|
COVID-19 has impacted nearly every community in the United States, but none quite as much as New York. According to the New York Times, as of May 13th, New York State has 345,828 total cases and 27,450 deaths. It is hard to get a sense of what this actually feels like on the ground, but one Grain Valley woman saw the impact of this disease up close. Audrey Anderson, a wife and mother of four, left her home in Grain Valley on April 9th to drive with fellow emergency medical technicians (EMT) from Kansas City to New York to support their brothers and sisters in New York City. After several weeks of service in New York, Anderson returned home to quarantine at a campsite in Odessa for fourteen days, finally able to reunite with her family on Mother’s Day. Anderson’s experience in New York has given her a new respect for her colleagues on the ground in New York City and the virus that continues its grip around the world. Anderson graduated from the UMKC School of Medicine EMT program in December 2018 and has been a licensed EMT for nearly two years. Anderson recently began work with Midwest Medical, a transport company based in Nebraska with a station located in Kansas City. As COVID-19 began to spread throughout the country, Anderson’s boss asked if she would be willing to be deployed, as she was one of the few on staff with the Hazmat and FEMA certifications needed to go. “With no clue of where I would be deployed, what exactly I would be doing, and how long I would be gone, I said ‘yes’ without hesitation. One thing everyone needs to understand is that EMS workers get very little pay, work long hours and work in extremely difficult, emotional and dangerous conditions. We do this job because that is where our heart is. We all know these things when we signed up to risk our lives for others each day. This situation was no different. In my mind my brothers and sisters in EMS afar needed our help and I needed to be there for them,” Anderson said. “I knew leaving my family would be taking a huge risk, but we made the decision together as a family. So when I got the call back in April that said I was being deployed to New York City and need to have my bags packed and be at the station in less than four hours, I quickly packed my things and hugged my family goodbye. The thought of going to New York City, the epicenter of the pandemic was a scary thought, and I would be lying to say I didn’t panic and almost turn around a few times and head back home. The one thought that kept going thought my head was my EMS family needs help, so I cannot let them down.” Anderson left April 9th from Midwest Medical’s Kansas City station with a caravan of ambulances that took 36 hours to travel to New York. The caravan stopped in Lincoln, Omaha, Des Moines, and Cleveland to pick up trucks and crew along the way. A total of 15 ambulances and 30 crew members reported to the Bronx Zoo where their deployment staging area was located. “From there we met up with the other 500 EMS volunteers that had flooded in from across the country. Standing there at that moment and seeing all the others that left their families to come help was such an emotional and humbling experience,” Anderson said. The group was divided into two groups. The majority were assigned to interfacility transfers (IFT calls). The remaining, including Anderson, were assigned to Fort Totten, a former army base in Queens, to run 911 calls throughout the five boroughs in the city. “To us, it felt like we had won the lottery. That may sound crazy to say in this situation, but the opportunity to run 911 calls along side FDNY, the most highly regarded EMS service in the country, maybe even the world, was truly a blessing. We were all split up into task forces and assigned to a specific borough. My task force was assigned to run calls in the central Bronx. We were required to be up and out of our hotel to catch the shuttle to the base by 8:00am and would not return to our hotel until 1:00am. Most nights we would be lucky just to get 4-5 hours of sleep.” “Trying to decompress at the end of a long physically and emotionally draining shift was hard, especially if you still needed to do your laundry before you had to get up and do it all over again. I felt like a robot.” “The majority of calls we ran were COVID-19 positive or suspected COVID-19 patients. The others were your normal EDP (emotionally disturbed person), panic attacks, gunshot, stabbings, etc. The biggest heart break was that every 10-15 minutes, a call would come out over the radio for a cardiac or respiratory failure in progress. 90% of those calls were COVID-19 patients, and by the time we arrived is was too late or the all too often ‘well check calls’ that ended in COVID-19 patients being DOA (dead on arrival).” “There were buildings completely ravaged by positive COVID-19 patients because they all share the same elevators and stairwells and struggled with the lack of PPE (personal protective equipment) to protect themselves.” “Most still had to get up every day and go to work to provide for their families. They didn’t have the same luxury most of us do to stay put and wait it out. So many times, we were called out to a residence where most, if not all the family members were positive for COVID-19. One household of 7 already had 4 members of the family that had succumbed to the virus and the looks on their faces of pure terror each time we were called out will haunt my mind forever. They knew they had the virus and would most likely have the same fate as the others. I didn’t know what to do or say to make them feel better. It was incredibly sad. I spent many nights in my truck in between calls or in my hotel room crying for those who were suffering.” The severity of the virus and its ability to impact patients of all ages was a constant reminder while on calls. “This virus is no joke. I have seen firsthand what it can and will do if we do not take it seriously. It is not just the older generation or the people with pre-existing conditions that are being affected. I took countless patients to the hospital that were the perfect example of health and fitness. I saw a 12 year-old girl, the same age as my daughter, die from this virus who was a normal, healthy middle schooler just weeks before,” Anderson said. The memories of these calls and the sights and sounds in the hospitals are still vivid for Anderson. “The noises you hear as you would walk in the emergency department of each hospital. The sound a heart monitor makes when someone is flatlining and losing their life was constant. You would hear multiple going off at the same time and see the hospital staff and EMS frantically doing CPR. The faces of all of us after each call that we couldn’t save someone was devastating. We felt defeated and empty, but all we could do was clean ourselves, our cots, and our trucks, and then off to the next call we went.” “I hope those that read this article will stop complaining about being stuck inside and their inconvenienced social life, and stay at home, heed the warnings, and enjoy your family. Realize how blessed you are to wake up each day, because so many of the patients I transported did not have the same luck.” Back home, Anderson is grateful for the support of her family and friends during her deployment and quarantine. “My family and friends are truly amazing. The love and support that was shown while I was deployed, in quarantine, and now while at home is truly heartfelt and humbling. I received many care packages while in New York City, and had many family and friends stop by my campsite in Odessa with food, booze, and goodies to keep me occupied and sane while I was there for 14 days. The calls and texts I received is what kept my spirits high and kept me going.” Anderson’s quarantine ended on Mother’s Day, and a friend who owns Chef J BBQ in the West Bottoms prepared a meal for her return. “Needless to say, it was the best and most memorable Mother’s Day ever.” Anderson continues to think of her work family in New York City and remembers their support fondly. “The love and support shown to us by FDNY was amazing. From the moment we got there, until the moment we left, they treated us like family. They fed us and welcomed us into their stations with open arms. They gave us shirts and patches and friendships I will forever cherish. We laughed together and cried together. Also, the mutual aid from across the country became family and I still stay in touch with them now that I am home.” “It’s much easier to talk about what happened with those that were out there fighting this pandemic with us than put those images in our family and friends’ minds. It was hard enough for us to handle, let alone telling others about it,” Anderson said. A lesson many of us know but do not often take to heart was solidified for Anderson during this experience. “Don’t take the ones you love for granted, for tomorrow is never promised.” The Planning and Zoning Commission approved final plans for two developments and approved a site plan for a Burger King restaurant during its May 13th meeting, held via video conference.
The Commission unanimously approved the final plat for a medical marijuana cultivation facility located on approximately 6.5 acres at the east end of South Outer Belt Road on the south side of Interstate 70. Randy Black with Missouri Made Marijuana LLC thanked the Commission and stated he looked forward to “being a good neighbor” in Grain Valley. The Commission also approved the final development plan/final plat for the Lofts at Old Towne Marketplace. The development will consist of 154 rental units and a mixed-use indoor amenity center in four buildings, located at Garden Street and SW Eagles Parkway. Finally, the Commission approved a site plan for a Burger King to be located in the Mercado Plaza development located at the NW corner of Buckner Tarsney Road and Jefferson Road. The developer is still in discussion with MODOT regarding the placement of two left hand turn lanes, one at Buckner Tarsney Road and one at Jefferson Road. The site plan was approved with the understanding that the building may move slightly to the north to accommodate additional right of way needed for the left hand turns. Following a lengthy discussion regarding the proposed site’s parking and drive thru layout, the plan was approved with committee member Elijah Greene the lone ‘no’ vote. The next meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission will be held June 10th at 6:30pm. Katrell Hurst Sport: Football Plans after high school: I am taking prerequisites for the Police Academy at Metropolitan Community Colleges. Highlights of your career as a student athlete: My favorite highlight is summer conditioning. Coming from a Class 5 school (William Chrisman) to a Class 4 school, you’ll tend to snoot your nose at the school that you’re currently going to be attending because of how small it looks. When I stepped into Grain Valley’s locker room for the first time and started meeting the coaching staff, all I felt was energy in the locker room. It gave me the chills, and I then knew what Grain Valley football was all about. Grain Valley football works very hard during the summer. It’s extreme conditioning. I would say that if you put Grain Valley against any class 5 or higher class school, we will outwork them during summer conditioning. Sweat & tiredness to Grain Valley is like fresh blood to a shark. Grain Valley football enjoys sweating in the summer; it’s like a water park. What was the biggest lesson you learned as a student athlete? Some of the biggest lessons as a student athlete was “making my bed”, meaning do the little things so that you could be successful because the little things do count in the long run. Thank You: I would like to say thank you to the entire coaching staff for such a welcoming environment, but I wanted to give a special thank you to Coach Carpino. I’m pretty sure he’s been called lots of names due to the fact that he doesn’t let you quit, and he doesn’t let you make excuses. Many people don’t see that, although it should enlighten some people. Coach Carpino pays attention to everything, and he will call you out if you’re not doing something right. I just wanted to thank him because he taught me many life skills, such as not making excuses for your 50% effort. This isn’t just for sports, it’s a lifestyle. Michael Sanchez Sport(s): Football and Track Plans after high school: Planning to attend community college for sports medicine. Highlights of your career as a student athlete: When we beat Harrisonville for the district championship as seniors. It was amazing because we lost to them my freshman year and that hurt. What was the biggest lesson you learned as a student athlete? Accountability, responsibility, and public speaking when I prayed before every team meal. Thank You: I want to thank all my coaches for making me into the person I am, but especially Coach Stone. He helped me in the post season when I went to combines, and I would not have been there competing without his help. by John Unrein Major League Baseball is working on an abbreviated 2020 season. Team owners have approved a plan that they sent to players on May 12th. Spring training would start in mid-June and last for approximately three weeks in team’s home ballparks prior to the beginning of the season around the first of July. The plan also consists of an 82 game schedule with divisions being realigned based on the location of teams being clustered closest together to ease travel. The players association will have to weigh health concerns against financial losses that will occur from the forfeiture of a season should professional baseball not continue in 2020. No doubt questions will also arise during discussions about the permanent damage coronavirus can cause to lungs, a possible second wave of the disease hitting the nation, and what testing for COVID-19 will look like at that time. Not a fun situation for someone in any profession to weigh. These types of thoughts turn my attention to fond memories of time spent in the past at Kauffman Stadium. It’s truly one of the best venues in all of baseball to watch a game. Perhaps it is human nature to ease stress about our current reality by letting our minds wander to a positive place. Here are my fondest memories of Royals baseball at Kauffman Stadium in no particular order. 1. Prior to the new Crown Vision scoreboard being installed in center field at Kauffman Stadium that coincided with onslaught of the digital era, the old scoreboard had individual lights that created animated graphics in celebration of positive things done by the team. My two favorites are classics that accompanied cheering fans. First, was a baseball being hit off a bat and screaming as it ascended with great speed marking a home run by the Royals. Occasionally, you would be lucky enough to see it twice in a row depending on the speed of the home run trot by the batter. Next, was the lady and man sitting next to each other in stadium seats dressed in dapper clothes. She would turn and envelop him with an embrace as all of him disappeared except for his face and bulging eyes. Stars would appear in the background as well, celebrating the great play made by the Royals. 2. The fountain display at Kauffman Stadium has only one section that extends into left field, while an entire row spanning to the bullpen exists in right field. The fountains were more prevalent prior to the outfield amenities that were added when stadium renovations were unveiled on opening day of the 2009 season. The purpose of the of disproportional fountains was the plan of former Royals owner Ewing Kauffman. The reasoning was that from an aerial view the fountains displayed the number one (this can be seen if you look at older picture of Kauffman stadium and think about what the fountain structure would look like from above). Kauffman seemed to have a plan for almost everything he did. It was not until a guided tour of the stadium that this was revealed to me. 3. Outfield general admission by the bullpens use to cost $1. Enough said. 4. I was too young to partake, but Yago Red Sangria use to be sold at Kauffman Stadium and consumed in plentiful quantities. This fact was driven home walking out to your car after a Royals win. A familiar chant was to tie the name of most valuable player from that game to the consumption of Yago. For example, “We love Frank White, we drank too much Yago,” was a common way to enjoy the walk to your car upon exiting the turnstile. 5. Bret Saberhagen’s no hitter at Kauffman Stadium on August 26th, 1991 was surreal to watch. His last pitch of the game is still a vivid memory. Catcher Mike Macfarlane put down the sign for an elevated fastball and Saberhagen delivered, striking out the final batter of the game. Equally as impressive was Kevin Seitzer’s 6 for 6 day at the plate on August 2nd, 1987 during his rookie year. His last hit was nearly a home run that ricocheted off the top of the left field wall after being scorched by Seitzer. My brother still has the scorecard from that day that he proudly displays in his Minnesota home. 6. September 27th, 2019 witnessed a fond farewell from Ned Yost as he addressed the remaining fans at Kauffman Stadium. Yost imparted his will on the teams he coached. He gave the Royals a competitive identity as he was the skipper who led the Royals to their second World Series title in 2015. Happy retirement Ned Yost. Ed Zurga/Getty Images (photo courtesy of MLB).
When my stay at home work began due to the Coronavirus, I have to admit I was pretty jazzed. I quickly renovated (read moved stacks around) my office space to accommodate my computer and supplies (read bag of Hershey’s miniatures and a box of those yellow mechanical pencils), and went straight to work.
I dutifully downloaded Zoom, brushed up on Google Meet, and tackled task after mundane task. But a few days in, I realized I was missing something: my co-workers. I have seen all the funny memes about the husband, kids, and pets as co-workers, and I have plenty of those, too. But I miss the people I interact with daily. In fairness, they may not be missing me with the same fervor. I started thinking about how lucky I have been in the co-worker department, and for the most part, I have enjoyed being around all of them. I have loved their hearts and their good intentions, have been touched by their gifts and help, and laughed so hard with some of them, that I think they should have their own comedy shows. But a few from my past jobs came to my mind that were very memorable, and maybe in not such a positive way. The Narrator I had a co-worker who made me feel very lazy every day, because she literally narrated her entire day as she went. We were in a cubicle type situation, where we could hear one another pretty well, and while I became adept at blocking out much of the surrounding conversation and noise, Amaryllis (name changed to protect the guilty) was pretty hard to block. Starting early in the morning, she narrated her trip to the staff kitchen to make her coffee. “Let me get that cup out of here and rinse it. Well, that looks clean, now let me get this dry. I guess I will start with just a half cup since I have been making so many trips to the bathroom. Now let’s see. Where is that creamer? Right where I left it. Well, that’s good. Okay, got that cup of coffee going, let me get back to my desk and get started on sorting those files.” Back at her desk, she sorted through the files, and her line of thinking was clear, as she told us all about it. “Wonder if the best way to sort these for Trevor would be alphabetically or by date? I think I will call him on his cell and see if he has an idea about what would be best. Now let me see if I can find that number. Right here it is. Hmmmm. I thought his number started with a 6. Sandy, do you know if Trevor’s cell is right in this directory? Let me walk over to you with it to let you see.” By around 11:00, we knew that she had sorted the files, the five phone calls to agencies she would be making, how cold the water in the bathroom sink was when she went to wash her hands, and how many more tasks she would tackle before she broke for lunch, when she would narrate how many seconds she would need to heat her meal, and what magazine she was reading that day. We also knew not only whether the new sandals she had purchased were pinching her bunion, and how much cyan and magenta toners were left in the copier, but also how it was going with her boss that particular day. “Okay, if he can get those papers signed, I can bring him the file to review and maybe he can get that phone call done before my afternoon break so that I can get those mailings done and get to the post office before four. But if he doesn’t…” It was endless and it was exhausting. I felt like a slug for just sitting quietly at my desk and plodding away. There were two breaking points with dear Amaryllis. The first was when she shifted to stopping on her way back to her desk from the break room and recapping for us, even though we were quite aware of what she had done. “I was working on those files today and just couldn’t decide whether to do that alphabetically or by date, but I went ahead and called Trevor, and…” People started timing their bathroom trips for her break times, so that when she peered in the cubicle we weren’t there. That didn’t stop her. “Anybody know where Cathy went? I was gonna’ tell her if she was copying anything in color that the magenta and cyan were low.” The second breaking point is perhaps what drove another co-worker to request an intervention with Amaryllis’ supervisor. The copy machine jammed. And it was a major glitch to our day. Amaryllis was about the only one who could make it behave. And she did. But only after narrating all the rollers she turned, and the doors she shut and reset, and counted each piece of paper she unjammed out loud. “Forty six, forty seven, forty eight…” After the supervisor’s intervention, Amaryllis was wary of the rest of us, unsure who had reported her daily narration. Wish I could say it stopped her, but all it did was shift the approach slightly. “Guess I better not report this coffee break out loud. I will just step back here as quiet as I can and then get right back to work on those files,” she said in a stage whisper. The Copy Cat I might not have noticed the Copy Cat’s behavior if a friendly co-worker had not pointed it out to me. “Have you noticed that Joyce is wearing almost the exact same outfit you wore yesterday? Seriously, she is. Right down to the shoes. I think she is copying you.” Flattered that anyone thought an outfit I put together in the dark of the early morning, with a still sleeping husband, whose entire morning routine took about seven minutes, I pondered this new information. Dressing in the dark had produced some dazzling results and now someone liked how I looked? Should I branch out into something a little different than black pants, white blouse and a cardigan and see if Joyce followed? I did it. I broke out a dress, tights, and cowboy boots and scooted right into work. It was a look. Perhaps not a good one, but it was a look. A couple of other co-workers commented on the boots, and Joyce keenly observed. I was disappointed the next day when she did not come to work looking like Calamity Jane. But I had not been patient enough. By week’s end, she had adopted my look. Some of you are mentally scolding me right now, thinking I should have just let it go, but others of you know me better, and are sure I behaved not so nicely. Over the course of the next few weeks, I wore turquoise jewelry mixed with gold (gasp) and a new shade of bright red lipstick, with Joyce in hot pursuit. I shifted the part in my hair to the opposite side, and she mirrored. I parked in the sun instead of the shade, and she pulled in right next to me. I went from drinking tea to drinking coffee and she caffeinated accordingly. At some point, my co-worker and original conspirator suggested something drastic, like piercings or a tattoo to see if she would follow, and when I considered it, that is when I knew maybe I was the one with the obsession instead of Joyce. Case in point. We had a torrential rainstorm, and my already frizzy hair had taken on a life of its own. I dug around in the depths of my purse for a brush or something to fix it. First I found a Zero bar left over from Halloween and ate it immediately. So good. Wait. What was I talking about? Oh yeah, my hair. Candy bars often interrupt my thinking. Back to my hair. I found a claw clip and whipped into the bathroom to contain the mess. I ended up with a sort of Cyndi Lauperesque hairdo that would have to suffice. I rushed into the meeting, and the only seat was directly across from Joyce. She very carefully observed my new do. And I was keenly aware of several snickering co-workers watching that interaction as well. I began to think they assumed my clip was a set up to tempt Joyce. At the first break in the meeting, I watched her head to the bathroom. Guilt finally got to me, and instinct told me she might come out of the bathroom with a clip, and I just couldn’t let her. “Joyce! How are you?” “Good! Hey, I want to tell you something.” I was sure that Joyce was going to confess to having copied me for weeks, but instead she looked at me with the same look I give my daughter when I have to give her bad news. “I know it is rainy and all today—but that clip is just a bad look. I noticed everyone watching us, and I think they were hoping I would say something to you. Sorry.” The Butt Kisser Do I really have to spell this one out? You all have had a butt kisser co-worker unless you are self-employed, and then it is probably you. I don’t want you to see yourself in this narrative and quit reading. End of story. The Shady Lady I was absent for a couple of days for a work conference, and during that time, a co-worker borrowed my laptop. We were for sure not good enough work friends for her to do that without permission, but what comes next is the real horror story. When I returned from the trip I noticed many of my settings were changed, but I attributed it to updates tech had pushed through while I was gone. The following day, my immediate supervisor requested an early morning meeting and when I arrived, she was waiting for me with a Human Resources rep. There is little that strikes fear in even the most innocent than an unexpected HR visit. They questioned me about my trip and asked if I traveled with my computer. I left it here, I told them, figuring I should have taken it along for some reason. Then they asked me to get my computer and boot it up. Next they asked if they could look at it. Several minutes passed while I sat across the desk and they looked at the computer and took notes on a legal pad. Both very professional ladies and nice people, their shocked, distasteful looks as they perused the computer had me sweating. Before the suspense kills you, just let me start by saying the co-worker who had borrowed my computer had some curious web surfing habits which had come to light with online monitoring. And let me finish by saying I will never look at bearded Amish men in the same way again. The Post-It Note Queen I once walked into an office where Post-It notes were everywhere. They covered the computer monitor, were stuck to the desktop phone receiver, and marked random places in books and on documents. Some of them contained one word reminders, some had phone numbers, some had cryptic codes or lists. The system of Post-It notes was either sheer genius, as they could be thrown away with each accomplished task, or sheer madness, in that they displayed just how much had to be done and the occupant’s random thinking. It was me. I was the Post-It Note Queen. And it was a Post-It note that reminded me to finish this column today, so the system is working pretty darn well. Here’s to all my fabulous and not so fabulous co-workers through the years! May you “office” with people who give you all the respect you deserve. Cathy is a retired public school English teacher and Public Information Officer. The title is a little weird. Hopefully, it intrigues you. At the outset, let me be totally transparent. What you eat is your business (unless it’s the last donut from the break room. Then we might have issues). Even if you like lima beans, we can still be friends—just don’t force your views on me.
When it comes to vegetarianism, I don’t really have a dog in the fight. Unless it’s a hotdog. I have a friend who gags at the thought. I don’t do hotdogs often, but when I do, I prefer Hebrew National (they are 100% Kosher Beef). Their slogan used to be, “We answer to a higher authority”. I enjoy a good hotdog about 2 or 3 times a year. By “good”, I generally like them fried in bacon grease and topped with bacon, cheese, catsup, onions, and relish (I won’t force my views on you). I realize I need to define a couple of terms. First, vegetarianism. To paint a broad stroke, vegetarians do not eat meat. This term should not be confused with the term, vegan. These folks choose not to consume any animal products whatsoever. For the sake of this article, I’ll just use the term vegetarianism for simplicity. The other term that needs definition is anthropomorphism. This is the practice of giving human traits to non-humans. For the purpose of this article, I specifically mean animals. For example, consider Mickey Mouse. Mickey has a humanlike face, arms, walks on two legs, talks, has intelligence, emotion, owns a dog, and wears clothes. He’s kind of like us, but his ears are a little bigger. Mickey goes down in history as the first talking animal on screen. Although in earlier films he whistled, laughed, and cried, it wasn’t until the 1929 film, “The Karnival Kid,” that Mickey uttered his first words. He was selling hotdogs at a carnival and shouted, “hot dogs, hot dogs.” Perhaps, now you understand why Mickey likes the phrase, “hotdog!” and does, “the hotdog dance.” Back to my theme. Some vegetarians choose the lifestyle because they believe it is a healthier option. It’s forks over knives for them. Those who adhere to this eating pattern claim to have lost weight and to be happier and healthier. I have several great friends who choose this lifestyle and it works really well for them. There is such a thing as the carnivore diet. As you would have guessed, these people eat only meat and animal-based products. No veggies or tofu. It’s knives over forks for them. Those who adhere to this diet claim to have lost weight and to be happier and healthier. While some vegetarians choose the lifestyle for health reasons, there are some who choose it because of their sympathy for animals. Some just believe it is wrong for humans to eat other animals. I love animals of all kinds (although I prefer dogs). I also believe in respecting and, at times, protecting animals. In addition, I believe that some of the ways that animals are raised and harvested for food is just downright shameful. But, I do not believe it is “wrong” to hunt or eat animals—even if you do most of your hunting at Price Chopper. Here’s where my Christian worldview affects my eating habits. Initially, God created all creatures to be vegetarians. He wrote, “And to every beast of the earth…I have given every green plant for food” (Gen 1:30). However, after the flood, man was given the other animals to eat. He wrote, “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything” (Gen 9:3). You could even say that God, Himself, enjoys a good steak. Or, at least meat on the grill. Throughout the Old Testament, sacrifices of meat were given as a sacrifice. God commanded this saying, “you shall offer a burnt offering, for a pleasing aroma to the Lord” (Num 29:2). The concept was, the animal was consumed on earth and, kind of like on Star Trek, rematerialized in heaven. So, for me, it’s not wrong to eat meat, but it may not be healthy for me to eat too much of it. Also, it’s not wrong for you not to eat meat. It’s personal preference. Eat what you want. Now, back to anthropomorphism. I was watching a TV show with my young grandson some time ago. Like many other kid’s programs on TV, it had creatures that talked. We’ve all become accustomed to talking dogs, cats, horses, cows, and even turtles on the half shell. In these shows, these animals refer to each other by name. They talk, wear clothes, have human features, emotions, and, for the most part, they get along. For example, on Disney’s, “The Lion Guard,” a group of animals bond together to form a protective group that combines their efforts to create harmony in the circle of life. They, of course, are led by a young lion. These various animals talk, play, work, and eat together—just not each other. The animals that eat other animals, like the hyenas, are painted as “dark” characters from the wasteland. They’re the bad guys who want to disrupt harmony in the circle of life. On Disney Junior’s show, “Giganotosaurus,” there are a number of different dinosaurs with anthropomorphic characteristics. However, there is one creature that is different from the rest. The character, Giganotosaurus. He is modeled after the T-Rex and is a ferocious beast who is always hungry—and eats meat. The interesting thing about Giganotosaurus is that, unlike the other creatures, he does not speak. He appears to be more of a vicious beast that is more animal that human. Thankfully, the other dinosaurs are working on him and he has a soft side. The topic of anthropomorphism has fascinated me for some time, but to be honest, I’ve never done any “serious” research. All I offer is observation and speculation. There is no doubt that we have been affected by anthropomorphism. I did feel sorry for Bambi. And, personally, I believe that a rise in vegetarianism could be linked to a rise in anthropomorphism. When kids see talking animals on television that have families, emotions, hurts, pains, and common struggles, they identify with them. In addition, they are indoctrinated with phrases like the one from Bruce, the great white shark in “Finding Nemo” who said, “I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine. If I am to change this image, I must first change myself. Fish are friends, not food.” After being traumatized by the movie Jaws as a kid, I certainly hope Bruce (which interestingly enough was the name of the shark in Jaws) can convince his friends to follow suit. Perhaps we can enjoy some lima beans together. I place a firm line between animals and humans. We are different. They ain’t like us. They do not have the same worth or value. I say this because of my biblical worldview. Only humans were created in the image of God. The animals, and rodents who wear pants and drive cars, were not. In closing, eat what you want. That’s not the issue. But, I do think it’s important to think about these things. Also, I wonder if when Mickey and his friends enjoy hotdogs together if they are Hebrew National? And, why is it that their friend Claribel (the cow) is strangely absent when they partake? Dr. Wayne Geiger is the Pastor of First Baptist Grain Valley, an Adjunct Associate Professor of Speech, and freelance writer. by Marcia Napier, Grain Valley Historical Society This building was on the east side of Main Street, just south of the railroad tracks. Currently there is a car wash at this location. When I was growing up in the 1950’s, it was Floyd Sharp’s Lumber Yard and it still had a dirt floor.
But from about 1906 until the mid-1930’s, the building housed Kershaw & Williams, General Blacksmithing. Robert W. Kershaw came with his family to Grain Valley from Savannah, Missouri in the 1890s. His father, Peter Ferdinand Kershaw fought with the Union Army and was a Civil War Veteran with some disabilities. He was in his 50s when he brought his family to Grain Valley. The U. S. Census in 1900 list his occupation as grocery. It is unclear whether he worked there or owned the store. Peter and his wife, Hannah Elizabeth (Walters), raised three children, Frederick, Hannah and the youngest, Robert (1879-1961). On March 18, 1903 Robert married Iva Belle Bloomer from Holt, MO. He brought his bride back to Grain Valley to live and start a family. Sometime after that, he started the blacksmith business with Charles Williams. Charles Evan Williams lived in Mayview, Missouri, before coming to Grain Valley with his young bride, Miss Goldie Pearl Dishman of Odessa. They were married on Christmas Day in 1905 in Mayview, Missouri. They also came to Grain Valley to live. His family ancestry is unknown to this writer. I’m not sure when all of the streets in town were named, however, the 1910 U.S. Census said the Williams family lived on “church” street. By 1920 their address was on Capelle, the street with two churches. I’m guessing they did not move. Together, the two young men established the blacksmith shop on what was then known as Broadway, now Main Street. Grain Valley was already a busy little town on the C & A Railroad, but when Mr. Nelson started buying land and established Sni-A-Bar Farms, business exploded. It must have taken a lot of horses and even more horseshoes to run a 1,700-acre farm! When my grandfather arrived at the farm in 1922, he recalled that all of the “shoeing” was done by Kershaw and Williams. By the 1930s, tractors and trucks had replaced the horses and mules. The blacksmith shop closed around 1935. When this photograph was given to the Historical Society by the family of Mrs. Ruby Wyatt, Williams’ daughter, we learned that her father, Charlie, also did all of the sign work for the farm and the stall cards that hung above the purebred cattle at livestock shoes and exhibitions from coast to coast. Stop by the Historical Society. I still have 20 or more of the signs Mr. Williams made. Note: According to the 1930 U. S. Census, the Robert Kershaw family had moved to Cass County near Harrisonville. His parents are buried in the Grain Valley Cemetery. A parade for graduating Grain Valley High School seniors will be held Sunday,
May 17th at 4:00pm. Line-up for participants begins at 2:30pm. Participants should enter and check-in at the west entrance of Sni-A-Bar Elementary, 701 SW Eagles Parkway. The parade route will begin at Grain Valley High School, head east on SW Eagles Pkwy, north on Main Street, west on Walnut, and south on EE Kirby back to the high school. The public is encouraged to attend and cheer on the graduates. Please keep social distancing recommendations in mind at all times. |
Categories
All
Archives
May 2024
|
Grain Valley NewsGrain Valley News is a free community news source published weekly online. |
Contact Us |