By Laura Marlow
Eureka and Wildwood seniors – and those who reside in other parts of the Leader coverage area – have a busy day on tap at the Eureka Senior expo, set for 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Oct. 16, at Timbers of Eureka, 1 Coffey Park Lane.
Doors open promptly at 8 a.m., and free coffee and doughnuts will be provided courtesy of Leader Publications. The expo, the sixth and final one for 2024, is geared toward those 50 and older and is sponsored by Grand Times, Leader Publications’ magazine for seniors.
“This is our last expo of the year. If you’ve been to them all, you can’t miss this one,” said Katelyn Mary Skaggs, Leader digital marketing manager. “And if you’ve never been to one, you shouldn’t miss this. You’ve got to come out and see what all the fun is about.”
Admission is free for the event, which will offer a full schedule of bingo, live music, speakers, food, prizes and more. Parking is free and The River at Eureka will provide courtesy shuttle service between the parking lot and the expo entrance, beginning at 8 a.m. To receive a shuttle ride in the church’s vehicle, stand by your vehicle and someone will pick you up.
Plenty to do and see
Vendors will be on hand throughout the morning offering products and services of interest to seniors. Many will hold giveaways and drawings for prizes, so smart attendees will bring along pre-printed address labels to make signing up easier.
The Leader will hold a special prize drawing, with two grand prizes.
“We’re lucky to have two very different prizes for this expo,” Skaggs said.
One lucky winner’s name will be pulled at random from all eligible entries to receive two tickets to Cirque du Soleil Songblazers at the Fabulous Fox at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25, as well as a prepaid parking pass. Another name will be drawn to receive a custom, student-built, wooden Adirondack chair, courtesy of the carpentry program in the Area Technical School at Jefferson College. The drawing is limited to one entry per person; visit the Leader booth for an entry form.
A pair of guest speakers are scheduled, and there will be two free rounds of bingo.
The morning’s schedule looks like this:
■ 8 a.m. – Vendors will be on hand, and free doughnuts and coffee will be available.
■ 9 a.m. – First session of free bingo in the upstairs meeting room. Luke Hollman, recreation supervisor for the city of Eureka, will serve as bingo caller.
■ 9:30 a.m. – Communications and media coordinator Jimmy Parsons with the Endangered Wolf Center in the Eureka area will talk about all the work and events happening at the center.
■ 10 a.m. – Second session of free bingo in the upstairs meeting room, called once again by Luke Hollman.
■ 10:30 a.m. – Eureka Police Detective Shaun Dulz will talk about safety for seniors.
■ 11 a.m. – Grand prizes and other prizes will be announced.
■ 11:15 a.m. – J.B. Louis and the Legends, the official Leader Senior Expo Band, will take the stage. Dancing and singing along is not only welcome but encouraged!
■ Noon – Expo closes.
For information about the Senior Expo, call the Leader at 636-931-7560.
Eureka man wins grand prize for lighthouse photo
By Teresa Inserra
Charles Wivell, 65, of Eureka was the lucky winner of the 2024 Way to Go photography contest.
Charles Wivell, 65, of Eureka took this picture of the Split Rock Lighthouse just north of Duluth, Minn., in July 2022. “I grew up in northern Minnesota and we still have a cabin on a lake near Grand Rapids, Minn.,” Charles said. “We love taking trips up the north shore of Lake Superior, there is so much beauty there.”
The annual contest, sponsored by Grand Times, Leader Publications’ magazine for seniors, invited Jefferson County, Eureka and Wildwood readers aged 50 and older to send in their vacation pictures, new or old.
Wivell’s photo was picked as the random winner out of 83 submitted vacation photos and he will receive $200.
He said he used a Sony digital camera to take the photo of the Split Rock Lighthouse just north of Duluth, Minn., in July 2022. The lighthouse, one of the most popular in the nation, is maintained by the Minnesota Historical Society.
“I grew up in northern Minnesota, and we still have a cabin on a lake near Grand Rapids, Minn.,” he said. “We love taking trips up the north shore of Lake Superior; there is so much beauty there.”
On that particular trip in 2022, Wivell was with his wife and their two daughters.
He said he enjoys the water and has several water toys: a kayak, canoe and sailboat.
Wivell normally spends a month at the family cabin during each summer and takes additional trips to Minnesota throughout the year to visit family members who still live there.
He said he loves taking photos and might spend his grand prize winnings on something for his camera.
“It’s kind of my hobby,” he said.
Click to see all entries to the Way to Go photo contest:
Grand prizes include tickets to circus act with country flair, custom chair
By Lindsay Recar
One lucky grand prize winner will get two tickets to a night of high-flying entertainment accompanied by country tunes, and another winner will receive a wooden Adirondack chair.
Cirque du Soleil’s “Songblazers” will swing through the Fabulous Fox, 527 North Grand Blvd., in St. Louis, and the prize winner will receive balcony seats for the performance at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25. The tickets are valued at $91 each.
One grand prize winner will snag two tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s “Songblazers” show at the Fabulous Fox. The second grand prize winner will recieve an Adirondack chair crafted by a Jefferson College carpentry student.
“Songblazers,” which debuted in Nashville in July, features a variety of acrobatics, dance and circus acts with a southern twist.
The show includes country music classics like “Friends in Low Places,” “Achy Breaky Heart” and “Man! I feel Like a Woman!” plus original music.
“As audiences are transported through the rich tapestry of country music’s history and heritage, they’re invited to hold onto their cowboy hats and embark on a journey unlike any other,” Cirque du Soleil said in a written statement earlier this year.
“Alongside two passionate songwriters, spectators witness the creative process unfold as they delve deep into the essence of country music, crafting the ultimate country track that pays homage to its roots while embracing its contemporary allure. From the dusty trails of classic ballads to the vibrant energy of modern hits, this electrifying production captures the essence of country music’s enduring legacy, leaving hearts soaring and spirits lifted.”
Performers don boots, cowboy hats and blue jeans while performing in front of a barn house-style backdrop.
The Cirque du Soliel grand prize will include a prepaid parking pass to the theater’s parking garage, located across the street from the building.
A second name will be drawn to win a different grand prize: an Adirondack chair donated by Jefferson College and crafted by a student in the college’s Area Technical School carpentry program.
For a chance to win, visit the Leader’s booth at the Eureka Senior Expo, set for 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the Timbers of Eureka, 1 Coffey Park Lane. Only one entry per person.
For more information about the upcoming event, call the Leader at 636-931-7560 or email news@myleaderpaper.com.