Jefferson City, Missouri - Wednesday of last week, our state capital was swarmed with artists, fans, and advocates that were all there to support the annual Missouri Citizens for the Arts Day. This is a special day of the year hosted by Missouri’s Citizens for the Arts that includes guest appearances by legislatives, performances, and an awards ceremony.
February 6th was such an important day in Jefferson City because Missouri Senator Doug Libla attended the special event. The members of Missouri’s Citizens for the Arts were thrilled to know he was coming and were even more thrilled to be able to show a member of the General Assembly how important the fine arts are in Missouri and their impact on both citizens and communities.
The funding behind the Missouri’s Citizens for the Arts is well taken care of due to supportive advocates, but the members needed more than funds, they needed artists with strong voices that would prove just how important fine arts are to the state and its wellbeing.
The Missouri’s Citizens for the Arts wanted around three hundred participants for this year’s lobby, where they displayed a variety of artwork from a variety of artists. One of these participants was third grader from Puxico Elementary School. Kyle Holden and his family travelled to the state capital from their home in southeast Missouri to show off his great painting of four small birds surrounding an American flag. His work was both patriotic and colorful, making it a great piece in the lobby this year.
Not many people can say that they have attended such a prestigious event, especially when they are only in the third grade. Holden had the opportunity to visit the Capital Building and meet the state legislatives like the other advocates and participants for the Missouri Citizens for the Arts Day. It was a great honor for his work to be shown at such a widespread and well known event and the Puxico School District is very proud of his achievements.
Holden’s work was a great success and his age and dedication to both his artwork and his fine arts classes at school spoke quite loudly. Holden was recognized by both Senator Doug Libla and the Missouri’s Citizens for the Arts. Holden’s family, school, and community are very proud of him and his hard work that enabled him to attend this year’s Missouri Citizens for the Arts Day.
Written by
Jessica Snider, SMT Writer
This month's calendar girl is Taylor Owens. Taylor is a junior at Dexter High School and the daughter of Ken and Shannon Owens.
Aside from being February Calendar Girl, Taylor Owens is the reigning Miss Dexter, Miss Heartland, and Miss SEMO Fair. She is a member of the Varsity Tennis Team and Varsity Softball Team.
Taylor enjoys Cadet Teaching and the Rowdy Gals. During the summer, Taylor is a lifeguard with the Dexter Aquatic Center.
Taylor Owens had a very big year in 2012, and she will have another busy year in 2013 as she will be crowning a few pageants.
Photo Courtesy of Shannon Putnam.
Ti Agon Haiti – Nothing is more satisfying to a person’s spirit than to travel the mountains of Haiti with Global Compassion Ministries. As many Dexter area residents can share, this is a trip not for the faint at heart as it involves grueling travel that is physically demanding. All team members are committed to their passion for serving others.
The Dexter group for 2013 is made up of six area individuals, 5 males and one female. A veteran to the mission field, David Fleming began to share with area friends about his intention of joining the Global Team for 2013. His heartfelt desires motivated additional traveling companion of Steve Kinder, Matt Kinder, Bud Griffin, Alan Hedrick and Tracy Hedrick.
The 2013 winter trip had a game plan to move into the area of Ti Agon, where they are partnering with Living Water Ministries to extend their Christian love to the people in the far Northwest of Haiti. The primary focus of Global Compassion’s trip is multi-fold building of 14 x 20 homes for the residents of Ti Agon, providing women’s ministries with hygiene classes, Bible school for the kids, food and clothes distribution, as well as other personal expressions of love.
As shown in the YouTube video on the Global Compassion website (www.globalcompassionministries.com), both groups endure a very hot and dusty first day of travel in the country of Haiti. In years past, team members have ridden the truck as long as twenty-two hours. With major improvements in portions of the roads, this year’s group arrived after nine hours on the road.
The groups chariot is an Army deuce-and-a-half personnel hauler, which is fully loaded with both construction supplies and each member’s personal trunks. Best efforts are given to comfortable accommodations, but very few attempts truly bring relief throughout the long, dusty ride to the Northwest.
The Global Team is broken down into two separate travel teams, one three-week and the second group a two-week adventure. Team one left the U.S. on January 20th and group two traveled to meet them leaving St. Louis on January 27th. Both groups will return together on February 8th.
The mission team has adopted a focus on the Northwest Haiti region near Ma Rouge. With comparable beachfronts found in Cancun Mexico, the coastal beauty of Haiti is breathtakingly beautiful. Though not in the timeshares are , the area is surprisingly uninhabited
Many of the team members were initially involved with the building of Churches throughout this same area. The group offered hope, passion and opportunities to bless others and to be blessed on the trip.
This coming Sunday, some will lead songs and music while others will step to the stage to deliver the Word of God. The group will spend the remainder of their time developing relationships with the Haitian people in the Northwest and assisting them to deepen their own personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Dexter, Missouri - On Friday, January 11, 2013, Dexter native Tony Sandusky graduated from United States Marine Corps boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, Calif.
While in boot camp, Sandusky faced and overcame many adversities; his younger brother, Joshua Sandusky - who was taking the initial steps to join the United States Marine Corps - tragically passed away in December of 2012.
In memory of his younger brother and in honor of his father (Charlie, a retired member of the United States Navy), Sandusky put forth extra effort in everything he did during his final weeks of boot camp.
Not only did Sandusky graduate on time, but he graduated with honors despite missing a week of training. Out of nearly 500 other Marine Recruits, Sandusky was named Platoon Honor man.
This position gave him command of 80 fellow recruits and granted him the prestigious honor of wearing his 'dress blues' during the graduation festivities - an honor bestowed on only six other Marine Recruits in his graduating class.
Following a brief break after graduation, Sandusky will return to San Diego for further training at Camp Pendleton. He will then transfer to Quantico, Va., for another training session before beginning his assignment as a member of the Presidential Guard in Washington D.C.
Congratulations Private First Class Sandusky - your friends and family could not be more proud of you!
Written by
Jessica Snider, SMT Writer
It might not be a holiday marked on your calendar, but for the residents at Central Gardens, they know that today is National Pie Day!
Some "National Days" are just plain silly, but some can give you a good reason to celebrate!
When Debbie Snider, the dietary manager at Central Gardens, saw that today was going to be National Pie Day, she figured this would be the perfect oppurtunity to have a pie-tasting.
She then approached Michelle Stearnes, Activity Director, with her pie-tasting idea. Michelle was quickly on board for the activities!
Some of the residents were then asked what kind of pies they would like to have at the pie-tasting. Pecan, chocolate, coconut-cream, and fried apple, were a few of the pies that the residents suggested.
The pie-tasting took place about 10:00 this morning at Central Gardens. About twenty-five residents were in attendance for today's fesitivites!
Not only were the pies strictly for the residents, the staff enjoyed them as well!
Dub and Eloise Connor are showing off coconut cream and chocolate pie in the photo above.
