Roper Kia's 7th annual donation to the Children's Center

JOPLIN, Mo. — A near decade-long tradition culminated with another batch of generosity today in Joplin.

For the past 7-years, Roper Kia has used the month of April to help the Children’s Center of Southwest Missouri.

April is Child Abuse Awareness Month.

Roper collected toys from customers — enough to fill a vehicle in the lobby — and also set aside a portion of the proceeds from each vehicle sold last month.

$15,000 is going to the Center.

The toys will be used as comfort items for the kids who come through its 4 locations — Joplin, Nevada, Monett, and Butler.

“It means everything to us, you know. We are funded about two-thirds by grants, which leaves us about a third we have to do with fundraising and so we couldn’t do it without these important community sponsors that we have to help us keep our mission going,” said Matt Stewart, Children’s Center.

“We’d really like people to take away that there are a lot of good nonprofits out there doing a lot of great things, and so if they can really get behind somebody and give them a good solid push, that would be what we’d want to do as an example, and just so as a business here in the community we want to do that,” said Jack Frost, Roper KIA.

The Children’s Center is hosting a 25-year celebration at its Joplin facility on Wednesday, May 25th. It runs from 11 to noon — and will be open to the public.

Rare creature washes out of Neosho Fish Hatchery

NEOSHO, Mo. — A rare creature washed out of the spring at the Neosho National Fish Hatchery last week.

This “bristly cave crayfish” normally doesn’t see any daylight, as they don’t have eyes, but during the heavy rains last week, he was washed out of his cave. The biologists at the fish hatchery would not have been able to put him back in the cave because the water would flush him out again.

Bristly cave crayfish are white and blend in well to hide in darkness.

Hatchery officials say he has gotten to be pretty popular.

“But he’s rather famous. Lot’s of folks have stopped by the hatchery to see him. And we here have been babying him and hand-feeding him so, he’s turned into a little big of a celebrity, so I would very much like to have him on permanent display, as long as that keeps him healthy,” said Jennifer Cutillo, Education Coordinator and Outreach Specialist.

He has been relocated to an aquarium tank at the hatchery, where visitors can see him.

In case you’re wondering, officials have not yet given him a name.

Joplin business celebrates 150-year milestone

JOPLIN, Mo. — The parent company of a Joplin business is celebrating a major milestone.

Binswanger Glass is now 150-years old.

The location in Joplin is near 10th and Rangeline. The company was started in the aftermath of the Civil War in Richmond, Virginia by Samuel Binswanger. And, what began as small retail glass store is now the largest glass installer in the country.

The company has 50 locations in 12 states and employs more than 800 fulltime employees. It has had a presence in Joplin for more than two decades.

“Shower doors of course, anything as far as auto glass, side glasses, back glasses, front glasses, anything like that, commercial work. We put in commercial door, commercial framing, from small products all the way to the largest ones,” said Bob Ray, Joplin Branch Manager.

Ray says a growing number of products are made of glass and sold at the store.

In case you’d like to join a company with such a long history, ray says the location in Joplin is hiring and no prior training is necessary.

Several "firsts" for 2022 Joplin Memorial Run

JOPLIN, MO – At 6:45 a.m. Saturday morning (5/7), more than 1,600 runners took off from the Start/Finish line of the “Joplin Memorial Run” at 26th Street and Maiden Lane.

All of the runners participated in one of four events: The 5K, 10K, Relay and Half-Marathon.

Those in the initial “sea” of people were made up of men and women from nearly 20 different states, including some from other countries.

One out-of-town runner was Detroit, Michigan resident, Debbee Lotito.

Lotito made the 800 mile trip so she could celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend with her mom, who lives in Joplin.

Since the Memorial Run was scheduled during Lotito’s weekend trip to Joplin, she made the decision to become a first time race participant.

“I have a goal before my fifth birthday this year, and it is to run a whole marathon. I didn’t think I could do a whole one, considering I just started out running over the last couple of years,” said Lotito.

SLIDESHOW: Photos From The Record-Breaking “Memorial Run”

Participants in this year’s Memorial Run had a new course layout to look forward to; one that created a better experience by requiring less turns which resulted in a more streamlined flow.

“I wasn’t anticipating all of the hills, which was a real bear, but it was a great challenge anyway and so now I know what to look forward to in the future,” said Lotito.

This morning’s run required over 30 law enforcement officers from around Jasper County, who assisted with traffic control and made sure all participants were safe throughout the course.

Several hundred volunteers were also needed to ensure the area’s largest running event would go smoothly.

“Here we are, literally running like the wind out there, as much as I hate to say it this way, but an EF-5 is complete destruction, and when you’re out there, when you’re running, you kind of have to have that same mentality of just blowing through it,” said Lotito.

Bentonville, Arkansas resident, Erin Edminister was the first to cross the finish line this morning, after running in the half-marathon.

Her total run time: 1:18 minutes, which set a new course record.

Edminister was also the first woman ever to win the Joplin Memorial Run.

“I cried when I crossed the finish line, I still can’t believe I did it. The whole time I just saw the finish line in my head, that was my goal was to get through it injury free, which I did, and I was exhilarated and I just managed to accomplish a goal that I’ve been waiting to do for quite a while,” said Lotito.

While today’s runners are still recovering from the challenging race, planning for the next Joplin Memorial Run in 2023 is already well underway.

“Oh, I’ve already started. I start a year before for sure. It’s not heavy, but we’ve got to get started on it for sure,” said Ruth Sawkins, Race Director for the Joplin Memorial Run.


An Overview of the 2022 Joplin Memorial Run

Action 12 News Reporter, Jessica Djukic was also at today’s event. Her story on the 11th annual Memorial Run, can be viewed HERE.

Several fury friends added to local fundraising event

NEVADA, Mo. — Several cats and dogs from a local animal shelter strutted their stuff tonight (5/6) for a good cause.

The Nevada/Vernon County Chamber of Commerce held their first “Pawject Runway” fundraiser.

The Chamber holds a fundraiser each year, however, this was the first one that featured local animals up for adoption.

The cats and dogs who showed off during tonight’s fundraising fashion show were from the Nevada Animal Shelter.

While dressed in attire made by several area boutiques, one animal after another was escorted to center stage for their “cat walk.”

After the “Pawject Runway” show, a silent auction, appetizers and a live DJ helped to carry the event into the evening hours.

Executive Director of the Nevada/Vernon County Chamber of Commerce, Sheree Gayman, tells how she came up with the “Pawject Runway” idea for this year’s fundraiser.

“I am actually from Charleston, West Virginia, and I was a part of the animal shelter board when I was there, and we did an event called, ‘Tuxes and Tails,’ every year, and I wanted to do something like that, but more casual, more open and more laid back,” said Gayman.

Tonight’s fundraiser took place at the Nevada Elks Club, and proceeds from the event will go to both the Chamber and the Nevada Animal Shelter.

Watch The “Pawject Runway” Show

You can watch the entire “Pawject Runway” show, HERE.

Once you’ve reached the linked website, tap the “ON DEMAND” tab, and then select “Pawject Runway” from the selection of videos.

Tonight’s animal show was live streamed by “Nevada MO TV.”

You can check out their Facebook Page, HERE.

McDonald County Teacher of the Year

SOUTHWEST CITY, Mo. — An area teacher is given one of her district’s highest honors for helping students play catch up with some of their classmates.

Succeeding in school can be hard enough, even when you speak English.

“Happy Cinco De Mayo ladies,” said Audrey Cloud, McDonald County Teacher of the Year.

Helping students that don’t to pick up that language as quickly as possible is what Audrey Cloud does for a living at Southwest City Elementary.

“Worthy of notice or attention, very good, very good,” said Cloud.

And according to Denisa Douthit, the principal at the school, Cloud does it exceptionally well, which is why she is the McDonald County Teacher of the Year.

Southwest City Elementary teacher, Audrey Cloud, leads an English lesson with students

“Mrs. Cloud is such an important piece to Southwest City and to McDonald County as a whole. She serves as a mentor to new teachers, she serves as a mentor to other ELL teachers in the district. We’re just lucky to have her as part of our team. She’s an important part of our PTO so she works closely with the parents and community members and the school staff,” Douthit said.

“A lot of times we do pull those students out of the classrooms and give them intense training on English language,” Cloud said.

She’s an ELL, or English Language Learner, instructor at Southwest City Elementary.

So how important is the role she plays? Well, in some schools in the McDonald County School system, students speak as many as ten different languages.

“They are bringing a lot of culture to our schools and we are thrilled to have them and I specialize in helping them catch up to their English speaking peers,” added Cloud.

And the quicker her students pick up English, the sooner they too can excel in the classroom and beyond.

"Guns & Hoses" fundraising event sets new record

JOPLIN, Mo. — A weekend benefit basketball game and event venue set a new record with the amount of money that was raised.

(4/30) Saturday night’s 5th annual “Guns and Hoses” benefit basketball game between the Joplin Police and Fire Departments, raised more than $15,000, with several pledges still expected to come in.

With those extra pledges, the final amount raised from the one night event is expected to surpass $20,000, said Sarah Coyne, Coordinator of Bright Futures Joplin

The Guns and Hoses benefit game and event night, held at Joplin High School, is the biggest fundraiser of the year for “Joplin Bright Futures.”

Half of the proceeds from last Saturday are going to scholarships in the names of two recently fallen Joplin Police Officers: Corporal, Ben Cooper and Officer Jake Reed.

The other half of the proceeds from the 5th annual Guns and Hoses benefit basketball event, will support all initiatives of Bright Futures Joplin; helping to provide the basic necessities every child needs in order to do their best at school.

To learn more about why the Guns and Hoses fundraiser is so important for impoverished kids that attend Joplin Schools, click HERE.

You can also click HERE to read the 2022 Guns and Hoses preview article, found on Fourstateshomepage.com.

KCU Joplin twins graduate med school

JOPLIN, Mo. — Teachers at an area school have been seeing double the last few years.

Morgan and Alexis Clare are finishing up their fourth and final year of medical school at Kansas City University in Joplin.

The identical twin sisters were born in Korea before being adopted by a couple from the United States when they were only a month old. Since then, they’ve attended the same undergraduate and graduate schools before being accepted into medical school.

“Obviously with your twin sister, going through everything together, you always have a partner, you always have a teammate, you always have someone who’s going to go to bat for you no matter what,” said Morgan.

“Going through the same clinical rotation, she would be on a rotation and she would give me all the questions that the attending asked her. She’ll be like ‘here’s the answers,’ so when I go 1. I look like a rock star and same thing you know, like she said we’re always supporting each other we’re always each other’s biggest advocates,” added Alexis.

The sisters both plan on being surgeons and are going to the same hospital in Michigan for their five year surgical residency.

Local bakers find themselves at "war"

JOPLIN, Mo. — Local bakers found themselves at “war,” going head-to-head with their best desserts which was all for a good cause.

Ten bakers competed for the “most tasty” and the “best decorated” desserts at a fundraiser called “Desert Wars.”

Tuesday night’s event (5/3) at Grace Baptist Church in Joplin was the first fundraiser for Joplin’s Medical Loan Closet.

Tickets were sold to the public at $10 a piece, so that all of the tasty treats could be sampled.

At the end of the event, the winners of the two competitions auctioned off their most tasty and best decorated deserts, with all of the proceeds going to the Medical Loan Closet.

“I didn’t have expectations because I’ve never done this before, so if somebody asks what my fundraising goal is, I’m like, ‘I don’t know, because I’ve never done a fundraiser,’ so that’s what I always tell people is that this challenges me at every step; to do things I don’t know how to do. So, I’m thrilled and I love when I see people that I don’t know, that I didn’t directly invite, that I didn’t directly harass to come. I’ve seen several people that I do not know and that’s what shows me that the word is getting out,” said Nicole Watson, the Director of Joplin’s Medical Loan Closet.

The Grace Baptist Church Medical Loan Closet serves the Joplin community by loaning durable medical equipment to those in need, regardless of insurance or financial status.

Stapleton students donate to Ronald McDonald House

JOPLIN, Mo. — A year’s worth of collecting pays off for students at an area school, and the House That Love Built.

Students at Stapleton Elementary in Joplin have been collecting tabs from soda cans since the start of the school year. They donated them to the Ronald McDonald House, all 108-pounds of them. The tabs will, in turn, be recyled and the House will receive the money.

But this isn’t the first time students there have done this, the tradition goes back over a decade.

“And we get buckets and they have to fill them as much as they can and we have like extra buckets so they can fill up more and then the class that wins from every grade level then they get like a treat or something,” said Annelise Casey, Stapleton Elementary 5th Grade.

“It feels really good to help others, so it feels really good to be able to have the feeling of it helping families,” said Reagan Porter, Stapleton Elementary 5th Grade.

Not only did students collect pop tops, fifth graders also learned the history behind the organization and the role the facility’s play in the communities they serve.