Creating Connections

By Barb Byerly, BJB Creative Services

The fab Magic House Children's Museum has earned additional well-deserved recognition. It has been named AAA's Best of the Midwest 2011 as the Best Children's Museum! It was made sweeter because the choice was made by folks who are familiar with this wonderful facility and are readers of AAA's Midwest Traveler Magazine who submitted The Magic House as their nominee for the honor. Hat's off to exec director Beth Fitzgerald and her talented team on earning this prestigious award!

Zoe Lyle Linza is one of those amazing people who does everything well, including making and maintaining great connections. For instance, this bright and lovely exec director of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St Louis (BAMSL) had an op to work on a project with US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito several years ago which has evolved into a friendship.

US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito with Zoe and Dan Linza.

This connection lead her to extend an ongoing invitation to him to speak to members of BAMSL and happily, as part of the St Louis 2011 Law Day observance, he became available to address the group. The result was a jam-packed room of 500+ local lawyers appreciatively listening to the Justice's comments re "The Top Ten Things You Don't Know About the U S Supreme Court." Ah, but there was an added special bonus for Justice Alito - aka "avid Philladelphia baseball fan" - seems the Phillies were playing the Cards at Busch Stadium that evening. In fact, Zoe was queried as to whether his acceptance of the invitation may have had anything to do with the game. She responded by flashing her dazzling smile and shrugging her shoulders - just what you'd expect from a good friend.

Mi casa, su casa, "my house is your house," is a familiar phrase to guests in Mike and Ann Brown's home. As an example, they didn't hesitate in welcoming Andrea Sunarisa to their household several years ago. The first host family of Andrea, a Salem, IL Rotary Club three-year exchange student and native of Bandung, West Java Indonesia, was Mike's brother and sister-in-law so when she wanted to continue her education and attend St Louis College at Meramec for two years, the Brown's were happy to open their home to her.

The Sunarisa family includes her father, Harris; mother Margaretha; Johan; Joanne and Andrea. The Sunarisa's came bearing gifts for the Brown's. Ann and Mike Brown are in the background, with Mike wearing his gift which features an original Indonesian traditional Batik design.

Throughout the time she lived with them, Mike, City of Kirkwood's CAO, and Andrea's father, an architect, were in frequent contact with each other via the internet. So when her parents and siblings came to the US this spring to proudly witness her graduation from Wisconsin State U in Madison, with a BA in marketing, the Sunarisa family were eager to travel to MO to personally meet the Brown family. As gracious hosts, the Brown's had a delicious lunch planned for their visit, during which Andrea was delighted to demonstrate her barbecuing American-style talents for her Indonesian family. She also knew exactly where the dishes, silverware and glasses were kept, showing her ease at being "at home" again. Andrea hopes to attend school in London later this year, but regardless of where in the world she is, she knows she will always have a loving "casa" in Bandung and another in Kirkwood. Good luck, Andrea!