​     If you have lived in Grain Valley very long, you must know that our cheerleaders are among the best in the State of Missouri. The trophy cases in the Senior High Commons are filled with the many state championship trophies they have won over the past several years.
     Originally called yell leaders, cheerleaders have been a part of sports since the turn of the last century. The first intercollegiate football game was played in 1869, between Princeton University and Rutgers University in New Jersey, and by the 1880s, Princeton had formed an all-male pep club. On 2 November 1898, standing in front of a crowd of sport fans, Johnny Campbell, a medical student at the University of Minnesota began the chant,” Minn-e-So-Tah!” He was so effective that the team won and he made history as the first cheerleader.
     Some high schools began having yell leaders in the 1920s. A search of yearbooks did not reveal any cheerleaders in Grain Valley prior to 1945. Three girls appeared in the yearbooks wearing uniforms which were probably blue slacks with blue and white tops. Unless they had something on the back of their sweaters there is nothing to indicate they are Eagles. Does anyone besides me question their pose?
     In the 1952 Treasurer Chest there were four girls who cheered for football, but I found this picture of the basketball cheerleaders, two girls and two guys!
     Eventually our cheerleaders began to be identified by the “G” on their uniform. And, by the way, in the 1950s cheerleaders only had ONE uniform. It was always worn with saddle oxfords or saddle shoes, as they were sometimes called. Megaphones were also used by cheer squads.
     In 1948 Lawrence Herkimer founded NCA (National Cheerleaders Association) and turned school spirit into a multimillion-dollar business. NCA began summer cheerleading camps which were held on colleges campus across the nation.  Crepe paper pom poms were around in the 1930s but they didn’t hold up to the demands of dedicated cheerleaders that performed on the sidelines no matter what the weather. So, Herkimer introduced better pom pons. He founded Cheerleader Supply company in 1953. The old megaphones were replaced by spirit sticks, vinyl pom poms, and hair bows!
     See the evolution of cheerleading in Grain Valley.  The Historical Society invites you to join us for Coffee with Classmates –the Rock ‘n Roll Years (1950-1970) on Wednesday, October 20, 2021 beginning at 10:00 AM. We will reconnect, reminiscence, and share memorabilia from our days at Grain Valley!  I hope you will join us. 
 

​     Sock hops were held as early as the 1940s to raise money for war relief efforts, but the dances grew in popularity and became known as a type of informal school dance throughout the 1950s and 60s. It was called a "sock hop" because we were required to remove our shoes so we wouldn't scratch the school gymnasium floor.
     Music was the other defining characteristic of a sock hop. “Rock-and-roll” became popular in 1951 when a Cleveland disc jockey, Alan Freed, first used the term. At the same time televisions were becoming common place in American homes and teens, including those in Grain Valley, were beginning to watch shows like American Bandstand.
    Like "American Idol" today, "American Bandstand" became popular among TV viewers. The show began broadcasting from Philadelphia on October 7, 1952. Dick Clark became the host in 1956 and the show went national in 1957.
     At that time Lottie Gibler ran a café in the building which is now known as The Iron Kettle. Carol (Perry) Gorley was a classmate of her daughter, Kay Gibler (Class of 1961). She remembers going to the café on most days after school to listen to rock and roll tunes and dance with her friends. Later, Lottie’s son, Malcomb owned the restaurant and ran a “Teen Town” there on Saturday nights.   
     In the spring of Carol’s senior year, her classmates had a Pizza Party and Sock Hop to raise funds for their senior trip. Senior parents helped with the project by cooking pizzas in the home economics room. Remember Chef Boyardee  Pizza Mixes? As a freshman and younger sister of a senior, I remember helping to make and serve the pizza. I also remember my mother and Earlene (Tate) Mueller going into the gym and dancing with their sons!
     By 1961 Grain Valley did not have a teen town but there were lots of school dances including three of four sock hops each year. This photograph appeared in the 1961 Treasure Chest Yearbook and was captioned, “Dancing or acrobats at the Pep Club Sock Hop???” If you are a Grain Valley graduate before 1965 you will remember basketball games in the gym and the second-floor balcony.
 
     What are your special memories of GVHS?
     The Historical Society invites you to join us for Coffee with Classmates –the Rock ‘n Roll Years (1950-1970) on Wednesday, October 20, 2021 beginning at 10:00 AM. We will reconnect, reminiscence, and share memorabilia from our days at Grain Valley!  I hope you will join us. 
 

​     Telephone spoofing, also known as caller ID spoofing is the act of making a phone call appear as if it is coming from a different number when it shows up on your caller ID.
     Cyber criminals use this practice as a way to carry out their various voice and text phishing scams. If you see a local phone number show up on your caller ID, crooks know you're probably going to answer.  Unfortunately,  it is pretty easy to program a phone to show a fake caller ID, but there are ways to protect your smartphone number.
     Check out these quick and easy tips that will prevent crooks from getting your smartphone number.
     The reality is it is not much you can do if you find that a criminal is spoofing your number and it turns out that spoofing a number is not illegal, sort of.  The FCC's website and Truth in Caller ID Act, states "FCC rules prohibit any person or entity from transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongly obtain anything of value.” The trick is the part of 'no intent to do harm". 
     If you're a small or solo business, you might choose to have another phone number show up when you call customers.  You might want to have an 888 number or another local number to protect your office number ... or your smartphone if you run your business from your mobile device.  When criminals spoof, they are obviously trying to cause harm, but these crooks can skirt the law as many of these call centers are outside of the United States. 
      Also, numbers are chosen at random from leaked numbers on the dark web.  I know you're also wondering if your phone provider can help, but unfortunately, they can't ... unless you decide to change your number.

How To Stop Spoofing
     One of the best ways to stop spoofing is to stop giving out your smartphone number.  I'm very selective with whom I share my number.  One of the reasons I don't share it is because most people want it to get some free computer advice, but the main reason is to prevent the spoofing of my smartphone number.
     In this day and age where criminals a targeting smartphones, another good tip is to use a free calling app.  Calling apps allow you to do your own spoofing which will keep your smartphone number private.  Apps like Google Voice, TextFree, and WhatsApp allow you to make calls through the app which will display the number you choose with the free calling app as opposed to your smartphone number. 
     If you have a business that uses VOIP, check with your provider to see if there is an app you can use to make business calls without revealing your number.  For example, we use Vonage Business for our office phones.  We can make calls from the app which means our team members can keep their smartphones private.
     If you find your number has been spoofed, you can record a voicemail letting people know that your number has been spoofed.  People understand spoofing is widespread and having a voicemail that alerts people to the fact that you've been spoofed, can calm the nerves of people who have been harassed by criminals.

What to Do If You Are Getting Spoofed Calls
     Before you call that number back angrily to confront a scammer, take the following steps:,
     Try to avoid answering unfamiliar numbers, even if they are from your area.
     If you do answer a call and it is obviously a spam call (they are often offers to reduce credit card payments or offer prizes), do not respond to them and hang up. Do not answer any questions, especially yes or no questions.
     Do not give out any personal information such as addresses or Social Security numbers. No legitimate business or government agency will contact you to collect personal information.
     Immediately hang up if someone claims they represent a government agency or company. They will usually attempt to contact you via the mail rather than call you. Call an organization directly to inquire if they did attempt to call you.

     I hope this article helps you fight back against spoofing. If your phone is being taken over by a telemarketing spoof, take action to protect your number. Most people are sympathetic if your number has been spoofed. I'm curious to know if you've had your number spoofed and what you did to reclaim your number.

Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone.

Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have.  Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829.

     Belying my current less than athletic appearance, I once reigned as the 12 year old girls tennis champion in Lexington, Kentucky. I was a bit of a tennis junkie, watching every slam and open carried on our pre-cable-console-complete-with-stereo-tv.
     And I looked the part for sure. I had a wooden Slazenger racket and Adidas Stan Smith tennis shoes, and I was rarely without a Billie Jean King looking visor.
     My folks were smart enough to make sure we had summer lessons for activities in which we showed an interest. Since there were no lessons for reading, which is what I spent most of my time doing, I suppose tennis was my only other option.
    We spent mornings on the courts, getting a little parks and rec type instruction, making sure to take lots of water breaks, in a time when nobody had a Yeti, and we waited in line at the fountain, hoping the weak stream of water would be cold. As August approached, we toiled through challenge matches in the southern humidity to earn a bracket spot, and the tournament began.
     There was no magical Wimbledon-like setting, just the old acrylic coated green asphalt courts with nets that had seen better days. I don’t remember every opponent, but I am sure I must have received a forfeit or two along the line, some other pre-teen begging off a match that day, claiming her mouth hurt too much from the previous day’s visit to the orthodontist, really just wanting to stay home and work on her baby oil and iodine tan or ride her bike with friends. 
     The winner got an 8 inch trophy and free entry into the following year’s tournament, which were great prizes for a 12 year old.  The winner also got a healthy dose of self-esteem, a pretty good memory to talk about at Happy Hours and family bragging sessions many years later, and the perfect entry into one of those ‘Three truths and One Lie’ getting to know you games we are forced to play when we are in a new group.
     Literally no one ever guesses I have been a 12 year old tennis champion. Once I listed the tennis championship, my ability to recite Eugene Field’s 32 line poem The Duel from memory, and the fact that I once played the piccolo as my truths, and then listed my skydiving hobby as the big whopper, and they still picked tennis as the lie. Go figure.
     As of late, I have been looking for somewhat smaller victories. For instance, just a couple of weeks ago, on two separate occasions, I finished my morning cup of coffee while it was still warm, without a visit to the microwave to re-heat it. All you fast coffee drinkers, those willing to scald your tongues, will never understand the perfect coffee drinking window, where the beverage is not too hot to swallow, yet not cold enough to offend. Never mind that one of those cups of coffee was actually my husband’s cup that I just thought was mine.
     I am also celebrating the small win of keeping track of my paperback book through the entire four weeks it took me to read it, as my memory about where I have left things is not as good as it once was. I am an avid reader, one who appreciates a variety of genres and authors. But I don’t have a lot of spare time for reading-which is not to say I don’t think I will have the time- so my books become my traveling companions.
     If I drive my daughter to a lesson, a rehearsal, or a practice, I take my paperback because I might have time to read in the car.  If I head to the dentist for yet another crown (trust me, I am full-blown royalty), I pack that novel for a little reading time while the Novocain takes effect.
    And sometimes, that means I can’t quite remember where I have last had my book. Usually I have to check bags, my bedside table, the family room, and the car before I find it. Once I found my book in the laundry hamper, and it wasn’t even a dirty novel. See what I did there?
     Saturday morning, I found I had exactly one hour to myself. I pondered the possibilities.  Continue my advance meal planning? Try to create my Christmas budget? Exercise?  Nah, none of those are any fun. Finish my novel! That’s it!  And lo and behold, I walked right to the shelf where I had placed it for safe-keeping. I will take the win, even if the novel didn’t end exactly the way I had hoped. 
     Other small successes come in the area of biting my tongue. Since sarcasm really is my native, primary language and full scale English comes a little less naturally, I often find myself in situations where my sarcasm would be fitting, but perhaps not appreciated. 
     Here is the short list of places I did not use my sharp tongue just this week: waiting in line inside a Starbucks when the barista called out the name Bambi (Come get your coffee, DEER, I thought); at the gas station where I had to go in to get a receipt because it didn’t print at the pump, and the clerk said, “I guess this didn’t print at the pump?” (No, I just came in because I enjoy the hot dogs on rollers combined with coffee brewing and antiseptic bathroom cleaner smell that convenience stores have, I thought); and at my husband’s football game when the opponent scored and a very vocal critic informed all of us in earshot that we should have tackled that guy before he got into the end zone (I can’t put in a family paper what I thought on this one). Some victories are truly hard earned.
     The final area where I am happy with some miniscule triumphs is in raising a teenager.  Those of you who have completed this arduous journey know it is not for the faint of heart. The Vegas odds makers won’t even make book on a parent’s chance of surviving the teen years unscathed.
   My daughter recently started back to school, a tenuous parenting time.  Should I ask if she would like to find something new to wear on the first day? Is a trip to buy school supplies too babyish? Are really clean white tennis shoes still a thing?
     I decided to play it cool…and to tell a little white lie. I saw a backpack I knew she would really like. I also knew that if we were together and I pointed it out, she would no longer like it. I bought that backpack, took it home, tucked it in the guest room closet on a shelf and began my plan. That night I asked if she would need a new backpack for school.
   “Probably,” she mumbled. At least, I think that is what she said. I was keeping my distance, because sometimes if I breathe or blink too loudly it irritates her.
     “Oh, wait,” I said. “Didn’t we buy one last spring?  Where would we have put that?”  I was Academy Award convincing in my ditzy mom brain search.
    “Maybe,” she said. “But it’s not in my room,” to which I thought, “And with all that mess, I am sure you would know,” but of course I didn’t say it, because as you might remember, I am no longer being sarcastic. 
    “I might have put it in the guest room closet,” I say, as if it is an afterthought, so light, so casual, so airy. She doesn’t move immediately because a part of her teenage persona is to never show excitement in the presence of an adult. But when she finally has to go get her phone charger because something could be happening on Instagram that she will miss and her phone needs some juice, she goes to the bedroom and looks for the backpack.
    “Here it is,” she says, holding it up for examination.  “Yeah, this is the one I picked out last year. This will work fine.” She will never know about my internal high five for my most recent, very underhanded success. 
    She will also never know I have just been topping off the body wash, shampoo, and conditioner in her shower from larger bottles stashed in my bathroom because apparently the stress of having to ask ones parents for toiletries is just too much for a teen.  It’s the small victories that count. No 8 inch trophy needed here.
    
     Cathy is a retired public school English teacher and Public Information Officer.
 

​     Last week I introduced you to Cora and Logan Storms and their descendants. This week I will tell you about Edward E. Storms. Like his older brother Logan, Edward was born in Cass County on March 15, 1871. He was the son of Asa Storms, Sr. and his second wife, Mary E. Stillwell.
     As teenagers, Logan and Edward Storms came to Grain Valley. Edward was only 18 years old when he married Altha Parr on August 18, 1889. They had six children:: Myrtle (Mrs. Everett Snodgrass), 1890-1969; Charles Elmer, 1892-1960; Thomas, 1894-1970; George Ellis, 1898-1962; Marie (Mrs. David Shrout), 1901-1995 and Edith (Mrs. William Tucker), 1904-1996.
     The 1900 U. S. Census listed farming as his occupation. However, by 1910 Edward owned a drugstore and his occupation was that of druggist. He and his family lived in Grain Valley. He must have been fairly successful, because by 1920 the family had moved to the big house on Walnut Street. Edward and Altha were still living there in 1930. Altha passed away in 1940 and while I did not find him listed in the 1940 census, he died in Kansas City at age 81 on June 10, 1952.
     Charles (“Elmer”) worked briefly at the Bank of Grain Valley before moving to Colorado and later Enid, Oklahoma. The remaining children stayed in Missouri. Myrtle married into the Snodgrass  family and her children and grandchild grew up in Grain Valley. Tommy worked in his father’s store and for a time. During the 1930s he ran a restaurant in Harrisonville before returning to Grain Valley. Marie was the mother of Keith Shrout who was the superintendent at Lone Jack in the 1960s.
     Edith married Bill Tucker, a teacher in Grain Valley in the late 1920s. They moved to Freeman, Missouri where Bill eventually became Superintendent of Schools at Midway until his death in 1959. Edith was his school secretary and served the district until her retirement in 1978.
     Finally, George Ellis Storms (1898-1962) followed in his father’s foot steps. After high school he worked at the Bank of Grain Valley before becoming the druggist at Storms Pharmacy. The 1940 US Census listed Ellis as a drug store owner (located on Main Street, north of the Bank of Grain Valley).  He married Grace Johnson on April 12, 1922 and they lived with their daughter, Carol Jean, on Walnut Street.
     I remember Grace and Ellis living in their “new” home on Truman Road. They had purchased a farm and planted lots and lots of peach trees. I had many bowls of peaches and ice cream and several peach pies from Storms Orchard. People came from all over to buy their delicious peaches!
     After Edward’s death his estate was sold. If you live on the south side of Walnut Street stretching to the railroad and between Charlotte Street and Kirby Road, you are living in the Storms Addition. What was once farmland became Storms Addition in 1956. The original houses along Walnut Street were built in 1957 and 58.
 
 
 

​     If you're spending 8 to 10 hours a day in front of the screens of your computers and smart devices, you could be experiencing an overload of something called "blue light" If you're exposed to too much of this light, it can cause things like disrupting your sleep patterns, retinal cell damage, and digital eyestrain.
     What's worse, is that younger eyes are more at risk. Your tech devices play a big role in your life, so it's unrealistic to give the advice that you stop using them. There are a number of things you can do to reduce the amount of blue light you're exposed to. Check out these quick and easy tech tips to help you cut down how much blue light your devices emit.

     1. Enable Blue Light Protection On Your Devices. Hardware and software manufacturers are aware blue light can cause issues, so most of your smart devices already have a means for you to enable protection.

     iPad or iPhone: On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Display & Brightness. Tap the Night Shift setting, which will change the screen temperature of your Apple device to a warmer color, which will filter out the blue light. This won't permanently change your devices to filter blue light. It's designed to filter out blue light to help your body adjust to sleep, so you will have to enable it every time you use your device.

     Android Smartphone or Tablet: Most Android devices have built-in blue light filters, but not all. If your mode supports this, go to Settings > Display. Look for an option for Night Light or Blue Light filter and turn it on. Like Apple devices, this doesn't enable blue light permanently, you have to turn it on every time you use your device.

     Windows 10: I'm sure most of you think Windows devices are behind the curve, but they have blue light settings that can be turned on from Settings > System > Display. Toggle the Night light switch to turn on the feature. Like other devices, you have to enable this every time you use your Windows computer.
 
     Apple Computer: If you have an Apple computer 2012 or newer, you can turn on the blue light blocking feature. To do so, follow these steps: Choose Apple menu> System Preferences> Click Displays >Night Shift tab. Again, this will only allow you to set a schedule to turn this feature on. It does not enable it permanently.

     2. Download an App. If you own an Android device that doesn't have a blue light filter, consider the following apps>
sfilter. This app will allow you to turn it on and off at specific times. You can change the color and brightness of the filter, and even create a shortcut icon or widget, so you don't have to open the app to enable the filter.

     Blue Light Filter. This app will allow you to adjust the color temperature by choosing from among several options as well as tweaking the intensity and the brightness of the filter.

     Twilight: This app will allow you to always enable the filter to run from sunrise to sunset, or turn on and off at specific times.

     3.Get a screen protector. No matter what device you spend hours staring at, you can get a screen protector to help block blue light. Check out products from www.ocushield.com. You can get screen protectors for Apple, Samsung and a variety of monitors to help reduce the strain to your eyes.
 
     4. Try Protection Glasses. new monitors and screen protectors aren't an option, try these blue-light-blocking glasses. Wear them while you're on your devices before bed to get better sleep at night. These glasses come with a protective case so you can take them to work, school or just keep them safe at home. Wherever you choose to wear them, it's nice to know you can protect your eyes any time, anywhere.

     5. Rest Your Eyes. The simplest way to help prevent overexposure to digital blue light is by managing the time spent using them. Be sure to take regular breaks away from the screen. One easy method is to employ the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, take a break from your computer to look at something 20 feet away for a minimum of 20 seconds. This technique can help you avoid eye strain, and serves as a regular reminder to be conscious of blue light exposure.
 
     As you can see, there are many ways to protect your eyes from Blue Light. In our digital world, there is a need for laptops, television, and smartphone eye protection. Hopefully, the above advice will help you protect your eyes from a mobile screen or computer.


Looking for More Useful Tech Tips?
     Our Tuesday Tech Tips Blog is released every Tuesday. If you like video tips, we LIVE STREAM new episodes of 'Computer and Tech Tips for Non-Tech People' every Wednesday at 6:00 pm CST on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Technology product reviews are posted every Thursday. You can view previous episodes on our YouTube channel.
     Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. 
 
 

     Some weeks I know exactly what I want to write about in this column. This week, I had no clue. When that happens, I get in my car, drive to the Historical Society Museum and start looking.
     Upon entering the building, I first remembered the group of 20 or more people gathered around the old Grain Valley School yearbooks on display. They came for the ice cream social but ended up staying to look at the yearbooks, laugh at the old pictures with crazy clothes and even crazier hair, and reminisce about “the good old days!”  
     I also thought about how COVID-19 had prevented the Grain Valley Alumni Banquet from being held the past two years; another opportunity for graduates to reminisce. Next, I saw the stack of yearbooks that were recently donated to the society by Vickie Officer’s sister. And that is how I arrived at this week’s column.
     From the 1971 Treasure Chest, I share the following bits of history. 
    In the first three pages I learned Sandie (Brown) Doty was editor and Melinda (Murry) Henson was assistant editor   of the yearbook. It was dedicated to Don Kalthoff, “friend, teacher, and coach” of the I-70 Conference Championship Football Team. In the fall of 1970 students began their first full year in the new high school building.
     Turning the pages, I further learned Marvin Headley was superintendent and Harvey Wright was the principal. The high school had only 14 teachers. There were 6 school bus drivers, 5 cafeteria workers, and 4 custodians.
     Forty-two graduates were led by Valerie Beecher, class president; Paul Willard, vice-president; Debbie Rogers, secretary and Terri Tracy, treasurer. Ron Affolter was the Student Council President.
     The trip to Lake View Beach capped off the year for the Class of 1971.
Fifty years ago, GVHS had only three competitive sports; football, boys’ basketball, and track. The yearbook also has two girls’ volleyball photographs; the junior-senior team and the freshman-sophomore team.
     Since neither team has numbers, they must have been league teams. There was also a concert and marching band, varsity and JV cheerleaders and queens, lots of queens!
     Up the Down Staircase was the theatrical production for 1970-71. Mary Harper (drama teacher) and Barbara Murry (music teacher ) co-directed G.V. Hee Haw. It was a variety show presented to showcase the talents of their students.
     Near the end of the yearbook there are 12 pages of advertisements. Of the nearly 75 ads, only 7 were for businesses in Grain Valley. Looking back fifty years the town did not offer much in the way of commerce. We had the Bank of Grain Valley, 4 gas stations, a convenience grocery, a beauty shop, a barber shop,  a couple of restaurants, car repair shops and some light manufacturing.
     We did not have a supermarket, a laundry, a pharmacy, a library, a movie theater, etc., etc., etc.
     But what Grain Valley has had since 1909 is a school system dedicated to the education of our children. That tradition has not changed.
     Visit the Historical Society any Wednesday, check out our yearbook collection, and reminisce about “the good old days!” 
We have over 50 yearbooks for your perusal.
 

​Grain Valley Schools Community,
 
     We are excited for the start of a new school year!
     Last year brought many challenges to our community, as it did to communities across the country, and many difficult decisions were required of us throughout the school year. I wish to thank our entire school community for your involvement, your patience, and your trust, as we have worked to overcome the challenges of the pandemic, including trying to keep students engaged with their teachers as much as possible, and to keep families informed on the latest updates.
     Our staff members have worked so hard and so creatively to support the learning and emotional needs of students. They truly rose to the challenge and I am so proud of their excellent work!
     This summer, our School Board looked to the future, approving a new five-year strategic plan for continuous improvement. We appreciate the involvement of more than 60 community stakeholders, including parents, guardians, students, and staff, who answered our call for volunteers to develop this new plan. We are eager to meet these ambitious expectations. You can check out our new plan on our website at GrainValleySchools.org.
     Grain Valley Schools continues to have one of the longest-running patterns of year-over-year growth in the state. Our community has consistently stepped up to support the addition of classrooms, schools, and other facility needs over the years. Work on the latest addition to our high school will be completed for the start of this school year and was made possible with the passage of a bond issue in June of 2020.
     The completion of this phase brings us just over halfway through our planned additions and renovations to the high school campus, which, when completed, will provide all students a modern high school facility.
     We have delayed major renovations or additions to our district office facility located on our Pink Hill Road campus for several years as we prioritized classroom and student activity space needs. Now we are looking into ways to address the needs of district-level operations as well. We will share updates with our school community as we work on possible solutions.
     It is a pleasure to serve this community and I look forward to working with you to ensure continued success for our students as we begin a new school year. Again, thank you for your support as we seek to do our very best for “every student, every day.”
 
Sincerely,
 
Dr. Marc A. Snow
Superintendent of Schools
(816) 847-5006
msnow@gvr5.net
 

     Nearly thirty-two years ago, August 14, 1989, was Winona Burgess Day in Grain Valley. Winona was named Citizen of the Year by then mayor, Kurt Hanneman.
     In his speech he noted that Winona had been a member of our community for more than fifty years. He shared a few of her community activities with those present; owner of two businesses, membership in ABWA (American Business Women’s Association), Regent of the Fort Osage Chapter of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), member and past president of WSCS (Women’s Society of Christian Service), Worthy Matron of the Order of Eastern Star and vice-president of PTA. She was also on the Grain Valley Police Board, the Planning and Zoning Board and an Alderwoman in Ward I from 1981 to 1991. 
     For 18 years, from 1971 to 1989, she was head librarian at the Grain Valley Branch of Mid-Continent Library. You may recognize her name even if you are “new” to Grain Valley. On August 7, 2002 at the Senior Citizens luncheon the conference room at the Community Center was dedicated to Winona Burgess.
     Born and raised in Oak Grove, Winona married Floyd Sharp in August 1935, and they made their home in Grain Valley, where Floyd owned the Grain Valley Grain Company. They had one son, David who graduated from Grain Valley High School in 1959. Winona went to beauty school and opened Winona’s Salon of Beauty from 1957-1967. In 1962 she married Charles Burgess.
     I knew all about her community involvement, but I knew other things about Winona. I knew her as my intermediate (grades 3-6) Sunday School teacher at the Methodist Church. We had to memorize and repeat a Bible Verse each week at the beginning of our class. If we were successful, we got a gold star to place by our name on the poster in our classroom. Ten gold stars earned us a reward, usually one of her home baked cupcakes!
     I also knew her as one of my aunt’s good friends. On some of the days when I would stay with my aunt while mom was at the hardware store, we would walk the block and a half to Winona’s house for coffee or a glass of iced tea. Her living room and dining room were filled with flowers from her garden behind the house. Aunt Opal would always tell me to be careful when we went to her house. Everything was “breakable!”
     Today, a few of those fancy vases are on display at the Historical Society Museum. You see, at age 72, Winona was not ready to retire and knit or read books; although she loved to do both of those things.
     Winona was the force behind starting the Historical Society and she served as the first president from 1991 to 1993.  And when it was time to furnish the inside of our museum, Winona Burgess purchased one of our display cases.
     Mrs. Burgess remained active until her death in 2013.  She was 95 years-old. When you visit the Historical Society Museum don’t forget to look for one of Winona’s vases.
     For more information on the Historical Society, visit www.grainvalleyhistory.com.
 

     With the heat advisories pinging your cell phone almost daily and the dog days heading this way; I felt talking about how to hydrate when active outside to be a good idea. 
     First things first, no matter what you do, the need for at least eight 8 oz. of water a day to maintain the basic levels of hydration is imperative.  Hydration maximizes your body’s functioning in every aspect.  Dehydration (1-2% of total body water decrease) can decrease concentration, metabolism, endurance, removal of toxins, recovery, immune response, body temperature regulation, and other bodily functions. 
     The standard of eight 8 oz. may need to change depending on several factors the person may have: medications, diet, activity, renal function, environment, illnesses, etc.  A good rule of thumb is if your morning urine is darker than a pale yellow, or lemonade color, you are dehydrated and in need of more fluids.
 
Other facts/ideas when outside:
     If you are hydrated before you venture outside in the heat, your ability to stay hydrated is enhanced;
     Drink before you are thirsty, if you wait for thirst to drink you are already behind in replacing lost fluids;
     Drinking a little bit frequently is much better than drinking a whole lot infrequently;
     Make sure to rehydrate after work as well to reduce the chance of chronic dehydration;
     As long as you eat regular meals daily, your need for salt/electrolyte supplements (sport drinks/ salt tabs) are low unless you are having prolonged heavy sweating over several hours;
     Water consumption is the best means to rehydrate.
     For the people over 60, monitoring and ensuring proper hydration in even more important.  Dehydration is one of the most frequent causes of hospitalization with a 50% mortality rate within a year of hospitalization. 
     Some of the reasons for this are as follows:
     Decreased kidney function due to aging and potentiated by lower water intake;
     Reduced sense of thirst leads to chronic dehydration as the drive to return to hydration is lost over the years;
     Lower total body water related to aging drives the body to steal from body tissues to effectively eliminate waste products;
    Ways to increase your daily fluid intake when not outside (little steps are better than no steps):
     Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go;
     Attempt to drink at least 16 oz of water at all meals;
     Snack on fruits and vegetables;
     Fruit smoothies for breakfast or snacks as a change up;
     Begin lunch or dinner with vegetable soup;
     Drink a glass of milk after training or before bed;
      Have some herbal tea in the evening
     (the amount of caffeine in tea, coffee and soft drinks will not affect overall hydration).
     Energy drinks (frequent consumption daily) can lead to chronic dehydration and can increase the strain on the heart.     
     Maintaining the reservoir of water  inside your body high not only helps you stay out of the hospital, it also helps your body stay at its peak performance levels. So when you place a large drain in the reservoir by going outside in extreme heat or exercising in hot temperatures, it behooves you to place just as large of an inlet to the reservoir.  
     This is done through not only rehydrating during the outside excursion, but also before and after to ensure complete return to stasis.
     Please feel free to reach out to us at Info@Crosettis.com, or your care provider, with any questions about this article.  Let me know if you would like me to write about a topic of your interest.