The Holden Image

For many people, the diagnosis of Leukemia is like a death sentence. However, for Michell Crabtree, of Holden, the diagnosis ignited a time of an unconditional trust in God and the beginning of a miracle.

In October 2002, Crabtree realized she hadn’t felt well in over one year. She had been tired and ill-feeling, seeking the advice of doctors who had not offered a solution. After a throat infection caused multiple sores in her mouth, an ailment which a strong antibiotic had not cured, the 34-year-old mother of three was at the end of her rope. It was Crabtree’s pastor who convinced her to go to one more doctor.

“My pastor told me to go to the doctor that very day,” Crabtree said. “My blood was drawn, and the next day they (doctor’s office) called me and said to go to the hospital because I needed a blood transfusion.” It was then Crabtree was given a diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia and told it was affecting 50 percent of the cells in her body.

According to information obtained from Leukemia.org, Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells and bone marrow, characterized by the uncontrolled growth of blood cells. In acute Leukemia, immature, functionless cells accumulate in the marrow and blood. Often, the marrow can no longer produce enough normal red and white blood cells and platelets. The disease causes anemia, difficulty in blood clotting and makes it difficult for the patient to fight off illnesses, due to the lack of white blood cells.

Doctors told Michell and her husband, Shawn, there was a 35-40 percent chance of stopping the Leukemia. In addition, Crabtree was later found to be affected by a phenomenon called Myodysplastic Syndrome, which decreased her survival odds to just 30 percent. Crabtree was told that without treatment, most patients die in two weeks to two months.

“That’s a real smack in the face when you are 34-years-old,” Crabtree reflected, “but, I was at the point where I was so tired it was a relief to know what was wrong.” Crabtree said it was a strong belief and faith in God that gave her hope during the difficult time of her diagnosis. “I am a devout Christian and I had been walking with the Lord,” Crabtree said. “He knew me my first day before I was created and he knows my last day... I just kind of hung on and walked it out with him.”

Under the advice of doctors, Crabtree underwent aggressive chemotherapy to send the Leukemia into remission, which according to references, is the preferred method to treat the disease. “It was very scary,” Crabtree said. “I was a healthy, active person... I had only been in the hospital to have children... To walk into this sterile environment where everyone had to wash their hands and wear masks was very intimidating.”

According to Crabtree, the hardest part of her illness was not being able to spend the time with her children she was used to. “My two-year old daughter had never been in daycare before... It was really hard for me knowing how long this was going to take,” Crabtree said. “People were really great about everything... The neighbors and school really took my kids under their wing and I had a lot of people praying for me.”

It was the absence from her children due to hospital stays and long treatments that caused Crabtree to relish the moments when she was with them so much. “My kids were so great because they look at you the same no matter what - they’re just kids,” Crabtree said. “They need and ask things of you when everyone else is treating you with such pity... My kids really kept my spirits up.”

After undergoing heavy chemotherapy treatments, Crabtree was given the option of waiting awhile before proceeding with other treatments. She did wait. And what’s more, she got better. Her hair grew back and she began to feel like herself again. That is when the real bomb hit. Doctors told Crabtree in October 2003 the chemo had damaged one of her chromosomes, causing her white blood cell count to stay dramatically below normal. Without a healthy blood cell count, doctor’s told her it would only be a matter of time before an illness would strike that she wouldn’t be able to fight. Her only option was a bone marrow transplant.

Unfortunately, Crabtree’s chances of finding a bone marrow match were not high. Both of her parents were only a half match, and her sister tested to be only a half match. She was told there was the possibility of receiving the needed marrow from an unrelated person on a list of people who had donated bone marrow, but they would have to be a 100 percent chromosome match to her. The chances of an unrelated person being a 100 percent chromosome match is approximately one in one million, similar to the chances of winning the lottery.

“It was really devastating and scary,” Crabtree said. “I just kept thinking ‘I don’t want my kids to be without a mom.” It was during this moment, at her lowest point that Crabtree received a miracle. Don Higgins, a bone marrow donor from Minnesota turned out to be a one hundred percent match to Crabtree. He would save her life, and she wouldn’t even know his name for an entire year.

The events that led up to Higgins’ donation of bone marrow to Crabtree have convinced her that divine intervention sent him to her, and most people, after hearing this story, wouldn’t argue.

According to Crabtree, Higgins had donated bone marrow once before in 1998, but was later removed from the National Bone Marrow Registry because one of three pints of blood he donated tested falsely positive for Hepatitis B. Higgins, who was an avid believer in bone marrow donation, tried relentlessly for four long years to be placed back on the registry. After moving from North Carolina to Minnesota he was placed back on the list. It was two days later when he was called to donate for Crabtree.

After undergoing a round of radiation and chemotherapy to kill off all remaining blood cells in her body, Crabtree was infused with the life-saving bone marrow donated by Higgins. “It’s really weird,” Crabtree said. “I used to be an A negative blood type, and now I share Don’s blood type instead.” According to Crabtree, the procedure causes the body to become attached to the new bone marrow, which then manufactures new, healthy cells.

Through the bone marrow donation program, donors and recipients are allowed to send letters anonymously, but the identity of the patient and donor is kept sealed until one year has expired. Higgins began to send letters to Crabtree through the program, in which he dubbed her “Hope” and called himself “Marrow Man.”

“In the beginning my husband would read the letters to me and reply to them, but I was still really out of it,” Crabtree said. “It wasn’t until last summer that I was able to reply.”

The letters continued for one year, and on December 3, 2004, Crabtree received a phone call. The man on the other end of the phone asked for “Hope,” and she knew instantly it was “Marrow Man.”

“It was strange to put a voice with all the letters,” Crabtree said. “He was really excited and anxious to meet me... I was just really nervous... How do you say thank you or repay someone who has given you life?”

On December 31, 2004, Higgins and his wife, Jean, were vacationing, and on their way back to Minnesota, they stopped at the Crabtree home and “Hope” and “Marrow Man” met face to face for the first time.

According to Crabtree’s husband, Shawn, the event was emotional for everyone. “We met Don and his wife in the driveway, exchanged hellos and fought back tears of joy,” he said. “We had dinner, along with Michell’s parents and sister... The day was very special to all of us. Words cannot express the gratitude we have for Don and his family.”

Crabtree and her family continue to keep in touch with Higgins and hope to go to Minnesota to see him again one day. In the meantime, Crabtree is busy enjoying her health. “After three years without Leukemia I will be considered to be cured, and I have made it one year already,” Crabtree said. “It’s a true miracle... With all of the obstacles it is amazing I am sitting here.”

Crabtree said she hopes by telling her story, she can encourage others to get on the list to donate bone marrow. “I knew some people who never found their match,” she said.

She also encourages others to donate blood, and says because she received an immeasurable amount of blood transfusions throughout the course of her illness, she couldn’t have made it without blood donors.

To others who may be suffering with cancer, Crabtree’s advice is simple - “Keep your hope and faith. Take each day hour by hour.”

By Christi Stowe
News Editor

According to discussion during the regular meeting of the Kingsville R-1 Board of Education last Monday night, a new school bus may be in the district’s future.

“Our oldest bus is a 1991 that’s getting a lot of miles and age on it,” Kingsville R-1 Superintendent Kevin Coleman said. “We’ve also been experiencing some bus repairs this year that we hadn’t in past years, so we decided it may be time to update our buses.”

In other business, safety concerns for students in both the Science and Vocational-Agricultural departments in regards to proper ventilation was discussed.

Faculty member Chris Short presented the board with a letter to recommend the purchase of a vent/fume hood for the science room. An appropriation of up to $1,600 was approved for the project. The board voted to purchase and install a Flinn Scientific unit priced at $1,425.

According to Coleman, the ventilation unit, which is an important part of safety regulations for the school, will allow students to participate in science experiments in the lab without breathing the fumes produced by the chemicals used.

The board also approved an appropriation in the amount of $600 to be used for ventilation in the vocational agricultural shop after concerns about safety were raised by instructor John Ferguson.

Coleman said the primary safety concern that instigated the $600 appropriation is smoke produced by students welding in the Vo-Ag department. “The vent hood for the welding booth will help us to meet safety regulations by removing the smoke produced by the welding in that department,” Coleman said.

In other business, high school principal Lorna Warren reported to the board regarding several student achievements. According to Warren, three students, Lynn Andreas, Kyndal McCloud and Larry Buchanan have been chosen to play their instruments at district competition for the junior high honor band at Knob Noster. In addition, the high school boys basketball team received second place at the Lakeland Tournament last week.

The board discussed the upcoming faculty basketball game. It is to be held in Holden on April 2.

The next regular board meeting has been scheduled for February 10.

By Christi Stowe
News Editor

A city project 13 years in the making is finally taking shape as construction of the city’s new sewer lagoon adjacent to the wastewater treatment plant continues this week.

A short groundbreaking ceremony was held last Friday near the construction site to commemorate the start of construction on the new lagoon, which is expected to be completed by the end of August.

Missouri State Representative David Pearce addressed the individuals gathered for the ceremony and vowed to help ensure the process of obtaining permits and other work with the state is “as seamless as possible.”

“Any time there is economic growth it is a good thing... I see Holden as a moving, growing city,” Pearce said. “This project is a tremendous thing... It’s a great day and a big step forward for the Holden community.”

Holden Water Superintendent Tony Lerda credited the success of the project primarily to the citizens of Holden, noting that although citizens were aware approval of the project would mean a steeper sewer bill, voters approved the proposal by a margin of 85 percent in 1999.

“They put their money into it,” Lerda said of the citizens of Holden. “They want clean water and they have accepted the responsibility as citizens for taking care of their wastewater.”

In addition, Lerda recognized a number of individuals and companies who he said “made the project possible,” including engineer Bill Marshall, the Holden Board of Public Works, the Holden City Council, the staff of O&M Enterprises and area legislators.

Lerda also recognized grant writer Carolyn Corson, financial adviser Jack Dillingham with Piper Jaffray and Marshall Engineering for being instrumental in obtaining funding for the project.

According to Lerda, the cost of the lagoon project is approximately $410,000. However, the total cost of updating Holden’s sewage system is $1.8 million, which has been utilized for the replacement of 14,000 feet of sewer piping and an extra “flow through” plant. LB Enterprises, of Belton was granted the construction bid on the lagoon project.

Lerda noted a great deal of research went into the project, ensuring the facility would not only meet the needs of Holden now, but into the future as Holden’s population and economy grows.

By Christi Stowe
News Editor

The Holden R-3 Board of Education voted to seek bids for the construction of a new bus and maintenance barn during their regular meeting last Tuesday night.

According to information received from the district, bid specifications regarding the building are for the total construction of a 4,500 square-foot pre-finished metal facility to serve the purposes of bus maintenance and offices for bus operations administrative staff. Specifications also allow for much needed storage space.

A preliminary cost analysis and schematic of the facility was presented to the board by architect Wade Lininger of Sam A. Winn and Associates, which estimated the district’s cost to construct the facility at $254,200. Other considerations toward the price which were not included in the analysis were furnishings, rock removal, building permit and fees, utility connections, architectural fees and the cost of a walk-in service pit.

Several concerns were voiced by board members about the cost associated with construction of the facility. Specifically, concerns were raised that the cost seemed much higher than anticipated. Lininger told the board the rising cost of steel was to blame for the unexpectedly high price tag.

According to Superintendent Lindell Harrison, the district will be able to fund the project with approximately $190,000 that is available in the district’s construction fund as well as $60,000 that was received from the sale of the old bus barn facility and land.

Bids will be discussed during the board’s regular meeting in February.

In other business, the board voted to certify the ballot for the April 5, 2005 election, which will include seven candidates vying for three seats on the board. Included on the ballot are incumbents Jeff Miller and Dale Jarman. Five newcomers, David Loveall, Sheila Christopher, Neal Zentz, Renita Dougherty and Rodger McConville will also be featured on the ballot.

In reports, technology coordinator Julie Brunner presented the annual evaluation of the technology program to the board.

According to Brunner, the technology mission of the district is to use technology to support all students in being successful, life-long learners who achieve their maximum potential.

The technology plan currently in use by the district was last approved by the board and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in 2003. According to Brunner, a new plan is in the creative process and is expected to be submitted for approval in the next few weeks.

Brunner’s presentation outlined how technology resources are being used in the district to enhance student achievement. According to Brunner, technology is used in the district to engage students, provide a wide variety of resources to support curriculum, assess progress, communicate efficiently and provide remediation and enrichment for students.

This year, five permanently mounted video projectors were added through funding received from the High Schools That Work program, and one permanently mounted video projector was added through eMints Title IID funding. “Teachers report that these have a positive impact on student engagement and achievement,” Brunner said.

Through the technology program, students take ITV classes for dual-credit at the high school level, and this semester, a history class is originating from Holden and being broadcast to an outside school through ITV.

Other important uses of technology resources as outlined in the evaluation include special needs software, reading software, integrated technology through the eMints program, interactive curriculum-based internet activities, business lab, modern desktop publishing software for the production journalism class and networked computers in the library for classroom applications involving technology.

According to information presented through the program’s evaluation, the student to computer ratio in the Holden R-3 School District is 3.5 students for every computer. The statewide average student to computer ratio in 2004 was 3.26 students for every one computer.

Brunner recommended the district prepare a grant to include all fourth grade classrooms in the eMints program, upgrade the high school business lab to Microsoft XP and add resources for fifth graders either as a laptop or a traditional computer lab or classroom mini-lab setup as a follow-up to the eMints program.

In order to assist students in developing technological proficiency, a number of methods are used by the district, according to Brunner. Sixth graders in the district take a formal keyboarding class that includes proficiency tests. The middle school students complete rotations in the tech lab with modules that include assessments. Eighth graders used the My Access online composition tool in 2004 which includes instant assessment with personalized feedback. According to Brunner, plans have been made through the technology program to emphasize the use of spreadsheets in the math classes at the middle school level next year.

At the eighth grade level, an integration of an office suite that includes word processing and presentations in the eighth grade communication arts classes is planned for the 2005-2006 school year, and the high school computer applications will be adjusted upwards to include web page creation, more in-depth use of databases and an increased opportunity to develop and use digital media.

Brunner said all in all, the district is right on target with technological advancements that have been made to date, although improvement may still be necessary in some areas for continued success.

In related reports, district librarian Lisa Baker presented the library/media services program evaluation to the board which focused on providing the appropriate technological resources for students to excel.

In other reports, district counselors Lesi Smart, Lisa Schmidli, Michael Abbot and Jennifer Ailshire presented an evaluation of the district’s comprehensive guidance plan to the board.

Criteria for evaluating the guidance programs includes an emphasis on ensuring students receive appropriate guidance and resources for career planning, articulating curriculum, counseling services for both individuals and small groups, assisting students with college plans including scholarships and financial aid and appropriate follow-up and exit procedures for graduates and other students leaving the district.

The district met all 15 questions on the evaluation, which addressed the specific criteria listed, according to the report.

According to the program evaluation report, the Missouri School Improvement Plan requires the district conduct a students needs assessment every three years. Holden R-3 conducted the most recent assessment this past November and December, and results are expected to be available this spring.

Information was presented in regards to post-graduate, parental and student surveys. However, there were not enough parental surveys returned to the school for accurate data collection.

In May 2004, 285 Holden Elementary School students were surveyed about guidance services offered at their school. Ninety-eight percent of the students surveyed said they know who their counselor is, and 71 percent said when they began in the Holden School District they felt welcomed.

Only 45 percent of the students surveyed said they are able to see the counselor when they want to, while 37 percent said they are not, and 18 percent said they are unsure. Forty-six percent of the surveyed students have met alone with their counselor this year, and 47 percent have not. Seven percent of the surveyed students said they are unsure whether or not the counselor has met alone with them this year.

However, 94 percent of the students surveyed said the counselor has met with them either in a group or in class.

Two Hundred students in the fourth and fifth grade were surveyed in an effort to evaluate the guidance program at the intermediate school. One-hundred percent of the students said they know who their counselor is, and over 80 percent of fourth graders and 70 percent of fifth graders know what their counselor does at the school. Fifty percent of fourth graders and 60 percent of fifth graders say they are able to see their counselor whenever they want to.

Nearly 100 percent of fifth graders surveyed and around 90 percent of fourth graders said their counselor comes into their classroom and talks to them, and over 70 percent of students in both grade levels surveyed said their counselor has taught them better ways to get along with other students.

Two-hundred and fifty-six Holden Middle School students were surveyed in regards to guidance services offered at the middle school. Of those students, 69 percent said they felt welcomed when they began attending Holden Middle School, and 71 percent said they are able to see the counselor when they want to. Sixty percent of those students said they have met alone with the counselor this year, while 87 percent said she has visited their classroom.

At the high school level, students in grades 9-12 were surveyed regarding guidance services at the high school. Most of the students surveyed said they have spoken with the guidance counselor about college information one to three times. At the senior level, the common number increases to four to eight times. Over 20 percent of the seniors said they have spoken with the counselor about college issues nine to fifteen times. Percentages regarding the discussion of scholarship information were very similar to college discussion percentages, as was the discussion of career information.

In regards to personal issues, the freshmen students reported utilization of the guidance counselor one to three times at 70 percent. That percentage was approximately 60 percent for sophomores and juniors and less than ten percent for seniors. A small percentage of students in all grades utilized the counselor for personal issues between four and 15 times.

Information was also presented about the guidance program’s advisory committee, which includes members that are parents, students and school board members.

In other business, the board approved the 2005-2006 school calendar, which has August 18, 2005 as the first day of classes.

The calendar also includes Thanksgiving break from November 23-25, Christmas break from December 22-30 and spring break from April 13-18. In addition, students will be out of class on other traditional holidays such as Labor Day, Martin Luther King Day and Presidents’ Day.

The last day of school is slated for May 17, 2006 unless snow days are needed.

The next regular meeting of the Holden R-3 Board of Education is February 14.

By Christi Stowe
News Editor

An early morning fire destroyed a building at 265 SW 131 Highway Monday morning. The building, which is owned by Bobby White, of Holden, housed Pinky’s Outfitters, a convenience store that also specializes in the sale of hunting and fishing supplies.

According to Andy Lohe, Western Johnson County Fire District Chief, a neighbor to the business woke up around 4 a.m. and smelled smoke. Noting the building was on fire, the neighbor called 9-1-1.

Fifteen fire personnel responded to the scene from the Western Johnson County Fire District and mutual aid from Centerview. Personnel left the scene around 11:30 a.m., when the fire was out and the building was deemed a total loss.

Lohe said the fire is thought to have begun on the south side of the building and then spread from there. Adjacent to Pinky’s Outfitters and connected by a partition is the building that houses Sturgis Realty. According to Lohe, although that business did receive heavy smoke damage, the fire did not spread into the business.

The cause of the fire is undetermined at this time, but has been investigated by the fire marshall, whose report has not yet been received by local fire personnel.

By Christi Stowe
News Editor