Walk to End Alzheimer’s
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Branson Landing
100 Branson Landign Blvd
Branson, MO

Registration 9 am / Walk 10 am

No fee, but donations requested. Register online at www.alz.org/walk or at
the event. All funds raised benefit the support, care and research efforts
of the Alzheimer’s Association. All ages welcome!

Point Lookout—College of the Ozarks will host Mr. Bill O’Reilly, host of FOX News The O’Reilly Factor, to speak at a Patriotic Education Convocation on October 10, at 7 p.m., in the Howell W. Keeter Athletic Complex.  Free tickets to attend this convocation are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at www.cofo.edu.

“The College is extremely excited to host Mr. O’Reilly to speak on the importance of patriotic education,” said C of O Dean of Character Education Dr. Sue Head.  “With his ‘no spin’ approach, we know Mr. O’Reilly will spark a desire for those in attendance, especially our students, to further develop their patriotism.”

A journalist for more than 30 years, Bill O’Reilly has now risen to the top of his profession. Monday through Friday on the Fox News Channel, The O’Reilly Factor causes the powerful in America to duck for cover as the rigidly enforced “No Spin Zone” deals with the nation’s most important issues in a straightforward and provocative manner. Blending news analysis with investigative reporting, The Factor has gained international prominence as well – it is now seen in more than 30 countries.

With 12 straight New York Times Bestsellers including The O’Reilly Factor, The No Spin Zone, Who’s Looking Out for You, Culture Warrior, A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity, and Pinheads and Patriots, and his most recent NYT bestseller, Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever; as well as over 5 million copies of his books in print, Bill O’Reilly continues to be a highly sought-after author and speaker.

Mr. O’Reilly also writes a syndicated newspaper column that is carried by hundreds of papers across the USA. Raised in a working class family in the huge housing subdivision of Levittown, New York, Mr. O’Reilly has stayed close to his roots. He still lives on Long Island and his best friends are neighborhood guys. But education sparked O’Reilly’s career. He graduated with a degree in history from Marist College, with a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University, and attained another master’s in public administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Bill O’Reilly has won three Emmy Awards for Excellence in Reporting. He was awarded two National Headliner Awards while working as a national correspondent for ABC News and was honored by The National Academy of Arts and Sciences for his reporting and analysis on and after September 11^th, 2001.

The Patriotic Education Convocation featuring Mr. O’Reilly is sponsored by the College’s Keeter Center for Character Education, which provides convocations and programs that educate the head, heart, and hands of students, as well as the community.

Please join us at The Keeter Center for “Afternoon Tea” on Saturday, September 7, 2013 at 1:00pm. Please RSVP to [email protected] or call 417-690-2122

Convoy of Hope is in Oklahoma offering help. Trucks from the Springfield based charity rolled out early Tuesday morning, loaded with relief supplies. The agency responds to disasters across the globe. Although it hurts even more when one hits close to home, the organization can respond especially fast.

Convoy of Hope staff were mentally preparing, even as the tornado hit. “We watched the storm as it was hitting, and based on those reports, we knew it was going to be pretty significant,” says Kirk Noonan, Convoy of Hope Vice President of Communications.

They actually had a crew in Oklahoma assessing the damage from an earlier storm. “So they just drove on over to Moore, and they saw it and they started phoning back in, and we realized this was going to be a major disaster and that we’d need to move into a full scale response,” says Noonan.

An important part of that response is communication, planning where to send supplies. Convoy staff work with federal, state and local agencies. Noonan says, “In a disaster situation, there’s a protocol that you have to follow, and we like to be a part of that protocol and be helping rather than hurting the community when you go down there.”

Two truck loads of non-perishable food, water, Powerade and other emergency supplies left before sunrise. Their mobile command center also headed to Moore.

“They work with partners on the ground, and we find out where we can be utilized the best to help people most efficiently. Once we get that set up, then we start sending down waves of teams that will help with distributing the food and supplies and also getting involved with some of the debris removal,” says Noonan.

Convoy of Hope staff are prepared to be in the devastated community for the long haul. “Obviously, it’s still developing, but based on the storm track, it looks like it could be a Joplin-sized response, and we’re still, 2 years later, still responding to Joplin. We’re still rebuilding homes there,” says Convoy of Hope Executive Vice President Jim Batten.

Convoy of Hope and other relief agencies have set up easy ways to donate dollars to their efforts. To donate to Convoy of Hope, text the word “Convoy” to 50-555. Or visit www.convoyofhope.org

Help Provide Relief For Oklahoma – JMARK IT Technicians & Staff To Aid Moore, Okla.

Dear Friends,

In order to try to help those impacted by the devastation in Oklahoma, JMARK is putting a team together to go and do what we can to help. We plan on sending 8 to 10 people to do everything from chainsaw work to IT work getting organizations and businesses functioning; focusing on medical facilities that we might be able to help.

We ask for your patience over the next few days while we operate with a lighter team, which may cause some of our response times to be delayed.

If you would like to help, we’re accepting donations through a not-for-profit partner of JMARK’s by the name of CommonWorks. They are a 501(c)3. All donations received will be given directly to families we come in contact with. If you would like to help in any way, please send an email here, and we’ll coordinate with you.

As we are able, we’ll update our Facebook page with information about who we’re helping and provide any images possible. You can find us here .

Sincerely,

The JMARK Support Team

Our Mission – Communication & Restoration

JMARK is sending a group to help medical facilities and the community in
Moore, Okla. to get them back online, donate computers and clear debris.

Departing Springfield, Mo. 5/22/2013

Please Join Us – Email Today

JMARK is working in conjunction with non-profit, CommonWorks, to organize all support for the relief effort.

To help send an email to:

[email protected]

Helping Oklahoma Tornado Victims

Hollister, MO…In an effort to provide relief to the victims of the tornado that ripped through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore and its surrounding area on May 20th, Connell Insurance is organizing an immediate relief effort drop-off point at its office in Hollister, MO.

Anyone wishing to donate non-perishable food items, and/or bottled water, can bring them to the collection point at the Connell Insurance office at 1691 South Bus. 65 in Hollister, MO between the hours of 9AM and 4PM.

All donated items will be delivered by Connell Insurance on Wednesday, May 29th to the Red Cross facility in the devastated area.

For more information, call (417) 334-2000.

College of the Ozarks President Jerry C. Davis will autograph copies of his latest book, The Four Generals of Hard Work U.: Extraordinary Lives of Ordinary Men, during a book signing/reception event on May 27, 1-3 p.m. in The Keeter Center. The public is welcome to attend the book signing/cake and ice cream reception. Copies of the book will be available for sale on site.
Upon learning the inspirational stories of School of the Ozarks alumni Terrence R. Dake, Gary H. Hughey, Jerry W. Ragsdale, and Tommy I. Bell, Dr. Davis set out to write the book.
Recounting each man’s journey from humble beginnings as teenagers attending the work school located in Point Lookout, MO, to the rank of general in the United States Military, The Four Generals of Hard Work U., as General Peter Pace describes in the book’s foreword, “reveals how the same values led four alumni to the very pinnacle of their success.” General Pace, the 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, served in the U.S. Marine Corps with two of the four general officers, General Dake and General Hughey, profiled in the book.
“The fact that such an Ozarks school provided the gateway to prominence for such a level of leadership has always been intriguing,” explains Davis. “It has been an especially meaningful experience to trace the lives and accomplishments and service of four alumni who rose to such high ranks.”
Generals Dake, Hughey, Ragsdale, and Bell assumed heavy leadership responsibilities. General Dake rose to the position of Assistant Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps in 1998. Lieutenant General Gary H. Hughey served as Deputy Commander, United States Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Major General Jerry W. Ragsdale was named Commander of the Texas Air National Guard, Hensley Field in Dallas, Texas, 1987. The late Brigadier General Tommy I. Bell, who was buried with full military honors at the Arlington National Cemetery in August 2011, started out as a fighter pilot with the 71st Fighter-Inceptor Squadron and eventually served his country in the Headquarters of the U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
Davis tells each general’s life story through either their own words or those of individuals who know them well. “The purpose of this book is to relate the extraordinary lives of a few leaders,” said Davis. “Indeed, one does not have to be a general in the U.S. military to serve with honor. In fact, the four generals of ‘Hard Work U.,’ would be the first to point this out, for they know the sacrifice of alumni such as Roy Hopper (former POW), Earl Woodard (Army Air Corps), Kaney Willbanks (former Japanese POW), and countless others who gave their lives in service to America.”
The 234-page book does more than simply tell a story. It is dedicated to Veterans of the Vietnam Era who answered their country’s call and served with honor. All proceeds from the book go toward the College’s Patriotic Education Travel Program, wherein the College sends students to accompany Veterans back to their fields of battle in order to learn about history and sacrifice from the men and women who lived it.
To purchase a copy of the The Four Generals of Hard Work U.: Extraordinary Lives of Ordinary Men priced at $17.95, including tax and shipping, please go to contact www.cofo.edu or call (417) 690-3395.

About the Author:

Jerry C. Davis is President of College of the Ozarks. After graduating from the Berry Schools in Mount Berry, GA, he attended Truett McConnell College in Cleveland, GA, before receiving his B.S. degree from Mars Hill College, Mars Hill, NC; an M.S. degree from the University of Tennessee; and a Ph.D. from Ohio State University. Prior to coming to College of the Ozarks, Dr. Davis served as President of Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, KY.

Boat, RV, Mini Storage
Climate & Non-Climate Available
Units from 5×10 to over 1300 sq ft
Newer Facility
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Security – Including cameras and gate access

Across Street from Table Rock Lake and Less than a mile from Lake Taneycomo.

5403 State Hwy 165
Branson, MO 65616

For Prices, Specials and Availability call Amanda @ 417-612-0752

The Princeton Review just released its guidebook of The Best 377 Colleges, available in bookstores and online. College of the Ozarks was included among Princeton Review’s best. The private, Christian work college also made a few other noteworthy lists included in the guidebook designed to help prospective college students find a quality college that best fits them.

The Princeton Review surveyed 122,000 students from the 377 institutions included in the book to rate their schools on dozens of topics and campus experiences. Sixty-two noteworthy lists in categories ranging from town relations to campus culture are included in the guidebook.

A few noteworthy lists that College of the Ozarks made are:
Got Milk?–#2
Scotch and Soda, Hold the Scotch–#2
Don’t Inhale–#4
Future Rotarians and Daughters of the American Revolution–#2
Town-Gown Relations Are Great–#6
Most Religious Students–#7
Most Conservative Students–#6

College of the Ozarks Students Selling Milk

“This isn’t the first time that College of the Ozarks has been named to the popular Got Milk list,” said Elizabeth Hughes, public relations director. “We are honored to be included in such a select group and recognized as one of the best colleges in the nation by The Princeton Review.”
According to the Princeton Review profile of College of the Ozarks (pg. 184, Best 377), which intertwines direct quotes from students surveyed from the college with its own observations, ”’Partying is almost nonexistent, but students don’t seem to mind.’ They’re happy ‘creating lasting friendships while getting not only knowledge in the classroom setting but also working skills for future jobs.’”
The profile also says that “Students describe the academic experience at this tuition-free, Christian college as ‘very challenging and very rewarding.’”
For more information, please visit www.princetonreview.com.

A Critical Point in Time for CAM Food Pantries

July 11, 2012… Over the past 25 years, Christian Action Ministries (CAM) has helped to fight hunger in Taney County. Currently CAM operates food pantries in both Branson and Forsyth, as well as a monthly mobile outreach to eastern Taney County and an average of five major food drops per year. For several years now, the need has continued to escalate to the point that CAM is now assisting an average of over 1,000 families per month. Those seeking help are provided a four-day supply of nutritionally balanced food for each member of the family. Food drops, sponsored by various grants, enable families to gather a significant supply of food from a semi-truck load distributed at the First Baptist Church parking lot in Forsyth.

According to CAM Board Chairman Jack Burke, “We have been blessed with an extremely supportive community that has enabled us to continually meet the needs and actually expand our services. However we are approaching a critical point in time with the Farm Bill of 2012 that is now being debated in Congress. As it stands, the bill would cut approximately $16 billion dollars from the SNAP Program (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps). Since the majority of the people we help are on the SNAP program, these cutback will put additional strains on our supplies. Estimates vary, but experts predict that 1.8 to 3 million people will be cut from the SNAP program under the cutbacks in this bill.”

Burke went on to explain that there have also been recent cutbacks in the monthly shipments of federal commodities, “Normally we receive 6 to 7 commodity items per monthly shipment. This month it was reduced to only two items and it appears that this shortfall will continue for a while.”

When shortfalls hit the CAM inventory, CAM then proceeds to purchase subsidized food through the regional Ozark Food Harvest bank and/or supplement their stock with wholesale purchases from local food markets. The food bank is the first choice because CAM is able to purchase food for 12 to 18 cents per pound. The alternative of purchasing from retail food stores is considerably more expensive.

That’s where the problem is further compounded according to Burke, “Thanks to generous grants and specific fundraisers, we have substantial credits on hand to buy food from the Ozark Food Harvest. However, they have been hit by reductions as well and their current selection is very limited. That means we have to use cash on hand to buy direct from food stores. Local managers have been wonderful in keeping costs down for us, but it’s still 6 to 10 times more expensive than using the food bank.”

These economic hurdles increase the importance of CAM’s upcoming annual fundraiser, the 4th Annual Gospel Sing-Off to be held on September 2nd at Sight & Sound Theatres.
As Burke explained, “We still need more businesses and organizations to sign up as sponsors for the event in return for advertising in the program. Currently Branson Tourism Center and SIX are key sponsors for the event and we also have commitments from CenturyLink, L&J Plumbing, and the Titanic. But we definitely need more sponsors to help us raise the operational funds we need to continue serving the county.
Then of course we need the community to come out in force and attend the event. My goal is to fill Sight & Sound, which means a little more than 2,000 ticket sales.”

Sponsorship information and contestant entry information can be found at www.christianactionministries.org. Tickets can be purchased through Sight & Sound or Branson Tourism Center. Price is $12 for adults, $6 for children.

This year’s Sing-Off will open with a guest appearance by Branson’s Voices of Glory, top five finalists in America’s Got Talent and a closing appearance by last year’s winners, Southern Raised. Celebrity judges include George Dyer, Jak Knudsen, Monte Schisler, Ronnie Page, and one of the Voices of Glory. Emcee will again be Bob Hubbard of Foggy River Boys fame.

The Sing-Off features 10 finalists competing before a panel of celebrity judges. First place wins $1,500 plus 3 half-hour performance slots at Silver Dollar City on the following day for the closing of their Country Gospel Picnic festival. Second and third place win $1,000 and $500 respectively.

Christian Action Ministries operates food pantries in Branson and Forsyth, as well as a monthly mobile outreach to eastern Taney County communities. CAM is currently serving an average of 1,000 families per month. Anyone wishing to organize a food drive, donate cash, food, or time, can call Pat Davis at 334-1157 or visit the CAM website at www.christianactionministries.org.

Jack Burke
Christian Action Ministries
[email protected]
417-527-8031