Community Connections would like to thank the Bolivar Community for recognizing the importance of parents in our community. We have fantastic partners who work hard every day to support families. A special thanks to Berean Baptist Church, Open Hearts Methodist Church, Woods Supermarket, Polk County Library, Thrive Ministries and Community Outreach Ministries for their participation in celebrating Parental Resilience Day 2023. more

Using drugs and alcohol will not take away your problems and fears. In the short run, they might make you feel better, but in the long run these addictions will only make things worse. more

While this can't necessarily be verified completely, the story or legend of St. Valentine seems meant to observe his effort of honoring marriages in part by marrying couples even at the defiance of the Roman Emperor of that era. In his memory, over time Valentine's Day became a convenient way to observe the loving devotion that couples have for one another, and a great opportunity to honor marriage. Now several hundreds of years later we are celebrating National Marriage week on February 7 through February 14. more

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? more

Tomorrow is Groundhog Day. more

Who doesn’t love their fur babies? Nevermind, don’t tell me. It is fortunate that most people do care for and about their 4-legged friends. I am hoping that care goes beyond their own little (or large) fur buddies and can extend to help some that haven’t had the chance to find their forever homes yet. more

Everybody deals with stress and anxiety, however the key is to know what to do when your stressed out. It is not always easy to keep your feelings from getting the best of you. more

Each winter, much is written in Missouri about one of the state’s most eye-catching avian winter visitors – the bald eagle. It is well-deserved publicity: In addition to their patriotic symbolism, bald eagles have a number of traits that makes seeing one a memorable experience. more

My dad taught me just about everything I ever needed to know about fishing, from starting me early with a riverbank sapling and length of fishing line to teaching me the finesse of handling his classic bamboo fly rod. Under Dad’s diligent tutelage I grew up an avid fisherman. more

The parents of Bart Millard were divorced when he was three years old. His mother did not want him. So Millard went to live with his father. He was abusive to him through much of his childhood. As a child, he feared his father would get upset about something and take it out on him. more

“A Man Called Otto” has not been a well-marketed film. The strategy of the film’s advertising seems to be, “You know how Tom Hanks usually plays likeable/heroic characters to go along with his reputation for being a nice guy in real life? Come to this movie to get the opposite of that! more

Are you looking for all of the answers on how to reduce your persistent fears and anxieties? more