NEWS

By Nancy K. Wenger

If you live within a mile or so of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church, you’ve heard them chiming the hour until eight o’clock in the evening. I heard the bells this afternoon and wondered what is going to happen to the lovely melodious chimes, once the parish church closes in late July. Supposedly, one Sunday Mass will continue to be offered until sometime in December. Then, again, the parish school will remain open for the 2023-2024 school year, and some Masses will continue to be offered with the school children in attendance. I guess, during that time, the bells will continue to “sing” and ring out the hour. But, what then?

And, what about those who work within the parish setting? What will happen to the staff and the volunteers who offer their services to the church and the community?

Oh, it’s easy to dismiss my questions, and there are others, with a wave of the hand and say: “It’ll work out. The employees will find jobs, the church building could be re purposed, the kids will find another school, the volunteers who work with food pantries and other services will surely find an outlet for their talents.”

But, what about the church as a landmark and fixture in the Ferguson landscape?

I have lived in Ferguson since 1954. The church, established in 1882, and originally named Sts. John and James, has been my parish since I was ten years old. As a younger adult, I invested much of my time as a Children’s Liturgist, teacher, “Heavenly Duster,” school parent and neighbor. My husband and children and some of my grandchildren are members of this parish. The parish church is one of the things that has kept us in Ferguson.

There are hundreds like me and, yet, we are being asked to pull up our roots and go elsewhere. Why? Because Archbishop Rozanski is telling us to do so.

In the old movie, The Bells of St. Mary, the parish priest, played by Bing Crosby, is faced with the dilemma of tearing down a derelict school building. He spars with the principal, Sister Mary Benedict, played by Ingrid Bergman. Guess what? Everything works out okay…and the film was nominated for several Academy Awards with a win for Bing. It was well-received by the public and grossed a lot of money for Republic Pictures. You can still catch this oldie but goodie around Christmas time on late night TV. Ah, Hollywood!

Alas, I don’t foresee that happy ending. And, it is much to the great sorrow of parishioners and our neighbors alike.

As you all know, I love our 4th of July. Parades, BBQ’s, swimming, and fireworks. The only way that it gets better is if I have corn on the cob, sliced tomatoes with cottage cheese and pork steaks on the pit. And don’t forget the watermelons. Seems that around this time of year is when the big trucks come up from Arkansas loaded with melons. And we were safe.

I will digress for a moment: as kids in the summer we used to stand down at the IGA on Frost avenue and watch them unload melons. All the time hoping they would drop one. Usually the men unloading would be watch us and then “accidentally” drop one and then turn to us and ask us if we could help them by eating the melon. Those melons didn’t stand a chance. But we were safe.

Another memory is of baseball. Not MLB or little league, I’m talking pickup ball at the fields down in Frostwood between the swimming pool and Hobo Jungle (the woods by the railroad tracks behind Ameren UE). When I was young, hobos would camp in the woods and be able to hop a freight. But we were safe.

Baseball was our life when we were young. We played everyday before going swimming. Think of the movie “Sandlot”: a lot of goofy kids that loved the game. When we weren’t playing ball or swimming we were listening to the Cardinals: Harry Caray and Jack Buck when they announced together – before Caray went to Chicago. But we were safe.

When I think of the 4th of July, these are some of the memories I hold dear.

I pray everyone will stop and think for a moment. Please be safe this year. Celebrate without guns. Leave your guns locked up at home. So we will be safe.

You all probably think I am an anti-gun fanatic. Nope. I was a gunners mate on a destroyer. Shot a lot of guns. I am a gun owner. I used to hunt. I enjoy going to meat shoots. But bullets are like words. Once they leave the muzzle there is no getting them back..

Be safe – Papa Deau

Greetings Ferguson Residents,

This is Chief Troy Doyle. As we move forward, I want to take a moment to discuss something very close to my heart — our Ferguson community. We are all part of a shared fabric, tied by bonds of neighborhood and city that we each have a stake in strengthening.

While serving as your Police Chief, my primary responsibility is ensuring your safety and security. This role, however, extends beyond just addressing crime — it involves tackling the quality of life issues that affect us all. We are not just a city with residents; we are a community, a family, and it’s important that we work collaboratively to uplift each other and our city.

We are all in this together. This phrase has been used many times, in different contexts, but nowhere is it more accurate than in our community. Our challenges are shared challenges, and our victories are shared victories. And it is this unity, this interconnectedness, that forms the cornerstone of our mission to create a safer and more prosperous Ferguson.

When it comes to crime prevention, we must approach this task as a team. While our police force works relentlessly to protect our streets, we need you, the community members, to be our eyes and ears, our partners. Together, we can maintain vigilance, ensuring that our neighborhoods remain safe and our children can play without fear.

But safety isn’t only about reducing crime — it’s about improving our collective quality of life. This encompasses everything from improving our public spaces to supporting local businesses and fostering a thriving educational system. In doing so, we can attract more investment to our city,  bolster the local economy, and provide a brighter future for our children.

We also recognize that there are systemic issues at play, and these must be acknowledged and addressed. Economic disparities, lack of access to quality education and healthcare, and food insecurity are just a few of the challenges we face. But face them we shall — not as isolated entities, but as a unified community.

In every sense of the word, Ferguson is our home. Its strength and resilience are a reflection of us — the people who live, work, and raise families here. That’s why we need to come together, share our ideas, and support our community initiatives.

In the upcoming months, we will be organizing town hall meetings and community gatherings. These will be platforms for all of us to share our thoughts, ideas, and solutions to the challenges we face. We invite each one of you to participate and make your voices heard.

We have a long journey ahead, and the road may not always be smooth. But remember, a community that works together, thrives together. Let us always keep our common goal in sight — the betterment of our beloved Ferguson.

Thank you for your continuous support and dedication to our community. Together, we can make Ferguson an even better place to call home.

Stay safe and stay strong,
Chief Troy Doyle
Ferguson Police Department

Ferguson, MO – Ferguson Twilight Run is set for Saturday, May 20 for runners and walkers to enjoy one-mile, 5K (3.1 miles) and 10K (6.2 miles) distances for the 14th consecutive year.

Course routes are USATF-certified by Big River Running Company. In the spirit of community, routes take participants through different residential neighborhoods.

The annual race starts and finishes at Plaza at 501 in downtown Ferguson. Pre-race fun includes music and a warm up; cheer stations and water stops are along the route, and post-race fun includes a free concert with a live, local band and a finish area with health, wellness and food vendors.

All registered finishers will receive a commemorative medal.

Donnie White Sr. Memorial Beneficiary Award
Ferguson Twilight Run values community, and since its inception, proceeds are donated to support nonprofit organizations through the Donnie White Sr. Memorial Beneficiary Award. Over the last 13 years, more than $100,000 has been donated.

Hoka Northern Arizona Elite
In 2021, Hoka One One Northern Arizona Elite, based in Flagstaff, Arizona, joined Ferguson Twilight Run as ambassadors. The partnership continues with the NAZ athletes promoting the local race to running fans around the globe, and they are actively involved in planning the event. Ben and Jen Rosario, founders of Hoka NAZ Elite, are both from Missouri – from St. Louis and Harrisonville, respectively. Ben is theexecutive director; Jen is director of operations.

Volunteers
Ferguson Twilight Run relies on countless community volunteers to plan and coordinate every aspect of the event – from the planning committee to cheer stations, water stations and road closures, start and finish area, packet pick up, informing neighborhood residents and more – to make it a success.

Sponsors
Sponsors and vendors are vital to Ferguson Twilight Run. 2023 sponsors include BJC HealthCare, Negwer Materials, Terrain magazine, Nerdy Diva, Tim Larson, Ferguson Brewing Co., Edward and Sharon James, Spewak Training, ArchWell Health and St. Louis Track Club. Learn more about becoming a Ferguson Twilight Run sponsor or volunteer.

History
Ferguson Twilight Run debuted in May 2010 as the first evening race in North St. Louis County. The run encourages a sense of community while supporting a common interest. Proceeds are donated to nonprofits in north St. Louis County that promote the healthy and sustainable benefits of fitness.

CONTACTS
Dwayne T. James, 314-325-2197 racedirector@fergtwilightrun.com Nez Savala, 816-678-9071 miss_tv@yahoo.com

I want to let everyone know the support the community has shown our paper. It has been a blessing receiving emails and texts this past couple of weeks. The outpouring is more than encouraging. Thanks! Papa Deau

“Yes, I read it each month! I make a point to pick up multiples at Ferguson Library or Schnucks each month. I live in U City and my mom is now in skilled nursing and we both want to keep up with the local news. I like the new columnists but miss Bob McCarthy’s info on old houses. Keep the Merferd toons coming. Thank you for all your efforts!”

“As an out-of-state transplant who arrived in Ferguson in the middle of the pandemic in 2020, it is one of the main resources I’ve used to learn about this community. I hope you will be able to continue publishing it in some fashion going forward.”

“First and foremost I would like to thank you for providing the Ferguson Neighborhood News for the past two plus years presenting the good side of Ferguson as stated! Your effort and dedication to report news not subjected to main stream and social media influence is very much appreciated. I hope you get the additional community support needed to keep the publication of this news paper active.”

“We need this paper to let everyone know we are a great community to live in and we do have businesses and stores that are here. Be proud of Ferguson and lets support our town.”

“Yes!! I always read this, love it. Several months ago I sent a copy to my sister-in-law who lives in Oregon, but grew up in Ferguson. She was so impressed with it that she took it to her local newspaper office. Told them this is what they should be doing.”

“I am an avid reader and look forward to every edition. I love the mix of the slice of life from Marion Linck or the new history I learn from the history museum and everything in between. Also farm girl is another favorite of mine. The newspaper has also kept me informed of the great local offerings, which are not readily available to note anywhere else that I can see (online or elsewhere). I have also used the newspaper for local referrals like when I needed a mechanic.”

“I love the Ferguson News. I skim it when it arrives and keep it handy for reference throughout the month.”

I appreciate and admire the team that puts out this paper. Having a community newspaper is a cohesive force for our area. and losing it would be one more setback for Ferguson (et al). We need more communal activities like this and the city hopefully understands that its loss would put us in the mix of North County suburbs which lack tools to engage their residents.

I love great quotes. The headline above paraphrases Mark Twains telegram from London to the press in the United States after they prematurely reported his obituary.

I know a post was made on social media, but we think that was a little premature as it was made as we were working to get the March edition finalized.

As I do not like to mince words: due to rising costs for both printing and bulk mailing, along with diminished support from local businesses advertising with us, this has put a strain on our small volunteer organization.

In February the Postal Service withdrew from our account double the price we have been paying for postage without any advance notice to us. Also they informed us this was going to be the normal price from now on. As of this writing we still don’t have the answers of what is going on with the Postal Service. Go Figure!

At first we knew with this dramatic unexplainable price increase, there was no way we could continue to publish the Ferguson Neighborhood News.

Recently we found a new printer that has provided us with some reasonable printing and mailing options to at least print a March edition. We will be implementing some other changes we hope will help shore up our future.

We now want to turn to the community for your help. 

First we need a large response from everyone to let us know if you read the Ferguson Neighborhood News each month. Simply send a text to Gary Nadeau at 314-249-6323 or email asroc873@charter.net with a yes or no answer. Your comments are welcome too.

Next we also could use a few more local residents and or business owners who are willing to join our organization and help with some of the behind the scenes work in producing this paper each month. Please reach out to Gary.

Even if we do not print, we will be posting the electronic copy on the Ferguson City Walk website. All past copies are posted including some archives of the Ferguson Times.

The city walk website was down for a few months as there were server upgrades. It is now back on line thanks to Blue Tapp. https://fergusonsmallbusinessdistrict.com/.

I want to thank each of our contributors and advertisers for their faithful support of the paper for the past two plus years. Although I have only met a few of you, I feel we have developed a good working relationship and hopefully produced something that was appreciated by the community.

This paper has been provided to each household free of charge by the work of volunteers. We have striven to present the good side of Ferguson and not dwell on what we are all subjected to in main stream and social media.

You will not find a Tic Toc challenge in our pages. What we challenge you to is support your community paper.

Without a community paper to wrap fish in, cover the bottom of the birdcage, or use it for paper mache, we really are not a community.

Papa Deau

Human Rights is Civil Rights. This Black History month the Ferguson Human Rights Commission would like to recognize Civil Rights, Human Rights and Black History.

Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. Black History Month’s first endorsement was Negro History Week, created in February 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, known as the “father of Black history.”

Woodson is a Harvard educated historian who started a group now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). Woodson was the son of a former slave and was the second African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard. He formed his group 50 years after the abolishment of slavery in the United States. The purpose of the Human Rights Commission is to prevent or eliminate discriminatory practices.

The HRC focus areas are: Housing, Employment and Public Accommodations.

Human rights are rights that all humans have, simply because they are human. There are many historical documents that cover human rights but The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, passed by the United Nations after World War II, is the most important worldwide document. In the United States, federal, state, and local laws cover rights of American citizens based the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution. Sometimes these rights are called civil rights. Ferguson’s Human Rights law, or ordinance, can be found in Chapter 21 of the City’s Municipal Code.

People often think that they have to do something BIG in order to make a difference in the world, people’s lives, ones own life, and in the community. I am here to tell you that little things count a great deal. ‘’ A grain of mustard seed can move mountains “ is what the elders used to say! Each of us has the unique ability to make someone’s life better if we only use what we have, to make that happen. Now you may say that you barely have enough to take care of yourself ( enough money, enough time, enough clothes, enough gas, just enough of this or just enough of that) Oh, its so disheartening!

We can make our neighbor feel altogether good when we simply speak, or nod, or wave, or pick up a piece of trash that may be in front of their house. Now none of these aforementioned items cost us one dime! Think about it!

If we really set our minds to the task of finding something that we can do individually, we will soon become overwhelmed with ideas that are not wishes or bizarre, but little things that we can actually do.

Well let’s name a few to get you started and remember, if we are able to do just one thing a day, why that’s 365 things in a year! Let’s put our thinking caps on and make some suggestions like these for instance: help someone with their groceries, give a donation to the beggar, smile at someone, help someone cross the street, volunteer at a food pantry, join some auxiliary or program that needs people at a church, donate some clothes, bedding, furnishings, or furniture to charity, volunteer to help out at a school, give someone a compliment- oh, we could go on and on; however, you may realize something that you can do that is small in and of itself, but just what a certain individual needs. I know a lady that plaits another lady’s hair because the other lady has injured shoulders and can’t do it herself anymore.

Friends, its all about “ having the will to do something good” Anyone and everyone can do this and the individuals that try, will feel much better about themselves. I know this is mushy, but in these days and times, a little mush won’t hurt. It may be just the key that our society needs.

We must constantly ask ourselves the question, What can I do to make things better? Then we must act out the answer!

If you prefer, you may donate to our organization because we are constantly helping people with all kind of issues. www.gracechapelministries.org or you may email us at gracechapeldevelopment@gmail.com.