Idalia, Missouri - An incredible combined event took place today as the St. Joe General Baptist Youth Group and the Trinity United Methodist Youth decided that working together was a good way to double the action for doing good things.  St. Joe played host to the event as a benefit charity was held for The Ben Kruse 18 Fore Life Foundation.

"Our kids have had many of their family members affected by cancer," commented youth worker Richard Vaughn.  "Our kids just wanted to do something that would do something good for others and a chili lunch became a great idea."

Both Trinity and St. Joe have combined for events in the past, with the most recent being a fun filled day of paintball in Blodgett.  As discussion for the "next" event occurred, the groups found they had a conflict with the planned chili lunch being held at St. Joe.  Rather than competing, the groups worked together to join their efforts in hopes of a multiplying the end results. 

"This worked out really well for us all as we had a great crowd of over 250 for lunch and raised well over $2,000 for 18 Fore Life," noted Loyd Rice. 

Following the lunch fundraiser, the group enjoyed praise and worship music performed by a pickup band from both churches.  Tony Thorn and Buddy Heaton were quick to organize a group that included Pastor Greg Stevens (bass), Delisa Sitze (vocals), Laura Thorn (vocals) and youth group member Joe Rice on the drums. 

"I just love to watch my grandson play the drums," commented Barb Rice.  Her grandson, Joe, has youth on his side but is very talented.

Alan Hedrick introduced the featured speaker as a friend and someone with two strong characteristics, his love for the Christ and a huge smile that spreads joy to everyone. 

Greg McCall was a 3-year letterman at Prattville High School in Alabama.  Notably, the Prattville Lions always found themselves in rival games at the end of each season against the team made famous by the MTV series "Two-A-Days",  the Hoover High School Bucs.  McCall won back-to-back state titles by defeating Hoover his junior year and Spain Park his senior year. 

With a highly successful career in high school, McCall was heavily recruited by several division one schools such as Ole Miss, Hawaii, Southern Mississippi and Louisville.  Due to coaching changes prior to the recruitment season, all roads lead to Arkansas State in Jonesboro, where he became a 4-year letterman as a defensive lineman. 

Greg shared that his life was always surrounded with church.  He noted to the youth that "I was a 'drug' baby".  He continued that "my momma drug me to Sunday School, drug me to church and drug me to prayer meetings on Wednesday nights."

His life changed greatly as he arrived at A-State and met two important friends in Tom Castilaw and Chuck McElroy.  His relationship with Chuck McElroy proved to be a life changing experience as he was introduced to a deeper understanding of what following Christ was all about. 

McElroy discipled McCall into a lifestyle of living a full life for Christ and bringing others into that same relationship with the Lord.  (2 Tim 2:2)  He encouraged the youth of both churches to seek that deeper relationship and to realize that "there is nothing new under the sun."  He pointed to Solomon's words in Ecclesiastes 1:9 for the youth to reference.

McCall will entering the mission field with Campus Outreach soon at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee (just south of Nashville).  On a campus of 27,000 students at MTSU, Greg is anxious to begin developing friendships with the young people and mentoring them into deeper relationships with the Lord Jesus Christ.

As a successful athlete at the college level, Greg is often afforded a platform that creates interest from youth.  Greg is a good example for our youth and his willingness to travel to our area to share with our kids was greatly appreciated by all the organizers of the event. 

Campus Outreach requires those called to the ministry develop their monthly income from believers that wish to support his ministry.  Greg is currently at approximately 75% of the necessary monthly support to begin his ministry at MTSU. 

If you have a desire to assist Greg, you can reach him at gmccall@campusoutreach.org or by phone at (334) 451.0960.  You can also click the link below to print a signup form and a pledge card that will be needed to complete your support to him.

Pledge Form:  Click Here

Supporters Information Sheet:  Click Here

Thanks to the God for good men like Chuck McElroy that are driven to build good young men like Greg McCall.  Thanks to God for a young man like Greg McCall that is willing to follow God's leading to go to our college campuses to share the good news of the gospel.  May the blessings of Christ be with him.

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Dexter, Missouri - The Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes the word ‘community’ as a unified body of individuals. As a unified body, it seems as if we share the same struggles, victories, heartaches, and triumphs throughout our daily routines. People come and go and the community may have its ups and downs, but in the end, we’re still ‘a unified body’.

This is a perfect way to describe Gaige Willems. Gaige is the son of Misti and Gerald Willems and is a fourth grader that attends Dexter Elementary. He is bright and athletic and loves to play basketball.

In 2009, another heartache shook Dexter and the Willems family when they discovered that their son was diagnosed with leukemia. With many prayers, Gaige recovered but we are very sorry to say that the leukemia has recently returned and Gaige must take further treatments.

Gaige has been playing basketball at the Dexter Park and Recreation and that is why when his family, friends, and teammates found out about his recent news, they knew that something needed to be done.

On Tuesday, December 4th, Gaige played his last game for the season with his team at the new DPR building in Dexter. It was a bittersweet moment that was heartfelt and hopeful.

Jamie Rowe of Dexter Park and Recreation organized the event in honor of Gaige and his family.  Rowe took the opportunity of handing Gaige a jersey so that he could visually see the support of his teammates and friends.

The jersey is just another way to show Gaige that we are praying, caring, and thinking about him while he goes through this hard time in his life.

Scott Kruse of the Ben Kruse 18 Fore Life Foundation also made an appearance at this special event. Kruse spoke about real champions in the world. They’re not super heroes or NBA all-stars, but they’re people like Gaige Willems, who have survived and thrived even though tough and life changing events have been thrown his way. The 18 Fore Life Foundation is able to support and help people during times of need, just like Gaige and his family. The foundation was created to help people and that is why Gaige was honored at this special basketball game.

Although a basketball jersey doesn’t seem like much, we believe that Gaige will take it to heart and remember that there are so many people throughout this caring community that will reach out to help during his time of need. So, as a ‘unified body’, we hope that Gaige and his family come through this hardship stronger and happier than ever as hundreds of prayers are said for Gaige and his health.

Rep. Jo Ann Emerson announced today that she will be retiring from the House of Representatives as of February 1st of this next year.  Rep. Emerson, who has been serving Missouri's 8th congressional district since 1996, stated that a new position as Chief Executive Officer of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association was the reason for her announcement. 

Just when you thought that the polical ads were complete for this cycle, Rep. Emerson's resignation will create a flurry of political movement among those seeking the vacated position.  A special election will be prompted for the Missouri 8th district seat. 

"I am not leaving Congress because I have lost my heart for service -- to the contrary -- I see a new way to serve," Emerson announced.  "I did not go seeking this opportunity, but I am excited about the new challenge it offers to find ways to promote strong rural policy."

As you may recall, Rep. Jo Ann Emerson was married to U.S. Representative Bill Emerson, a Republican from Cape Girardeau, in 1975.  Bill was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1980 and reelected due to redistricting in 1982 from the 8th District.  He died from cancer on June 22, 1996, a few months before the end of his eighth term.  His wife, Jo Ann Emerson, subsequently ran and kept control of the seat in 1996.

With the retirement of U.S. Senator Kit Bond at the conclusion of the 111th Congress, Emerson became the dean, i.e., the longest-serving member, of Missouri's congressional delegation.

Her strong dedication to the rural and farm communities has served her area well and she worked hard to grow the economy of her district.  She commented that she would "miss" the work with her "constituents" but was very "excited" about this new opportunity.

The Stoddard County Gospel Mission (SCGM) in Dexter has helped thousands of people during hard times and they would like to continue doing that for many years to come. The past three years have been unsteady for the Mission and with all the newer programs starting up in local places, it is hard for the Mission to receive the care and donations that they received in earlier years that helped them maintain their promise and motto “A Helping Hand in a Time of Need”.

There are many new programs in the area that offer food to families and those are great and helpful programs but the problem is that these programs are both regional and national but not local. There are many needs throughout our world and country but we must not overlook the needs in our own community.

There have been many ups and downs at the SCGM just like there has been in many other places throughout the years but the last three years in particular have been slowly sliding down hill. Food donations have slowed down, so SCGM have been facing many different challenges when it comes to low supply and high demand.

A couple of years ago, the SCGM received countless donations along with the ability of being able to purchase or receive donations of can goods and other foods from the Food Bank in Cape Girardeau so they could keep their stock and supply fresh and ready for whoever needed it. Recently, larger organizations that have a broader range of areas that they donate to have been collecting the food that the Gospel Mission used to receive.

The local Wal-Mart in Dexter was also one of SCGM’s main resources for supply. Wal-Mart used to donate day-old bread and other foods that went out of date. The Mission would pick up the food and stock their own shelves so that they could give to the needy. Now, SCGM lost another source that they used to receive from. Wal-Mart is now giving all that leftover food to the Food Bank in Cape just like the other organizations. Wal-Mart would love to keep donating because they know of all the good that SCGM brings to the community but it is simply a corporate ordeal.

The flow of food has slowed tremendously and it has caused SCGM to slow down with it. The food that is being donated to organizations like Feed America and other large food pantries that we often hear about are not reaching our local needs. Our community’s food drives and other types of donations are helping out regional or national places while our local people are not benefitting much at all from our efforts. There is something truly special about donating to other causes like Feed America but we must not forget to help the ones in our community that are also in need.

Donations of food and other goods are crucial to our community. The Stoddard County Gospel Mission has three different branches that are located in Dexter, Puxico, and Advance. In Stoddard County alone, the SCGM feeds approximately 1,200 families monthly. In Puxico there are about 250 to 300 families in Advance, there are about 200 families that benefit from the Mission.

People do not realize that there has been such a need for supplies at our local Gospel Mission and that is why County Wide Insurance hosted a Stuff-A-Truck event with the old Civil Defense Truck. We become a drop off point for a wide variety of foods so that we can offer help to our local Gospel Mission. Our slogan is: “To insure that people have plenty, help the Stoddard County Gospel Mission” and we hope that it is a successful event! You can help bring not only canned goods but frozen and refrigerated foods as well. We hope that this is a great way to jumpstart the Mission and get things flowing again so that our community can stay healthy, strong, and united.

For more information you can contact the Stoddard County Gospel Mission at 573-624-8979.

Puxico, Missouri - US Representative Jo Ann Emerson recently toured Mingo Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center near Puxico.  Representative Emerson is often found visiting with her constituents as well as remaining well informed of the successful programs in our region. 

Job Corps is based upon offering education and training program that help young people learn a career, earn a high school diploma or GED, and find and keep a good job.  Eligible young people that are at least 16 years of age must qualify in order to be accepted into the program.  

Job Corps works to provide the all-around skills needed to succeed in a career and in life.  Those accepted into the Mingo Job Corp program display a high level of respect and determination to achieve their personal goals.

During the course of her visit, Representative Emerson spoke with Health Occupations students Kayla Woolsey and Kristen Medlock, who plan to become Certified Nursing Assistants after completing their Career Technical Training at Mingo Job Corps.
 
Mingo Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center is a residential vocational and educational training program serving students ages 16 to 24, located near Puxico, Missouri. In addition to seven vocational trades, Mingo Job Corps offers GED or High School attainment, driver’s education, and basic health care all at no cost to the student.

The U.S. Forest Service administrates the program in Southeast Missouri and at 27 other centers across the nation. For more information, call 573-222-3537 or visit www.jobcorps.gov.