The Insider: 2.18.15

Kurt Deutsch (John Burroughs ‘84; pictured above) continues to make his mark in the film and music industries. He served as producer for the recently released film, The Last Five Years, starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan. He also produced the soundtrack. The screen adaptation of the cult off-Broadway musical is told almost entirely in song and chronicles a love affair between an up-and-coming novelist and a struggling actress. It will be released in local theaters Feb. 20. Also, Deutsch’s label, Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight Records recently won its third Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album for the Broadway show Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. He served as the album’s executive producer.

Each year, the American Red Cross Greater St. Louis Region honors individuals in 10 different categories who bravely responded to someone in critical need. The 2015 Class of Heroes will be recognized next month at The Chase Park Plaza. Claytonian Laurel Miller (pictured) is honored in the nurse category for her heroic, life-saving response to a man having a heart attack at The Grand Canyon. Miller is an ER nurse at Missouri Baptist Medical Center.

Kudos to Gateway Greening, whose gardens harvested 193,000 pounds of food for the community in 2014! It continues its work to eradicate hunger in the St. Louis area, supporting more than 200 community gardens that produce fruits and vegetables donated to Operation Food Search, St. Patrick Center, area churches, food pantries, homeless shelters and schools.

Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club co-founder Martin Mathews is getting a fond farewell to celebrate his retirement as the organization’s president and CEO. The Isley Brothers are set to perform a benefit concert for the nonprofit in his honor at 7 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. Mathews, who also will be celebrating his 90th birthday this month, has helped improve the lives of millions of children through his more than 50 years of service.

Mosby Building Arts has received two Best of Houzz 2015 awards for design and customer satisfaction. Houzz, a leading online source for home remodeling and design, honors top industry professionals each year after surveying its more than 25 million users, which consist of homeowners remodeling and decorating their homes. Also winning Houzz ‘Best Of’ awards are local companies Studio|Durham Architects and ProCraft Fine Cabinet & Woodwork.