Human dogsled race

With O’Fallon’s winter festival, Cabin Fever Daze, fast approaching, more information has been posted on O’Fallon’s website. 

The family-friendly event will be held snow or shine, January 25 – 27, in O’Fallon Sports Park, 3589 Highway K, O Fallon, MO 63368. Festival hours will be 4 - 8 p.m. on Friday, noon - 8 p.m. on Saturday, and 1- 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission and parking are free, and food, beverages and winter-festival merchandise will available for purchase. 

Activities include:

• Ice skating all three days on O’Fallon’s first outdoor rink for $5 for a 45-minute session; bring your own skates or rent skates for $1.
• The deadline to enter the Human Dogsled Race has been extended to January 22. The race begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 26, with prizes for winners and best costume. Rules and applications are posted on the City’s website, www.ofallon.mo.us.
• Strap on a pair of snowshoes and trek over the Snowshoe Obstacle Course, free. Weave through a thicket of trees, climb a makeshift mountain, hop a hula hoop hurdle, dribble a soccer ball, duck under a rope and dash for the finish line. Snowshoes and ski poles will be provided, free, by Cabela’s.
• Field Broomball will be available for playing, free. First-come-first-play sign-ups will be available on Saturday, with open play on Sunday. Playing equipment will be provided, free, for this non-traditional version of the game.
• The Kids’ Area will be open 1-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, free, for snowflake-making and other winter-themed crafts. The “Snowflake Lady,” Marion Nichols, will demonstrate the art and fun of snipping intricate paper snowflakes on both days.
• More free fun: watch a fire performer from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday, and see ice carving demonstrations on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m.
• Don’t miss Fruit Cake Chuckin.’ Bring your own fruit cake or pay a $1 per shot, load the catapult and fire away!
  

Volunteers are needed in many areas at Cabin Fever Daze! To check out the details and fill out an application, visit the Volunteer Services webpage at www.ofallon.mo.us/Volunteer. Or contact Volunteer Services at 636-379-5507, or volunteer@ofallon.mo.us.

From the City of O'Fallon, MO 

Hudson and the Hoo Doo Cats to perform at Foundry

Hudson and the HooDoo Cats have been thriving in St. Louis area performance arenas for over 15 years and will be returning to the Foundry Art Centre stage on Friday, February 15, 2013 by popular demand! 

With their swingin’ shufflin’ blues, 50’s rock and roll and rockabilly, and infectious dance rhythms, Hudson and the HooDoo Cats always ensure a rockin’ fun time. 

The performance starts at 7:00pm and doors open at 6:00pm. Tickets are only $15 and can be purchased online or over the phone. For more information, visit foundryartcentre.org or call 636-255-0270.

The Foundry Art Centre is a fine arts gallery overlooking the Missouri River at 520 North Main Center, in the Frenchtown district of Historic St. Charles.  The Foundry features a Smithsonian-caliber art gallery hosting national juried exhibitions plus 20 working art studios where visitors can watch the creative process and buy art directly from the artists. The not-for-profit art centre also provides community meeting rooms, event space and a children’s art gallery. Hours are Tuesday - Thursday from 10-8pm, Friday and Saturday from 10-5pm, and Sunday 12-4.  Admission is free, and donations are welcome.  For more information, call (636) 255-0270 or visit www.foundryartcentre.org.

From the Foundry Art Centre

Vacant home burglaries

The O’Fallon Police Department is requesting assistance. 

During the past month the O'Fallon Police Department has had an increase in vacant home burglaries. It is unknown the exact dates of the thefts since the homes are unoccupied and are not monitored every day. Thieves are targeting copper pipes in basements.

The O’Fallon Police Department is requesting if you see suspicious activity near a vacant home in O’Fallon to contact our department, at (636) 240-3200. 

Please take the extra time to observe the activity and write down any important information, such as suspect’s physical descriptions, vehicle descriptions, and license plates. Observing suspicious activity can be done from the safety of your home without the person(s) knowing they are being watched. Do not confront anyone! We would just like to have an extra set of eyes in our neighborhoods who will report any suspicious activity.

The burglaries have been reported on Winter Hill Ct, the 6400 block of Starbuck Dr, on Royal Oaks Dr , and two reported in the 100 block of Country Life Dr.

From the O'Fallon, Missouri Police Department

Malone to visit Heald Home for book signing

Meet author, traveler, retired teacher and historian Ross Malone on Sunday, January 20, at the historic Heald Home, located in Fort Zumwalt Park at 1000 Jessup Drive, O’Fallon, Missouri 63366. 

Malone will sign and sell copies of his latest book, Too Good to Pass By: A Look at Some Missouri Places. Copies of his Tales from Missouri and the Heartland also will be available. The book was selected for the Missouri Life Magazine Book List and placed in the Missouri Association of Librarians “Author’s Alley.” 

 

Admission is $2 per person at the door and includes a tour of the house. For more information, call 636-379-5605, or email jhoisington@ofallon.mo.us.

From the City of O'Fallon, Missouri. 

Gorton selected as WSD Teacher of the Year for 2013

Jennifer Gorton, a 4th grade teacher at Duello Elementary, has been selected as the Wentzville School District Teacher of the Year for 2013. Candidates are judged on the respect and admiration of students, parents and colleagues. Selection is also based on their ability to inspire and educate students of all backgrounds and abilities.

 “It’s a great honor, because we have so many wonderful teachers here in the District,” said Mrs. Gorton. “Teaching children has always been my passion.  It affords me the privilege of touching lives and making a difference in the world in the way that I enjoy most.” 

Mrs. Gorton started working in the District eight years ago as a Parents as Teachers (PAT) educator, and is currently finishing up her Master’s Degree at Missouri Baptist. She serves as the Duello grade level chair for the 4^th grade team, and is a member of both the District Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the Duello Positive Behavioral Support (PBS) committees. She has also received the Duello Community Builder Award for the past two years. Mrs. Gorton is an active volunteer who has helped with a variety of events including polling place volunteer, spelling bee, science fair judge, Veteran’s Day, MAP Assembly, volunteer appreciation, PTA, and Dr. Seuss Week. 

“Jennifer is a pillar of our school community,” said Duello Principal Dr. Kathy Fisher. “She celebrates each child as an individual and works diligently to meet each student’s needs and makes them feel successful and proud.  Whenever an opportunity to help children arises, she is there!” 

As the winner of the District Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Gorton is now eligible to compete in the Missouri Teacher of the Year program, which is conducted annually by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in conjunction with the National Teacher of the Year program.

 

During the District Teacher of the Year process, each school in the District also selected their Teacher of the Year:

Holt High School - Patty Schroer

Timberland High School - Denys Jolliff

Frontier Middle School - Tracey Webb

South Middle School - Carol Hinkebein

Wentzville Middle School - Jerry Cannon

Boone Trail Elementary - Adrienne Pivac

Crossroads Elementary - Jennifer Reed

Discovery Ridge Elementary - Sarah Bayless

Duello Elementary - Jennifer Gorton

Green Tree Elementary - Shelley Snow

Heritage Primary - Chelsea Kuhn

Heritage Intermediate - Kristina Johannes

Lakeview Elementary - Carla Kunstel

Peine Ridge Elementary - Sarah Moore

Prarie View Elementary - Catherine (Kay) Strobbe

Quail Ridge Early Childhood - Robin Cooper

From the Wentzville School District

Holt High School and Stages St. Louis Partner

The Holt High School Theater Department has partnered with Stages St. Louis to present a special performance by the school’s acting students and special needs students. The production, held at Holt on December 11^th, was a “musical revue” that included songs and scenes from a variety of musicals including Annie Get Your Gun and Footloose. The performance was under the direction of Stages Instructor Brent Hunsinger, and was the culmination of a semester-long program that included students from Rob Gleason’s acting class and Stephanie Aubuchon’s essential skills class. “The idea is to integrate every type of high school student with multiple backgrounds into one cohesive unit,” said Hunsinger following the performance. “So you have kids who have disabilities right alongside kids who don’t have disabilities. They work together as a team to create a wonderful performance that hopefully is not only educational for them but entertaining as well.”

Holt junior Aislinn Hartman appreciated the opportunity to participate in the program. “It really changes your perspective about a lot of things. You may not know the other students because most of them are really shy. But then they come to class and they are not as shy and start to talk to people, and we all realize that maybe we’re not so different and we have things in common.”

This is the third year for the program conceived by Holt drama teacher Rob Gleason and Stages Director of Education and Outreach Rob Grumich, who both thought it would be beneficial to pair high school theater students with special needs students for a joint program and performance. “It’s about bringing some kids together who honestly, during the regular school day probably wouldn’t be spending a lot of time together. So even in a small way just breaking down those barriers is ultimately the point of this,” said Grumich. “The importance of this is the shared time working together in collaboration, the getting to know each other and the human life skills that potentially come from a project like this. That’s what we’re really excited about.”  

From the Wentzville School District

Donate Blood In Honor of Anna Dennis

The Lake Saint Louis Police Department is sponsoring a blood drive in honor of Anna Dennis on Wednesday, December 19th from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Lake Saint Louis Civic Center Council Chambers, 200 Civic Center Drive.

Who is Anna Dennis?  On June 21, 2012, three days after her second birthday Anna Dennis was diagnosed with Leukemia.  Since her diagnosis Anna has received chemotherapy treatments along with numerous blood product transfusions to help her fight her battle.  Anna is just one more reason why we should all join together to donate blood and show our support in helping those in need.

While walk-ins are welcome, it is recommended that donors schedule an appointment.  To make an appointment or for eligibility questions call 1-800-RED CROSS, visit redcrossblood.org, or call the Lake Saint Louis Police Department at (636) 625-8018. 

From the Lake Saint Louis Police Department