April’s Employee of the Month

 

Shanay’s coworkers noted her dedication to clients and maintaining a safe and welcoming environment.  Several employees recently honored several of our crisis staff for going above and beyond to deal with a tough situation happening in the Living Room overnight and being proactive in client and staff safety and showing great resilience under stress!

 We’re hoping to be able to honor some of the other staff involved as Employees of the Month very soon.

 Thank you for all you do for our clients!

 

THE LAB iS BACK!!! 

In partnership with Touchette Hospital, we now once again have a laboratory in our building!  Touchette is staffing the lab with a phlebotomist and registration staff member 5 days a week right here in our TTS office suite (between the Methadone clinic and the front desk). 

This will allow us to once again have on-site testing for our clients right here where they receive their other services, and for us to provide TB testing to new hire candidates when they come in to collect and return preemployment paperwork. 

All lab tests require an order signed by our Medical Director, Dr. Tunstall-Robinson. 

History of Easter

April 20th is Easter! 

While Christmas may have grown to be a much more popular and wider-known holiday, for Christians Easter and Holy Week (the week preceding Easter) is traditionally the most important holiday of the Church calendar.  Easter is what is known as a “movable feast,” in that it does not always occur on the same day or week.  Though it is always observed on a Sunday, Easter is observed the last day of Pesach (or Passover) which is based on the Hebrew Calendar which is a lunisolar calendar meaning it does not always line up with the Gregorian Calendar that we use on a daily basis. 

Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, and Holy Week contains celebrations of the final week of Jesus’ life including the Passover celebration that Christians often refer to as The Last Supper (most famously depicted in Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the same name), Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection.  The holiday falls on a Sunday because that is the day that Jesus’ followers found his tomb empty and several of them encountered the resurrected Jesus.  With the death and resurrection of Jesus being seen as the most important events of the Christian Bible, we always observe it on a Sunday as the Bible specifies that that day was the day of Jesus’ resurrection.  The resurrection occurring on a Sunday is also the reason that many Christian denominations have their regular worship services on this day, because they gather to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. 

While we may observe Easter now with sunrise worship services, pancake breakfasts, and Easter egg hunts, in the early Christian Church Easter was the day that new Christians were baptized.  In fact, the Church season of Lent (the 40 days leading up to Easter and beginning with Ash Wednesday) comes from the time that those preparing to be baptized on Easter would spend in prayer, fasting, and learning about Jesus and the Church. 

While people may no longer spend their Lent that way, many traditions do persist.  This is the origin of not eating meat on Fridays in Lent, and the idea of “giving up” something during lent as well as Mardi Gras, a holiday of celebrating before giving up things like sweet or rich foods and alcohol. Easter and its emphasis on new life matches well with its being situated in Spring.  This has perhaps led to more awareness and visibility for the holiday among non-Christians in the modern world. 

If you observe it, we wish you a very happy Easter! 

Easter Activities

Whether you’re looking for family-friendly or adult Easter activities and whether you’re on this side of the river or in St. Louis, we’ve got you covered this year.

 

St. Louis Easter Egg Hunts

Ascension Lutheran Church Easter Egg Hunt

Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025, 9:30 AM

Location: 5347 Donovan Ave., St. Louis, MO 63109

Details: Free community event for children

Website: ascensionstl.com

Phone: (314) 832-5600

Faust Park Egg Hunt & Easter Bunny

Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: 15025 Faust Park, Chesterfield, MO 63017

Details: Free, pre-registration required, photo ops with Easter Bunny

Website: chesterfield.mo.us/faust-park

Phone: (314) 615-8328

Veterans Tribute Park Easter Egg Hunt

Date: Saturday, April 12, 2025, 9:00 AM

Location: 101 Kisker Rd., Weldon Spring, MO 63304

Details: Free, pre-registration required, includes games and snacks

Website: sccmo.org/1984/Veterans-Tribute-Park

Phone: (636) 949-7535

Saint Louis University Alumni Easter Egg Hunt

Date: Saturday, April 12, 2025, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Location: Tegeler Field, St. Louis, MO 63103

Details: Private event for alumni and families, age-specific hunts

Website: engage.slu.edu/register/easter25

Phone: 314-977-2250

Great Easter Egg Hunt at Vinita Park City Hall

Date: Saturday, April 12, 2025, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Location: 8374 Midland Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63114

Details: Free, pre-registration recommended, face painting, food, giveaways

Website: eventbrite.com/e/the-great-easter-egg-hunt-2025

Phone: 314-669-4161

Brookdale Farms Kids’ Easter Egg Hunt & Pancake Breakfast

Date: Saturday, April 19, 2025, 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM

Location: 7997 Jim Weber Rd, Eureka, MO 63025

Details: Pancake breakfast, egg hunts, food trucks, inflatables, petting zoo

Website: brookdalefarms.com/events-1/kids-easter-egg-hunt-2025

Phone: +1 636-938-1005

Eckert’s Farm Easter Egg-Citement

Dates: April 5, 6, 12, 13, 18, 19, 2025, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Location: 951 South Greenmount Road, Belleville, IL

Details: Egg hunts, tractor rides, photos with Easter Bunny

Website: eckerts.com

Phone: (618) 233-0513

 

St. Louis Easter Family Activities (Non-Egg Hunt)

Plaza Frontenac Photos with The Bunny

Dates: March 25 – April 19, 2025

Location: 1701 South Lindbergh Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63131

Details: Photos with the Easter Bunny in a shopping center

Website: plazafrontenac.com

Phone: 314-432-6760

South County Center Photos with the Easter Bunny

Dates: March 27 – April 19, 2025

Location: 18 South County Center Way, St. Louis, MO 63129

Details: Photos with the Easter Bunny in a shopping mall

Website: southcountycenter.com

Phone: 314-892-8954

West County Center Easter Bunny’s Garden

Dates: March 27 – April 19, 2025

Location: 80 West County Center, St. Louis, MO 63131

Details: Themed “garden” photo op with Easter Bunny

Website: westcountycenter.com

Phone: 314-288-2020

Breakfast with the Bunny at Saint Louis Zoo

Dates: Saturdays and Sundays, April 5 – 19, 2025

Location: One Government Drive, St. Louis, MO 63110

Details: Easter breakfast buffet and photo ops with the Easter Bunny

Website: stlzoo.org/events/breakfast-with-bunny

Phone: (314) 646-4897 / (314) 781-0900

Oakland’s 29th Annual Easter Bunny Hutch

Dates: April 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 2025

Location: 7801 Genesta St., St. Louis, MO 63123

Details: Easter Bunny photos at a historic museum

Phone: (314) 352-5654

Bunny Hop at The Magic House

Dates: April 11-13, 2025, 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Location: 516 S. Kirkwood Rd., St. Louis, MO 63122

Details: Outdoor egg hunt, photos with Bunny, crafts

Website: magichouse.org

Phone: (314) 822-8900

Grant’s Farm Easter Bunny Brunch and Egg Hunt

Dates: April 12-21, 2025

Location: 7353 Grant Road, St. Louis, MO 63123

Details: Easter brunch buffet and egg hunt

Website: orders.grantsfarm.com

 

East St. Louis Easter Egg Hunts

Grizzlies Ballpark Easter Egg Hunt

Date: Saturday, April 19, 2025, 9:00 AM

Location: 2301 Grizzlie Bear Blvd, East St. Louis, IL 62206

Details: Egg hunt, face painting, balloon creator

Website: gatewaygrizzlies.com/easter

Phone: (618) 337-3000

Delta Delta Omega Chapter Easter Egg Hunt

Date: Saturday, April 19, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Location: East St. Louis, IL (exact location TBD)

Details: Organized by local sorority chapter

Website: wildapricot.org

 

East St. Louis Easter Family Activities (Non-Egg Hunt)

St. Clair Square Easter Bunny Photos

Dates: March 29 – April 19, 2025

Location: 134 St Clair Square, Fairview Heights, IL 62208

Details: Photos with the Easter Bunny in a shopping mall

Website: shopstclairsquare.com

Phone: 281-782-2878

Faith Family Church FFC Easter Eggstravaganza

Date: Saturday, April 12, 2025, 2:00 PM

Location: Sauget, IL (location TBD)

Details: Eggstravaganza with various family activities

Website: faithfamily.church

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April is designated as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), a crucial time to raise awareness about sexual violence and promote prevention. The theme for SAAM 2025, “Together We Act, United We Change,” underscores the power of community in creating safe and supportive environments. This month serves as a reminder that ending sexual assault requires a collective effort, challenging societal norms, and supporting survivors on their healing journeys. 

Sexual assault is a pervasive issue affecting individuals across all demographics. Statistics reveal the alarming reality: 

• Nationally, RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) reports that every 68 seconds, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted. (https://www.rainn.org/statistics) 

• In St. Louis, as of 2020, there were 78.4 reported rapes per 100,000 people. (Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program) 

• Data for East St. Louis indicates a significantly higher rate, with 102.8 reported rapes per 100,000 population in 2019. (Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program) 

It’s important to note that direct, publicly available, up-to-date statistics specifically for St. Louis and East St. Louis can be challenging to find in a consolidated format. The figures mentioned above are based on the most recent readily accessible data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. For the most current and localized data, it is recommended to consult reports from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Illinois State Police. 

These numbers, while staggering, often don’t reflect the full scope of the problem, as many incidents go unreported due to fear, stigma, and lack of trust in the system. 

The impact of sexual assault extends beyond the individual survivor, affecting families and communities. The stigma associated with sexual assault can isolate survivors, making it difficult for them to seek help and support. It’s crucial to foster an environment of empathy and understanding to break down these barriers. 

Here are some activities anyone can do to reduce the stigma and pain associated with sexual assault for families and victims: 

• Educate yourself and others: Learn about the realities of sexual assault, its impact, and the resources available for survivors. Share accurate information to dispel myths and misconceptions. Organizations like RAINN (https://www.rainn.org) offer valuable resources. 

• Listen and believe survivors: When someone discloses their experience, believe them. Offer your support without judgment or questioning their account. 

• Challenge victim-blaming: Speak out against comments or attitudes that blame survivors for the assault. Remind others that the perpetrator is solely responsible for their actions. 

• Create safe spaces for conversation: Encourage open and honest discussions about consent, respect, and healthy relationships in your community, schools, and workplaces. 

• Be an active bystander: If you witness behavior that could lead to sexual assault, intervene if it’s safe to do so. If not, find ways to support the potential victim or report the behavior. 

• Promote self-care for survivors: Encourage survivors to prioritize their well-being and seek professional help if needed. Offer practical support, such as helping with childcare or transportation to therapy appointments. 

• Use inclusive language: Be mindful of the language you use when discussing sexual assault. Avoid terms that perpetuate stigma or minimize the survivor’s experience. 

• Advocate for policy changes: Support legislation that protects survivors’ rights, increases funding for prevention programs, and holds perpetrators accountable. 

 By working together, we can create a culture of respect, support survivors, and ultimately prevent sexual violence in our communities. “Together We Act, United We Change” is not just a theme for April; it’s a call to action for every day of the year. 

Semiquincentennial???