Opinion

Taking care of family, friends and neighbors. This is health care in rural America. Rural America is home to 20 percent of our nation’s population. We are blessed to live in the most beautiful areas of our country. We enjoy the fellowship, friendships, and compassion that our big city counterparts may not get the benefit to enjoy due to size and distance. There is something special about serving in health care in rural America that might be described in one word — compassion. There is a difference between empathy and compassion. Empathy is understanding the obstacles, struggles and feelings of another person, but compassion runs deeper. Compassion is doing something to ease that pain or suffering. Taking action is the key ingredient here. Many times over, I have seen rural America step up and do something to help others in need.

It seems there’s some kind of construction around every corner in Monett. From the new middle school building to the new library to the airport runway to new housing, there are no shortage of projects that emphasize specifically the progress, but also the pride, in Monett’s city slogan.

I am not sure there are many professions similar to that of education. The education of our kids places a significant weight on the shoulders of our staff. The adults employed in our school district bear the responsibility of making sure all students are fed, safe and educated. Our cooks will show up before the sun has risen to ensure all students have access to breakfast. After cleaning up, they promptly start preparing lunch for students and staff. I am appreciative of our cooks and the job that they do everyday even when things get tough.

Hello all. For the past ten years, I’ve been the Executive Director of the Monett Chamber of Commerce.

Four months ago, I heard a St. Louis surgeon tell me he planned to stop my daughter’s heart, patch two holes, then start her back up and set her on a path to full recovery.

Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 marks the National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrating the contributions of Americans with ancestry leading back to Spain, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. The last few weeks have reminded me how exceptional our Hispanic traditions are. We are grateful to those who led the path in a prideful fashion. The Hispanic community takes this opportunity to showcase our culture and customs through festivals and local events. We witness the excitement the community receives from what we value the most.

I guess because I just attended my 60th high school class reunion, as well as several other class reunions recently (because I taught for so many years), I have been reminded just how important class reunions can be.

As the director of the University of Missouri’s Southwest Research, Extension and Education Center, I get involved in a variety of projects each day. In mid-September, we hosted more than 1,500 high school students during our Career Exploration Field Day.

Recently, Kyle Troutman, editor of The Monett Times contacted me to see if I might be interested in writing a short opinion column. A quick response in my mind was, NO.

There are few feelings as great as coming up with an ambitious idea, pursuing it and seeing it through with a successful result. Today’s opinion page is the epitome of that feeling.