Historical February–March 2009 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
100 years in the making.
A huge and friendly crowd of neighbors gathered at Greg Freeman Park/ Four Corners on October 11th for “the “Big Party” of our Centennial Year. Over a year of planning by the Centennial Committee and volunteer work and donations by so many neighbors made the event very special. Tables and chairs were set out in the street alongside a booth with souvenirs , address plaques, and neighborhood history projects . Smoker grills were started in the morning, and garden torches were lit in the evening as neighbors gathered.
The event was emceed by neighbor Nancy Farmer, former Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council executive director, who later worked as our State Rep. and then as the Treasurer of the State of Missouri. Dignitaries included: Congressman William Lacy Clay Jr., Mayor Slay, Comptroller Darlene Green, President of the Board of Aldermen Lewis Reed, a representative from Claire McCaskill’s office, Alderman Frank Williamson, Alderman Lyda Krewson, and former Mayor Vince Schoemehl of Skinker- DeBaliviere.
Each gave wonderful speeches and six proclamations were presented.
A top-notch band, Cauze 4 Concern, serenaded, rocked, and grooved with the crowd. Barbecue featured the new Skinker-DeBaliviere favorites by Dan and Phil Lodholz, namely, smoked ribs and steamed/smoked chicken, both with a homemade sauce that can’t be beat.
The food booth was so successful that they had to send runners to pick up more food supplies five times. None of the volunteers can recall an event where so much food was sold, and was so tasty. Souvenir glass steins with the Centennial logo were sold next to the beer, and the wine brought many toasts to neighbors old and new. S-D resident Mark Banaszak, standing Iin the middle of hundreds of children in the playground, Mark Banaszak tied so many balloon animals that his fingers nearly fell off.
An art show in Bill Kohn’s Studio featured drawings of familiar things in Skinker-DeBaliviere, created by neighborhood children. Classic firetrucks added a splash of color.
In attendance were a 1940s pumper which, in its day, served in this area.
A larger firetruck from the ’50s had all the class and style of autos of that era.
The third truck was a massive snorkel from the ’60s, a display in power and safety in one enormous vehicle.
After dark, Katie Kurtz presented the neighborhood with a centennial “100” birthday cake, while the band sang Meet me in St. Louis.
A symbolic Olympic torchbearer from 1904 carried a torch to the kiosk, which magically transformed into an Olympic torch signifying our neighborhood’s World’s Fair beginnings.
The same spirit burns in us today as we look towards Skinker- DeBaliviere’s next hundred years.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, February–March 2009.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Printed standing Iin and repeated Mark Banaszak name retained as source artifacts.
Original source: SD_Times2009_02.pdf, printed page(s) 6; PDF page(s) 6.
