THE GENEROSITY OF A COMMUNITY was evident in the Cans’ Film Festival held Tuesday at the Glass Sword Cinema VI Theater in West Plains, according to Samaritan Outreach Project Director Vicki Elmore. She said this is the 10th year for the film festival in which movie-goers are asked to donate nonperishable foods in lieu of the usual ticket price to see a movie. Six separate movies were shown. A total of 622 area residents attended. A total of 1,722 food donations were received for the food pantry, the most ever for the event, she said. And, a total of $89 was donated. Samaritan Outreach partners with theater owners Gary and Regina York in this endeavor. The temporary shelter for the homeless is at 126 North College St., and gets some of its funding from the local United Way. Food pantry hours are 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays except for holidays. From left: Tammy McDaniel, Steve Jones, Kevin May, Elmore, Gary and Regina York, Dawn May, Tod McDaniel and Alicia May. (Quill/Woolman)
Emerging ag issues to be topic of meeting hosted by Purgason Thirty-third District State Senator Chuck Purgason (R-Caulfield), a member of the Senate Agriculture, Conservation, Parks and Natural Resources Committee, reports he will host the Missouri House of Representatives Interim Committee on Emerging Issues in Agriculture at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the West Plains Civic Center. He said he will bring together legislators and many of the state’s top agriculture groups from the cattle, poultry and dairy industries to discuss agriculture issues affecting Missourians. The group also will analyze the impact the current agriculture policy has on Missouri farmers and the state’s multi-billion dollar agriculture industry, he said. “This is opportunity to learn more about the issues affecting our agriculture community and to hear firsthand from Missouri’s agricultural producers what we can do from a policy perspective to help our hard-working Missouri farmers,” he said. “With the dramatic increase in grain prices, our cattle and hog farmers are struggling right now and we need to explore this and other pressing issues so we can ensure our farmers remain profitable and thrive in the future.” He said this will be the fourth meeting of the interim committee and the second meeting held outside of the state capital.
Man says sign is his, but message isn’t Ronnie Ford of West Plains has told The Quill he owns the billboard on which the “Obama’’ message was printed. However, he said, he did not put up the message and does not know who did. He said that over several months some people have asked for permission to use the sign and he has agreed to that, but does not know specifically who has followed through. He said he has not been paid for the sign’s use. The sign on U.S. 63 just south of West Plains includes a drawing of a man in a turban and the words “Barack ‘Hussein’ Obama Equals More Abortions, Same Sex Marriages, Taxes, Gun Regulations.’’ Ford said he is known for his conservative views, but he also has many family and friends who are not and they get along. The Quill first published a photo of the sign on Monday along with a letter from a local resident who opposed it. The photo caption written by The Quill said no one had accepted responsibility for the sign. The photo was published again Wednesday on Pg. 1 along with letters pro and con on its message. In the meantime, The Quill learned the land belongs to Ford and phoned him. It was based on that call that he talked with The Quill this morning.
R-7 Educational Foundation offers mini-grants Mini-grants from the West Plains R-7 Educational Foundation makes money available to R-7 teachers and students and their groups or organizations, or to any building or class in the R-7 District, to use to enhance the student experience in and out of the classroom, according to R-7 Communications Director Emily Gibson. The program, described as a “booster club for academics,” began this past spring, will be offered in fall and spring each year, with applications for fall 2008 available in mid-October, foundation members said. There is a $500 limit for individual classrooms, $1,000 per building, the applications open to any teacher or school organization. “It is a unique opportunity to be able to work to enhance the educational experience of our students, and to do so with the support of our community and alumni,” said Foundation President John Richards. The high school band received a grant to commission a special band composition for the Zizzer Centennial Celebration and premiered it at halftime of the homecoming game this past Friday. South Fork Elementary second grade teacher Keesha Egly used the grant she got for equipment to help students study butterfly and frog life cycles in the classroom. Kathy Davis was awarded funds to establish a digital yearbook for West Plains Elementary School, and 2008 West Plains High School graduate Whitney Smith was awarded $100 to offset expenses to attend the FCCLA national conference, where she served as Missouri first state vice president. Last year, the foundation purchased two new computers for each library in the R-7 district, totaling $5,800. This year, due to its fundraising efforts with the Zizzer Centennial, and namely the Zizzer centennial barbecue this past Saturday and the district surplus auction, the foundation hopes to be able to do more, organizers said.
‘Tasting Luncheon’ Oct. 16 to be MSU-WP library fundraiser The Friends of the Garnett Library will host a tasting luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 16 at the First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 112 Aid Ave. It will include a variety of items prepared by members of the Friends of the Garnett Library from recipes featured in a series of cookbooks that are being sold by the organization. The cookbooks contain recipes by Roxie Kelly and her friends and are illustrated by Shelly Reeves Smith. Both Kelly and Smith are Missouri residents, event organizers said. The luncheon menu will include salads, main courses, side dishes, dessert items and beverages. Among the dozens of featured dishes will be escalloped chicken, Vidalia onion casserole and English walnut cake, organizers said. Tickets are $7 each and available from any Friends member or from the Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) Office of Development in Kellett Hall, 905 W. Main St. Tickets also may be purchased by calling 417-255-7240. Because the event will be held on National Bosses Day, organizers suggest treating your boss to a unique and tasty lunch, which will support a great cause. All proceeds will provide support and assistance to the Garnett Library at MSU-West Plains. For more information, call the Office of Development at 255-7240.
STIRRING UP a meal is what members of the Friends of the Garnett Library plan to do when they host a tasting luncheon Oct. 16 at the First Presbyterian Church in West Plains. The meal will feature dishes created from recipes that can be found in cookbooks being sold by the group. From left: Friends member Miriam Ward, Garnett Library Assistant Librarian Neva Parrott, and Friends members Margo Bagby and Martha Carter. For more on the event, see Pg. 12. (Photo provided to The Quill)
