Mount Pleasant Winery President’s Day Sale – February 17 – 24

Please come celebrate President’s Week with us and receive a 10% discount on any purchase from February 17th – 24th.

3125 Green Mtn. Drive
Branson, Missouri
417-336-9463

We are open Monday thru Saturday from 9:30 am until 5:00 pm, and Sunday from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm.

College of the Ozarks Keeter Center Culinary Team Members Win “Best” at Chocolate Competition

C of O Keeter Center Kitchen Supervisors Nancy Frew and Chris Freeman received first place awards at the “Art and Romance of Chocolate” show and competition. The event was held at the Brick City Gallery in Springfield, Missouri, on January 22, 2012, and was sponsored by the Friends of the Springfield Art Museum.

Participants representing 18 different restaurants, candy shoppes and bakeries competed in six different categories. College of the Ozarks won first place in two out of the six categories. Frew won the “Best Dessert” award for her Chocolate Coconut Butter Cake, often found on the dessert buffet at Dobyns Dining Room’s sunday brunch.

“This is the second year in a row the Dobyns Culinary Team has won the “Best Dessert” award in this competition,” says Executive Chef Robert Stricklin. In addition, Freeman sculpted a two-foot tall replica of the Eiffel Tower using Barry Callebaut semi-sweet Belgian chocolate. The original edible art, made completely from chocolate and for show, won the award for “Best Chocolate Showpiece.”

Chef Stricklin also recruited three culinary arts majors as volunteers to assist with The Keeter Center display. They served 200 guests, who enjoyed chocolate-themed treats. Students Hannah Burke from Pleasant Hill, Missouri, Eva Creech from Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Alyssa Long from Mt. Vernon, Missouri, served a steady stream of guests.

“The show and competition, which served as a great opportunity to promote The Keeter Center as a dining destination, gave the culinary team members the opportunity to sharpen their skills through competition,” says Chef Stricklin. “It also gave students the opportunity to learn skills in catering, special event operations and guest service.”

For more information, call Associate Professor of Hotel and Restaurant Management Jerry Shackette at (417) 690-2119 or e-mail [email protected].

Student’s Dream To Be An Author Becomes Reality

Veteran John Primerano with Cailin Casey during Pariotic Education Trip to France, Belgium and Germany.

Senior Cailin Casey says that she has always wanted be an author of fiction books. These days, she says all she wants to write about are real heroes. Last spring, Casey and 16 other College of the Ozarks students accompanied six WWII Veterans to battle sites in Europe as part of the College’s Patriotic Education Travel Program, which is designed so that students learn about history and sacrifice from the men and women who lived it. During the trip she became inspired, so much, that upon her return, she wrote a short book about stories the Veterans shared with her.

The book, Twice as Brave, is a collection of the true stories of six WWII Veterans, Andy Anderson (5th Engineers Special Brigade), Bill Kamsler (102nd Infantry Division), Ned Knapp (75th Infantry Division), John Primerano (101st Airborne), Lou Rabesa (Army Air Force), and Bryan Sperry (75th Infantry Division).

EXCERPT (Casey, page 1): “Below John Primerano’s dangling boots were 450 feet of nothing but air. All the guys had told him, ‘You don’t want to get hung up in the trees.’ The distance between his feet and those tall poplars was becoming steadily shorter. Before the jump, he couldn’t pass up the treat of a whole tin of peaches and sat with his buddies beneath the wing of the plane and ate every bite. Those peaches were more appetizing going down than coming back up all over his jumpsuit. Still it seemed he was headed right for those trees. In moments, he was sure his chute would be caught in them and he would be stuck like a feather in a barbed wire fence.”

Individuals interested in obtaining a copy of the book may purchase one for $9.99 at The Keeter Center Gift Shop at College of the Ozarks (417) 690-2110. Casey is donating all of the proceeds to the College’s Patriotic Education Travel Program. On May 12, from 1-3 p.m., the College plans to host a book signing event for Casey at The Keeter Center. Book clubs or other groups may request her to share about Twice as Brave at one of their meetings by calling (417) 690-2276.

Twice as Brave may be small (less than 50 pages), but is the beginning of something much bigger for Casey. One of the Veterans John Primerano, whom she accompanied on the trip, asked Casey if she would write his biography. She accepted his offer and will begin writing his memoir this summer, after she graduates from College of the Ozarks. “I always thought I would write fiction,” Casey said, “but sometimes truth is more fascinating than fiction.”

College of the Ozarks to Sponsor Blood Drive
By: Chelsea Kliethermes

On Thursday, February 16, 2012, the Bonner Community Service Program at College of the Ozarks will sponsor a blood drive for the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks. The blood drive is from noon to 6 p.m., in the Keeter Gymnasium.

Each donor will receive a free t-shirt for his/her contribution. Every donation has the potential to make a difference in someone’s life.

For more information, please contact the C of O Bonner Community Service Program at 417-690-3450 or e-mail Director of Bonner Program Nancy Finn at [email protected]

The Mansion Theatre will play host to America’s most beloved comedian, Bill Cosby, for one night only, on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at 8 pm. Bill Cosby has captivated generations of fans with his comedy routines, iconic albums, best-selling books such as “Fatherhood” and groundbreaking television like “The Cosby Show.” His comedy transcends age, gender and cultural barriers.

Cosby broke television’s racial barrier with I Spy, becoming the first African American to costar on a television series while winning three consecutive Emmys. He created and produced the Emmy-winning cartoon Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, which began airing in the 1970’s and was made into a film in 2004. The show, based on Cosby’s childhood in Philadelphia, was designed to educate and entertain.

The former Navy serviceman’s illustrious list of accomplishments includes roles on the children’s educational show Electric Company and creating and producing the Emmy award winning Little Bill, which is based on his bestselling book series.

Perhaps Cosby’s greatest contribution to American entertainment and culture is The Cosby Show, about a close-knit, upper class black family. Cosby said his intent was to portray an American family. Time magazine called the show “an encouraging sign of maturity in matters of race.” The Cosby Show dominated the No. 1 spot for years, earning nearly unanimous critical praise. Life magazine described the program as “a gentle, whimsical, warmhearted” show whose “delicious ordinariness of its pleasures and tribulations has given millions a fresh, laughter-splashed perspective on their own domestic lives.”

Bill Cosby’s next book, I Didn’t Ask to Be Born, But I’m Glad I Was, was released by the Hachette Book Group on November 1, 2011 and a New York Times best seller. Cosby talks about the Bible, being a grandfather and his first love in his humorous and insightful manner.

Cosby has received the Kennedy Center Honors, the Presidential Medal of Freedom (America’s highest civilian honor), “The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor” and the “Marian Anderson Award.”

Cosby’s been busy raising a family, too. He married the former Camille Hanks on January 25, 1964, while she was still a student at the University of Maryland. They raised four daughters (Erika, Erinn, Ensa and Evin) and one son (Ennis) and now have three grandchildren. The family resides in New England.

For detailed ticket information, please call (866) 707-4100 or (417) 239-1333.

Legends in Concert is excited to announce that they will open their 2012 season at Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater with a new state-of-the-art stage set! The set was created by All Access Inc., a set construction company specializing in staging for touring, film & television, and special events such as movie premiers, festivals and even the Super Bowl Half-Time Show. Recently used at Madison Square Gardens during a performance by Latin Grammy Award-winning Brazilian singer/songwriter Ivete Sangalo, the set was intended to be taken on tour. However, shortly following the Madison Square Gardens performance, Sagalo canceled her tour, and thus the set was available for purchase.
Now filling the stage at Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater, this state-of-the-art set will give Legends in Concert a fresh look for 2012. “The energy of the show will truly be enhanced by this set. It is unlike anything I have ever seen in Branson. This will take our production to a whole new level”, says Jeannie Horton, General Manager for Legends in Concert. Legends in Concert opens on February 9th for the 2012 season and will perform shows through December 31st, 2012. Be the first to see the Legends in Concert show unlike you have EVER seen it before!

Show times are 3 & 8 p.m. For more information, call 417-335-STAR or visit www.legendsinconcert.com

Art Demonstration by Artist Don Barnes at Mount Pleasant Winery – February 4, 2012

We are having an art demonstration here at Mount Pleasant Winery on Feb 4th, by renowned artist Don Barnes, from Denver Colorado. The time is 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm and we will be selling wine by the glass for this event.

About Don Barnes

Don Barnes was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he lived until age twelve. He has lived in Kansas City, Los Angeles, Dallas and Denver. The last is where he met his wife and has made his home since 1976.
Although he had always been artistic, Don didn’t begin painting until 1993. His first show was a solo in 2005, which sold seven of fifteen paintings. Since that time his work has shown in galleries throughout the West. He has been juried into several national shows and has been invited three times to participate in the prestigious Nomadas del Arte’.
His friendship with gallery owner Ernest Fuller allowed Don to study the works of Rob Moore, Hollis Williford, Julie Chapman, Debora Paris and other well known artists. Likewise, with the cooperation of David Cook Fine Art, he spent much time examining the works of the Broadmoor Academy artists – John F. Carlson, Sven Birger Sandzen, Peppino Mangravite, the Magafan Sistes, and others. He feels that the ability to draw from this broad knowledge offers unique possibilities for his art.

Artists Statement
For me, it’s all about technique and experimentation. I love to try new ways of expressing what I see. Each painting comes with a new set of challenges. The excitement is in breaking them down and turning out something that communicates with someone else.

Resume’
2010 – Nomadas del Arte’- Southwest Gallery, Dallas (Invitation)
Visions of the Flint Hills, Buttonwood Gallery, Kansas City (Jury)
Russian Night in Taos, Taos Art Museum, Taos (Jury)
2009 – Nomadas del Arte’ – Southwest Gallery, Dallas (Invitation)
Plein Air Expanded – Republic Plaza, Denver (Jury)
2008 – Nomadas del Arte’- Sage Creek Gallery, Taos (Invitation)
Winter Miniatures- Rob Foster Gallery, Denver (Jury)
Plein Air Artists Colorado Annual Exhibition – Abend Gallery, Denver (Jury)
Denver Plein Air Arts Festival – Golden Triangle Museum District, Denver (Jury)
2007 – Solo show – Compass Bank, Denver (Invitation)
Denver Plein Air Arts Festival – Golden Triangle Museum District, Denver (Jury)
Plein Air Artists Colorado Annual Exhibition – Abend Gallery, Denver (Jury)
2006 – Solo Show – Lone Tree Library, Lone Tree (Invitation)
Plein Air New Mexico Special Exhibition at Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center – Grants
Plein Air New Mexico Annual Show – The Mission Gallery, Grants
2005 – Solo Show – Saxby’s, Denver