Tyson Donates Rescue Boat to McDonald County Emergency Management

PHOTOS BY ALEXUS UNDERWOOD/SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS Tyson and McDonald County leadership were presented with a $12,400 check donated by Tyson. Tyson’s complex manager, Nathan McKay (standing on the right with sunglasses), knew McDonald County Emergency Management employees (left to right), Bill Lant, Rick Lett, Jamey Cope and Gregg Sweeten, lacked a reliable boat before the donation.
PHOTOS BY ALEXUS UNDERWOOD/SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS Tyson and McDonald County leadership were presented with a $12,400 check donated by Tyson. Tyson’s complex manager, Nathan McKay (standing on the right with sunglasses), knew McDonald County Emergency Management employees (left to right), Bill Lant, Rick Lett, Jamey Cope and Gregg Sweeten, lacked a reliable boat before the donation.

NOEL -- The Tyson Noel complex donated a $12,400 check to McDonald County Emergency Management to pay for a new rescue boat, a boat that was greatly needed by the Emergency Management rescue team.

McDonald County Emergency Management, a team made up of volunteers, had two boats before the donation -- a jet and a propeller. Mayor Gregg Sweeten, and McDonald County Emergency Management leader and volunteer, said the jet would get clogged with extreme flooding, and the 17-and-a-half-foot propeller was too large to get to some locations during rescues.

Nathan McKay, the four-and-a-half-year Noel complex manager, said Tyson wants to work to make the community better.

"I think it's great, this is what we're here for," McKay said. "We're here to make our community better. Obviously, we're the largest employer in the town of Noel and we want to do everything we can to make this community strong and succeed."

McKay said he worked with Tyson to get a grant to pay for the boat donation, which fulfilled a need he knew McDonald County Emergency Management had.

"We asked for a grant, and we were able to get that grant," McKay said. "We were able to send that to the Tyson Foods Grant Request Committee, and we went through the need, what it would do for the community. They approved that at the executive level, then we were able to let Gregg know the good news."

Rick Lett, the Western Commissioner, said the new rescue boat was a great need.

"It's a very needed thing," Lett said. "Because Gregg goes out and tries to rescue people in this water. And with the boat he has, the debris in the river will plug up his motor. So then, Gregg ends up needing to be rescued. So, we appreciate Tyson so much for stepping up and fulfilling this need for our county."

Lett said McDonald County has been impacted by an increasing amount of flooding issues, making a new boat even more necessary to more safely conduct rescues.

Sweeten said he appreciates Tyson's donation as he now has more peace of mind conducting rescues than he did before. Sweeten said Tyson stepped up to aid the community.

"To step up and give us $12,400, they didn't have to do that," Sweeten said. "And it wasn't a normal grant period for them, they made the time to look it over. They saw the need."

Noel Complex managers were present at the check presentation. The Noel leadership included Nathan McKay, the complex manager, George Merritt, the complex safety manager, Heather Spencer, the complex human resources manager, and Jack Kelley, the plant manager.

Sweeten said volunteers for the McDonald County Emergency Management team will soon have their new boat at their disposal, making them more prepared for floods in the summer.

Jack Kelley, plant manager, is holding a check outlining Tyson's donation. The Tyson team sought out a grant to pay for the donated rescue boat.
Jack Kelley, plant manager, is holding a check outlining Tyson's donation. The Tyson team sought out a grant to pay for the donated rescue boat.
Photo of the boat donated by Tyson. Sweeten said he has been rescued by this model of boat; he said this boat will be more reliable than the two McDonald County Emergency Management currently has for rescues.
Photo of the boat donated by Tyson. Sweeten said he has been rescued by this model of boat; he said this boat will be more reliable than the two McDonald County Emergency Management currently has for rescues.
The donation was executed by the Tyson Noel complex team. Tyson leadership said they were excited to be able to aid McDonald County.
The donation was executed by the Tyson Noel complex team. Tyson leadership said they were excited to be able to aid McDonald County.

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The Tyson Noel complex donated a $12,400 check to McDonald County Emergency Management to pay for a new rescue boat.