Arc of the Ozarks, Branson Christian Church celebrates anniversaries

Linda Light
| Specially for the News-Leader

Arc of the Ozarks celebrates 60th anniversary

The Arc of the Ozarks is celebrating its 60th anniversary, in which it is committed to people with intellectual disabilities and developmental delays.

The public is invited to join the celebration on August 8 at the Timothy Grant Newport Activity Center, 1501 E. Pythian St.

The event starts at 10:00 am, with a light snack and program at 11:30 am.

Branson Church Celebrates 100th Anniversary

Last month, Branson Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) celebrated its 100th anniversary. The church was founded on June 24, 1924 and has been located at the corner of Commercial and College Streets since 1926.

Past and present church members and pastors participated in the June 22-23 celebration, which included an ice cream social, dinner and entertainment at College of the Ozarks, a fellowship breakfast, and a Centennial Celebration Sunday service. A large quilt with squares of names and handprints of members and pastors was presented to the congregation to commemorate the centennial and honor the quilters who have been a vital part of church history.

Branson Christian Church is the second oldest church in Branson, and the oldest in its original location. Learn more at www.bransonchristianchurch.com. Sunday services are at 10:45 a.m.

Guns N Hoses supports BBBS

Get ready for an action-packed night of community spirit on August 10 when the Springfield Police and Fire Departments compete in the annual Guns N Hoses Basketball Game, benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks.

The event will be held at Glendale High School, with doors opening at 6:00 p.m. Arrive early to view the fire and police vehicles on display before the competition begins at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $5 each and children 12 and under are admitted free. To purchase tickets, visit https://bit.ly/gnh2024, pick them up at the Springfield Police Department or Springfield Fire Department, or purchase them at the door.

Presented by the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, this competition goes beyond the field. Both chapters compete to sell the most tickets, all in the spirit of supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks. Every ticket purchase plays a vital role in fulfilling the organization’s mission: building strong communities by connecting local youth with dedicated mentors.

Arvest’s Million Meals raises money for food

Arvest announced that the bank’s 14th annual Million Meals campaign has raised $7,422.25 to provide the equivalent of 37,111.25 meals to benefit Ozarks Food Harvest. Each year, the Million Meals campaign raises funds to feed local communities in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas while raising awareness about food insecurity. Every dollar raised through the campaign provides up to five meals for local hungry families. Monetary donations collected during the two-month campaign were given directly to food partners to help stock pantries during the busy summer months. The bank-wide campaign provided more than 2.6 million meals by donating $524,451 to 85 food partners.

Five other food banks in southwest Missouri also received a total of $11,050 from the campaign. These include Christian Action Ministries in Branson, Harvest Church in Aurora, Least of These in Nixa, L-Life Food Pantry in Lebanon and Webster County Food Pantry in Marshfield.

Mini golf tournament helps Humane Society

The Humane Society of Southwest Missouri will host its second annual Putting for Strays mini golf fundraiser on August 5 at Getaway Golf, 3833 E. Sunshine St.

Registration begins at 5:30 p.m., with a shotgun start at 6 p.m. Cost for a four-person team is $60. Register at putting4strays.givesmart.com.

The Doggy Style Hot Dog food truck will be on site, as well as Getaway Golf’s concession menu and bar.

The event also includes a number of activities including raffles, games, spins of the wheel and more.

Sponsorship is still available. Contact Susan Aromando at [email protected].

Boys Ranch Gets State Funding

Good Samaritan Boys Ranch has received a $635,000 allocation in the state budget to help fund a $1.6 million resource center for youth graduating from foster care. Studies show that 31-46% of youth graduating from foster care will experience homelessness within five years. The resource center will provide 5,000 square feet of office and warehouse space where these young adults will have access to furniture, life skills training, and relationship support to help them create a home environment that promotes safety and well-being. In addition to serving individual youth graduating from foster care, construction of the resource center will also pave the way for expansion of Good Samaritan’s women’s group housing program. By moving furniture from storage to the new resource center, Good Samaritan will be able to improve living spaces, add therapy rooms, and expand the program to serve more youth. Thanks to continued fundraising, ARPA funding from Greene County, and donations from the Sunderland Foundation and Hulston Family Foundation, Good Samaritan Boys Ranch remains committed to providing essential support services to the youth who need them most.