School and Community Fall 2022

Kamilla Willis, a Speech-Language Pathologist in the Cassville R-IV School District, spends much of her free time outside of school in the Taekwondo gym. “My husband and I assist in teaching (as well as taking) classes at our local dojang 3 nights each week,” Willis explained. “I was 33 when I took my first class. I can truly say that Tae Kwon Do is the only type of exercise that I have done that I look forward to attending at the end of a long day.” Willis believes that the 37 years she has worked in special education has helped her teach the younger students at the dojang. “Many parents bring in children with ADHD, Autism or other neurological issues for classes. It is just as fun to watch them grow in martial arts as it is at school!” Willis stated. “One young man was struggling to learn his multiplication facts. I had him reciting his facts while practicing his Kata. It worked! I believe my experience with martial arts helps me remember that many kids need to move to learn and remember.” The Willis family enjoys participating in local Taekwondo tournaments as well as the occasional national competition. “I usually place at tournaments. At smaller tournaments I end up competing “co-ed” because of my age, while larger tournaments are split male/female,” she said. ”We attended Battle of Atlanta in June where I placed 1st in Sparring, 2nd in Open Hand Forms, and 3rd inWeapons. I plan on attending two or three more tournaments by the end of December.” Donna Broadwell recently retired from the Adair Co. R-1 district after 37 years as an elementary teacher. She is now a lifetime MSTA member and is glad to continue her hobby of restoring antique furniture.

“I didn’t do much with this hobby until Covid-19 hit,” Broadwell said. “I always wanted a pedestal table for as long as I can remember. I found one on Swap Shop for $25. The only catch was they had painted an oak table black. So I jumped at this opportunity. This was the beginning of the restart to what has now become one of my favorite things to do.” Broadwell finds most of her pieces at garage sales, auctions, on Swap Shop or just sitting out for free on the street. Nearly all of the items she has refinished have been used in her home, with a few other pieces going to friends and family. Inspiration for the refinishing process often stems from the way her grandfather redid furniture. “He used a liquid stripper to remove any paint or varnish on the item,” Broadwell detailed. “The stripper has to be neutralized with mineral spirits. The piece is hand sanded to smooth out any flaws in the grain of the wood. Depending on the condition of the wood, this process doesn’t usually take much time. The piece is then wiped down to remove the dust and ready to be varnished and dry overnight. It gets a light sanding the next day, and then the final coat of varnish is applied. This process usually takes patience and time depending on the size of the item I am refinishing.” With a taste for antique styles, a little bit of love and attention to detail has gone a long way for Broadwell. “I have wanted a house full of antique furniture for as long as I can remember. The cheapest way to get this done was to refinish pieces myself.”

Do you have an interesting hobby you'd like to share? Email editor@msta.org.

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