The Columbia Missourian's From Readers section

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COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FROM READERS: How my daughter's
life was saved in Rocky Mountain
National Park
By Chip Sandstedt/Missourian reader
October 16, 2014 | 6:00 a.m. CDT
Amanda Sandstedt ¦ Shared by Chip Sandstedt/Missourian reader
Chip Sandstedt lives in Columbia.
I'm writing to describe a life-saving product and the extraordinary acts of a group of talented
people that all came together to save the life of my daughter Amanda Sandstedt. The story
amazes even me, but the real message is very basic — be prepared.
Given what I am about to write, one thing is clear: I am very
fortunate to still have my oldest daughter alive and well. It’s
nothing short of miraculous that the efforts of just the right
FROM READERS: How my daughter's life was saved in Rock... http://www.columbiamissourian.com/a/180222/from-readers-h...
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Boys & Girls Club plans facility in
Ferguson
Missouri engagement office unfunded
in proposed 2016 budget
Ferguson officials: No word on
federal investigations
Ferguson and Lindenwood University
announce partnership
Records: Police wanted Guard in
Ferguson neighborhood
Denver police upset after memorial
vandalized during protest
Man indicted for trying to set fire to
Ferguson Market
FBI director: U.S. at crossroads on
race relations, policing
Mourners gather on 6-month
anniversary of Brown's death
COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FROM READERS: Ferguson protesters
more justified than one might think
By HOU ZHANG/Missourian Reader
December 17, 2014 | 4:30 p.m. CST
Hou Zhang is a former Columbia resident who now lives in St. Louis.
It’s been a couple of weeks since the grand jury case in Ferguson and a week after the Staten
Island grand jury decision, but the riots and property destruction associated with the release of
the decisions still ring in the ears of many in the St. Louis community. Ever since the start of
the unrest in Ferguson, individuals have shied away from supporting the protesters, as the
demonstrations spiraled into looting and burnings. In addition, many have thanked the police
officers for their work trying to keep the peace in Ferguson.
Therein lies the need to enlighten the nation about the
factors that led up to the events in Ferguson. It's different
now because the racial violence and discrimination is much
more hidden, but nonetheless still exists, and this
"hidden-ness" results in many who are unconvinced that the
status quo warrants any protest. This makes it even more
urgent to present the protester's side and go past the
violence and disorderly conduct that the Michael Brown and
Eric Garner protesters are associated with. Although most
people today do recognize the importance of peaceful protest
against the systematic racism in the justice system, there are
still plenty who would rather condemn all protest due to the
disruptions caused by a few bad apples. Those people should
realize that the police are not virtuous peacekeepers, nor the
protesters a rowdy and unruly bunch.
We should not blindly thank the police because the
problems in Ferguson originated with an ingrained tendency
for the police to use excessive force during potentially
FROM READERS: Ferguson protesters more justiﬁed than one... http://www.columbiamissourian.com/a/182702/from-readers-fe...
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COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FROM READERS: How to run a metal
band
By SCOTT EAMES/MISSOURIAN READER
December 5, 2014 | 6:00 a.m. CST
Metal musician Scott Eames poses for the camera with his guitar. ¦ Shared by Scott Eames/Missourian Reader
Scott Eames is the lead creative force of his band Nevalra and is also a member of Decadent
Nation. He has two record deals, multiple musical equipment endorsement deals and has toured

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FROM READERS: A conversation
with metalheads of Non Serviam
the country many times. Nevalra will be touring the United States, Puerto Rico and Europe in
2015 and 2016.
Music is everywhere. Every commercial you see. Every sporting event you attend. When you
wander the mall aimlessly searching for that specific item you cannot live without, there is music.
Music took over my life when I was very young. Young enough
that I didn’t even know what artist or band was resonating from
the speakers. But I definitely knew what stood out to me as
different. Intriguing. Fascinating.
It was metal.
Metal stands immensely apart from all the “cookie-cutter” artists in music. Bands that write and
perform metal have seemingly endless creativity, skill, and ambition to spark that special
something that makes their music exciting and captivating. To describe what metal is in regards to
all other music, you simply have to look at your favorite movies. Metal is to music as horror is to
movies: the heightened senses, the motivation to face your fear of the darkness.
As a metal musician, I try and tap into that same sense of dark atmosphere and scary theatrics. As
the lead creative force in my band Nevalra, I do not simply write and play chords and notes in
typical fashion; I strive to create a frightening environment, a terrifying sense of awe. Constructing
an unsettling locale within the music itself. It requires quite the imagination to step over the line
most dare not cross. Malevolent lyrical content, intimidating artwork and imagery, and a live
performance of this dark music can give the same sense of terror, brutality, and excitement that
horror flicks can accomplish.
Many who are unfamiliar with the genre associate metal as simply “banging on instruments.” In
fact, metal musicians are typically some of the most skilled and talented I have crossed paths with.
Guitarists and bassists in metal are incredibly well-versed in many styles: jazz, classical, funk, rock
and blues, to name a few. The majority is familiar with music theory, scales and modes, as well as
how to infuse this knowledge into their own music.
Metal drummers nowadays are reaching almost inhuman speeds through exceptional technique
and endurance. Many of the world record holders for fastest drummers are metal musicians. Most
can even play multiple time signatures simultaneously, which is quite the task.
For Nevalra, I construct songs using complex harmonies connecting guitar, bass, and drums, using
each instrument’s unique characteristics as building blocks to guide the song’s progression in the
direction I’m looking to achieve. For me, creating music is very rewarding. With the essential
structure of the song together, I assemble the band to tweak its every segment, hoping to garner

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Since this post went up on the Born
Just Right blog, Jen Reeves has
published follow-up posts on this
COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FROM READERS: Can we teach our kids
to stop staring?
By JEN REEVES/MISSOURIAN READER
September 22, 2014 | 6:00 a.m. CDT
Jordan Reeves pauses to smile for the camera while playing outside. Her mother, Jen Reeves, writes about parent
advocacy and 8-year-old Jordan. ¦ JEN REEVES/MISSOURIAN READER
Jen Reeves is a mother of two who works in social media. She writes about parent advocacy
and her 8-year-old daughter, Jordan, on her blog.
This post was originally published in Jen Reeves' blog, Born Just Right, on Sept. 17.
Seriously.
Can we raise children who choose to ask questions and
speak directly to people who look or act differently? Can we
FROM READERS: Can we teach our kids to stop staring? http://www.columbiamissourian.com/a/178949/from-readers-c...
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topic. Here's one about the T-shirt
Jordan wore to her next dance class
and another about the different kinds
of staring.
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have open conversations with our children to discuss why it
can be so painful to whisper and point at people who are
different or act differently?
I’m so tired of it.
Jordan’s tired of it.
Jordan is a rock star. She rolls with so many punches. But
even she hits her limits with staring and questions. Lately,
she’s had enough of it all. This is a lifelong process for her. I
know Jordan has to go through some really tough emotions
and decide when she’s ready to just ignore the looks and
whispers. But now is not the time. In the meantime, can we
all just get over it?
People are different. And all parents need to celebrate and
recognize differences are cool and not scary. They are worth talking about and not whispering.
Why do I feel like the only parent teaching this lesson? (I know I’m not. I’m just in a mood.)
Where is the textbook we all need to read to help us raise our kids to be kind and
understanding people?
Jordan was feeling a bit unsure before her new dance class.
Jordan started a new dance class recently. For the first time in years, she’s in a class with boys.
During the first class, the boys spent a good portion of the time whispering and staring at
Jordan. I asked her why she didn’t confront them. She explained it felt embarrassing, and she
feels stronger when there’s another friend with her when she needs to confront staring.
Holding my crying little (but not so little) girl in my arms hurts my heart. This sucks. We all
know it sucks. But this was the moment when I realized Jordan might be ready to take the
staring monkey off her back. It was a discovery that took time for me to understand.
When Jordan was a baby, I used to look everywhere to find the people staring and whispering
when we’d get out of the house. I wanted to catch those staring violators in the act and teach
them a lesson. Or I just let anger build up inside of me. But around the time she was 3 or 4
months old, I realized I had a choice to get worked up by the looks and stares, or I could choose
to live my life with my beautiful family. I had a chance to teach those staring people a lesson by
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FROM READERS: Football helps
young girl succeed in school
FROM READERS: SECraft Beer
Fest brings new craft beers to
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FROM READERS: Kids' winning
essays address overcoming
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COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FROM READERS: Eighthgraders share
hopes for the future
By J. Evan Arnold, Missourian Reader Community, Tiffany Melecio
June 4, 2014 | 6:00 a.m. CDT
Transitioning from middle school into high school can be overwhelming, exciting and scary. It
can also be one of the most memorable periods of an adolescent's life.
To document this transition, we asked a class of eighthgraders from West Middle School to
answer this question: "What do you hope you can say about yourself in four years?"
Some of the responses we received are below. We also sent a
photojournalist to record these students reading (and
expanding) on their original answers. You can hear those in a
video at the end.

Michael Valvo
"I hope to say that I graduated from Tolton Catholic High School. I hope to say that I was the
captain of the soccer team. I hope to say that I excelled in all my classes. That I was respected by
everyone, that I received a scholarship to the school of my choice. I hope to say that I made it."
Avery Brooks
"I hope to be graduating high school. I’m looking into a possible welding career. I have no intent to

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ArtTalk: Lisa Bartlett writes about
what inspires and excites her
FROM READERS: Lions Club
welcomes Tigers
ArtTalk: Folk singer/guitarist David
Dearnley makes up for lost time
ArtTalk: Local artist produces
textured paintings, most recently of
animal eyes
ArtTalk: Watercolor artist inspired by
Ozarks, nature
COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FROM READERS: A letter to young
thieves, from the owner of ARTlandish
Gallery
By LISA BARTLETT/MISSOURIAN READER
May 23, 2014 | 9:47 a.m. CDT
This story was written by Lisa Bartlett, the owner of ARTlandish Gallery. It was originally a
note that she wrote and posted on her Facebook page. She wrote it in response to the theft of
art and charity money from her store.
Recently we had some young women steal from us. Many people wanted me to
prosecute. I wrote them this instead.
Dear Young Thieves,
I'm sorry that your life finds you in such a place that stealing
from artists and abandoned animals is ok. I'm not sure you
even realize the implications of these two things and how
your wanton disrespect for the hard work and diligence of
artists affects so much more than the two of you. Your
selfishness has caused hardship for...hard working artists
and deprived animals for a second chance at life. Yes it
means a puppy or two will die because you stole the
resources for them to have a second chance. But what the
heck, right? You needed that money for something
important and you just wanted those things.
The items you chose to steal are not mass produced, they are crafted by artists who have
worked hard. Artists pour their heart and soul into their work and they add individuality to our
society. What have you added? The items you stole were not things necessary for living. It's not
like you are living on the street and needed food. If that were the case, you can bet artists would
be the first ones to help you. If you have been deprived in some way in your life that makes you
have total disregard for artists and their work and stealing from a donation jar for abused and
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COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FROM READERS: Nancy Rogers gives a
farewell toast to a friend
By Nancy Rogers/Missourian Reader
August 6, 2014 | 5:25 p.m. CDT
Gale Welliver Stone and her mother, Ruth Welliver, at the dedication of the Christy Welliver Memorial at Stephens
Lake Park, Oct. 20, 2013. ¦ Nancy Rogers/Missourian Reader
Nancy Rogers lives with her mother, Melania; four rabbits; and two cats in Columbia. The
family has a tree farm in northeast Columbia. Nancy is a volunteer of the year with the
Central Missouri Humane Society.
The Rogers and Welliver families have been friends for a good many years.
Judge Warren Welliver was a Missouri Supreme Court
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Gale D. Stone, Nov. 14, 1943 — July
21, 2014, of Frontenac
FROM READERS: The story of
'remarkable' Ruth Welliver
Justice. He received his law degree from the University of
Missouri. The Welliver daughters Gale, Carla and Christy
Welliver all graduated from the University of Missouri with
degrees in library science.
Ruth Welliver, son in law Bill Stone, granddaughter Jordan
Stone and great grandson Chase cherish the memories of
Gale, her two sisters, Carla and Christy and husband, father,
father in law, grandfather and great-grandfather Warren
Welliver.
Recently Nancy had a conversation with Ruth.
"Ruth, you are so stoic — happy, even. How do you do it after all you have been through?"
"Sometimes I feel alone; lonely. But everyone has their problems. People lose children every
day in the war. I am not the only one. Christy used to say, 'I have a choice. I can be very sad or
very happy.' When I look at the sunset I imagine there are people waiting on the other side who
will say to me,
"'Where have you been? We've been waiting for you.'"
It's not Ruth's time, yet. But it's nice to imagine that Christy, Carla, Gale and Warren are
waiting for her on the other side.
The following is a toast given by Nancy Rogers in honor of Gale Welliver Stone on Aug. 2, 2014.
The toast reflects a conversation Nancy had with Gale during one of their last visits at Gale's
home.
Little Bird
“I am not afraid to die. I have had a wonderful life. I am so happy!”
“I have a wonderful husband, a wonderful daughter, a wonderful mother, and wonderful
friends.”
“I am so lucky.”
We sit at the dining table looking out at the green lawn. A little bird flies up to the feeder
hanging from a branch on the tree just outside the window.
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COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FROM READERS: Student heads back
home to Albania after 6 years
By VASIAN MARKOLLARI/MISSOURIAN READER
April 30, 2014 | 6:00 a.m. CDT
Vasian Markollari moved from Albania to Missouri as a child. Over spring break, the MU junior
traveled to Albania for the first time in six years.
I went over spring break with my mom to Tirana, Albania, to visit my grandparents, specifically
my grandma, because we had found out late last year that she had cancer. Since I hadn’t been back
to Albania in over six years, and my grandmother’s situation was only getting worse, we decided to
fly out and visit her. While I was there, I got the chance to go see the city that I was born in and left
at the age of four.

This is a
panoramic
view of the
outskirts of
Tirana, the
capital.
Everything is
still being
developed and new buildings there are always struggling to be completed. Lack of funding and
conflicts in property rights are the two major grounds for disagreement and the reason why most
progress tends to come to a halt.

The above image shows a mosque located right in the city center, and only two blocks from the
Eastern Orthodox Christian Church. My grandfather told me that the significance of this mosque
was that it had a mosaic border all around with images that were less common in some kinds of
Islamic art. I grew up in an Orthodox Christian household in the U.S., and although the majority
of Albanians are Muslim, there is a very widespread religious tolerance amongst the people living

COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FROM READERS: Lazy writing is slowly
ruining English language
By NICOLE SCHROEDER/Missourian reader
June 23, 2014 | 6:00 a.m. CDT
Nicole Schroeder, 15, is a staff member for Rock Bridge High School's online and print news
sources. She finished her sophomore year at Rock Bridge in June. This story was first
published at bearingnews.org.
Anyone who texts or posts on social media sites on a regular basis
knows of that person: the one who can’t seem to spell words out or
has to use countless hashtags to describe their emotions, the one
who has to shorten an already minuscule word to just one symbol
so it becomes faster to type — "u" instead of "you," "2" instead of
"two," "@" instead of "at."
In fact, many probably realize they are this person, shortening
words or purposely misspelling them so that they fit into the
character limits set by Twitter or different phone carriers.
I can list many people in my life who write texts and emails in this fashion or friends and
family who have asked me why I take the time to spell out my texts instead of just shortening
everything as they do. They don’t see the problem in using the numerous abbreviations and
alternative spellings that this generation of socialites has created.
“What’s the big deal?” they ask.
I roll my eyes. The big deal, I think to myself, is that this habit of writing lazily is slowly ruining
the English language.
In truth, I may be overreacting. People still write essays and books with traditional English,
and, for many, it’s only in their free time that this habit ever shows itself. Besides, writing in
acronyms and abbreviations is more efficient in a world where everyone seems to constantly be
on the run. Still, with so many people misspelling simple words on tests or speaking in
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COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FROM READERS: The joy of finding
beloved treasures at an estate sale
By Nancy Rogers/Missourian reader
November 27, 2014 | 6:00 a.m. CST
Nancy Rogers was able to buy these teacups that had belonged to her godmother, Alice Delmez, at an estate sale.
¦ Shared by Nancy Rogers/Missourian reader
Nancy Rogers is the author of "Rabbit, Raw: Poems and Short Stories about Rabbits,
Relatives and Relationships." She writes here about her godmother, Alice Delmez.
I arrived early, walked to the front door of my godmother’s house, plopped my shopping bags
on the doorstep to reserve a spot in line, then tiptoed around the house peeking in the windows
to find where the items I wanted were located.
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0716 from readers challenger division
FROM READERS: Volunteering as a
Challenger Division "player buddy"
is meaningful experience
By Ji-Ho Lee/Missourian Reader
Ji-Ho Lee is a rising sophomore at Rock Bridge High School and a volunteer player
buddy for the Challenger Division.
Corbin Dean is a baseball player. His favorite positions on defense are shortstop and
outfield.
The 15-year-old, who will attend Centralia High School as a freshman this fall, plays
for the A’s, alongside his teammate Corey Fisher.
The two players compete in the Challenger Division at Daniel Boone Little League.
According to the league website, this division “provides boys and girls who have
developmental or physical disabilities the opportunity to enjoy the full benefits and
excitement of playing on a baseball team.”
The program is open to kids in mid-Missouri whose ages range from 5 to 18. The
Challenger Division is comprised of four teams: the A’s, Cardinals, Mariners, and
Pirates. The four teams play against each other on Monday nights from late April to
late June in games where runs scored and outs are irrelevant.
Fisher will be a freshman at Moberly High School this year. For the past eight
seasons, he has been making the one-hour trip from his home to the Daniel Boone
complex to play baseball.
Dean has been competing for the past four years. “He loves it … especially the social
part of it,” said Tina Umstattd, Dean’s mother.
Fisher, Dean, and every other athlete runs, fields, and hits alongside a “player buddy,”
any person who wishes to volunteer and assist the players. Although the Challenger
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COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FROM READERS: Homecoming queen
candidate raises money for Alzheimer's
Association
By TRISTEN SHAW/MISSOURIAN READER
September 16, 2014 | 6:00 a.m. CDT
Tristen Shaw gives her Grandma Joy a kiss. Shaw is now raising money for the Alzheimer's
Association to help people like her grandma fight the disease. | MEREDITH SHAW/ MISSOURIAN
READER

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Queen candidate raises more than
$1,400 for charity
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her hair and supports 2 charities
Tristen Shaw is raising money for the Alzheimer's Association in honor of her Grandma Joy, who has the disease.
  ¦  Shared by Tristen Shaw/ Missourian Reader
Tristen Shaw is a senior at Hickman High School and is running for Homecoming queen. She is
also raising money for the Alzheimer's Association.
Grandma Joy is one of the most loving and patient people I’ve ever met, but with 8 kids and 16
grandkids, I guess you kind of have to be.
She held me when I was just born. She sang, “I love you a bushel
and a peck,” to me on numerous occasions. She knew what I
wanted for lunch when I spent weeks with her during the
summer. Grandma Joy went out and bought those little Barbie
toppings and candy words for a birthday cake she made me,
even though she didn't usually do that sort of thing. She gave
me a whole collection of Barbie ornaments, porcelain tea sets,
T-shirts, necklaces, and my first bike. She woke me up right
before "The Price is Right" came on and taught me how to play
Tristen Shaw is raising money for the Alzheimer's Association in the name of her grandma.
  |  DAVYE HEINE/MISSOURIAN READER
Tristen Shaw sits with the rest of Grandma Joy's grandkids.   |  MEREDITH SHAW/MISSOURIAN
READER

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FROM READERS: AntiMU22, a new
campus group, promotes healthy
selfimage
COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FROM READERS: AfricanAmerican
women are beautiful, have value
By BRITTANY KING/MISSOURIAN READER
March 17, 2014 | 6:00 a.m. CDT
Brittany King is a junior communications major at MU. She also is the cofounder of AntiMU
22, an organization on campus that encourages students to love their bodies and themselves.
I am a black woman, but that's not all I am. I'm stubborn, I'm loud, I'm a writer, I'm independent
and I'm beautiful.
It's not often you hear twenty-something black women in
college proclaiming how beautiful they are. Do we exist?
Absolutely, but that doesn't mean we still don't have our
insecurities.
Yes, I am black, I am also a woman, but I am not the face of
every black woman everywhere and this submission is not a
compiled list of the way all black woman in college feel.
Growing up, I was a beauty pageant brat. I knew I was beautiful because the judges and trophies I
won told me I was. A lot of people are quick to judge and ask parents how they could put their
child through long days like that, but I loved it. I loved every minute of it. I think it’s where I got
my competitive spirit from. I wanted to win, I needed to win. So during my childhood I never even
questioned if my skin color was beautiful, or if it meant that I was worthy of winning a beauty
pageant or becoming famous or anything like that. My color was not a problem and the people
around me didn’t find it to be problematic either.
It actually wasn’t until I got to college that I started to question whether or not I really was
beautiful, whether black women in general were beautiful. In fact, I didn’t just wonder if I was
beautiful enough for society's standards, I wondered if I was strong enough, and smart enough to
rise above the majority in anything I did on MU's campus.
I’m attracted to men from different walks of life and colors, but they do not seem attracted to me.
Not only that, but being black seemed toxic. When I would apply for jobs and go in for the
interview, managers would try to hold back the shocked looks on their faces. As if a black woman

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COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FROM READERS: The rescue of Zipper
the kitten
By JENNIFER NEWBERRY and JOYCE WILKE/Missourian readers
July 11, 2014 | 6:00 a.m. CDT
Brothers Ford and Harry Stanton pose with Zipper, the rescued cat their family recently adopted. ¦ Stanton
family/Missourian readers
Second Chance volunteers Jennifer Newberry and Joyce Wilke rescued a lively yellow kitten
recently. These are their stories of Zipper the kitten.
The Rescue, by Jennifer Newberry
About a week ago, I was greeted by a huddle of small
children as I walked in to my apartment building on Ash and
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COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FROM READERS: What is that on his
back?
By Ilhyung Lee/MISSOURIAN READER
March 24, 2014 | 6:00 a.m. CDT
Johnny Eblen always wears the yin and yang, as well as his last name in Korean. ¦ Courtesy of Johnny Eblen
Ilhyung Lee is professor of law at MU. His son was a member of the 14U Columbia Phoenix
baseball team last summer.

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The Tigers’ 184pound class wrestler
and his mother, Hyon Nam Eblen.
Coach Kendall Lewis (#11) of the
14U Columbia Phoenix baseball
team meets with players during a
timeout at a tournament in St. Louis
last summer.
Ethan Kleindienst (#43) of Auxvasse,
Sam Kirby (#32) of California, and
Ryan Witting (#12) of Boonville, await
their turns for the batting cage.
What do Hunter Hess, a freshman at California High School (in Moniteau County, southwest of
Columbia) and Johnny Eblen, a junior at the University of Missouri, have in common? They are
both student-athletes in mid-Missouri with a passion for their respective sport.
Hess has been playing baseball since he was five years old, and
is a member of his high school’s baseball team in California,
Mo., this spring. Eblen is further along in his sport; a state
wrestling champion while at Park Hill High School in Kansas
City, he currently competes for Coach Brian Smith’s Missouri
wrestling team. Nationally ranked in the 184-pound weight
class, an injury cut short Eblen’s season.
They both have something else in common. Hess has a jersey
from his competitive baseball team last summer, with his last
name – Hess – in Korean; Johnny Eblen’s surname, also in
Korean, is tattooed on his back. For each, the name in Korean
characters is a transliteration, that is, the way the name in
English would be written in Korean, phonetically.
Just above Eblen’s Korean name appears a half-Korean and
half-U.S. flag in the yin and yang, which he got “to express my
ethnic background.” Eblen’s mother is originally from South
Korea, where she met Eblen’s army father when he was
stationed there.
Hess was a member of the 14U Columbia Phoenix baseball team
last summer. It was the team’s head coach, Kendall Lewis, who
came up with the idea of having an official team jersey with the
team name on the front, and the player’s surname on the back –
both in Korean characters.
Suhwon Lee, the mother of one of the boys on the team,
produced all of the players’ names in Korean. “Transliteration is
not an exact science, and two Korean people might not write the
same American name exactly the same way. But you try to get it
as close as possible,” she said.
Lee elaborated, “The ‘Witting’ name was easy to convert because
the Korean version sounds almost exactly the same as the name
in English. But ‘Kleindienst’ was a challenge, and the longest.”

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