Dee Loflin SMT Manager/Writer
Dexter, Missouri - Despite the cold, foggy morning hundreds of children and adults bundled up and headed out to the West City Park for the Annual Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Dexter.
The Easter Bunny even took some time out of his busy schedule to stop by for photo opportunities with the youngsters. Even the Boy Scouts had their photo taken with the Bunny! Some of the littlest ones were quite frightened of this huge bunny, but he waived and patted their heads and made them feel much better. Some even began to smile and laugh.
As the clock neared the starting time, children were starting to bend as if ready for a race. Precisely at 1 p.m. the horn sounded and the children ran to collect hundreds of eggs in just mere minutes. Everyone was smiling and reaching for a plastic colorful egg with a prize inside and in a flash it was all over.
There were three special eggs and if found that child received a wonderful Easter Basket full of goodies! There sure were plenty of eggs on the ground, in the bushes, and in the trees. Everyone was looking up and down and all around trying to find those colorful eggs.
It seemed everyone had a great time and enjoyed their candy and prizes!
There are plenty of pictures on ShowMe Times Facebook page and under photos on www.showmetimes.com. Hope everyone has a very special Easter!
Dee Loflin SMT Manager/Writer
Jefferson City, Missouri - The first-ever observance of Vietnam Veterans Day in Missouri will be held on Saturday, March 30, as a day to give special recognition to veterans of the Vietnam conflict. Last summer, Gov. Jay Nixon signed into law a bill designating March 30 of each year as the day to give special honor to Vietnam veterans.
As part of the recognition, the Governor will hold a ceremony at his Capitol office recognizing four military veterans, one each representing service in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Those veterans will be presented with special service medals, coins and certificates authorized by the state of Missouri for those who served during the Vietnam War.
The veterans being honored are Stephen Hill, of Webb City, (Army); John Albright, Sunrise Beach (Navy); Michael Puckett, Camdenton (Air Force); and David Coleman, House Springs (Marines). Maj. Gen. Stephen L. Danner, Adjutant General of Missouri, will join the Governor in recognizing those veterans. The ceremony will begin at 9:45 a.m.
“These four veterans represent the thousands of men and women who bravely served our country during a difficult time in our nation’s history,” Gov. Nixon said. “Most times, they returned home to no public celebrations or welcomes – something we as a country should not have let happen. This day in Missouri is part of the renewed, ongoing effort to give the proper recognition due to those veterans, and to again thank them for their service and sacrifice.”
On Tuesday of this week (March 26), Missouri observed the first-ever Veterans of Operation Iraqi/Enduring Freedom Day in honor of the nation’s military veterans who served in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. That date was designated in another state law enacted last year.
Written by
Jessica Snider, SMT Writer
Dexter, MO- Yesterday many people witnessed a huge and much deserved send off for the Lady Bearcat Basketball Team.
Things kicked off as a pep rally got underway before the girls were set to take off for Columbia.
There were many students, teachers, coaches, parents, and fans in attendance for the pep rally and send off.
Among those people were a few fans who have a special place in their heart for senior Brittany Harris.
Aside from academic and athletic excellence, Brittany also has a talent for putting a smile on many resident's faces at Central Gardens where she is employed.
All the residents who come into contact with Brittany at Central Gardens Residential Care in Dexter have nothing but good things to say about her. Thanks to Michelle Starnes (Central Gardens activity director,) a few of the residents got to venture out yesterday to help send off the Bearcats and wish Brittany good luck!
Pictured in the photo from left to right: Brittany Harris, Phylis Renbott, Carol McGee, and Lottie Joseph.
Neal E. Boyd's dream is held within his love and passion to honor his mother, who is currently battling breast cancer.
"She is doing great, still it has instilled in me a sense of urgency to get this music out this year," said Boyd. "Family, friends, and fans have asked for me to do a Christmas CD for three years, and I feel it's time for new music and for it to come out this Christmas."
Kickstarter as a method for funding has been around since 2008, so it's not a totally new concept. Similar to past fundraising of the Silicon Valley days, is a fun and rewarding way that consumers to personally and financially attach themselves to a project like Neal's Christmas album.
From the positive side, Kickstarter can create a forum for ideas that many times would not receive funding from normal funding methods. It is noted that for every great project, there are 10 to 20 ideas that do not merit your attention, or your money. So be careful.
With Neil E. Boyd's project, this is a local guy that has a proven track record of providing excellent material. The crowd-funding method is perfect as Neil can offer those that pledge funds to his project, known as "backers", specific rewards for different levels of contributions. These rewards range from personal "Thank You" letters to autographed pictures to VIP tickets to the artist Christmas concert.
It's very simple to learn more as Neal has provided you with a personal message to the project located on his Kickstarter site. Click the Kickstarter icon here to visit that site. Personally take your ownership in Neal E. Boyds "My Christmas Wish" album. Your pledge opportunity will end on March 22nd, 2013, so you need to hurry to make this "Christmas Wish" come true for Neal.
Neal E. Boyd Biography
Known worldwide as “The Voice of Missouri,” Boyd was born in the rural town of Sikeston, MO, the son of an African-American father and a Caucasian mother who separated before he was born. Along with his older brother, a hard-working single mother raised him, so money was frequently tight or nonexistent. Always overweight, Boyd had a difficult childhood, but his love of music helped him through, particularly after he discovered Opera in junior high when his older brother was forced to do a school project involving classical music and brought home a CD of The Three Tenors. His brother had little appreciation for classical music, but Neal was so enamored by the passion and skill of the famous trio that he started learning to sing in Luciano Pavarotti and Plácido Domingo's operatic styles.
Blessed with a strong and expressive lead tenor voice, Boyd’s unique talent was eventually discovered in the halls of Sikeston Junior High School by choir director William T. Grega, now of Parkview High School in Springfield, MO. Boyd began singing in school choirs and stage productions throughout high school, continuing to sing and compete while attending college at Southeast Missouri State University, where he studied with Dr. Chris Goeke, and then at the University of Missouri – Columbia, where he studied with Professor Ann Harrell. He would go onto win the Music Teachers National Association Vocal Collegiate Championship in 2000, which led to his solo recital debut at New York City's famed Carnegie Hall in March 2001.
Eventually he earned his BA in Music from MU and his BA in Speech Communications and Political Science from SEMO, graduating from both universities simultaneously in May of 2001. After teaching music for a year in his hometown of Sikeston, MO, he later attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA to study opera — which led to a lead role as the slave "York" in Michael Ching's World Premier Opera Corps of Discovery, A Musical Journey, commissioned by MU. But Boyd had grown into a practical man, and he shifted his focus to a more practical business career, becoming a successful insurance agent for Aflac.
All of that ended, though, when Boyd auditioned for NBC's #1 national talent show America's Got Talent. He ended up winning the 2008 competition, earning millions of fans in the process, and headlining his own show in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand followed by another at the Las Vegas Hilton Theatre where both Elvis Presley and Barry Manilow have performed.
Most notably, in 2000, he sang at the memorial service for former Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan died in a plane crash during his U.S. Senate run against then Senator and later U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. In 2005, he sang the National Anthem at the inauguration of Missouri Governor Matt Blunt. Boyd has performed numerous times for the last seven Missouri Governors, as well as performed for U.S. Presidents George H.W. Bush, William Jefferson Clinton, and George W. Bush. In February 2010, he performed a private concert in St. Louis, MO for current President Barack Obama.
Boyd was originally signed to Decca Records/Universal Music in 2009 and released his debut album, "My American Dream," that same year. It was less Operatic and more Pop-Classical, a fusion of contemporary singing with a trained classical twist, which is a genre he will continue on his Christmas album.
Written by
Jessica Snider, SMT Writer
Despite the snow steadily falling to the ground, today marks the first day of March and Spring should soon be arriving.
In a month where the weather can change in an instant, spring sports begin in full swing, and the second half of the school year is mid-way through, Reale Cook is in the ShowMe Spotlight as the March Calendar Girl.
Reale is the daughter of Shannon and Karen Cook. She is a Junior at Dexter High School where she is involved in Future Teachers of America, the Kickin' Cats Dance Team, and Honors Choir. Reale is also a member of the ShowStoppers from Southeast Missouri and Dexter Honor Society.
Reale was a top twelve contestant in the annual Miss Dexter Pageant hosted by the Choral Department at Dexter High School.
Photo Courtesy of Shannon Putnam.
