Operation Food Search - Volunteers Needed

I just got this email from my friend Mike O'Shea, a WW. resident. He is a great guy and he needs some help this coming Saturday.

"Hello and good morning,

I know this is coming last minute, but I volunteered for Operation Food Search this weekend...(see info below my note)...and at the last minute, the group that was supposed to do the Wal-mart on Hanley Rd. in Richmond Heights, had to back out. On Thursday, I was asked to see if I could put together a group to staff the Wal-mart and help collect donations.

So, with this task in mind, I am sending out an invite/request: if anyone would like to come on out this Saturday to the Wal-mart at Hanley Rd. in Richmond Heights and help, or just come on out and hang out and laugh at me, I would appreciate it.

The hours are 9 to 5, but with a limited resources, we might just do the morning, unless we get volunteers for the whole day...in which case I will stay the whole time...which may either cause you to volunteer or run the other way. Payment would be my enormous thanks and truly helping out those in need. I am sending this out with the addresses in BCC, which is a new way of doing things for me, because I did not want to clog up the e-mail with addresses, so if you know of anyone who might like to help or you think would be fun, or that did not get this e-mail/I may have forgotten, by all means, please forward this to them. It should be a good and rewarding time.

Or if you happen to be in the area and want to say hello, please stop on by.

Thank you,

Mike O'Shea

O'Shea-Ward Insurance Group
www.OSHEA-WARD.com

Cell: 314-482-3561
Office: 314-774-0702
Fax: 888-358-9244

One Day · One Purpose · End Hunger

Operation Food Search - Dedicated Volunteers:

More of our neighbors are experiencing something many never thought possible in our plentiful area…hunger. Over 120,000 people in greater St. Louis region need the help of food pantries to provide meals for their families. Many are coming for the first time never imagining that they would need to ask for help. Almost half that receive food are children.

Our local food pantries are struggling to keep up with the increased demand. To this end, Operation Food Search SENTralized, and the Community Council of St. Charles County, are teaming up to sponsor the 2nd Annual Saturday Jubilee Food Drive

What can you do?

Volunteer on July 31st: Over 600 volunteers are needed to position themselves outside 41 grocery stores throughout the St. Louis area to ask shoppers to donate food as they shop on Saturday July 31st. This is a great volunteer opportunity for your Church Group, Scout Troup, Civic Group or just to bring your kids and get them involved!

Get started TODAY… go to www.saturdayjubilee.com and sign up to be a “Store Captain”. All you have to do is organize a group of 15-20 volunteers to staff a store for the day. All materials needed will be provided. A short training meeting will be conducted for the Store Captains the week before the event.

If you can’t be a Store Captain but would like to be involved…volunteer for a 2 hour shift and we’ll team you with other fun volunteers.

Conduct a food drive: Conduct a food drive at your work, your church, in your neighborhood or as a family project during July or August. Please call Gary(314)-726-5355 ext. 15 at Operation Food Search if you need containers for larger collections or if you would like posters or other information to help promote your food drive.

Your help is needed … each bag of groceries makes a difference in the life of our neighbor who is struggling. Please be involved … with your help, hurting families in our community can receive welcomed relief during these tough economic times. "

Tax Holiday for Back-to-School Shoppers

Here is what is available in both Illinois and Missouri:

- Illinois: On Aug. 6-15, footwear and clothing with a sales price of less than $100 per item and school supplies will be exempt.

- Missouri: On Aug. 6-8, noncommercial purchases of clothing (but not accessories) with taxable value of $100 or less per item; school supplies up to $50 per purchase; computer software with taxable value of $350 or less; computers and computer peripherals up to $3,500 are exempt. Localities may opt out. If less than two percent of a retailer’s merchandise qualifies, the retailer must offer a refund of sales tax paid if the customer requests one, in lieu of the tax holiday.

Science knows when life begins (why doesn't the PD?)

I came accross a very interesting piece in the St. Louis Post Dispatch last week written by one of our WW residents - Charles Harrison. In case you missed it, here it is... and I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

"In a recent editorial, "Profiles in Punting," The Post-Dispatch asserts that believing that life begins at conception is a "religious, theological and, indeed, metaphysical question" and that "science has not established the precise moment when human life begins."

I offer the following medical and scientific (non-religious) publications to support the scientific fact that human life does indeed begin at the moment of conception:

"Human development begins at fertilization, the process during which a male gamete or sperm (spermatozoo developmentn) unites with a female gamete or oocyte (ovum) to form a single cell called a zygote. This highly specialized, totipotent cell marked the beginning of each of us as a unique individual."

"A zygote is the beginning of a new human being (i.e., an embryo)."

Keith L. Moore, The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, 7th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders, 2003. pp. 16, 2.

"Development begins with fertilization, the process by which the male gamete, the sperm, and the femal gamete, the oocyte, unite to give rise to a zygote."

T.W. Sadler, Langman's Medical Embryology, 10th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006. p. 11.

"[The zygote], formed by the union of an oocyte and a sperm, is the beginning of a new human being."

Keith L. Moore, Before We Are Born: Essentials of Embryology, 7th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders, 2008. p. 2.

"Although life is a continuous process, fertilization (which, incidentally, is not a 'moment') is a critical landmark because, under ordinary circumstances, a new genetically distinct human organism is formed when the chromosomes of the male and female pronuclei blend in the oocyte."

Ronan O'Rahilly and Fabiola Müller, Human Embryology and Teratology, 3rd edition. New York: Wiley-Liss, 2001. p. 8.

"Human embryos begin development following the fusion of definitive male and female gametes during fertilization... This moment of zygote formation may be taken as the beginning or zero time point of embryonic development."

William J. Larsen, Essentials of Human Embryology. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1998. pp. 1, 14.

"It is the penetration of the ovum by a spermatozoan and resultant mingling of the nuclear material each brings to the union that constitues the culmination of the process of fertilization and marks the initiation of the life of a new individual."

Clark Edward Corliss, Patten's Human Embryology: Elements of Clinical Development. New York: McGraw Hill, 1976. p. 30.

"The term conception refers to the union of the male and female pronuclear elements of procreation from which a new living being develops."

"The zygote thus formed represents the beginning of a new life."

J.P. Greenhill and E.A. Friedman, Biological Principles and Modern Practice of Obstetrics. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 1974. pp. 17, 23.

"Every time a sperm cell and ovum unite a new being is created which is alive and will continue to live unless its death is brought about by some specific condition."

E.L. Potter and J.M. Craig, Pathology of the Fetus and the Infant, 3rd edition. Chicago: Year Book Medical Publishers, 1975. p. vii.

"Every baby begins life within the tiny globe of the mother's egg... It is beautifully translucent and fragile and it encompasses the vital links in which life is carried from one generation to the next. Within this tiny sphere great events take place. When one of the father's sperm cells, like the ones gathered here around the egg, succeeds in penetrating the egg and becomes united with it, a new life can begin." - 13

Geraldine Lux Flanagan, Beginning Life. New York: DK, 1996. p. 13.

"Biologically speaking, human development begins at fertilization."

The Biology of Prenatal Develpment, National Geographic, 2006.

"The two cells gradually and gracefully become one. This is the moment of conception, when an individual's unique set of DNA is created, a human signature that never existed before and will never be repeated."

In the Womb, National Geographic, 2005.

The American Medical Association (AMA) declared as far back as 1857 (referenced in the Roe vs. Wade opinion) that "the independent and actual existence of the child before birth, as a living being" is a matter of objective science.

Maybe if the Post-Dispatch weren't so zealously protective of abortion on demand, it might consider the scientific evidence that abortion, even at the very earliest stages of pregnancy, destroys a "separate, unique, living human being.

Charles L. Harrison

Warson Woods"

Special Need for Crudem Foundation

I have been sharing with you some update from Crudem via Joe Gunn.

Here is the latest Message from Joe:

"Hello All: It has been a while and therefore I wanted to give you a quick update.

As most of you know our parishioner Charles Dubuque is very involved with Hopital Sacre Coeur in Milot Haiti. They are still treating patients and families from the earthquake. They have expanded the hospital to continue to treat earthquake patients and continue to serve the local community. With that being said, the hospital has several construction projects that will increase the size of the hospital permanently including a prosthetic lab, new well etc.

Charles has contacted me recently with a specific need. Due to the ongoing construction projects and the distance between locations they are in need of a Dirt Bike. They can purchase one locally for about $1,800.000.

I am asking that anyone that would like to help fund this purchase to contact me via phone or email. I will collect the funds and get them to Charles. The name of the organization is Crudem Foundation.

If by chance you know of anyone with a dirt bike that would like to donate it, Charles could ship it to Haiti, this would take much longer, therefore purchasing one locally is more appealing from a timing standpoint.

They are also in need of a “Gator” type vehicle, they have one that was donated by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and could use another one, so if you know of an organization that would be willing to donate a used “Gator” please let me know.

Thank you for all of your help, it truly is amazing the work that Hopital Sacre Coeur continues to do for the earthquake victims.

Please call if you have any questions or suggestions. Joe’s Cell: 314-724-0688.

Here is the Foundations web site. www.crudem.org"

Realtor Corner - The Top Picks of WW.

Click on each link to get full listing

747 Havenwood Circle Dr. $769,900




1117 Timberlane Dr. $749,900




1525 Andrew $599,900



1109 Timberlane Dr. $475,000

801 Renderer Dr. $348,900

553 Beaucaire $289,900

1656 Bennett Avenue $250,000

1055 Warson Woods Rd $234,900

Gelato di Riso is closing

Sad news for Warson Woods, as reported by my friend Sylvia Fristch: "Gelato di Riso is closing. Susan Reis is sticking with The Hill and the CWE as there is more pedestrian traffic."

I wish we had a way to attract more stores by revamping the Block between Bennett & Sappington.

And I agree with Sylvia when she told me that "How nice would it be if we had a nice café, a la Café Ventana or Via Dolce? I was so disappointed when Floor Trader moved in; WW can do so much better"

I am dreaming of nice cobble stones with a redesign pedestrian area to make a destination point for teenagers and retired people...

Xmas in July at the Pool coming up!

WWSC - Game Night at the Pool coming up!!

Swim Meet - Hurricanes vs Wildwood

Thanks John Rawlings for another Swim Meet Report:

"Lots to celebrate this week in Hurricane-land!!!

We are all here for the recreation and camaraderie ... but winning is better than losing. We won our meet Monday against Wildwood/Lifetime Fitness 242-218. On top of that, we won the highly anticipated Coach's Relay Event by a breathtaking margin. (We are still working on calculating the times, but the motherboard on the sundial seems disoriented.)

Bring on our Swimmers of the Week for July 12.

Front row, left to right: Dillon Wilhite, Teddy Peirick, Megan Martin and Daniela Fritsch. Second row left to right: Coach Nate Sizemore, Dan (Fuego) Sullivan, Coach Chris Watkins and Coach Michael Kubik.

Not only did we clean in the pool, but we also cleaned up out of the pool Your dedicated (if slightly frayed) Parent Representative offer a hearty "Thank you!" to all swimmers and parents who pitched in to make the bullpen area sparkling clean before departing. A special salute to Coach Nate Sizemore, who spent a fair amount of time with our swimmers in the bullpen, offering encouragement on both of the swimmers duties."

Swim Meet - Warson Woods vs Cool Dell

Another email from our beloved John Rawlings and Michele Munson:

"We had a swim meet on Monday night against Cool Dell. The evening was pleasant enough, we sold a ton of pizza at the concession stand, the meet announcer added a touch of class and calm … and nobody got hurt. What’s not to like? There was a final score.

Several of our swimmers gave really remarkable efforts in the face of pretty overwhelming odds. I believe the final count of Cool Dell swimmers was about 2,751. Everybody gets a pat on the back for effort and equanimity, especially our swimmers of the week.

Pictured here are (front row left to right): Annie Basler, Grace Lock, Laura Halliday and Danny Kuehl. In the back row (left to right): Coach Michael Kubik, Coach Nate Sizemore, swimmer Ryan Lottes and Coach Chris Watkins.

As many of you know, Coach Kate Doneff is out of the country expanding her knowledge of nursing while serving with doctors who make the journey to provide care for poverty-stricken patients. We admire Kate for her willingness to serve. Chris, who was our WWST Swimmer of the Year last year, just finished his freshman year at Vanderbilt and will be with us through the division meet and awards ceremony next week. Kate plans to be back late on July 15 and hopes to rejoin the ranks for the weekend competition and festivities, as well.

We also pause for a moment to bestow the first Helping Hand award of the year. Liz Basler was pressed into service as a timer and, despite being told by a certain Parent Rep who shall remain nameless that he would get her some relief, worked every race the whole night long. And the night was a bit long. Congrats and thanks to the Distinguished Basler Women."

Girl's Night Out at the Pool coming up!!

The Warson Woods Pool is going Green!

Is there a Rivalry East Side/West Side of Warson Woods for the 4th of July Parade?

Well, well.. As you all know, Sunday at 10 a.m, the 42nd "4Th of July Parade" will start in the Old Section of WW. To give you a quick preview, check my Post from 2009:

Last Year Parade

Now, I was told that another parade takes place in WW, west of Woodland at the same time!

Does it make sense?
Well, sometimes things don't make sense, do they?

Do we need 2 Parades in WW? Actually, the purpose of a community Parade is its proximity. It is nice to be able to decorate your children's bikes, strollers and wagons and then walk from your house to the Celebration. And if you live too far, it is hard to be motivated. I get that:

But yet, isn't the 4Th. supposed to be celebrated as a whole big happy Family? I am already hearing "east siders" calling the Parade west of Woodlawn: "The West Side Parade". Wow... Is there a Rivalry growing? Can Obama fix our problem?

On the other hand, a "west sider" told me that "We have Poney Rides in ours!". In your face "East Siders"! Darn! How would the East top that? I have an idea... let's run in front of the Bulls:

Sorry, I am getting carried away. Long life to both Parades, and regardless of the side you choose, see you all at the Pool at noon on Sunday for a great BBQ. Although, I will pick a table located on the EAST SIDE of the Pool, how about you?