POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — Edgar Harrell, former Marine and USS Indianapolis survivor, spoke at College of the Ozarks on March 30, 2015, in the Jones Auditorium.

On July 16, 1945, Harrell and the crew of the USS Indianapolis transported Little Boy and Fat Man, two code names for the atomic bombs dropped upon Hiroshima and Nagasaki, on August 6 and 9, 1965, respectively.

After delivering the bombs to Tinian, the USS Indianapolis headed to the Philippines in preparation for the main invasion of Japan, but was sunk by two Japanese torpedoes in route. Among the 1,197 seamen on the ship, only 317 survived over the next four and one-half days.

“Mr. Harrell’s story was absolutely incredible,” said C of O student Paul Renyer. “His passion for the story sent a strong message about comradery, survival, and hope. He inspired an entire auditorium of young Americans in under a single hour.”

Harrell spoke to the student body about courage and faith among certain death. The 900 or so troops that survived the sinking of the ship fought thirst, hunger, shark attacks, and more, all while remaining afloat.

“There is no such thing as an atheist in a foxhole, there were no atheists out there, everyone prayed,” said Harrell. “It’s easier to die than it is to live, believe me!”

About Edgar Harrell

Aside from surviving the sinking of the USS Indianapolis and serving the country, Harrell owned and operated the Pella Window Company, Inc., Rock Island, Illinois, for thirty-five years until retiring in 1985. He has served on the board of trustees of the Moody Bible Institute, in Chicago, Illinois, for five years, where he was also a popular Bible teacher and lay minister. He currently resides in Clarksville, Tennessee, with his wife Ola. Harrell now speaks around the United States sharing his experience at sea.

For more information, please call the public relations office at (417) 690-2212.

About College of the Ozarks
College of the Ozarks is a Christian, liberal arts college located on a 1,000-acre campus in Point Lookout, Mo. Christian values, hard work and financial responsibility comprise the fundamental building blocks of the “Hard Work U.” experience. The college earns numerous accolades yearly, including being named the #1 Best Value College in the Midwest for 2015 by “U.S. News & World Report.” To achieve its vision, College of the Ozarks pursues academic, vocational, Christian, patriotic and cultural goals. These goals are mirrored in School of the Ozarks, begun in fall 2012 for high school students, and the S. Truett Cathy Lower School, opened in fall 2014 to K-sixth grade students. Seventh and eighth grades will be added in fall 2015, completing the K-12 model. For information, call the public relations office at (417) 690-2212 or visit www.cofo.edu. Follow College of the Ozarks at www.facebook.com/collegeoftheozarks or on Twitter @CofOHardWorkU

City offers Open House for Local Government Week.

The City of Branson will present a public Open House on Tuesday, May 5th, in celebration of Local Government Week.

Click flyer below for more information

For Immediate Release

Community Resource Fair for newcomers and Spanish-speaking residents to be held in Branson

April 22, 2015, from 5 to 8 pm at Branson High School

Branson, Missouri – April 22, 2015 – “Mi casa es su casa” (my home is your home) is an upcoming health and community resource fair targeting newcomers in the Branson area, including the Spanish-speaking population. The event will bring together representatives from more than 30 different agencies and businesses from Branson and surrounding communities to share information, provide services, and begin to help community members to better understand the resources available in the Branson area.

“Newcomers, and even long-term residents, in the community do not always know where to access the basic and vital services for a healthy and full life,” said Stephen Jeanetta, of University of Missouri’s Cambio Center. “This resource fair is to help build connections in the community.”

The inaugural event will be held April 22^nd from 5pm to 8pm at the Branson High School and will include health, dental and vision screenings, representatives from public utilities, local government, legal services, banking, real estate and other resources that newcomers to the area need to understand in order to become more integrated in the community.

Free refreshments will be available, and activities and entertainment for children include a bounce house, a face painter and balloon artist. Many of the services will be available in Spanish and translators will be available to help connect people to services for those that do not have access to translation.

This project is an outcome of a research project conducted in Branson over the past four years looking at the integration of Spanish speaking immigrants into the broader community. The project explored attitudes towards community integration from the perspectives of the immigrants and the long-term, primarily English-speaking residents. The principle result was that both groups were interested in more integration. The community resource fair is a step in that direction.

For more information contact Maria Valenzuela (417-337-3611)

The best contacts are the event organizers from the University of Missouri.

–          Maria Valenzuela (417-337-3611)

–          Dr. Stephen Jeanetta ([email protected])

Other local contacts include:

–          Sister Francine Koehler, SSND – Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church (334-2928 x105)

–          City of Branson Alderman Patrick Parnell ([email protected])

For 2 nights only, Bill Medley will be in concert at the Starlite Theatre. Appearing alongside this legendary performer will be his lovely & talented daughter, McKenna Medley as this powerful duo delivers your all time favorites. Mark your calendars and be in attendance for Bill Medley and McKenna Medley May 1 at 7:30 pm & May 2 at 2:00 pm only. Tickets are going fast! Book your seats now. Call 1-800-554-7952 or visit Branson.Com

For a limited time, the Oak Ridge Boys are back in town.  Make your way to the Oak Ridge Boys Theatre and catch them while you can.  8 pm shows Tuesday 4/21 through Thursday 4/23.  Seats will fill quickly. Call 1-800-554-7952 to ensure the best seats, or visit www.branson.com