St. Louis is a community known for giving of its time and money to inspire artists, stamp out fearful ailments, and give a helping hand to all segments of the region. “Charity starts at home,” as the saying goes, and St. Louis has built a home for those who know how to give.

On April 15, 2012, during its annual “Ye Olde A Tasteful Affair” event, Food Outreach will celebrate and bring awareness to its cause of providing vital nutritional support to low income men, women, and children battling Cancer or HIV/AIDS in the greater St. Louis area. In this recovering economy, Food Outreach is experiencing more need for its services than ever before. In 2011, the need for Food Outreach services reached its highest level in its 24-year history – 484,000 nutritious meals were provided to 1902 individuals, ages 4 to 90, in 137 Missouri and Illinois zip codes.

That’s no small feat. What is even more astonishing is that Food Outreach has not turned away a single client who needs their help. And the meals they provide rival those served in restaurants in the area. Incorporating fresh ingredients and overseen by Chef Nicholas Hattfield, this organization supplies nutritious hot meals, nutrition education, and counseling for its clients.

For Executive Director Greg Lukeman, the commitment is strong and unwavering. “We have the philosophy of resourcefulness, always looking for opportunities AND never harping on what we don’t have. With that thinking, we are able to add more people around the Food Outreach table—clients and donors alike.”

Food Outreach is committed to providing their clients high-quality food that is nutritious and appealing. A registered dietitian is on staff to oversee the menu design and to provide nutritional assessments, education, and classes. Menus change every two weeks, providing variety for clients whose tastes and needs change as they cycle up and down in illness, while client surveys provide input for menu development. And cooking volunteers and staff frequently participate in taste tests for quality purposes.

Join emcees Maggie Crane of KMOV and Heidi Glaus of KSDK for this year’s Ye Olde A Tasteful Affair, in the Khorassan Ballroom at The Chase Park Plaza, April 15 from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. With delicious tastings from 40 outstanding restaurants and caterers, along with more than a hundred silent and live auction items, Ye Olde A Tasteful Affaire offers many enticing menu and auction items at every price – tickets to cultural and sporting events, a variety of restaurant gift certificates, vacations, artwork, you name it.

Ye Olde A Tasteful Affaire 24 will be held Sunday, April 15, 2012 from 2:00pm until 5:00 pm at the Khorassan Ballroom, The Chase Park Plaza (212 N. Kingshighway, Saint Louis, MO 63108). General admission tickets are $50 advance and $65 at the door, and you can score a VIP ticket for $150. The VIP experience features complimentary beverages (including small-batch beer tasting by Urban Chestnut – voted one of the top 5 new breweries in the world!), entertainment, and exclusive food tastings in a private lounge.

By Lisa Bertrand

I’ll just come right out and say it: I didn’t understand why so many parents spent their week nights and weekends shuttling kids to various sports. I often wondered why these tired-looking people chose to rush from one sporting event (after a day of working within or outside of the home) to the next when they could spend their time unwinding. I thought they were crazy and gluttons for punishment.

But now I get it.

My son started playing recreational league soccer when he was four years old. The commitment didn’t entail much–just one practice during the week for six to eight weeks. They’d play maybe eight games a season. The fields were only a 12-minute drive away, so this wasn’t a big deal.

But then, my son developed a passion for the sport. Instead of spacing out on the field or running away from the ball, he started to pay attention and express an interest in honing his skills.  He practiced on his own at home. His hard work paid off when he was asked to become part of a soccer club and play select. There’s stiffer competition now. As a result, the number of weekly practices increased. Since the coaches demand more effort from the kids, the practices are more intensive. This year he’s played a fall season, a winter (indoor) season and now we’re in the middle of the spring season. This equates to more time spent in a car as the game fields are a 45-minute drive from where we live and one of the practice fields is about a 25-minute drive from where we live. This option also means more money spent. There’s club fees and season fees. Those snazzy uniforms cost more too. And since we play at least one tournament each season, there are tournament fees to boot.

So why do parents do this? Why do they make the time/money/energy sacrifice? I can’t speak for everyone, but for me, it’s very rewarding to watch my child play with so much heart. This experience has been profoundly positive for him. He’s learned some powerful lessons:

Follow Your Bliss
My son is pursuing his passion. When you love what you do, you want to do your best. You don’t mind if you’re sacrificing free time or sleep. He often can be found practicing his moves in the back yard or running to increase his endurance. Pursuing what you love keeps you motivated and hopeful.

Confidence is Key
Being “selected” in a sport has given him a confidence he lacked. When he starts to feel overwhelmed or beats himself up over a mistake, we talk about where he started in this journey and what he’s now capable of. If he sets his mind, he can tackle or master almost anything.

There’s no “I” in Teamwork
He understands that he is part of a team. He is learning about commitment and the responsibility. He knows that the other kids are counting on him to play his best. In turn, he has a right to expect that of teammates. If a teammate had some great plays, he’ll congratulate them. If one has a bad game, he offers support and encouragement.

Keep Pushing Yourself
He is learning that patience, practice and persistence are monumental in mastering any skill, be it reading, playing an instrument or memorizing math facts. He’s seen through soccer that extra work pays off. The coach notices the improvement as do your team members and even the parents of his team.

These lessons aren’t simply related to sports. I know tons of parents who shuttle their kids to music, dance, art, or other events. In short, I think kids who pursue their passion and develop their talents learn so many life lessons too.

What has your child learned from their extracurriculars?

This morning as I was leaving the gym, a friend from one of my fitness classes said she’d love to get a group of us together over the summer to just talk and spend some time with one another. We see each other in class a few times a week, talk for a few minutes before and after, and we really like getting to know each other. We’re there to work out hard, but we find we enjoy it more when we encourage each other. Although most fitness advice centers on food and exercise, the hidden benefit that we rarely point out is the bond that is formed among those who make health and fitness a priority in their lives!

And for me, it’s always been like this. When I was first married and moved to a new city, I met the women I would share pregnancies, child-rearing, and work stories with. At the time, instead of a gym, we met in church basements, carrying our own steps and weights. I even went into labor in an aerobics class. As our kids were born, we brought them to class in their baby seats and later, let them play together on the playground while we took our classes. When I moved from there, they gave me a “going away party” class!

So it’s no surprise that when we moved again, the gym was the first place I went. The tiny gym had an early morning aerobic dance class and a handful of people would show up to work out. We had so much fun working out, talking, and laughing together, and depended on one another to be there each morning. Whatever stress we had in our lives at the time, disappeared for the hour that we were together in the gym. As schedules changed, our friendships continued, moving to other gyms and new classes.

When I started an early morning spinning class, the camaraderie continued with new faces and friends. We’d follow our tough workouts at the Starbuck’s across the street. I might not see them any other time, but our shared interest in health and fitness made hearing about other aspects of their lives even more fun.

And even now, MANY, MANY years into working out, I find the same kinship with people in my classes and on the gym floor. From Zumba to spinning to Cardio/Resistance to weight training, we all share the “agony and ecstasy” of a great workout. And when you’re gone for a while, people worry. Sometimes I feel guilty if I haven’t been to a class in while, but usually, I’m happy they’re glad to have me back

I’ve always believed that the gym is the Great People Equalizer. Whether it’s my 80 year old buddy who can do more than most of the men half his age in the gym, or the young moms who share their kids’ antics, or the instructors and trainers, I always feel a commonality!

And as for the wonderful people I’ve met in the gym, so many are still my good friends. Even though many of us are at different gyms and live in different parts of the country, we still reminisce about earlier days working out together.

I know the reason we’re at the gym isn’t supposed to be social, but if you’re getting a great workout and having fun with others, what’s wrong with that!

By Lisa Bertrand

Moms need “me time.” That’s no secret. But between kids, careers, romantic relationships, and household tasks, time becomes a precious commodity.

But it’s not just that there’s no room left in the schedule. Often moms feel a sense of guilt when doing so, as if taking a step away from the myriad of demands means  putting their family’s needs second.

If you’re one of the moms who fall into the latter category, I’m here to tell you to change that attitude. Because “me time” is good for moms. A new survey from Lincoln Financial entitled MOOD of America (Measuring Optimism, Outlook and Direction), states that doing so can reap big benefits for you and your family.

According to the study, consisting of 803 women over the age of 18 living throughout the Unites States, femmes who take time out to care for themselves report feeling more in control of their lives. And, according to the survey, when you feel you’re in control of your destiny, you’re generally a more optimistic person. These feelings, in turn, lead to a greater sense of strength and self-confidence.

The research revealed 79% of those take-charge women feel that there are no limits to what they can accomplish. And 93% of those who participated felt that when it comes to problems, they are fully capable of solving issues themselves, thankyouverymuch.

“A key attribute shared by women who feel in control of their lives is that they feel empowered to take action,” said Jamie DePeau, chief marketing officer at Lincoln Financial.

And that translates to greater financial health.

“These women have taken proactive steps to build financial security for themselves and their families, such as putting away money for retirement,” DePeau said.

To inspire women across America, Lincoln has created a Women Take Charge online resource with information dedicated to helping women take charge of their futures. They have also created a video documenting women from three life stages as they talk about why they took charge of their finances and futures. Check it out here.

Clothing the family can get expensive. Kids quickly outgrow the shoes, pants, and shirts you buy them. These days, often after replacing those items, you realize there’s not enough wiggle room left in the budget for you to find something cute too.

Fear not, a new St Louis store has you, and your family, fashionably covered.

Ross Dress for Less®, the nation’s largest off-price apparel and home fashion chain (with more than 1,000 stores) has recently come to the St Louis area with the grand opening of new stores in Chesterfield, MO and Fairview Heights, IL.

St. Louis area shoppers will find the same brand names carried in department and specialty stores priced at 20 to 60% less at Ross. I had a chance to check out the store before it’s big opening and I was amazed at some of the deals! I can’t reveal brand names here, but trust me-there’s 25,000-square feet of space packed with some great bargains! And trucks loaded with new items visit the stores six days a week, so what’s carried changes out often.

I wish I could have stayed to shop but I had to leave shortly after the tour. There was a designer purse I loved that would typically cost about $80 but was on sale for $30. (See? Serious steals.) I plan to head back today.  The stores also carry apparel, shoes and accessories for the whole family, as well as home fashions.

The Chesterfield, Mo store is located in Chesterfield Commons, at 190 THF Blvd. Hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays they’re open from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The Fairview Heights store in Illinois is located in Lincoln Place at 6005 North Illinois Street. Their hours are the same as the Chesterfield facility.

And to celebrate their grand openings, each store is giving away $1,000 in Ross Dress for Less gift cards to celebrate. From Saturday, March 3 to Sunday, March 11 customers may enter in-store for a chance to win a $500 shopping spree or one of five $100 shopping sprees. Plus, as part of the grand opening ceremonies and in support of the local communities, Ross Stores will make a donation of $1,000 each to the Boys & Girls Club of St. Charles County and Scott Air Force Base Youth Center. How great is that?

Disclosure: I was given a gift card to use for a personal purchase during the store’s tour.