Your Senior & Disability Resource
725 E. Karsch Blvd.
Farmington, MO 63640
573-756-4314
Recent Events at LIFE, Inc.
The images below are just a small review of the events we have going on at The LIFE Center for Independent Living. We hope you will enjoy these photos and if you have any others you would like to share with us, we welcome them with our most sincere Thanks !
2026 Pre-ETS (Employment Transition Services)
These services are offered to individuals with mild to moderate learning disabilities. The intent is to assist them with the transition from a structured school day to everyday life.
This was our first day of getting to know each other
We had wonderful pizzas from Domino's for our lunch!
As part of our program, we teach Self Advocacy, Job Search skills, Work Experience lessons, job tours, and skills to help them move toward living independently in the future. To accomplish this goal, we also teach life-skills such as budgeting, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and general housekeeping. For those who are of age, we also have the capability to teach a course to help pass the Missouri Driver's written exam.
Our first Job Tour was to Walmart
We got a "behind the scenes" look at exactly how the whole store works.
LIFE, Inc. holds Rock 'n Roll Bingo at Farmington Elks
The LIFE Center lit up the night on April 18th at the Farmington Elks with a rousing evening of ROCK 'N ROLL BINGO! This fund raiser collected money for durable medical equipment that can be used by anyone in need at no cost.
The rules of Rock 'n Roll Bingo are simple; Each bingo card (game) is actually a music category. (It could be "Hits from the 80's", "One Hit Wonders" or the example above, "Classic Rock".) Your card will have either song titles or music artist randomly listed in your squares. The DJ will play several seconds of a song and if your card has that song or the artist on it, you get to dob it just like in regular bingo only without the boring letters and numbers. If you dob the pattern announced for that game, you yell BINGO and win that round. We ramped up the fun by allowing everyone to use their "Shazam" app on their phone. We don't think of it as cheating, we only think it makes it more fun. Before long people were singing along with the music.
We also played two rounds of "Heads or Tails". Players stood up and paid a dollar to play. They placed their hands on their head for "Heads" or on their rump (tail) for "Tails" and the DJ then flipped a coin. Winners remained standing and losers had to sit down. Rounds continued until there was only one person standing and they won 50% of the pot.
Our 50/50 drawing raised a total of over $800.00 and was split with Paige Mossinghoff who purchased her Bingo Cards online.
We also had a Dauber Drawing. Daubers were sold at the beginning of the night and each dauber had a song title taped to it. At the end of the evening and after the last game, the DJ played "City Lights" by Merle Haggard and Bob Bosch had the winning dauber. He won a free oil change from Affenberg of Farmington and a car wash kit from the LIFE Center. Our grand prize dauber drawing winner was Bryar Thomas who won 4 St. Louis Cardinals tickets. Her dauber had "Material Girl" by Madonna that was played by the DJ.
We want to thank the Farmington Elks for hosting our event. They served great food and alcohol at reasonable prices for all of our participants and everyone deemed the event a big success. This event raised over $3,600.00 that will be used to purchase durable medical equipment.
Please enjoy the pictures below
LIFE Attends the St. Francois County Community Partnership Expo
Pictured above are Elena Marler, Disability Advocate, and Randy Windsor, Marketing Director, from the LIFE Center For Independent Living. The 2026 annual event, held at Mineral Area College on April 11th, attracted approximately 1,200 visitors. The LIFE Center always enjoys an opportunity to inform people about all of the programs and services we provides along with opportunities for employment we offer.
2026 Easter Egg Hunt & Jelly Bean Jamboree
On March 28, 2026, The LIFE Center For Independent Living held its' annual Easter Egg hunt for disabled children and adults. This year was the best one we have ever had. We had 110 disabled individuals and 55 siblings that registered in advance. On event day our numbers far exceeded that. We were very lucky to prepare more of everything in advance and it all worked. The LIFE staff and all of our volunteers did a wonderful job keeping everyone moving.
To the left is a copy of the invitation that was send through our email system and delivered, in-person, to all our local school systems to be passed out for parents.
If you would like to subscribe to our email notifications, remember that you can easily unsubscribe at the bottom of any of our correspondence.
Qualified individuals and their families then called our office and registered for the event. Due to limits on food prepared, we cannot take walk-ins on the day of the event.
Please enjoy these images of our friends.
LIFE Successfully Presented the 1st Annual Disability & Planning Expo
On March 14, 2026, The LIFE Center For Independent Living hosted the First Annual Parkland Disability & Planning Expo. The event was sponsored by Mrs. Janet Renshaw, Chartered Special Needs Consultant. Mrs. Renshaw, ChSNC., is specifically qualified to help individuals and families of children or adults with developmental or physical disabilities to create long-term financial planning and setting up continuing care options for the future.
There were over 5o participants that registered for our event which was held in the Cardinal Room of the New Industrial and Technology Center at Mineral Area college.
There were 35 vendors hosting tables with information regarding their services. Throughout the day, vendors were available to discuss the resources they can provide to their booth visitors.
Mrs. Renshaw, ChSNC., was our Keynote speaker and provided a brief overview of how important advanced financial planning is for the parents, or caregiver, of a child or adult with disabilities. She gave the example of a non-verbal child turning 18 and the parent not having Guardianship or a Power of Attorney. If their child then needed to go to the doctor, the parent could not go in with them and the child may have no way to give permission to the doctors office. So very important information was provided during our Expo.
This event also gave participants the opportunity to interact and ask questions of local subject matter experts during panel discussions. Our first panel discussed the basics of making contact with the proper resources necessary to create a case for their child or family member to receive assistance. The panel answered questions provided by the audience regarding steps to take to secure this assistance. The discussions were interesting as every case is different. There are a myriad of state departments that may need to be contacted, including, but not limited to: the Social Security Administration, the Division of Family Services, and the Department of Mental Health.
Lunch was boxed Subway Sandwiches. Provided by LIFE, Inc.
After lunch, Scout Merry presented a demonstration of products and services available from Missouri Assistive Technology. They assists people with special needs to complete activities of normal daily living by providing specialized products. These products included electronic and mechanical as well as 3D Printed devices. Lots of people stopped by his booth to see close up demonstrations during the day.
Our next presentation included a panel to discuss and answer questions regarding a review the prospect of post secondary education or acquiring employment after high school. The panel pointed out there are many things to consider, such as transportation to and from work or the possibility of their child moving out to live on their own if they are capable.
The day completed with a panel discussion regarding day-habilitation options for individuals without the ability to continue into post secondary education or obtaining employment. Several day-habilitation providers sat on the panel to give insights on how to accomplish enrollment into such a facility.
The post Expo surveys were very positive and a few great suggestions were made. Overall, the Expo was a great success and we are current planning for this event next year.
The Knights of Columbus Deliver three new wheelchairs
February 9, 2026. The Knights Of Columbus, St. Joseph Catholic Parish, delivered three brand new wheel chairs to go into service in the LIFE Center Durable Medical Equipment Loan Program. This program offers needed medical equipment to any individual with a temporary or permanent disability to use at no cost. The only thing asked in return is return the equipment after use. The Center will also welcome any additional used equipment, in good shape, to be donated so it can be cleaned and sanitized for return to service.
Pictured above L to R: Mike Ward, Representing the Knights of Columbus, Pauline Niehaus, Executive Director of the LIFE Center, and Arron Luna, Director of Independent Living.
St. Joseph Catholic Parish
The LIFE Center Offers Networking Event Regarding SSI and SSDI Programs
October 21, 2025. The LIFE Center For Independent Living, opened their doors to local services partners and the disabled community to discuss and learn more about Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) as part of this month's National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) celebration. Information was provided regarding many Social Security Administration (SSA) Work Incentives programs such as, the Ticket to Work program and the the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) program. Through the sharing of information, between service organizations, we can create a combined effort to assist more individuals. Below are a few images from our meeting.
This was our greeting table with our Ticket to work Banner displayed.
LIFE, Inc. also provided a variety of additional resources for the attendees.
Theresa Scherer, Employment Network Director, makes introductions and provides an outline of the presentation.
Everyone was provided with an example of a New Job Survival Kit to help a person who is looking for their first job.
Blaice Steffan, Employment Network Benefits Counselor
provides some of the presentation regarding SSI and SSDI programs.
LIFE, Inc. also provided drawings for door prizes for the attendees.
The LIFE Center Receives Grant From The United Way of St. Francois County
An award presentation by the United Way of St. Francois County on June 24, 2025 provided 30 grants to non-profit organizations that totaled $107,000. One of the recipients was The LIFE Center for Independent Living. United Way Board Member Tracy Trokey is shown presenting the check to Randy Windsor, Marketing Director from the LIFE Center. The LIFE Center is a non-profit resource for individuals with disabilities, both developmental and physical, and for senior citizens.
Click below for more information about:
2025 Summer Pre-ETS Program
(Pre-Employment Transition Services)
