Highland Around Town - April 19 edition
Noon Friday, April 21, is the deadline to appear in next week’s “Around Town” listing. We must receive your event in writing with a contact phone number for questions. Submissions will be edited and appear in the week before the event date.
Email: lifestyle@bnd.com. Mail to: Highland Around Town, Belleville News-Democrat, P.O. Box 427, Belleville, IL 62222-0427. Questions, call Jennifer Green at 618-239-2643.
Wednesday, April 19
▪ National Alliance on Mental Illness: NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group — 6:30-8 p.m. Online via Zoom. Free peer-to-peer support group for adults with a mental health condition working towards recovery. Every Wednesday. Open the Zoom app and enter 3914844542. For information: kelly.nami.swi@gmail.com or 618-798-9788.
▪ Shoe Collection Drive Fundraiser — Through Saturday, May 6. Bulldog Barber Shop, 1008 Laurel St., Highland. Fundraising for 4 Paws for Ability Autism Assistance Dog for 22-month-old Tucker. How to help: Donate new or gently worn shoes (mens, womens, or kids—no cleats, please) at Bulldog Barber Shop. Pick up can be arranged for group donations. The goal is to collect 100 bags of shoes to raise funds to help cover fees for a service dog for Tucker. For more info: facebook.com/4paws4tucker.
Thursday, April 20
▪ National Alliance on Mental Illness: Family Support Group — 7-8:30 p.m. Online via Zoom. The Family Support Meetings are for family members, significant others, and/or friends of persons with a mental health condition. Third Thursday of every month. Facilitators: Diane Borawski and Pat Rudloff. For information: kelly.nami.swi@gmail.com or 618-798-9788.
Friday, April 21
▪ Highland Fish Fry — 4-7 p.m. VFW Post 5694, 1900 VFW Road, Highland. Dine-in and carryout. No call-in orders. facebook.com/vfwpost5694
▪ Aviston Legion Fish Fry — 4:30-7 p.m. American Legion Post 1239, 601 S. Clinton, Aviston. Cod (baked or fried), catfish, shrimp, hush puppies, chicken strips, fries, baked potato, slaw, applesauce. Dine-in and carryout. 618-228-7311 or avistonlegion.com.
Saturday, April 22
▪ National Prescription Drug Take Back Day — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Highland, 12866 Troxler Ave., Highland. Drop off your expired, unused or unwanted prescriptions and over-the counter medications. In addition, local resources with St. Joseph’s Hospital, Chestnut Health Systems, Metro East Recovery Council, Bond County Recovery Council and Gateway Foundation will offer the following during the event: Information on Senior Renewal Services; NARCAN Education and Giveaway; Drug/Alcohol Treatment Information; Family Resources. Weather permitting, the event will be outside on the hospital’s campus. If it is raining, the event will be moved inside to the hospital’s Sullivan Conference Room.
Saturday, April 22 & Sunday, April 23
▪ Chinese Culture Days at Missouri Botanical Garden — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis. Immerse yourself in awe-inspiring Chinese cultural performances, music, art, and history while enjoying authentic cuisine. This annual celebration features a Grand Parade with 70-foot dancing dragon, authentic regional cuisine, t’ai chi, martial arts and more. Special tours in the Grigg Nanjing Friendship Garden (the Chinese Garden) focus on the symbolism of many plant species and architectural details. Please note: No trams, free hours or early morning walking hours on signature event weekends. Advance tickets recommended. mobot.org
▪ St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Slatkin Conducts Strauss — 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 22, and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 23. Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. Conductor Laureate Leonard Slatkin returns to Powell Hall with a program steeped in Spain and the Spanish language. Chabrier’s “España” sways with delight. Mason Bates creates a “psychedelic ‘Carnival of the Animals’” based on an Argentinian story collection. Joshua Roman’s cello plays the famous knight in Strauss’ “Don Quixote,” and SLSO Principal Viola Beth Guterman Chu plays his trusted sidekick. slso.org
Tuesday, April 25
▪ Parents of Addicted Loved Ones — 7-8:30 p.m. Online via Zoom. The PAL group provides education, support and hope to family members and loved ones of someone who has an addiction of substance use disorder. Free and open to all. For info or to join the Zoom meeting, contact Craig at 618-567-6095. palgroup.org
Other area happenings
▪ United Way Power of the Purse Fundraiser — 5 p.m. Thursday, April 27. Lewis and Clark Community College, N.O. Nelson Campus, 600 Troy Road, Edwardsville. Those in attendance will enjoy appetizers from Bella Milano, a cash bar, silent and live purse and accessory auction and a showcase of designer handbags highlighted by local community leaders and United Way-funded agencies. Admission is $35 per person, and additional sponsorship opportunities are also available. All proceeds will help local people served by United Way of Greater St. Louis. To purchase tickets or become a sponsorship, visit helpingpeople.org/purse or contact Millie Bond at 618-258-9800.
▪ ‘Help On the Move’ Fundraiser — 6-11 p.m. Saturday, April 29. Bluff City Grill, 424 E. Broadway, Alton. The annual fundraiser for Catholic Charities will include a cocktail hour, dinner, music featuring Flip The Frog, a $10,000 raffle, and activities. Dinner tickets are $50 each. Raffle tickets are $25 each or buy 2 and get 1 free. All tickets are available on our website cc.dio.org or by calling 618-462-0634.
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Alejandro Alvarado, MD, and Janet Alvarado, MD, retire after more than 30 years of serving Highland community
Alejandro Alvarado, MD, and Janet Alvarado, MD, recently celebrated their retirement with colleagues, close friends and family after over 30 years of family medicine practice in Highland.
“It has been an honor to have both Doctors Alvarado as colleagues,” says James M. Bock, MD, chief physician executive of HSHS Medical Group. “We truly appreciate their long-term commitment to the health of families in Highland and the patient-first care they delivered every day. We will certainly miss them and wish them all the best in their retirement.”
Teresa Cornelius, chief nursing officer and interim President and CEO of HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Highland, has worked with both Drs. Alvarado, first as a staff nurse and now as an administrator. She shared at the event, “If it wasn’t for physicians like Dr. Ale, I would not have stayed here throughout my career and certainly wouldn’t be standing here today. The care and compassion shown to his patients and just overall joy projected amongst the staff made it very easy to never want to leave,” she said. “In my current role, I have thoroughly enjoyed the conversations that Dr. Janet and I would have during ethics meetings. It is obvious that these two do what they do because of a higher calling, and I am here to say that they have met and exceeded that calling.”
Both Drs. Alvarado were inspired to become doctors at an early age. Dr. Janet Alvarado had a great-great grandmother who was a physician who graduated from University of Michigan in 1876. Dr. Alejandro Alvarado was inspired from his memories of his doctor making home visits when he was a child. “Every time we got sick, our doctor would come to our house, and he was very kind and always made us feel better,” he shared. “Believe it or not, we always were looking forward to seeing him.”
Dr. Alejandro Alvarado completed his medical degree at the National University of La Plata Medical School in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and completed his internal medicine residency at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield, Missouri. After medical school, Dr. Janet Alvarado completed her internal medicine residency also at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield.
Drs. Alvarado first met at the Kaplan study center in St. Louis, Missouri studying for boards. They have been married for 37 years. They have three children – Alex, Marcus and Alicia – and three grandchildren, Liam, Elena and Nora. They also have a dog, Lola, as well as chickens and horses.
Dr. Alejandro Alvarado began private practice in 1991 at Internal Medicine of Highland, P.C., and Dr. Janet Alvarado began her medical career at Westglen Family Physicians in Ellisville, Missouri in 1992 through 1997, when she started her solo practice in Highland. In 2006, they began practicing together at Adult Medicine of Highland on Poplar Street. Their practice joined HSHS Medical Group in 2011 and moved to HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital specialty clinics on Troxler Avenue.
Now known as HSHS Medical Group Family & Internal Medicine - Highland, the practice has grown to include Lynn Billhartz, PA-C; Emma Dragovich, APRN: Kelsie Farrell, APRN; Brian Klostermann, MD; Lauren Lawson, APRN; Katie Menendez, APRN; Mallory Rinderer, APRN; Robert Schaefer, MD; and Shivani Sharma, MD.
Drs. Alvarado both expressed what they will miss most about practicing medicine are their wonderful patients and co-workers and helping local people. But retirement does not mean they will stop serving others. Both doctors shared that one of the things they are looking forward to about retirement is the freedom to go on medical mission trips. In addition, they are anticipating more time to enjoy family, their horses, socializing, working around the house and traveling.
Both Drs. Alvarado expressed their gratitude to the Highland community. Dr. Janet Alvarado shared, “I am grateful to the community for the wonderful support all these years. I have been touched by the outpouring of love and for all the cards and flowers sent,” she said. “All of my patients have always been incredibly special to me. I am so thankful to know that I was able to touch lives in this community and make a difference.”
Dr. Alejandro Alvarado also shared, “We would like to thank the Highland community for all the support for these 32 years. Thank you to all our friends, the schoolteachers and coaches that helped educate our children through the years. Thanks also to our co-workers that help us every day,” he said. “I am very excited to continue this journey with Janet who has been an excellent partner in my life. And I want to thank the Lord for allowing me this wonderful life.”
For more information about HSHS Medical Group, visit hshsmedicalgroup.org.
