Boone Life

Two young men from Harrisburg aren't strangers to cold weather and a little hard work. The two do odd jobs such shoveling snowy driveways and mowing lawns in order to raise cash.

Alan Austene, a 32-year veteran postal worker in Hallsville, makes more stops on his route than he used to. Over the years, new subdivisions have grown where development was once sparser, punctuating his route with more and more mailboxes.

Elise Wilson, a mother of five in Rocheport, home schools her four oldest children year-round.

Mike Criner is hoping to sell 10 German shepherd puppies for $100 apiece.

Kent Finlay of Centralia is the discipline head for the shooting group Bullseye, a National Rifle Association conventional pistol group within the Green Valley Rifle and Pistol Club. He schedules tournaments, coordinates getting association approval for the events and sends out awards to participating shooters.

After 32 years in the automotive business, Michael Gamble said this is the worst he has seen the economy trickle down to affect buyers.

A retired equestrian teacher volunteers to drive food to people at least once a week with Meals on Wheels. She sees the volunteer work as a way to pay back a community that has helped her.

The historic shotgun house is moving from the corner of Garth Avenue and Worley Street to Boone Junction History Village. It will be renovated to be a display of the past African-American community in Columbia.

On Oct. 4, the Thompson family of Centralia celebrated their son Caleb's third birthday. Caleb puttered around the house, breaking in his birthday gift — a minitature red car. It's a tiny vehicle, dwarfed by his dad's semi-truck parked in the driveway.

During the barbecue, church members sell fudge and mutton to raise money to sustain the congregation.

The 17th annual Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival starts Saturday with a 9 a.m. parade.

Sturgeon middle schoolers learned to project their voices, stand in formation and cheer in preparation for their upcoming tryouts.

The echoing voices and clapping of Sturgeon Middle School students fill the gymnasium as they chant cheers while practicing for upcoming cheerleading auditions.

Kim Sorensen of Centralia, owner of The Hair Wrangler, balances her life between riding her horses and keeping up with her dog grooming business.

Dale White, a dance instructor for 32 years, began holding classes for people who, like herself, hate to exercise. She rents out a room behind the Copper Kettle Restaurant to hold the 40-minute classes at 11 a.m. every Monday and at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

There are more than a few opportunities to volunteer within the community, with openings that will fit your time commitment.

Zeb Charlton, 12, and his family have become regulars at the Central Missouri Humane Society. Zeb, known as the "dog whisperer," has a way of working with dogs who need extra love and special care.

Volunteers train to run in races and raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

"I love the sound of pingpong in the background,” Erik Morse said. “It was a welcome to find a pingpong table outside at the bar.” Doctor Pong night at Mojo’s in downtown Columbia offered Morse and a couple dozen others the opportunity to play pingpong inside or on the patio while enjoying the electronic music played by disc jockeys Nick Newlin and Chris Bahn.