On Citizenship...

I stole this from Lori Seymour's Facebook. Ain't it great!

On Citizenship

Sorry blog readers for being a sporadic poster. I told Monica that I have to wait for inspiration. Well, I finally found some here:  http://www.moberlymonitor.com/news/x639954360/Supreme-Court-Judge-addresses-Pachyderms 

This article started me thinking about what these men, and the many others who call our community home, had in common. A great upbringing, a solid education, work ethic and a belief in something greater than themselves was what I surmised. Mostly, though I think they are great citizens. They keenly feel the burden to GIVE of their talents, time and energy back in the same measure that they have received. What they have achieved is impressive, what they will give is more important.

Fitting to ponder on Memorial Day, I began to examine what it means to be a citizen in Atchison County. I became very thankful that opportunities for citizenship abound in my community.   No doubt your own schedules are full of volunteering at the library, teaching Bible School, driving your elderly neighbor to the doctor or attending the Kiwanis club meetings. I challenge you to continue these activities and not shy away from the next signup sheet. As this community and great country has afforded you the opportunity to have a healthy childhood, receive a great education, worship freely, raise your family as you wish and live well….give back, give back, give back. 

When my children run wild during the next Tarkio Renewal meeting or get “bored” as we organize the next church or baseball activity, I will remember that my purpose is two-fold…I will BE a good citizen and RAISE good citizens too.

Matthew 10:8 Freely you have received, freely give.

What a Great Mother's Day Gift-Graduation!

Graduation falls on Mother’s day more often than not here in Atchison County! For all the mothers (and fathers) who have a high school graduate….it’s bittersweet.

I am Marisa (Smith) Hedlund and this is my seventh year as the Fairfax K-12 counselor. I was born at the Community Hospital, grew up in Atchison County, graduated from Fairfax High School and from Missouri State, and then moved with my husband Chris to Charlotte, North Carolina. After 10 years in North Carolina, my husband and I decided that Fairfax was the place to be. Chris grew up in California, graduating with 300 compared to me graduating with 20! We wanted to get out of the city and raise our growing family in a rural area close to my parents and grandparents. Luckily, there was a position for a guidance counselor open at FHS, and a family farmhouse available. Sadly, I needed to go back to graduate school and the house needed a major renovation! Thank goodness for my family that could help us out!

That was eight years ago and we are now more settled in compared to our first year here in Atchison County! We have three children that never cease to amaze us and never give us a break in all their activities! Ian (9), Natalie (7) and Collin (5) have all the opportunities to be involved in basketball, baseball, soccer, dance and gymnastics, but get to grow up in a place where everyone knows their name and looks out for them! Am I worried about them having these opportunities when they get in high school? Nope! I know that they will be able to participate in almost everything our friends in Kansas City or Charlotte are doing. And, our kids in Atchison County will be able to be in multiple organizations, activities and sports. This helps to create well-rounded individuals that will be more likely to be successful. I know, because I consider myself one of those people who benefited from being in EVERY sport and EVERY organization I could in school.

 

Our students who are graduating this week have, just like me, been involved in everything. We have students who are in every sport, both FCCLA and FHA (wow, I didn’t even do that) and every other organization we offer. They also perform in band, swing choir and the school play, which they had to spend countless after school hours practicing!  Some even take several college dual credit classes online to get a head start on their college career. These kids are involved! Who says living in the country is boring?

My fellow counselors, Shauna and Tracy, and I are sending the graduates off to NWMSU, MU, MWSU, Peru, SECC and countless other colleges to continue to be involved and make their place in the world! We also have former students graduating from those colleges who will be our future radiologists, physical therapists, electricians and teachers. I am so proud of them and I wish them luck wherever they land. I know some of them never want to get too far away from home and some of them need a chance to see the world, leaving their friends and family in Atchison county behind. Someday, I hope they will come back to our county, like me!

Baby Cows, Prayer & Family

I’ve been trying to narrow this post down to one thing that makes me happy about living in Atchison County this week, but a) my focus is not so…focused this week, and b) why should I have to limit myself to one thing, I ask you!?  So, in no particular order, today’s list of great things…

•    Getting to live amongst the action of springtime in a farming area.  I’m sure I romanticize farming because I’ve never been the person who has to pull a calf in brutal weather or spray fields for endless hours at a time, but I love being around it. Frisky baby cows, monster machines sharing the road on my drive to work, perfect rows of gorgeous green all around…I love it all.
 

•    National Day of Prayer.  This year I was able to participate in the service at the AC Memorial Building.  It is truly humbling to gather together for the dual purpose of acknowledging our immense blessings in this country and lifting up our nation, schools, churches, families, government and media.  It was overwhelming to consider that similar services were happening all over the country today.  At the same time, the service felt very personal and community-focused, particularly when Paul Tiemeyer shared how the power of prayer has worked in his life since he was severely burned in a combine fire last fall.  It was obvious from his story that this community and county supported him and his wife in an incredible way.  (Have I mentioned lately that this place is awesome?)
 

•    Impromptu family time.  The other day, Grammy showed up at my back door to take me to lunch.  I regularly get to go on drive-around lunches with Dad.  When I have time to kill before a meeting, I can stop by and see Mom and an endless variety of short people.  I never take these little blessings for granted.
 

•    I’m having a baby! Ok, so the significance of this isn’t wholly attributed to the fact that I live where I live, BUT let me just tell you how fantastic it is to be in a place where soooo many people are genuinely ecstatic over this news.  Fabulous Facebook feedback is overwhelming in its own right, but it’s the real life random bear hugs of joy thing that gets me: in the aisles and check-out line at Hy-Vee, at the Flower Mill, in the parking lot of Food Country, everywhere.  On the one hand, living here while trying to keep a pregnancy quiet means you have to do sneaky-feeling things like tell your Board and random community members that you have the flu 3 weeks in a row (yeah-they really bought that!).  But on the other hand, the bear hugs!  I am thankful every day to be able to live in this place that raised me while experiencing this particular wonder.
 

Enough of my rambling – tell me, fellow Atchison Countians, why are YOU happy to live here today?

~MMB

The Kind of Gal You Want to Thank....

Photo by Tarkio Avalanche, Megan McAdams

I remember the first day I dropped Aaron off at daycare. It was a rough morning when I walked away from those chubby cheeks and big brown eyes. My eyes filled with tears as I put the car in reverse and hit the gas. Suddenly my backward progress came to a screeching halt. My car had found a tree, newly planted, in Dennis and Phyllis' Martins front yard. My face, already streaked with tears was now red with embarrassment. I jumped out of the car, pushed the tree back into an upright position and hit the road. When composed, I called Phyllis to confess.

I'll never know for sure, but I suspect Phyllis and Dennis might have been giggling inside. Of course, Dennis doesn't really giggle per say. He chuckles rather, the kind of laugh that puts you to laughing too.

You see, Phyllis knows about new moms. She knows the tears will come.  She knows most of us had other plans. Plans to stay home, make our kids lunch, walk them to the park and tuck them into our afternoon nap. As Phyllis knows, and many of you do too, those plans don't always come to fruition. Life happens and you realize that providing for your children may not mean play dates and morning cartoons, but instead means a career, a steady paycheck, insurance benefits and a warm and comfortable home to tuck them in at night. That first day, not only do you leave your baby, but you leave those plans behind. For many mommies, its the worst day of their new life as mothers.
I know well the first day back from a blissful maternity leave. I've pulled out of Phyllis' driveway now three times over the last 8 years. While it has never been easy, I've left each time in the confidence that my children are safe and loved in a home that I know well.

No interview was needed when we decided Phyllis would be our daycare provided. I guess you could say the interview had been conducted. The Martins door was always open when we were teenagers. It was prime territory on Friday and Saturday night, before basketball games and for Christmas movies during winter break. During those visits, the house was full of children many of whom are adults today. Phyllis managed it all....babies to teenagers...she showed each child love and patience and still managed to joke around with what I suspect were sometimes obnoxious crowd of Tarkio teens. When I called her for the first time to ask if Aaron could be "Phyllis kid" she said "Oh, I hoped that you would call." And I know she meant it.

This last Monday, many of our Phyllis kids got the chance to say thank you by presenting Phyllis with the Tarkio Community Betterment Employee of the Year Award. For 25 years, she has run a business.... that's commendable in itself. But more than that, she's been there for many, many children when their parents could not. She has been an integral part in raising confident, well-behaved, respectful (and potty trained) children in Tarkio and her contribution to this community deserves recognition.

I'm proud of my community for gathering each year and saying thank you to those that work so hard on its behalf. I'm grateful that I get to work each day to make this community a better place. I'm blessed that when I go to work each day, my children continue to receive the kind of love and care I wish I could be there to give them.

So thanks Tarkio for being the kind of town that says thank you. And thanks Phyllis for being the kind of gal that we all want to thank.

Heaven Can Wait...in the meantime, there's Tarkio!

Up this week is Casey Martin - high school teacher, drama enthusiast, Tiger and Indian alum, and patient resident in a house full of gorgeous girls. For those of you who are fans (and if you aren't, you should be!), the next THS play is coming up next weekend. (Thanks to Megan McAdams for letting me steal a pic from West Side Story, one of Casey's recent productions, for this post! :) ~MMB

Hello, My name is Casey Martin and I am proud to say that I am a life-long resident of Tarkio. Now I didn’t always plan to be, but sometimes things turn out for the best. Yes, there are lots of things that I could be doing and a lot of places I could be living, but I have never regretted the life that my amazing wife Jackie and I have chosen. Tarkio is my home. It has been a great place to raise our little sorority house consisting of my three beautiful daughters, Grace(11), Sophia (8), and Claire (6).

I went to the University of Missouri in 1990 after high school graduation and enjoyed my time at Mizzou greatly. When I graduated from Mizzou I was offered a chance to work at Tarkio Academy on the old campus of Tarkio College. I needed a job and was soon to marry Jackie. Jackie is an RN and can easily find work anywhere in the country, but she agreed to come home with me and work at Fairfax Community Hospital and this is where we plan to stay. After two years at the Academy the opportunity to work at my alma mater—THS fell into my lap and the rest is history.

Our families live here and we feel connected to the community on a deep level. When you work in a small town high school or the community hospital you get to know everyone, or at least they know you. In my time at THS I have coached HS girls basketball (State Champs 32-0 in ’99), Head Boys basketball for 7 years, 6 years of junior high football, sponsored two classes, put together 5 yearbooks, announce football and basketball games, clerk for the track meets, read for Brain Bowl meets, coach 5 grade girls basketball, am currently National Honor Society sponsor, teach 7 preps a day, help keep a house with a wife,3 daughters and dog that keep me more than busy with all their activities, attend St. John’s Lutheran Church…and that is off the top of my head.

The project that I am most passionate about is the school plays & musicals. I am currently directing my 18th play at THS next weekend---Heaven Can Wait (April 21 at 7 & April 22 at 1---check it out) I do a musical in the fall with Brad Mathers and Melody Barnett and a drama in the spring on my own. This is something I have always loved to do and the kids I have worked with the last 10 years have gained a better perspective in all that they can become. Jackie and I are truly blessed to live in a community where we can be so involved and feel so loved and appreciated, and we try to give that same energy right back to the community. Thank you Tarkio, I don’t know what we would be without you.

Find a Seat Tomorrow

 Aaron and Lizzie just finished stuffing 120 eggs. They stuffed half of what we’ll need for the annual egg hunt at Tarkio First Baptist Church. Tomorrow all the brightly colored eggs will dot the front lawn of our church and kids of all shapes and sizes in their Easter best will make a run for it.

We’ll rise early tomorrow and hide the Easter goodies in the super-sized eggs purchased at Hobby Lobby. In Lizzie’s stash, a boy Barbie, by request, and lots of chocolate. Josh will land a toy truck and in Aaron’s, his first Bible, his name embossed on the front cover.

At church, we’ll worship with our friends, many whom I’ve been attending church with for over 30 years. I’ll sit next to my family and many friends and neighbors I’ve known for over 30 years. I’ll remember my first Easters in those pews with my white knee socks in the dresses sewed by my Grandma singing with the M&M choir Easter songs that I still remember all the words. I’ll think of the Easter my pastor and his family came to town. I was 14 and they shared Easter dinner with us.

If we are lucky, our local sheriff will sing his rendition of He’s Alive, the local attorney and hospital board member will play the piano and my kids will sing with the children’s choir. We’ll breakfast together and return to our homes with the words of Up from the Grave He Arose on our lips and the joy of a risen Savior in our hearts.

You don’t have to travel far out of Atchison County to find many critics of churches and of Christians. Religion is viewed as something appropriate for the uneducated, the small minded and those of us from the backwoods sheltered from the diverse peoples and problems of the world.   Christians, at times have earned this reputation. I’ve seen it in my own church and community when the doctrine of loving your neighbor is forgotten.

In the vast majority of my experience with small town religion, I’ve seen the good that comes from a group of people bound by common beliefs, supporting each other in both the joyful and difficult times. I’ve seen churches help the needy by supplying clothes, appliances, court fees and travel expenses. I’ve seen the tears of sorrow when a fellow parishioner is suffering from cancer and the outpouring of consolation and casseroles when a loved one is lost. I see the stacks of Christmas gifts for needy children, the turkeys at Thanksgiving and the full schedule of volunteers when meals need delivered to the homebound.

I still have the handwritten card delivered to our door when my husband lost his mother.  I smile at the memory of my pastor carrying my sick child on his shoulders when the IV in his foot prevented him from walking. And in those first years of marriage when our hot water heater broke and a church member supplied us one for free…it still chugs out hot showers after a long day at work.

In my community, churches provide for spiritual and physical needs in manner far more efficient than any government agency. There’s no paperwork, or forms to fill out or long lines…there’s just a need and a group of people, filled with a desire to meet those needs in a spirit of love and hope.

I hope tomorrow that you find yourself in a pew somewhere in Atchison County. You won’t need fancy clothes or an invitation. You won’t be sitting by people that are perfect or who don’t routinely make mistakes. But I know that if you can find a seat, Love will find you.

98,707 Pages: Community Proud!

This week's guest blogger is Lydia Hurst, dedicated community volunteer and a champion of county-wide connections and events such as Batttle of the Books, a fantastic annual event where kids from across the county gather in the same room for an afternoon of friendly (and serious!) competition. We are thankful for Lydia, librarians, teachers and parents who work so hard to make these kinds of things happen. ~MMB

There have been many moments when I find myself loving our amazing little corner of this wonderful world and when I think of it, I am positively ‘Community Proud.’ Last Friday, I had the privilege of helping a fantastic group of volunteers as we prepared and facilitated the county wide competition of 4th – 6th graders in the 6th Annual Battle of the Books at the Tarkio Resource Center. This is one of my favorite annual events in Atchison County and for those of you who do not know about it, I will give you a quick synopsis. For the rest of you that do know, you may skip a little in your reading.

The Battle of the Books began 6 years ago, inspired by a similar competition in Omaha. This was a time in our nation when schools were finding themselves even more accountable to ensure that each child enrolled was getting the education he or she needed. State testing was a “buzz word,” whether you liked it or not. During this time, a core group of old school educators, parents, and grandparents agreed with research data that showed the need for children to simply read more books. Opportunities at home and outside the classroom fought for the attention of our schoolchildren, such as video games, competitive sports practice, TV, computers. While children have always had distractions (or found them), many were home alone or were spending an enormous amount of time in the car being driven to and from activities. Somehow the focus had to get back to reading. Picking up a book and challenging yourself to finish that book and the sense of accomplishment from completing it on your own seemed to be lost for many young people. How do you get that back? The answer is not to sit and complain; the answer is to get involved. By being involved the rewards are endless but ‘Community Proud’ is one that I usually feel.

During the meetings to develop this idea, it became evident that we would need sponsors. We wanted to be able to reward and entice the children to go above and beyond the classroom to participate in this event. The future is so bright for them if they strive to do their best and are dedicated with determination to set aside time to read to ultimately better their reading levels. Northwest Missouri State University coach, Mel Tjeerdsma, believed so firmly in the goals of this group, he donated signed footballs each year and the coaches after him followed this path. Atchison County Development Corporation strongly endorsed this project to encourage our children to learn, prosper, and achieve success now and in their future. This act verified to the children that not only do teachers and parents want them to set and achieve academic goals but coaches, businesses, and random volunteers care deeply also. The Battle of the Books would not be possible without our sponsors and we greatly appreciate those who year in and year out believe this is worthy of their support. We are so fortunate to live in a county that deeply believes and cares about the lives of future generations.

A group of people gathered together and decided to incorporate the Omaha model into Atchison County as an opportunity to promote reading for our youth. At this time, it was decided to use the Mark Twain Award Nominees that are picked annually in our state by the Missouri Association of School Librarians. Soon after, we solicited the support of our three school librarians, teachers, and administration. ‘Community Proud,’ once again. We are so fortunate to have great schools in our county that are filled with professionals who DO all they can to help in any way and with a smile on their face. Needless to say, the schools have been over the top in helping and have been our cheerleaders to keep the children motivated each and every year. To live in an area where you do not have to ask but instead have an abundance of volunteers is indeed a blessing.

We have teams of no more than four participants who then pick a name which varies greatly, from “The Twains” to “Fluffy Readers” to “Reading Masters” and the unity of the team begins. We have seen different strategies utilized through the years to try to pull out a Champion Team. For instance, some teams ‘split the books evenly,’ some ‘read them all twice,’ some ‘read and take notes,’ some ‘just keep reading!’ All seem to have their advantages and have worked one year or another! Some get very nervous, some thoughtfully consider each response, and occasionally you have such excitement build that one may blurt out an answer and then realize they did not even consult with their fellow teammates!

No matter what- it is a joy to watch and once again, I always find myself…..yes, ‘Community Proud!’ Why, you may ask? This question seems simple but I must say there are MULTIPLE reasons. For one, I am so proud of the students who have taken LOTS of time to prepare for this spring afternoon. It quickly becomes evident when we ask each participant to please mark the books (out of 13 this year) they read and, if they read each book more than once, how many times. Can you believe that we had 35 children read over 1,000 pages just for this competition? Hold on, it gets better…each year the total amount of pages read has grown and this year 52 participants read a total of 98,707 PAGES!!! Now, you know why I am ‘community proud!’

The entire reason the competition is held is to help children fall in love with reading, increase their vocabulary, educate them on a variety of topics, familiarize themselves with authors, have fun, and push themsevles to reach higher learning levels in all subjects. We all know that most learning begins with reading and comprehending. It is a wonderful moment to see a building full of county children who are proud of learning and are ready to compete in the Battle of the Books. Kurt Sloop, Tarkio Art teacher, was kind enough many years ago to illustrate our logo with our very own Mark Twain look alike. Twain is refereeing two books boxing it out. We have so enjoyed the artwork through the years. Many students come dressed with t-shirts in various colors with the now county famous logo. Community Proud.

The competition this year was clearly competitive and definitely did not disappoint those in attendance looking forward to the annual Battle. Three teams did not miss ANY questions over the 13 books and four teams only missed one question. Before we could go to the championship round, we needed a fourth team. So we had a tie breaker round between the 4 teams that had missed only one question. The championship was 10 rounds of questions- ‘Big Book Theory’ came in first not missing any, ‘The Bookettes’ were second with one miss, ‘Reading Masters’ were third with 2 misses, and ‘Readables’ had 3 misses. The afternoon was wonderful, the crowd cheered, the children pushed hard to the end, and our community was united with volunteers everywhere and prideful smiles that will last a lifetime. Thank you, Atchison County. I am Community Proud.