Written by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor

Dexter, Missouri – Riley Rickman is a sweet, energetic, teenager about to graduate from high school; however her life changed forever in February when she was diagnosed with APL a type of leukemia that affects the white blood cells.  With less then three months of her high school career left, she began her battle with cancer and spent over a month at the Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis.  

Now in remission, but not out of the woods just yet, Riley travels to Cape Girardeau every day to receive chemotherapy.  She will do this every other month for the next eight months putting her college career on hold until next year.

Riley received blood and platelets just as many leukemia patients do when they are hospitalized.  The American Red Cross urges people to donate blood for a good reason, to save lives!  Riley knows that receiving donated blood saved her life. 

According to the Red Cross each blood donation can save three lives!  The need is constant.  The gratification is instant.  Donate your blood in honor of Riley and save a life on Monday, May 5th from 1 p.m. – 7 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Parish Hall, 102 East Castor in Dexter, Missouri.

The Dexter Rotary Club and Rotary student Interact Club host blood drives four times each year and they have chosen to host a dedicated blood drive in Riley’s honor. 

Anyone wishing to donate may contact Dee Loflin, Dexter Rotarian at 573-614-4804 to schedule an appointment; however walk-ins are welcome.

There will be many other fundraising activities that day as well.   Tables of delicious home baked goodies will be sold with all the proceeds going to the Rally for Riley fund.  T-shirts and bracelets will also be available for purchase as well as a donation jar for any monetary contributions.  Theresa Wright will also be on hand with an Origami Owl display.  She will be donating a portion of the proceeds from selling her very popular jewelry.  The living lockets and charms make great Mother’s Day gifts.

The Dexter High School also hosts a blood drive annually for students and this year’s event was cancelled due to snow and ice.  Students typically can earn scholarship money from the Red Cross based on the number of units collected.  The Red Cross has graciously offered to use this blood drive as a replacement drive and all the units collected will be applied to the Dexter High School.  Dexter High School students come out and donate after school!!!!

So please come out and donate blood for a worthwhile cause and help DHS raise scholarship money. 

The Dexter Rotary has set a goal of 100 units to be collected at the dedicated blood drive in honor of Riley.  This can be done!  Extra Red Cross workers will be on staff and many other people have graciously volunteered to help with the event and other fundraising activities.  If anyone would like to help or host a fundraiser that day, please contact Dee Loflin via Facebook or 614-4804.

The Red Cross need platelet donors as well as blood donors with the most in-demand blood types — O positive and negative, A negative and B negative — are urgently needed to give blood in the days and weeks ahead to offset the shortfall. 

Platelets, a key-clotting component of blood often needed by cancer patients, must be transfused within five days of donation, so donations are constantly needed. Red blood cells, the oxygen-carrying component of blood, are the most widely transfused blood product and must be transfused within 42 days.

How to donate blood

You may contact Dee Loflin, Dexter Rotarian at 573-614-4804 or simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

If you are unable to donate blood, but would love to donate financially to Rally for Riley, an account has been set-up at the First National Bank or you can stop by the blood drive and donate.

"WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER WITH RILEY!!"

Written by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor

Dexter, Missouri – The Sikeston Jaycees recently donated $5,000 to the Disabled Veterans Wildlife Facility, which is owned and operated by Tom Love.  The facility is located on the Gobbler Ridge Farm southwest of Bloomfield.

Members of the Sikeston Jaycees also enjoyed a tour at the facility along with several members of the Dexter’s American Legion Kenady-Hanks Post 59.  The 125 acre farm is maintained by the American Legion through monetary donation they receive.  This donation will be utilized for road maintenance and for the construction of a handicap accessible fishing dock.

Veterans who are disabled are invited to spend a day or the entire night to hunt, photograph the wildlife, or to just enjoy the scenery.

Mr. Love who serves as chairman of the facility and is also a member of the Kenady-Hanks American Legion Post 59 was quite excited to receive the generous donation.

Shown in the photo are Sikeston Jaycees President Shawn Towe, Love, and Shawn Goodman, a member of Henry Meldrum American Legion Post 114.

If you would like to know more about the Disabled Veterans Wildlife Facility contact Tom Love at 573-820-0802 or James Adams of the American Legion Post 59 at 573-421-3660.

Bernie, Missouri - Each month the Bernie Parents As Teachers group selected two students of the month.  Here is Layla Mae, April Student of the Month 2014.

Layla Mae is the spunky nine month old daughter of Pam and Denny Bratcher and is one of the Bernie students of the month for April.

Layla loves to laugh and play and her favorite toy is anything she can get her hands on.  She loved seeing Mrs. Paige and playing with the balls and bucket.

If you would like to know more about Parents as Teachers contact Courtney McGarity or Paige Williams at 573-293-5335, ext 293 or find them on Facebook by clicking HERE.

The following information was taken directly from the Parent as Teachers Missouri website.  For more information click HERE.

Our Vision

All children will learn, grow and develop to realize their full potential.

Our Mission

To provide the information, support and encouragement parents need to help their children develop optimally during the crucial early years of life.

Our Values

The early years of a child's life are critical for optimal development and provide the foundation for success in school and in life.

Parents are their children's first and most influential teachers.

Established and emerging research should be the foundation of parent education and family support curricula, training, materials and services.

All young children and their families deserve the same opportunities to succeed, regardless of any demographic, geographic or economic considerations.

An understanding and appreciation of the history and traditions of diverse cultures is essential in serving families.

History

In 1981, Missouri pioneered the concept of helping parents embrace their important role as their child’s first and best teacher. Today, Parents as Teachers continues to equip early childhood organizations and professionals with information and tools that are relevant—and widely applicable—to today’s parents, families and children.

The Parents as Teachers leadership team and Board of Directors is engaged in a three-year strategic plan, which positions the organization as a valued partner to support the organizations and professionals who serve families and children, especially those most vulnerable.

The concept for Parents as Teachers was developed in the 1970s when Missouri educators noted that children were beginning kindergarten with varying levels of school readiness. Research showed that greater parent involvement is a critical link in the child's development of learning skills, including reading and writing.

Early childhood professionals suggested that a program to provide early detection of developmental delays and health issues, and parent education to help parents understand their role in encouraging their child's development from the beginning could help improve school readiness and parent involvement.

With funding from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and The Danforth Foundation, Parents as Teachers began in 1981 in Missouri as a pilot project for first-time parents of newborns. Recognizing the program's benefits and cost effectiveness, the Missouri legislature provided state funding in 1985 to implement Parents as Teachers programs in all Missouri school districts. Since 1985, Parents as Teachers has expanded to all 50 states and six other countries.

 

Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor

Dexter, Missouri - The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Stoddard County, set to begin at 4:00 pm, May 2nd through 2:00 am, May 3rd at West City Park in Dexter, is a celebration of cancer survivorship and a fun way to raise the vital funds needed to help find a cure for cancer. The event will celebrate the lives of so many local residents who have survived cancer, while offering the hope of finding a cure.  

“The Opening Ceremony will begin at 6:00 pm with a survivors’ lap where cancer survivors and their caregivers will take a victory lap around the track. The involvement of local cancer survivors is proof of the progress that has been made in improving cancer survival rates and the quality of life following cancer treatment,” said Shanna Gilberto, Community Manager, for the American Cancer Society. A candlelight ceremony also takes place to honor cancer survivors and remember those who lost the fight against this disease. The candle lighting will begin Friday night at approximately 10:00 pm, luminaria bags for the ceremony can be purchased at the event.

Relay For Life is an overnight community event bringing together teams of families, friends, churches, neighborhoods, and businesses – all with the same goal of conquering cancer. Teams of walkers keep a continuous presence on the track throughout the night, walking in shifts to raise funds for the American Cancer Society.

A full agenda of entertainment is planned, including music, team fundraising activities, fun theme laps and contests all night long. Relay For Life is a handicapped-accessible event.

Funds raised during Relay For Life help support the American Cancer Society’s mission of eliminating cancer by helping people stay well, by helping people get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back.

Helping you stay well. Finding cancer early can mean the difference between life and death. The Society helps you take steps to prevent cancer or detect it at its earliest and provide the most up-to-date information about how to reduce your cancer risk by healthy lifestyle choices. Contact 1-800-227-22345 or cancer.org for more information.

Helping you get well. Having cancer is hard. Finding help shouldn’t be. The Society is in your corner, around the clock to guide you through your cancer experience. The Society can help patients and their families make informed decisions about care, find moral support from others who have been there and offer practical solutions to daily challenges.

Finding cures. The Society funds and conducts groundbreaking research that helps scientists understand cancer’s causes, determine how best to prevent it, and discover new ways to cure it. The Society is the largest private fundraiser of cancer research.

Fighting Back. Cancer is not just a health issue, but a political issue. The Society advocates for people to have access to critical cancer screenings and follow-up treatment – regardless of income. Some examples include: increasing government funding for cancer research, establishing smoke-free policies, and improving access to affordable, quality healthcare.

Relay For Life of Stoddard County would also like to invite all survivors to join us as we celebrate life at our annual Cancer Survivor’s Dinner.  The dinner honoring local survivors will be held on Tuesday, April 29th at 6:00 pm, at the Lighthouse Church in Dexter, MO.  Survivors and a guest are invited to join us for dinner, entertainment, and door prizes. Please RSVP to Nikki Finch, by calling 573-614-1401.

Written by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor

Dexter, Missouri - We all know how cancer can affect our lives and the devastation it causes to the families who have to deal with treatments and being sick all the time.  Dana Dowdy Lovins is fighting breast cancer and many have stepped up to help her financially with the cost of medicine, travel expenses and missing work for doctor's appointments and treatment.

“If you ever hear the song Overcomer, then you know it fits her,”  stated Dana Blasingame. "That's where I got the idea for the shirt."

To show your love and support of this courageous woman, orders for these awesome “I wear PINK for Dana” t-shirts will be taken this week and money can be turned in to Dana Blasingame at the Dexter License Bureau, Tina at BA Promotions or Kim Williams at Corner Cottage in Dexter.

The cost for toddler to adult XL sizes are only $15 each, had $1 for 2XL and $2 for 3XL. 

Click here to listen Overcomer. It will make you smile!