Submitted by
Beth Farrah, SMT Writer
Jefferson City, Missouri — The public will have the opportunity to learn about edible plants on a guided hike on Saturday, May 11, at Sam A. Baker State Park. Sponsored by the Missouri State Parks, the hike will begin at 10 a.m.
During a leisurely stroll on the Shut-Ins Trail, participants will learn about the different types of edible plants, how to identify them, their medicinal and edible purposes, and historical folklore. Those wanting to join the hike should meet at the Mudlick Trail trailhead, across from the park store, and wear sturdy, closed-toed shoes.
Sam A. Baker State Park is located four miles north of Patterson on Highway 143 in Wayne County. For more information on the event or to register, call the park at 573-856-4411. For more information about Missouri state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Dexter, Missouri – Former students and friends are encouraged to attend the Retirement Tea honoring Dexter educators who are retiring from Dexter R-XI School District.
The drop-in reception will be from 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. in the Bearcat Event Center Lobby located on Grand Street on Thursday, May 9, 2013.
The public is encouraged to attend the event. Refreshments will be served.
There are 13 educators with a combined 300 years of teaching experience that will be leaving Dexter school system.
They are Nancy Vines, Kim Fitts, Debbie Essner, Sherry Matthews, Sandy Clark, Melinda Sweeney, Charles Cooper, Pam Mills, Ann Polsgrove, Leann Dooley, Kim Flowers, Ronnie Shipman and Katrina Kluesner.
Retirement is a bittersweet decision for anyone, but especially for teachers. There is no better way to say good-bye than share it with your former students. They are the one who make your teaching career so meaningful and enjoyable.
Congratulations on your retirement! We will miss each and every one of you!
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Stoddard County, Missouri - The National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky has issued a FLOOD WATCH to remain in effect through Friday evening.
The FLOOD WATCH continues for:
* Portions of Southern Illinois, Western Kentucky and Southeast Missouri, including Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Mississippi, New Madrid, Perry Ripley, Scott Stoddard and Wayne Counties.
* Widespread heavy rainfall is expected tonight through Friday and into Friday evening in areas along and west of the Mississippi River. Storm totals in the 3 to 4 inch range are probable...with locally higher amounts close to 5 inches in areas that experience repeated thunderstorm activity. Right now...it appears the highest rain totals will occur along and west of a Perryville to Dexter Missouri line.
* Given the river flooding of the past few weeks and the high soil moisture content...additional flooding appears likely along area rivers and streams. localized flash flooding will also be possible.
precautionary/preparedness actions...
A flood watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts.
You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible flood warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Dexter, Missouri - With spring in the air and the flowers beginning to bloom, days are getting a bit longer and people are beginning to enjoy the outdoors. May can be a very busy month with high school proms and graduations. Everyone is ready for fun in the sun and a vacation.
Throughout May, Miss Mollie Ann Whitehead will be featured as this month's Show Me Calendar Girl.
She was given the congeniality award in the 2012 Miss Dexter Pageant. The Dexter High School Choral Department sponsors the annual pageant, and the top twelve are rewarded as “Calendar Girls" throughout the year.
Mollie is the daughter of Jonathan and Kristi Whitehead and is a Junior at Dexter Senior High School.
She is an avid basketball player for the DHS Lady Bearcats Basketball team and is also a member of FCA, and FTA.
Throughout the month of May, Mollie will be occupied with the last month of her Junior year and begins planning for her last year at Dexter Senior High.
Congratulations to Mollie Ann Whitehead who is the Show Me Calendar Girl for May 2013.
Photo provided by Shannon Putnam. Thank you.
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
He is the President and founder of Five For Water Foundation, Inc. located at 920 Broadway, Suite 110 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
Gene Weeks, Dexter Rotarian, introduced the guest speaker as Bill is currently a member of the Cape Girardeau Rotary and has been since 2005. He began his commitment to the Rotary International many years ago when he was selected to receive the Rotary Ambassador Scholarship to England in 1979 as a teenager. He most recently received the 2010 Rush H. Limbaugh Rotarian of the Year Award for his outstanding service to the Cape Girardeau Rotary Club.
Bill did tell a short story of his earlier days of the Rotary. When he traveled to England, Bill learned two very important things. One was to love Rotary and the other was to drink Scotch whiskey. What a year Bill had over in England!
In 2005, Bill read an article in his monthly Rotarian Magazine that was written by Michael Crichton, author of Jurassic Park and many other well-known books. It stated that 30,000 people die each day from not having clean water, 90% of them being children under the age of 5. Bill could not believe the statistic. It seemed impossible! He began to investigate and research those numbers and later learned it was true.
He had to do something to fix this situation. With his background in marketing research and he loved coffee, he discovered that over 70% of adults in America drink coffee and along with that so did Rotarians.He chose to join forces with Todd Lindley, past Rotary 6060 District Governor and then partnered with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters to produce a special packaging with the Rotary logo. As a longtime Rotarian, it was an easy decision to partner with the Rotary Club of Cape Girardeau. Together they started selling gourmet coffee and applying for grants through the Rotary.
"We keep it simple," stated Mr. Prost. "We started in 2008 and created a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization."
Today they have funded 12 projects through the Rotary and have added clean water to more than 77,000 people. They have funded projects ranging from construction of new wells and water towers to installing water pipelines to carry existing clean water to villages throughout the world.
"The Five For Water Foundation was created to help people get clean water to children all over the world," stated Prost. "Sanitation and clean water go hand in hand. We try to focus on clean water getting to children in orphanages and schools."
Bill went on to quote the World Health Organization on some unbelievable statistics, but they are facts. Over 1 billion people in the world do not have access to clean water. In Africa a women and children walk 40 billion miles per year to get clean water. As Americans we can't fathom having to walk 4 miles to get a gallon of water every day.
"My goal was to cherry-pick locations to have a 4 mile walk to become perhaps a 1 mile walk for a child," according to Prost. His first project was in Tanzania and people had to not only walk to get water, but to fight off animals. "They had good water, but needed a maze of concrete steps and a walkway to get to the water so they would not be eaten by crocs."
Through his efforts, the Dexter Rotary Club, is one of 28 clubs in Missouri that sell the Green Mountain Coffee. Each bag costs $10. He explained the fair trade organic coffee runs $9.40 per bag plus shipping costs out of the catalog and that it is actually cheaper to purchase it from a Rotarian. The quality and taste of the coffee is awesome!
Learn how you can make a difference at fiveforwater.org or check them out on their Facebook page Five For Water. You can also make donations directly to his foundation by mailing a donation to Five For Water, P.O. Box 1207, Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63702.
"I commend you for what you are doing in those countries and helping children. We live in areas where the water table is very high and was not always healthy like back in the 30's and 40's when water wasn't so clean, especially on cattle and hog farms," commented Morris Gregg, fellow Rotarian.
"Water and sanitation go hand in hand. 80% of all diseases stem from unsafe water according to the World Health Organization," stated Prost.Bill ended his speaking engagement with, "I appreciate your help with the coffee and all that your rotary Club does to promote our Program."
If you would like more information about Five For Water go to info@fiveforwater.org or check out their Facebook page, Five For Water Foundation.
If you are interested in purchases great gourmet coffee, Green Mountain Coffee contact Gene Weeks at gwweeks43@gmail.com. He would be more than happy to sell you some wonderful tasting coffee.
