Dexter, Missouri - The tickets are sold, the food has been ordered, and the awards are waiting to be announced. It's going to be an exciting evening!
Hillary Starnes, Dexter Chamber Director, is pretty eager about this year's awards event. It will be her first of many she hopes. There is no theme this year, just business attire. Bring your appetite because the food will be delicious and the event will feature a Cake Buffet.
"It's going to be a thrilling and electrifying evening for our Chamber Members and their employees," commented Starnes. "We have sold more than 220 tickets and will be the largest crowd ever for the Chamber event."
Doors will open for the banquet at 5:00 p.m. and the event will begin at 6:00 p.m.
The ShowMe Times will post photos of all the winners for Business of the Year, Industry of the Year, Educator of the Year and Organization of the Year following the banquet.
Photo credit to Dee Loflin, ShowMe Times manager/editor. Shown in the photo is Dexter Chamber Director Hillary Starnes.
Sikeston, Missouri - Carrie Huggins was named the 2015 Employee of the Year at Bootheel Counseling Services & Family Medical Clinic.
She is the Stoddard County Office Manager and has been with the agency for seven years. Huggins was chosen by her peers because of her attention to detail, friendliness to staff and consumers, good work ethics, and her willingness to always try to do the right thing.
Carrie, her husband Brian, and their four children, Brianne, Bryson, Brooklyn, and Braden live in Dexter.
Sikeston, Missouri - Steve Hughes was chosen by his co-workers as Bootheel Counseling Services Employee of the Month for December 2015.
Hughes has been with the agency for over 16 years as a Community Support Professional. His co-workers have described him as empathetic and caring to consumers, always willing to lend a hand, someone who goes above and beyond and has the BCS consumers best interest at heart.
Steve is also described by his co-workers as very humorous and always having a smile on his face.
He and his wife live in Morehouse, Missouri.
Dexter, Missouri - The Regional Healthcare Foundation in Dexter has once again offered to provide the volunteers free use of the Cox Corner building at the corner of Walnut Street and Business 60 in Dexter.
The volunteers are Jack Norman and Earl Young. The Free tax returns will be provided through the University of Missouri Extension Service in conjunction with the IRS VITA/TCE Programs.
Norman and Young will be on hand every Monday and Thursday from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. beginning Monday, January 25th through April 14th. Returns will be e-filed the same day they are completed. Tax returns will be completed on a first come, first served basis. No appointments will be scheduled.
Tax volunteers remind those who plan to use the serve to bring with them all information regarding income, proof of identification, and social security numbers for everyone on the tax return. They also remind citizens that they will be asked whether they have health insurance.
If their insurance was purchased through the marketplace, then a 1095-A must also be completed.
Dexter, Missouri - The Elks Lodge in Dexter sponsors an American Essay Contest each year. This year the topic was, "What I Can Do to Promote Americanism and Love of Country."
Elks Americanism Chairperson Randy Northington presented three students with awards for their essays. Division II (7th and 8th grade students) First Place are AnnMarie Long, Second Place Blair Rogers, and Third Place McKayla Maze.
Winners will be entered at the District Level, if they are successful, then the State Level of competition.
Below is T.S. Hill Middle School 8th grader, AnnMarie Long's essay. She won first place. Her essay is entitled, "What can I do to promote Americanism and Love of Country."
There are many ways to promote Americanism and love of country. Most of the ways I can promote Americanism are relatively simple. Here are a few ways.
I can promote Americanism and love of country by teaching children more about America. Kids need to know how great our country is and how we have all of these amazing rights that we wouldn’t have if we lived in another country. We take for granted all of the lovely things we have here in the United States. Children don’t know why we have these things and how lucky we are to have them. if we don’t teach kids how lucky they are now, how will they tell their kids when they’re older? This is one way I can promote Americanism and love of country.
Another way I can promote Americanism and love of country is by showing the people who served our country that we appreciate everything that they’ve done. We should do this to thank them for protecting our country.
I can also promote Americanism and love of country by respecting all of the symbols for our country. This is an easy way to promote Americanism. I can do this by taking off my hat during the National Anthem or the Pledge of Allegiance. I can also do this by not talking badly about the flag or the National Anthem. We can all do these things
These are all ways I can promote Americanism and love of country. We all need to try to promote our love of our awesome country.
