StreetScape Summer 2009

• Where to go

• Events

• Fashion

• Life Styles

SUMMER

2 0 0 9Walking into:

FashionHistorySummer

2 | S T R E E T S C A P E M A G A Z I N E

16 | iPOD WALKING TOURS—Tour St. Charles in style.

22 | CELEBRATING ST. CHARLES—People and places.

D E P A R T M E N T S4 | COMMENTARY

6 | FEATURED ARTIST

10 | STATE YOUR BUSINESS

12 | DYNAMIC DUOS

14 | COMMUNITY FOCUS

22 | HISTORY

30 | DAY TRIP

34 | A LA CARTE

ON THE COVER | Ola Hawatmeh wearing: Versace leggings, Bebe top, Faux fur jacket, Juicy Couture bootsand David Eurman jewelery.

36 | BEST SHOPPING FINDS

40 | SOCIETY

42 | HEALTH & FITNESS

48 | OUTDOOR

56 | STATE YOUR BUSINESS

58 | FITNESS & LIFESTYLE

61 | FEATURED MUSIC ARTIST

63 | CALENDAR

30 | DAY TRIPPER— P l a c e s t o g e ta w a y f r o m i t a l l b u t s t i l l b ec l o s e t o h o m e .

36 | SUMMER SHOES— Fa s h i o n a b l ef o o t w e a r f o r t h e s e a s o n .

44 | ANIMAL RESCUE— Caring for God’screatures great and small.

50 | LANDSCAPE— Summer is here and it’stime to focus on outdoor living.

S T R E E T S C A P E M A G A Z I N E | 3

CONTENTS

F E A T U R E S

Summer 2009

16

30

22

Please Note: The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. This disclosure is required by rule of the Supreme Court of Missouri.


COMMENTARY

Summertime!Welcome to the twelfth edition of Streetscape Magazine. As always, we invite you to come as our readerand stay as our friend.

Below is a schedule of events for the first ever Greater St. Charles Fashion Week. “A Perfect Fit”promises to put this community on the fashion map with top designers from New York’s fashion scene.Community leaders, businesses and fashionistas are coming together to promote a week of fashionunparalleled in St. Charles County to date.

BEHIND THE SCENESPUBLISHER & FOUNDER

TOM HANNEGANTom, Co-Owner of Hannegan RealEstate & Construction, LLC holdsa master’s degree from LindenwoodUniversity. Hannegan shares hispassion for real estate, communityvolunteering, and his appreciation ofSt. Charles in Street Scape magazine.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

ROBIN SEATON JEFFERSONRobin has been a writer/journalistfor more than 18 years working inprint and electronic media. Sheholds a bachelor’s degree incommunications fromUM–St. Louis, with minors inwriting and criminal justice.

ANN HAZELWOODAnn Hazelwood is an accomplishedquilt author, historian, and appraiserwith several titles to her credit.

MONICA ADAMSMonica is a certified personal trainerand hosts a health and fitness showSunday afternoons on KMOX Radio,and is the traffic reporter for FOX 2News in the Morning. Monica is aSt. Louis native who enjoysentertaining family and friends,and doing charitable work.

NATALIE WOODSNatalie Woods is the owner ofDaisy Clover Boutique in WebsterGroves. Her goal at the store is tohelp make women look better andfeel better in clothes. She is alsoobsessed with getting women inthe right pair of jeans.

MARY ELLEN RENAUDMary Ellen is a seasoned PublicRelations & Marketingprofessional. You can contacther at Universal B.P.R.(cell) [email protected].

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

MICHAEL SCHLUETERMichael photographs people andplaces for advertising and corporateaccounts locally and nationally.“The exploration and discoveryprocess is what keeps photographyso exciting for me.”

EVENT PLANNER

DONNA COSTELLIADonna was a tourism professional for25 years as the Assistant Director ofthe St. Charles CVB. She is now anindependent meeting & eventplanner. Contact Donna by email [email protected] or 314-341-2790 for your next event.

Be Thankful, Be Passionate, Life is not only good. It is GREAT!

M A G A Z I N E


BEHIND THE SCENESADVISORY BOARD

Deborah AlessiMary BanmillerSusan BertholdNadine BoonDiane BurkemperErica ButlerSue CasseauJody CoxAnn DempseyBarbara DrantCindy EisenbeisSally FaithLorna FrahmBill GoellnerSheryl GuffeyMary Lou HanneganGrace HarmonAnn HazelwoodChris HoffmanJason HughesJan KastMike KlinghammerMartha KooyumjianCaryn LloydJeremy Malensky

Nancy MathenyDenice McKeownBob MillstoneSandy MohrmannSuzanne MatyikoMaurice NewberryCraig NordenGrace NicholsKim ParisToekie PurlerKathy RobertsonMarc RousseauRocco RussoRichard SacksKeith SchneiderBob SchuetteTeri SeilerJoyce ShawKelley Scheidegger-BarbeeKaren VehlewaldAleece VogtBrian WatkinsBrian WiesMary WestGail Zumwalt

ADVERTISING

JUDY PETERSAs Sales Account Manager, Judy Petersuses her many years of PR andmarketing experience to consult withbusinesses and organizations on themany ways StreetScape Magazine mayserve their marketing needs. Contact

her at 636-448-2074 or [email protected].

BEVERLY GRONECKA recognized artist and educator,Beverly Groneck’s creativity andintuitive business skills are the perfectcombination for your promotionalneeds. From idea to print tonetworking, your success is her focus.

Tap into this resourceful sales account manager [email protected] or 314.956.4182

DISTRIBUTION

Call Tom Hannegan at 636-916-4386 or via email [email protected]

Distributed to:Chesterfield, Cottleville, Dardenne Prairie,Maryland Heights, Lake St. Louis, St. Charles,St. Peters, New Town, O’Fallon, Weldon Spring,Wentzville, Wright City and Warrenton.

Volume 4, Issue 2 • Summer 2009

TPH Media

223 North Main Street, St. Charles, Missouri 63301

PHONE 636-916-4386, FAX 1-866-231-6159

WWW.STREETSCAPEMAG.COM

Any reproduction of Street Scape magazine or its contentsrequires publisher’s prior written consent. Street Scape

magazine aims to ensure that information is accurate andcorrect at all times but cannot accept responsibility for

mistakes. Street Scape magazine reserves the right to refuseany advertisement and assumes no responsibility for submittedmaterials. Unsolicited material must include a self-addressedstamped envelope. © 2006 TPH Media. All Rights Reserved.

Story by Robin Seaton JeffersonPhoto by Michael Schlueter

Wayne Trinklein has a unique hobby. He makes trees—trees thatdescribe some and inspire others. He began fashioning metal androck into breathtaking faux foliage while he was a family medicinepractitioner in his home state of Michigan. “I started making themin the doctors’ lounge while women were in labor,” he said. “I alwaysfelt like an honored guest. I could be patient while I was in thedoctors’ lounge.”

Trinklein said it was his admiration for his four brothers that inspiredhis early work and the idea of fashioning trees to fit the temperamentand disposition of people he knew. He took his talents for poetry anddescriptive prose and married the two to create a model of a livingthing that imitates the people he loves. “I started making the trees 38years ago to honor my brothers. They were handmade Christmaspresents to honor them as individuals,” Trinklein said.

Trinklein described the trees and each of his brothers. “Paul is theBirch. The Birch is rapidly growing. Paul is very full of energy,pioneering and always trying new things. He needs the balance andsupport of others which he gets from his wife Nancy.” “Dan ispredictable, orderly, organized and a little boring,” Trinklein said.“He’s like the Spruce because you know exactly what you’re gettingwith him. The Spruce grows in an orderly fashion.” “Mark isgregarious. He’s my Maple. The Maple is round and symmetricalwith wide spreading branches that entice us to walk and picnic underthem. Mark is outgoing. He throws a lot of parties. He knows

everyone. “David is my Willow. He is easygoing and resilient. Youcan’t hurt the guy. He has no agendas and is very comfortable to bearound. A Willow is a very relaxed tree.”

Trinklein’s signature collection is the culmination of nearly fourdecades of artistic sculptural development. He said even today—inthese realistically depicted species of trees—he sees a model of peopleand human experience. “Trees have personalities, roles andrelationships to each other and to us,” he said.

In a self-taught unique process, Trinklein uses heat like a glassblowerto mold and shape trunks and roots from metal. He said he oftenworks at the “eutectic point”—an elusive state where metal is betweensolid and liquid. With swift, decisive movements Trinklein worksmetal as if it were clay.

With a passion for his work, Trinklein creates each tree as anindividual and hopes that the tree will speak to some special qualityor characteristic in the recipient. “A tree knows nothing but to give,”he said. “I accent those anatomical features which I find noble andbeautiful. Like people, it is the differences which make theminteresting, useful and loveable. I present these tree characters,stripped of their leafy garments, to reveal inner beauty.”

Trinklein’s trees are in several museums and high-end galleries all overthe country, including Colorado, San Francisco, Illinois andPhiladelphia.

Trinklein never took an art class. “To me it just flows. I don’t do itdeliberately.” His brothers, ironically, didn’t see their own artistictalents until later in life either. Brother Mark teaches floral design anddecorating. Paul builds custom homes. Dan designs and installs spas.And David, while not working as a professor of anatomy, paints. Allfive brothers started out as teachers.

Trinklein wrote a poem about his Redbud tree and in turn his wife,Susan Trinklein. “You are the promised breath of springtime thatends the long hard winter and greets the morning sunshine with thesmile of a thousand kisses.”

Wayne said the work he does as an artist is not unlike the work he didas a family doctor. “I’m doing the same thing I was doing when I wasa physician. I’m getting into people’s lives to heal them inside andmake them feel better about themselves.”

The city of St. Charles commissioned Wayne to design andconstruct a tree which they installed in March at the Foundry ArtCenter in St. Charles to commemorate the city’s bicentennialanniversary. The piece is made of three tree sculptures with aRedbud tree as the centerpiece. The trees are mounted on rockslike a rivers edge, and overlook their reflection in the glass watersurface. The Oak tree is five feet tall and has a bright green patina.A clump of birches are five feet tall and the Redbud is 2-1/2-feettall and brilliantly enflowered with polymer resin florets.

For more information on Trinklein and his work, visitgrandnatural.com or waynetrinklein.com. �


FEATURED ARTIST

WayneTrinklein

A r t t h a t I n s p i r e s

Finishing Touches by CharlotteComp l e t i n g y o u r l o o k

Story by Robin Seaton JeffersonPhotos by Michael Schlueter

Charlotte Schuman rolls with the changes.The 17-year veteran saleswoman has spentthe last two years renovating her store,formerly “This Olde House” and restockingit with the latest in home and garden décor.

The result is “Finishing Touches byCharlotte.” Located at 825 South Main St.in St. Charles, Finishing Touches is filledwith contemporary and eclectic décor “foryou, your home and your garden,” she said.

“We specialize in a unique look, yet not far

out,” she said. From mirrors to metal art tovases, Finishing Touches by Charlotteoffers just about any piece one can imagineto put the finishing touches on one’s home,one’s garden or one’s self.

Schuman said This Olde House featuredmore Victorian décor, which was losing itsfervor as the 21st Century dawned. “I justfelt we needed a shop like this on MainStreet,” she said.

She said with more contemporarymerchandise came more a more youthfulclientele. She said she used to cater to the35-plus crowd but now more and more

younger people are making their way intoFinishing Touches.

“It makes me feel good,” Schuman said, “thefact that the things that I’ve chosen areappreciated by other people.”

Finishing Touches offers jewelry, hand bags,fragrances and lamps for the shopper, as wellas unique plaques and statues for theirgardens.

Schuman said the merchandise in her store is“good quality yet not extremely priced.”

“Everybody tells me I have great quality,unique products and a lot of choices,” shesaid.

Schuman purchases her inventory frombuying markets all over the country,including Atlanta, Dallas, and Las Vegas.She said she tries to stock as many American-made products as she can.

Finishing Touches by Charlotte is open from10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday;from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; and from11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Summer bringsextended weekend hours.

“I don’t have the whole house. I don’t havethe whole person. I don’t have the wholegarden,” Schuman said, “but I have thefinishing touches for you, your home andyour garden—things that complete it.” �

Charlotte Schuman


STATE YOURBUSINESS


Tom Boschert was working at First NationalBank of St. Charles when he discovered hisfuture bride—or rather she discovered him.Mary Witte’s mother, Agatha Witte, wasalso working at the bank. “I would go in tosay hi to mom and look at Tom,” MaryBoschert said. “I would say, ‘Mom, will youplease introduce me?’”

The year was 1963.

A 1956 graduate of St. Peters High School,Tom started at the First National Bank ofSt. Charles that year filing checks. Duringhis 49 years in banking he operated abookkeeping machine and worked as ateller, loan clerk and loan officer. By 1981,he was president.

Mary was among the first freshman class tostart at Duchesne High School in 1956.She was training to be a nurse when she metTom.

The future Boschert couple attended arained out picnic together onAugust 15, 1963. They wereengaged by Christmas andjoined in marriage on May 9,1964. By May of thefollowing year, MarkBoschert, the couple’s oldestchild was born. Mark is nowDr. Mark Boschert ofRenaissance Plastic Surgery inSt. Peters. The couple’s baby,Sarah Botts, is Mark’s officemanager. Anne Ritter, theBoschert’s oldest daughter is aCPA with Brown, Smith &Wallace.

The Boscherts have threegrandsons: Andrew andCameron Ritter, a filmstudent at ChapmanUniversity in Orange County,California; and a student at

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsvilleand a professional juggler, respectively.Their third grandchild is five-year-oldConnor Botts, Sarah’s son.

The Boscherts say their secret to raisingsuccessful children is no secret at all. “It wasa lot of positive reinforcement. We gavethem a lot of attention,” Mary said. “Wealways made them responsible for their ownactions.”

Tom and Mary said their children’ssuccesses are also due to a “good basis ofCatholic education. It was discipline, theirmother and their schools,” Tom said.“Their father tried to spoil them, but hedidn’t succeed.”

Mary said the family always ate together,turned off the television during Lent and“really enjoyed each other. The kids arereally close even today. They see that weraised them with a lot of love.”

The elder Boscherts themselves came fromtight-knit families—all from the St. Peters

Parish. The family still attends the churchtoday. Tom and Mary each had six siblingsin their families, she two brothers and threesisters, he three brothers and two sisters.“We knew good times and we know how tohave a good time with just the family,” Tomsaid.

And after 45 years of marriage, the couple isstill in love. Mary said that love and afaithfulness that surpasses their worldlyunderstanding, is what has kept the familytogether and their children coming home.“We loved each other and we still do. Youhave to put your trust in God. If you don’tyou’re finished,” she said.

Tom was awarded the St. Charles Chamberof Commerce’s highest honor, Citizen of theYears in 1991. He is past president of theSt. Charles Kiwanis Club and the St.Charles Chamber of Commerce.

Mary was a volunteer with her children’sschools for years, even serving as a volunteerschool nurse. She was chairman of theForesight Committee at Duchesne High


Dynamic DuosT h e B o s c h e r t s

Boscherts

YOU CAUGHTOUR EYE


School for the Bacheloreat Dinner. Today she volunteers withthe Salvation Army’s soup kitchen at Fourth and EmmondsStreets in St. Charles, and is a Eucharistic Minister at St. JosephHealth Center in St. Charles. Mary is also a member of thePhilanthropic Educational Organization (PEO).

But perhaps Mary’s most fulfilling mission in life, next to herfamily, has been her work with Missouri Cancer Care. Whenshe started with Dr. Dan Luddke there in 1988, she was the onlyemployee. When she retired in 2002, there were 42 health careand lay people working at the center in St. Charles. “It was hardwork, but it was so rewarding,” Mary said. “There are so manysuccess stories. We may not be able to cure them, but at least wecould listen and show compassion. It touched my heart whenpeople are so sick and yet God is there and in all of us. He lovesus, and we have to allow that love to show through to others.”

Tom and Mary participated in the 2002 Lewis & ClarkWalk/Run Marathon and a half marathon in 2003. Mary stillexercises three times a week at Main Street Gym in St. Charlesand Tom walks three miles a day.

The Boscherts received a special gift this year from their kids. Itwasn’t a cruise, or even an expensive dinner package. It wastime—their time. The Boschert’s children gave their parents a

calendar labeled with all of the family gatherings the Boschertfamily will share this year, complete with photographs. “We didgood here,” Mary said. �

Story by Amy ArmourPhotos by Michael Schlueter

It’s easy being green in Dardenne Prairie.

Being environmentally-friendly and earth-conscious starts at City Hall in DardennePrairie. The construction of the new two-story, 18,000 square-foot building hasbrought attention to the importance ofprotecting the environment with its many‘green’ aspects.

Dardenne Prairie City Hall is a LEED(Leadership Energy and EnvironmentDesign) Gold certified building. LEEDbuilding certification was developed andadministered by the U. S. Green BuildingCouncil with the purpose of promotingdesign and construction that reducesnegative environmental impact andimproves the health and well-being of itsoccupants, according to its website. TheLEED Gold standard is the second highestrating a building can achieve, following thePlatinum standard.

City Hall, and its seven full-time employees,will be housed in 11,000-square-feet of thebuilding and the city will lease theadditional 7,000-square-feet for officespace. The building is slated for completionin June 2009.

The idea for going ‘green’ started in 2007when the city started its plans for the newurban downtown. The 300-acre mixed-usedevelopment will be a dense project withbuildings closer to the street and each other,eliminating a lot of green space that wouldrequire maintenance and upkeep.

“There’s less ground to maintain with thebuildings built closer to the street—think ofthe money that will be saved (inmaintenance),” said Dardenne PrairieMayor Pam Fogarty.

And closer buildingswill encouragewalking throughoutdowntown.

“If you park andwalk it’s obviouslygood for theenvironment,” saidFogarty.

So far, a seniorliving apartmentcomplex byCardinal Ritter isplanned. The 40-apartment, three-story buildings aremuch more dense than a typical projectwould allow. The overall downtowndevelopment will include office, retail andliving spaces—all that can be adjusted tomeet the needs of the client.

“It gives flexibility to keep changing withthe times,” said Fogarty.

And with the downtown urbanism came aserious job for Fogarty. She has investedtime and energy researching ‘green’ idealsand ways the city could become moreenvironmentally efficient. Fogarty alsostudied and passed the LEED accreditationtest.

With the accreditation, Fogarty can certifyif a building is ‘green’ and speak tobusinesses and residents about ‘green’ idealsand ideas.

“The more I learned, the more and moreexcited I became,” said Fogarty.

In order to be considered a LEED Goldstandard building, there were many aspectsthat needed to be considered.

“Everything used in the construction used acertain percentage of recycled material init,” said Fogarty.

Almost all of the wood used to construct theinside and outside of the building wasgrown in certified forest. In a certifiedforest, all of the trees are grown andharvested for building and then new treesare planted.

The heating and cooling system for thebuilding is geothermal, which uses theearth’s temperature to heat and cool. Ageothermal unit can use 40 to 70 percentless energy than conventional heating andcooling systems. About 2,000 roof-mounted evacuated solar tubes will be usedfor heating and hot water.

“The evacuated solar tubes can beintegrated into an existing forced air systemand provide the same thermal environmentfor about half the energy bill,” said TimShort, city architect for Dardenne PrairieCity Hall.

The building has an energy efficientbuilding envelope, which consists of R-19


Dardenne PrairieI t ’s e a s y b e i n g g r e e n

Mayor Pam Fogarty

COMMUNITYFOCUS

insulated walls, R40 insulated roof and aTyvek energy wrap and the windows are LowE Argon filled insulated glass.

“All windows will open, so we can controlsome of the environment,” said Fogarty.“There will also be a fresh air circulationsystem.”

City Hall will also feature low flow plumbingfixtures which will save water and all lightingwill be fluorescent or LED light fixtures.

The roof of City Hall will be a whitemembrane roof for an 82 percent heatreflectance to prevent the heat island effect,said Short. The parking lot will also useconcrete instead of asphalt to help with heatabsorption.

“And all glues, paints, carpets and finisheswill contain no or low VOC’s which willprovide a healthy air quality for the interiorof the building,” said Short.

All of the carpeting in City Hall is recycledand biodegradable. The office furniture is allmade of recycled or ‘green’ materials. Andmore than 90 percent of the office staff willhave a view to the outside, which has shownto make happier workers, Fogarty said.

To encourage employees to think about theenvironment, City Hall will have bike racksavailable for employees and on-site showersfor bikers. And as an added incentive, therewill be special designated parking spots for

employees with fuel efficient cars or for thosewho choose to car pool.

Recycling will also be encouraged, withnumerous recycling spots located in thebuilding. Only recycled paper will be usedand paper products will not be welcomed.

Rainy days in the city will be productive, asthe city will harvest the rainwater to be re-used for landscape watering. An undergroundwater storage unit will serve as a heat sink forthe closed loop evacuated tube solar arrays.

“The sun is free. Rainwater is free,” saidFogarty.

“We’re only one small city, but soon there willbe another city that joins us, and thenanother city and then another city. We needother energy alternatives and we better startlooking in the United States,” she said.

And city hall is just the beginning of thegreen movement in Dardenne Prairie.Fogarty said she would like to get a farmer’smarket in downtown. And later this spring,the city will host a plant exchange whereresidents can swap flower bulbs.

“Today, the concept of going green isbecoming more and more main stream. Inthe years past, energy-conscious buildingwere out there…but not main stream,” saidShort. “The ‘70’s oil crisis brought design ofbuildings that used less energy to the publicfor a brief moment and spawned solar PV

panels, passive solar homes, and superinsulated buildings which created an veryenergy efficient interior.”

Fogarty would also like to create a ‘green’educational program that would be given bythe city to businesses or residents who arelooking for ‘green’ ideas.

“Sometimes people get overwhelmed with allof the information about being green,” saidFogarty. “But you just have to take it onething at a time. Recycle your newspapers, ordon’t use plastic coffee stirrers or buy anatural product…Target has socks madefrom bamboo and JC Penny has towels andlinens made out of bamboo.”

And Short believes ‘green’ options are here tostay,

“The timing of the Green Movement hascoincided with high energy costs and carbonissues. I do not see these items as a passingfad because the variables that have caused theGreen Movement to gain momentum willnot be going away,” said Short. “Bothcommercial and residential consumers arenow realizing that an environment withhealthy air, natural lighting and uses muchless electric or gas makes much more sense forliving and the economics of operation.”

Short also said that ‘green’ buildings areworth more and people prefer to dwell inthem.

Whether building new or renovating abuilding, Short said there are a lot of simpleand lower-cost ideas that can be incorporatedinto the project. Short suggests using lowVOC, glues, paint and carpets. Chooseenergy star windows and appliances and useshading devices for reduced heating loadssuch as deciduous shade trees.

And while the cost to construct a moreenvironmentally-friendly building may beabout 1 to 3 percent higher upfront, it comesback in utility savings.

Fogarty said City Hall would be saving 50percent in its utility bills.

“You will see (being green) as a trend,” saidFogarty. “We see this as the future…and itjust makes you feel good at the end of theday.” �



Story by Amy N. ArmourPhotos by Michael Schlueter

It’s the next generation of a history lesson.St. Charles is hoping to bring history alive

with the help of the iPod.

The St. Charles Convention and VisitorsBureau (CVB) has put together a walkingiPod Tour that will take walkerson a trip down a distantmemory lane on Historic MainStreet.

Armed with an iPod andlaminated map, walkers aregeared to immerse themselves inthe history of Main Street. TheiPod is loaded with historic andrecent photos, re-enactments,and interesting tidbits ofinformation about the uniquebuildings—and the people wholived and worked them incenturies past.

Participants in the tour can learnabout how The Opera House at311 North Main is the secondopera house located on the sitebecause the two-story brickbuilding was destroyed by fire in1881. Or that the future fatherof business tycoon HowardHughes was the lead actor in aplay at the Opera House writtenby his brother Rupert Hughes, astudent at the Saint CharlesCollege in 1886. Or even abouthow the founders ofLindenwood University GeorgeC. Sibley and his wife MaryEaston Sibley were thought to rent a homeat 230 North Main prior to the all-girlsschool opening in 1827.

“It really makes a more detail-orientedpicture (of history),” said Carol Felzien,public relations/communicationscoordinator for the city. “It takes history toa new level.”

The tour is offered free of charge to bothresidents and visitors to the St. Charles area.

“Visitors just need to leave a credit cardnumber for loaning the iPod,” said Felzien.“The credit card information will not beused, just held, until the iPod is returned.”

Visitors simply stop by the CVB and pick

up an iPod and laminated map of the area.The 18-stop, 13 block tour begins with abrief history of how St. Charles wasfounded by French fur trader LouisBlanchette in 1769 who named the city LesPetite Cotes, which is French for ‘The LittleHills.’ Walkers are then guided down the 13blocks of Main Street, beginning justoutside of the convention and visitors

bureau at Missouri’s 1st Capitol, located at200 Main Street. St. Charles served as thefirst State Capitol from 1821 to 1826 whilethe permanent state capitol in Jefferson Citywas constructed. The second floor of thebuilding at 200 Main Street served as thegovernmental offices where the House andSenate would meet, and the first floor was

the Peck Bros. Dry Goods &Hardware store.

The tour also goes beyond thewell-known travels of Lewis &Clark in the area. It featuresEckert’s Tavern located at 515South Main, where local legendsays that the Santa Fe Trail wasdrafted. The tour also featuresthe first location of thetelephone company, severalhotels, and the Boone’s LickTrail, originally blazed by DanielBoone.

“It’s a neat way to look athistory,” said Felzien. “And it’s agreat way to get a newgeneration of people interestedin history.”

And it’s cheap—ande d u c a t i o n a l — f a m i l yentertainment. With the currenteconomy, Felzien said the tour isalso geared to families who arelooking for a fun time close tohome.

And the tour is not only aimedat history buffs. Thelighthearted approach tobringing history alive is geared

to attract all tourists and residents alike, saidDavid Rosenwasser, director of the St.Charles CVB.

Ideally, the walking tour takes between 75minutes and 90 minutes, but walkers canmake the tour last as long—or as short-- asthey want.

iPod Walking ToursAud i o o n Ma i n

COMMUNITYFOCUS


The idea for the tour came from Rosenwasser who had seen asimilar production in Philadelphia.

“We have a wonderful walking historic district,” said Rosenwasser.“Main Street lent it self so naturally to (this walking tour)…Thewalking tour runs north and south on Main Street, in the heart ofthe historic district.”

And if the walking iPod tour in downtown Historic St. Charlesproves to be successful, Rosenwasser would like to expand its reachto other areas in the city. Rosenwasser suggested a possiblearchitectural tour of the Mid Town area or a tour on the Katy Trailhighlighting important, relevant facts about the historic trail.

On a larger scale, Rosenwasser would like to eventually offertourists, or interested residents, in a driving tour of the area.Interested parties could pick up a DVD in the convention andvisitors bureau and pop it into a DVD player in the car.

The tour would allow a more expanded historical tour, than in thetight restraints of downtown, said Rosenwassser.

The project was completed in less than 90 days and cost anestimated $10,000. Vince Manzer, with Lake Saint Louis-basedTravelers Television Network, produced and narrated the iPod tour.

Rosenwasser said the project was made possible with the help of theconvention and visitors bureau staff, the St. Charles HistoricalSociety and individuals.

The CVB was able to save money on the project because TTNalready had much of the footage utilized from working on previousprojects with the St. Charles County Historical Society.

In the first month of its release in August, Rosenwasser estimatedthat hundreds of people have taken the tour down Main Street. Andthe CVB hasn’t even really marketed it yet, he said.

In addition to drawing more tourists, and residents, down to MainStreet, Rosenwasser said he thinks businesses will benefit from theincreased the foot traffic.

“I think this will be great for businesses on Main Street—sincepeople will be walking the entire length of Main Street (during thetour),” said Rosenwasser. “This is a great way to (get shoppers) to

walk in front of a lot of businesses—you setthe pace—and we did it that wasintentionally.”

Walking history buffs travel right past theHoliday House located at 612 South MainStreet. Tom Feldewerth, owner of homedécor store, said he has noticed an increase infoot traffic in the last month since the iPodtour was released. But he was not sure if thewalking tour was the direct cause.

“Business has been good. We have certainlyhad nice traffic,” said Feldewerth. “And a lotof people do come in and ask about the

history of the building.”

Holiday House features custom floral arrangements, smallfurniture, lamps and collectibles.

“The front desk (employees) indicate they have received verypositive comments from business owners on Main Street, includingseveral who have taken the iPod tour and enjoyed it immensely,”said Felzien. “However, beyond that, we have not monitored salesor tried to quantify any specific effects of this add-on service.”

But the CVB plans on marketing the tour with radio and televisionadvertisements to coincide with the city’s Bi-Centennial celebrationin 2009. So far, the tour has been marketed only by word of mouth.

“We hope this is like the first page of a really good book,” saidRosenwasser. “We hope people will want to learn more about thecity after taking the tour.” �


1. How did Build-A-Bear come about?What was the inspiration?

• Build-A-Bear Workshop® was born froman idea my friend Katie – who was 10years old at the time – and I had when wewere out shopping for stuffed toys. Whenwe couldn't find the stuffed toy shewanted, she said, “These are so easy, wecould make them.” She meant we coulddo a craft project, but what I heard was somuch bigger.

• I looked around to see if we could buy abusiness, like a factory that made stuffedanimals and make it even more successful.I found a few that made stuffed animals,but no one wanted to sell. Katie thoughtwe should just do it and so we did. Wedecided to reinvent the idea of makingyour own stuffed animals for mall- basedretailing. After all, Ray Kroc fromMcDonald’s didn’t invent hamburgers andHoward Schultz from Starbucks didn’tinvent coffee, they just invented how tosell more and how to sell it better.

• Every adult I asked about the idea said itwould never work – why would anyoneever want to make their own stuffedanimal? But every kid said “Where is it?”and “When can I do it?” My teddy bear,“Teddy”, was my first best friend andhelped shape who I am today, so I knewjust how meaningful teddy bear friendshipcould be.

• We opened our first store in 1997 at SaintLouis Galleria in St. Louis, Missouri.Today there are over 400 storesworldwide, and over 70 million furryfriends adventuring around the globe.

• I am so proud that at Build-A-BearWorkshop and now in Build-A-Bearville™virtual world we have created a safe placewhere kids can play, express theircreativity and use their imaginations.

2. Is it true that Children serve on yourAdvisory Board and give concepts andinput to the organization? How does thatwork? Do the kids as they grow stay onwith the Company and move intodifferent roles?

• Since the beginning, Build-A-Bear

Workshop has had a Cub Advisory Board,which is a group of children who offertheir much valued opinions about Build-A-Bear Workshop products and services.Kids have insights and offer inspiration bylooking at the world differently. They area source of wisdom beyond their years.

• We are still in contact with many of theoriginal Cub Advisors and continue tovalue their pawsome feedback.

• Now, we also have an expanded virtualadvisory board with the internet …hundreds of kids give us their input oneverything we do including product andstore locations and now,Buildabearville.com

3. What would be your advice to a personthat wants to be an entrepreneur and starttheir own business?

• Dream big and have a positive attitude.• Don’t think about the things you cannot

do- instead focus on what you canaccomplish.

• Believe in yourself and in what you canachieve

• Do what you love• Put your plans in writing• Be willing to do any job and find a mentor• Know who your customer is and keep

your customers happy.• Always listen to your customers first and

the marketplace second.

4. Who was your mentor?

• I’ve had a lot of different mentors, but Isuppose my first business mentor wasStanley Goodman in 1972 (who was thechairman of the May Company). Ihappened to meet him very early on in mycareer, and, for me, he personified theleader. He was a Renaissance Man: he wasa concert violinist, he was a businessman,he was an art collector, and he was a kindand generous man. He stood out for me inthat you can be all those things. You don’tjust have to always be in business, and youdon’t have to always be tough. He wasspeaking to a large group of us and he

said, “Retailing is entertainment, and thestore is a stage. When the customers havefun, they spend more money.” That reallyresonated for me... That day, he gave apurpose to my career, and it made methink about it as fun. When people canhave a good time, they can spend money,and they can be connected to the productsin so many different ways. That was a realturning point for me. Fortunately, it cameearly in my career and was a starting pointfor me to really help me think about mycareer.

• I’ve had so many teachers who havetouched me and who have helped mebecome who I am. They are all a part ofme in so many ways: a lot of times sittingon my shoulders and advising me. Forexample, it was my English teacher whoabsolutely had perfect grammar. Everytime I go to write a sentence I think,“What would she say?” My mother [wasanother teacher] who was a really strongsocial activist for handicapped children –[or, as I prefer to say], differently-abledchildren.

• I’ve been very fortunate in my 60 years oflife on this planet to have had theassociation with so many incrediblepeople, and my mentors keep evolving.I’ve gone from teachers, to businessassociates,...to my superiors, to peers, andto community leaders.

5. Share your success with us as well assome of the stumbling blocks or some ofthose not so good ideas.

• When I was first planning my vision forthe company, many adults questioned mybusiness concept, but every time Idiscussed the business idea with children,they got excited, which made me excited!

• When I first shared my idea for thecompany with others, a lot of people toldme what I shouldn’t do.

• Rather than adhering strictly to thetraditional ways of doing things, I havecontinuously challenged myself and thoseI work with to think more creatively.

• We are constantly trying to come up withways we can take a conventional product

Build-A-Bear’s Maxine ClarkT h e s t u f f i n s i d e

CELEBRITY FOCUS


or task and put our own unique spin on itby making it more bearish.

6. What should colleges and universitiesdo to train our future entrepreneurs. Ifyou could design one class for a seniorbusiness major what would it be calledand what would be taught?

• There should be a course in how toachieve your goals without boundaries.

• Allow yourself to dream and dream big,and have the ability to challengeconventional thinking and think outsidethe box in all aspects of the business.

7. What are the future plans for Build aBear?

• We are building the top entertainmentbrand in the world by engaging Guestsboth in the store and at home.Buildabearville.com opens up endlessentertainment aspects and possibilities forour business.

• At a time when more people are lookingto save money and making fewer trips tothe mall, our expanded selection of valuepriced merchandise has attracted newGuests while reinforcing our message thatthe Build-A-Bear Workshop experience isaffordable, high-value, and fun.

8. What life lessons have you learned?

• The following are some of the fun sayingsthat we have come up with at Build-A-Bear Workshop. Each of these “Bearisms”is a simple truth that guides how I live lifeand how we do business:• It takes a village to raise a bear• A bear hug is understood in any language• Bear in mind: Always Be Kind• Beauty is in the eye of the bearholder• Be the bearer of good news• Love is The Stuff Inside• You aren’t born a bear, you become a bear

9. If you wrote a book about your lifewhat would it be called and why?

• I wrote my book, “The Bear Necessities ofBusiness,” to help those who have thedream of building their own businessesfrom the ground up, but I’m convincedthat everyone seeking to become moresuccessful can apply the strategies foundin the book to their own lives.

10. Why is the world a better place withBuild-A-Bear Workshop in it?

• At Build-A-Bear Workshop, we live by theteddy bear philosophy of being goodpeople and good bears. Since ourinception, we have donated more than$20 million to support causes related tochildren, animals, and the environment.We have done this by sharing the hug of ateddy bear wherever it is needed in ourcommunities and abroad, and recognizingkids who do great things.

• We also have given our Guests a voice tosupport causes that are important tothem. In 2009, we launched our Love.Hugs. Peace.™ global movement as aplatform for our giving programs, whichinspire and empower our Guests to makea difference. We began ourLove.Hugs.Peace. global movementbecause we know that friends can make aworld of difference and great things canstart with a hug . . . of a teddy bear, of afamily member, of a friend. Over 140,000pledges to make a difference have beentracked so far on the Love. Hugs. Peacewebsite.

http://www.buildabear.com/lovehugspeace/�Maxine Clark — Chief Executive Bear and Chairman of the Board,

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Incorporated


Story by Amy N. ArmourPhoto by Michael Schlueter

Streetscape Magazine is bringing a cutting edge technology to allof its readers.

Text messaging is the new, edgy and environmentally-friendly wayto reach clients, consumers and friends.

“Text messaging is a way for businesses to connect with potentialconsumers at the snap of a finger. Its instant gratification,” said WillWatson, vice president of mobile marketing for Anchor St. Louis, afull-service advertising agency headquartered in St. Charles.“Companies can track and measure marketing dollars through textmessaging.”

And text messaging is in vogue to keep St. Charles Fashionistas inthe know for the Greater St. Charles Fashion Week which will takeplace on from September 13-20, 2009.

Anchor St. Louis has ingeniously put together the textingcapabilities to allow Streetscape the opportunity to keep its fashionreaders up to date with the latest happenings for fashion week.Fashion-savvy texters can be part of the scene at the Greater St.Charles Fashion Show week, by texting FASHION to 41513. Thesimple text will get fashion hungry readers hooked up for the latestupdates for the hottest fashion show in the St. Louis region. Weekly

texts will keep local fashionexperts apprised of specialsand discounts from theirfavorite vendorsparticipating in the show.

Signing up for the textsprovided by StreetscapeMagazine will also givelucky texters a chanceto win giveaways,coupons andparticipate in livecontests. A luckywinner will have thechance to receive VIPtickets to the fashion show and aspecial contest will be held live during fashion week.To be included in the exciting fashion world in St. Charles simplytext FASHION to 41513.

As an additional perk, texters can register to win a fabulousHollywood Makeover by texting OLA to 41513.

For any questions about text messaging, email Watson [email protected] or text WILLIAM to 41513. �

Texting 101I n s t a n t g r a t i f i c a t i o n

TECHNOLOGY

• Regional & Nat ional Des igners • Fash ion Runway Shows •• Af ter Hour Par t ies • Bout ique Open Houses •

• FEATURING •Esther Nash, a New York based fashiondesigner, model, socialite & fashionexpert. Ms. Nash's fashions have beenfeatured on the long running hit HBOseries Sex and the City, and her lastrunway show (she has had over 2dozen) was notably attended byVogue's Editor in Chief Anna Wintour.www.esthernash.com

Indashio. Some of hisclients have included NickyHilton, Kim Kardashian,Kathy Lee Gifford, Lil' Kim,Vanessa Carlton and TyraBanks to name a few.Indashio currently resides inNYC, where he gets mostof his inspiration.www.indashio.com

Melissa Rae Brown, Ownerof Penny Rae Vintage takeshand selected vintageclothing and accessoriesand reconstructs them intosomething new andwonderful to add style toyour fashion collection.www.pennyraevintage.com

Event co-organizer andFashionista Ola Hawatmeh,reigning Mrs. St. Louis and theowner of M3, will collaboratewith New York top designerIndashio on a makeover duringFashion Week. The makeover isin conjunction with the launch ofMakeover for a Cause.

Steven Huntley, CEO - Huntley JeansHuntley Jeans produces a variety ofversatile high fashion jeans that arenot only stylish, but comfortable. Thejeans have high quality denim as wellas high quality construction. Thepatterns have been tested andtweaked over a long period of timewith customized personal touchesfrom Steve Huntley. The styles can beworn in the comfort of one's home, ata club or a bar, in an urban settingand at school.www.huntleyjeans.com

Event co-organizer Tom Hannegan, publisher andfounder of StreetScape Magazine is pleased toannounce the debut of a sister publication. As part ofThe Greater Saint Charles Fashion Week, StreetScapeMagazine will launch StreetScape By Night, an annuallifestyle publication serving theSt. Louis Metropolitan Area.We’re not afraid of the dark. Areyou? Coming September 2009 -StreetScape By Night. M A G A Z I N E

Sunday September 13 − Sunday September 20


For more information and sponsorship opportunities please visit www.stcharlesfashionweek.com.



Don Meyer believes in a personal touch.

“Bringing the personal touch to our many clients has always beenan attribute to our firm,” said Don Meyer, founder of Meyer RealEstate in St. Charles. “We’ve always stood ready to handle thedifficult transactions.”

And that personal touch has served the family-owned businesswell.

Meyer Real Estate, a residential and commercial real estatecompany, just celebrated its 50th Anniversary in April.

“Fifty years is a long time for any business, yet it seems like almostyesterday,” said Don Meyer. “Still, Meyer Real Estate is ready togrow and prosper with the St. Charles community for the nextcentury and beyond.”

Meyer Real Estate was founded in 1959 by Don Meyer. He openedhis first office on Elm Street with five agents, and his father Arlie,a former State Representative joined him soon after. His primaryfocus in the early years was on residential and commercial realestate as it remains today. His brother Bob joined the company in1964 after graduating from college and three generations haveworked for the company since its beginning.

In 1985, Meyer Real Estate added a property management divisionwhich currently manages over 300 properties in St. CharlesCounty.

Don remained as the sole owner of the company with Bob actingas the sales manager for the first 40 years. In 1998, Don decided to

transition into retirement and Bob and Don’s son Doug took overthe ownership of the family business. In 2007, it was Bob’s turn forretirement which opened the door for Bob’s son Keith Meyer andDon’s son-in-law George Black. Currently Black, Keith Meyer andDoug Meyer are the joint owners of the still-family-ownedbusiness.

“The family name has always stood by every transaction weparticipate in, and that will continue to be our strength as we tackleall market types,” said Black.

In the last five years, Meyer Real Estate has averaged $40 millionin sales annually.

“The last two years of challenges have seen the company remainprofitable and lead by example in challenging times,” said Black.

Black said the keys to the company’s success have always beenowner participation on a daily basis in the business.

“Every decision and opportunity is met on a local level witheveryone having a voice in the decision-making process,” saidBlack. “Our philosophy is to truly coach and support our agents tobe industry leaders, not just another name to place on a roster.”

Giving back to the community has also always been a strong partof the company focus.

“We are here for 50 years because of the people in our community.We stress to our agents the importance of building a relationshipwith clients that last through the years,” said Black. “Ourcontinued success over the next 50 years will continue to rely onour clients’ loyalty and willingness to refer us to family and friends.We are not simply in this business for a commission check. Successis only achievable if each and every client is thoroughly pleasedwith our service.”

Black said Meyer Real Estate agents and officers of the companyhave, and will continue to be involved in the community. Thecompany has been active in Rotary, Kiwanis, Jaycee’s, Boys & GirlsClub, YMCA, Habitat for Humanity and various Board ofDirectors.

“We sincerely appreciate all the community has done for ourfamily and agents over the last 50 years and look for everyopportunity we can to impact our community,” said Black.

Since opening 50 years ago, the real estate industry has changeddramatically.

“Deals have gone from one-page documents and a handshake toendless documentation and legal complication,” said Black.

Celebrating St. CharlesI t s P e o p l e a n d P l a c e s

HISTORY


Showing homes has drastically taken a new meaning since 1959.Agents used to drive their buyers to competitor’s offices to look atbooks with pictures of homes. To view a home, keys had to bechecked out. Today, most customers view a home on the Internetand electronic lock boxes can be opened by using a cell phone.

“Technology has evolved in real estate as much as any otherindustry in our country and Meyer prides itself on adapting to usethis technology to our client’s best interests,” said Black.

The company started with five agents and in the last 50 years, morethan 100 agents have contributed to its success. Currently there arefour, full-time employees and about 25 active agents, who work asindependent contractors.

“Taking care of clients and treating everyone as they would want tobe treated has served the company well for 50 years, and there areno plans to change that key piece to the success puzzle,” said Black.


Joseph Joubert wrote in 1842, “Life is a country that the old haveseen and lived in. Those who have to travel through it can only

learn the way from them.” If this is true, people have a lot to learnfrom some of St. Charles County’s oldest residents, if only that

times were simpler in some ways and harder in others.

Josephine Graf is one of those individuals. Graf will be 105 nextmonth. And although many are astounded not only at herlongevity, but her vigor and mental acuity, she takes it all in stride.“I don’t think anything about it,” she said. “I just take every day asit comes along.”

Graf was born June 30, the year of the St. Louis World’s Fair. Sheremembers traveling by horse and buggy. She remembers adorningthe Christmas tree—set up in a jug of pebbles—with popcornstrings, paper chains and real candles. And she remembers a timebefore airplanes, televisions, microwave ovens, computers andcertainly cell phones.

Teddy Roosevelt was president when Graf came into the world,which had not yet seen a world war, the New Deal or even aninterstate highway system.

The oldest of three children, Graf was born on a grain and livestockfarm in Kahoka near Clark County in northeastern Missouri. Herparents, Lynn and Lula Gregory Hume were well-suited to theirworkaday lifestyle and provided everything their family needed.She said both her parents lived into their nineties. Her youngersiblings, though, did not and preceded Graf in death.

Entertainment was sparse on the farm in the early part of thetwentieth century and consisted mainly of visiting neighbors,playing cards, sledding and skating. Chores included herding thecows in from the pasture for milking.

Graf doesn’t really attribute her long life to anything in particular,although she readily admits she never smoked or drank any morethan an occasional glass of wine, and she swears by bananas,Kellogg’s Special K cereal and Pond’s cold cream. She said she dideat well as a child. “We ate what we raised on the farm. It wasalways fresh. We had our own meat. My father raised hogs. Wehad our own milk and butter.”

Nevertheless, for the most part, health and vanity have never beenhigh on Graf ’s list of concerns. “It just never occurs to me to doanything with my health. I don’t know why my health has stayedlike it is.”

And it’s good, even now. Graf has no pain. Nothing has beenreplaced. A pacemaker was added eight years ago, though she hashad no problems with it. She wears glasses but still reads every day,specifically a publication called “Bottom Line Personal” that offerssnippets of the world’s latest events. April’s edition told of drinkingtea to reduce stroke risk, why one should add gold to their portfolioand how fees were skyrocketing on mutual funds.

It was 1927, when Graf met and married her first husband, EdwinPlenge. She had three children with Plenge—Anna Lynn, Jean andRobert—before he died suddenly of a heart attack in 1950. Shevisibly saddens when she speaks of him and said the experience washardest for her son who was only seven when he lost his dad.

The couple had endured the Great Depression together. Graf saidJosepjine Graf


she remembers doingwithout more than notand even hosting a“cornbread and molasseshard luck” party. Shesaid times were hard butpeople helped oneanother and came outwiser on the other side.

After Plenge’s death,Graf went back to schooland became a teacher.She taught fifth gradeand later junior highhistory and English inthe Hazelwood SchoolDistrict, with her bestfriend Effie Irving. Grafmarried her high schoolsweetheart, Chris Graf,in 1963, and the twomoved to Chicago. Grafdied in 1985.

Josephine moved to LakeSt. Charles RetirementCommunity in St.Charles about 12 yearsago. Today she still enjoys going to churchand reading historic novels. She said she isconcerned most about history and thecurrent state of affairs in Missouri and thecountry. It disturbs her, she said, thatchildren know very little of the history oftheir home state.

She said aside from the crank-start Model Tthat her parents purchased, her favoriteinvention was probably the television, andmore specifically the evening news. “Thenews was my favorite. It was so wonderfulto get today’s happenings from somewhereelse,” she said.

Josephine said she didn’t have a favoritepresident and doesn’t even remember whereshe was when John F. Kennedy was shot.Rather, she said, people should payattention to how the government itself isbeing run. “I’m not too in love with anyone of the presidents,” she said. “I think weshould listen to what the people in charge ofour government are doing and see whether

we approve of what they’re doing. You canapply that to local, state or federalgovernment. I don’t care which way yougo.”

On raising children, Josephine said she justdid the best she could. “I just knew I hadmy hands full and I knew I better do itright.”

Josephine has been to Europe three timesand even passed through the Panama Canal,which was constructed the year she wasborn. But, she said, St. Charles is where shewants to be. “I’m not unhappy with this,where you can have winter, spring, summerand fall. I don’t know anywhere you canhave four seasons and have them so naturalas where we do.”

Still, she’s nothing if not adaptable. Andalthough she still can’t assimilate herself tothe modern personal computer—herstepdaughter sent her one—change is goodas far as Josephine’s concerned. “Thatcomputer was too much trouble. I sent it

back,” she said. “As timepasses that’s what we’regoing to put up with. Iwouldn’t want to do thesame things I did 40years ago. I’m forchange. I say, ‘Go forit’.”

Another St.Charlesan, though

Josephine Graf ’s junior,carries with him a wealthof St. Charles history andthe title of the city’s firstparks director. NorbertWapelhorst, 94, wasborn to Frank andMargaret Wapelhorst ona farm north of St.Charles on HawningRoad—land granted toArnold Wapelhorst (hisgreat grandfather) in1843 from the King ofSpain and still owned bythe Herbert Wapelhorstfamily today.

The oldest of four children, Norbert saidlife moved at a more moderate pace in thosedays. “Things seemed to be much slowerthan they are now,” he said. “We didn’thave access to a lot of things.”

Highway 94 was a rock road then. TheWapelhorst’s took their horse and buggy tochurch on that road, “if the weather wasright. You never had an automobile to gowherever you wanted. Automobiles wererather scarce in those days.”

When the family did purchase a car,Norbert remembers heating bricks in theoven to put on the floor to stay warm. Thehouse wasn’t heated either. “There was noelectric until the mid fifties,” he said. “Ifyou took a glass of water to bed upstairs inthe winter, it would be frozen by morning.”

Norbert recalls the treat of a nickel-soda atHafer’s store and an occasional movie at theStrand Theatre, both then located on 2ndStreet in St. Charles. He remembers trading

Norbert Wapelhorst


rabbits for milk or candy at Hafer’s.

He calls to mind outdoor plumbing—a well and pump fordrinking, a cistern for washing—and an “icebox” which containeda 50-pound block of ice.

Christmas at the Wapelhorst’s was “quite entertaining” in thosedays. Spring-loaded wind up toys under a tree decorated with realcandles impress upon Norbert’s mind the simple joys his familyhad at Christmas.

Norbert married Virginia Sullentrop Wapelhorst and the couplehad three children: Gloria Wapelhorst Schierding, TomWapelhorst and Mary Kay Wapelhorst . Virginia’s father, HarrySullentrop, owned the Boschertown Tavern. Mary Kay died in1986 at the age of 36 of bone cancer. Virginia died at 85 years ofage in 2001. “God was willing to preserve me,” Norbert said.

Norbert was drafted and served in the First Army, Third ArmoredDivision during WWII in Germany, Belgium, Holland, France,England and Scotland. A T-5 Corporal, he worked as a radiooperator on a half track. “It was a pretty tough life. For 29 days,during the Battle of the Bulge, we had no hot food or baths.”

He said he and the other young men with whom he served werenot given the luxury of considering consequences. “When those80-millimeter shells came by, any body would be scared. Youdidn’t need the courage though, they just sent you and you went.”

Norbert had begun his career in the parks department of St.Charles in 1936, when the city was a small community of about11,000 people with one park. He was hired by the federalgovernment’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) as a foremanto oversee the construction of a swimming pool in Blanchette Parkfor the city. The city then hired him to manage the pool operationand the following year was named the park supervisor by the St.Charles Park Board. When Norbert retired in 1979, the St.Charles Parks Department had 13 parks with nearly 400 acrescombined. A park is now named for him—Wapelhorst Park onMuegge Road in St. Chalres. Norbert was a charter member of theMissouri Parks & Recreation Association and in 1965 served as theorganization’s president. Norbert was also one of the founders ofthe St. Charles Park & Recreation Foundation. He served invarious positions on this board including president and has sincebeen granted Emeritus Status with full voting privileges for life.

Norbert said he’s been privileged to live such a long life. “I thinkbeing 94 years old is alright. Raising a family and being active inso many organizations, I’ve had the privilege to meet manypeople.” Among those organizations are the St. Charles Chapter ofthe American Red Cross, Duchesne High School Advisory Board,St. Charles Community Council and the St. Charles Chapter ofthe Knights of Columbus. In March, Norbert was inducted intothe MPRA Hall of Fame. �

(l to r) Debbie, Jim and Steve Droste

Lake St. Charles Retirement Community celebrates a quarter centuryof service to older adults and the surrounding community.

The St. Charles Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its 70thanniversary in 2009- serving the community, and over 600 members.

Alvin Droste, after working for many years as a journeymancarpenter, went into business for himself in 1933. Today Droste &Sons Construction celebrates 76 years in the family business.


FEET


As summer approaches and the feet emerge from theirprotective socks and shoes, the damage of the sun and sand as

well as concrete and flip-flops add up quick. And podiatrists andnail technicians alike are reminding everyone to spend a little moretime on their toes.

“We try to teach people it’s not just about pretty toenail polish, it’sabout maintaining healthy feet,” said Nikki Ward, a nail technicianat Spa Winghaven in O’Fallon.

Ward offers a new anti-aging pedicure that she promises will bringa person’s feet into the next season with style and a new sheen.

The pedicure begins with the client settling into a massagingpedicure chair. A neck warmer is placed on their shoulders. Thefeet are soaked in a warm whirlpool tub and feet are treated withsea salts and essential oils. A glycolic peel on the bottom of the feetprovides a deeper exfoliating treatment to help maximize theamount of dead skin the technician can remove from the feet.

A warm paraffin wax is applied for hydration, followed by aninvigorating massage with peppermint foot cream. A soothingmask is then applied to the feet and they are covered with plasticbags and slippers. “It’s basically the same products we would useon the face,” Ward said.

Following the cleansing and exfoliating portions of the treatment,certified massage therapists offer a reflexology pedicure to clients.“All the nerve endings stop in the bottom of the feet and all passthrough every organ in the body so you can sense certain thingsgoing wrong in other parts of the body through your feet,” saidCookie Caldwell, massage therapist.

Caldwell uses her hands and hot stones to relax and rejuvenatetired feet as well as bring healing to other parts of the body she saysare related to pressure points in the feet. “The reflexology pointsare the trigger points to the rest of the body,” she said.

For example, the bottom of the big toe brings relief to the sinuses,the arch of the foot to the stomach. “The foot is a map of thebody,” she said. “That’s why the whole body is cold if the feet arecold.”

Caldwell claims the ankle relates to the uterus, and that strangelyenough, women have been known to go into labor simply bystimulating this section of their feet.

Nail technician and massage therapist in training, Sophie Drurysaid her second child was born three days after she received areflexology pedicure. The child was two weeks early.

Smooth, flat stones used in massage are boiled in a type of crockpot. The heat of the water penetrates the stones which, Caldwellsaid, are strategically placed to help bring heat deeper into themuscles of the feet. “The stones are part of what God left here toheal us,” she said. “They provide deep tissue massages. The heatfrom the stones goes deeper into the tissue.”

Spa Winghaven sterilizes all instruments as well as the pedicurebowls and drains after each client, said Ward.

She encourages people to remember to care for their feet in thesummer the way they do their hands in the winter. “It’s importantto maintain personal care and hygiene of the feet before things getso bad they have to see a podiatrist. Ingrown toenails can becomea real problem for some people and flip-flops build up more deadskin than regular shoes.”

For more information on Spa Winghaven call 636-625-8772 orvisit www.spawinghaven.com.

David Anthony’s offers highly-specialized pedicure services, byspecially-trained technicians.

David Anthony Pisciotta, co-owner and for whom the spa isnamed, said David Anthony’s believes in investing in its people andtraining them individually. “Our whole philosophy is that wegrow our own people. We believe in investing in each person. Sonow I have 10 individually successful people, thus I don’t have to

HappyFeetP a u s e f o ry o u r p aw s


worry about a successful salon.”

David Anthony Salon & Spa offers European Touch pedicurechairs. These highly specialized chairs offer pumpless technologywhich ensures water is never shared by clients, said ShelliePisciotta, co-owner of David Anthony Salon & Spa.

Pisciotta said the water is in effect sucked out like a vacuumthrough a special propeller system following its use on each client,thus the water used to treat one client is never in contact with thefeet of the next client.

David said feet tend to become dryer in the summer as they’reexposed to the elements. Pedicures are especially important at thistime of year, he said. “Pedicures are not so much a frivolous thing,but a healthful thing.”

David Anthony Salon & Spa also offers a “Fire & Ice” pedicurewhich includes a reflexology massage with an exfoliant and a maskof cool menthol to soothe and rehydrate the feet. Warm paraffinwax, as well as creams, bags and hot towels are also used.

Reflexology foot treatments are a crucial part of David Anthony’soverall foot care offerings. “Reflex points on the feet correspondwith each organ, gland and structure in the body,” Shellie said.“Working these reflexes properly, reduces tension and improvesblood supply and nerve functioning.”

“People abuse their feet,” Shellie said. “Pedicures go along withhaving good health in all parts of the body. If your feet hurt, it’snot a good day.”

For more information on David Anthony Salon & Spa, call 636-

561-4006.

Dr. Damon Hays of Hays Foot & Ankle Center in St. Peterssaid pedicures are great as long as you can trust the

technician and the salon. Hays said sterilization of instrumentsused in pedicures is paramount to receiving good foot care. Hesaid purchasing one’s own pedicure instruments and polish andtaking them to the salon can derail any potential infections.

Hays said to keep an eye on the feet to detect the first signs offungal problems. “A prominent bump on the foot ordiscoloration of the toes can be the first sign of a fungus,” Hayssaid.

Hays said a whole host of simple, outpatient procedures existtoday for people who suffer with chronic foot pain, most of whichresults from inherited conditions.

Inflamed swelling at the base of the big toes, or bunions as theircommonly called, are almost always genetic, Hays said, as arehammer toes and flat feet. And although high heels canexacerbate the problem, they are not the ultimate cause.

Hays said he is most concerned about diabetics with footproblems as they can end up losing toes or feet altogether. A“thickened” toenail, or one that appears yellow, brown or black,can turn into a serious infection quite quickly and result in theloss of toes. A toenail that digs into the skin can turn into aningrown toenail seemingly overnight.

Going barefoot in the summer is a temptation that’s hard to resistin the summer months, but Hays cautions people to be careful

just where they shed theirshoes. “Be careful walkingwhere people with foot fungusmight be walking,” Hays said.This includes locker rooms andpool areas. Hays said peoplemight be surprised to learn thatchlorine does not kill footfungus. He encourages peopleto wear flip-flops around theseareas.

Hays said when thinking aboutbeautifying the outer portionof the feet for those all-too-cutesummer sandals, one shouldfirst address the health of theinside of their feet. “Callusesand corns happen for a reason.


There are usually underlying deformities that need to be addressed,” he said.

Hays Foot & Ankle Center sells medical grade, specialized orthodic inserts for all shoes, including sandals, that can help redistribute thepressure on misaligned feet.

An outpatient procedure can remove corns and straighten toes in just 15-20 minutes per toe, Hays said. In two weeks the patient is backto wearing normal shoes.

Calluses on the bottom of the feet or heel are usually due to bony prominences or too much pressure placed on certain parts of the feet.An x-ray can determine if there is a bone deformity and a computerized digital scan can show how weight is bourn on the feet. Both helpHays determine what course of treatment to take.

Arch supports can slow down progression of deformities in children. New orthodic implants available for children with flat feet can helpthem live a life without foot pain, Hays said. Insurance usually covers work with children 100 percent, he said.

“People don’t think they can have a pain-free lifestyle with their feet but they can now undergo a quick outpatient procedure to straightentheir toes, and they can live a lifetime without discomfort,” Hays said.

For more information on Hays Foot & Ankle Center, call 636-397-2229. �

S T R E E T S C A P E M A G A Z I N E | 29S T R E E T S C A P E M A G A Z I N E | 29


Story by Robin Seaton Jefferson

Looking for a short trip far enough awayto feel like a mini-vacation, but close

enough to home to go easy on the wallet?Missouri is full of quick getaways and classicyet distinguished venues for one- and two-day sabbaticals from the ordinary.

Rocheport, MO, just 15 miles west ofColumbia, provides a peaceful intermissionfrom the world around it, where the visitorcan walk the quiet streets and savor therelaxed movement of time. The pace ofthings in Rocheport is much the same as itwas when the town was founded in 1825,drawing travelers to its fine shops,restaurants and lodging.

Mike Friedemann, owner of the SchoolHouse Bed & Breakfast Inn at 504 ThirdStreet in Rocheport, said the town boastssplendid dining and world-classaccommodations where visitors can spend aday or a weekend exploring the rich history

and scenic beauty of the area.

Rocheport is the scenic gateway to the KatyTrail State Park. It offers everything fromoutdoor adventures on the Katy Trail andthe Missouri River to pampered retreats inone of several award-winning bed &breakfasts. Rocheport also offers a finewinery and wine garden, gourmet dining,antique shops, galleries, artisans, a museumand live entertainment at the General Store.

A restored 1914 school house is now anelegant 10-room retreat for romanticgetaways, business meetings and familyreunions. Gourmet breakfast is included atthe School House Bed & Breakfast, as wellas complimentary laundry and secure bikestorage. In addition, The Yates House Bed& Breakfast, a Select Registry member inn,located at 305 Second Street in Rocheport,has been featured in USA Today, SouthernLiving, Sauce magazine and ColumbiaHome.

Behind the Times, a quaint boutiquefeaturing antiques and vintageand new items that harmonizefor a retro look, is located at 205Central Street. It’s also home ofMighty MO Canoe Rentals,where visitors can paddle theMighty Missouri with an areanaturalist and river historian astheir personal guide. For moreinformation, visit www.mighty-mo.com.

Highgate Gallery featuresRocheport souvenirs displayed ina restored 1830’s home. Locatedat 500 Second Street, it’s also oneof the area’s largest portraitstudios. Manitou Studio, locatedat 302 Columbia Street, boastsfine hand-crafted stoneware andporcelain pottery, includingbowls, jars, tea pots, vases,platters and one-of-a-kind pieces.Sloans on Central, located at 203Central Street, is an eclectic mixof antiques, vintage and new.

Curiosities includes gifts from the newBarrington Baby Collection, hand-craftedPolish Pottery, period furniture pieces, andcollectible and vintage glassware.

Restaurants, casual and elegant, abound inRocheport as well. From Les BourgeoisBistro & A-Frame Wine Garden, whereguests can venture to the bluff top and bedazzled by the view while dining in casualelegance overlooking the Missouri RiverValley, to Rocheport General Store, wherevisitors can find groceries, includinghomemade ice cream, coffee, espresso, wineand beer as well as gifts and goodies. A caféat the General Store offers breakfast, lunchand dinner as well as live music every Fridayand Saturday night, free wireless internet,board games to borrow and people to visitwith. The General Store is the social hub ofhistoric downtown Rocheport.

Friedemann said Rocheport is a great“home base” for day trips and activities.Innkeepers in the area can provideinformation on area golf courses, winecountry tours, local theatre and symphonyperformances, Columbia nightlife and livejazz, art galleries and festivals, college sportsat the University of Missouri-Columbia,Civil War battle sites, Lewis & Clark Trail,and Amish Country tours.

The Missouri Artisan Festival will be held inRocheport from 2 to 6 p.m. May 30 at theles Bourgeois Bistro & A-Frame WineGarden. The festival will feature vendorsfrom all over Missouri showing off andselling their Missouri-made products, aswell as art, food, crafts, wine and children’sactivities.

For more information on Rocheport, visitwww.rocheport.com.

Cape Girardeau was born on theMississippi more than 200 years ago.

In that time, the once tiny trading post hasgrown from a frontier settlement governedby a French-Canadian commandant to athriving, culturally-rich community of over37,000 people on the world’s only inland

Day TripperA on e -w a y t i c k e t y e a h !

DAY TRIP

Les Bourgeois

cape. Chuck Martin, director of the CapeGirardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau,said that although part of the actual capewas destroyed in the 1800’s to make way forthe railroads, the memorial “cape rock” stillsits atop the bluff of Girardot’s Trading Post.

It was 1733 when an adventuresome Frenchsoldier, Jean D. Girardot, established atrading post in a region populated by more

than 20 Native American tribes. But it wasFrench-Canadian Louis Lorimier, who iscredited for founding Cape Girardeau in1793, when he came to the areacommissioned by the Spanish GovernorGeneral to establish a military post fromwhich to trade and interact with the NativeAmericans.

Today, Martin said, “Cape Girardeau is aregional hub for education, commerce andmedical care. Although the city’s populationis around 37,000 people, it is estimated thatas many as 90,000 come to Cape Girardeaudaily to work, shop, go to school or visit themany doctors’ offices or two hospitals. Inaddition, the Bill Emerson MemorialBridge, which was officially opened inDecember 2003, carries 26,000 cars in andout of Cape Girardeau every day.”

The Red House Interpretive Center, locatedjust off Main Street in historic downtownCape Girardeau, commemorates the life of

Lorimier as well as the visit of MeriwetherLewis and William Clark in 1803. Thecenter houses an early 1800’s exhibit thatreflects the lives of the early settlers of theold Cape Girardeau district. A rendering ofLorimier’s Trading Post displays authenticitems that would have been sold at the turnof the 19th century. The trading post wasthe largest and most well known trading

post between St. Louis and Memphis.

Other historic places of interest in CapeGirardeau include Old St. Vincent’sChurch, the historic Glenn House, the CapeRiver Heritage Museum, Historic Fort D,the Cape Girardeau Conservation NatureCenter and Trail of Tears State Park, amongothers.

Along with the historical treasures that existin Cape Girardeau is the Old Town Districtwhich includes more than 300 businesses.

Martin said in the fall of 2006, GovernorMatt Blunt awarded the city of CapeGirardeau the honor and designation of oneof ten inaugural DREAM communities inthe state of Missouri.

Martin said the fact that “Americans lovemom and pop shops” beckons them to CapeGirardeau. “We love their attentivecustomer service, their unique merchandise

and the special atmosphere of their stores, asopposed to the cookie-cutter retail chainsthat all seem to sell the same thing,” he said.“We also love our heritage and many MainStreet districts are the cultural centers oftheir communities.”

Martin said visitors to most historic townsare drawn to the idea of shopping on MainStreet, and Cape Girardeau is no exception.Many people consider shopping on MainStreet “experience shopping,” he said,“because you interact with people and acommunity, instead of frantically huntingfor rock-bottom prices. Shopping on MainStreet means finding merchandise that isinfused with local heritage and can’t befound anywhere else. It’s about making aconnection. It’s also about keeping theentrepreneurial spirit alive and helping localbusinesses compete against Big Box retailersand other large retail institutions.”

For over two centuries, the citizens of CapeGirardeau have been welcoming travelers.“Spectacular natural vistas, new tourismdevelopments and our historic past all blendtogether to offer the perfect solution for anyvisitor to the area,” Martin said.

Art venues in Cape Girardeau include theEdward Bernard Gallery, WESTRAY,Garden Gallery, Gallery 1-2-5, the ArtistStudio, Arts Council of Southeast Missouri,Visual Arts Co-op, Black Door Gallery andthe River Campus Art Gallery. For moreinformation, visit www.capearts.org.

The Cape Alternative Farmer’s Marketfeatures Missouri-grown strawberries; farm-raised and pastured chicks, eggs and pork;gourmet lettuce and fresh-cut herbs; breads,cakes and pies; gourmet canned items; goatmilk soap; plants; fruits and vegetables; andall-natural pork and beef.

Items offered at Cape Girardeau Farmer’smarket have been grown within a 75-mileradius of Cape Girardeau. Seasonal produceand fruits, arts and crafts, baked goods, eggs,honey, cut flowers and plants are allavailable.

Locally grown, fresh organic vegetables areavailable at Old Town Cape ScholarshipGarden.

Visitors can play golf at two driving ranges,one three-par golf course, one 18-hole


“Cape Girardeau at night


regulation golf course, one private course in the city and two semi-private courses in the area. Seven parks can be found around thecity as well.

Home of Southeast Missouri State University and well-known radiotalk show personality Rush Limbaugh, Cape Girardeau is locallyknown as the place where the river turns a thousand tales.

For more information on Cape Girardeau, call 1-800-777-0068 orvisit [email protected].

Aday trip to the Warrenton and Wright City areas can make acouple or family feel like they’ve left the state altogether. Rich

in home-spun flavor, the two cities offer visitors golfing and diningand unique shopping very close to home. Women can visit thesuperior salon and spa Luminesce, while men take on a day of golfat the Warrenton Golf Course. Couples can meet up later atBrewskies for dinner and a drink, and spend the night around thepool at the Holiday Inn.

Luminesce Salon & Spa, located at 702 N. Hwy. 47 in Warrenton,is a full-service salon and spa where “experience” is the name of thegame. Owner Tina Parrish said she offers makeup and hairtreatments, massage, body treatments, facials, hand and foottreatments.

Located in the center of the Luminesce salon is a service bar wheremanicures and pedicures are done. Parrish calls this the “experiencecenter” where Aveda Concepts products are offered for hands andfeet. Foot soaks with warm stones are offered with every hair colorservice. Lay down shampoo beds are also offered, as well as steamshowers.

For more information about Luminesce, call 636-456-7082.

The Glass Garden, owned and operated by husband and wife teamAlbert and Bev Holden, and their daughter-in-law Sheryl Holden,is a must-see for visitors. Located at 935 Market in Truesdale, thestained glass gallery and studio is just five minutes from Interstate70.

A natural talent and self-taught artist, Bev specializes in customstained glass work. The Glass Garden includes a full shop witheverything from windows to suncatchers, lighting, chimes, steppingstones and picture frames.

Bev recently designed and made stained glass doors for a customer’skitchen cabinets. She can also make stained glass memorial stones.Stained glass can be designed with anything from angels to fruit toanimals to flowers.

Bev has used many different mediums in her years as an artist,including paint, pencil, fabric and “anything I’ve ever run across.”She especially enjoys the design work that goes into creating astained glass window.

She likens the process to a jigsaw puzzle. First, she fashions thedesign on paper. Next she cuts the design into numbered pieces.She then cuts the glass to fit with the pieces using a self-oiling glasscutter. She uses a foil and solder method to fit the pieces together.The foil strips are placed around the edges of the pieces and asoldering iron is used to melt the pieces together.

The Glass Garden is open Wednesday through Friday from 2:30 to6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information,call 636-456-0717.

Olde Glory Antiques & More is just that. Owner Helena McElravysaid there is “a lot to see, more than you’d expect. The store lookslike a little blue square from the outside, but you can’t believe howmuch is here when you come in, even in the bathroom.”

McElravy said there are many antiques and collectibles as well asantique, costume and new jewelry at the store, located at 21115NW Service Rd. in Warrenton. One vendor sells top-of-the-linecandles for just $5.99 each that McElravy said rival the mostexpensive candles of today. Snoopy collectibles and comic books aswell as Precious Moments, and Shawnee, Hull and Hall pottery arealso featured in the store.

Fine antique furniture can be found at Olde Glory for unbelievableprices, McElravy said. For more information on Olde GloryAntiques & More, call 636-456-5786.

Warrenton and Wright City, both just a stone's throw from St.Charles County, boast a variety of specialty shops and experiencedprofessionals. See the back cover of this issue of SteetScape Magazinefor more 'Big City Style with a Country Smile!"�

Need a bit of inspiration and a sincere smile? In Warrenton, “ADivine Connection” and co-owner, Randa Taylor will provide both.

Like-new accessories, home decor & children’s clothing, hang in tidyorder throughout owner, Rhonda Flure’s “New 2 U,” Wright City.



Jerry and Rhonda Dyer are on their thirdlocation with Thistle & Clover in St.Charles. Their current spot at 407 SouthMain St. is filled with Scottish, Irish andWelsh treasures from personalized hand-embroidered coats of arms to hand-wovenshawls from Ireland to insta-kilts.

The Dyer’s owned and operated The BearFactory, also on South Main St. for 12 yearsbefore deciding to retire and travel. Butafter having dinner with some Scottishfriends who complained of difficultiesfinding Scottish items—except throughmail order—the two found a whole newbusiness in which to venture.

Thistle & Clover opened appropriately onTartan Day in 2003. Tartan Day, celebratednationally on April 6 each year, recognizesthe contributions Scotts have made toAmerica. It took the Dyer’s about six weeksto prepare for their grand opening, and yet,just three weeks later, they had to move to alarger shop. “The response wasunbelievable,” Jerry Dyer said.

The Dyer’s do their largest volume ofbusiness in family name traces. Using three

databases, the Dyer’s can trace just aboutany family name to discover its coat of arms,clan and clan crest. “It’s a family namehistory, not a genealogical search,” Jerrysaid. “Where did you first find your nameand in what country.”

Jerry said 9/11 has had much to do with thebusiness of family history. “Since 9/11,people want to know about their family.They care because we aren’t untouchable.They want to find out who they are. Theywant that sense of family.”

Once the family’s coat of arms is discovered,any number of gifts can be custom made toinclude it. The Dyer’s can personalize justabout anything from cigar humidors to flagsto glassware to pool hall signs. “I can putyour coat of arms on anything but you, andnow I’m looking at temporary tattoos,”Jerry said.

An individual’s family coat of arms is madeof symbols that describe what the family didin medieval days, often a substitute for thefamily name as most people of the day wereilliterate. “The coat was a medal of honor,”Jerry said. “You did something meritorious,whether a military or civil feat. At thattime, people were illiterate. A proclamation

was useless. They couldn’twrite it. You couldn’t read it,so they gave you a pictureand when people saw it, theyknew what you did. Someof them go back to theMiddle Ages.”

Rhonda said everything onthe coat of arms issignificant, from the color tothe symbols whichencompass the artwork.Thistle & Clover offerscustomers an explanation ofthe many symbols—fromgriffin heads to lions tocrescents and crosses—thatmake up the thousands offamily coats of arms theyhave found.

Thistle & Clover can also personalize kiltsand other period and historical clothingwith the tartans of various clans. Thefamiliar plaid fabric of kilts has a symbolismto the clans who wore them. “Within thecountry of Scotland, weavers in thecommunity would take all the wool madeand make blankets and cloth products,”Jerry said. “They would use the materialsindigenous to the area for the dyes. Thoseareas became distinguished by the colors ofthe cloth. Tartans are the colors andpatterns woven into the cloth of a specificarea. As they got better at doing the dyes,they made tartans for names.”

The various colors and patterns helpedScotts identify people from across the roomor across a field by the kilts that they wore.And Rhonda said a kilt was much morethan a skirt-type garment, as it is perceivedby many today. The article of clothing wastypically a nine-yard-long piece of cloth thatwas used as the wearer’s raincoat, sleepingbag, backpack, uniform and suit.

Last year, Thistle & Clover wascommissioned by the University ofMissouri—Columbia to provide tartans forthe school. Students there competed todevelop the tartans, while Thistle & Cloverworked with a weaver in Ireland.

The Dyer’s sell hundreds of gifts andtreasures for just about any occasion,including reproductions of high crossesfound scattered about Ireland’s landscape.Rhonda said missionaries would erect across and stand under it to preach.Eventually the church would be built nearthe cross. The Dyer’s have made it theirbusiness to photograph and research thecrosses of Ireland.

Sweaters hand woven in Ireland, compactdisks of Irish party songs, jewelry,personalized street signs and just about anyitem one can imagine, comes from suppliersto Thistle & Clover from all over the world.

For more information, call 636-946-2449or visit www.thistleandclover.com. �

Thistle & CloverWha t ’s u n d e r y o u r k i l t ?

STATE YOURBUSINESS

Jerry and Rhonda Dyer


A LA CARTE


Cindy Elking likes to say, “People eat withtheir eyes before they ever put a fork in theirmouths.” She should know. The long-timelocal caterer extraordinaire has beencooking for the masses for a long time.

She comes by it honestly. Her mother aswell as her mother before her loved nothingmore than to be in the kitchen makingsomeone’s dinner dreams come true.

Elking’s grandmother, Millie Schmidt,started the business in New Melle, MOsome 35 years ago with her own daughter—Elking’s mother—Mary Ann Pezold. Theycalled it Pezold’s Catering and worked it out

of Pezold’s kitchen catering small churchevents and the like. “Both of them alwaysliked to cook a lot,” Elking said. “Mymother liked to entertain. They started it asan additional source of income and it kindof grew from there.”

Elking sort of “grew up in the business likemost people grow up in a family business,”she said. “You think you’re never going todo that again.”

But after college and a few years in theconfines of corporate America, Elkingreturned to what she knew best. Then sheand Pezold ran the business together.Pezold passed away recently. She hadretired fully from catering four years ago.

Today “Quintessential Catering” is all thatthe name implies. Elking and her owndaughter Chalyn Elking run the business,which now averages some 400 social,corporate and private events each year.Quintessential Catering has five full-timeemployees and some 30 on-call staff. Thecaterers orchestrate events for groups of 10to several thousand.

Quintessential Catering planned two ofCostco’s grand openings in Missouri in asmany years and “it just keeps growing,”Chalyn said.

“We can do everything on location,” shesaid. “We have even set up a make-shiftkitchen in a closet before.”

Cindy Elking said she enjoys working withher clients and makes it her business to“work with what will work well for them. Ienjoy helping them do what they want todo.”

Quintessential Catering can give “as muchor as little service” as the client needs,Cindy said. Whether they need to pick upa dish for dinner from the caterer’sheadquarters at 801 Runny Meade Plaza inO’Fallon or whether they need a five-coursesit-down dinner prepared in their homes,Quintessential can handle the affair.

The Elking’s can secure venues andentertainment, as well as handle the china,crystal, flatware, decorations, tents, chairs,invitations, bar and beverages. “We canhelp execute the entire event,” Cindy said.

Quintessential Catering has handled winetastings as well as traditional andcontemporary dinners and events. Theyoffer a variety of ethnic cuisines as well,from Indian to French.

Cindy said Quintessential Catering tries tostay at the “forefront of the cateringindustry,” offering their clients the latestand greatest catering and its phenomenalpresentations. The Elking’s attended a

Quintessential CateringT h r e e g e n e r a t i o n s o f c u l i n a r y p e r f e c t i o n

Philly-Style Roasted Beef, Duchessed Potatoes, & Fresh, Sautéed Asparagus


conference in Las Vegas recently as one of over 3,000 caterers acrossthe globe, in an effort to bring the trends of the East and West coaststo the Midwest.

The trend in catering at the moment is keeping it small, she said.From minimizing the dinnerware to placing three or four tinyservings on a single plate to inserting appetizers and desserts in icecream cones, caters are meditating on the miniature. “That’s verypopular and cutting edge right now,” Cindy said. “Caterers areputting four flavor profiles on a plate.”

For example, a chef might place four varying tastes on one plate,“items that are distinct and different but compliment each other,” shesaid. A smoked guida on chicken, along with an onion-basedvegetable, garlic potato and basil steamed broccoli might be presentedtogether. “The flavors work together to give a distinct flavor,” Cindysaid.

Desserts are being minimized as well, she said. “People would rathersample a variety than have to choose. Mini is very popular. Peopleare downsizing from super-sized.”

From mini marshmallows to toaster pastries to cupcakes, less is more.Penny candy stations with bubble gum, root beer barrels and MaryJanes are also making a comeback, Cindy said. “Marrying interestingflavors is also in with hot spices and chocolate, jellies and fruittoppings,” she said.

Jar cooking is also resurfacing, Cindy said, from individual cobblers

to soups and stews. Stacked and layered salads are also quite popularnow, wherein ingredients are layered and then flipped over onto theplate.

For more information on Quintessential Catering or to book anevent, call Cindy or Chalyn Elking at 636-978-6210 or visitwww.qcater.com. �

(l to r) Joy Noonan, Chalyn Elking, Cindy Elking, Jennifer Walter


Story by Natalie Woods

Summer is here and it’s time to put away all thosedark heavy clothes and add some color andlightness to our lives. This year there are a lot ofgreat fashions that will hopefully pry a little ofyour money out of your pocket and into the cash drawers of yourlocal retailers – including fun maxi dresses, cute shorts and thesuper fun comfortable boyfriend jeans. But this visit to the worldof fashion is not going to focus on those things ….. Let’s insteadexplore the trends this spring in footwear. After all, really what isbetter than a fantastic shoe?? They can make an outfit and let’s faceit – they always fit!!

I polled a couple of my favorite shoe stores in St Louis to find outwhat they will be stocking for your purchasing pleasure this springand it’s going to be a great year for your feet. No matter what yourbudget you will be able to find something to take your springwardrobe from drab to fab!!

There is something for everyone on the color spectrum -- LauraBryan from Wish Shoes in Ladue says to be on the lookout for lotsof neutrals like tan and brown and Lindsey Terry a spokesperson forEJ’s Designer Shoe Outlet is excited about bright colors, orange andturquoise to be exact. Lindsey also says we are going to see a lot ofblack and white (which is also a big trend in clothing).

Laura also sees patent leather continuing to be a very strongstatement as it has been for the last couple seasons. For spring, yourpatent will get brighter and more colorful and probably have someembellishments to boot.

Speaking of embellishments, Lindsey is loving the “edge” that shoeshave taken on this spring – buckles, grommets, studs, crystals,beads, zippers, metal details, animal prints, ethnic touches – reallyanything that takes the shoe up a notch and makes it seem reallyspecial and different from years past. You will find these details onliterally every kind of shoe on the market. Lindsey stresses thatespecially in these strange economic times – shoes must bemultifunctional and special, definitely not plain – and must workwith a lot of your clothes. These fun details, even the really rockerchic kind, fit this description and can be paired with work or funclothes and really make an everyday wardrobe item special.

In addition to all the fun described above, probably the singlebiggest trend this season in footwear is the gladiator shoe. Thisstyle made its debut last year and it has exploded in 2009 with evenmore options. You are going to see these interesting shoes with allof the above mentioned embellishments including studs andbuckles and in bright colors as well as neutrals and in sexy heels orcomfortable flat versions!! I personally love pairing these slightlyharder edged shoes (even the simplest versions look a little harderand edgy because of the way the shoe wraps around your foot –hence the harder name – GLADIATOR) with really girly and morefeminine clothes. I love the sassier heeled gladiators with your

Summer2009

I f t h e Shoe F i t s…

BESTSHOPPING FINDS

cropped jeans and shorter dresses and I am obsessed with maxidresses paired with the flat gladiator sandals. A boring gladiatorshoe does not exist and the possibilities are literally endless -- Lookin some of your favorite fashion magazines to see the thousands ofways to pair this exciting shoe with every spring trend and everyclassic fashion item.

Hopefully your budget will allow you to add more than one shoe toyour wardrobe but if not, our shoe experts have a couple differentideas for the one shoe you MUST have this spring:

Lindsey and the folks at EJ’s looked to the woman that has a hugeinfluence on the women of the US, the one and only Oprah whenthey said that the one must have is the Fit Flop Sandal. Oprah gavethis flip flop that works out your legs while wearing, a seal ofapproval last year – and as you can imagine created a frenzy thatlead to these bad boys being nearly impossible to find. Theyshould be bit more available this year and are designed to helpmaintain balance, challenge hard to reach muscles in your legs andwork out your tush muscles. Whether they actually work or notis up to you to decide but they come in a lot of different styles andcolors – and I say if you can get a workout just walking around –it’s all good with me!!

On the dressier side of things -- Laura from Wish picked thegorgeous Giuseppe Zanotti Gladiator Sandal as her one must have.This shoe has jewels running from your toe to your ankle and willlook amazing with every single piece of clothing in your springwardrobe.

This season for so many different reasons … the shoes definitely fit!!�

Wish Shoes – 9765 Clayton Road – Ladue MO 63124 –314.432-0800

EJ’s Designer Shoe Outlet – 8620 Olive Blvd (just east of I-170)- St Louis, MO 63132 – 314.991.0183119 Watson Plaza - St. Louis, MO 63126 – 314.966.2050

Natalie Woods is the owner of Daisy-Clover Boutique in Webster Groves, MO.


BOUTIQUEPROFILECindy Berg, Kim Egelhoff, Tina Rigoni- owners Aly’s Interiors and Gifts5359 Hwy. N, St. Charles, MO 63304636-939.2597 www.alysinteriors.com

When did the store open? We celebrated 6 years in April 2009

What made you decide to go into the wonderful world of retail? Ourcommunity needed a resource that offers Fun Home Decor with anaffordable in-home design source. That is what we’ve created and thecommunity has welcomed us.

Why should people shop with you vs. other retail (specialty services,etc)? You can bring in a picture of a mantle or wall and we will help youmake the right choices. No one else offers that type of service.

What are some of your best sellers? Custom-made Floral Toppers,Artwork and Jewelry.

Plans/hopes for the future? To continue to be the best design resource inSt. Charles so people know they can have a beautiful home withprofessional design help and know they’ve gotten a great value.


Photos by Michael Schlueter

1 Botonical Wall Sconce. This beautiful sconce is made ofnatural botanicals and greens to add warmth and color to anyspace. Items like this can be custom made by Aly’s FloralDesigner to fit your space and coloring.

2 Aluminum Fluer Dis Lis Serving Tray. A perfect gift for thatupcoming bridal shower or Wedding. This tray conveys classand elegance and can be used decoratively or as a serving piecefor food items.

3 Tuscan Artwork. Fun color with a Tuscan feel to brighten anyroom. Aly’s can help you find the perfect art piece for anyspace. Feel free to bring in a photo of your specific area andwe can find the answer for you.

4 Spring is all about color--Think Spring

5 Brighton Accessories----Carries has it all! Handbags, Jewelry,Sunglasses, Fragrances, WatchesAll the latest New Charms!

6 Create a New Look ---Experience Carries

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SummerShopping


ST. CHARLES BICENTENNIAL KICKOFFSt. Charles’ bicentennial was kicked off in style at theFoundry Art Centre on March 3, 2009. The eveningfeatured heavy hors d’oeuvres focusing on our French,Spanish and German heritage. Live entertainment wasprovided by Crossover, a dynamic seven-piece band.Citizens with the longest St. Charles ancestry wererecognized by Mayor York and the St. Charles City Council.



Personal trainers beware. How aboutpersonalized exercise machines? They maynot be Jillian Michaels or Bob Harper, butthese Smart Cards can carry their ownersinto the annals of weight loss history justthe same—by personalizing each machineto its user.

Switch Fitness, with locations in O’Fallonand St. Peters, offers their members 11weight training machines, each of which iscomputerized similar to nautilus machines.Weights are stacked vertically, controlled bycomputers and raised and lowered bymagnets.

A typical workout can be completed in 25to 28 minutes, said Cindy Dean, assistantmanager and personal trainer.

The first seven machines are part of Switch’s“Quick Start” program, where users can geta whole-body workout in 18 minutes,spending approximately one minute oneach machine. In between the machines arestretching stations, also lasting a minuteeach.

But it’s the Smart Cards that make all thedifference, Dean said. “When someonebecomes a member with the program, eachmachine is specifically set for them,” shesaid. It works like this. When the userbegins, a starting weight and seat positionon each machine is programmed onto theSmart Card. When the card is inserted intothe machine, the machine remembers theindividual information for each person andthe machine registers that person as the user.

The machine is then able to track the rangeof motion of each user and as thatindividual completes 95 percent of theirrange of motion, the machine progressivelyincreases the difficulty. “The machine willadd a percentage of weight based on herfitness level,” Dean said. “When it gets too

heavy, the computer sensesthat incomplete range ofmotion and automaticallybased on her fitness level,allows her to finish herrepetitions. So it’s alwayspushing you to your maxabilities and then dropsback.”

Thus the Smart Cards allow users to“switch” fitness levels as they continue theirworkouts. There are 10 fitness levels, onebeing the least fit and 10 being the most fit.

A computer screen allows the client to seehow many repetitions they are doing andhow much weight they have cumulativelypressed, pulled and lifted.

All of this information is saved and storedon the Smart Cards. As the user progresses,they get stronger, and again switch theirfitness levels.

Dean said the system is the first of its kindin the world. An inventor from the St.Louis area devised the Exertron system andfranchised it, starting in O’Fallon in June of2008. The St. Peters location opened in thespring.

Switch Fitness also employs a registered

dietician as well as a fitness consultant,which are both available to clients duringevery workout.

“This is an efficient strength trainingworkout that someone can get in under 30minutes hitting all of their fitness needs—strength, cardio and flexibility. Strengthtraining is the key factor to getting real andlasting results,” Dean said. “This workoutincorporates stretching with strengthtraining. The best time to increase yourflexibility is when your muscles are nice andwarm. In a nutshell, this is circuit trainingat its best.”

For more information on Switch Fitness,call or visit either location at 8612 MexicoRd. in O’Fallon, 636-240-2183; or 7110Mexico Rd. in St. Peters, 636-970-2444; orvisit www.switchfitness.com. �

Switch FitnessP e r s o n a l i z e d t r a i n i n g

HEALTH & FITNESS


Ice CreamWe a l l s c r e am f o r I c e C r e am


As Streetscape honors so many birthdays in its Summer 2009 issue, wethought it only fitting that we honor one of summer’s mosttantalizing treats — ice cream. The theories and speculations on theorigins of our favorite dessert are as varied and numbered its flavors.And although the ice cream cone made its debut at the St. LouisWorld’s Fair in 1904, when Charles E. Minches of St. Louissupposedly came up with the idea of filling a pastry cone with twoscoops of ice cream (people are even reexamining this claim now), theorigins of the filler itself have been in question for hundreds of years.

Most of the early history of the chilly treat remains at best unprovenfolklore.

Even the history of the ice cream cone, to which St. Louis holds avery proud heritage has come into question of late. J.J. Schnebel, onhis website “Who Cooked That Up?” said that although, “Doubtless,the 1904 Fair was the place where the cone became popular” it maynot have been the place of its introduction. “Have you heard aboutthe Great Ice Cream Cone Controversy? It has the folks in St. Louishopping mad—and more than a little embarrassed,” Schnebel writes.“After several decades of boasting that like the hotdog bun and thehamburger, the ice cream cone was invented at the St. Louis Fair in1904, it turns out that a New Yorker named Italo Marciony had aU.S. patent on just such an item several months before the fairopened. Marciony had been selling lemon ice in cones from hispushcart since 1896, and was issued a patent on his mold onDecember 13, 1903…In his application he described his invention asbeing ‘like a waffle iron and producing several small pastry cups withsloping sides’. Sounds like an ice cream cone to me.”

About.com states that while ice cream is considered as “American” asapple pie and Chevrolet, its origins were probably in Europe. We canbe comforted, however, to know that the ice cream industry as weknow it today, was wholly developed in these United States. “Icecream undoubtedly evolved from iced beverages and fruit ices thatwere popular in early medieval periods, some of which probablycontained milk or cream. The practice, in early times of coolingdrinks in ice and snow containing salt is a matter of record. It seemspossible that in overcooling some of these punches, the ice wasdiscovered. At any rate, various records of frozen fruit flavored iceshave been found in European history and frozen ices are still morepopular in continental Europe than in the United States andCanada.”

The site goes on to comfort us ice cream-loving Americans by saying,“The United States has gained undisputed leadership among all othercountries in the production of ice cream. The industry grew slowlyuntil about 1900, when the output of ice cream did not exceed 25 to

30 million gallons per year. Theannual production has been on acontinuously increasing rate,with the production of both softand hard ice cream now at morethan one billion gallons. Thisrepresents a per capitaconsumption of more than 19pounds. Approximately ninepercent of the total U.S. milkproduction is utilized by the icecream industry.”

The origins of ice cream and itsresulting cone will always be thestuff of legends. And truth betold, the most commonconsumers of the chilly treatdon’t really care. Whatever theorigins, whatever the flavor andcertainly whoever the consumer,I scream. You scream. We allscream for ice cream. �

Serendipity Homemade IceCream Parlor in St. Louis

celebrated “National Ice Creamfor Breakfast Day” in Februarywith a free scoop of ice creamfor its patrons, many of whichshowed up in their pajamas for

the occasion.



Animals are such agreeable friends —they ask no questions, they pass no

criticisms.”

--George Eliot, “Mr. Gilfil’s Love Story”1857

Dogs are often called man’s best friend.And it’s been said that if you want the bestseat in the house, you’ll have to move thecat. Our love for animals traverses allgenerations, it crosses all racial boundaries.It surpasses all reason. Tell that to theyoung mother that spent $20 on aveterinarian visit to put down a gerbil afterher six-year-old dropped it and ran over itwith her roller skates. That was me. And itwas all so my young daughter would notknow she had actually killed the animal.

But there are those among us who dedicatemuch of their time and certainly theirtalents to rescuing and caring for thecreatures that others have either abandonedor taken for granted.

In this article Streetscape Magazine honorsjust a few of them. We understand that wecan not begin to scratch the surface of all ofthe animal rescue facilities and shelters thatexist even just in St. Charles County. (Ifyou want proof, just Google “animalrescue.”) For there is a group or home orgroup home for just about every conceivablebreed of animal out there.

But we hope to highlight and thank just afew of the people who take “caring for God’screatures, great and small” to a new level.

Amy Wilson is one such lady. Co-owner ofFramations in St. Charles, Wilson is the“2008 Volunteer of the Year” and long-timemember of the Missouri Alliance forAnimal Legislation (MAAL). A self-proclaimed vegetarian, Wilson houses fourdogs and three cats of her own---Max,

Harley, Duke, Puppy, Lizzy,Loralie and Beth, respectively.

“I just think we have a moralresponsibility to be caretakersand stewards of the animals onthis Earth,” Wilson said. “LikeEighteenth Century GermanPhilosopher Immanuel Kantsaid, ‘You can judge the heart ofa man by his treatment ofanimals.’”

And Wilson said taking care of a pet is thebest lesson for children. “If you treat ananimal with humanity, it’s a good way toteach your kids how to be good to others. Ifkids can treat an animal with compassionthey will treat others with compassion.”

Wilson said MAAL, founded in 1990,works on the front end of legislation“toward a day when maybe we won’t haveto.” The group’s mission is to protectanimals from abuse, neglect andexploitation by monitoring and facilitatingthe passage of animal welfare laws. Thisthey hope will enhance the quality of life forpeople and animals in Missouri.

Wilson said unfortunately Missouri hasearned the reputation as the “Puppy MillCapital of the United States, as there aremore licensed and unlicensed breeders inMissouri than anywhere else.” She saidsome 30-40-percent of all dogs sold in theUnited States come from Missouri due tothe substandard laws for the care of puppies.

Wilson said the Missouri State Auditor lastyear issued an audit of the Department ofAgriculture and the Animal Care FacilitiesAct Program that confirmed that the statewas not meeting its statutory responsibilityto inspect annually all of the licensedcommercial pet breeders in Missouri. Thisaudit says nothing of all of the unlicensedbreeders operating in the state.

This is just one of the issues facing MAAL.The non-profit organization also supportsthe “Healthy Pet Act”, or Senate Bill 186,which gives consumers recourse when theybuy sick puppies from stores. “Right nowwhen consumers buy a sick puppy, they canonly get another puppy,” Wilson said.“Sadly, Missouri puppy mills currentlychurn out far too many sick animals becauseof the deplorable conditions in which theyare raised and consumers are left with onlythe remedy of replacement, which isunacceptable to the families that havealready become attached to the pet.”

Wilson said some four million dogs are putto sleep each year in America needlessly.She said people mistakenly believe they cannot find a pure breed dog or cat at a shelter.“Personally, I wish consumers wouldn’tspend $1,000 for a pure breed dog whenthey can get one for free from a shelter.”

Wilson said MAAL is currently sponsoringseveral House and Senate Bills that wouldemphasize the welfare of the animalsvictimized by dog fighting. These billswould increase penalties for repeat offendersof being a spectator at a dog fight from amisdemeanor to a felony as well as enhancecriminal penalties for all second orsubsequent dog fighting offenses.

For more information on MAAL, visitwww.maal.org.

Animal RescueCa r i n g f o r God ’s c r e a t u r e sg r e a t & sma l l

PET TALES

“

Ken Farris


The volunteers of Midwest DobermanRescue of St. Louis have tried since

2000 to “clean up” this reputation of theDoberman. “And I think we’re doing that,”said Director Deb McReynolds.

Midwest Doberman Rescue is a group ofDoberman fanciers who, under the parentgroup of Purebred Dog Rescue of St. Louis,tried to find homes for Dobermans introuble. Sometimes the Dobermans thatthe group rescues are strays. Others arerescued from local pounds, shelters orpuppy mills. Still others are surrendered bypeople who find themselves no longer ableto keep the dogs. Midwest DobermanRescue places these dogs as well as providestemporary foster homes.

McReynolds said the Doberman breed gotits bad reputation in the 1970’s becausepeople often trained them as guard dogs.“Their instinct is to protect you,” she said.“It’s almost like living with another person.They are very loyal. The Doberman is thefifth smartest breed in the world.”

McReynolds said the group does not placedogs with a history of biting or with knowndebilitating health problems. “Most peoplegive up their Doberman simply becausethey do not have the desire or the time totrain the dog,” she said. “Relinquishingowners supply us with extensiveinformation about the dog’s health andtemperament.”

McReynolds encourages future dog owners

to consider adopting adult dogs. “An adultdog usually is very aware that he has beenchosen and is grateful for his loving newhome. He is likely to follow his humanparent devotedly, and will show greataffection for his new family members. Hemight carry along with him a few habitsfrom his original home, like sleeping on thesofa, but with love, patience and kindness,these an be changed.”

Other good reasons for adopting an adultdog are: housetrained; not teethingpuppies; more mellow; able to understandno; able to settle in more easily; good atgiving love and grateful for the secondchance they’ve been given; instantcompanions; less demanding; accustomedto human schedules, and don’t neednighttime feedings, comforting andbathroom breaks.

Midwest Doberman Rescue’s adoption feesrun between $250 and $350 and include ahealth examination, spay or neuter,microchip, heartworm test and treatment ifnecessary, fecal test and worming, rabies,DHLPP and Bordetella vaccinations.

Midwest Doberman Rescue will sponsor“Pet Fest ‘09” from noon to 3 p.m., Sunday,May 17 at Airedale Antics, 7328Manchester Rd. in Maplewood. This is a“Rally to Rescue” event and will include tenother rescue groups and vendors.

A “Doberman Adoption” will also be heldfrom noon to 3 p.m., Saturday, June 6 at

Petco, 6137 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in St.Peters.

For more information on upcoming events,adopting a Doberman or becoming a foster“human”, visitwww.midwestdobermanrescuestl.org or callMcReynolds at 636-947-1304.

The St. Charles County Animal Controland Pet Adoption Center in St. Peters

is the county’s clearinghouse for displacedand homeless cats and dogs. TheresaWilliams, director of the Pet AdoptionCenter, said the folks who work for thecounty’s animal control and Pet AdoptionCenter have many responsibilities.

Under the auspices of St. Charles CountyCommunity Health and the Environment,animal control deals with bite control,nuisance animals, rabies problems anddangerous animals. Investigations foranimal neglect and abuse are handledthrough animal control.

This department typically deals withnuisance complaints including those thatoriginate from “hoarding” cases. “Hoardersare people who collect more animals thenthey can humanely care for,” Williams said.These people start out just taking in animalsto care for because they love animals somuch. “But they find themselves unable tosay no to animals. They don’t see thatthey’re being neglectful.”

Rescues usually involve working withadoption and re-homing of the particularbreed. Williams said nearly every breed ofdog and cat has its own rescue group. Forinstance, if an 11-year-old Cocker Spaniel isrescued, Williams may call a specific rescuegroup for Cocker Spaniels as well as SeniorDog Rescue, a group that specializes inplacing older dogs.

“We do it all and also work well with animalrescue,” Williams said, adding that theresponsibilities of the center overlapconsiderably.

Williams said the Pet Adoption Center hasa very high adoption rate. As an “openadmissions shelter,” the center takes inanimals from other shelters and rescuegroups, regardless of their condition. “They

This story is dedicated to the loving memory of Publisher Tom Hannegan’s beloved Cinder,a seven-year-old black lab who was struck and killed by a car in April.


can be old, young, sick, aggressive,”Williams said. “If we took only adoptableanimals, we would never have to euthanize.”

There are always animals ready for adoptionat the center. Prices for adopting animalsfrom the center include spay and neuter,vaccinations, health exam, and treatmentfor parasites or sickness, and are as follows:cats 4 months and older, $30; kittens 4months and younger, $40; Dogs 4 monthsand older, $50; puppies 4 months andyounger, $60.

Williams said as sad as it is to discoveranimals that have been abused, she gets toexperience a lot of happy endings as well.One happy reunion of a pet and its“human” occurred after a pet owner came tothe shelter looking to adopt a cat. He hadlost his own cat some four months earlier.Ironically, the cat that he had lost wasawaiting adoption at the center.

Like Wilson, Williams said a hugemisconception exists about the kinds ofanimals that make up shelters such as thePet Adoption Center. “I would like people

to come to the shelter first (before buyingan animal from a pet store),” she said.“People don’t know that 25 percent ofanimals adopted here are pure breeds. Youcan get a very healthy pure bred animalfrom a shelter.”

For more information on adopting a pet,call 636-949-7387.

Senior Dogs 4 Seniors is a unique animalrescue organization that attempts to save

the oldest of canines and match them withtheir older human counterparts.

“David and I have grown up loving man’sbest friend,” said Diane Pierce. Diane andhusband, David Pierce, own and operateSenior Dogs 4 Seniors. “As our daughtersleft home, we started rescuing dogs andfound it to be very gratifying. The dogs thatwe rescued were wonderful dogs that justneeded a chance at a better life.”

In the last several years, the Pierce’s havefostered over 60 dogs. “We have witnessedthe fact that it is very difficult to findadopting homes for senior dogs. It is

understandable that the family doesn’t wantto fall in love with the dog and then losethem and be heartbroken.”

But she said she’s also learned that the olderdogs are the “best behaved dogs. They’repotty-trained and not demanding forexercise. All they want is someone to lovethem and to be with them.”

Senior Dogs 4 Seniors also takes therapydogs to hospitals and nursing homes. “Weare continually amazed at the positivereaction these dogs have on the patients.Their faces light up when a dog walks intotheir room. We know the positive force thatthese dogs have in our lives and put the twothings together to come up with the idea ofSenior Dogs 4 Seniors. It came to us that itwould be a win-win situation if we couldplace these older dogs in the homes of olderfolks who still live in their houses.”

Knowing that cost could be prohibitive tosome seniors, the Pierce’s created a 501c3non-profit so they could obtain donationsto help their foster parents.

Senior Dogs 4 Seniors Board MemberNancy Parko has fostered 820 puppies andover 150 adult dogs in the past six years.She maintains that all dogs need lovinghomes, not just the puppies. “I feel contentand peace in knowing every single dog wasgiven my heart and soul, learned as much asI could teach and found happy lovingforever homes,” she said.

For more information on Senior Dogs 4Seniors, call 636-458-1892 or visitwww.seniordogs4seniors.com. �


Whether it’s an outdoor adventure in thebackyard or a two-hour trip into thewilderness, families can get away for somefun family time without breaking the bank.

“I’ve found that people, once they gocamping they love it and go more often,”said Corry Mains, camping lead at Cabellasin Hazelwood. “And most campgroundshave a minimal cost—at most $12 a night.”

Before heading out to the wilderness for afew days, families should make sure theyhave all of the outdoor necessities. TheAlpine Shop, a local and independentoutdoor gear shop in Kirkwood, stocks allof the gear necessary for a trip into the wildor evening campout in the backyard.

First and foremost, campers will need toinvest in a good, solid tent.

Cabella’s in Hazelwood carries a wide line oftents from the two-person backpacking tentto the full-size luxury eight person, two-room tent.

Andy Kjellesvik, with Alpine Shop inKirkwood, said a four-person tent starts atabout $150, but the nicer tents with bettermaterial and a lighter weight can run about$300 to $400.

“It’s a bigger investment upfront, but it’smuch more durable and it makes sense tospend the money,” said Kjellesvik. “A nicefamily tent for $300 to $400 can last afamily 10 years.”

If camping is going to be a frequent summertrip, Mains agrees that spending money ona Northface, Eureka or Columbia brandtent would be wise.

W h e nchoosing atent, campersshould firstconsider size.

“You don’twant to get toosmall so you’resleeping oneach other,”said Mains.“And you don’twant it to betoo big andtake up thee n t i r ecampsite.”

Next, Mainssaid to checkout the polesto ensure stability and strength. Thebreathability of the tent is very important insummer camping, so campers should makesure the tent has lots of ventilation. AndMains said to make sure the rain hat, whichsits on top of the tent, is durable and won’tleak with a few raindrops.

“The cheaper tents are not the greatest in agood storm,” said Mains.

And finally, make sure the bottom of thetent is thick enough to hold up to the stickson the ground, Mains said.

Larry Whiteley, communications directorfor Bass Pro Shop, recommends the two-room dome tent at Bass Pro for familycamping. The tent is just under $100 andwith a 12' x 12' space it easily sleeps six. Thetent also has a removable internal roomdivider to fit the needs of any family.

All campers should invest in a well-madesleeping bag and a sleeping pad, whichinsulates campers from the cold, hardground. When looking for a sleeping bag,Mains suggests checking out the bags forstrong solid zippers and good, qualitymaterial.

“Just look for how well it’s made. You don’twant to put it in the wash once and it fallsapart,” said Mains. “With summercamping, just look for a sleeping bag thatwill keep you warm in 30 degree weather orabove.” Sleeping bags cost between $25 and$300 at Cabellas.

Campers with back problems can check outa cot to keep their backs off the ground, saidMains.

Campers should also make sure to stock acooler for perishable food items, and have alantern on hand for some late-night

OUTDOOR


CampingI t ’s g r e a t o u t d o o r s

Bass Pro Shops, the world's most exciting sporting goods. For moreinformation, visit www.basspro.com

outdoor lighting. Whiteley recommendsthe ThermaCell Patio Lantern at Bass Prowhich not only provides light, butsimultaneously zaps all insects within a 15foot radius.

Kjellesvik suggests calling the campsite andverifying if campfires are allowed or if thereare BBQ pits onsite. If the campgrounddoes not allow the fire, campers will have toinvest in a camp stove to cook meals. Campstoves can cost between $89 and $150 atthe Alpine Shop.

There are also a lot of camping items thatmay not be necessary for survival, but reallyadd to the fun factor of camping.

Kjellesvik said a really fun toy to take on afamily camping trip is an ice cream makerball. The ice cream maker is a round silverball about the size of a soccer ball. All thathas to be added is cream, salt and ice. Tochurn the ice cream, the kids kick the ballaround for about 20 minutes.

“We also carry a hand crank flashlight andradio,” said Kjellesvik.

Frisbees, fishing poles and old-fashionedhand crank popcorn makers are alsoavailable at any of the camping stores.

For a fun weekend trip somewhat close tohome, Kjellesvik recommends families

check out Hawn State Park in Ste.Genevieve, MO. Hawn State Park, locatedabout 90 minutes from St. Louis, hasgrounds for tent and RV camping. Thereare hiking trails, and families looking for alittle more wilderness can pitch a tent in themiddle of woods.

For a super-close vacation, a trip to CuivreRiver State Park in Troy, MO is a greatplace, according to Mains.

“There’s plenty of fishing and hiking andit’s not a far drive,” said Mains.

Families looking for a practice indoorcampout can check out Bass Pro early thissummer. Whiteley said the store will havecamping seminars inside the store thatteach families how to camp in the backyard.

For more information about campingadventures in Missouri visithttp://www.mdc.mo.gov/areas/. �


The Alpine Shop serves almost every type of outdoor enthusiast from backpackers, hikers,campers, paddlers, and cyclists, to snowboarders and skiers. For more information, visitwww.alpineshop.com.

Cabela’s, the world’s foremost outfitter since 1961. For more information, visitwww.cabelas.com.



Has last year’s lawn lost is luster? Has your landscaping left youlackadaisical? StreetScape Magazine wants to give its readers sometimely tips on how to spruce up their spruces as well as their spirea.

Daniel’s Farm & Greenhouses, at 352 Jungermann Road in St.Peters, has become a staple on the St. Charles County

landscape. Started by Ray and Maridel Koenig in 1956 with morethan 1,000 apple and peach trees combined on 70 acres, over theyears the Koenig’s raised strawberries, black and red raspberries,sweet corn, peppers, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, cantaloupe,watermelon, pumpkins, cucumbers, green beans and five varietiesof squash.

Most crops were handplanted, hand picked,hand packed and takento local grocery storesand produce row offBroadway in St. Louis.Some produce was sold atSt. Charles Farmersmarket in the 1970’s and1980’s.

Sixty acres of the farmwere eventually sold andbecame what is now theMisty Valley Subdivision.In 1990, Ray Koenigretired, leaving the careof what would becomeDaniel’s Farm & Greenhouses to his son, Daniel Koenig.

Since then, Daniel has built 10 greenhouses, five Quonsetgreenhouses, a mum-growing field for 15,000 plants, a dripirrigation system and rock bins for gravel, mulch and topsoil. In2000, a new planting house and irrigation system was put in placeto accommodate 10,000 hanging baskets. And finally, in 2001 thefront sale area was tripled in size.

Today, October harvest activities bring families from all over the St.Charles region and beyond to enjoy a petting zoo, straw maze andfull activity area.

Open year round, Daniel’s offers an outdoor garden andgreenhouses with a huge inventory that is constantly changing.

With more than 10,000 hanging baskets, hundreds of varieties ofperennials, 100,000 pots of annuals and over 70 varieties of roses.

Daniel’s Manager Monica Koenig said one of the biggest problemspeople encounter during the summer months is watering—when towater, how much to water. “I go back to the Missouri ExtensionOffice. They say to water an inch per week in one to twowaterings,” Koenig said. “Watering every morning is notnecessarily best for your grass.”

Koenig suggests measuring with a rain gauge to determine how longit takes your specific sprinkler or sprinkler system to reach this goal.

The Missouri Extension’s advice is true whether it is 70 degrees or100 degrees outside,Koenig said. “Morewater is not going tohelp,” she said.But withthe intense heat of St.Louis summer comesother problems, such asfungus and weeds.People who water toomuch are actuallycreating more weedsbecause weeds areshallow-rooted, Koenigsaid. When the top ofthe lawn is kept wet,these shallow-rootedplants are what survive.

Some grasses justnaturally go dormant and that’s ok, said Koenig. “Like bluegrass ismore apt to turn brown and more water doesn’t make necessarilybetter grass.”

Although most trimming is done in the spring and fall, some plantsand trees can be trimmed in the summer, including evergreenswhen the goal is to control size. These include Spruces and Yews,which should be trimmed in May before the heat hits.

Koenig said a general rule for planting is to plant during monthsthat have the letter “r” in them—September through April. It’s bestto wait until fall to dig something up to be replanted when the treehas lost its leaves. The tree has less water requirements then. Thedisturbance of the root system won’t be as hard on the tree.

Koenig said in the summer months, homeowners need to be

LandscapeS umme r S p r u c e - u p

YARDWORK

especially aware of insects. She suggestsbringing in the leaf from the plant thatinsects have attacked or the insect itself toa garden center in a plastic bag so aprofessional can suggest the properproduct or solution for the problem.

For more information on Daniel’s Farm& Greenhouses, call 636-441-5048.

Florissant Iron Works can help anyhomeowner achieve a dream

landscape with ornamental metals.Founded in 1951, Florissant Iron Worksspecializes in the design, fabrication,preservation and installation of finecustom architectural metal work andinterior iron décor.

Whether they’re using an original designor building to the customer’s plans,Florissant Iron Works combinestraditional old world fabrication andjoinery techniques or forging and castingwith modern metal working techniques.“These latest techniques afforded byadvances in new production technologiessuch as CAD rendering, electric welding,water jet, plasma and laser cuttingmethods and advanced finishing, haveproven to extend the range of our designswhile maintaining affordability,” saidWayne Bowman, owner.

The result, Bowman said, is exciting newforms of wrought iron, sand castings,aluminum, brass and bronze combinedin uncommon, unconventional ways to

create unique custom pieces.

Florissant Iron Works was founded, andremain,s on Florissant’s main streetknown as Rue St. Francois. Thecompany’s office building has been tracedby local historians as the oldestcommercial building in Florissant.

Bowman said ornamental metal work ismore than a safety railing, a piece offurniture, a staircase, or an accent on amirror or fireplace. “It is part of thedesign equation,” he said.

Florissant Iron Work’s lead iron workdesigner is both an engineer and anartist. “Having traveled the world andlived abroad, he brings an internationalperspective to bear for you witharchitectural influences from all over theAmericas, Eastern and Western Europe,the Middle East, India, China, Japan,Southeast Asia and Australia.”

Bowman said Florissant Iron Work’slibrary contains period and regionalornamental iron works spanningpractically all ancient and moderninfluences of American, European,Middle Eastern and Asian metal work.The collection of technical drawings,foundry pattern books, catalogs anddigests of architectural forms provide theinsight and inspiration that is oftencrucial in the early phases of thecompany’s role in any project.

A large part of the reasoning behindusing ornamental iron on one’s lawn is“essentially to increase property values,”Bowman said.

But it’s also the beauty that ornamentaliron brings. “People like to identify withsome part of history or area of the worldthey’re fond of. With iron work, they cando that by expressing their individualtastes.

For more information on Florissant IronWorks, call 314-837-3363.

Jeff Hansen founded Hansen’s TreeService in 1988. Hansen’s was the first

tree care company in Missouri to becertified by the Tree Care IndustryAssociation. Hansen’s employs 10International Society of Arboriculture-certified arborists, making the companyone of the most accredited tree servicecompanies in the St. Louis area.

Curtis Foster, arborist and certifiedcommercial applicator, is the lawn andland care manager for Hansen’s.

Foster said Hansen’s owes much of itsgrowth to the diversification of services aswell as its philosophy on employeeeducation. The company not onlyprovides residential and commercialservices such as tree diagnosis, treatmentfor sick trees, pruning, tree removal andstump removal, but also has expandedinto other areas. Among these are

Hansen’s mobile grinder, lawn care,mulch and firewood services andcompost. In all, Hansen’s employs 90people and operates a fleet of 75trucks.

Hansen’s started as a side job. In 1988,Founder and President Jeff Hansen,longtime BFI employee, startedtrimming trees a few Saturdays permonth so his wife could stay homewith their children. Before long, hisside job took more time than Hansencould do on the side, so he turned itinto a full-time venture and Hansen’swas born.

Hansen’s offers teams led by certifiedarborists, insurance for client’s piece ofmind, and the right equipment for any

job. Hansen’s recycles 100 percent of its wood and green waste toproduce organic compost, mulch or firewood.

Many things can inhibit the growth of residential trees, includingconstruction around them that may cause soil compaction or aninvasion of the trees’ growth zone, as well as disease and insectinfestation.

Foster said finding out the culprit of disease or insects is importantnot only to the tree a homeowner is trying to save but to thesurrounding tree and plant population. The first question shouldalways be whether or not to save the tree. “Our team of certifiedarborists is trained to assess your tree’s condition and determinewhether or not it can be saved. We won’t put your tree through atreatment program if that money could be better spent on removal.”

Besides disease and insect control, Hansen’s performs a variety ofcultural treatments,like solid aeration thatput trees in a positionto thrive, such asMauget injections anddeep root fertilizationand feeding.

Hansen’s also answersh o m e o w n e r s ’questions about whattrees are ideal for the

individual’s property and how they can best be cared for.

Hansen’s Tree Service can be heard on the Garden Hotline, amonthly KMOX radio show on which host Mike Miller interviewsJeff Hansen. Hansen takes calls from listeners to discuss issues withtree diagnosis, treatment, pruning, tree removal, stump removal andlawn care.

“Trees are like us,” Foster said, “if they’re getting enough water andgetting fed properly, they are going to make it through whateverstress issues without much difficulty. But when they are weakened,they are vulnerable to insects and disease.”

For more information on Hansen’s call 636-379-1830. �


SealMaxxPreserve the beauty and life of your wood, concrete andmasonry with the environmentally-safe SealMaxx sealingsystem. Guaranteed for 25 years, a one-time application ofthe SealMaxx system forms a permanent bond with wood,concrete and masonry, creating a protective barrier againstdamaging elements and chemicals.

No other sealant can match the unparalleled protectionyou get with the licensed SealMaxx system. 636-294-MAXX


2009 ALL MAYOR’S BALLThe fifth annual All Mayors' Charity Ball was heldSaturday, April 4, 2009 in the Ameristar Casino'sDiscovery Ballroom. The Casino Royale themed eventbenefitted local charities Connections to Success,Bridgeway Behavioral Health, Preferred FamilyHealthcare and the Children's Home Society ofMissouri.


BRIDGEWAY’S BE SAFE AT HOME AUCTIONGuests joined Honorary Co-Chairs Lou & Jackie Brock atBe Safe at Home, benefitting Bridgeway’s DomesticViolence & Sexual Assault Programs. “With NO TIES,We’re all Winners!” Everyone celebrated being safe(& comfortable) at home by wearing their favoriteteam’s jersey!

SOCIETY

SOCIETYSIGHTINGS

… by Teri Seiler

Long ago, but not so far away, was a small town known asSt. Charles. Its social scene consisted of the arrival of out-of-town relatives, church functions, tractor pulls, county

fairs and of course, bridal and baby showers. But, that was thenand this is now. That small town has grown into a thrivingmetropolis with a grandiose society that is always living life to itsfullest. These are people who know how to live big and give big.I will be taking you behind the scenes of the lives of people whoare making St. Charles County the place to live, work and play.Enjoy!

There are homes, there are elegant homes, and then there are estatehomes such as the one owned by Jan and Bill Ziercher located inprestigious Upper Whitmore. This community-minded couplerecently opened the doors to their elegant, 10,000-plus square footmanse to help benefit the bright minds of the children who attendThe Academy of the Sacred Heart. Guests such as Russ and JillMedonia, Michelle and Wayne Bowman, Dave and Moira Ross,Dr. John Powell, Ron and Leslie Theby, Barry and SusanChapman, Bill and Kelly Dulle, Mary Beth and Steve Heying,Tom and Carolyn Hughes, Justine and Kevin Riggs, and Ray andMary Beth Bulte enjoyed wine tastings provided by ReginaRuppert of Vintner’s Cellars in O’Fallon, while indulging incrudités and more provided by our town’s caterer-extraordinaire,Doug Risch. ASH Development Director, Jan McCoskerdiscovered she had a fondness for pears; especially when used as awine ingredient. According to party-goers the highlight of theevening was the lower level of the Ziercher home that is decorateda’la Hemingway hunting lodge and features a bar that rivals anyupscale commercial establishment. Guests enjoyed the libationsconcocted by alumni parent, Jay Mudd. When the two-hour soireewas over, many headed to “after parties” held at Dr. Robert andKarenMacDonald’sWhitmore abode or Eric andKelli Schaefer’sAustin Ridge castle. Sue and Bill Solomon, Brian and SusieGreen, Paul and Chris Ziegler, Michelle and Joe Schrick, Tomand Sheri Clark were just a few of the couples that partied into thewee hours of the next morning.

Love was in the air at the Boys & Girls Clubs Crystal Ball – adinner, dance and auction - as Scott Shockley bid high and won aLucky Ladies package which included a facial, flowers, dinner atPujols Westport Grill and a night at the Drury Inn for his lovelywife, Missy Shockley. No one deserved the restful, romanticpackage more than Missy, as she served as Chairwoman of the

elegant soiree that raised $110,000.00 for the Clubs. The black-tieevent brought out over 350 child advocates such as Rudy andBecky Beck, Ernie and Peggy Dempsey, Brad and Sandy Franta,Craig and Lorna Frahm, Harold and Dianne Burkemper, Steveand Tara Hovis, Vicki Schneider, John and Marie Covelli,Senator Tom Dempsey and his darling wife, Molly. Localcelebrity auctioneers, Dr. Michael Conoyer, Gary Shaw and JerryHollingsworth worked the crowd over enticing them to bid in thistrying economy and they actually succeeded. Steve Hollander willsoon be fishing the English River in Ignance, Ontario Canada, ashe won the high bid on a fishing cabin donated by Dan and AnneBurkholder. Sonny Robbins will be smiling pretty as he and hisloved ones will be snapped by fav photographer Dave Seidel. Alanand Ronica Orf will be headed to Indian Shores, Florida for arelaxing vacation while staying at the beautiful get-away condo ofStan and Mary Ann Domijan. David and Kim Graham will behaving a barrel of fun as the high bidders of Don Boschert’s WheelBarrel of Booze. Dr. Robert MacDonald will be hunting the eliteducks flying the skies over the exclusive Diamond Drake HuntClub. Tony and Cindy Kooyumjian won the bid on a 10-weekold, female, Shih Tzu and Bichon mix Teddy Bear breed puppy.The little white ball of fluff was purchased by Tony as a gift to hisailing mother, Eileen Wells. The attempt to cheer her up workedwonders as Mrs. Wells enjoyed her final days with her new furryfriend. After Mrs. Wells passed, the little pup found her way backin the welcoming arms of Tony and Cindy and, with the love andunderstanding that only a puppy can give, she has helped softentheir grieving process.

Do you know who wrote the theme song, “I Will Always LoveYou”, sung by Whitney Houston in the movie The Bodyguard?Does this sound like a trivial question? Well, over 150 supportersof the St. Charles Presbyterian Preschool answered questions likethat all night long in their attempt to win first place at the school’sannual Trivia Night fundraiser. David Besgrove served as emceeand challenged the crowd of brainiacs such as Fran Pieper, Bill andAmy Pieper, Tom and Katy Smith, Nick and Laine Ives, Daveand Michelle McCune, Corey and Kendra Malone, Ted and TaraBoyer, Frank and Jan Kardasz, and Joe and Denelle Papa withsome very thought-provoking questions. The teachers’ tableconsisting of Melissa Nichols, Jody Martin, Cindy Rothermich,Lora Kiel, Lindsay Wideman, Kathy Mudrovic andadministrative assistant, Kevin Bauer, was thought to be the realthreat of the evening since they would probably have all the answers– being teachers and all; but they failed and had fun doing so.School administrator, Nancy Simpson, was all smiles as shewatched her own sons Scott, Chris, and Matt Simpson, drainingtheir craniums to help support their mom’s efforts. It was afabulously fun evening and not only did it raise funds for theschool, the evening also proved profitable for school secretary,Mary Bloebaum, who went home with $400.00 after winning the


50-50 drawing. By the way, the answer to the above question is:Dolly Parton.

Culture vultures were out in flocks as The Dance Company of St.Charles, under the artistic direction of Tracy Davenport andDeborah Davenport, recently celebrated their 25th anniversarywith their annual Spring Concert. Thanks to supporters such asPhil Krupa, Chris and Jim Pauley, Janet Vinciguerra, DaveBazzell, Greg and Gene Bearden, Ted Pashos, Steve Robbins,Dr. Mark Holland, Chuck Strubinger, Dr. Anita Watkins,Stephen Schoenherr, D.C., and the leadership efforts of LisaSteinhoff and Kelly Dougherty concert dancers such as RichieMiller, Joanna Shelton, Phil Russo, Cathryn Pherigo, KelseyOrf, Deidre Meyer, Amy Gammon, Jenna Conner and AmandaBeardsley were able to showcase their years of training and poeticmovements to the packed house of dance aficionados. Applaus,applaus on 25 years!

Linda Plummer and Linda Didion, who served as HonoraryChairwomen of the Heroes for Health dinner and auction held atThe Columns Banquet Center were heroes themselves as theyhelped raise $42,000.00 via oral and silent auction items to

benefit Crider Center for Mental Health. Attendees at the eventsuch as Frank Martinez, Angle Walters, Tom and MinnieBrown, Dave and Carol Cosby, Deborah Alessi, StateRepresentatives Ann Zerr and Sally Faith, Judge KeithSutherland, Robert Fruend, Debbie Hessler, Richard Metz,David Ross, Bill Zywiciel, and Paula Walters, were moved bythe special experiences shared by Linda Clark, whose sonbenefited from the services of the wonderful organization. “Myson had his first friend at the age of 16, thanks to Crider. Prior tothat, I had no hope. Now he is 20, he can vote, holds down apart-time job and has his learner’s permit.” There were no signs ofa recession at this event, as development director, Steve Martinez,was overwhelmed at the generosity of the attendees who, with alittle nudging from Capital Campaign Co-Chairs, Harlan Palsand EdWatkins, raised $91,000.00 that evening via pledge cards.These funds will help build a 43,000 square foot facility to houseall the medical services provided by Crider. Fantastic!

If you would like to contact me with any society sightings, you cane-mail me at: tseiler@ charter.net or contact me at 314-610-2315.�


Walter’s JewelryA d a z z l i n g h i s t o r y


St. Charlesans love history. They love quality and they love goodservice. Walters Jewelry, a landmark in the Missouri river town, hasthem all.

Charles Walters founded the store November 28, 1916, as St.Charles Music & Jewelry Company. It was said the man could fixanything. The store at 230 North Main closed three years later, andCharles Walters and Clara Austerschmidt Walters moved to El Paso,TX. But it wasn’t long before the couple returned to St. Charles,reopening the store in the Austerschmidt house on 4th Street,where they sold and repaired jewelry, musical instruments, clocksand watches from their kitchen table.

By July of 1928, the store was moved to 212 North 2nd Street inSt. Charles, and renamed Walters Jewel Shop. Although CharlesWalters died June 28, 1930, Clara kept the store open. She movedthe business to its current location in 1935 and later purchased the

building from then owner Laura Schubert in 1944. Clara Walter’sson, Paul Walters took over the operation and bought the businessin the early 1950’s.

Paul Walters was a hearing aid specialist. His brother, Charles“Doc” Walters, was an optometrist. At one time, an optometrist,dentist and medical doctor were all operating out of the building at

230 North Main in St. Charles, along with a dental lab.

Tom Wapelhorst came into the picture when he came to workfor his father-in-law, Paul Walters, in 1972. Wapelhorstmarried Paul’s daughter, Cheryl Walters. He bought Walter’sJewelry in 1983.

Wapelhorst received his training at the Gemological Instituteof America as well as the American Gemological Society.

Today, Walters Jewelry offers jewelry sales, repairs andappraisals. From diamond engagement and wedding sets toanniversary rings, Wapelhorst designs and manufactures muchof his array of fine jewelry.

Wapelhorst still harbors the safe that Clara Walters purchasedfor $25 so many years ago to store her jewels. It cost the youngjeweler $55 just to transport it to St. Charles from St. Louis.About the size of a small refrigerator, the safe is still armed withtear gas, although it’s been disabled. If the lock wascompromised by force or heat, a glass vial full of tear gas wouldbreak and render the thief incapable of completing his crime.Wapelhorst said nowadays he is required by law to affix a signto the safe warning of the tear gas threat. Three additional safeshouse Wapelhorst’s valuables, however.

For more information on Walter’s Jewelry, call 636-724-0604.�

STATE YOURBUSINESS


Sand VolleyballD i g i t !Story by Robin Seaton JeffersonPhotos by Michael Schlueter

Although it’s a sport more well known on the west coast wherebeaches abound, sand volleyball is making a huge splash in theMidwest where bar and court owners are setting up mock beachesand players are flocking to dive in.

A Mexican beach theme and plenty of Florida white sand don W-Ave Taco in the Historic Loft District at 1335 Convention CenterPlaza just off Washington Ave. in St. Louis, where it’s ok to becompletely relaxed and wear flip-flops, shorts and a bikini top tohang out in the grass area around the courts. Players can playvolleyball while sipping cold beer and margaritas and enjoyingsome of the fresh Mexican food.

Rachel Boles and her mother spend Tuesdays together at what is fastbecoming Flint Hill’s new hot spot. It’s not a bar, but drinks areserved. It’s not a sports arena, but sports are definitely the draw.

“The Sandbox” at 2222 NE Service Rd. at Hwy. 61 North in FlintHill actually opened in 1993. But owner Josh Driscoll said witheight outdoor courts on three acres, a concession stand, pavilion,bathrooms and a beer garden, the players just keep coming.

Boles, 33, of Warrenton, played volleyball in high school until shehurt her knee. Sand volleyball has provided a soft return for herinto sports and some quality time with her mom. “When you lovethe game it’s not something you want to stop doing,” she said. “It’sjust a fun game, a fast game and good exercise. And it’s not adifficult sport to get involved with. There are different skill levelsand all you need is a ball and net.”

Driscoll said the Orf family operated the courts at The Sandboxoriginally. Driscoll took over in 2001. He played volleyball for fouryears at Fort Zumwalt South before graduation.

Driscoll said leagues begin April 1 and go through October. TheSandbox offers play for women’s, coed, four-person and six-personleagues in power, intermediate and recreational designations.Tuesday night coed leagues are not refereed and are free, open play.

“It’s really a family environment,” Driscoll said. “Kids build sandcastles on the empty court while their parents play. People can geta hotdog for a dollar and chips for 50 cents. It’s something we cankeep inexpensive for people to get out of the house and do.”

Driscoll also has a full liquor license and offers patrons a fullassortment of mixed drinks, draft and bottled beer.

Driscoll said people like sand volleyball because the sport offers,among other things, a softer impact, and something new that onlywarm weather allows. “It’s also more of a social event. Whenpeople set aside a night during the summer and create a team, theystay. And at about $5 a person per night, you can’t get out of thehouse for that.”

About 162 teams play on three nights during the summer session.For more information on The Sandbox, call 314-307-3575.

Sand volleyball has gotten so big at Ethyl’s Wildwood Smokehouseand Saloon in O’Fallon that they had to hire a volleyball managerand coordinator. Ben O’Day is now in his first season in that role.

Sand volleyball is in its eighth season at Ethyl’s. The restaurant andbar offers recreational and intermediate leagues Sunday throughFriday and open play on Saturday. Three nine-week sessions gofrom April to October.

O’Day has been playing the game for 19 years. At first he playedwith his dad. He later gave up baseball to take up volleyball in highschool and college. He currently plays club ball on a league andcoaches at East Central College in Union, MO.

O’Day said volleyball has become a growing sport in St. Louis,especially over the last decade. “It’s a good sport to enjoy outdoorswith friends and have a good time. It’s more of a friendly, close-knitatmosphere.”

It’s also a life-long form of entertainment. O’Day said his dad, now61, is still playing.

For more information on Ethyl’s sand volleyball, call 314-630-2406.

Stratford Bar & Grill at 800 South Hwy. Dr. across from theChrysler plant in Fenton, MO was voted Riverfront Time’s 2007Best Sand Volleyball Court. With three sand courts made ofFlorida White Sand, a full menu and an outside bar with a 4,000-square-foot patio, Stratford plays ball. League play is offered fivenights a week and court rental is available for tournaments orprivate parties.

Located inside the Stratford Inn, the place is famous for its AdultHappy Meal, which includes a burger fries and drink for $5 all day.Claiming to have served more than 10 million drinks, Stratfordoffers happy hour prices seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.as well as a complimentary buffet during happy hour from 2 to 6p.m. Monday through Friday.

And Stratford is no stranger to sports. The place houses dozens oflarge television monitors showing all manner of sporting events.Along with three sizable sand volleyball courts, Stratford offersbilliards, darts, foosball, poker tables, video games and plenty ofdancing.

For more information on sand volleyball at Stratford, call 636-343-5757 ext. 367. �


Story by Monica Adams

So you've made the decision to take on oneof the more grueling adventures of your life;swimming, biking and running. All in adays work and no problem, right? Well forsome maybe, but for others it is an arduousprocess to prepare both physically andmentally for such a feat. Many find theirpath to their first triathlon through themeans of training for a charitableorganization. is is the beginning of my

journey.

I was asked to serve as the media participantfor one of the local events put on by TeamIn Training or T.N.T., part of the Leukemiaand Lymphoma Society in St. Louis. I hadpreviously completed a half marathon inNew Orleans for the same organization. Idid my second half marathon, on my own,in St. Charles county years later. e lessonI learned from my second experience wasthe lack of preparation. You can not justjump into one of these events withoutproper training, nutrition, hydration,stretching and mental preparation. Isuffered a painful knee injury and promisedmyself I would never do a half marathonagain.

It had been a few years before I got the callfrom TNT to repeat this adventure. I keptto my promise not to do a half or fullmarathon but through my personal trainingI had always considered a triathlon to be apossibility due to the interval training

aspect. Many have heard through sportsmedicine studies or doctors warnings of thepounding the body takes through running.What many physicians have told me overthe years, though, is the benefit ofsomething like a triathlon due to a differentpattern of training for the body. So, Iagreed to do the Innsbrook Triathlon June6th.

ere is a key component to a triathlon,however, and that is to make sure the bodyis physically able. Many begin training onthis unknown path without ever consultingtheir physician. Also, without theassistance of a team of coaches, trainers,nutritionists; possibly even podiatrists,sports medicine doctors and mentors, youmight be biting off more than you canchew. It is been likened to a "blind path".

A recent study also found that to thoseweekend warriors a triathlon poses at leasttwice the risk of sudden death as marathonsdo. e risk is mostly from heart problems

FITNESS &LIFESTYLE

Takingthe

PlungeDe c i d i n g t o t r a i n

f o r a t r i a t h l o n


during the swimming. Completing a triathlon is an amazing featbut don't brush off the importance of speaking with your doctor.Many who are signing up to take on this three sport race are notused to the demanding exercise. "It's something someone justsigns up to do," often without a medical checkup to rule out heartproblems, said Dr. Kevin Harris, a cardiologist at the MinneapolisHeart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. "ey mightprepare for a triathlon by swimming laps in their pool. at's a lotdifferent than swimming in a lake or a river."

Dr. Harris is the lead author of a recent study into triathlon deathswhich has a higher rate than those who have died while trainingfor a sister event, like a marathon. Almost all triathlon deathsoccurred during the swim portion. "Anyone that jumps intofreezing cold water knows the stress on the heart," said Dr. LoriMosca, preventive cardiology chief at New York-PresbyterianHospital and an American Heart Association spokeswoman. Coldwater constricts blood vessels, making the heart work harder andaggravating any pre-existing problems. It also can trigger anirregular heartbeat. On top of this temperature shock is the stressof competition. is study came out one week after I learned I hadinfiltrates in my lungs which was a stressor not only to mypulmonary function but to a stressed heart and a low bloodpressure. At the advice of my doctor, it was recommended I haltmy training. At the time of this article it is unknown if I'll be ableto complete the June event but rest assured I will get a clean billof health and compete either in June or in the Nation's Triathlonin Washington D.C. in September.

For the study, researchers used records on 922,810 triathletescompeting in 2,846 USA Triathlon-sanctioned events betweenJanuary 2006 and September 2008. Of the 14 deaths identified,13 occurred during swimming; the other was a bike crash.Autopsies on six of the victims showed that four had underlyingheart problems. Two others had normal-looking hearts, but theymay have suffered a fatal heart rhythm problem, Harris said.

While many involved in this study knock charity groups forrecruiting so heavily to those who have never done an event likethis before, I have to commend the efforts of the Leukemia andLymphoma Society for their stellar preparation and supportgroups. Unless you are tied to a group like Team In Training, withsupport through coaching, mentoring and injury prevention; youmay be taking on a great risk. For information on TNT and howto get signed up for a triathlon through the guidance ofprofessionals, log on to www.teamintraining.org and put in yourzip code or call 314-878-0780.

Lastly doctors offer these tips to anyone considering a triathlon:

• Get a checkup to make sure you don't have hidden heartproblems.

• Train adequately long before the event, including open-waterswims — not just in pools.

• Acclimate yourself to the water temperature shortly before arace, and wear a wetsuit if it's too cold.

• Make sure the race has medical staff and defibrillators on site. �


They come from as far away as Decatur and Springfield, IL andeven Iowa City, IA to practice every Thursday evening in St.Charles. There are 243 of them…men of all ages…and they’reabsolutely amazing to listen to. Who are they?

They are the Ambassadors of Harmony.

The brochure says, “Fun for any guy who likes to sing.” ButDirector Dr. Jim Henry says, “There’s a long list of things that areunique about this chorus. It’s a very specific sort of all-Americanmusic.”

Henry is the head of the Choral Studies Department at theUniversity of Missouri-St. Louis. He has a Ph.D. in MusicComposition from Washington University in St. Louis. He sangbass with The Gas House Gang—the 1993 International QuartetChampions for many years and now sings bass with a newquartet—partnered with three other past gold medalists—Crossroads.

It was under Henry’s direction that the performing chorus of theAmbassadors of Harmony won their 14th consecutivechampionship in the BHS (Barbershop Harmony Society) CentralStates District Chorus Competition on October 11, 2008 in CedarRapids, IA.

Singing such old favorites as “Love Walked In”, “Get Me To TheChurch On Time” and “This Joint is Jumpin’”, The Ambassadorshave performed all over the world, from Ireland, Germany andEngland, to The Netherlands and Sweden.

They practice each Thursday evening at 7 p.m. at the BlanchetteMemorial Hall in Blanchette Park in St. Charles The public iswelcome and there are always visitors watching. “There is justsomething about that many men singing with that kind of

passion”, says Dr. Henry.

So it’s the music and fun that attracts them, but the brotherhoodkeeps them, Henry said.

The Ambassadors of Harmony is known for its family-orientedreputation. Henry remembers when his brother—also a member ofthe chorus—was dying of cancer. “This chorus was anunbelievable support system. Every need his family had, fromgrocery shopping to pulling up stumps, it was just covered. It wasjust done. That’s why I say that the music attracts us but thefellowship keeps us.”

Dr. David Wright, professor of mathematics at WashingtonUniversity, is associate director of The Ambassadors and also one ofthe premiere songwriters and arrangers of

a cappella music for the group.

In July of 2004, The Ambassadors of Harmony won the BHSInternational Chorus Championship in Louisville, KY, singing twoarrangements by David Wright and receiving a standing ovationfor their gold medal performance. In July 2007, The Ambassadorsachieved their highest competition scores ever in a first place tiewith the Westminster Chorus at the Society's International ChorusCompetition in Denver, CO. Per the Society’s tie-breaking rules,The Ambassadors were awarded the second-place silver medal.Last year, the chorus again took the silver medal at theinternational competition in Nashville, TN, missing a win bythree-tenths of a percentage point.

Henry said the 243-man Barber Shop chorus works at “anextremely high professional level, and yet the number of peoplewho make a living in music that perform in this chorus” are fewerthan the fingers on one of his hands. “They come from all walksof life and all ages and yet they make music at a level that’s almostunheard of.”

Ken Schroer is one of them. He remembers standing in front ofhis new house in St. Charles many years ago. A man he knewpulled up and saw him standing there. The man had some sheetmusic on the car seat next to him. He was a member of the then-Daniel Boone Chorus.

That was four decades ago. He is still involved with the chorus,which is now called The Ambassadors of Harmony. The choruswas formed in 1963 by 26 men in St. Charles. The chapter is

Ambassadorsof HarmonyNo t e - p e r f e c t

Ambassadors of Harmony

affiliated with the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) formerlyknown as the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement ofBarber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. (SPEBSQSA, Inc.).The society was formed in 1939.

The Ambassadors range in age from 9 to 85 years of age. Boysunder 16 can join the chorus if their father or grandfather is amember. Schroer said The Ambassadors currently host about foursets of grandfather, father and son trios. About 151 men make upthe performing chorus.

Each year, the Ambassadors of Harmony plans a season of eventsthat includes a show in June, “Voices in Harmony”, and a holidayshow in December, “Sounds of the Season”. For the past four yearstheir performances have been at the Blanche Touhill PerformingArts Center at UMSL.

Quartets from the group also deliver singingvalentines each year all around the St. Louis area.

The group’s mission is simple: to give its audiencea gift that they will always remember with a smileand to provide the very best in a cappella music.

Schroer said The Ambassadors’ main goal islearning songs “note-perfect so the four-partharmony can be recognized and enhanced.”

“This can really be a challenge,” Schroer said.“The harmonics are above what we actually hearin any music. When the four-part harmonymeets, there it is expanded sound. It’s differentfrom anything you’ll ever hear in vocal productionmusic or the church choir. Barber Shop has itsown style. It is a unique art form and it takes aspecial arrangement to bring out the best of four-part harmony.”

That four-part harmony is so blended that thelistener is unable to distinguish between theindividual singers of the bass, baritone, lead and tenor parts. “Butthey create what we call overtones above those voices,” Henry said.That’s what those in the business call the “ring”. And it’s sheerpleasure to the ear.

Schroer said The Ambassadors, and especially their directors,“know how to get the maximum ring out of any standing position.”It’s this “ring’ that causes the expanded sound. “Unlike most othervocal arrangements, you can understand each word. We deal somuch with vowel accuracy. It’s a real science I’m taking part in.”

“We call it ‘singlish’”, Henry said. “It’s like English but we’re reallypaying attention to all the sounds. The vowels are perfectlymatched and the consonants are sung together.”

The result leaves the listener unequivocally amazed and convincedthere are instruments in accompaniment when there are not. But

the entertainment doesn’t stop with the music. The choreographyand the expressions on the faces of the hundreds of crooningentertainers leave the audience spellbound.

“We really change people’s lives with our music,” Schroer said. “Wegive gold medal moments to our audience.”

Henry directs his friends and fellow music men each Thursdaynight with the same passion that each of them brings to the table.He tells the men, “You’ve heard it said that the devil is in the details.Well, I say that God is in the details...especially in any kind ofexceptional art or beautiful music.” He also gets extremelytechnical…insisting each man sing with ultimate resonance all thetime. “Basses...get some raise in the soft pallet, Baritones…samedeal, Leads…we’re not in danger of being too sharp…let’s have a G.That’s where we live, Leads. Tenors, think about leading thesound.”

Henry has created a clinic at UMSL for high school choir membersthat is sponsored and underwritten by The Ambassadors. Last yearabout 600 boys and their choir directors spent all day teachingsongs in the Barber Shop style. They call it “A Capellooza” a playon the work a capella. This year, the group added a session for 500girls, at the request of local choir teachers.

The Ambassadors of Harmony will present “Voices in Harmony—2009” on June 20, 2009, and the “Sounds of the Season” December11-13 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University ofMissouri-St. Louis campus. Tickets are on sale now. For more showinformation, visit www.aoh.org.

The Ambassadors will be competing at the BHS InternationalConvention in Anaheim, CA in July. �


FEATUREDMUSIC ARTIST

M AY

16 | The Greater St. Louis Renaissance Faire | The Greater St. LouisRenaissance Faire opens for its eleventh season at Wentzville’s Rotary Parkfrom 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 16. The family-friendly festivalcelebrates the visit of King Francois and his court to the re-created 16thcentury village of Petite Lyons. The shady streets are lined with merchantsselling period-inspired wares. Live entertainment is featured on eight stagesthroughout the site, and jousting knights meet on the field of honor threetimes a day. The fair is open weekends. Cost is $13 for adults, $11 forstudents, $8 for children under 12, and children 5 and under are free. Formore information, visit www.stlrenfaire.com. Directions: Hwy. 70 West toExit 208 (Wentzville Parkway); go north past Walmart; turn left on WestMeyer Rd.; go approximately 2-1/2 miles; park is on the right.

30 | Bridgeway Behavioral Health Foundation - Run, Walk, and Roll |Bridgeway Behavioral Health Foundation will hold a Run, Walk, and Rollmarathon-style event to support Bridgeway’s Domestic Violence and SexualAssault Programs from 9 to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, May 30 at Frontier Parkin St. Charles. For more information contact Kathi Corbett at 636-916-3550 or [email protected] or visit www.bridgewaybh.com.

J U N E

4 | LifeLight Youth Theatre - “Beauty & the Beast” | The LifeLight YouthTheatre will present its adaptation of Disney’s “Beauty & the Beast” from 7to 10 p.m. Thursday June 4 and Friday June 5, and from 2 to 6 p.m.Saturday, June 6, at the Carl Reininger Theatre at Timberland High School,559 E. Hwy. N in Wentzville. The Saturday performance is a specialfundraising show for the SCCHE Widow’s Fund. Ticket prices are $8 foradults and $7 for children ages 3 to 17 and seniors 55 and over. Tickets arereserved seating. Call 636-978-7852 for more information and to purchasetickets. For more information on LifeLight Youth Theatre, visitwww.lifelightyouththeatre.com.

6 | Wentzville Parks and Recreation - Kids Fishing Derby | Wentzville Parksand Recreation will hold a Kids Fishing Derby from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.Saturday, June 6 at Rotary Park, 2577 West Meyer Rd., in Wentzville. Thisfree event for kids 4 to 10 years old will include an “I Caught a Fish”contest. Prizes will be given to participants. For more information call636-332-9236 or visit www.wentzvillemo.org.

20 | The Ambassadors of Harmony - “Voices in Harmony 2009” | TheAmbassadors of Harmony will present “Voices in Harmony 2009” from 2to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, June 20 at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing ArtsCenter in St. Louis. Tickets are $26, $23, and $21. For more information,call 314-516-4949 or visit [email protected].

J U LY

3 | Heritage & Freedom Fest | The annual Heritage & Freedom Fest will beheld Friday through Sunday, July 3 through 5 at the Ozzie Smith SportsPark. Enjoy national entertainment, two nights of fireworks, free kidsactivities, a carnival and midway and lots of great food vendors. Freeparking located at Fort Zumwalt North High School and Christian HighSchool with free air-conditioned shuttles to fairgrounds. For moreinformation visit www.ofallon.mo.us.


BOOKCLUB

Ann takes readers on a tour ofyummy and interesting placesto eat all over the state.Besides good food, eachrestaurant also has somethingelse going on. If you decide totry every one, watch out. Youmay need a new wardrobe totake care of that increasingwaistline.

Reedy Press,Paperback $14.95

100 UNIQUE EATS ANDEATERIES IN MISSOURI

by Ann Hazelwood

SummerCalendar of Events

� www.historicstcharles.com� www.historicfrenchtown.com� www.newtownatstcharles.com� www.stcharlescountycalendar.com� www.stpetersmo.com

For more information on events inour area, visit these helpful websites:

Available at Main Street Books 307 South Main | 636-949-0105

StreetScape Summer 2009

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Transcript of StreetScape Summer 2009