OMC Foundation Signature Event Raises $75,000 for the New Women’s Center

The Annual Ozarks Medical Center (OMC) Foundation Signature event, a Wild, Wild West-themed evening, drew a crowd of more than 400 people and raised approximately $75,000 for the all-new OMC Women’s Center. The evening of food, fun, and entertainment was held September 28, at the historic West Plains Opera House.

With this year’s venue change to the historic West Plains Opera House, guests were treated to an event that encouraged festive mingling. Entertainment on the main stage was provided the popular Ernie Biggs Dueling Pianos with Anthony Garner on his guitar in the downstairs saloon, and an enjoyable BBQ dinner was catered by Colton’s Steak House of West Plains.

An energetic live auction was hosted by Auctioneer Billy Sexton with exclusive items being donated by local sponsors and spirited bidding by many attendees which lead to almost $9,000 in contributions.

“We greatly appreciate the support the community has for the Foundation’s Signature Event,” said Carol Silvey, Vice President for Advancement, OMC Foundation. “Thank you to all those who donated auction items, sponsored the event and, of course, to those who joined us for the evening.”
Proceeds from the Wild, Wild West event benefit the OMC Foundation’s Building the Future Campaign, specifically for the new Women’s Center, and puts the campaign at just over the $3 million mark. “2019 was a fun event with a new venue, different entertainment features, and great sponsors! We had such a great time, we’re already planning the 2020 Signature Event,” said Silvey.

The Ozarks Medical Center Foundation, established in 1998 as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) with a local board of directors, serves as a liaison between the donor and OMC to assist the hospital in providing excellent healthcare to the communities it serves. For more information or to make a gift to the OMC Foundation, please call 417-853-5200.

Oregon County Farmers Market Buzz

While it's Craft Event Season here in the Ozarks, (and thankfully, cooler,) be sure and  visit our excellent craft vendors at the Oregon County Farmers Market! Still coming in as well are fresh garden vegetables, and ours is a producer only market focusing on vendors that provide their own products that are grown, raised, or made locally.
 

You will find fresh vegetables and fruit in season, frozen chicken and meat, farm fresh eggs, sorghum, honey, delicious jams and jellies, baked items ready for your table, garden plants, machine embroidered items, lye soaps, and so much more!
 

In addition to the products we offer, the market  encourages patrons to Eat Local, Support Local, to get to know the farmers they are buying from, and where their produce comes from. Educational, fun, free programs for kids of all ages we've put together, with help from our Extension and 4-H folks, have been so popular. We'll be offering more of the same at the end of the month!
 

We'd be happy to know what you, our patrons, would like to see available at the Market, and what programs and information would interest you. Visit our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/OregonCountyFarmersMarket and  leave us a message. We would love to hear from you!
 

We will continue our market through October each Saturday from 9-1 in the Alton City Park & Pool walking park on Tucker Rd. We are easy to find, just south of Alton on Hwy 19 across from E Hwy. Follow our signs to the beautiful park, convenient parking, and graveled pathway. See you at the market!

New Officers for Friends of the Garnett Library Announced

Officers of the Friends of the Garnett Library Executive Committee for the 2019-2020 academic year are, from left, Dr. Surinder Datta, vice president; Dr. Dennis Lancaster, program chair; Carolyn Gerber, president; Linda and Gale Wooten, publicity co-chairs; Kay Garrett, projects chair; and Janet McClure, secretary. Other officers include Sally Watkins, membership chair; Pat Smith, coordinator of “Dessert of the Month” program; and Miriam Ward, event chair. Formed in 1992, the organization helps raise awareness of the services offered by the library and its needs. They meet the second Friday of each month from September through April. For more information about meetings or how you can join, call 417-255-7940 or email FriendsofGarnettLibrary@MissouriState.edu. (Missouri State-West Plains Photo)