Twice a year since 2002, local dentists donate a day of free treatment to young folks through a clinic, Give Kids A Smile (GKAS.) Chesterfield resident John P. Vogl, a dentist with five children of his own, was named GKAS Hero this month for his pro bono work with the clinic. "Dr. John Vogl represents everything that is good about Give Kids A Smile," said Thomas Flavin, a founder and president of the board of directors for the organization. ("Vogl) is a gentle, caring and dedicated dentist who we have come to count on at nearly every clinic," Flavin said. There have been 20 clinics since 2002…

When a letter to Santa didn’t produce a guitar for Christmas, 6-year-old Neil Shukla went over Santa’s head. He complained heartily to his parents, Harry and Connie Shukla. They soon realized Santa had made a huge mistake. The bearded-one promptly called with an apology and the promise of a guitar. Soon after, a guitar arrived.  “Neil started playing and never looked back,” his mother said.  Fast forward 10 years and Shukla’s passion for the guitar hasn't waned. The Marquette High School junior recently garnered third place in the Mid-America Guitar Competition. The event was held in New …

Life began for William Sanders in small-town America. Born in 1935 in Fredericktown, MO, Sanders' life has been anything but small. His has been a life of service. Sanders graduated from Drury University in Springfield, MO in 1959 with a degree in education and a teaching certificate. He chose to join the army. His 28 years in the service took him around the world and into harm's way. "I've served in Moscow, South Korea, Bangkok, Singapore, Haiti and more," said Sanders. He also witnessed the Tet Offensive in Vietnam. It is considered the turning point in the war and in American public …

This week, Patch introduces you to Vanessa Woods, the newest ballerina to join Chesterfield based Saint Louis Ballet. Woods recently relocated from New York City to the St. Louis area to join the ballet company. While many young girls dream of becoming a ballerina when they grow up, very few actually do. Vannessa Woods—the newest member of Saint Louis Ballet—pursued her dream from the time she was very young. “I've been interested in ballet since I was five years old,” Woods, 25, said. “I never lost that interest.”Her interest kept her studying. As an adult, she attended State University of …

This week, Patch introduces you to Chesterfield Resident Louis Nahlik, a painter and graphic designer whose work of art, “Skyscapes Metrolink,” is currently on display in the "Drift" exhibit at Art St. Louis. Drift—the current juried exhibit at Art St. Louis—examines our movement from East and West, our relationship to nature and the world around us, and how people are affected by time, space and movement. The exhibit is in partnership with Artist's Guild of St. Louis in Clayton, Mo, where artwork on the Drift theme is also being shown. Chesterfieldian Louis Nahlik's triptich, “Skyscapes …

This week, Patch introduces you to Parkway Central High School grad Greg Myre, a former foreign correspondent and current editor of NPR's, “Morning Edition.” Myre and his wife, journalist Jennifer Griffin, have recently published, “This Burning Land,” an account of their years covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Jerusalem. In Greg Myre's remarkably eventful career as a foreign correspondent for the Associated Press (AP) and the New York Times, he's witnessed and documented many dramatic events. But as Chesterfield resident and student at Parkway Central High School in the mid-1970s, …

This week, Patch introduces you to Chesterfield resident Rachel Goldman Miller, a hidden child Holocaust survivor whose story will be told in a multimedia stage presentation at the Jewish Community Center in August. Paris, 1942. Amid increasing rumors of Nazi actions against Jews, a mother sent her 9-year-old daughter into hiding at a summer camp outside of Paris. Rachel Goldman Miller never saw her family again—they were taken by the Germans three days later. It wouldn't be the end of challenges faced by Miller, including several near brushes with capture, years of living in foster homes, …

This week, Patch introduces you to Robin Echele, division chief of training for the Monarch Fire Protection District. Recently, Echele was admitted into the Institution of Fire Engineers; it's just the lastest accomplishment for a man whose commitment to firefighting began as a young boy. Many young boys dream of becoming firemen. For Robin Echele, division chief of training for the Monarch Fire Protection District, that boyhood dream would eventually shape his life. “Our house was just a few blocks away from Station One in St. Charles,” Echele said of his childhood. “We'd hear the sirens go …

This week, Patch introduces you to Chesterfield resident Joyce Opinsky, Missouri representative for the International Rett Syndrome Foundation and chair of the St. Louis Strollathon, a major fundraiser for Rett Syndrome research. Lilly Opinsky was diagnosed with a unique developmental disorder when she was 2 years old. Her mother's first reaction was much like other parents who had received the same heartbreaking news: She didn't know what it was. “I was just like everybody else,” Joyce Opinsky said. “I had never heard of Rett Syndrome before.” Rett Syndrome strikes when the child is …

This week, Chesterfield Patch introduces you to Dr. Thomas Hastings, recently named to Best Doctors in America by his peers and colleagues. He's committed to delivering health care in an appropriate and considerate manner. The current challenges facing physicians are numerous. Doctors are looking at current medical trends as they prepare for new health issues and an aging population. Dr. Thomas Hastings is meeting the challenges head on, and patient education is at the top of his list. “More people are empowered to understand chronic disease than ever before,” Hastings said. "The more they …

This week, Patch introduces you to Jerri Livingston, a 10-year breast cancer survivor who will be honored Thursday night with the 25th Annual Hadassah Leadership Award. She is a team liaison for Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, a religious school teacher and serves on the national board of Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ).When Jerri Livingston is asked what she does for a living, her husband jokingly answers that she works as a professional volunteer. He's not far off the mark. The Hadassah Leadership Award—which Livingston will receive Thursday—is given for an overall dedication to the …

This week, Patch introduces you to Carla Moore Beckerle, an advanced registered nurse who recently traveled to Guatemala to provide medical services to residents who have limited or no access to health care. In poor villages throughout Central America, residents sometimes live in squalid conditions. Their existence is day-to-day, and any hope of health care is a distant dream. Chesterfield resident Carla Moore Beckerle is working hard to change that, and she's putting her money where her mouth is. For 10 years, Beckerle has traveled to poor areas in Central America—mostly Guatemala—with nine …

Hundreds of athletes competed in the St. Louis area over the Memorial Day weekend, in such classic events as track and field, swimming and tennis. There were also non-traditional events, including horseshoes, darts and tap dancing. All of the Olympians were aged 50 to 90 years of age—it was the St. Louis Senior Olympics. By providing men and women 50 years of age and better opportunities to participate in competitive sports and social events, the St. Louis Senior Olympics promotes the health and wellness of seniors. According to the St. Louis Jewish Community Center—organizers of the event—St…

This week, "Patch" introduces you to Linda Henman, owner of Henman Performance Group and author of the recently published book, “Landing in the Executive Chair: How to Excel in the Hot Seat,” which explains how with the right leadership, top executives can build thriving companies despite the economy. Through her business, Henman Performance Group, Linda Henman helps business leaders combine strategy and talent decisions. Her clients include Fortune 500 companies such as Tyson Foods, Emerson Electric and the U.S. Air Force. Henman holds a doctorate in organizational systems, master's degrees …

This week, Patch introduces you to Gwen Knight. Knight is the board treasurer of Life Skills, an organization that helps people with developmental disabilities live in a home of their own, maintain a job, learn new skills and contribute to the community. She is also the executive vice resident of Enhanced Value Strategies, Inc., a commercial real estate consulting group. Gwen Knight grew up on a  ranch in Ogden, UT before she headed Missouri to attend Washington University, where she received her MBA. She then pursued a career in real estate and garnered some notable achievements. Knight had …

This week, Patch introduces you to Dr. Doug Pernikoff, Chesterfield veterinarian and founder of Dr. Doug's Vet-Pet Rescue, a volunteer, foster-home based, all-breed dog and cat rescue center. Doug Pernikoff's fascination with animals has taken him all over the world.  He started in Columbia, MO, where he graduated with honors from the University of Missouri School of Agriculture in 1975, and earned his doctorate in veterinary medicine in 1981. Then, he settled into a residency program in zoologic veterinary medicine at the Saint Louis Zoo. He also pursued graduate studies in anthropology at …

This week, Patch introduces you to Gen Horiuchi, artistic director of the Saint Louis Ballet and executive director of the Saint Louis Ballet School, located in Chesterfield. Gen Horiuchi's resume reads like a ballet dancer's dream. He won a major national dancing competition and ballet scholarship at the age of 16. He attended a premier American ballet school. At 18 years old, Horiuchi joined one of the top ballet companies in the world. Ballets have been created for him by world-renowned choreographers. He has starred on Broadway and the London stage. And he has choreographed an opening …

This week, Patch introduces you to Omer Rosenblith, a 26-year-old long-distance runner with high-functioning autism. Rosenblith will participate in Walk, Run 'n Roll in Creve Coeur Park. Proceeds from the event benefit St. Louis-area residents with cognitive and developmental disabilities. When the starting gun fires at the beginning of the seventh annual Walk Run 'n Roll on May 7, the field of participants will be full of people with inspiring stories. One such story is Omer Rosenblith's. Rosenblith has high-functioning autism, an informal term applied to people with less severe symptoms …

This week, Patch introduces you to Arash Amini, CEO of Amini's in Chesterfield. Amini will be presented with the Living and Giving Award at this year’s Oceans of Hope Dream Gala, hosted by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). The gala will be May 7 at the Kemp Auto Museum. Amini's story begins with his father, who immigrated from Iran to the United States. He opened a store in Oklahoma City in 1975. “He didn't speak a word of English,” Amini said. “He worked seven days a week. Eventually, he got a store with five pool tables. Everything started with those five pool tables. Even …

This week, Chesterfield Patch introduces you to Stacey Morse, executive director of Chesterfield Arts. She guides the dynamic organization in their quest to develop Chesterfield into a city of art. Residents of Chesterfield may be used to seeing the name Chesterfield Arts attached to events around the city. They may have gone to an art show at their gallery and offices at 444 Chesterfield Center, attended a talk in a literary speaker series or taken part in a workshop. But they may have enjoyed the fruits of Chesterfield Arts' labor without being aware that the organization and Stacey Morse …