The theme for the Missouri Community Betterment 2016 Fall Conference and Houston onsite review is “Transformation and Preservation.” Judges with the statewide program will visit Houston the week of Sept. 12.
Transformation – The act of changing, altering, overhauling, reconstructing, remodeling, reshaping, redoing, rebuilding, reorganizing, rearranging, modifying. A complete or major change in something’s appearance, form, etc.
Preservation – The act of protecting, maintaining, retaining. The act of keeping something as it is, esp. in order to prevent it from decaying or to protect it from being damaged or destroyed. Reclaiming, reusing, upholding, conserving, restoring.
Often times in rural communities growth and community betterment occurs not by something new being built or brought in, but in transforming and/or preserving something already in existence. We see it all the time; restoration of an old school, church, courthouse; transforming a building that no longer serves the community into a thriving structure that brings communities together.
In today’s world of utilizing what we already have to maintain the earth’s resources, transformation and preservation are becoming more popular and/or necessary all over the world. Many communities have been recycling, re-purposing and reusing their resources long before it became recognized as “green” living.
MCB communities have showcased examples of transformation and preservation since its conception in 1963 and will continue to do so for years to come.
The Community Betterment and Arts Council of Houston is a participating member of Missouri Community Betterment. The group pays $250 to participate in the yearly judges visit to evaluate successful community projects by showcasing five adult projects and two youth projects.
The Houston 2016 projects that will be visited by the judges during the week of Sept. 12 will be the: Houston Community Kitchen, Elaine Campbell; Lone Star Annex, Brad Gentry; Pregnancy Resource Center of South Central Missouri, Debra Stockard; Lynch-Tweed Civil War House, Jackie Smith; Texas County Food Pantry solar panels, Tanya Pacheco; and youth projects, Amber Lange. In preliminary submittals projects listed an estimate material and labor dollar value to the community. The Houston projects totaled more than $307,000 cost to the community which included $135,000 in grants. Other costs included donations from community groups and businesses.
In addition to Houston projects, Makayla Koch has been nominated for a Youth Leadership Award.
Houston will be evaluated along with five communities that are in the same population category. They will receive an award given out at the Oct 23-24 meeting in Columbia. Houston will have five adult representatives and the Y.O.U.T.H. representatives at the meeting. Makayla Koch is the state president of the Missouri Community Betterment Youth organization and Elaine Campbell is a state ambassador.