By Annabeth Miller, SMT Editor
They have grown up together, they have played together, and now, as seniors, they are about to move on and out and up.
They’ve played at the old gym on Park Lane, the T.S. Hill Middle School gym, the DHS gym and now the Bearcat Event Center – the place where this spring they will receive their high school diplomas. Their futures are bright and full of promise.
The four senior members of the Dexter High School volleyball team were recognized Monday evening at the last regular season home game. Memories were made as the four girls and their parents were introduced to the hometown crowd on hand for Senior Night.
The quartet includes Lindsey Hindman, McKenzie Mitchell, Erika Mouser and Lauren Ward.
Hindman is the daughter of Scott and Paula Hindman. After high school graduate she plans to attend college and eventually get a masters in social work.
Mitchell is the daughter of Kevin and Ann-Marie Mitchell. She plans to attend Ole Miss after graduation this spring and become a dentist “like my father.”
Mouser, the daughter of Eric and Pam Mouser, plans to attend Missouri State University in Springfield. He career plans include becoming a nurse practitioner.
Ward is the daughter of David and Joy Ward. After graduation from DHS she plans to attend college and major either in nursing or physical therapy.
The four girls – who are serious about their volleyball and have developed into close-knit, fun-loving group – are leaders on the court and in school. They have a talented group of younger players who will be following their footsteps next year on the court.
So, what advise would they give these younger girls as they approach the end of their high school volleyball careers?
- “Always have been and play your heart out – never give up,” writes Lindsey Hindman.
- “Don’t grow up too fast and leave it on the court,” advises Erika Mouser.
- “Enjoy every moment and memory because it truly flies by,” said Lauren Ward.
- “If you want something, go for it with determination and all your heart, and never, ever give up,” said McKenzie Mitchell.
The regular season is history for these four seniors and the rest of their teammates. The Lady Bearcats begin district play on Monday at the Bearcat Event Center.
The bracket and schedule have not been released; watch The ShowMe Times for additional information on the district tournament.
Photo Above: The four senior members of the DHS Volleyball Team (from right): Erika Mouser, Lindsey Hindman, Lauren Ward, and McKinzie Mitchell. (SMT Photo by Annabeth Miller)
ShowMe Times Gallery
DHS Volleyball Senior Night 2011
LITTLE ROCK - The word “Mercedes” naturally conjures up images of style, quality and luxury.
But to Dexter native Jeff Garner, it is all of that … and more.
Garner has been the owner of a 1970 Mercedes 280Sl for 24 years. But he recently took the restored car to a classic show in Jackson, Miss., and drove away with The Sponsors Choice Blue Ribbon from the Renaissance Euro Fest.
“I entered it in the show just for fun never dreaming I'd take home first place as voted by the Renaissance EuroFest sponsors. The sponsors were Atlanta, GA Ferrari, Jackson, MS Mercedes Benz and Jackson Volvo, and others. The weather that weekend was fantastic and the venue was great,” Garner said.
Garner is an alumnus of Dexter High School, Class of 1976, and has a dental clinic in Little Rock, Ark. His car has a number of unique options that Mercedes lovers like to see.
“One being an ‘Uber rare’ Mercedes Benz ski rack for the w113 SL. My car is one of the best w113 Mercedes Benz in the world,” he commented. The car was made in September 1969 and was the very first 1970 280SL manufactured by Mercedes Benz.
Garner says the vehicle has a bit of history as well.
He started a restoration project on the car about 2 ½ years ago by working on the interior himself. He installed new leather seats, carpet and other interior features
“But I found myself obsession over every tiny detail,” he said. “I decided it was best for my health to send the car off to Bud's Benz, the premier 280 SL restoration company located in the Atlanta, GA area.”
The Mercedes has now received a complete restoration, and Garner took it to the Jackson, Miss., show earlier this month. He said the people and the weather helped to make for a great weekend at the show.
“Winning was great, too,” he said.
Oh, and even after more than 2 years of being totally restored, Garner is going to enjoy his Mercedes Benz.
‘YES, I will drive it!”
As Girl Scouts begin to celebrate 100 years since Juliette Gordon Low founded the organization, they are also celebrating the roll-out of an all-new collection for girls of all ages.
Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) has developed and updated badges aimed at giving girls the skills they need to succeed.
Girls can still earn popular long-time badges such as Cook, Naturalist, and Athlete − topics as relevant today as they were in 1912 − but now they also have badges such as Product Designer, Digital Movie Maker, Customer Loyalty, and even the Science of Happiness. And new “Make Your Own” badges at every level give girls the opportunity to explore any interest they choose.
“Girls told us they want more challenge, and we’ve responded with substantive, focused, fun new badge offerings that will prepare girls for lifelong success,” said Kathy Cloninger, Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts of the USA. “What we need today are more adult volunteers to help girls bring these leadership experiences to life.”
Badges now come in categories:
- Legacy
- Financial Literacy
- Cookie Business
- Skill-Building
- Make Your Own.
There are also awards such as a new pin called My Promise, My Faith, which helps a girl celebrate what her faith and the Girl Scout Law have in common.
The new badge portfolio, called The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting, also complements GSUSA’s National Leadership Journeys, which help girls explore how to be leaders in their own lives and in the world around them as they take on projects to prevent bullying, protect the environment, and more.
The Girl Scout organization has transformed itself in recent years to focus on leadership development for girls in the 21st century, and the new badge offerings reflect that transformation.
“The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting builds the critical thinking, creativity, and entrepreneurship that the next generation of leaders will need to make the world a better place,” said Cloninger.
The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting has found immediate, widespread acceptance in the Girl Scouting community. The initial press run of 850,000 copies has all but sold out.
Local Response
Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland is the local Girl Scout council for the southeast Missouri area, serving a total membership of approximately 16,000 girls in grades K-12. The council was created from the merger of five legacy councils, including the Cotton Boll Council which served girls in seven Southeast Missouri counties.
The new council includes a geographic area that goes from the Mississippi River to include a handful of counties in Kansas and Oklahoma, and from the Missouri-Arkansas line noth to Columbia, Jefferson City, and Moberly.
Pre-orders for The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting resulted in a near sell-out of the first shipment of books received to local Girl Scout shops.
“We are very excited to see such a positive response about these books,” said Jennifer M. Orban, CEO of Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland, “Volunteers have told us that The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting is better than they could have imagined, and girls have declared them ‘cool and fun’.”
By Annabeth Miller, SMT Editor
The Belarus National Christian Choir presented an exhilarating evening of music that was part concert, part worship experience at First Baptist Church in Dexter.
The evening proved the point that music is a universal language and be savored, cherished, and appreciated whether sung in English or Russian. The concert program included Belarusian, Russian and English selections; many Belarusian favorites, others that are favorites in churches in America. The choir’s rich, full sound filled the FBC Worship Center with majestic, moving music.
The choir of 17 women and 14 men were accompanied during the evening by a wonderful string ensemble and three exceptional pianists, all of whom also sang in the choir. An ensemble from the choir also performed on traditional Russian instruments, including accordian, guitar, and balalaika.
Viktor Krutsko, President of the Evangelical Union of Belarus, was spokesman for the group and introduced the music selections and the choir.
From the very first selection of the evening, you heard the powerful, rich harmonies of the choir and traditional Russian music.The lavish harmonies blended with splendid melodies for an evening of incredible music, whispered prayers and moving worship.
Much of the evening’s repertoire was in Russian or Belarusian, which only proved that music is an international form of expression and can be enjoyed and appreciated in any language. It was interesting to note one word sounded the name – whether in Belarusian, Russian or English. The word is “alleluia.”
During the evening the audience was also treated to selections from the talented string ensemble, a wonderful trumpet soloist who performed a moving medley of Maltbie Babcock’’s traditional hymn “This Is My Father’s World” and the spiritual “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands.”
In addition, a trio of ladies performed traditional Belarusian folk tunes – what Krutsko called “Belarus Bible – Believing Bluegrass.” An ensemble of men on traditional Belarusian instruments accompanied the trio.
An ensemble of the men also came forth and performed a traditional American hymn – “Leaning On The Everlasting Arms” – by blowing across bottles. The number was popular with the audience, and the sound they were able to create from simple bottles filled with different levels of water was incredible.
The First Baptist Church choir joined the Belarusian guests for two selections, sung in Russian. FBC Music Minister Rich Lee, who has traveled to Belarus three times and accompanied Belarus choir on its tour, taught the church choir the selections earlier this fall. Lee directed the combined choir for the two selections.
“Please pray for your choir,” Krutsko said as the choir settled into the church’s choir loft. “They are going to sing perfect Russian!”
Lee also conducted the Belarus choir on a moving arrangement of “It Is Well With My Soul” that move the audience to its feet in applause.
The evening of music concluded “American music with Russian words” – a very thrilling arrangement of “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
Formed in 1986, the choir has performed in Eastern Europe, France, Germany and Russia, and is currently making its 5th tour in the United States.
Belarus National Christian Choir
Dexter First Baptist Church, Oct. 13, 2011
Helping Hand For Children
The Stoddard County Real Estate Board recently made a donation to the Stoddard County Children’s Home. The Board presented the home with $1000 plus arranged for a new American flag to be presented by State Senator Rob Mayer at the home. On hand for the presentations were (front row, from left) Frank Killian, Judi Boyle and Lauren Mayer of the Children’s Home; Shirley Carney and Jim Tweety of the Stoddard County Real Estate Board, and Brad Jarrell representing State Senator Mayer; (back row, from left) Mary Worley, Sherry Burnett, Sue Horn, Audrey Holifield, Kathleen Dover, Melanie Miller, Jeanie Barker, Jane Flowers, Scott Chesser, Sherry Hubbard, Linda Collier, and Michele Horton. (SMT photo by Annabeth Miller)
