following five techniques for continued health and fitness throughout the year.

• Change it Up: If your workouts are getting dull, start the spring season off fresh by trying a new workout routine or activity.

• Ink it In: Regularly scheduled workouts make exercising a priority in your busy life and turn a tentative penciled in obligation into an inked commitment. By making routine fitness appointments with yourself, you eliminate the urge to second guess yourself or make excuses for bailing on your workout.

• Buddy Up: When a friend is relying on you to show up for your workout each and every day, you are less likely to skip out on your fitness routine. Find a buddy to work out with to increase your accountability, add a social aspect to your routine and have someone to share the journey with to overall health and fitness.

• Scale it Back: While you would love to have a full hour to work out every single day, you know that isn’t always possible.

Instead of bailing on your workout, though, when your schedule gets tight, opt for a scaled-down version of your regular routine. Focus on quality over quantity by reducing the number of exercises you do, but increase the intensity of the exercises so you can still get in a good sweat even when you’re limited on time.

• Reward Yourself: To stay motivated with your workout routine, it’s important to focus your outlook and approach on positive measures. Reward yourself with positive reinforcement each time you reach a health

and fitness goal and celebrate your successes with your friends, family and workout buddies when you accomplish major fitness milestones.

• Put Your Workout Clothes On: Many of you have heard me say this before. It’s such a simple thing. Time for your workout and you don’t “feel” like it. OK, just put on your workout clothes even if you have no intention of working out. It’s like, “well, I’m dressed. I might as well do something.” Try it! It works!

Stay on track with your fitness routine this spring by implementing the above fitness tips into your daily life. You will be glad you did when swimsuit season hits full force this summer and you have accomplished the health and fitness goals you set for yourself at the start of the year.

Article by Fitness Together, personal trainers in O’Fallon (636.300.9010) and Cottleville (636.922.5320)

I-70 South Service Road Name Change to Veterans Memorial Parkway On April 5 Wentzville held a ribbon-cutting ceremony as official recognition and to celebrate the name change of the I-70 South Service Road to Veterans Memorial Parkway. The name change to Veterans Memorial Parkway starts at the western terminus of South Callahan Road and continues west through Wentzville, Foristell and an area of unincorporated St. Charles County. At the western edge of St. Charles County, it will connect to Veterans Memorial Parkway in Warren County.

The ribbon cutting will take place at 10 Wentzville Marketplace, just east of Enterprise Leasing and in front of the furniture store. The public as well as St. Charles County elected officials, and city officials from neigh-

boring municipalities are invited to join Wentzville elected officials as they recognize and pay tribute to our country’s veterans by naming this stretch of road in their honor.

Wentzville city officials began official steps to accomplish the name change on January 23 of this year, with the passage of resolution 13-484. Following the passage of the resolution in January, city staff sent notices to property owners along this strip of roadway, inviting them to comment on the proposed change. Wentzville’s board of aldermen gave final and official approval of the name change at its March 13 meeting with the passage of ordinance 3282. Staff began sending official notices of the name change to property owners on March 28.

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AROUND TOWN

St. Charles County Among Missouri’s Healthiest A national study released today ranks St. Charles County atop a list of Missouri’s healthiest counties. For the fourth consecutive year, the County Health Rankings compiled by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute placed St. Charles County first in Missouri for its “Health Outcomes” and “Health Factors” categories. The complete nationwide and Missouri-specific rankings may be viewed at www. countyhealthrankings.org.

“Earning this distinction as one of Missouri’s healthiest counties for the fourth year in a row is a tremendous recognition for the importance that St. Charles County residents and our medical community place on healthy lifestyles,” said Hope Woodson, interim director for the St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment.

“Beginning with a healthy and active community allows our staff to be proactive in dealing with potential risks and in educating residents on ways in which they can improve their quality of life.”

Coupled with the overall healthy lifestyle of area residents, initiatives begun by the St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment have enhanced the well-being of our community. Department staff actively networks with medical professionals and care providers to monitor disease threats, reduce incidences of chronic disease and assess the health needs of residents.

An example of this outreach is the more than 650 nutrition and fitness, alcohol abuse prevention, tobacco cessation and other programs presented to day care centers, schools, businesses and senior centers by our Health Education staff. Other impactful programs include free immunizations for children through the Vaccines For Children program (VFC), low-cost vaccinations for uninsured or under-insured children and adults participating in the Children’s Immunization Program (ChIP) and the Adult Immunization Program (AIP), and low-cost treatment and prevention services through the STD Clinic. Additionally, the County’s Women, Infants and Children

program (WIC) counsels pregnant women and mothers with infants or young children on the importance of proper nutrition from the beginning and provides supplemental, nutritious foods that give families an opportunity enhance growth and development.

The rankings are based on recent public data collected from vital statistics and government health surveys. Statistics measured include premature deaths (those who die from preventable diseases before the age of 75), obesity rates, binge drinking, smoking, access to healthy foods, unemployment, high school graduation rates, pollution, access to primary care providers, and self-assessed health status. The “Health Outcomes” are a representation of the health of a community, with rankings determined by how long people live (mortality) and how healthy people feel (morbidity). The “Health Factors” are what influences the overall health of the community, and these rankings are based on the community’s health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic conditions, and physical environment.

Along with the continued population growth shown by the recent Census updates and improved economic conditions, these rankings further the notion that St. Charles County is an excellent location to raise a family or start a business. With a premature death rate that is both below the Missouri and National benchmarks, the study ranks St. Charles County second in Missouri in Mortality and 12th in Morbidity to top the state’s Health Outcomes list. Topping the state in social/economic factors, ranking fourth in clinical care and placing fifth in healthy behaviors also led to the county’s first-place ranking in the state’s Health Factors category.

The St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment is committed to the protection and enhancement of health and the quality of life for all members of our community. For information on programs offered and to discover ways the Department assists our community, please visit www.scchealth.org or call 636.949.7400.

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CROSSROADS MAY 2013

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Missouri Marriage Indexing Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander today announced that the Missouri State Archives is working in conjunction with FamilySearch to create a free index to more than three million of the state’s marriage records, from the territorial period through December 31, 1969.

Volunteers interested in assisting with online indexing of marriages are encouraged to contact the Missouri State Archives volunteer coordinator at archvol@sos.mo.gov or 573.751.3280. This effort will make the majority of Missouri’s marriage records accessible to researchers around the world. Although the records are now available at the county level and on microfilm at the Missouri State Archives, this project will create the first free, online statewide index. Once accessible through the Missouri Digital Heritage website, the index will link to digital images of the actual

records, allowing instant access at no cost.

“Marriage records contain a wealth of information for genealogists and family historians,” Kander said. “The index created by this project will join the Missouri Death Certificates, the Supreme Court of Missouri Historical Records and other very useful collections on Missouri Digital Heritage.” Marriage records typically include the names of the bride, groom, person officiating the ceremony and witnesses; the location and date; and occasionally ages, parents’ names and other interesting details. They provide a significant amount of information for those trying to learn more about their family history and are particularly important in researching maternal family lines where maiden names are hard to determine without documentation.

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ENTERTAINMENT

By Brian GuerRero

Brian Guerrero is a former resident of Los Angeles and a current resident of New York City with extensive experience in front of and behind the camera for film and television.

A Marvel Movie The Summer Season Tradition The summer season of blockbuster movies typically begins on the Despite Spider-Man 2’s Wednesday opening on June 30, 2004, it first weekend (or first Friday) of May every year. However, there’s a still broke the first film’s opening record by a million and was argunew addition to the tradition of the summer opening weekend: It ably the most critically praised film of all time for comic book movis the must to include the release of a big budget movie based on ies. Also, Spider-Man 2 is still the only Marvel-based film to have Marvel Comics! won an Oscar (for Achievement in Visual Effects) and was listed as It’s not just Marvel that could be responsible for this (or is it?), AFI’s Movie Of The Year. Despite being the favorite of the franchise, but multiple studios that have found opening their comic-book its domestic gross only went up to $373 million. Is it because it did movies that weekend is a phenomenal marketing habit. Whether it not open on that first May weekend that it did not make as much depends on a film’s campaign, a builtas its predecessor? up fan base, or even just the Marvel laSpider-Man 3 opened May 4, 2007. bel, it’s smart, it’s good business, and it This film, generally viewed as a disapworks. No judgment here. pointment by both fans and critics, Columbia Pictures, Marvel, or maybe was the least domestic grossing film both began this idea with Spider-Man of the trilogy. Yet, that opening weekbeing released May 3, 2002. This may end proved once more that business be the most crucial film of all since this was good for Hollywood. Spider-Man blockbuster broke one of the most im3 made a whopping $151 million over portant box-office records of all time that May weekend. Its domestic total over that first weekend of May. grossed to just $336 million. (Strangely Remember Jaws? The movie defined enough, its worldwide gross was easily as The Original Blockbuster and the the highest of the franchise).

Iron Man 3 Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios first film ever to reach $100 million at Now, there’s been a Marvel movie rethe box-office? leased every year over that first weekend of May ever since.

Spider-Man was the first film to break $100 million on opening On May 2, 2008, Iron Man was released and was marked as the weekend. It wasn’t just over $100 million but a killer $114 million, first film to open under Marvel Studios (with Paramount Pictures). and soon, Spider-Man became the highest domestic grossing film It made a well $101 million over opening weekend to a domestic in 2002 at $403 million. It beat the previous record holder, The Lost total of $318 million.

World: Jurassic Park ($90 million on its opening weekend) in 1997.

In May 1, 2009, X-Men Origins: Wolverine opened strong with $85 20th Century Fox released a Marvel sequel, X2: X-Men United on million, but as a result of disapproving reviews, it crawled up to May 2nd (opening weekend gross: $85 million) to kick-off the sum- $179 million, the lowest for a Marvel film that opened this time mer flicks of 2003, totaling up to $214 million, domestically. of year.

Marvel came roaring back in May 7, 2010 with Iron Man 2 and a weekend gross of $128 million to a total $312 million.

May 6, 2011, it was Thor with $65 million (opening weekend) to $181 million (domestic total).

May 4, 2012 was the day when Marvel (now under Disney) made opening on the first May 1 weekend a way of life thanks to The Avengers! With high approval ratings, it was the first film to make over $200 million for the weekend, then earned a domestic total of $623 million. It’s regarded by many as the greatest super hero movie ever made.

So, what is this year’s opening Marvel (a couple days from this column’s release)? Gear up for Iron Man 3 on May 3 folks!

Also, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is pre-planned for May 2, 2014 as well as The Avengers 2 on May 1, 2015. Marvel’s May tradition lives on. www.poagechevrolet.com 8 CROSSROADS MAY 2013

FOOD

Simply Sizzling Grill Ideas These warm months offer a great excuse to fire up the grill and invite the neighbors over. The opportunities are endless when it comes to backyard grilling, so give the burgers a break and serve up a light, fresh and delicious alternative—shrimp.

Caught wild in warm, salty, nutrient-rich waters, shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico have a luscious and flavorful taste.

Because of this rich flavor, you won’t need many ingredients to create a meal so savory your guests will be coming back for seconds. This easy-to-grill crowd favorite can take on a plethora of different flavors. From Asian to Italian, shrimp makes it easy to experience cuisine from around the world.

Plus, shrimp offers all the flavor of other grill favorites without the fat, so you can feel satisfied and stay on track to be swimsuit-ready.

Three tips to get your Gulf shrimp ready for the grill: Pick the right size: Choose the largest size possible, preferably jumbo or colossal. One pound of jumbo size will yield 12 to 15 shrimp, or 10 colossal. Smaller shrimp are prone to falling through the grill rack.

Clean them up: Many recipes recommend that you devein the shrimp. Though it is not as important with smaller varieties, deveining large shrimp will help avoid getting a gritty bite.

Get ready to grill: You can marinate or grill with or without the shells. To peel, simply cut the shell along the back with a sharp knife, removing all but the tail.

For more Gulf shrimp recipes and information, visit www.eatgulfseafood.com.

Grilled Citrus Shrimp Provided by the Junior League of Mobile, Alabama Ingredients 1 1/2 pounds fresh Gulf jumbo shrimp 1/3 cup fresh grapefruit juice 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact. Combine grapefruit juice, orange juice, lime juice, cilantro, mint, salt and pepper in shallow glass dish.

Add shrimp; toss well. Marinate, covered in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Drain shrimp, discard marinade.

Arrange shrimp evenly on 4 metal skewers. Spray grill rack with nonstick cooking spray. Place skewers on rack. Grill, with grill lid down, over mediumhot (350 to 400 degrees) coals for 3 minutes per side or until shrimp turns pink. Serve over cooked rice.

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ALWAYS AN ADVENTURE

By Avalanche

Avalanche is a functional illiterate who left the St. Louis area three decades ago in search of adventure. He enjoys motorcycling and all things outdoors. He lives with his wife and dogs.

Marathon Running 26.2 miles is a strange way to spend a morning.

In the modern world, there is no necessity to perform such a task, let alone perform the task with thousands of other people at the same time and location. But it is a rather popular pastime—over 500,000 Americans joining in the fun last year.

It tends to be a middle-aged game, with the average age of the participant being around 40 years. There are worse ways to spend one’s mid-life crisis. Lining up at the start of local races, I usually see an assortment of guys whom I have known for many years; they’re a group of former hockey players, kick boxers, power lifters, wrestlers and other impact-oriented athletes. We’re all too banged up to continue our old ways, so we put on our running shoes and go out on the roads and beat the remaining cartilage out of our knees in a quest for fitness and fleeting glory. The irony is that the local orthopedic surgeons probably make more money off of us now than they did when we damaged ourselves with higher velocity pursuits.

A marathon is basically a 6-mile race with a 20-mile warm-up. It’s not a particularly difficult endeavor—it’s just painful. With the exception of the elite racers, who run the entire race at a pace faster than most of us can manage to sustain for a half-mile, superior speed, strength and freakish genetics are not critical for the average participant; just persistence over several months of training, and a certain mental stubbornness that will carry one to the finish line. With proper training, the race doesn’t become difficult until the last several miles. Then, it becomes an exercise in pain management. One has to overcome the powerful desire to do just about anything but run. For what seems like a really, really long time. You can quit and drop out any time you want, but you have to live with the knowledge that you gave up simply because it was hard. And therein lies the value of this event.

The Boston Marathon is the gold standard for marathon participation, at least for mere mortals. Outside of the Olympics, it is the only marathon for which the racer has to meet a certain qualification time

for entry. These qualifying times are somewhere around the top 15th percentile for each age group.

Difficult to achieve for most of us, but a far more inclusive standard than the top 1% or above for the genetic outliers that dominate the Olympics.

The Boston race is the world’s longest running marathon, this year being #117. Walking around downtown Boston with any visible race paraphernalia, one gets treated as a celebrity, with the city displaying great hospitality to the participants. Despite the race event shutting off streets, subways and clogging hotels, the folks there seem quite happy to host a “Parade of Ectomorphs.”

A friend who grew up in Boston drove me along the race course my first time there, so I could get a look at the terrain in person. Heavy traffic made this a 3+ hour ordeal. The top racers run the whole course in a little over 2 hours, so perhaps running this distance would have some value in the modern world, as an alternative to gridlock.

The advice one is given before the race is inevitably, “Don’t start too fast.” The first five miles of the Boston course are downhill. Arriving in good shape with lots of energy, combined with the excitement of race day and the declining grade tend to delude one into thinking that you can run much faster than your actual ability. That delusion starts to fade sometime after the halfway mark, and reality becomes painfully obvious in the hilly terrain between miles 18 – 20. There, the truth about one’s training and pacing is revealed. If you did it right, no problem. If you didn’t, it’s a long 6.2 miles to the finish line.

Perhaps the best part of the race is the last 600 yards down to the finish line. The months of training, the running through blizzards and bitter cold, working through injury and setbacks, and pushing through the difficult times in the race are all rewarded with the cheering of thousands of spectators and the satisfaction of accomplishment. If life begins at the end of your comfort zone, then there is a lot of living in the last miles of a marathon.

See Editor’s Note page 3

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Cindy Moore

Cindy Moore is the mother of three superlative kids, servant of two self-indulgent felines, and wife wife to one nifty husband.

Her fictitious occupation: Archeological Humorist-unearths absurdity and hilarity in strange and unusual places including public restrooms, the lint filter, church meetings. Most recently, she excavated a find in her neighbor’s bird feeder.

I take great amounts of pleasure in certain things others might not find so enjoyable; the thunk-kshhhh sound the can of an icy cold beverage makes when it is opened. If it’s a Dr. Pepper, then the joy intensifies by ten. Cat feet: Yeah, it’s weird, but I said it. I find nothing cuter than the little pink nubs on the bottom of a cat’s foot. Finding a front row parking place at the store: I call them “pretty girl spots,” and getting one boosts my self-esteem if only for a moment. Another thing that brings me great amounts of satisfaction is ripping the tag off of a new item of clothing. To me, it’s like opening a gift on Christmas Day. I love to feel the fight put up by that little obstinate string of plastic attached to the label.

It gives me wicked delight to pull and stretch it just so, until I snap its little security-guard-spine in half.

I get enjoyment out of knowing the item has never been worn, and I am the captain about to take it on its maiden voyage of wear and tear.

However, my husband sees the world differently. He’s a Coke man, was raised with dogs, parks in the end zone of the lot to prevent car scratches, and has worn the same pair of old man, powder blue denims he snagged from Walmart since before Reagan took office.

I believe he suffers from some sort of severe emotional attachment disorder. He can’t let these things go. It’s not like they haven’t been utilized to their fullest potential. They’ve been out to dinner and movies, biking and camping, on cruises, even to Europe and back. So they’ve lived a happy fulfilled life–it’s time they died.

The answer to the problem seems simple: buy the poor man a new pair of denims. I tried to get him to do it on his own and the answer was always the same, “What’s the matter? These are still good.”

If I had a nickel for every time I heard him say that I’d have enough to buy him some new pants. So, I did. I bought the poor man three pairs of trendy, sporty new dark blue jeans that he can’t bring himself to wear until the wear has worn out of the old ones.

I will say that we have made slight progress. His work place has al-

MOORE ON LIFE

Feeling Blue

lowed the employees a casual Friday, and everyone wears jeans. My fear was he would show up in his worn out powder blues and be assigned janitorial detail.

He finally snapped a few tags for his co-workers.

But, while the office crowd now gets the pleasure of seeing him sporting crisp stylish denims, I still get stuck in the constant company of the old scrap bag rejects. Finally, I tossed out a threat to incinerate the things. His comeback, “Come on, just let me keep them to use around the house. They’re good working-in-the-yard pants.”

He had a point. I begrudgingly agreed–only for working in the yard.

So we went out to dinner the other night and were running late. In my rush to get out of the door, I forgot to do my once over of his outfit to make sure he wasn’t wearing pajamas or sandals and black dress socks. On our way into the restaurant and too late to make a change, I saw that he had once again resurrected the ghost of the powder blues. It was far too fancy of a place to throw a fit so instead; I threw him a dagger glare and vowed under my breath that tonight the jeans would go to that great rivet shop in the sky.

Trouble is, before I could get at them, they found their way back into the dark hidden recesses of his closet where he conceals them from me. Lucky pants. They have more lives than a junkyard alley cat. And why shouldn’t they? They’re woven from the fibers of titanium and refuse to wear out. They’ve gone out of fashion so many times that they are now in fashion once more.

Which creates a problem: he can now argue that he is hip.

How depressing. I’m feeling bluer than his old jeans.

So, I’ll just rub my cat’s foot for luck, pop a top on my favorite soda and drive on over to some boutique, hopefully grab a pretty girl spot and go in the store and buy a few things to take home and snap off a tag or two.

That’ll cheer me up just fine.

Living Word 1/12

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MAY 2013 CROSSROADS 11

HISTORY

80th Anniversary of Civilian Conservation Corps

A panorama of the Civilian Conservation Corps camp near Carlinville, Illinois in 1938. Most CCC camps consisted of approximately 24 buildings and housed 200 men.

Men relax in the camp library at the Civilian Conservation Corps camp near Carlinville, Illinois. Note the portrait of President Roosevelt. The CCC was part of Roosevelt’s New Deal plan to help America recover from the effects of the Depression.

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CROSSROADS MAY 2013

Few federal government programs today are viewed as efficient and popular with long-lasting effects.

The Civilian Conservation Corps, the enormously successful Depressionera program of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, was all that and more. April 7 marked the 80th anniversary of the first man to be enrolled in the CCC. The CCC put unemployed, impoverished young men to work in forestry, soil conservation, drainage, and public parkland. Known for its quality of work, the imprint of the CCC remains in parks, forests, and farmlands today.

With the nation’s economy in shambles, Roosevelt spent his first days in office in March 1933 creating a multitude of programs to create jobs, including the CCC, whose official name was “Emergency Conservation Work.”

On March 21, Roosevelt sent his plan for the CCC to Congress, stressing the “moral and spiritual value” of conservation work to “take a vast army of... unemployed out into healthful surroundings.”

Ten days later, Congress approved the plan. The first man enrolled in

the CCC was Henry Rich in Alexandria, VA, on April 7, 1933—only five weeks after Roosevelt’s inauguration

By June, some 253,000 were enrolled across the nation.

Men in the CCC lived in quasi-military camps administered by Army and civilian personnel. Camps contained approximately 24 buildings, including barracks, a mess hall, infirmary, educational and recreational facilities, and administrative quarters.

Men received food, shelter, medical care, and $30 per month, $25 of which was sent to dependents, who welcomed the economic benefit.

Wildly popular with the public and politicians alike, enrollment in the CCC peaked at 505,782 in 1935. Some 3.5 million men in 4,500 camps filled the ranks in the Corps’ existence from 1933-42.

Dubbed “Roosevelt’s Tree Army,” CCC camps held approximately 200 men and were usually segregated.

The CCC was originally designed for unmarried men ages 18-25 on the relief rolls. Native Americans, also struggling economically, were added in April 1933. The following month,

HISTORY

World War I veterans were added and sent to their own camps.

Soil conservation was a key contribution of the CCC in Missouri, as well as the development of state and national parkland.

Sam A. Baker, Meramec, Bennett Spring, and Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial, and Montauk are just a few examples of Missouri state parks that were developed by CCC labor. Swan Lake Wildlife Refuge in Chariton County was also a site of key CCC activity.

“The impact of the CCC on parks in Missouri cannot be understated,” said James Denny, a retired historian with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources who has extensively studied the CCC. “The work that the CCC did in parks was tremendous, and the CCC put people back to work and helped send money home to families that needed it. It also got people into the great outdoors and into better surroundings, and gave them something productive to do.”

Over 102,000 Missouri men were enrolled in the CCC, and an annual average of 41 camps were operated in Missouri during the Corps’ existence.

Most acknowledge the CCC as a landmark in the conservation movement, and the economic benefits were felt not only by workers and their families, but in the towns that hosted camps, as supplies were usually purchased locally.

The CCC also left an emotional legacy, as

many of its alumni never forgot the opportunity the CCC presented. Men gained twelve pounds on average in their first two months in camp, and the spartan barracks, in many cases, were an improvement over previous living conditions.

“Many men say that the CCC saved their lives,” said Joan Sharpe, President of the Men relax in the barracks of the Civilian Conservation Corps camp near Virginia-based CCC Legacy, a Carlinville, Illinois. The CCC offered quasi-military living, including spartan barracks, a mess hall, infirmary, and recreation facilities. national organization of CCC veterans and enthusiasts. “The men were so desperate in those times, and many of them were just riding the rails. They all needed the structure and benefits that the CCC provided.”

An estimated 95 percent of CCC men eventually served in World War II, and many became officers. “They already knew a lot about military life, since the camps were run by military officers,” said Sharpe.

“When the war came, they put their CCC experience to good Men stand and wait in a field serving line during a day’s work in the use.”

Civilian Conservation Corps near Carlinville, Ill. The CCC provided unemployed young men with $30 per month with food, shelter, and Denny also notes that CCC medical care during the Depression. work has weathered the generations. “That type of archiwork and hewn wood is still pleasing to tecture is still appealing,” remarked Denny. look at, all these years later, and it’s still here “That rustic look with the handcrafted for everyone to use and enjoy.”

MAY 2013 CROSSROADS

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CROSSROADS MAY 2013

SPOTLIGHT

Farmers Market Grows Roots in Lake Saint Louis Spring has arrived in St. Charles County and with it comes the return of the Lake Saint Louis Farmers & Artists Market at The Meadows shopping center. The market is St. Charles County’s only all-local market meaning that everything sold at the market must be produced by the vendors within 100 miles of the St. Louis region.

“I love getting up early and coming out to the market.

It’s become the highlight of my week,” says Tricia Reh, a market patron. “I try to support local when I can and this gives me the opportunity to buy fresh, local produce that was grown right here in our area. It doesn’t get much more fresh and local than that!”

Creating an all-local market was the cornerstone of the market’s inception in 2009. A group of St. Charles County volunteer citizens headed by Carl Saunders, owner of Yellow Dog Farms in Warrenton, focused on bringing fresh, local produce and hand-crafted goods to the people of St. Charles County. Before too long, the region’s only all-local market was born.

“We felt the need for people to reconnect with where their food was coming from,” explains Saunders. “Creating an all-local market not only gave vendors an opportunity to showcase their products, but it gave customers the convenience of shopping local in their own community. It has been a win-win for everyone ever since.”

In fact, the market was so well-received that it outgrew its former location and relocated to The Meadows shopping center at Highway 40 and Lake Saint Louis Blvd in 2012.

“When the market first approached us about relocating to our shopping center, we were thrilled,” says Bridget Geiss, marketing director of The Meadows. “The market has become one of our most popular attractions at the shopping center, and we are honored to support them.”

People aren’t the only ones basking in the bounty of the market. Four-legged, furry friends are also welcome Farmers Market photos courtesy of Kim Carr. at the market. Saunders, among several other vendors, “This region has a rich tradition of producing the finest wines and sells homemade dog treats. Each bag of dog treats bears the label beers enjoyed by people around the world. It makes perfect sense of being ‘personally inspected by Hank’, Saunders’ yellow Labrador that they would be a part of a local market that caters to the comretriever. munity where it is made,” says Saunders.

And if fresh produce and handmade baked goods and crafts aren’t Additional items that can be found at the market this time of year enough, customers can also enjoy complimentary yoga, fresh cof- in late spring and early summer include salad greens, cauliflower, fee, acoustic music and children’s face painting. spinach, fresh honey, asparagus, farm-fresh eggs, grass-fed beef, pasNew to the market for the 2013 season is an expanded selection of tured pork, plants, soaps, hand-crafted jewelry, wood workings, Adproduce brought to the market by added local farmers and growers. irondack chairs and much more.

Further into the season, the market will also welcome local winerTo learn more about the Lake Saint Louis Farmers & Artists Maries and breweries debuting their finest selections for shoppers to ket, become a fan on Facebook or visit the website at www.lakestsample and purchase. louisfarmersandartistsmarket.com.

MAY 2013 CROSSROADS 15

BUSINESS Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce

Serving Wentzville, Lake St. Louis, and Dardenne Prairie By tony mathews

Chamber Hosts Five Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies The Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce hosted ribbon cutting ceremonies for Cartridge World, Resurrection Fitness, Ranken Technical College, Sweet Tooth Café and Poage Chevrolet.

Cartridge World

Cartridge World is located at 504 W. Pearce Blvd., Wentzville. For more information please call, 636.887.4840, or visit them online at www.cartridgeworld.com.

Cartridge World is the world's largest dedicated specialty retailer of ink and toner printer cartridges. They are committed to providing great value, top quality refilled and remanufactured printer cartridges that are backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Tony Mathews President/CEO Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce

Resurrection Fitness is located at 25 Lakeside Drive, Lake St. Louis. For more information please call 636.448.6300, or visit them online at www.resfit.net.

Resurrection Fitness is a private, one on one personal fitness training facility. They specialize in workouts geared toward fat loss, muscle toning and coordination building.

Ranken Technical College is located at 755 Parr Road, Wentzville. For more information please call 855.726.5369, or visit them online at www.ranken.edu. Ranken will be expanding its reach by offering courses in Wentzville. Ranken Wentzville is an additional location to the St. Louis campus, and will offer degree and certificate programs in both day and evening classes.

Resurrection Fitness

Ranken Technical College

Sweet Tooth Café is located at 606 W. Pearce Blvd., Wentzville. For more information please call 636.887.7022, or visit them online at www.thesweettoothcafe. biz. They serve ice cream, sundaes, cupcakes, burgers, fries and more. They offer student discounts, so feel free to bring by the team after a hot game. They can also cater birthday parties.

Poage Chevrolet is located at 851 W. Pearce Blvd., Wentzville. For more information please call 636.327-6268, or visit them online at www.poagechevrolet.com.

Poage invites anyone in the market for a new or used vehicle to come see them, and take advantage of their Grand Opening Sales Event.

Sweet Tooth Café

To see pictures and find out more information about these ribbon cuttings please visit www.westernstcharlescountychamber.com and click on the Chamber’s News Section.

For more information please contact the Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce at 636.327.6914 or visit us online at www.westernstcharlescountychamber.com.

For more on any of this information or the chamber in general, please call the chamber office at 636.485.3123 or visit the website www.westernstcharlescountychamber.com.

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CROSSROADS MAY 2013

Poage Chevrolet

BUSINESS

Financial Spring Cleaning Keeping finances in order can help keep property from becoming Unclaimed Property Information from State Treasurer Clint Zweifel

State Treasurer Clint Zweifel is providing Missourians a financial “spring cleaning” checklist he hopes they will use to keep their finances in order and their property from becoming Unclaimed Property.

“There are a few simple steps each of us can take on a regular basis to keep our records up-to-date and our estates in order,” Treasurer Zweifel said. “It is important that we check on our accounts, safe deposit boxes, life insurance policies and wills. By making sure that our contact information is correct, our fees are paid up and changes made, Missourians can help keep their property where it belongs and avoid having to file Unclaimed Property claims to get it back.”

Here are a few “spring cleaning” tips for your finances: Make sure your bank has your current information. If you have moved or changed your name, be sure to inform your bank.

Check your safe deposit boxes. Make sure your fees are paid and keep an inventory of the contents of your box. Be sure to add new items if necessary and remove items that no longer need to be kept in your box. Let a trusted family member or your estate planner know where your safe deposit box information is kept. Consider adding a trusted individual as a box signatory.

Create and update your Virtual Asset Instruction Letter (VAIL). A virtual asset is any information you store online and any device you use to access that information. Examples include computers, smart phones, email accounts, and online banking and investment accounts. Your VAIL should list all website addresses, usernames and passwords.

Keep your VAIL secure by saving it to a CD or a memory stick and storing it in a safe place. Be sure to update your VAIL with new accounts, new passwords and let a trusted family member or your estate planner know how to access it.

Change your passwords. It is a good idea to change your passwords at least once a year to protect your various accounts – email, social media, and online banking and investment accounts.

Update your email address. It is not uncommon for individuals to change their primary email address. Make sure that you let your bank, life insurance provider, investment advisor and estate planner

know if this is a form of communication you use to contact them.

Prepare or update your estate planning documents. Unfortunately, we never know when we will need to have our estate planning in order. Having a plan for your assets in the event of your death will ensure that your assets are distributed in the manner that you chose and will allow your heirs to receive their inheritance in a timely manner. In your estate planning documents, consider including a revocable living trust and/or beneficiary designations to avoid probate.

Check your investments. IRAs, 401Ks, CDs, pensions and more need your updated information. If you’ve moved, changed your email address or would like to update beneficiaries, make sure to do so on a regular basis.

Check your securities. Many Missourians invest in stocks and bonds.

It is important that you keep your information up to date on these investments including your name, address, email and beneficiaries.

Check your life insurance policies and beneficiary information. Treasurer Zweifel has received more than $17 million in Unclaimed Property from unclaimed life insurance policies. Make sure your life insurance company has your correct information and that of your beneficiaries to help keep this money from becoming Unclaimed Property.

Check for Unclaimed Property. Treasurer Zweifel holds nearly $700 million for more than 4.3 million account holders. He adds new property to his database every week. You can search for Unclaimed Property 24 hours a day at www.ShowMeMoney.com. While there, you can also sign up for email notifications and email search results to family and friends you find on the list.

For more information about Unclaimed Property or to search for your property, visit www.ShowMeMoney.com.

www.Welsch-heatcool.com MAY 2013 CROSSROADS 17

Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House Local photographer Barry Gaston visited the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House. The Butterfly House is located in Faust Park at 15193 Olive Blvd. in Chesterfield and is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9am – 4pm. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors (ages 65 and older) and $4 for children (ages 3 to 12). Children ages 2 and younger and Missouri Botanical Garden members are free. For more information, visit www.butterflyhouse.org or call 636.530.0076.

www.thefitnessfuzion.com

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CROSSROADS MAY 2013

Photo Op

www.advancebeautywentzville.com

PHOTOS BY BARRY GASTON

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

MAY Lake St. Louis Community Blood Drive

9am – 12pm at Transfiguration Church, 1860 Lake St. Louis Blvd.

636.561.8951

Annual Atai Orphanage Trivia Night

6 – 10pm, 6156 South New Ballas Rd., Creve Coeur, events@ataiorphanage.org

Republican Club

National Kid’s to Parks Day

710 Cherry St, 7:30pm

Lake Shelter at Cuivre River State Park 2 pm

lincolncountygopclub@gmail.com

www.mostateparks.com

Flex & Strength Adult Yoga

All skill levels welcome. www.lakesaintlouis.com

Wentzville Board of Aldermen Meeting 6 – 9pm, City Hall, 310 W Pearce Blvd.

636.639.2010

5/27-5/31

Ozzie Smith’s Sports Academy at Founders Park $59-&130

ozziesmithssportsacademy.com

MAY 2013 CROSSROADS 19

Presorted Std US Postage

PAID

2139-A Bryan Valley Commercial Dr., O’Fallon, MO 63366

www.ofallonnutrition.com

www.lakestlouisgardencenter.com

St. Louis, MO Permit 2828

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