PINEVILLE -- At the McDonald County Chamber of Commerce meeting on Aug. 11, chamber and community members heard presentations from MOKAN Partnership, Missouri Silver Haired Legislature and KNEO Radio. Meeting attendees heard from these organizations following a $10 lunch, with proceeds going back to the chamber and the announcement of six new chamber members.
MOKAN Partnership's presenter, Amy Kauffman, said the organization is an economic development collaborative of Southwest Missouri, Southeast Kansas, and Northwest Oklahoma. Kauffman, who has been working in Southwest Missouri with the organization for about a year, said a goal of the organization is workforce development. Kauffman noted likely new business to be taken advantage of once the highway leading into Bentonville is completed. The organization will host a manufacturing expo, to which high school students are invited, on Oct. 14, as part of manufacturing month. The expo will take place at the Newton County Fairgrounds.
Missouri Silver Haired Legislature's presenter, Barb Ittner, said the organization is an advocacy group for seniors that proposes bills to advocate for the needs of seniors everywhere. The organization, which was founded in Missouri in 1973, requires that members in the organization be at least 60 years old. The top five priorities for 2021 for the Silver Haired Legislature are to reinstate funding to MoRx Program, Missouri state sales tax on internet purchases, increase state excise tax on tobacco from $0.17 to $1.81, money recouped by Missouri HealthNet to be earmarked for return to Missouri HealthNet, and Missouri state income tax credits for "aging in place" home remodels.
The representative for KNEO Radio, a radio station that is providing the McDonald County school district with sports coverage, said the station will provide audio and video broadcasting for at least 100 events for McDonald County this year. The organization, which has worked with various other school districts, started working with McDonald County schools less than a year ago. Students at McDonald County High School are able to aid the organization with audio and video broadcasting as an extracurricular activity. The organization will provide fall and winter schedules for sporting events in the county. Various businesses, such as Mustang Bistro, sponsor the organization in their student-run "Mustang Moment."
McDonald County Chamber of Commerce employees noted the business expo and health fair which will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m Saturday, Sept. 11, at McDonald County High School. The event will include business vendors, health screenings for the first 30 participants, local entertainment, a silent auction, door prizes and free food. Youth interested in running a booth at the expo will be sponsored by the chamber for a year and, if that individual chooses to host a booth next year, the booth will be only $20. The McDonald County Chamber of Commerce hopes to get more youth involved and interested in business through sponsoring youth in the expo.
