Overheard

Ozarks Technical Community College will play host to an open casting call Jan. 12 for the CBS show “Survivor.” Auditions for the reality show’s 15th season will be held 10 a.m.–4 p.m. in Information Commons West 100 on the OTC campus, 1001 E. Chestnut Expressway. Joel Doepker, OTC director of public relations and communications, said there isn’t an estimate of how many people might attend, but many likely will be visiting the OTC campus for the first time. “It’s somewhat of a recruitment tool, in addition to having a really great event on campus,” he said. “It gives us a chance to tell them about us.” This is the second “Survivor” audition to be held in southwest Missouri; Nixa’s Pairings Restaurant, which closed in October, held a similar event in January, drawing about 600 people. The location for the show’s 15th season has not been determined. Past locations have included the Australian Outback, Africa, the Amazon, Thailand and, most recently, the Cook Islands in the South Pacific.

Wild About Regions

Regions Bank has signed on for two years as presenting sponsor of Ball of the Wild, the annual Friends of the Zoo fund-raiser. The six-year-old event is held in June at Ozark’s Riverside Inn; the 550 tickets are usually sold out by mid-March. In 2006, the ball raised more than $150,000. The 2007 edition, Regions’ first as presenting sponsor, is June 22.

Oh, Christmas Tree!

While trees are not accepted at Missouri landfills, there are several options for residents who choose to recycle their Christmas trees. Drop-off sites include: Bass Pro Shops Sportsman’s Park Complex, 2500 E. Kearney St.; Wickman’s Garden Village, 1345 S. Fort Ave.; and the city’s Yardwaste Recycling Center, in southwest Springfield.

Bass Pro, which accepts trees through Jan. 1 (call (417) 873-5000 for more information), charges $2 per tree to benefit Boy Scouts. Wickman’s Garden, which accepts trees through Jan. 15, charges $5 a tree to benefit The Kitchen. Christmas trees are ground into mulch, and mulch is available at no charge (call (417) 862-3707 for more info). The city recycling center accepts trees year-round, and donations are encouraged (call (417) 864-1904 for details).

Slice of Nice

Area businesspeople and community members are raising support for Mick Denniston, the director of development for Springfield Catholic Schools who was seriously injured in a Dec. 18 car accident in New Mexico. The Benefit Fund of Mick Denniston has been established at Guaranty Bank. Denniston remains in critical condition at University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. Denniston was returning home from his daughter’s graduation from Arizona State University. Checks should be made payable to Kathleen M. Denniston (Mick’s wife) “for the Benefit Fund of Mick Denniston.” Denniston has been with Catholic Schools since 2002 and directed Springfield Little Theatre for 18 years before that.

Twice of Nice

National Basketball Association player Stephon Marbury and national clothing retailer Steve & Barry’s teamed up Dec. 19 to donate a pair of basketball shoes to every player on the Reed Middle School basketball team. Marbury and Steve & Barry’s earlier this year launched the N.Y. Knicks basketball player’s Starbury Collection of shoes – Starbury One, which Marbury wears on the court – and apparel. Steve & Barry’s operates a store in Battlefield Mall.