Community of Spanish Lake

2010 North County Suburban Journal Awards
Honoring those who enrich the lives of others

By Scott Bandle
Tuesday, January 5, 2010 7:07 PM CST

We're kicking off 2010 by honoring several individuals who are enriching the community, some through their professional involvement, others through volunteer work.

Each of the recipients of the 2010 North County Suburban Journal Awards is involved in the community in a different way, yet a common thread exists among them: They are all passionate about what they do, and they have successfully used their passion to make North County stronger.

The honorees are the Rev. James Aldridge Jr., Frank Finnegan, Dora Gianoulakis and Rebecca Zoll.

The REV. JAMES ALDRIDGE JR. had some big plans when the Oasis of Love Fellowship Church moved into the former St. Pius X church and school in Glasgow Village.

"We needed more room for our programs," Aldridge said of their move from their location in St. Louis city. "(St. Pius X) had a baseball and football field, and a school building," said Aldridge, who is pastor of the church.

"We wanted room to reach out to the community. This is an area that can use some help."

That was four years ago.

Aldridge believes the church has the duty to reach out and become an important part of the community, no matter what the residents' denominations.

What he and his congregation of 50 did not expect was how quickly Oasis of Love Fellowship Church, 355 Shepley Road, became part of the community.

Suddenly, teenagers began to arrive on the door, looking for jobs or just for something to do after school.

"I didn't really think we would be this big right away," he said. "The community threw the responsibility on our shoulders right away."

The church responded with a pre-school program. Its annual Hoop It Up half-court basketball tournament draws teams from St. Louis city and county.

However, it is the teenagers who have touched the hearts of the congregation, Aldridge said.

"They come here looking for jobs," he said. "We look and try to find something for them. The need is strong. We have the facilities here to be good stewards for the community."

As a result, the church is looking for financial help to strengthen its future.

The board of directors is working with St. Louis County to receive some grants for after-school programs. A St. Louis County police officer also is on the church's board of directors. The county police have a substation located about a block away from the church.

Aldridge and others also are looking at the church site. The buildings still have room that can be used. A new addition is contemplated, allowing them to turn the church itself into a gymnasium.

"That's something we really need," he said. "St. Pius X didn't have a gymnasium. We've got some open land that can still be used."

FRANK FINNEGAN knows hunger is not going to be cured in his lifetime. However...

"That doesn't absolve the responsibility we have to help people," Finnegan said. "The need is always going to be there."

As the executive director of the St. Louis Area Foodbank, Finnegan is an expert on the hunger situation in the St. Louis region. The food bank, which operates out of its facilities in Bridgeton, will celebrate its 35th birthday in 2010. The not-for-profit organization serves 500 food pantries in 26 counties in Missouri and Illinois.

The problem has grown more acute in the past few years, Finnegan said.

"In 2006, we distributed 12 million pounds of food," he said. "For 2009, it was 22 million pounds, That's almost twice as much in three years."

The struggling economy has brought the problem home to people who never dreamt they would need help from a food bank, Finnegan said.

"We've got a 10 percent unemployment rate," he said. "We've heard from people who used to make financial contributions to us and now they're receiving food."

The holiday season always is a poignant time of the year. Although hunger is a year-round problem, the holidays are a time for family get-togethers, he said.

"Thanksgiving is especially a big time for families," Finnegan said. "Meals are important on these holidays. It's a time when people get together and share."

Many people are still finding ways to help others, though. Out of the annual $2.5 million in contributions to the food bank, 70 percent come from people who send $50 or less.

"We get corporate donations, both food and money, but it's the people who keep us going," Finnegan said.

The administrators are proud how quickly food moves out of the warehouse into trucks.

"We help people in about a 100-mile radius from our headquarters," Finnegan said. "We used to be in the city at Martin Luther King Drive and Lucas and Hunt Road. This is so much better because of the room and the access to the highways. It makes our job a lot easier."

DORA GIANOULAKIS loves living in Spanish Lake. As president of the Spanish Lake Community Association Board of Directors, she is determined to keep intact the reasons for her affection.

"This area is unique in so many ways," she said. "The housing stock is wonderful. We've got Civil War-era houses along with mansions and bungalows."

Spanish Lake also has history, including early settlers and the Lewis and Clark's Expedition returning from its journey up the Missouri River.

Finally, it has the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area with the confluence, the merging of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

That is why she and the association are part of a coalition working to stop a proposed casino development. The site is in the Mississippi River flood plains just north of Interstate 270.

Opponents say the proposed casino would be too close to the conservation area. The project allegedly would disturb the area's peace and quiet, plus disrupt the migratory habits of its bird population.

"It would be a major problem to this area," Gianoulakis said.

However, the Spanish Lake Community Association is not anti-development, she said.

The association follows a 2007 St. Louis County study, which says that development in Spanish Lake should be along I-270 and Bellefontaine Road, she said.

"Spanish Lake is basically a bedroom community," Gianoulakis said. "We just want to make sure that any development is appropriate."

The Spanish Lake Community Association takes a broad view of its mission.

The group works not only for Spanish Lake, but for North County, she said.

"We are part of North County and we want people to know that," said Gianoulakis, who is a 23-year Spanish Lake resident. "We're working for the entire area."

Twenty years ago, Gianoulakis could not imagine talking in front of a group of people. Over time, she has become a public face for the Spanish Lake Community Association.

She is on the North County Incorporated Board of Directors, an advocacy group for North County, and she served on a select committee that chose Marcia Pfeiffer as president of St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley.

When it comes to business, REBECCA ZOLL believes in the word "local."

"We urge residents to shop at their local businesses," she said. "Keep the dollars in our community."

Zoll is the president/CEO of North County Incorporated, an advocacy group that works to improve the way of life in North County. For nine years, she and other group members have stressed that need.

The group started in 1977 and will celebrate its 33rd anniversary later this year.

"North County Inc.'s strength is that we represent all of the community's major stakeholders, from businesses and municipalities to schools, health providers and residents. This lets us speak in one strong voice on regional matters that impact North County's quality of life."

Going into 2010, the economy remains the big story for North County businesses.

"I don't know if North County is struggling in this economy any more than anyone else," Zoll said. "We've all been impacted by the economy. I believe our small businesses need more attention now. Many of them are holding on, just waiting for the economy to improve."

When it comes to business, that means more than shopping at stores. It also means using various services, she said.

"If you need your taxes done or need an accountant, look for one in your neighborhood," she said. "Look in your community first for whatever you need."

North County has much to offer people, the longtime North County resident said.

"We're in one of the oldest and most historic communities in St. Louis," Zoll said. "This area has an incredibly strong, rich history with neighborhoods that are strong and stick together."

The spirit of volunteerism is strong in North County.

"We've got a lot of people who reach out to help each other," she said. "Many of us work hard to make North County a great place to live."

As for her part, Zoll insists she is just a member of the team and deflects praise for her work.

"I'm a small part of this group," she said. "We have so many wonderful people working with us. We're proud to live in North County and we want to pass that on to other people."