Day: September 12, 2022

Festival of Charity Features Recognitions, Entertainment, Food, and Fun

The second annual Festival of Charity, sponsored by West Central Missouri Community Action Agency, will be held Thursday September 22 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. in El Dorado Springs at the Liston Center, 508 North Main. Highlighting the event is recognition of two outstanding Cedar County organizations, the Ministerial Alliance in El Dorado Springs, and the Ministerial Alliance in Stockton. In addition, entertainment, food trucks, family games, a silent auction, and a 50/50 raffle will be included in the evening’s activities.

The event’s purpose is to spotlight and honor charitable organizations and community supporters throughout the region. West Central President and CEO Chris Thompson commented, “We look forward to welcoming partner organizations, representatives of city governments, charitable groups, and families in the community.”

Special recognition this year at Festival of Charity is being given to the Stockton Ministerial Alliance and the El Dorado Springs Ministerial Alliance. Each of these organizations will receive a $500 contribution to support their work. The Stockton Ministerial Alliance includes representatives from eight churches. Funding for their work in the community is supported by the SAMA Thrift store, and includes the SAMA Community Food Pantry (located in the same building), and benevolence activities such as providing emergency food, rental assistance, medical, and water/utility funds. They are also instrumental in coordinating the Stockton Back To School Fair. Michael Tunnell, President of the Alliance, said, “The Ministerial Alliance is a great way for the churches to come together in service to provide both spiritual and physical needs. Everyone works well together, and it is rewarding to be able to do this work.”

The El Dorado Springs Ministerial Alliance currently includes representatives from eight churches. Community work includes support of the Hope Center Community Food Pantry, which serves 100 families weekly and provides commodities to 125 families. They also support the community Diaper Pantry, and provide on-going assistance to individuals and families for emergency needs. The group continues to look for new ministry opportunities, and have plans to add the “Garden of Hope” next year in partnership with the El Dorado Springs FFA Chapter. The new project will be a community garden to supplement foods available to the community from the Hope Center. Treasurer Chad Daniel commented, “I appreciate how the churches have come together. They all work hard to address food insecurity and to prioritize basic needs in the community.”

Festival of Charity Entertainment will be provided from 3-6 p.m. by Aaron Franklin and Charlie Davison, members of Centerline. El Dorado’s own Ginelle Esry will be featured from 6 -7 p.m.

Silent auction items include quilts, gift baskets, tickets to several shows and zoos, an oil painting, duck call, and many other items. Family games and a bounce house will be provided by individual West Central unit, with prizes and other family fun. Food trucks, including Dusty Bob’s from Bolivar and Bella’ Walking Tacos, will be available for the evening’s dinner options.

The drawing for the event’s 50/50 raffle will also take place. Raffle tickets are still available, and may be purchased on site at the Festival. The winning pot is currently over $3,000.  In addition, organizations in attendance will be invited to enter a special drawing for $500 to support their work, and every representative gets an entry on behalf of their group.

For additional information about this year’s Festival of Charity, visit the West Central Facebook page or www.wcmcaa.org, or contact Debbie Vickers, dvickers@wcmcaa.org.

Bates County Memorial Hospital will host a Community Health Fair on Saturday, September 17^th.

The hours of admission will be seven am until noon. This Community Health Fair is Free to the public and will feature the following free screenings.

Skin Cancer, Carpal Tunnel Screening, Hearing Screening, Blood Pressure, and SPO2 screenings.

The following tests will have a small fee attached:

Cholesterol and Vitamin D ( fasting)
Basic Metabolic Panel which requires fasting

CT Heart Scan

EKG Screening

Carotid ( ka-row-ed) Artery and other such tests, may save you money by bundling your package for the screenings that are important to your health.

The Bates County Memorial Hospital Community Health Fair will offer a free breakfast, giveaways, a drawing for a free CT Calcium Score. The Hospital Gift Shop will be open from 7 am until noon, there will be an ambulance tour and Lifeflight Eagle will land at approximately 9:30 am.

That’s a Free Community Health Fair in celebration of the Hospital’s 62^nd anniversary. It all happens Saturday, September 17^th from 7 am until noon in the front lobby of Bates County Memorial Hospital.

Lowry City is the main attraction for fall family oriented attractions during the Halloween season. The Fun Time Farms Corn Maze is the brainstorm of Kalberloh, family.

Jim Kalberloh is just one of 11 family member partners involved in the creation of this ten-acre corn maze located in Lowry City.

Fun Time Farms Corn Maze is located north of Lowry City and is open weekdays for field trips and reservation groups and  weekends for individual and group maze tours. Fun Time Farms, welcome the public, site seers and school field trips. The elementary education campaign includes customized ag- in the classroom lesson plans. The agricultural passport integrates education into the Lowry City Fun Time Farms ten-acre corn maze; the agricultural education helps guide students along the pathway of the corn maze and for the weak at heart. Corn maze assistants are on location to help you find your way out of the maze, should you get disoriented.

Clues and hints along the trail, lead you to the end of the 3-mile maze. The addition of a 40 foot slide and a viewing maze bridge that overlooks the entire field, the super pillow and corn box. You will want to watch out for the live zombie breakout, you will be able to save yourself with paintball guns. A beer Garden will open on location.  

Fun Time Farms in Lowry City will be open September 23^rd  through October 29th 2022   . The Maze will be open  Friday evenings from 5 to 10 pm and Saturday’s hours from noon till 10 pm. Fun Time Farms will be open  Sunday afternoons from 1-6 . General Admission is $10.00 dollars per person and children under 3 years old are admitted free.  “Sunday Admission Prices” all ages are admitted on Sunday for five dollars each.  Season passes are sold for $45.00.

For reservations, directions or more information call Jim Kalberloh at 660-351-2012

AUXILIARY’s Operation Sock-It-To-Me Campaign Kicks off

Bates County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary volunteers have kicked off their 2022 Operation Sock-It-To-Me campaign, an annual project that helps area school children receive new, warm socks for the cold winter weather.  

If you would like to donate,  purchase new socks still in the package, for girls or boys ages 5 to 18 years. Collection boxes for the public are located in the hospital’s entryway and at each of the Family Care Clinics in Adrian, Butler and Rich Hill. Donations may be dropped off on weekdays between 6:30 am and 5:00 pm until October 31, 2022.

You may also drop off sock donations for this project at the Butler Senior Center at 611 W Mill St, Butler.

The donated socks will be delivered to area schools and distributed by the schools to students in need in grades K-12.

The Auxiliary thanks our community in advance for your help in making Operation Sock-It-To-Me a success.