Summer of giving: local charities and organizations shine with impactful events and milestones

The months of July, August and September hosted record-breaking events and anniversaries for local charities and organizations. From Rock the Country amid triple-digit heat to Sleep in Heavenly Peace’s bed build, the region stayed busy during the hot summer months.

JULY

Tuesday, July 2

• Brick’s Offroad Park hosted the first visit of the Rock the Country concert series over the weekend despite the sweltering temperatures and record rainfall leading up to the event. It was reported that 40,000 individuals attended the concert. The series will return to Poplar Bluff in 2025.

Saturday, July 6

• The Daily American Republic held its annual Fourth of July Parade through Downtown Poplar Bluff. This year’s parade garnered 80 entries with votes for best floats and vehicles.

Tuesday, July 9

• The Boys and Girls Club of the Heartland announced it gained funding for the new 33,000-square-foot Regional Workforce Development Teen Center. The new structure marks the 25th anniversary of the club chapter and a new regional expansion. The center is set to be completed in 2025.

Wednesday, July 17

• Poplar Bluff hosted the Kayak Adventure Series’ first Ozarkana event. The event featured a kayak fishing tournament and highlighted the importance of protecting the environment.

Wednesday, July 24

• The Poplar Bluff Stage Company was gifted a new Downtown home at 118 S. Second St. by an anonymous donor. The theater group previously had not been able to put on any productions due to lacking a venue.

Saturday, July 27

• The Vietnam Veterans Association Chapter 1056 dedicated a new memorial to those who died during the Vietnam War. Representatives unveiled a new column in front of the Black River Coliseum with the names of Butler County residents killed in action.

AUGUST

Friday, Aug. 2

• Gov. Mike Parson traveled to Poplar Bluff to sign a bill authorizing $150 million in funding for the Interstate 57 project. The money will contribute to the ongoing effort to upgrade Highway 67 South to a four-lane interstate.

Wednesday, Aug. 7

• Recycling Grace broke ground on its new maternity center on Fifth Street. The 2,664-square-foot facility will host six bedrooms for at-risk mothers.

Tuesday, Aug. 13

• Renowned local attorney Daniel Moore passed away the previous Sunday. Respected and loved by colleagues and adversaries alike, his friends said his love of the law was unsurpassed.

Wednesday, Aug. 14

• The Black River Coliseum celebrated its 25th anniversary over the weekend with a bed build by the charity Sleep in Heavenly Peace. The organization set new records in attendance and beds completed. More than 150 individuals volunteered.

Friday, Aug. 23

• After a recount for the razor-thin election for Butler County's western district commissioner, Larry Wells was formally declared the winner. Wells won the election with 666 votes, only two more than his closest competitor.

Friday, Aug. 30

• The Daily American Republic hosted its 2024 Difference Maker Banquet. The Rev. Sandra Mick-Shockey of Recycling Grace was named the Difference Maker of the Year. The event raised $11,199 for the Sleep in Heavenly Peace charity.

SEPTEMBER

Tuesday, Sept. 10

• Three Rivers College hosted an action-packed weekend at Ray Clinton Park for its annual Battle of the Bulls. The event featured a rodeo tournament for riders across the region.

Wednesday, Sept. 11

• Youth from the Boys and Girls Club of the Heartland participated in a 9/11 memorial stair climb. Ten members of the Hillview group climbed 110 flights of stairs to commemorate those lost in the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

Saturday, Sept. 14

• The Union Pacific Big Boy 4014, the largest steam locomotive still in operation, visited Poplar Bluff. Drawing crowds and train enthusiasts from all over despite the rain, the complex piece of machinery stopped to impress onlookers with its clouds of steam and blasts from its whistle.

Tuesday, Sept. 17

• SEMOcon held its 10th iteration of the comic enthusiast event at the Black River Coliseum. Individuals attended in costume and marked the year as SEMOcon’s biggest ever.

Saturday, Sept. 21

• The Mingo Job Corps marked 60 years of providing occupational training and placement assistance. For its anniversary celebration, approximately 120 visitors attended the event.