Year in Review 2019
Celebrat es ST. CHARLES
Honorees 250 YEARS!
Holiday • RECIPES...PIE! • FASHION • HOME DÉCOR
2019
BEYOND THE BEST
Year in Review 2019 1
sponsored by
to benefit
and
DECEMBER
14 2 0 1 9
6- 11 FOUNDRY ART CENTRE 520 Main Center | St. Charles, MO FOR TICKETS: BrrrBASH.com
M
2 StreetScape Magazine
A
G
A
Z
I
N
E
Table of Contents
5 Publisher’s Note Found on Page 5
250 Year Celebration...Did You Know?................................... 6 Meet St. Charles Mayor............................................................ 8
20
Meet Lindenwood's New President...................................... 10 Recreating History with "Edutainment"............................... 16 Top Dog Fetches Community Attention.............................. 18 Deck the Halls Home Décor.................................................. 20 The Brass Rail Thanksgiving Dinner...................................... 26 Recipes- For the Love of Pie.................................................. 28
36
Don't Suffer from Winter Skin................................................ 32 Gifts that Sparkle.................................................................... 34 Fashion- Make a Grand Entrance.......................................... 36 Soccer Mentor........................................................................ 44 Climb....................................................................................... 46 Beyond the Best 2019............................................................ 48 Society Pages.......................................................................... 76
50
BEYOND THEB EST
On the Cover
Photography: Brittany Lynn Imagery | Model: Savanna Wagaman Fashion and Styling: MOss Boutique | Location: Grand Opera House, North Main Street Year in Review 2019 3
www.parkviewgardens.com
Parkview Gardens Florist and Greenhouses 636.946.7641
1925 Randolph, St Charles, MO 4 StreetScape Magazine
Holiday Open House
December 6th-7th-8th 20% OFF
Homegrown Poinsettias
Publisher’s Note Hello Friends, We’re glad to welcome back Beyond the Best in 2019. This is one of my favorite things! We feel it is important to recognize the positive actions and focus on the contributions of people in our community. On a personal note, as a state representative, it humbles me to see all of the good people do in District 65 and throughout St. Charles County.
Volume 12, Issue 1 YEAR IN REVIEW 2019 TPH Media 223 North Main Street St. Charles, Missouri 63301 314.761.8060 Tom.Hannegan@gmail.com StreetScapeMagazine.com StreetScape Magazine is registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office. Any reproduction of StreetScape Magazine or its contents requires publishers written consent. StreetScape Magazine aims to ensure that information is accurate and correct at all times but cannot accept responsibility for mistakes. StreetScape Magazine reserves the right to refuse an advertisement and assumes no responsibility for submitted materials. Unsolicited material must include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
It’s also wonderful to be back in the publisher’s seat and to bring StreetScape Magazine back with this special year-end edition to recognize the 250th Anniversary of St. Charles. Enjoy the edition, and please take time to review the bios of the winners of Beyond the Best 2019. They are some incredible individuals. We value the history of St. Charles and love to have fun at StreetScape, so we have combined them both here for you. Again, we’re glad to be back, and we hope this brings back happy memories of Streetscape Magazine. Have a wonderful holiday.
© 2019 TPH Media. All rights reserved.
Sincerely,
Thomas P. Hannegan Publisher & Founder, StreetScape Magazine
Behind the Scenes Robin Seaton Jefferson Senior Correspondent
Jeanne Strickland
Content Management Layout | Design | Graphics
Kate Santellano
Coordinator: Beyond the Best
Scott Mell
Sales Account Manager
In Loving Memory
Pa
The StreetScape Family suffered two great losses this year. Our beloved friends and collegues, Mary Ellen Renaud and Jackie Vick. Both ladies were instrumental in everyday production, as well as, the Beyond the Best Awards Gala. We dedicate Beyond the Best 2019 in their memory. We love and miss them very much.
Mary Ellen Renaud
Jackie Vick Year in Review 2019 5
25
Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson with contributions by St. Charles Historical Society; Amy Haake and Maureen Rogers-Bouxsein
DID YOU KNOW?
HISTORICAL TIDBITS
The St. Charles County Historical Society (SCCHS) has, since 1956, worked tirelessly to foster an understanding of and appreciation for all aspects of St. Charles County history and genealogy. Within its walls at 101 South Main Street in St. Charles, Director and Archivist Amy Haake and the volunteers historians who surround her work every day to preserve the history and genealogy of St. Charles County. The SCCHS’ Archives today is the result of the merger between the Historical Society and the St. Charles County Genealogical Society in 2009, when the society’s mission expanded to include the preservation of the genealogical records of the county. Today the society holds quarterly lunch where attendees can learn about St. Charles County history, as well as family history and genealogy workshops.
• 1769-1779 Though he first visited in 1765, Louis Blanchet establishes a settlement naming St. Charles Les Petite Cotes. The legend of Blanchet and Bernard Guillet was forged during this period. • 1779-1789 The census of 1787 calls the village “Establecimiento de los Pequenas Cuestas” – Village of the Little Hills. Shortly before the cession the village was officially known as “San Carlos del Misuri.” (A History of Missouri, Volume II by Louis Houck , 1908.) • 1789-1799 The French name of St. Charles, Les Petite Cotes, is used for the last time in documents. Louis Blanchet dies in August of 1793 and is buried beneath the walls of the little poteaux en terre church on Main Street, San Carlos Borromeo. The Spanish galiot, La Vigilante, docks at San Carlos del Misuri, on November 3, 1795. • 1799-1809 On November 17, 1804, an agreement is made between Francois Duquette and Justices of the Quarter Sessions for use of Duquette’s windmill as a jail. • 1809-1819 Jean Pu Du Sable, founder of Chicago, Illinois, bought a house at 701 N. Second Street in 1810. Later this house was the home of Alexander McNair, Missouri’s 1st Governor. 6 StreetScape Magazine
250
ST. CHARLES'
ANNIVERSARY
Open to all, the St. Charles County Historical Society welcomes visitors to view records and hear stories of people, places and events that have occurred in St. Charles County. Its archives hold everything from wills to circuit court and naturalization records, as well as indices of marriage, cemetery and church records. The Historical Society’s online catalog contains over 14,000 photographs of people, buildings, businesses, events and residences. Its archives include diaries, family collections, journals, manuscripts, maps, scrapbooks, and school and town records. The following is a collection of interesting and fun facts provided to Streetscape Magazine from Haake to commemorate the city’s 250th Anniversary. There is one snippet of history for every decade since the city’s founding in 1769 by Louis Blanchet.
• 1819-1829 The first public grade school opened on southwest corner of Second and Jefferson Streets in 1822. • 1829-1839 The first hearse to appear in St. Charles carries the body of Col. James H. Audrain, Captain of Volunteers in War of 1812, from the house of William Clark in St. Louis. • 1839-1849 A telegraph line was established between St. Charles and St. Louis in 1849. • 1849-1859 Rudolph Goebel, arguably the city’s most famous photographer and owner of R. Goebel’s Photographic Studio arrives in St. Charles. Goebel worked with daguerreotypes and expanded to albumen prints as the technology became available. He chronicled St. Charles' history, good times and bad, for more than half a century. • 1859-1869 First Fire Company organized on February 2, 1861 with 31 volunteers and 2 honorary members. • 1869-1879 Sometime after 1870, schoolteacher Miss Mary Mowatt (557 Washington St.) started a scrapbook pasting in articles concerning the families of her pupils.
• 1879-1889 The Missouri Corn Cob Pipe Company was founded in St. Charles. Charles Schibi, a French-Prussian, opens Schibi Brewery on Clay Street. (1st Capitol today) • 1889-1899 The St. Charles County Fair is held in Mittleberger Park, in what is present day Blanchette Park. • 1899-1909 “Marrying Judge” Frey advertises by placing posters in streetcars that ran from St. Louis to St. Charles “Get married quietly at the end of the line.” • 1909-1919 William Jennings Bryant speaks at the St. Charles Chautauqua. • 1919-1929 The old brickyards were torn down and “a number of new modern bungalows” were erected for there was a need “of modern houses in the city.” • 1929-1939 On January 17, 1932, the last electric trolley rolls over the 115 bridge. • 1939 1949 The “Female Bluebeard,” Emma Lee Hepperman, is found guilty of the poisoning death of her husband by forcing him to eat arsenic-laced potato soup. • 1949-1959 The Brooklyn Dodgers sign Franklin High School graduate, Jim Pendleton.
articles to the St. Charles County Historical Society's quarterly publication, the St. Charles County Heritage: The Journal of the St. Charles County Historical Society, in hopes of preserving and broadly disseminating invaluable information from its past. The Journal is a more than three-decades long treasure trove of articles and photographs related to county locations, individuals, events and transitional periods, from pre-history to the near-present. The society wants to record the stories of its people and asks you to contact them with your story ideas. According to the society’s website, “The way history is recorded for posterity is when you write down your recollections of events, occasions and people. You might think those memories are insignificant or are not interesting enough for an article in the Heritage, but you should let our editor determine that. We have people available who can help you with the writing of your story. We can even do some research to fill in details of dates and times if needed.” For more information about how to submit an article call Amy Haake at (636) 946-9828 or visit scchs.org. The St. Charles County Historical Society is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. except on Holidays and on Saturdays when Quarterly Luncheon meetings are held. ¤
• 1959-1969 Zoning, re-zoning, annexation and extension of city limits consumes the city council. • 1969-1979 The St. Charles Banner-News, a daily newspaper which had been published for more than a century, ceases publication.
Store Hours M | W | F 9:30-7:00 T | TH | SAT 9:30-5:00 SUNDAY 11:30-5:00
• 1979-1989 Riverside Mall opens in 1980 closing off Main Street from Jefferson to Clark. • 1989-1999 The Missouri River crests at 39.6 feet, 14.6 feet above flood stage, on August 2nd, 1993. • 1999-2009 The Lewis & Clark Boathouse and Nature Center opens in Frontier Park. • 2009-2019 The spud barge, originally placed to shield the Golden Rod Show Boat from flood debris, departed the banks of St. Charles. Haake invites anyone interested in learning about and preserving St. Charles County history and genealogy, including more about the 25 fun facts, to join her by becoming a member, volunteer, or intern. The Society's activities and archives are funded by membership dues, special events such as an annual house tour and trivia night. Authors and local historians have long contributed
Something for Everyone
Whether you need a gift or the perfect accessory to complete your home. Custom Florals • Jewelry Lotions • Artwork •Upholstery • Furniture and more
636.395.7605 | April’s on Main St. Charles 222 North Main Street | St. Charles, MO 63301 Year in Review 2019 7
St. Charles’ new mayor wants his city to grow through its people and its pocket book. A native of St. Charles, the veteran, businessman and life-long conservative republican said he hopes to “attract young families to St. Charles to complement the city’s aging population” and foster “hyper aggressive economic growth to widen our tax base and help a mature city prosper.” Borgmeyer said the biggest challenges facing St. Charles are economic growth and an aging population. “We are losing the young people because the city is mostly mature and doesn’t hold enough ‘things’ for the under-40 crowd to do,” he said in an interview. “I intend to resolve that. Plans are already underway. We are also at a disadvantage when it comes to developable land, much unlike St. Peters, O‘Fallon and even Wentzville. We need to re-develop as opposed to new expansion. That too is underway. We need to maintain a high degree of health and care services for our mature citizens while developing new and interesting opportunities for the younger citizens.” Running things seems to run in Dan’s family. After being appointed to chief deputy in the early 1930s by then-Sheriff Charles Phelps, his grandfather—a WWI veteran and graduate of Saint Louis University
8 StreetScape Magazine
(SLU)—was elected sheriff of St. Charles County. Joe Borgmeyer Sr. and his wife, along with their nine children, lived on the second floor of the county jail, while his grandmother cooked all of the prisoner meals and cleaned the jail. “That’s true public service,” Dan said. Born to the former sheriff’s son, Joe Borgmeyer, and his wife, Darleen Borgmeyer, Dan Borgmeyer grew up off Boone’s Lick Road in St. Charles County. A product of Lincoln School, Central Grade School, St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Grade School and Duchesne High School, Dan said he “was a local Catholic boy, a teenager of the 60s and a Viet Nam vet.” He started his company—an advertising agency, Borgmeyer & Associates (now called BMG Marketing)—in 1973 at the age of 26. In 45 years, he turned BMG into a national enterprise handling marketing for clients like BJC Hospitals, the St. Louis Blues, Emerson U.S. Motors, Dale Carnegie, Hautly Cheese, General Motors, Dobbs Auto Centers and many more. He has also served on the advisory boards of Centerre and Frontenac Banks, and on the board of the Intermarket Advertising Network. His son, Jack Borgmeyer, recently purchased BMG and now runs the company.
MEET
St . Charles Mayor
DAN BORGMEYER
for Children, Community Living, Safari Club International and others. Borgmeyer is definitely pro-business. He told KMOV Channel 4 just after defeating two-time St. Charles Mayor Sally Faith that one of the biggest challenges ahead is modifying the "business culture" in St. Charles. “He says he feels St. Charles has not been as competitive as it should be when it comes to not only retaining but attracting new business, and because of that it's lost ground to cities like St. Peters, O'Fallon and Wentzville,” KMOV reported. “My 45 years of business experience are a definite asset as it relates to accountability, attention to specifics and big picture thinking,” he said in an interview. “I traveled extensively throughout the United States for 20 years—often to four different cities a week. As Farmers Insurance says, ‘Been there, done that.’ I've seen hundreds of concepts and advancements that can apply to St. Charles. I now I have a chance to implement those same things.” One of his first acts as Mayor was to assemble the entire city staff at the Foundry Art Center and speak to them about the city’s culture. “I explained that I wanted each of them to be better tomorrow than they were today,” he said. “Progressive, helpful to the public, polite to the public, innovative, thinking outside the box. I established the city’s New Business Ambassadors—an assigned person to any person coming to the city to open a new business or expand an existing one. The ambassador stays with that person until the job is complete.” He also initiated a new program called New Idea Reward Incentive or NIRI. “If a staff member comes up with an idea that saves the city money, they are rewarded with 10% of those savings,” he explained. “Staff designed the policies and are excited about the opportunities it presents.” It’s his “conservative posture” that lends itself to fiscal responsibility and accountability, he said. “I believe in the strength of private money versus government assistance to get things done,” he said. “Most of my economic development agenda is supported by private funds. I believe you can be a ‘progressive conservative’ and still serve the public’s best interests.”
Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo courtesy of City of St. Charles
But it’s his St. Charles roots that he’s most proud of. “I walked across the construction girders of the I-70 bridge when I was a kid,” he said. “I won the Halloween window painting contest on Main Street when I was in the 7th grade. I played basketball for Duchesne for two years and never scored a point. And I remember when Dairy Queen was the edge of town.” A member of the St. Cletus Parish in St. Charles, Dan attended college at St. Benedict’s and Washington University. He is a combat veteran of Vietnam, serving from 1967-1968, as a sergeant of a mobile 155 artillery unit. After Vietnam, Dan attended the University of Missouri—St. Louis (UMSL) and returned to his former employment with the F.W. Woolworth Company. He is also a graduate of the Dale Carnegie Institute. Dan then moved to the Carnation Milk Company as a sales rep and followed that with a job at KIRL-Radio. He left radio for a position with the St. Louis advertising agency, Jackson Waterbury & Company. Dan has long been involved with March of Dimes, Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Charles County, Duchesne High School, United Services
Dan sold advertising for KIRL Radio—a daytime station on North Highway 94, whose main competition was KXOK-AM. He left KIRL to go into the ad business working for a man named Jack Waterbury. “I still visit with Jack who’s now 83. One of my early clients was Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics. The owner was Bob Boles. I still walk and jog with him every Sunday at Creve Coeur Park. He’s 87 now.” He’s also still playing golf with the same four guys he’s played with for almost 50 years. Dan takes a strong stand on crime and advocates hiring more police officers. “Number one's crime,” he told KMOV. “It's escalating in St. Charles. I think we need to get a handle on it and stop it right now. As far as I'm concerned, we’re understaffed police-wise. I'd like to see the police force expanded…” He doesn’t mince words on much. He had a few opinions on the city’s recent 250th anniversary celebration. “I thought it was too condensed,” he said. “[It] lacked broad-based recognition and support and as a result fell well short of the dynamic it should have achieved. I remember our Bi-Centennial. It was months long and involved a plethora of community activities and promotions. Local men even sported beards for the event.” Dan and Meredith Borgmeyer have four children, five grandchildren and one on the way. He’s an avid walker and still rides his motorcycle. He has run over 15 marathons—the longest was up and down Pikes Peak in Colorado. He said he has regular dinners with his family. With everything people do know about Dan, what they don’t know they can ask. “I’m a pretty open book,” he said. “I wear my thoughts and dreams on my sleeve. I believe every moment of every day should be purposeful, passionate and fun.” ¤
Year in Review 2019 9
Lindenwood President
MEET
JOHN PORTER
Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos courtesy of Lindenwood University He wouldn’t call himself an overachiever. But others might. Lindenwood University’s 23rd president, John R. Porter, has traveled the world, mostly for work, ran IBM’s $1.2-billion-ayear technology support services business for the western half of the United States, raised three children with his wife of 36 years, taught students at the collegiate level and is currently working on his doctoral dissertation from Johns Hopkins University. And just for good measure, earlier this year he took on the task of running the near-10,000-student university ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” for 2020. “I wouldn’t say I’m an overachiever,” he said. “I am aggressive and high energy. I love strategy, and I’m goal-oriented. I was fortunate at IBM,” he said. “I really want to bring those kinds of traits to the university.” The son of a truck driver and a secretary from the South Side of 10 StreetScape Magazine
Chicago, Porter has, for the last 33 years, worked for IBM—the last 15 in senior management. He said his dad taught him two things without ever saying them out loud: “Always think of the other person first and work hard,” he said. “He never told them to me. He just did them.” Just before coming to Lindenwood, he served as vice president of services for IBM’s Gulf Business Machines, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He’s also served as a member of the board of trustees at Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri, from which he holds a bachelor’s degree. He has an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Spending the last 12 years immersed in higher education in one way or the other, he taught leadership and international business at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri and operations and risk management at Evangel University.
“The bottom line for me is that I really want students to have the best classroom experience possible,” Porter said. “That equates to continuous improvement in the classroom.” He should know. His dissertation is on using course surveys to better the classroom experience. As for Lindenwood, Porter says he’s going to be “agile and creative.” In other words, he looks to his staff to come up with better practices. But once a plan is put into place, he’s ready to execute it and move on to the next challenge. “My leadership style is firm but flexible. I am firm in decision-making but flexible in hearing people and deciding together in a team environment. I’ve told my cabinet that they are empowered. Don’t just do something because it’s the way you’ve always done it. Think creatively. You know where you stand with me. It’s not what I want. It’s what we want.” Just prior to coming to Lindenwood, Porter had his assistant set up meetings for him with individual presidents of various other local universities including University of Missouri-St. Louis, Maryville University, Washington University, Webster University and St. Louis University. “I asked them to tell me something about higher education that I may not be aware of,” he said. “Several presidents said things are slow to move, and you’re going to get frustrated.” In that regard, Porter said he works by the “24-Hour” rule that he learned at IBM. “When you get a communication from someone, you have 24 hours to respond,” he said. “It helps people be more productive and keeps them from holding up other team members from doing their job. We all get hammered with a lot of to-dos. But if we all get more efficient, it’s more productive. It’s simple if you think about it. It makes life easier for everybody.” Though Porter says he doesn’t plan on any sweeping changes for the university, he does intend to boost it technologically. He’s already reached out to his colleagues at IBM to help him with a technology day at Lindenwood. “I’ve planned a full day of technologies specific to higher education,” he said. And while he’s not ready to divulge all of his plans, he does want to learn how artificial intelligence (AI) can benefit the school as well as eventually adding a STEM facility to the campus. “We are looking at building a STEM facility without the engineering. It would be a small ‘e,’ for computer engineering. That is in the planning phases now. I want to study the potential technology tracks that will give experiential learning to our students and also potential revenue streams to the university.”
out, weightlifting and pickleball. A lover of all things sports, he fits right in at Lindenwood. Lindenwood has 27 NCAA athletic teams and nearly 50 teams overall. In June, the university finished 11th in the country among NCAA Division II schools for the Learfield Cup, which recognizes the most successful athletic programs by awarding points for finishes in national championships. Lindenwood’s men’s and women’s rugby teams are both currently the top-ranked teams in the country. And the shotgun sports teams strung together 15 straight national championships in the national tournament in San Antonio, ending last season. That is a record in collegiate athletics for any sport. And seven current or former Lindenwood student-athletes have competed in the Olympics, including alumna Nicole Hensley, who won a gold medal in women’s hockey in the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. Porter couldn’t be happier. Over just the weekend preceding this reporter’s interview with him, he had attended football, lacrosse, field hockey and rugby events at Lindenwood. Another strategy Porter executed was hosting a luncheon for all of the local superintendents. Not only did he seek their advice, but he wanted to tell them something. “I want to get into the community,” he said. “I want to adopt an elementary school each year [in the St. Charles School District]. I want to get volunteers in there to paint, mulch and beautify the school.” He also wants Lindenwood’s annual Homecoming parade to leave the campus. “Next year the parade will go through St. Charles, not just the campus.” Porter and his wife, Beverly Porter, held a dinner party recently in their home for Lindenwood’s 1969 graduates. It was the year the first men were admitted to the once all-female Lindenwood College. He said it was one of his favorite events so far as president—the other being Jay Leno’s appearance at the J. Scheidegger Center for The Arts and his subsequent surprise visit to Porter’s home. He said it’s par for the course. “I’ve loved almost everything I’ve done in my entire life,” he said. “I am just one of those guys who have been blessed to enjoy everything I’ve ever done.” ¤
“The first three months have been blocking and tackling and a lot of listening,” Porter continued. “I am looking at ways we can grow. The fundamental things are in place. It’s a beautiful campus, well maintained. We put out a great product. I want to focus on academics. That is my number one priority.” Porter comes by the sports idioms honestly. The 55-yearold’s hobbies include working Year in Review 2019 11
Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson with contributions by Rory Riddler, Maureen Rogers-Bouxsein and Amy Haake
On its cover, Rory Riddler's new book depicts a moment in the history of St. Charles through artist Gary Lucy’s rendering of La Vigilante arriving at San Carlos in 1795. There too you will find an 18th Century Spanish infantry sword, a peace medal with an image of King Carlos III, a tomahawk carried by Captain Meriwether Lewis when the expedition left St. Charles in 1804, and images of Ste. Rose Philippine Duchesne, Return J. Meigs and Daniel Boone. The book’s back cover includes an amazingly accurate 1797 map of St. Charles by Nicolas de Finiels, a painting of Captain Meriweth-
er Lewis after his return from the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the original seal of the Court of Quarter Sessions of the District of St. Charles, a page from a drill manual with American infantry uniforms of the 1800 to 1810 period, Anna Von Puhl’s watercolor painting of a French woman from 1820, an engraving of Missouri’s first elected governor, and a simple clay pipe. But there isn’t anything simple about Riddler’s book “For King, Cross, & Country A Colonial & Territorial History of St. Charles From Founding to Statehood.” Within its pages the reader will find a veritable treasure trove of the early history of St. Charles broken into short, readable stories told by one of its own. With support from former St. Charles Mayor Sally Faith and the assistance of St. Charles County Historical Society (SCCHS) archivist, Amy Haake, Riddler and fellow historian, Maureen Rogers-Bouxsein launched into the Colonial history of St. Charles and an exhaustive reexamination of it about two years ago. For Riddler, it is an extension of his life-long curiosity about his city’s history and a dedication to tell it truthfully. “I used to ride my bike to the old Kathryn Linneman library and read about the history of St. Charles, the original French settlers and Spanish commandants,” Riddler said. “It always intrigued me.”
Front Cover) La Vigilante arriving at San Carlos in 1795 by artist Gary Lucy, an 18th Century Spanish infantry sword, a peace medal with an image of King Carlos III, a tomahawk carried by Captain Lewis when the expedition left St. Charles in 1804, and images of Ste. Rose Philippine Duchesne, Return J. Meigs, and Daniel Boone. (Back Cover) Circa 1797 map of St. Charles by Nicolas de Finiels, Lewis after his return from the Lewis and Clark Expedition, original seal of the Court of Quarter Sessions of the District of St. Charles (Missouri History Museum), page from a drill manual with American infantry uniforms of the 1800 to 1810 period, watercolor of a young woman circa 1820 by Anna Von Puhl (Missouri History Museum), Engraving of Missouri’s first elected Governor during the transition to statehood, and a simple clay pipe.
12 StreetScape Magazine
The trio went on to reevaluate primary sources of St. Charles history, including original documents such as the original petition to build the first St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church signed by the Spanish Governor, Louis Blanchet the founder and first commandant of St. Charles, as well as most of the male inhabitants. When dedicated, the parish was named for the patron Saint of the Kind of Spain Carolus Borromeus, or St. Charles Borromeo. He was the Archbishop of Milan, Cardinal-Priest of the Title of St. Prassede, Papal Secretary of State under Pius IV, and one of the chief factors in the Catholic Counter-Reformation. Riddler had to use interpreters and other resources for much of the work, as most of the documents he was studying were written in French. “As the meanings of some words change through time, we also had to use a French to English dictionary written in the 1600s,” he said.
Early newspapers are another primary source used by historians when validating historical records and were available soon after Upper Louisiana became an American possession and the Missouri Territory. “We look for supporting documentation wherever we can, and you have to assume bias, including your own,” Riddler said. Owner of Media Magic Public Relations, a political and governmental consultant and a former St. Charles City Councilman, Riddler said historians must respect the oral traditions of storytelling as well, but seek to verify them. Major misrepresentations of history can occur because of biases or even who is doing the story telling. In the case of St. Charles, the spelling of its founder’s name has been a significant thorn in the paws of historians the city over. “There was confusion about Blanchet himself,” Riddler said. “People who romanticized the stories spelled his name with an extra ‘t’ and an ‘e.’ This was never in the original documentation. The romanticized tale of the founding of Les Petite Cotes (The Little hills), was written before the Civil War but 50 years after Blanchet’s death. Parts of history are different from what has been written. It’s fun to find a nugget of truth, and it can be a spring board for more research.” Researching the available records is not all sweat and tears, however. “It’s fun to uncover things new or exciting. It’s like pulling back the layers to tell the best stories that you can. “It’s the role of any interpreter to lead the non-historian in the right direction. Young people today can Google anything and have the answer in seconds, but you need to go back to the primary resources to get the whole story and the right story,” said researcher Maureen Bouxsein. Riddler added, “And some of those answers are in the ground,” referring to some of the archaeological work shared in the book. Still, getting the beginning wrong can affect a community for years to come. “I grew up on the East Coast,” Rogers-Bouxsein said. “If you get your past wrong, it can affect your future going forward.” Riddler said he enjoys finding parallels to the current day from past events. In particular, when he was researching his book on the Civil War, The Bitter Divide, he said the parallels to the country’s current divide were astonishing. “It amazed me how people could be at each-others’ throats over national issues that didn’t necessarily affect their lives locally, and turn against their neighbors so quickly.” Riddler said the images on the front and back covers of the book have special meaning beyond the history they portray. “The City of St. Charles, as part of the 250th Anniversary of the founding of Les Petite Cotes, the Little Hills, by Louis Blanchet, commissioned artist Gary Lucy to paint a scene from our colonial past. We had suggested the arrival of a Spanish galliot, La Vigilante on November 3rd, 1795. It carried Governor Manuel Gayosa de Lemos who was making a tour of the province. It shows him being greeted by the Spanish Commandant Charles Tayon, the local militia and inhabitants of the village.” The cover also features an 18th Century Spanish infantry sword, a peace medal with an image of King Carlos III, and a tomahawk carried by Captain Lewis when the expedition left St. Charles in 1804. “We chose to also display the royal seals of Spain and France, as well as images of Ste. Rose Philippine Duchesne, Return J. Meigs, and Daniel Boone,” he said. “While Duchesne and Boone are well known, Meigs was put in command of St. Charles as an American Commandant soon after the village came under American ownership. He later became postmaster of the United States.” “The map on the back cover is particularly remarkable,” Riddler continued. “It is a small portion of a massive map made by a French engineer, Nicolas de Finiels, when he was working for the Spanish government here in 1797,” Riddler said. “It shows the grid layout of the blocks, the windmill, tres Mamelles, the common fields, the creeks that flowed from springs on the hills, even the way the ferry rowed upstream and let the current carry the boat to the landing in St. Charles.”
Also shown is Meriwether Lewis in a painting after his return from the expedition. “There is an engraving of Missouri’s first elected governor, Alexander McNair,” Riddler said. “He was in St. Charles when he received the letter from Secretary of State John Quincy Adams that Missouri would be admitted to the Union. There is also an illustration from a drill manual that shows American infantry uniforms from 1800 – 1810 and the original seal from the Court of Quarter Sessions in what was then the District of St. Charles. The water color of a young girl circa 1820 is by Anna Von Puhl. She visited St. Charles and several of her paintings are included in the book as some of the earliest views of this area before the advent of photography.” Riddler said the clay pipe from the back cover is connected to the story of a young French inhabitant of the village whose remains were unearthed behind South Main. “His teeth showed the signs of wear of having clenched such a pipe in his teeth,” he said. “The archaeological dig didn’t have authority to remove the remains, so they were left in place. The excavation showed that there were other graves in the vicinity with more secrets to reveal someday.” Every historian has his or her favorite bits of history they glean from their research. For Riddler, a Catholic, it involved a somewhat judgmental priest who apparently got his just desserts. “One of my favorite incidents involves Father Dunand who was ministering in St. Charles in the very early 1800s. He wrote to his superiors about a lightning storm that had killed several farm animals in the common fields,” Ridler said. He used it as a sermon for his parishioners that God had sent a sign He was incensed at their sinful ways. Dunand didn’t get along very well with members of the parish and later left to reside in Florissant. We discovered a newspaper account from August of 1815 of Father Dunand out riding with others when a sudden storm made their horses bolt. Lightning hit a tree near Dunand, knocking his horse to the ground, sending electricity through his body, and breaking his watch. In light of his sermon in St. Charles, it added new information about his life and a pretty interesting bit of karma.” Riddler goes on. “One of the early documents we were able to uncover was what amounted to a loyalty oath to the Spanish King Carlos IV. It was signed by most all of the male members of the village of San Carlos on July 7, 1793,” he said. “To put that in perspective, the king of France, Louis the XVI, had been beheaded on January 21st in the French Revolution. It must have seemed like a good idea for the mainly French inhabitants living under Spanish rule to distance themselves from what was going on in France. What I found fascinating about the petition to the king is the preamble, because it tells us how the early inhabitants viewed their own situation. In part it begins, ‘From the ends of the earth, in the midst of the barbarians, a people that reveres its Prince and its Monarch dares to raise its eyes unto the steps of the throne and is so bold as to let him hear its plea.’” Born in Yonkers, New York and raised in Yonkers and the Bronx, Rogers-Bouxsein said people would do well to study history from different parts of the country. Then they would realize how similar we all really are. “My experience is that you learn something new every day, and I do here at the archives. ‘I learn something new every day’ has become my mantra,” she said. “Having come from the East Coast, the history we learned in our school was regional. I love learning history here and how important it is to the overall scheme of American history. People think all of these wonderful things happened in New York, or on the East Coast. They were happening here too. We are such a large country and yet our history is regionalized. I’ve learned that people faced the same things when they came to St. Charles as the people getting off of the boat at Ellis Island.” “For King Cross, & Country” will be available for sale at the St. Charles County Historical Society close to Thanksgiving. ¤
Year in Review 2019 13
Sacred Grounds Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo courtesy of John Storjohann
14 StreetScape Magazine
“I am a soldier of Christ.” That’s the quote engraved above the Second Street entrance of the Shrine of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne on the grounds of the Academy of the Sacred Heart—a private Catholic elementary school in St. Charles and the first Sacred Heart school outside Europe. Duchesne opened the school on September 8, 1818 after a storm-filled journey across the ocean at the behest of Bishop DuBourg of Louisiana. The school was the first free school west of the Mississippi and the first Catholic school in what would become the St. Louis Archdiocese. Duchesne also founded the first convents of the Society of the Sacred Heart in the United States. The Second Street entrance represents the Shrine’s St. Louis connection and includes Cardinal Glennon’s coat of arms and a mosaic of St. Louis, king of France, Duchesne’s native home. The North Entrance represents its Roman connection with Pope Pius XII, who beatified Duchesne, a mosaic of St. Peter and the quote, “The work of justice is peace.” Duchesne was born in Grenoble, France on August 29, 1769— ironically the year Louis Blanchette settled "Les Petites Cotes" and effectively founded St. Charles 250 years ago. Each made indelible marks on the small village on the banks of the Missouri River. Born of a family “known for its strong will and forceful personalities, according to the Society of the Sacred Hard, Duchesne was one of eight children—seven girls and one boy. Duchesne was educated by the nuns at Sainte Marie-d’en-Haut— the Visitation convent in Grenoble. Though her mother expected her to serve the poor, Duchesne felt called to religious life at an early age. Her “desire to serve God gave her the courage to overcome her father’s objections” and enter the convent at age 18, the Society notes. The French Revolution kept her from becoming a religious temporarily, as all religious houses were closed or suppressed during the time. So, for 11 years, she served her family and those those imprisoned at the convent. Then in December 1804, Madeleine Sophie Barat, founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart, asked her to establish a new foundation for the Society in Grenoble. She had been encouraged by her mentor and co-founder, Father Joseph Varin, SJ. According to the Society, Duchesne agreed and entered the Society of the Sacred Heart, “and the two women became immediate and lifelong friends, a friendship that would touch the lives of generations.” Thirteen years later Duchesne was finally able to pursue her desire to serve in the New World. It was then that she received the permission of her superior, Madeleine Sophie. At the recruitment of Bishop DuBourg of Louisiana—who was recruiting religious and priests from France—Duchesne set sail from Bordeaux on March 21, 1818, with four other religious of the Sacred Heart. They landed near New Orleans on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, on May 29, 1818. Six weeks later, she led her group up the Mississippi River on the steamship Franklin and arrived near the small village of St. Charles on August 29. She opened the first Sacred Heart school outside Europe on September 8, 1818. Then in 1841, at the request of Fr. Peter Verhaegen, the Jesuit in charge of the mission, she went with three other religious of the Sacred Heart to Sugar Creek, Kansas, to establish a school for Potawatomi girls. It was a dream she had entertained for years. At 72, too frail to help with physical work, and unable to learn the Potawatomi language, Duchesne spent much of her time in prayer. Duschesne opened schools in Missouri and Louisiana, established a novitiate, ministered to the Potawatomi Indians in Kansas, and prayed. She prayed without ceasing. In fact, she prayed so much that the Native Americans named her Quahkahkanumad or “Woman Who Prays Always.”
A year later, she was called back to St. Charles because of her health. She spent the last decade of her life there. According to the Society, she died on November 18, 1852, at age 83. She had spent 34 years in America. Following her death, Duchesne was buried on the grounds of the Academy of the Sacred Heart. Three years later, her body was exhumed and found to be what the Society says was “miraculously intact.” She was then interred in a crypt within a simple octagonal shrine in the front yard of the Academy of the Sacred Heart. She was beatified in 1940 by Pope Pius XII and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988. “Her goal in life was not personal holiness, but the spending of her energies to make the Heart of Christ known and loved,” the Society states. According to the Academy of the Sacred Heart, following Duchesne’s beatification in 1940, “an order came from Rome decreeing that her remains be removed from the little octagonal shrine and suitably deposited indoors.” The order was carried out in 1949, at which time her remains were placed in a marble sarcophagus housed in an oratory prepared in the old “back porch” area of the original (1835) convent. Begun in 1951 at the behest of John J. Cardinal Glennon of St. Louis the Shrine of St. Philippine Duchesne was initially a freestanding building. It was later connected to the Academy when the south wing of the school was added in 1961. Archbishop Joseph Ritter presided over the groundbreaking due to Glennon’s death in 1946. The sarcophagus containing Duchesne’s remains was moved into the finished Shrine on June 13, 1952. According to DuchesneShrine.org, “The Shrine remains unfinished according to its original plan, which called for a crossshaped building with the longest nave stretching out to the south. When funds were exhausted, however, the building was finished to its present size.” The Shrine “is a lasting tribute to the French missionary Religious of the Sacred Heart who brought formalized education and a zeal for sharing the love of God to the Missouri frontier in 1818. According to DuchesneShrine.org, that Duchesne’s “little school for girls” was the foundation of: • The Province of the Society of the Sacred Heart in North America, • Sacred Heart education in what is now known as the Network of Sacred Heart Schools in the United States and Canada, • Catholic education in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, • Education of any kind in St. Charles County. Today the shrine includes items from Philippine’s log cabin days and a crucifix that once hung in the Visitation convent in Grenoble. Visitors can also see the parlors of the early brick convent building (“the house where charity dwells,” as Duchesne described it) as well as the cell where she died. It is said to bring comfort to those who visit. “People have come here on pilgrimages,” said John Storjohann, a devout Catholic and a computer science teacher at the Academy. “If I’m troubled, I come here for intercession. It gives me a sense of peace. You’re praying to God, but when you are kneeling at her sarcophagus, I’m asking that she intercede on my behalf. This is Holy Ground. Her presence is here, and that presence gives you peace. She was here. She walked these grounds. As a saint, she is where I hope to someday be. She is closer at this moment to the sacred presence of the sacred nature of God.” The Shrine is located on the Academy of the Sacred Heart campus at 619 North Second Street, St. Charles MO 63301. It is open every day from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. for viewing or private prayer. To schedule a tour, call the Shrine director 636.946.6127 ext. 1801. ¤
Year in Review 2019 15
Recreating History with
He calls it “edutainment.” The city’s new festival director has always had a passion for entertainment. But in his new role, he’s using it to not only captivate festival-goers, but to educate them about the history of St. Charles.
“edutainment”
Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson | Photos courtesy of Greater St. Charles Convention and Visitor Bureau
“Local Abolitionists & the Fight for Freedom” shared the story of St. Charles during the Civil War from the perspective of the press. Featured was Elijah Lovejoy, an outspoken abolitionist who lived with his wife’s uncle at his home on South Main Street that is now Goellner Printing. Proslavery locals drove Lovejoy out of town. He went to Alton, Illinois, where he was killed, becoming America’s first martyr for the free press. Other stories woven into the performances told of Arnold Krekel, a German immigrant who ran an anti-slavery newspaper on North Main, and Archear Alexander, a run-away slave who foiled a Confederate sabotage plot.
“The response has been overwhelming,” said Ryan Cooper, festival director for the Greater Saint Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), about the city’s first Halloween festival in 2016, Legends & Lanterns. “We hit a niche of people hungry for that type of fun. It’s ethereal and history-based. I love Halloween, but I’m a big chicken. I don’t like scary movies. I like old Americana, Sleepy a-type of Halloween. It’s macabre, but it’s not going to keep you up at night. It’s family-friendly, but not childish. It’s good for everyone.” Cooper has been playing Jack Frost in Christmas Traditions—the CVB’s unique blending of history, storytelling and fairy tale whimsy—since 2006. Through that festival, the CVB has been transporting visitors from around the world back in time for almost half a century. A few years ago, former CVB Director Joe Ward told Cooper he thought it would be fun to do another holiday. A week later, Cooper had an outline complete with characters and events spelled out for what would become Legends & Lanterns—a nearmonth-long Halloween festival event that offers the vintage charm of Halloween in the 1910s-1930s, with the historical rituals and customs brought to the holiday by the Druids and Victorians, to the ethereal atmosphere depicted in American ghost stories and Brothers Grimm fairy tales. All of Cooper’s events are historically-based. That’s where the edutainment comes in. “We want people to laugh and have fun, but we want the events to be learning-based,” he said. “We want them to walk away saying, ‘Wow, I learned something I never knew, but I really had a fun time as well.’” Cooper took the same approach when the city marked its 250th Anniversary, or Sestercentennial, in May, and the CVB honored five legendary figures that helped shape St. Charles’ past. Cooper said these were everyday citizens, those whose names never appeared in textbooks. None were inscribed on monuments, but each left an indelible mark on making St. Charles what it is today. “We tried to encapsulate as many eras of St. Charles history as we could and do them all justice,” he said, adding that he wanted to educate festival attendees about the city’s history without “lecturing them.”
16 StreetScape Magazine
Cooper said he wanted to create a festival that would please the young and the young at heart that wasn’t just a “carbon copy” of Christmas Traditions or Legends & Lanterns. “I wanted to used the characters of the periods but not just stand-around meet-and-greet characters. They were moments of history coming to life, acted out on the streets of St. Charles and at the first state capitol,” Cooper said. “I wanted to find interesting characters that people didn’t know, lesser-known but really fascinating characters of the area’s history.” The following Historic Vignettes brought the history of the city to life last spring: “St. Charles and the Birth of the Interstate” told the story of how construction on the U.S. interstate system started in St. Charles in 1956 through a slapstick comedy routine with two vaudevillian 1950's construction workers. The historical character featured was S.W. O’Brien, the district engineer for the Bureau of Roads.
“First State Capitol & the Anti-Dueling Legislation Debate” was a vignette that allowed attendees to become “honorary senators” joining early legislators in the legislation chambers of the first state capital. The first governor, Alexander McNair; Lieutenant Governor William Henry Ashley; and Senators James Alcorn, Duff Green, Alexander Buckner and Andrew McGirk discussed St. Charles’ early days as Missouri’s first state capital. What followed was a rousing debate about whether to outlaw the practice of dueling—legislation that was signed in St. Charles in the early 1820s. “Heroes Day 1942. Rally for the War Effort” portrayed an example of the patriotic rallies of the early 1940s called “Heroes Days,” which were held throughout St. Charles to bring the public together in solidarity for the war effort. Festival-goers were educated about war bonds, ration books, homing pigeons, Victory Gardens, and war manufacturing at the American Car Foundry. Historical characters featured included George Tainter, Sr. (a 101-year-old veteran of the Civil War and oldest citizen of St. Charles in 1942); local socialite, Mrs. Charles Karrenbrock; Darlene Hanh, a riveter at the Curtis Wright Aircraft Factory; Mrs. Mayme Parsons, secretary of the local scrap metal collection agency and mother to Oliver Parsons of the Department of Agriculture; as well as Elmer “Jocko” Bruns, local commander of the civilian defense agency.
“History of Theatre & Performing Arts in St. Charles” featured a piano accompanist and two turn-of-the-century showboat performers. Attendees were privy to music and stories that walked them through the area’s musical history. The characters told stories about the Strand Theatre, the Grand Opera House, the Goldenrod Showboat, traveling circuses in the early 20th century, and the time Walt Disney came to film Back to Hannibal in St. Charles in the early 1990s. The Grand Opera House also displayed artifacts from the Goldenrod Showboat’s heyday along the St. Charles riverfront. Reenactors hosted authentic encampments featuring the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery, Milicia de San Carlos, the French & Indian War Encampment, and John Murphy, a surgeon from the 1700s. Vintage Baseball Games were played using equipment from the 1860s and nineteenth century rules. There was a Model-T Assembly Demonstration and the legendary figures L ouis Blanchette, founder of Les Petite Cotes; St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, founder of the Academy of the Sacred Heart; and Mary Easton Sibley, founder of Lindenwood College (now Lindenwood University) were honored. A parade was held featuring 25 units celebrating some significant moment in St. Charles history. Cooper said the celebration was an example of what he hopes all St. Charles festivals will be going forward. He said these types of festivals bring people back every year. “They post on social media about what they’ve learned,” he said. “All of our festivals are very immersive, not just having a report, but interactive, meaningful events, where patrons can ask questions of characters and play an active part of the history instead of just being a listener. ¤
Year in Review 2019 17
18 StreetScape Magazine
ToP DOg Fetches Community Attention Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos courtesy of Greater St. Charles Convention and Visitor Bureau
In 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were charged with exploring the wild, unmapped lands west of the Mississippi River. But they didn’t do it alone. Along with a team of men, and the encouragement of the president, was a dog—Lewis’ dog—named Seaman. According to author, Laurence Pringle, journals kept by several of the explorers left evidence that the Newfoundland dog helped a lot. “He retrieved animals that had been shot for food. He scared away grizzly bears and a bull bison that charged into camp,” Pringle wrote on the nonfictionminute. com. Pringle said the journal pages are often hard to read, leading to a misunderstanding of the dog's name. “People thought that he was called Scannon. Not until 1985 did a historian carefully examine every mention of the dog,” Pringle wrote. “He found that Lewis had actually named the dog Seaman. The dog was a Newfoundland, a breed often kept on ships. They are great swimmers, and could save people from drowning.”
painted on the dog along with their glyph, the Baue B and the Fleur Des Lis, one of the symbols of St. Charles, which was founded by French explorers. The Missouri Bluebird and its colors are also present.”
The city of St. Charles honored the long-forgotten black Newfoundland— that the National Park Service claims was the only animal to complete the entire trip—at its 250th Anniversary Celebration. “He was lost or stolen at one point during the trip but returned later,” the National Park Service reports on its website.
Vandenberg said other items important to the Baue family were “randomly organized in the black on a black graffiti-inspired script on the dogs head.” Vandenberg also drew a rendition of the historic first mayor’s home, built by Ludwell E. Powell, who resided at 608 Jefferson Street where the Baue-sponsored dog Seaman statue was placed.
In honor of its Sestercentennial, St. Charles erected Seaman statues all over the city decorated by local artists. The city provided a map on its website of the 25 locations that the three-foot statues would be placed, including April’s On Main, Ruma’s Deli, Lindenwood University, Plaza Lanes Bowling/Tubby’s Pub & Grub and others.
According to Pringle, in the expedition's journals, Seaman was last mentioned in July, 1806, “two months before the explorers returned from the West and reached the little town of St. Louis on the Mississippi River. After that, there is no word about the dog in letters or reports written by Lewis, Clark, or others.”
Local attorney, Kathryn Dudley said the city’s display brought an additional hero to light in the legendary Lewis and Clark story. “I knew about Seaman prior to the displays; however, the displays did reinforce his involvement with Lewis and Clark for me,” she said. “I am at the courthouse and so on Main Street a lot for lunch, and I often walk and shop there. I saw many people talking about, searching for information and taking pictures with the dogs especially when they first came out. For those who did not know about him, I think it was a unique way to learn his history and the history of Lewis Clark. I, and I believe others, enjoyed seeing him at the different locations and often looked for him. I loved how he was often painted to fit the business or location where he was located.”
The mystery of what happened to Seaman was solved in the year 2000, Pringle wrote, thanks to the work of Historian James Holberg. “He had found a book, written in 1814 by Historian Timothy Alden, which told of a little museum in Virginia,” Pringle wrote. “Alden found a dog collar displayed there that William Clark had given to the museum. On the collar were these words: ‘The greatest traveller (sic) of my species. My name is SEAMAN, the dog of captain Meriwether Lewis, whom I accompanied to the Pacifick (sic) Ocean through the interior of the continent of North America.’”
Baue Funeral Homes, Crematory, and Memorial Gardens displayed one of the "Seaman" statues in front of its historic building at 608 Jefferson Street in St. Charles. The long-time local funeral home held a social media contest with prizes for the photos of visitors with Seaman. Artist Tama Vandenberg, a juried artist and a personal friend of the owners of Baue, was commissioned to paint the Seaman. Vandenberg explained her choice of design: “Because of Lisa [Baue] and Baue’s love of flowers and the wonderful flower shop she and her family own, I chose the Missouri State Flower, the ‘Hawthorn Blossom,’ to be
Though the collar was later destroyed by fire, Timothy Alden, in his 1814 book, wrote further details about Seaman. After the expedition, Lewis' life became one of failure and despair, according to historians, and in October 1809, the famous explorer took his own life. According to Pringle, Alden wrote that Seaman was there when Lewis was buried, and that he "refused to take every kind of food, which was offered to him, and actually pined away and died with grief upon his master's grave." Apparently, Newfoundland dogs are known to be fiercely loyal to their owners. So Pringle ended his non-fiction minute tale, “Did the Hero Dog Survive?” like this: “Unless historians find some new evidence, that is how the life of this great dog hero ended.” ¤ Year in Review 2019 19
We popped in to a few local home dĂŠcor boutiques for some fun Holiday ideas to get you in the Holiday Spirit...
e h t Deck Photos courtesy of Cinnamon Rose Photography
e r a White H Oma's Barn 20 StreetScape Magazine
a l l H s! n r a Oma's B Year in Review 2019 21
Ignite Your Winter Whimsy...
a l a l Fa la
M a i n n o April's 22 StreetScape Magazine
From Inspiration to Reality
2019 ASID Pinnacle Award Winning Room
Heidi Sowatsky, Associate ASID
636-244-1623 | SWATDesignTeam@DecoratingDen.com SWATDesignTeam.com Year in Review 2019 23
Mark in for an event to kick off the release of our personally created Maker’s Mark Private Select, which is currently available for sale by drink or by bottle,” John said. “The reps absolutely loved the space.”
Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos courtesy of Tompkins by the Rack House
For additional information regarding the private event space, contact Assistant Manager and Event Coordinator Chloe Loughridge, TompkinsEvents@TheRackHouseKWW.com.
Tompkins by The Rack House® opened its doors this summer on historic Main Street St. Charles, providing guests with a unique dining experience. The location, at 500 South Main Street, is a legacy in its own right. The former Mother-in-Law House Restaurant recently ended its near-40year run as Donna Hafer turned the location over to local owners John and Bridgette Hamilton. “Our goal is to continue the legacy that Donna began, along with the changes that make this location our very own,” said Bridgette Hamilton. Tompkins by The Rack House® features a from-scratch menu—by Executive Chef Philip Day—which utilizes a lot of local meats and produce. The menu updates about every six weeks in order to keep up with seasonal changes of local fruits and vegetables.
John Hamilton said Day works directly with Chef de Cuisine Matt Hulme to build each menu selection with a balance of flavors that come out in every bite. Both Day and Hulme have been with the company for several years now, starting at the original location, The Rack House Kitchen Wine Whiskey® which is just a short drive down Highway 94 in Cottleville, Missouri. “Most of the farms we use are within a 50mile radius of our establishment,” Day said. These include Lucky Dog Farm in Wentzville, Missouri and Mushrooms Naturally in O’Fallon, Missouri. We find that local produce brings out the true flavors on each dish we prepare,” Day said.
The restaurant also serves a daily fish selection, which is flown in by another local business, Fabulous Fish. “We enjoy working with other local businesses, and make a point to try and use a locally owned company whenever possible,” John said.
24 StreetScape Magazine
The kitchen is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday for lunch service and then from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for dinner. “If you enjoy a made to order, scratch brunch then Tompkins by The Rack House® has that covered as well,” John said. Brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday.
Sommelier Josh French also assembles a complimentary boutique wine selection. “We are always on the lookout for excellent wines by smaller vineyards, the bottles you’ll not find in the grocery store, to provide our guests with a unique but affordable wine menu,” French said. Like the lunch and dinner menu, many of the bottles on the wine list will be updated regularly, as the smaller vineyards do not produce as much as some of the bigger, corporate companies, and will be on the list until they’re no longer available.
Looking deeper into what Tompkins by The Rack® House has to provide, we find an outdoor patio with a view of the river, and a stunning lower level private event space. Built in 1866 the “Mother-in-Law House” has had a long and interesting history—some of which can be clearly seen in the private event space. With seating for up to 100 guests, the room is lined with the original walls built with stones pulled right out of the river. The handcut, white oak pillars support the original ceiling, which is also the floor of the main dining room above. With a private bar, it’s an excellent place to host any number of events ranging from rehearsal dinners to business meetings or client presentations. “We recently had representatives from Maker’s
Both pharmacists by trade, John and Bridgette offer a unique perspective regarding their restaurants. By not growing up in the restaurant industry, they have a guests’ perspective” on what they want to see in their businesses. The Rack House Kitchen Wine Whiskey® opened in 2014 and went through a few changes along the way as the Hamiltons found out what their guests really wanted. Now, with the addition of Tompkins by The Rack House®, they have taken what they’ve learned, but a bit of a twist on the concept and are off and running. “We are trying to provide an up-scale menu and service level, in a relaxed environment,” Bridgette said. “We aren’t pretentious, but that doesn’t mean we can’t provide a quality experience for our guests.”
John said dining at Tompkins by The Rack House® is “definitely a mix of great quality food and service.” The Hamiltons recommend business casual attire, especially during dinner service, but you won’t be turned away if you’re wearing jeans. Guests enjoy the time together with a cocktail and appetizer while one of the chefs and their team prepare the entrees. “With everything being from-scratch, expect the entrees to take up to 15 minutes longer than in a chain restaurant, but the wait is worth it,” said John. “Then finish your time with a dessert cocktail by Josh French or with something from the kitchen like the popular ‘Death by Chocolate.’” Reservations are highly recommended, especially for dinner. They can be made on the website at TompkinsRH.com or by calling 636-493-6332. ¤
Year in Review 2019 25
Thanksgiving Meal
Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson
It actually started out 24 years ago as a fun way to feed college students who couldn’t go home for Thanksgiving. Last year he and about 1,700 volunteers fed over 10,000 people some three tons of food.
Scott Ellinger was managing a restaurant in Columbus, Ohio in 1995. That year, he decided to put on a Thanksgiving feast for staffers who went to nearby Ohio State University but were unable to get home for the holiday. When Ellinger moved to O’Fallon and bought The Brass Rail, he brought his idea with him. And in 2012, he opened his restaurant to family and friends on Thanksgiving. But this time, random people, who he assumed had nowhere else to go, started coming in. Ellinger welcomed them. “I said, ‘We have enough food. Let them come in.’ It was really cool. The energy was amazing,” Ellinger said. “It’s impossible to describe the feeling.”
And it got him to thinking. “There has to be more people out there that didn’t have anyone or couldn’t get here or don’t have anywhere to go,” he said. He had no idea. Soon, his regulars were giving him names. Facebook was blowing up. And the Salvation Army, churches and elementary schools were all listing people in need of a Thanksgiving meal.
volunteers begin packing bulk orders and individually packed meals and delivering them to the homeless in St. Louis, area shelters and individuals in their own homes in every direction within about 50 minutes of the restaurant. The Brass Rail also serves a made-from-scratch, buffet-style meal at its restaurant to first responders, police and firefighters, as well as homeless. And they just keep on going till they run out of people. The first planning for the next year takes place when Ellinger closes the doors on Thanksgiving Day.
Ellinger said there is no question it has been good for business, but he would do it anyway. “It’s grown my business. I’m not going to lie. But I have met some of the most amazing people I’ve ever known in my life—people who are willing to do anything to help. They become life-long friends—people who are angels. The people are the reward.”
Anyone can help and no amount of giving is too small, Ellinger said. To sign up to work in the restaurant, visit The Brass Rail’s website at brassrail1.com or call 636-329-1349. To serve as a delivery driver, just come to the restaurant on Thanksgiving anytime after 8:30 a.m.
“We didn’t turn anyone away,” Ellinger said. “If someone asks, we assume they need it, and we deliver.”
“People come dressed for Thanksgiving,” Ellinger said. “They are on their way to their own family get-togethers, and they stop in and take a meal on their way. Sometimes they just pull up and we hand it in to them in their car.”
And it’s not just the 81-year-old widow, who otherwise would have eaten alone, or the family-of-10, who may not have eaten at all. Ellinger said the ones who are really changed are the people doing the giving, including himself—the hundreds of volunteers delivering thousands of made-from-scratch meals to people on Thanksgiving Day each year both from their cars and at The Brass Rail. “These volunteers come back from the houses changed. And the people understanding that not everyone has written them off,” he said.
Though he admits he’s a spiritual person, Ellinger says he didn’t have a religious calling to do The Brass Rail Thanksgiving Meal. “I’m a big believer in what you give comes back to you,” he said. “I am so lucky and fortunate to be in this position. I would feel like a horrible person if I didn’t give back. Most of these people are never going to be a customer in my restaurant. I’m taken care of. My daughter is taken care of. So that’s alright. I know people live differently because I have lived that way.
Now seven years later, Ellinger’s simple act of kindness has changed the lives of thousands of people from Carbondale, Illinois to Foley, Missouri to Washington, Missouri and everywhere in between.
Volunteers begin a week before Thanksgiving and basically work around the clock. Thousands of portion cups, aluminum foil pans, bags and all of the ingredients that will make up a classic Thanksgiving meal are stacked floor to ceiling. First the refrigeration trucks begin arriving with tons of food. By Sunday, The Brass Rail cooks are making gravy and cranberry sauce. Monday they’re portioning more than 2,000 pounds of mashed potatoes. Tuesday night is Kids Night where children from around the community sort vegetables and stuff them into containers. Wednesday food trucks arrive in the Brass Rail parking lot. They cook thousands of turkeys all day long. Then on Thursday morning,
26 StreetScape Magazine
Ellinger said he continues to be in awe of his St. Charles County neighbors’ willingness to help others. Last year, he was getting short on volunteers. He took to Facebook at about 2 p.m., and within eight minutes, there were another 50 cars pulling up to deliver. “It’s incredible.”
There has been more than a time in my life that I’ve been completely out of money, so I don’t think anyone has been so far out of the game that they couldn’t recover if someone were to help them. It has shown there are so many people around us that want to help, to hope.” Ellinger won’t say how much the whole thing costs. “I’m not comfortable sharing that. I know exactly what the number is, but I don’t want people thinking that $5 doesn’t help or that a single pie or can of food is not going to help.” The Brass Rail is located at 4601 State Highway K in O’Fallon. ¤
Year in Review 2019 27
e v Lo
for the
of
LOCOCO HOUSE COCONUT CREAM PIE -Rhona Lococo Pecan crust recipe is from "The Oblong Girls," they are guests who have been coming here for 20+ years. I decided the coconut cream filling would be a nice combination of flavors. It is always a hit, and so easy to make.
Pecan Crust 1 stick of butter, softened 1 c chopped pecans 1 tsp sugar 1 c flour Mix all ingredients on low in a large bowl until crumbly. Press in to glass pie pan. Bake at 350º F for 15-17 minutes, or until slightly browned. Set aside and let cool. Pie Filling 1 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding 4 oz softened cream cheese 1 1/4 c half and half 1 1/2 c coconut Mix ingredients at low speed in large mixing bowl for three minutes. Pour into cooled pie crust. Topping 1/2 pint whipping cream 1/2 c sugar 1 tsp cream of tartar Chill bowl and beaters, put ingredients in chilled bowl and beat till soft peaks form. To seal in moisture completely cover pie to crust edges. In oven at 350º oven, brown 1/2 cup of coconut in shallow pan for about 10 minutes. Cool coconut then sprinkle on top of pie. Chill for at least 8 hours or overnight...ENJOY!
28 StreetScape Magazine
PIE
DORIS’ CREAM CHEESE PIE -Tammie Orzel
My mom's recipe so I call it Doris' Cream Cheese Pie.
Ingredients 8 oz softened cream cheese 1 large package of vanilla instant pudding 3 cups of milk Mix the above ingredients until fairly smooth, let thicken. Crust 1 package plain graham crackers approx.18 squares or 9 full sheets ¼ cup of sugar 6 TBS of real butter, melted Crush the graham crackers in food processor until fairly smooth, add sugar and melted butter. Mix thoroughly until butter has coated all of the crackers. Press into a pie pan, reserving some of the crumbs for the topping. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the crust, add topping. Chill for at least an hour.
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH SHOOFLY PIE -Michelle Hamilton Perkins
We are originally from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania where there is a large Amish population and where the movie “Witness” was filmed. This recipe is a compilation of Shoofly Pie recipes that my mother put together. It is a family favorite and a tradition for us on Thanksgiving as well as other times all year.
Crumbs 1 1/2 cups flour (sift after measuring) 4 T Crisco • 1 c light brown sugar 1/4 tsp nutmeg •1/4 tsp ginger 1/4 tsp cloves • 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt Mix well Filling 1/2 c New Orleans Brer Rabbit molasses (Gold Label) 3/4 c boiling water 1/2 tsp baking soda Mix boiling water with baking soda. Add to molasses, it will foam Sprinkle 1/3 of the crumbs in an unbaked 9 inch pie shell. Add liquid. Gently sprinkle the remaining crumbs evenly over the liquid. Completely cover with crumbs. Bake 350º-375º F for 40 min. The top layer will be crumbly, the middle layer will be spice cake-like, and the bottom will be dark gooey and moist. We feel that the more moist, the better.
SUGARLESS APPLE PIE -Alyssa Hilburn
STRAWBERRY RHUBARB STRUESEL PIE -Lois Toigo
Double crust pastry 2 c all purpose flour 2/3 c plus 2T shortening or butter 1t salt 1T corn starch Ice cold water
Ingredients 2 3/4 cup sliced rhubarb 2 cups sliced strawberries 2/3 c granulated sugar 3 T cornstarch 1/4 tsp cinnamon (opt) 1 9"-pie crust
Preheat oven to 350º
With a fork combine the flour, corn starch and salt in a mixing bowl. Use a pastry blender or two knives to cut in the shortening/butter until it is a crumbly mixture. Slowly add the ice water to the flour mixture by tablespoons. Stop mixing when the dough is just combined and forms into a ball. Wrap dough ball in plastic wrap and chill 15-30 minutes. Filling 6-7 apples peeled, cored and sliced 1 1/2 T cornstarch 6 oz apple juice concentrate 1 1/2 T cinnamon 2 T butter, cut into small pieces You can use any kind of apple; my family prefers a mix of Granny Smith and Golden Delicious. Combine the juice, cornstarch and cinnamon. Pour over sliced apples and stir to coat the apples. Remove the chilled dough from refrigerator. Divide in two. On a floured surface roll out a circle large enough to fill an 8 inch pie plate. Transfer the bottom crust to the plate. Pour the apple mixture into the pan and spread out. Add the butter to the top of the filling. Roll out the top crust and drape it over the top of the filling to cover. Pinch the top and bottom crusts together to seal. Use a fork to crimp or your fingers to pinch the crusts closed. Vent the top crust by poking or cutting holes. You can sprinkle granulated sugar and cinnamon on top, or leave it plain.
Daughter of Pio and Mary Pedrucci from the ecipes of Pio's Restaurant
Struesel Topping: 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 c flour 1/2 c cold butter (cut into tablespoon sized pieces) In a large bowl combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and cornstarch. Mix well. Mixture will get thick and syrupy. Set aside. Make struesel topping. In a small bowl combine flour and sugar. Add the butter and using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture till it looks like crumbs. Place filling into pie crust. Sprinkle struesel topping over filling. Cover pie crust edges with foil. Bake at 350° F for 55 minutes. Let cool. Serve with ice cream. Yum!
STRAWBERRY PIE -Marilyn Hardy
Ingredients 3 T cornstarch 1 c sugar 1 1/2 cups water 1 3.4 oz box strawberry Jell-o 2 cups sliced strawberries 10 in baked pie shell whipped cream Line bottom of baked pie shell with strawberries. Boil cornstarch, sugar, and water until thickened. Add Jell-o to mixture. Mix. Pour over strawberries in pie shell. Cool in refrigerator. Serve when Jell-o has set. Top with whipped cream APPLE CRUMB PIE -Sarah Heuertz
Ingredients 5-7 tart apples (about 5 cups) 1 9” unbaked pastry shell 1/2 c sugar 3/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/3 c sugar 3/4 c flour 6 T butter Core and slice apples into eighths. Arrange in shell. Mix ½ c. sugar with cinnamon. Sprinkle over apples. Mix 1/3 c. sugar with flour. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples. Bake at 400° F for 15 min. Reduce heat to 325° F. Bake about 30 min, until apples are tender. The topping will turn a nice shade of light brown and the juices from apple may be visible bubbling. If edges brown too quickly, cover them with a pie shield or a thin strip of aluminum foil.
Bake in a 350º F oven for 45 minutes. Let it sit 4-5 minutes before serving.
Year in Review 2019 29
Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Studio of Music visit: GabrielleStudioOfMusic.com She wants to encourage the next generation of voices. Through the Gabrielle Studio of Music, Gabrielle Stahlschmidt specializes in the foundational principles of singing, namely breath control, posture, tension control and healthy vocal production. And she does it with a passion. She said the skills she teaches can be transferred to any style of music, “but they ensure that your voice will remain as healthy as possible, for as long as possible. Breath control for singers is different than normal, everyday breathing,” she said. “It requires proper air placement and strengthening techniques that build stamina for breath sustainability. This is particularly necessary for such things as singing long phrases, high notes and belting.” But that’s not all. Stahlschmidt makes sure her students learn the stage performance techniques necessary for confident musical expression. She’s fluent in vocal pedagogy or the study of the art and science of voice instruction. Used in the teaching of singing, the discipline assists in defining what singing is, how it works, and how proper singing technique is accomplished. “I am a vocal teacher, coach, pianist, mentor and my student's biggest cheerleader,” she said. A graduate of Missouri Baptist University, where she received a double bachelor’s degree and specialized in music education, Stahlschmidt said music has been “more of a lifestyle than a hobby” for her. With more than 20 years of piano, as well as years of solo and award-winning competition experience, Stahlschmidt has performed her own music around the St. Louis area, as well as sang for weddings, festivals and corporate events. She has performed numerous shows with the Opera Theater of St. Louis, as have her students, who have also participated in television competition auditions and programs at The Fox and The Muny. “I have been immersed in vocal performance for my entire musical career,” she said. “My stylistic background is diverse, which has given me the skills necessary to teach a broad variety of styles and genres.” At her studio, Stahlschmidt explores everything with her students from country, pop, rock, and indie, to music theater, foreign language pieces and jazz. She said she became a teacher mainly because she loves to inspire others, no matter their ages. “I chose to become a teacher because it is my passion to encourage and inspire people,” Stahlschmidt said. “Music is such a uniquely personal gift. Through it, I get to encourage strong, independent voices in amazing ways. I also get to discover so many incredible voices of all ages, my current students range from 7 to 72.” Stahlschmidt is always working to help her students “discover their own voices”and their love for music, while promoting a healthy singing environment. Stahlschmidt offers monthly vocal workshops/masterclasses, field trips, and free YouTube/Podcast content for vocal growth. She also offers two live studio concerts in a large performance venue, accom-
30 StreetScape Magazine
panied by a professional backing band. “These concerts are student showcases, where they sing on a stage with a live backing band,” she said. “This gives them the skills and experience necessary to become solid lead singers that know how to lead a band vocally, and teaches them how to work the stage with energy and confidence.” The concerts are open to the families and friends of students. Her latest concert was held at The Realm in St. Charles. Gabrielle Studio of Music also offers community performance opportunities and competition experience. “I prepare my students for auditions at venues such as The Fox, The Muny, Opera Theater of St. Louis, Union Avenue Opera, The Voice, America's Got Talent and more,” she said. My studio has been recognized by American Idol as a place from which to draw talent for their upcoming auditions. I was recognized for my appearance on Fox2Now and for my strong social media presence. They took notice of the many opportunities that my studio offers to the St. Louis market.” Stahlschmidt works with high school theater lovers too. “I focus on helping them land their lead roles, as well as ensuring that they nail their college music auditions,” she said. “I'm thrilled to see so many of my students pursuing careers in music, and that they are given full ride scholarships to help them on their journey.” Stahlschmidt created the Own Your Voice Podcast as a resource and an encouragement for her students. “Each week I dish practical tips, truths, inspiration and insight to help ambitious artists own and explore the power of their voice.” Her podcast can be found on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, YouTube and iHeartRadio. Stahlschmidt recorded a self-titled album in 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee that can be found on YouTube. ¤
Year in Review 2019 31
from
Written by Beth Mayberry
Tis the season for irritated, chapped, dry skin. Here are a few tips to keep your skin feeling and looking its best! YOU STILL NEED SPF Just because it’s Winter that does not mean you ditch the sunscreen. Yes, there are less UVB rays (or burning rays) but, there are still a significant amount of UVA (or aging rays). CONSIDER PROFESSIONAL SKIN TREATMENTS Winter is actually a great season for treatments such as lasers, peel and laser hair removal. These treatments usually require no sun exposure pre and post treatment for proper recovery and optimal benefits. STAY HYDRATED Keep that moisture barrier healthy. This can start with a gentle cleanser. PROTECT YOUR LIPS AND HANDS Keep an ointment on your lips at all times and remember they are still vulnerable to the sun. Hands sometimes get forgotten. A rich hand cream next to your bedside table will remind you to keep those hands hydrated. TRY AN IN SHOWER LOTION to help keep your skin from itching. Hot showers feel great but do strip the skin of its natural oils resulting in feeling tight and dry. APPLY A HYDRATING AFTER SHAVE BALM to stop dryness and irritation. Freshly shaven faces are the most vulnerable. CONSIDER ADDING THESE PRODUCTS TO YOUR ROUTINE Moisture Mask • Lip balm • An exfoliating scrub • Hand cream
32 StreetScape Magazine
Dress to Match the
Couch
Written by Kim Eichelberger
Have you ever dreamt of hanging a beautiful picture of your family in your living room that looks just as nice as (or better than!) that piece of designer artwork you have on the wall now? If so, you're in luck! Not only is it possible, but it's actually oh-so-simple. Here are 5 super easy tips for making it happen!
1. Consider the color scheme of the rooms where you'd like to hang your portraits and choose your family's wardrobe accordingly. If the rooms are decorated in cool colors, your family should dress in cool colors as well. 2. Accent colors can help your portrait "POP!" Don't be
afraid to add an accent color to your family's wardrobe to add interest to your new photographic wall art.
3. Try to match your clothing choices with
the "feel" of the rooms where the portraits will hang. For example, a photo of the whole family in blue jeans will look out of place in a formal living room adorned with luxurious fabrics and gilded accents, but might look great hanging in a casual breakfast room. A beautiful, stately living room or study requires a portrait with more formal attire an expertly tailored suit for him and a gorgeous cocktail dress or one-of-a-kind evening gown for her would do the trick.
If this all seems a bit overwhelming, DON'T PANIC! There are curated services that can help take ALL the work out of this process, and gaurantee you the stunning result you've been dreaming of! Eichelberger Photography offers in-home design and style consultations, professional personal shopping for your entire family prior to your portrait experience, professional hair & makeup styling, in-home ordering, complete framing and finishing options, even installation! Call Kim Eichelberger at 636.734.1486 to schedule your consultation. She will show you just how simple, fun, and stress-free it can be to decorate your home with your family's portraits for a beautiful, personal touch. ¤
4. Choose the right display to fit your home's
"vibe." A casual space might call for a canvas gallery wrap or a cute barnwood frame, while a formal living room usually requires a museum quality print in a beautiful statement frame.
5. Choose the right size. Do NOT make the mistake of hanging a too-small photograph on your wall or choosing a wimpy frame that does not strike a balance with the woodwork and furniture in your home. Too-small photo displays look unbalanced within your room and ...[gasp!] ... cheap! For a very large display area, groupings of three to five photographs work well to fill the space gracefully. Year in Review 2019 33
Sparkle & Joy gifts of
Zander’s Jewelry
Photos Courtesy of Eichelberger Photography
Ladies Peridot ring, earring and pendant set. All set in 14 karat white gold and the Peridot stones are all accented with pave set white diamonds. The ring holds a 2.55 carats peridot gemstone and .19 carats of diamonds. Earrings hold 2 peridot gemstones that have a total weight of 1.70 carats and diamonds weigh .35 carats total. Pendant holds a 1.04 carat peridot gemstone and .15 carats of accent diamonds total. -Zander's Jewelry
For a more personal touch
Kimberly Zander
G.I.A. Graduate Gemologist Independent Jewelry Appraisals
by Appointment Only
Ladies 18 karat white gold oval blue sapphire and diamond earrings. The sapphires weighs 1.00ct total and the diamonds weigh .55 carats total. -Zander's Jewelry
1015 South 5th Street | St. Charles MO 63301
636.946.6618 34 StreetScape Magazine
Contact Zander's Jewelry for more information about the Sapphire ring.
Gents 14 karat white-gold diamond ring with 1.58 carats of round diamonds total.-Zander's Jewelry
Ladies 18 karat white gold natural fancy yellow oval diamond necklace set in a double halo mounting with pave set white accent diamonds. Fancy yellow diamond weighs 1.08ct and total weight of pendant is 1.61 cts. -Zander's Jewelry
The bracelet is 18 karat white gold with 9 carats of AAA diamond cut Ceylon Sapphires and 2 carats of diamonds. -Walters Jewelry Inc.
The ring is 14 karat white and yellow gold custom made piece with a 1.50 carat radiant diamond GIA quality I SI2 with excellent dimensions and finish, tapered baguette accents weighing .60 carats G VS1 -Walters Jewelry Inc.
Year in Review 2019 35
MAKE A
ran d G
ENTRANCE FALL INTO WINTER Styling by Nicole Moss-Doelger Looks throughout Fashion Spread: MOss Boutique Photography: Brittany Lynn Imagery Models: Krista Sosnowski, Savanna Wagaman, Sydney Bobinski Featuring: Beautiful doors in Historic St. Charles, MO
36 StreetScape Magazine
Year in Review 2019 37
Clothing: MOss Boutique
38 StreetScape Magazine
Year in Review 2019 39
Clothing: MOss Boutique
40 StreetScape Magazine
Year in Review 2019 41
Clothing: MOss Boutique
42 StreetScape Magazine
Year in Review 2019 43
Soccer Mentor
A STRATEGIC COLLEGE PLAN Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photo courtesy of Brett Barger MyCollegeSportsMentor.com
Brett Barger provides youth sports services to young athletes and their parents. Barger operates My College Sports Mentor, a comprehensive
The former president of Lindenwood University—Belleville, Barger has spent 20 years in higher education. In college, he was twice named an academic all-American athlete. Throughout his career he has worked at a variety of sports camps and trained young athletes individually. His dad was a wrestler at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC), and both of his children are athletes. Now he wants to see other young people reach their full potential. “The National Alliance for Youth Sports did a study, and they found that 70% of kids quit organized sports by the age of 13,” Barger said. “And the number one reason they quit is that it’s no fun anymore.” Barger said young people will stay in sports when their experiences are positive. “They don’t do enough unstructured play anymore,” he said. “We add the fun back into it.”
youth sports services company that offers a team of high achieving college student athletes to mentor young people who dream of playing college sports. The company mentors young athletes, consults with them and their parents in picking schools and obtaining scholarships and offers personal training and sports camps. “These are the type of mentors you'd dream about spending time with your children,” Barger said.
44 StreetScape Magazine
And My College Sports Mentor does that by, well, having actual college athletes mentor kids from the minute they enter organized sports all the way through to their hopefully signing to play for the college of their choice. “We tell them, ‘You are going to be stronger and faster,’” Barger said. “Having a mentor working with them telling them not to be discouraged, to keep working, that ‘I was small once too,’ and that ‘At 13, you’re nowhere near your full potential,’ can make all of the difference.” My College Sports Mentor can begin with kids when they’re little, or in their junior and senior years, when they begin to consider where they want to go to college and for what school they’ll play. “We help them and their parents through the college recruitment process,” Barger said. “It’s extremely confusing for parents. We’ve all seen the movies. Parents expect to see college coaches showing up at games and scouting them.
These parents have spent a decade driving across the country for games and practices, and they haven’t heard from any college coaches. These parents go to high school sporting events looking around for scouts or go to college showcases expecting to be approached. They don’t understand. But the reality is that it’s very much a two-way street. It’s an active process with an organized strategic plan. The reality is that there are very few athletes that are so superb—we call them ‘Blue Chip Athletes’—that they are being scouted or approached. The vast majority are not in that category. For most it’s a process. They have to highlight their own achievements.”
reinforcement in a challenging setting to motivate athletes to leave more confident in their abilities and in themselves,” Barger said. “Our college athlete mentors know how to keep the fun in a challenging environment that produces positive results on the fields and courts.”
Barger offers that very service. The first step is finding out where the young athlete wants to go to school and assessing his or her skill level. His company uses current and former college coaches to determine if the young person is likely to be an athletic fit for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1, 2 or 3, if they are a better fit for National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) or junior college. That determination is then matched with their own criteria about where they would like to go. Then schools are targeted that they are interested in and that are interested in them. “We put together a professional profile for them to submit to college coaches,” Barger said. “The profile highlights who they are academically and athletically with video highlights and statistics.”
• Phase I Initial Consultation $350
Barger also provides private training for young athletes, including individual and group sessions with current college athletes who know what they need to do to play for colleges.
Barger offers soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, track and field/cross country, lacrosse, football and fitness camps. Training rates begin at $80 per 90-minute session. Discounts are offered when two or more kids are signed up together. Group rates are also available. Recruitment consultant pricing includes the following: • Phase II Evaluation/Strategy Formulation $500 • Phase III Final Consultation $350 (all pricing includes ongoing telephone consultation)
Video editing is separate.
Camp pricing includes: • Half-day camp $125/week • Full day camp $200/week My College Sports Mentor also pairs with athletes and organizations in the United States and abroad with its Shared Blessings Program which encourages athletes and their parents to pass along some of the blessings they’ve enjoyed to fellow athletes in need. These “blessings” may include any used sports equipment that still has some life left in it. ¤
Finally, Barger offers camps designed to maximize fun to enable improvement in individual sports. “We provide positive
M Y CO L L E G E S P O RT S M E N TO R U S I N G M E N TO R S H I P TO H E L P YO U N G AT H L E T E S AC H I E V E T H E I R D R E A M S . • PRIVATE TRAINING • COLLEGE RECRUITMENT CONSULTING • SPORTS CAMPS *WE WORK WITH ALL SPORTS.
WWW.MYCOLLEGESPORTSMENTOR.COM Year in Review 2019 45
Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos courtesy of Climb So iLL stcharles.climbsoill.com
Their first location, Power Plant, is ranked as one of the top 10 climbing gyms in the United States by Climbing Magazine. Their partner company, So iLL, is a leading, global designer of climbing equipment for adventure sports enthusiasts. Now they’re bringing their world-class climbing experience to St. Charles. Dubbed the Steel Shop, the Climb So iLL climbing gym and retail climbing equipment space will feature climbing walls designed to inspire both new and experienced climbers of all ages. The facility will also have its own yoga studio, fitness area and the Gravity Lab—a dedicated climbing space for younger climbers. Climb So iLL is an indoor rock-climbing gym that promotes community and fitness through the unique experience of climbing. The Power Plant opened in St. Louis City in 2012. The Steel Shop is slated to open in early 2020 in the old ACF building in historic downtown St. Charles behind the Foundry Art Center. “Our flagship location at the Power Plant is ranked as one of the top 10 climbing gyms in the country by Climbing Magazine,” said David Chancellor, community director for Climb So iLL. “Our partner company, So iLL, is a leading, global designer of climbing equipment for adventure sports enthusiasts. Our management team has over 30 years of industry experience which allows us to deliver a world-class climbing experience to the people in our community.” The Climb So iLL gym got its name from the birth of its partner company Soillholds.com. “So iLL started in 2002,” Chancellor said. So when we began to build the current gym, people called it the So iLL gym.” 46 StreetScape Magazine
C L I M B
Chancellor said the Power Plant and now the Steel Shop encourages people to make connections and build relationships through rock climbing. “We are excited to expand our community and provide a high-end climbing experience in both St. Louis and St. Charles,” he said. The Steel Shop will not only include climbing and a dedicated area for younger climbers, but fitness, yoga and retail as well. The 3000-square-foot retail shop will be outfitted with goods from its partner company, So iLL, as well as other industry-leading brands. The Steel Shop will be the first of its kind in St. Charles County. “Climbing can be individualized and pursued to any degree,” Chancellor said. “Climbing is both an empowering and accessible activity. The City of St. Charles provided a unique opportunity to build a climbing gym in a historical building and provide opportunities for kids and families.” The Steel Shop combines historical elements with modern architecture, making it an inspiring space to climb and connect with people. “We wanted to preserve the industrial character of the building and then accent the space with modern architecture (design build) and creative climbing walls. This makes for a wonderful experience, inspiring space and a place for people to connect with each other,” Chancellor said.
Tracing its roots to 1873, the Steel Shop began as the St. Charles Car Manufacturing Company and eventually became the American Car and Foundry Company—a company that built rail cars in the hay day of railroads and tanks, aircraft subassemblies, artillery shells, armor plate and hospital cars, as well as ordinary railroad cars for the Army during World War II. Chancellor said the team searched for three years to find the perfect space before landing on the Steel Shop in downtown St. Charles. Located in the French Town Historical District and included on the National Register of Historic Places, the Steel Shop is one of approximately 10 buildings on the campus that produced various railcar parts. Chancellor said building a climbing gym in a ground-up facility is simple; building a climbing gym in a historic building is more challenging. “But it is also what makes the Climb So iLL experience unique,” he said. “We felt it was important to preserve the industrial character of the building. Part of the Climb So iLL experience is in the design itself. We have retained significant elements of the original building including the massive south-facing windows, industrial crane and exposed steel and brickwork. By blending historical elements with ultra-modern architecture, we strive to make this an inspiring space to work out and connect with community. The climbing wall design was inspired by notable modern architecture rather than outdoor climbing areas.” Climbing is uniquely suited not only for an exciting way to pursue fitness, but a great way to connect with others, Chancellor said.
“Everyone is a climber,” he said. “Whether you climb inside or outside. The climbing gym is a space where people put their cell phones down and connect with each other. People have met, proposed and even been married at the climbing gym. For some of those families, now their children are enjoying the gym, as well. The climbing gym is a supportive environment for kids and adults to work together to learn and improve.” Climb So iLL provides fundraising support for schools and other organizations in its community, and creates partnerships with local business to plan events that bring people together, Chancellor said. Climb So iLL is designed for everyone, from beginners to advanced climbers. At 28,000 square feet, the Steel shop is roughly three times the size of the Power Plant which is 10,000 square feet. The bouldering wall is up to 18 feet. The top rope and lead areas are up to 45 feet. Each climbing area—including the boulder, lead/top rope area and the Gravity Lab—has a diverse range of wall angles (from slab to overhanging walls). And the facility will have several auto-belays to accommodate climbers who do not yet have a partner. The Gravity Lab is an interactive, dedicated climbing space for young climbers, groups, team-building activities and parties.
The Steel Shop will also feature a full selection of fitness, weight training and cardio equipment. Locker rooms will also be offered, including changing areas, showers and foot washing stations. The Steel Shop will offer daily yoga classes in a dedicated studio space, as well as a variety of instructional classes for guests looking to improve climbing technique, physical fitness, safety skills and general climbing knowledge. The 2,500 square foot retail shop will carry climbing equipment, yoga accessories, lifestyle clothing and food and beverage items. Climb So iLL has hosted events with international climbing figures including Chris Sharma, Lynn Hill, Kevin Jorgenson and Jason Momoa as well as American Ninja Warrior’s Meagan Martin and Isaac Caldiero. It was also featured in Sports Illustrated for Kids in 2012. Climb So iLL will offer several options for climbing, including day passes, 10 visit punch passes and yearly memberships. ¤
Featuring speed walls, top-out boulder, tower-walk challenge and more, the Gravity Lab includes private rooms which can be used for parties, meetings and other group gatherings. It offers special programming and drop-off opportunities during designated time-slots. The Steel Shop will accommodate special events and large groups up to 300 guests. Catering and full facility rentals will be available.
Year in Review 2019 47
BEYOND THEBEST2019 Beyond the Best honorees are leaders that are advocates and activists. They are amazing citizens that make significant, positive changes to our community and our neighborhoods. StreetScape is very excited and extremely proud to recognize those in our region that share their time, talent and treasure. Beyond the Best Awards Gala benefits TPH Media’s continued support of an endowment to Lindenwood University.
Thank You to our Sponsors
Special Thanks
BOOM! Impact Graphics Karl Lund Parkview Gardens Ameristar Casino Resort and Spa
48 StreetScape Magazine
Steven Ti lley Beyond the Best 2019 Keynote Speaker
Currently founding partner of Strategic Capitol Consulting, Tilley was former Speaker of the Missouri House. A Republican, Tilley was elected to the House in November 2004. He became the majority leader in January 2008 and was elected speaker in November 2010. In 2012, Tilley founded Strategic Capitol Consulting, a government affairs and consulting business. In just five years, Tilley has grown Strategic from a one-man firm with a single blue-chip client to a ten-person team with a roster of clients ranging from associations to sovereign nations, local governments, large cap, technology and emerging disruptor companies. Tilley is also an entrepreneur. He’s a real estate developer and owner/broker, a restauranteur, and included among his various business concerns are a pharmacy and insurance agency. From 1998 to 2010, Tilley co-owned Tilley Eye Center in Perryville, Missouri, where he practiced as an optometrist. In 2010, he merged his practice with Clarkson Eyecare, which is now one of the largest privately-owned practices in the country.
Doug Raines Beyond the Best 2019 Emcee
Doug Raines, President of FireStrong Leadership, is on a mission to develop dynamic new leaders and help build and motivate teams through effective communication. Trained as a fire fighter, Doug has over 25 years’ experience providing and delivering professional, helpful and high-quality customer service along with continued community involvement. Doug is a Captain with Central County Fire and Rescue, and co-founder of Balls For a Cause (providing new and used soccer balls to third world countries). He serves on many local boards including Vision St. Charles County Leadership and DASA (Disabled Athletes Sports Association). He has also worked with the St. Charles Library District, the MS Society and other organizations as far as Central America. He is a certified John Maxwell Speaker. Doug and his wife and three children reside in St. Charles County. Year in Review 2019 49
Ed Akers Ed Akers is the owner of The Akers Agency, located in the Historic Frenchtown District of St. Charles. Ed opened his business in 2011 with a focus of giving his clients the best experience possible while serving people in the area. Since opening its doors, The Akers Agency has helped over 600 clients manage their insurance and investment plans. The Akers Agency has consistently been in the top 5% of Farmers agents nationwide, earning Rookie of The Year in 2012, and back to back MVP awards in 2017 and 2018. When Ed started his own business, it was an easy decision to do it in the same neighborhood where he lives, plays, and raises his family. Ed and his wife Leah live in Frenchtown with their two daughters Cadence and Campbell. When he’s not working or spending time with his family, Ed stays busy by volunteering and sharing his resources to several local nonprofits as well as his church. He currently sits on the board for Community Living and is the Vice Chair of the Vision Leadership St Charles County Board of Directors. Ed attributes much of his success to the support of his family and community.
George Black George Black has been helping residents with their real estate needs for more than eighteen years. As both an agent and co-owner of Meyer Real Estate, George has extensive knowledge with residential sales, historic home sales, investment properties, rehabbing and flipping homes, rental property management, foreclosures and more. During his lengthy career, George continually achieves multi-million-dollar club status and ranks among the top agents in St. Charles County. George’s focus is always on the customer experience and believes his high level of customer service is the differentiating factor in his success. George also works hard to ensure his community is thriving. As a long-standing member of the St. Charles Sunrise Rotary Club, and current Club President for 2018 – 2020, George is also the current vice president of the SCHS Booster Club and is a 1st Degree Knight with the St. Charles Knights of Columbus. He also served on other community boards such as St. Charles Borromeo School, YMCA, and received the Community Living Inc. Legacy Award. George, his wife and three children reside in St. Charles.
50 StreetScape Magazine
Sherilyn Blair Sherilyn Blair’s passion for local art inspired her to open a marketplace in the Frenchtown area. Her business focused on local artists and crafters. It included collections of ceramics, textile art, paintings and carvings. Her marketplace, Frenchtown Secret Garden and showcased local artists, and had a DIY station. She participated in, and eventually became President of, the Historic Frenchtown Association. This role allowed Sherilyn to focus on and support community growth by encouraging local business owners and residents to develop new public events. Eventually, with the help of the Frenchtown Revitalization Partnership, which Sherilyn chaired, Frenchtown gained attention from St. Charles City officials. Various government departments were able to support growth in the Frenchtown community by way of funding Economic Enhancement Strategy Plans and entry into various local and governmental programs that focus on the revitalization of historic areas. The growth of Frenchtown continues today with the support of the City, business owners, residents, the Frenchtown Revitalization Partnership and the Historic Frenchtown Association. Sherilyn also served as a representative of Frenchtown on the St. Charles City Landmarks Board, which ensures the preservation of our beautiful city through adherence to city ordinances and requirements for local and national historic recognition.
Lisa Cassidy Lisa Cassidy has served the citizens of St. Charles County as a paramedic for over 20 years. In 2016, she embarked on an ambitious project to shed light on the growing opiate problem in her community. Three years later, her efforts have expanded exponentially, evolving into a robust multi-pronged effort that includes awareness, prevention, education, access to treatment, and harm reduction to combat the epidemic. Today, she serves as the Coordinator for the District's Substance Use Recovery Response Team. To best serve clients in this role, she became a certified Missouri Recovery Support Specialist, certified Crisis Intervention Team, and is a member of our local coalition CRUSH (Community Resources United to Stop heroin). In 2017, Lisa was awarded Paramedic of the Year at SCCAD, and also from the MO EMS Association. In 2019, Lisa was the recipient of the Athena Leadership Award.Â
Year in Review 2019 51
Arthur L. Castile Arthur L. Castile is a retired Cost and Price Analyst with Boeing. During his time with Boeing he performed analytical cost evaluations for minor and major systems and electronics for a variety of fighter, heavy lift, and Commercial aircraft. Arthur served in the United States Marine Corps at the Marine Naval Air Station “El Toro” and served two years in the Middle East. Arthur served two terms on the Saint Charles City Council, on the Saint Charles Kiwanis Club as President, Saint Charles City/Country NAACP as Treasurer and currently serves as the 2019-2020 Lt. Governor for MO-ARK Division 6. Arthur enjoys Western movies, real history and a little bit of Channel Nine PBS.
Central County Fire &Rescue Community Outreach The Central County Fire and Rescue Community Outreach program, CCCO, has been involved with the community since its inception. The department of 85 employees is always adapting its programs to meet the needs of the community. From the Child Safety Seat program to the Meals on Wheels program for the elderly, CCCO has all ages covered. The Safety Seat program has installed over 4,000 safety seats while the Meals on Wheels program has delivered over 6,000 meals. CCCO hosts an annual trivia night to support the Meals on Wheels program and to date has raised over $125,000. CCCO's recent activities include an annual Mud Volleyball Tournament to raise funds for DASA, the Disabled Athletes Sports Association, Easter Egg hunt, the Fall Festival, the Back to School backpack program and funding a College Scholarship program for local high school students. The employees of Central County Fire and Rescue are committed to making the community a safer and better place to live by actively doing "Whatever it Takes".
52 StreetScape Magazine
Dave Chancellor Dave Chancellor was dangling from a cliff, 50 feet above the water, without a safety rope when he thought, “How did I get here?” His journey began at the age of 18, when he began turning his passion for rock climbing into several successful ventures. Most recently, these ventures have led to collaborations with TOMS, Jason Momoa, and REI. His love of climbing led to being a co-founder of Climb So iLL, that will open this winter and will be located at the former Steel Shop building behind the Foundry Art Center. The Steel Shop is a community space that encourages people to make connections and build relationships through rock climbing. We are excited to expand our community and we look forward to delivering an unforgettable climbing experience, Dave has won several awards including 2nd Place Winner, St. Louis Regional Business Plan Competition and 3rd Place Winner, Southern Illinois Regional Business Plan Competition and has competed in professional climbing circuits, appeared in international climbing films, and presented as a keynote speaker. When he’s not working, you can find him at the crag, hanging out with his wife, Jamie, and wrestling with his two energetic boys, Milo and Maverick.
Peter Colombatto Peter Colombatto is the Director of Marketing and Communications for Lindenwood University's School of Arts, Media, and Communications and the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts. As Director of Marketing, Peter works to develop high quality and effective promotional campaigns that support enrollment in Lindenwood's AMC programs and ticket sales at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts. Peter proudly served on the University’s Staff Council from 2014 – 2017, is a voting member on two entertainment focused nonprofit groups, and is a member of St. Charles City’s Digital Media Commission. As a member of the School of Arts, Media, and Communications Peter is also an adjunct instructor teaching courses in Box Office and House Management, Arts and Entertainment Management, and Theatrical Arts. Peter is involved in managing the annual touring series at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts. This role has empowered Peter to help create tangible, hands on, learning opportunities for students in Lindenwood’s School of Arts, Media, and Communications. When not at Lindenwood, Peter spends time with his wife Nicole and their two dogs. A proud native of St. Charles, Missouri, he attended St. Elizabeth and St. Robert Regional School, Duchesne High School, and Lindenwood University. While he and his wife take every opportunity to travel, they are proud to call St. Charles home. Year in Review 2019 53
Dr. Benjamin Conoyer Dr. Benjamin Conoyer was born and raised in St. Charles, Missouri. His family roots are traceable back to the French founding fathers of the community. He graduated from the Academy of the Sacred Heart in 1993, from Duchesne High School in 1997, and received a B.S. in Chemistry from St. Louis University in 2001. He continued on to receive a Masters in Anatomy degree from St. Louis University with emphasis in research. He published his thesis on the histology of the cerebellum in reptiles. In 2003, he enrolled in the St. Louis University School of Medicine and earned his Doctor of Medicine degree in 2007. During his medical school years, he continued to instruct other medical professionals in human anatomy and Advanced Trauma Life Support. Dr. Conoyer completed a General Surgery Internship at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2008, and returned to St. Louis University to train in Otolaryngology. Dr. Conoyer practices Otolaryngology with his father, brother, and all the exceptional doctors of Midwest ENT and is committed to providing quality ear, nose and throat care to residents of our region. Dr. Conoyer and his wife, Rachel (nee Ervin), have been married since 2011 and reside in St. Charles with their 2 sons. In his free time, Dr. Ben enjoys Cardinal baseball, hunting, camping and biking.
Ryan Cooper Ryan Cooper caught the acting bug at his on-stage debut in third grade in the local high school’s production of The King and I. He has appeared with theatre companies all across the St. Louis area (including STAGES St. Louis), and spent time at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida as cast member in the long-running Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue and short-lived Storybook Circus Giggle Gang shows. His love of theatre along with his passion for history, led Ryan to seek a creative outlet that would blend the two. In 2006 he joined the St. Charles Christmas Traditions festival and has been with them ever since, as both a performer and member of the production staff. In 2016, he (along with the St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau) created a brand new festival experience for visitors called Legends & Lanterns, a family-friendly, historically based event that explores the origins of Halloween through interactions with some of the most infamous villains from history and folklore (along with a variety of unique attractions such as a Victorian mourning museum and salute to the golden age of monster movies). In 2019, to mark the occasion of St. Charles’ 250th anniversary, Ryan once again partnered with the St. Charles CVB to create an event called An Adventure 250 Years in the Making that introduced guests to some of the fascinating, lesser-known figures and stories of the region’s past. Ryan’s love of history is also seen in his work as a tour guide for the St. Louis Holocaust Museum and Learning Center, St. Louis Cardinals, and Scholastica Travel Inc (where he leads tours of Washington D.C. for school groups). He looks forward to many more years of creating experiences for visitors of all ages that educate, entertain, and inspire. 54 StreetScape Magazine
Mary E. Dempsey Mary E. Dempsey was elected as Recorder of Deeds for St. Charles County, Missouri, in November 2018. In her more than 10 years of public service, Mary has continuously worked to meet the needs of citizens and use technology to improve efficiency. As Recorder of Deeds, she has worked to find ways to streamline communication to avoid repeated processes for constituents and is working to switch software to improve communication between offices. While some records are accessible online, Mary is identifying ways to make their web-based database more user-friendly, including migrating marriage license indexes. Mary is a member of the Recorder’s Association of Missouri, the Public Records Industry Association, the St. Charles County Historical Society, the St. Charles Jaycees, and the Little Black Book: Women in Business. She also is a graduate of the Vision St. Charles County Leadership program. Born and raised in St. Charles, Mary is a life-long resident of the county. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business and Corporate Communications from Rockhurst University. Prior to her election, Mary served as Assistant Recorder of Deeds (2017-2018) and in the St. Charles County Assessor’s Office (2014-2017). She was previously a contract agent for the State of Missouri. She and her husband, Jim Sanders, live in St. Charles with their dogs: Pirate, a rescue Collie, and Potato, a Boston Terrier.
James P. Devereux, Jr. James P. Devereux, Jr., a St. Charles native with 16 years of professional experience as a business accountant. He is the owner of Devereux and Company, CPAs and Business Advisors. James emphasizes a key component to the modern day business, bringing information to the business owner in a real-time basis so they can make effective management decisions. James has a Masters in Business Administration, Masters in Information Systems and Bachelors in Chemistry/Environmental Sciences. His diverse background including information technology provides a unique aspect of service to his clients that comparable companies cannot provide. James is dedicated to serving the St. Charles community. He is on the board of directors for the Sts. Joachim and Ann Care Service, where his board services include treasurer, member of the finance committee and executive board committee. James loves Main Street St. Charles where his office is located. He also serves on the Historic Downtown Association of St. Charles. In the summer months you can usually find him volunteering at Music on Main, which raises money for projects like Fete de Glace and the beautification of North Main Street. James resides in St. Charles City with his wife Lindsey and three children Ella, Alex and Ava ages 7, 5 and 3.
Year in Review 2019 55
Shannon Doughert y Shannon Dougherty is an experienced business professional who has spent the last 20 years working with fortune 500 organizations to determine their business operations, marketing strategy and global branding needs. Active in the community, Shannon's passion involves volunteering, raising awareness and funds for organizations such as: The American Legion, Globalhack, Girls on the Run and Lindenwood University to name a few. Shannon credits much of her success in the private and public sectors to the mentoring, guidance and inspiration she received from her prior leadership. Influencers include: Joann Leykam, Dr. Daryl Anderson, Angela Mons, Melissa Raethka, Gerry Boehm, Paul Mydler, Steve Miller and Michelle Giessman.
Jessica Eisenbeis Yadi's Yummies is the dream of Jessica Eisenbeis, a young woman born with a rare genetic syndrome called Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome. This condition primarily affects her speech and her ability to learn. Jessica is a lifelong resident of St. Peters, Missouri. After High school, Jessica quickly realized that it was hard to find employers who would accommodate her special needs. In June 2016 Yadi's Yummies was born. Yadi’s Yummies was named after her rescue dog, Yadi. Jessica makes natural and healthy treats for dogs. In June 2018, Jessica moved her production kitchen to a retail location in St. Peters, MO. Dog Lovers and their fur babies can watch the treat production, browse the assortment of unique gifts or sit down and share a treat in their Canine Café. Jessica is most proud of the philanthropic part of her business. A portion of all proceeds are donated to Annie’s Fund, named after her Newfie, to help pay for expensive medical treatment of dogs in shelters. Jessica is a huge sports fan and especially loves cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Blues. In her free time Jessica enjoys going to sporting events, spending time with her family and friends and volunteering with local rescue groups. 56 StreetScape Magazine
Scott Ellinger Scott Ellinger is a restaurant industry professional that after spending 20 years in over 100 restaurants working for others, settled in O’Fallon and purchased The Brass Rail Tavern & Tap. As chef and owner, Scott rebranded the restaurant The Brass Rail Steakhouse and started the process of becoming an integral piece of the community. From day one, The Brass Rail has sponsored local sports teams, donated to our local schools and been a meeting place for networking and business groups. In 2014 Scott started making a free Thanksgiving meal for those in need in the community, and over the past five years has served over 25,000 free meals. Over that time, The Brass Rail has been awarded 5 consecutive Trip Advisor Certificates of Excellence, the 2015 Business of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce, received commendations from the State of Missouri House and Senate, the United States House of Representatives and countless others. But most importantly to Scott is the support the community has shown for the restaurant and for the Thanksgiving event; in 2018 over 1700 volunteers came together to serve the 10,200 meals. Outside of the restaurant Scott is raising his twelve year old Aubrey and his dog Buckley and hopes one of the two of them will help to carry on the tradition of free Thanksgiving meals for as long as possible.
Carissa Figgins Carissa Figgins serves St. Charles County at the Executive Director of Community Strong. In this role, she is leading the way to inspire and enable the residents of our county to live healthier, and therefore happier lives. Leading and inspiring – these are the things that Carissa Figgins has done her entire life. She started in education as an elementary school teacher, then transitioned into the world of non-profits. She is the founder of The Sparrow’s Nest maternity home in O’Fallon. After serving as the Executive Director of The Sparrow’s Nest for 6 years, Carissa transitioned to work as a business growth and leadership consultant, inspiring companies scale and develop in healthy and sustainable ways. Now, through Community Strong, we are extremely fortunate to have Carissa Figgins working to ensure that we develop in healthy and sustainable ways. Carissa is leading and inspiring our residents, neighbors, organizations, communities, and ourselves to live happier, healthier, and more well-connected lives. Carissa Figgins always perseveres. She is determined, resourceful, never takes no for an answer and often finds ways to bust down walls. Carissa uses these superpowers to protect and empower those less fortunate than her. Carissa Figgins leads and inspires us all with the way she thinks, speaks, and acts out of love for and service to others. Year in Review 2019 57
Beth Finder Beth Finder found a need within her community which ignited her passion to create Pride St. Charles (PSC). Beth’s son Zak, came out as gay at the age of 14. She soon realized St. Charles County lacked inclusive spaces and supportive resources for the LGBTQIA+ community and their families. Beth became Vice President of the St. Charles PFLAG chapter. While volunteering at the PFLAG booth at Pride St. Louis, Beth asked Jill Aul if there was any type of celebration like this in St. Charles County. When Jill replied that there was no such event, Beth replied with a simple, “well it’s time.” That statement began a mission for St. Charles PFLAG to begin planning the first-ever pride festival in St. Charles County history. Beth and Jill lead community meetings to gather volunteers to plan the event. After less than a year of planning St. Charles PFLAG hosted the first Pride St. Charles festival on Saturday, May 30, 2015 at St. Charles Community College. Despite heavy rain, an estimated 3,500 people attended the inaugural festival. She is currently employed as an Assistant to the Athletic Director at Timberland High School. Beth resides with her husband Frank and son Zak in Lake St. Louis. She enjoys shopping, going to the movies, spending time with her family and friends.
Katrina Fuller Katrina Fuller is the Chief of Public Affairs for Compass Health Network, a non-profit Community Health Center providing primary care, dental, behavioral health and substance use disorder services across 44 counties in Missouri to the underinsured and uninsured. She proactively brings state and federal legislators into our communities to see the great work our community is already doing in these areas as well as the hard work that still needs to be done to meet our community’s continually increasing needs. Since her early days of helping children through her work with the St. Charles County Children’s Division, Katrina has been a positive force for change in St. Charles County and beyond. She is a gifted collaborator who is passionate about Compass Health’s vision of full, productive healthy lives for everyone and she works tirelessly to bring needed health care services to the most vulnerable among us. A native of St. Charles County, Katrina Fuller has both a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Missouri and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
58 StreetScape Magazine
Amy Haake Amy Haake is a native of St. Charles County and was raised on a farm southwest of Hwy. 70 just outside of the City of St. Charles. I was educated at the Academy of the Sacred Heart (K-12) and attended Lindenwood College, majoring in Biology and Communication Arts-Theatre. She lived in New York City and Texas before returning to St. Charles. Upon returning to Missouri, Amy worked at the Missouri Botanical Garden and helped develop specialty gardens such as the Doris I, Schuck’s Children’s Garden and the George Washington Carver Garden. In addition, she coordinated the reinterpretation of Tower Grove House. Amy has her Masters of History and Certification in Museum Studies. But more importantly, she is blessed to have spent time with her mother in her last years before her death at nearly 102. It was during this time that she began working for the St. Charles County Parks and Recreation Department, helping open the Heritage Museum as Assistant Parks Historian. In 2014, I became the Archivist for the St. Charles County Historical Society and after a year was named Chief Administrative Officer as well. Amy has a daughter and enjoys living in her hometown.
Tyler Hannegan Tyler Hannegan began his career where he was born at Mercy Hospital St. Louis (formally known as St. Johns). Tyler grew up in St. Charles county attending Immanuel Luther grade school, Lutheran High School, and University of Missouri – Columbia. He received a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance from the University of Missouri St. Louis (UMSL) in 2016. Tyler started at Mercy as an Executive intern in the Summer of 2012, and upon completion of his undergraduate studies remained with the organization. He served in many roles and is currently the Director of Operations – in the Mercy Clinic South division. He participates in many Greater St. Louis area organizations and is a proud Executive Council board member of the Young Friends of Mercy. Other organizations Tyler is a member of include the Boys and Girls Club of St. Charles County where he has served as both chair and active executive member. Tyler’s most recent philanthropic group start up is that of the Young Friends of Care to Learn. Tyler is an award recipient of the 30 under 30 designation in 2017. He fearlessly leads by the model of, “Get involved, give back, support local, and have fun while doing it.” Tyler dedicates his success to those that he surrounds himself with, a loving wife, a strong family, incredible friends and exceptional mentors. Year in Review 2019 59
Karen Hoffman Karen Hoffman’s passion, all her life, has been to help others. Whether it was helping a first time home-owner as a realtor, or helping business owners use barter to grow their business. Karen has received awards from the former Regional Commerce and Growth Association, The Small Business Administration, eWomen Network and other, organizations for helping others. In 2013, Karen felt called to start a nonprofit and was supported by many in the business community and launched a nonprofit Gateway to Dreams, to help our community dream together. Gateway to Dreams has several programs and they operate out of 6700 sq. feet in Chesterfield Mall. A few programs Gateway offers are Joy of Goals, a dream and goal setting programs; Your Collaborate Board is a monthly master mind for women entrepreneurs; Connecting & Promoting Women, a monthly networking program; Gateway to Kindness, a yearly program in February of each year, to inspire 28 days of kindness; the Impact St. Louis Awards, recognizing people and organizations making a difference here in St. Louis. Karen resides in St. Charles county, along with her husband Rick. She has 3 children, Mitzi, Jamie and Joe who also reside in St. Charles county.
John Jones John Jones earned his Bachelor’s degree in 2008 from The College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, MO. While there John studied Sociology with an emphasis in Social Work and a minor in Psychology. After graduating John worked for Forest Counseling Center in Forsyth, MO where he was contracted with the State of Missouri Children’s Division to provide Intensive In-Home Services to families at risk of having their children placed into protective custody. In 2013 John moved to St. Peters, chose a new career path, and the rest is history! John earned his salesperson license in 2014, was named REALTOR® Salesperson of the Year in 2017 and earned his broker’s license in 2018. In addition to being a full time REALTOR®, John is on the Board of Directors for the Youth In Need Young Professionals Group and donates $100 from each closing to that organization. Currently John is assisting the organization to plan and execute their first Sleep Out which will be held on December 7, 2019. Participants will raise money and supplies for homeless youth and then sleep overnight outdoors to raise awareness for youth homelessness. 60 StreetScape Magazine
Alysia Kerkove Alysia Kerkove has successfully conquered every field she has entered, and her accolades speak for themselves. She is currently a Senior Property Manager for Balke Brown Transwestern with an emphasis in retail. Her time is primarily spent serving as the General Manager for The Meadows, an outdoor lifestyle center in the heart of Lake Saint Louis. She specializes in tenant and vendor relations, leasing and construction coordination, marketing and event planning, and day to day management of retail properties in the St. Louis and St. Charles County markets. Alysia currently oversees 750,000 square feet of mixed-use properties. In her spare time, she serves on the Young Professionals Playmakers board which benefits United Services for Children in St. Charles County, and is active in the Wentzville Chapter of Little Black Book. When not at work, Alysia spends time with her husband, Kris and their two children, Carter and Reid. The entire family enjoys golfing and spending as much time near a pool or beach.
William Kral William Kral has over twenty (20) years in commercial real estate lending. He has specialized in commercial real estate, specifically working with many of the areas top home builders. He has been with Midwest BankCentre since 2005, and for the past 15 years has focused strongly on the St. Charles County real estate market, specifically homebuilding and income producing properties; however recent focus has been on owner occupied real estate. He is involved on the Advisory Board of Missouri Kids (Providing young student athletes in the state of Missouri who suffer permanent disabling injuries the special equipment, resources and support they need to best overcome their physical limitations and confidently work toward a successful adulthood). He has been appointed to the Wentzville Economic Development Council (President) and is active with the Wentzville Athletic Association and Junior Achievement. William graduated from the University of Missouri and resides in Wentzville with his wife Julie and has two daughters Kaitlyn and Madelyn.
Year in Review 2019 61
Jason Kuhl Jason Kuhl passionately believes the best libraries create community and help people lead more successful lives, and has spent his twenty-year professional career empowering staff to transform that vision into reality. Before earning his MS in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois in 1999, he worked for libraries ranging in size from a large urban system to a small community college. Jason began working for the St. Louis County Library in 2000, eventually becoming manager of the system’s largest branch. In 2008, he became Information Services Manager at the Arlington Heights (IL) Memorial Library and served in three positions there including five years as Executive Director. In January 2018, he returned to the St. Louis area as the Director & CEO of the St. Charles City-County Library where he is excited to live the library’s new vision as a catalyst for customers to build successful lives, families and communities. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Foundry Art Centre and enjoys spending time with his wife Laura, who is also a librarian, and his two energetic kids, Jillian, 9, and Elliot, 7.
Chuck Lovelace, III Charles (Chuck) Lovelace is an experienced Geographic Information Systems professional (GISP) with the City of Saint Charles Department of Community Development Planning Division where he serves as GIS Coordinator. Chuck has a demonstrated history of working in local Government and Geoinformatics. In addition to his GIS function with the City, Chuck is Staff Liaison with the City of Saint Charles Human Relations Commission (HRC). During his time with the HRC, the commission has received the Local Human Rights Commission of the Year award presented by the Missouri Department of Labor. In his spare time, chuck participates in the GeoMentor program at local school districts teaching students about Mapping and Geography as part of the STEM program. Chuck also volunteers with Food Outreach Inc., which is the only St. Louis area organization whose mission is to provide nutritional support and enhance the quality of life of men, women and children living with cancer and HIV/AIDS. 62 StreetScape Magazine
Joseph Luckett Joseph Luckett is the co-founder and CEO of Zero to 100™. His true passion lies in connecting people using his mastery of developing authentic relationships. He has created a unique twist to networking that transforms how and why professionals meet one another.
After years of utilizing networking to successfully grow his business, Joseph and his wife, Carol, founded Zero to 100™, an inclusive networking movement that operates on a global scale. Focused on fostering a sense of belonging and gratitude, the movement includes books, a proprietary digital platform, and networking events. It is also worth noting that Zero to 100™ is an incredibly philanthropically-driven company with an absolute drive to give back and change the world for the better. An Advisory Board of diverse professionals from a variety of industries supports the growth of Zero to 100™, each contributing their unique networking skills and experience to the movement. Joseph has been recognized by his peers for several prestigious awards such as St. Louisans on the Move (St. Louis Business Journal), Succeeding in Business (NewsTime Newspaper), Top 100 St. Louisans you Need to Know to Succeed in Business (St. Louis Small Business Monthly), and Who’s Who in St. Charles County (Time-Off Magazine).
St acey Lutgen Stacey Lutgen, SPHR and SHRM-SCP is the Vice President of Human Resources at Ameristar Casino Resort and Spa where she has worked in numerous roles over 17 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management from Lindenwood University. Having worked primarily in the hospitality industry, she has a track record of building and retaining high performing teams. Stacey is particularly experienced in the areas of talent acquisition and organizational development. During her time at Ameristar she served on the company-wide Center of Excellence for 2 years and was previously recognized by the St. Louis Area Hotel Association as the Human Resource Professional of the Year. Stacey currently serves on the Executive Committee Foundation Board at St. Charles Community College and on the Board of Directors for Athena, Leadership Foundation of St. Charles County. Stacey lives in Wentzville with her husband John and their children.
Year in Review 2019 63
Dr. Rosalyn Manahan Dr. Rosalyn Manahan has been an educator for the past 20 years. She began her career in the Hazelwood School District as a Science teacher, eventually becoming an assistant principal. In her role as assistant principal, she realized that she could help more students as an administrator. Dr. Manahan is known for forming lasting positive bonds with her students and mentoring them into adulthood, just as her high school principal did for her. Dr. Manahan instills in her students that education is a pathway to open doors and create options to find their purpose and passion in life. She is known in the community for providing families with support and resources that encourage her students to become lifelong learners. Dr. Manahan is also known for providing trauma informed care for her students and dealing with the "whole" student to ensure that they are successful in and out of the school setting. Dr. Manahan has a bachelor's degree in Middle School Education from Northwest Missouri State University, a master's degree in Educational Administration from Lindenwood University, and a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Maryville University. Dr. Manahan is currently an assistant principal at her alma mater Pattonville High.
Carl McConnell Carl McConnell, the founder and co-owner of Stone Soup Cottage, has been in the culinary field for over 30 years. Chef McConnell has an eclectic work resume that includes working as an Executive Chef with Clipper Cruise Line, American Orient Express rail line, private jet excursions and has traveled to 82 countries of the world working with an elite clientele.
In 2009, Chef McConnell and his wife Nancy opened Stone Soup Cottage in Cottleville, MO, allowing diners to explore a unique culinary world. In 2013 Stone Soup Cottage relocated to the Wiese Farm, allowing this farm to fork restaurant to be located on the very farm that supplies much of their produce. Chef McConnell has been featured in publications including the San Francisco Examiner, Los Angeles Times, Victoria Magazine, Traveler's Tales, National Culinary Review and Fine Cooking. Television appearances include "The Rockies by Rail"(PBS). In addition to his media recognition, Chef McConnell is the recipient of professional awards presented by the American Culinary Federation and the National Restaurant Association. 64 StreetScape Magazine
Shane McKelvey Shane McKelvey has spent nearly 20 years in the financial services industry with most of his career focusing on retirement planning. He currently works as a Director of Relationship Management for Empower Retirement Financial Services. Shane has resided in St. Charles County since 2000 and is an active member of the community volunteering for various local charitable organizations as well as serving on several not-for-profit boards. Since 2003 he has served as Vice-President of the Board of Directors of Garden of Innocents, is a member of the Board of the Directors of Birthright of St. Charles and the Child Advocacy Center located in Wentzville. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the Foster and Adoption Support Team in St. Charles County. Shane received his Bachelor of Science in Business from the University of Missouri Columbia in 1997 and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Missouri Columbia in 2000. He is parishioner of St. Peter Catholic Church, in St. Charles, where he also serves a member of the Parish Council. Born and raised in Pulaski County in South Central Missouri, Shane enjoys returning to the area for hunting, trout fishing, and floating. He resides in St. Charles with his wife Judge Rebeca McKelvey, and their three children, Shane, Ryan and Sophia.
Shannon Norman Shannon Norman owns a litigation law firm in St. Peters. She graduated from the University of Missouri – St. Louis with bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Criminology. While completing those programs, she emphasized her studies on the violence and aggression of offenders and completed a Certification in Victim Trauma Studies. She then completed her Juris Doctorate at St. Louis University and became licensed to practice law in both Missouri and her home state of Louisiana. Shannon has represented clients for the Legal Clinic at SLU and as a special prosecutor in the domestic violence court of St. Louis County. After several years of hard work, Shannon achieved clemency of Judy Henderson, a woman wrongfully convicted of capital murder in 1983. After serving 36 years in prison, Judy was released in 2017 and granted a full pardon in 2018. Shannon now represents clients in family law and criminal defense in several of the local counties, and still takes some pro-bono domestic violence cases. She sits on the Board of Directors of several non-profit organizations in St. Charles County, and is a member of the O’Fallon Partnership, which seeks to connect people needing help in the community with those who have the resources to provide it.
Year in Review 2019 65
Shanna Palans Shanna Palans is a 30+ year resident of St Charles County. She and her husband Andy are parents to Austin, Cassidy, and son-in-law Joe. They have been blessed with 2 adorable grandchildren; Skylar and Carter. Their entire family still lives in Lake St Louis. Shanna Palans has a 20+ year history of business ownership and community support in St. Charles County. She and her husband Andy were 2nd-generation owners of Wharf Pharmacy, as well as opening a Pinot’s Palette franchise and a coworking space in recent years. Shanna knows that business ownership comes with a duty to support the community which supports them. She has done this by donating her time, talents, and money to many local charities, fundraisers and business organizations. She is a past-Chairman of the Board or Board member of 3 local Chambers, and participates in many networking groups, including Little Black Book: Women in Business. Shanna and Andy recently sold their businesses and are taking a minute to decide what their next adventure will be! In her spare time, Shanna likes to travel, read, play golf, and spend time with her grandchildren.
Zach P l ackemeier Zach Plackemeier has a passion for helping people. And in 2016 he opened his State Farm agency where he is able to help people by protecting their investments. He quickly became one of the top ranked agents in the country. His desire of working with people and drive to be successful propelled him to be in the top 1% of the 19,000 agents in the company. He is a member of the State Farm Chairmen’s Circle, Ambassador Club, and SVP Club. Clients appreciate the extra mile Zach takes to the traditional insurance buying experience. He considers himself as a partner to his clients and likes to personally sit down with every new household his agency brings on board to learn about their family dynamic to ensure they are properly covered. Zach serves on several local community boards including the Boys and Girls Club of St. Charles Young Professionals and Duchesne High School Alumni Board. He is committed to the growth and success of his community and plans to look for more opportunities to deepen his involvement. He graduated from Purdue University at Fort Wayne with a degree in Business Management. He and his wife Emily live in St. Charles and have two baby girls Brooklyn and Kendall. 66 StreetScape Magazine
John R. Porter John R. Porter is Lindenwood University’s 23rd president, a role he assumed in July 1, 2019. Porter worked for 33 years for IBM, the last 15 in senior management, and has also served as a board member in higher education and as an adjunct instructor and visiting professor. Immediately prior to starting his current role, he served as vice president of services for a premier IBM Business Partner--Gulf Business Machines in Dubai. He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Evangel University, from which he holds a bachelor’s degree, and also has experience as a university fundraiser. He has an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and is slated to graduate with a Doctor of Education degree from Johns Hopkins University in May 2020. During his professional career, Porter has worked in numerous locations in the United States, as well as in South Africa and Dubai. Porter and his wife, Beverly, have three adult children, all of whom live in the Kansas City area.
Kathleen Riddler Kathleen “Kat” Riddler has a passion for writing, design, and communication that she pursued throughout her academic years and into the corporate world. Graduating with honors from UMSL in 2014 with a BA in English, she went on to earn her masters in both Composition and Rhetoric and Literature. During graduate school, Kat was heavily involved with the UMSL student newspaper, The Current, as Editor-In-Chief. She also received the coveted Trailblazer Award. During her time at UMSL she was chosen to serve on the Chancellor’s Diversity Committee and on the selection committee for a Vice-Chancellor. Kat was one of 250 individuals selected from out of 10,000 applicants world-wide to serve as an intern at Express Scripts. Following her internship in the summer of 2018, Kat was offered a full-time position with the company. She currently serves as a Business Communications Specialist, communicating to 9,000 employees weekly. During her college years, Kat worked for Media Magic Public Relations, where she did social media and web design for clients. Kat is very active as an UMSL alum, serving on the Alumni Governing Board as Secretary and is chair of the Legislative Advocacy Committee. Kat lives in St. Charles and plays ultimate frisbee in her free time.
Year in Review 2019 67
Justine Robinson Justine Robinson is the senior specialty leasing manager at Mid Rivers Mall. She studied business administration, marketing and French at Illinois Wesleyan University and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in leadership from Linenwood University. Justine started in the shopping center industry in 2008, managing, leasing and marketing malls for CBL Properties and has also spent time in the public sector where she started the Economic Development department for the City of Bloomington, Illinois. Justine has been a featured speaker for the Alliance for Innovation and Illinois Municipal League, where she advised developers and communities on successful strategies for recruitment and revenue generation. An ICSC Maxi Award Winner and former two-time McLean County Chamber of Commerce NEXT Professional of the Year. Justine thrives on the challenge of helping businesses succeed in the 21st century retail climate.
Alexandra Sanchez Alexandra Sanchez grew up in Saint Charles, Missouri. Her passion for working with children and volunteering began with her service trips to Guatemala in high school. She then moved to Chicago for 8 years attending Loyola University Chicago to obtain her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Roosevelt University to obtain her master’s degree in Second Language Special Education. She worked for Chicago Public Schools and also took one year to teach English in Lima, Peru. Alexandra moved back to Saint Louis last year to work for Pattonville School District as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher. In her free time, she serves on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Saint Charles County gala committee and helped to start a Young Professionals Board. She is also on the Alumni Coordinating Council at her alma mater, the Academy of the Scared Heart, and volunteers at events for her parent’s family business, Riviera Too. She enjoys giving back to her community because she appreciates all the positive impacts her community has made on her. 68 StreetScape Magazine
Melanie Sanders Melanie Sanders is the Event Manager at the Foundry Art Centre and has been on staff since 2015. She is a graduate of St. Louis Christian College, she earned a B.S. in Education. Prior to the Foundry Art Centre, she worked as a children’s programming director, taught for 8 years and served as a merchandise manager. In her free time she loves to read, sing, and aggravate her teenage son. She is excited to bring her love of event organization to the Foundry Art Centre and the community of St. Charles. Melanie lives with her family in St. Peters, MO.
MaryJo Schaper After completing her master’s degree in Business at Lindenwood University, MaryJo Schaper stumbled into the world of Home warranty sales. Ten years later she has fallen in love with the real estate community. MaryJo values serving others and is both energetic and passionate about helping her clients have an amazing home warranty experience. MaryJo works with both real estate agents and homeowners to find the best solution for the client. MJ enjoys her work because it allows her the opportunity to build relationships on a personal level. It’s impossible to have a conversation with MaryJo and not be drawn in by her energy and passion for life. Her life is full of family, friends, kids’ activities, traveling, volunteer work, and fun. She volunteers at her local women's shelter and loves giving back to the local community.
Year in Review 2019 69
Charlene Schulte Charlene (“Char”) Schulte has been assisting clients in the title and property management business for over 44 years. As a true native of St. Charles County, Char knows the community well and has been involved in the real estate and property development growth in the area over the past 40 years. Charlene graduated St. Dominic High School and Miss Hickey Business School where she earned her secretarial degree. After graduation, she began her career with Community Title Company/U. S. Title Company in 1975 eventually taking on the role of Administration and Marketing Assistant and then moving to Corporate Group, Inc. in 1999 where she is the current Chief Operating Officer. Char has been very active in the community serving on the St. Paul Ladies Sodality and on the St. Dominic Cornucopia Committee. She has also assisted several non-for profits who have leased from Corporate Group over the years. When not at work, Char spends her time with her husband Mike, and family, Dan and Dr. Maureen Schulte, Kelsey and Andy Mueller, Tony Schulte and fiance’ Maggie Diederich and her 4 grandchildren who remain rooted in the St. Charles area; traveling and spending time at her family farm in St. Charles County.
Kristen Sherry Kristen Sherry is the Outreach Services Manager for the St. Charles City-County Library. She leads her department in decreasing barriers and increasing access to library materials and services to all of St. Charles County. As the first Outreach Services Manager for the Library, Kristen has grown and developed many outreach programs and services from the ground up. She expanded the Library's Ready to Read program, an early literacy initiative, and Library to You, a service that connects homebound individuals with Library materials. Additionally, she established Lunch @ the Library, a program that helps combat hunger and provides free lunches to kids in the community at two local branches, and PopUp Libraries, experiences that allow customers to interact with Library materials and services out in the community. Kristen also sits on the University of Missouri Extension Council of St. Charles County where she works with other council members to serve the needs of her county and deliver high quality education and information that allows all members of the community to take advantage of opportunities. When not at work, Kristen enjoys spending time with her family in St. Peters, where she lives with her husband and three wonderful sons, ages sixteen, six, and three as well as their two cats, two dogs, and two rats. 70 StreetScape Magazine
Britt ney R. Smith Brittney R. Smith, of St. Charles, was recently appointed by Governor Mike Parson as Associate Circuit Judge for the 11th Judicial Circuit. Prior to that, Judge Smith was serving as a Special Victims Prosecutor with the St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. She started her law career as a private defense attorney with Roseblum, Schwartz, Rogers & Glass (now Rosenblum, Schwartz & Fry) and then went to work as a Public Defender in both Lincoln and St. Charles Counties, and then as an Assistant Prosecutor in Lincoln County, before returning to St. Charles County in 2015. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Boston University and a Juris Doctorate from Saint Louis University School of Law. Judge Smith is currently President of the St. Charles Kiwanis Club and Director of Service Projects for the Rotary Club of St. Charles. She is also a member of the St. Charles County Pachyderm Club and the First Capitol Republican Women’s Club. She volunteers with F.A.S.T. – Foster and Adoption Support Team and is a Cantor and Lector at St. Peter Catholic Church in St. Charles.
Skip Stephens Skip Stephens has been a first responder for 24 years including 19 years with Cottleville Fire Protection District where he serves as Assistant Chief. Skip is a graduate of Vision St. Charles County Leadership and holds a Bachelor of Science in Safety Management and a Master of Arts in Management and Leadership. He has been honored with CFPD’s Firefighter of the Year Award in 2009, Cottleville Weldon Spring Rotary Club Vocational Award in 2012, Cottleville Firefighters Outreach Leadership Award in 2014, and from the Cottleville Weldon Spring Chamber of Commerce, he received the Above and Beyond Award in 2016 and Board Member of the Year Award in 2018. Skip was a founder of Cottleville Firefighters Outreach in 2008 and led the collaboration of firefighters and community volunteers for eight years as CFO’s Executive Director as they developed new programs and completed projects that impacted countless people in the community. Skip dedicates his life to serving other people and has volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for abused or abandoned children, as Program Director for Protégé, Vision Leadership’s professional mentorship program, for Community Living, Connections to Success and many other causes. Skip authors LoveandLet.com, a blog that emphasizes the importance of living with love in the forefront of your thoughts, words, and actions. Year in Review 2019 71
Tom Stephenson Tom Stephenson was born and raised in St. Charles and attended Franklin High School, which during his childhood, was the school for black children. He is a Community Activist, a Korean War Veteran and a retiree of McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing). Later, Tom became St. Charles’ first black mail carrier. Tom was a member of the American Legion Post 457, and is now currently a member of Post 312. Recently, Tom was selected to participate with the Greater St. Louis Honor Flight to visit the war memorials in Washington DC which included the WWII Memorial, Korean War Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. He is also one of the first black members of the St. Charles Kiwanis Club, where he was President and Past Lieutenant Governor. Tom is active in the First United Methodist Church, Veterans Committee, Sage Club, Moose Club and the Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce. As the first African-American member of the St. Charles Historical Society’s board of directors and because of his civic activism throughout his life, Tom was recognized with the Salute to Missouri Black History award. Tom has been married to the love of his life, Mary for 68 years and is the father of 5 children and is blessed with 11 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.
Laurie Strickland Laurie Strickland has been immersed in musical performance for over four decades. She began performing with the Patt Holt Singers in the late 70’s, and recently participated in their finale show at the Saint Charles Riverfest. Laurie developed a program for the St. Peters Community Arts Center for pre-school children called “Music for Me.” Her newest endeavor is a children’s performance group called “Showtime Kids”. For many years she has taught piano and voice lessons in her studio. She is currently the music teacher at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in St. Charles where she teaches grades K-8 and has established several after school music programs for the Academy. Laurie is a life-long member of the St. Charles community and over the years has been active in numerous organizations including Community Living, Youth in Need, Sparrow’s Nest, Birthright , Academy of the Sacred Heart and Francis Howell North. She has been a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish for most of her life and has served in music, vacation Bible school and Pro-Life ministries. Her most recent creation is an organization called Simple Gifts that creates gift bags for clients of Community Living and Youth in Need.
72 StreetScape Magazine
Stephen Manoj Thompson, Ph.D Stephen Manoj Thompson, Ph.D., is an Indian American Author and Celebrity Journalist, known for his best seller "Land of Opportunity Forever”. His subsequent book, “Coma Story”, spotlighting the lost people of Diego Garcia, was named finalist for the Independent Bookseller’s Book of the Year Award. His upcoming title, “Big Muddy 555”, a coffee table book, is about the Missouri River. Stephen started his career as an IT executive and holds a Ph.D. in Management Information Systems. He has traveled the globe extensively and his in-depth understanding of different cultures is notable. For OpenBeast, Stephen has interviewed over three hundred celebrities and upcoming artists, across the globe. He is also the Publisher of FocusOn St. Charles County Magazine. Among other things, Stephen is a councilor at Missouri University Ext., appointed by St. Peters Mayor, Len Pagano, and serves on the Board of St. Charles Community Collage Foundation. July 16th is “Stephen Thompson Day”, proclaimed by Cottleville Mayor, Jim Hennessey.
Dr. David Wallace Dr. David Wallace, D.C has been serving the St. Charles and surrounding community for close to 20 years as a family chiropractor in his private practice, ADIO Family Chiropractic. David is also dedicated to serving the community. He is currently the Past President of the St. Charles Rotary Club where he previously served as Sergeant of Arms and Membership Chairman. David also served as Chairman of the Board of St. Charles Chamber of Commerce. He helped to coordinate and participated in Ethics Day for the St. Charles School District and the 8th Grade Career Fair for St. Charles County students when he served as Education Chairman at the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce. In addition, David is active at United Hebrew Congregation where he served on the Board of Directors. He is a graduate of Vision Leadership St. Charles. He also received the “40 under 40 Achievement Award” from Business St. Charles Magazine in 2002. Dr. Dave is a member of the ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association) and the Missouri State Chiropractic Association. David is married to his beautiful wife Melissa, a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. In their free time they enjoy running marathons together. They also have two daughters, Emma who is a senior at Parkway West and Katie who is an 8th grader at Parkway West Middle School.
Year in Review 2019 73
CONGRATULATIONS! As president of Lindenwood University, John R. Porter is committed to collaborating with area leaders to strengthen the community.
John R. Porter
President, Lindenwood University
Congratulations to
Laurie Strickland and all of the Streetscape Magazine
CONGRATULATIONS Peter Colombatto devotes his time and effort to support programs that make our community better and connects people and organizations that support each other.
Peter Colombatto
Director of Marketing and Communications, School of Arts, Media, & Communications and the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts
Lloyd & Company
LLC _____
Certified Public Accountants & Advisors
T a x P l a n n i n g & P r e p a r a t i o n • B u s i n e s s C o n s u l ti n g Ce rti fi e d Qui ck Book s Ad vi sors Ac c ounti ng & Book k e e pi ng • Estates & Trusts
Beyond the Best Award Recipients! Thanks for all you do to make our community the very best place to work and live!
(L to R: Caryn Lloyd Watson, CPA Julie Pryor, Jackie Lloyd Johannesman, Jim Lloyd, CPA)
636.946.3411 • lloydcpa.com 4 0 Por t wes t C t . • S t . C h a r l es , M O 6 3 3 0 3
74 StreetScape Magazine
Voted 'Beyond the Best' Voted 'Beyond the Best' in St. Charles* Voted 'Beyond the Best' in St. Charles* in St. Charles* 636.487.0525
636.487.0525 636.487.0525 Akers Agency TheThe Akers Agency The Akers Agency
EAKERS@FARMERSAGENT.COM EAKERS@FARMERSAGENT.COM EAKERS@FARMERSAGENT.COM 1417 N 2ND ST 1417 N 2ND 1417 N 2ND STMOST SAINT CHARLES, 63301 SAINT CHARLES, MO 63301 SAINT CHARLES, MO 63301
*StreetScape Magazine *StreetScape Magazine
*StreetScape Magazine
Congratulations to our own Katrina McDonald Fuller as she receives a Beyond the Best award for her efforts to help better the communities we serve. Katrina and our entire Compass Health team work everyday to continue our mission of INSPIRE HOPE & PROMOTE WELLNESS!
Compass Health Network provides behavioral health, substance use disorder, primary care, pediatrics and dental care services. Commercial insurance, Medicare, Medicaid accepted. Sliding fee scale services available.
Year in Review 2019 75
Society
Health, Healing & Hope Gala
October 5, 2019 • Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles • Photos courtesy of Michael Schlueter On Saturday October 5th, over 400 people came together in support of the Barnes-Jewish St. Peters & Progress West Foundation at their Health, Healing & Hope Gala. Funds raised at the event will allow the Foundation to meet patients where they are in their health journey. From providing screenings and education, transportation to treatment appointments, or integrative therapies like massage and yoga, the Foundation helps make tough situations less stressful for our friends, neighbors and community members.
B
D
E
F
G
A. Linda & Bart Haberstroh B. Dr. Michael Penney shared memories of Dr. Phil Orellana before presenting the Dr. Phil Orellana Legacy Award to Dr. Nadia Zia C. Dr. Nadia Zia and her children after being presented the Dr. Phil Orellana Legacy Award D. George Black, Jean Meyer, Michael Leigh Harbour and Bob Meyer E. Barnes-Jewish St. Peters & Progress West President Chris Watts and wife Chelsey F. A Groovy Setup for the community to Come Together and raise funds for Health, Healing & Hope in St. Charles County. G. Denise & Scott Liebel H. Keith & Jan Schneider, Jamie Orf and Mike Varisella
76 StreetScape Magazine
C
H
Society
6th Annual Imagine Gala
October 19, 2019 • Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles • Photos courtesy of Michael Schlueter The St. Charles City-County Library Foundation's 6th Annual Imagine Gala was held on October 19th at Ameristar Casino in St. Charles. Attendees enjoyed a scrumdiddlyumptious Charlie and the Chocolate Factory themed celebration complete with characters and mounds of candy. It was a wonderful night for the Library Foundation, sponsors, donors, and supporters raising over $143,000 in total with close to $50,000 of the proceeds directly going to the Bookmobile for the Library. A
D
G
J
B
E
H
K
C
F
I
L
A. Drs Tom and Kelly Muzzey Chairs B. Amanda and Travis Luebbehusen C. Bill and Tania Hillmer, Rob and Ann Granquist D. Bookmobile Brittany Steck E. Edgardo Sanchez, Tom Hannegan, Carla Klaskin, Scott Mell F. Dayspring Performance. G. Martha Mazzola, Erica Land, Heidi Sowatsky, & Christa Montgomery H. Mary Dempsey, Heather Deatz, Mary Szpatoski, Anna Alt, Wendy Hausman, Jennifer Henry, (Front) Shelley Barr, Justine Robinson, Jeanne Strickland, Willy Wonka I. Mike Elam Emcee J. Steve McKinstry as Willy Wonka K. Sunrise Rotary L. Vision Alumni
Year in Review 2019 77
Cam Print Inc is a business partner we’ve come to rely on. The personal service we get from CAM Print Inc is second to none.
I’m so happy my father started using CAM Print Inc for Carol House Furniture... they’re the best price and service...
—Sam Maiden at John Beal Roofing
—Brook Dubman at Carol House Furniture
Karl Lund and CAM Print Inc are great to work with. They always go the extra mile for Johnny Londoff Chevrolet. —John Londoff Jr at Johnny Londoff Chevrolet
FOR ALL OF YOUR DIGITAL AND CONVENTIONAL PRINTING NEEDS. PROUDLY SERVING ST. LOUIS FOR OVER 40 YEARS!
TWO LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU: Downtown St. Louis CAM Print Inc 514 Pine Street St. Louis MO, 63101 314-241-0091 downtown@camprint.com
Westport / Maryland Heights CAM Print Inc 824 Fee Fee Rd Maryland Heights, MO 63043 314-434-4636 westport@camprint.com
Karl Lund | Vice President of Sales | CAM Print Inc 78 StreetScape Magazine
314-393-5589 | karl@camprint.com
DISTRICT 65
MISSOURI STATE REPRESENTATIVE
2019 is an exciting year for the City of Saint Charles as we celebrate our 250 year anniversary!
I APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE IN 2020 Local Government, Chairman | Economic Development Joint Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Awareness Special Committee on Criminal Justice Special Committee on Tourism
PAID FOR BY HANNEGAN FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, SCOTT MELL TREASURER Year in Review 2019 79
B BELLEVAUX
BELLEVEAUX BY EXECUTIVE HOMES From the $440,000’s | Customized Homes on Large Wooded Lots An enclave of 30 luxury homes on private cul de sacs 80 StreetScape Magazine
Large home sites, many backing to trees Located off Ken Drive in St Charles, 63301