(Here is my totally unedited version with photos before the Oct. 21 West Newsmagazine version)
Far too many selfless acts go
unnoticed. That has certainly not been
the case lately regarding Ballwin residents. That runs the gamut from the very
young to seasoned adults.
The Ballwin Free Library project idea
of Planning & Zoning Commissioner/Secretary Olivia Pieknik is a fitting
example of the city’s official motto, “Bringing People Together.”
At the other end of the age spectrum
is Shanley Gibson. The Woerther Elementary School kindergartner spent a long,
hot, 10-hour day of her own to utilize her lemonade stand creation to help
animals in need.
Pieknik, who has resided in Ballwin
since 1995, recalled how neighbor Randy Doege and wife Peg were in the process of replacing the library in front
of their own house and offered Olivia the old one. Husband
Chris refurbished it by adding a new roof, door, post and some fresh
paint. The couple then donated it to the City of Ballwin, and the Parks
& Recreation staff installed it at Ferris Park in June 2022.
Olivia was later granted permission
and received total support from Director of
Parks & Recreation Chris Conway in having the Little Libraries in all four
Ballwin city parks.
On Oct. 14, one was installed in
Vlasis Park in memory of Kathy Kerlagon, a two-term Ballwin Ward 4 alderman who
passed away on Aug. 8, less than eight months after her husband Ray announced
his retirement from the same position. Kathy
was also a professor at Meramec Community College who truly enjoyed reading.
(Olivia Pieknik with Randy and Peg Doege, Ray Kerlagon, Media Dir. Megan Freeman & City Administrator Eric Sterman)
The relationship between Olivia and
Kathy began when the former started attending Ballwin Police Citizens Academy meetings
back in 2001.
“I appreciated the kindness and
continued support from Ray and Kathy when we participated in community events,”
Pieknik said. “They both contributed to the City of Ballwin in many other
capacities. “I regularly visited Kathy while she was in Memory Care at Westview
nursing facility in Ellisville. She did not recognize me nor did she
communicate, but sitting and being with her was all that was needed.”
Peg, who worked for 28 years as a Librarian at Holy Infant School, did the Vlasis Park project’s decorations with her grandchildren.
Pieknik added that “Randy and Peg
Doege wanted to share their love of reading, and Randy enjoys building so they
built a library in front of their house. They also built a library for
the subdivision, located on Twigwood by the pool.”
That is in addition to one set to be
built in New Ballwin Park this November. Alderman Ross Bullington and wife
Becky funded the entire cost of materials.
Peg Doege’s daughter, also a teacher at Holy Infant, will have her
students decorate that library.
Finally, one is also set to be built
by Randy Doege, and placed at Holloway Park in North Pointe next spring. Donations from Pieknik, Pogue, Bullington, Alderman Michael Finley
(Ward 1), Planning & Zoning Commissioners Chad Silker, Mike Swain, and
Victoria Winfrey will be used to purchase material for Holloway Park.
“It is truly a community project,
completed with the love of reading, of kindness and how the residents work
together,” Pieknik said.
Meanwhile, Shanley’s lemonade stand
was nothing short of a labor of love.
On the morning of July 26, the Humane
Society of Missouri’s Best Buddy Pet Center was flooded with nine inches of
standing water from historic level of torrential rains. A good portion of its
pet supplies was destroyed.
“I told her that the Maryland Heights
Humane Society where we got out dogs from was flooded, so she got the idea to
do a lemonade stand because on Facebook they had posted that they had lost all
their supplies,” said Shanley’s mom, Megan Gibson. “So, she came up with the idea to do a
lemonade stand to raise money to get them more supplies.”
The preparation included a lemonade
poster made by Shanley from Polaroid camera pictures she took herself of their
own two dogs.
Shanley’s full day, raising $240,
took place at the house of Megan’s father, who is none other than Alderman Mike
Utt (Ward 1). That money was ultimately used for purchases at Pet Supplies Plus
in Ballwin.
“She was just so excited to take that
money and go to the pet shop,” Megan said.
“That was the most exciting part for her, and also dropping off the
supplies. She also took some of her own
money out of her piggy bank and donated it.
You know they have those little slots at each one of the dog’s kennels. She wanted me to tell you that the dog she
gave money to was a German Shepherd dog with a cone on its face.”
Although they were told to drop off
all donations at the headquarters on Macklind Avenue in the city of St. Louis,
Shanley insisted on doing so at the Maryland Heights location. It was a lot more special for Shanley because
that where they got their rescue dogs.
“She’s a very avid animal lover and
her dad (John) and I couldn’t be any more proud of her,” Megan said,” Megan
said. “They had a day at school for them to dress up like what you want to be
when you grow up, she would tell you, and she has said this for two or three
years now that she wants to open her own puppy daycare. But it’s not just for dogs. She wants to rescue all animals…like a
multi-purpose business she has going on.
She wants to rescue pets and also wants them to be able to come there
while their owners are working. I love it!
I hope she does it one day!”
