High school friends may come and go, but sometimes the choices one makes in their formative years lasts a lifetime. This is the case with Jamie Briesmeister, who started an ecology club with her girlfriends back in high school after seeing so much waste. “We saw aluminum cans going to waste and that kind of opened my eyes to all the waste that was out there,” she said. Even though Briesmeister said she doesn’t take going “green” to the degree where she only buys organic (if it’s priced well, she buys what looks good) she does feel that she’s always been eco-minded. In fact, she and her …
Even though the Lindbergh School District and surrounding community isn't known for its drug use, there is no reason for a major problem to begin. A homecoming incident in October of 2010, when 51 kids were charged with minors and possessions at a residence, possibly was a warning sign for local parents. They decided to form a small group; applied to the state to form as a coalition; applied and received grant funding; and are now StepUp!, a youth-oriented drug and alcohol community coalition. The coalition encompasses the same geographical borders as the Lindbergh School District, but …
Most people can’t say that their lineage is traced back to George Washington or the Egyptians, but Julie Mroz can say that this is true. The granddaughter of Joyce Franklin, Sunset Hills Historical Society president, Mroz has been involved with genealogy her entire life in Sunset Hills. She was president of the Children of American Colonists, and now that she is older she is now involved in the Daughters of the American Revolution. Currently having their lineage traced back to the Magna Carta, Franklin and Mroz are working to trace further to the Egyptian pharaohs. “My grandmother is huge …
It isn’t very often that a student enters law school knowing exactly what specialty to study. Even more rare is hearing that a lawyer gives clients relief and comfort. However, in growing up watching her dad Dan practice elder law, Erin Reuter can say that both of these rarities have held true. With a focus on estate planning and elder law, Dan Reuter has been a solo practitioner since 1987. According to the Reuter Law Firm website, Dan’s practice has included many areas of the law. However, with her dad focusing on elder law for about 15 years, Erin knew around her high school and …
Residents of Southpointe Apartments in South County can feel like they are even more of a part of a community, thanks to property manager Cindy Sykes. In 2003 Sykes' husband went back to teaching and she knew that she needed to get a full-time job. She had a friend who was in the business, but she told her husband that it would be a temporary thing. Now, almost 10 years later, Sykes still is managing Southpointe and loves her job. She recently joined the Crestwood-Sunset Hills Chamber of Commerce in hopes to make other contacts in the community. "I don't think we've ever been a part of the …
Even though Florence Nightingale founded what is known as “modern” nursing, she would probably be surprised to see how far the field has come since her days. So is Janet Kaemmerer, a nurse from Sunset Hills who has been a nurse for more than 50 years. In honor of National Nurses Week, which is celebrated May 6-12, we talked with Kaemmerer about how she juggles her career and home life, all the while maintaining a passion for both. Kaemmerer knew she wanted to be a nurse at a very young age. She had never known any nurses or been around hospitals, but after turning down a full scholarship to …
A published poem, The Band, written in the second grade fueled Sandie Grassino’s writing bug, and that was literally “all she wrote.” A Lindbergh High School graduate, Grassino is finishing up her second book, Images of America: Sunset Hills with Arcadia Publishing. She first was contracted to write A History of Jefferson Barracks after becoming a member of the Sunset Hills Historical Society. Grassino first got involved with the Sunset Hills Historical Society after being friends with historian Joyce Franklin. She was named Historian of the Year at the society’s January meeting. “After I …
Most birthday girls celebrate with cake, hats and a party. Eighty-five-year-old Audrey Leemann certainly did that—and more. Her husband, four children, their spouses and 10 grandchildren surprised her with a party at her Tuesday night yoga class at Crestwood Community Center. Leemann has been a class regular for almost 10 years. Leemann said she was certainly surprised an overwhelmed with the love at the yoga class, and she looked back on her first class, remembering how intimidated she was to try yoga. “I wanted to get into something and I tried to do some exercises while I was at home,” …
Sunset Hills-Crestwood Patch recently spoke with Michael Rich, son of Ed Rich, news director for Channel 5. Michael, a senior at Lindbergh High School, works daily on the Lindbergh Lookup news site and organizes a student film festival each spring. During the festival students submit films and local celebrities are asked to judge. He started shooting video in middle school. Michael also received the Bruce Schneider Memorial Scholarship at this year's Sponsors of School Publications Conference. The $1,000 scholarship is awarded each year to a St. Louis Area journalism student who has made a …
When Donna Lawson sat down at the Arnold Chamber of Commerce’s end-of-the-year banquet, she had no idea what was about to happen—and then she saw her sister sitting across the room from a distance. Even then, it didn’t click with her. “I just thought, ‘Why is my sister here?’” Lawson said. And then she was announced as the 2011 Business Person of the Year by the Chamber. “I actually became a little bit emotional. It’s just very overwhelming in a big way and everyone started clapping,” Lawson said. “It wasn’t discussed ahead of time (that she’d be receiving the award). I’ve never in my life …
When Judy Rethwisch was in college, she took a beginning speech class. Her professor told her that one day she would be a speech and drama teacher. That professor’s prophecy came true, and 45 years later Rethwisch still manages to be center stage even behind the scenes. Throughout her teaching career, Rethwisch, who lives in Fenton, has received several accolades for her dedication to her craft and her students. In 1993 Rethwisch was named the Thespian Teacher of the Year by the MO Thespians. They later named the award after her; it is given to a theater teacher whose unselfish efforts and …
We’ve heard stories of the newest face being discovered by a chance encounter on the street or in line at the store, but when Madeline Giunta was met with an uncomfortable stare on a New York City subway, she had no idea that she was about to dispel the myth. Giunta, her mom and her aunt were visiting family in New York three years ago when Giunta was just 13. “This lady kept looking at me and it kind of freaked me out since I’m not from New York,” Giunta said. “When the subway stopped, she asked me how tall I was and how old I was. She said she worked for Vera Wang and asked if I’d consider …
Current Long Elementary School principal Dr. Brian McKenney brings new meaning to “pal.” He has been promoted to the role of assistant superintendent of personnel services. McKenney currently serves as director of elementary education and principal. The assistant superintendent is in charge of all the personnel for the district and works with maintenance, teachers and essentially all classified employees of the district. McKenney will begin his new duties officially in the 2012-2013 school year. Growing up with parents who were both teachers, McKenney knew early on that he wanted to have a …
There is indeed a tooth fairy. But, he doesn’t put money under little ones’ pillows when they lose a tooth—he’s in the business of keeping teeth healthy. Dr. Craig Hollander of Pediatric Dentistry in Sunset Hills has volunteered with “Give Kids a Smile” (GKAS) since the inaugural program in 2002. For the first eight years he performed restorative dentistry on children visiting the clinic. He now screens children age 4 or under for dental disease and educates their parents on cavity prevention while overseeing the Tiny Smiles area of the clinic. GKAS hosts free comprehensive dental clinics …
Nelson O. Weber was raised 20 miles south of High Ridge. Even though his roots have stayed the same, Weber’s lifestyle is the opposite of sedentary. Weber started working at McDonnell Aircraft (now Boeing) in 1957. He worked in the shop on final assembly on the F-101 Voo Doo. After obtaining his mechanical engineering degree in 1962, he worked on space and missile programs and with fighter and passenger aircraft. After retiring in 1994, Weber worked as a consultant for McDonnell Douglas until 1998. He traveled both to Israel and Malaysia as part of his consulting work. “The Ministry of …
Seeing exhibits through her 8-year-old son’s eyes is one of the many reasons Jackie Chambers loves Laumeier Sculpture Park. After being the grants and major gifts officer at the St. Louis’ Center of Creative Arts (COCA), Chambers wanted to try some new challenges for herself. “I really enjoy working for arts organizations, so this was an interesting move for me,” she said. “I wanted to add some new things to my arsenal.” As the new development officer of Laumeier, Chambers will lead fundraising efforts to support ongoing and expanding curatorial exhibit programming, along with education in …
Remember the days of dangling from a high bar in front of your peers in elementary PE class? Sweat dripping from your brow, you knew that you would never be able to pull your tiny body up with your skinny arms just high enough to get your chin above the bar—even though your grade depended on it. As your classmates looked on in silence, some knowing they would endure the same humiliation in just moments, the longest five minutes of your life finally came to an end. Thanks to teachers like Mary Driemeyer, those nightmarish days are gone. The Sappington Elementary School PE teacher has been …
Customer service can sometimes be a bear, however Saint Louis Zoo Welcome Desk Coordinator Joan Oldham has been awarded for her stellar contributions in working with the general public. Four 2011 Hermann Foundation Outstanding Employee awards were given out earlier this month at the zoo and Oldham, who has lived in Concord Village for 17 years, was one of the recipients. Oldham started out at the zoo in 1992 as a volunteer. She worked in various capacities—from photos with Santa to coordinating costume characters and special events. She touched every area of the zoo in those days except for …
Sometimes life takes unexpected twists and turns, leading to positive results. When Christy Burkley’s grandmother went into an assisted living program 2 years ago, she was pushed to write as more than just a hobby. She had always been a writer, but after this tragic event, she started to take her skill more seriously. When her grandmother died in January, Burkley pushed herself even more to get a publisher for her writing collection. A Tennessee State University business alumna, Burkley has lived in Sunset Hills with her husband and two children for the past 17 years. She also is a part-time …
Just like a blockbuster movie needs a score to bring the scenes to life, an artists’ exhibit can be brought to another level with musical recordings. With this in mind, Laumeier Sculpture Park has hired its first composer-in-residence, St. Louis-based sound artist Eric Hall. The 12-month residency is meant to encourage an active collaboration with Laumeier Sculpture Park’s collections and its landscape. The residency is part of Laumeier’s curatorial focus on “archaeology of place.” Throughout the year, Hall, who is a native of St. Louis, will work to develop a new series of works and projects…
