Daily Dunklin Democrat

Community Connections - I'm a Believer

Posted Tuesday, February 26, 2008, at 2:40 PM
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When I was in the 5th grade my dad went to work for the Missouri State Highway Patrol as a drivers' examiner. The only opening they had at the time was in Poplar Bluff, so we moved and my parents soon became good friends with the other drivers' examiners and their families. For a while we were back-yard neighbors with Bill & Irene Warren and their daughter, Patty. Patty and I were huge fans of The Monkees and avidly listened to their music and watched their T.V. show. Like thousands of other girls, we had crushes on lead singer Davy Jones.

Well, you never know what life will bring. Last weekend Davy Jones performed at Casino Aztar and Karen Vandiver, Eva McMahan, Paula Calhoun and I were among the folks who went to see him. I bought the only Monkees CD I could find and for about a week before the concert I drove my husband crazy for not only playing it, but singing along. The concert was great, our crew got Davy's autograph, we had front-row seats and we got to sing along to all our favorite tunes with our fave leader singer. I didn't actually count, but I think they played "I'm A Believer" at least 3 times and every time the crowd sang louder and yelled longer afterward. Even at age 62, Davy's still got it goin' on.

Wouldn't it be great if that kind of enthusiasm could be translated to our community? It's tough sometimes to get excited when we feel that just getting through the day is a challenge. It's also tough to get excited when a great opportunity goes to another town. The industrial prospect that we've been working with for the past few months told us that they have decided to open their new facility in Mississippi, not far from one of their assembly plants. A smart financial decision for them, but not such exciting news for us.

At least Mike Downing, hometown boy, now the Director of Promotions for the MO Department of Economic Development, found out about the expansion and got us into the mix. They visited both the former Emerson building and then the spec building on their initial visit the day after the Delta Fair Parade last year. They returned a couple of months later with their top corporate folks to take a closer look at the spec building and industrial park. Their crew had a fine meal afterward at Sissy's and they left here with a favorable impression of our community. Logistically, though, we just weren't a fit.

What now? Well, we keep at it. I've been with the Chamber for about 6 ½ years now and without exception, every single time I've felt discouraged, dejected, disheartened or downright depressed, the people in this community bring me back. We have a great spirit to survive.

So, Davy Jones, you ain't the only believer. There are lots of folks who work hard every day to help this community be better and that's what keeps me a believer, too….yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!

Comments
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Good for you, more people should have your spunk.

-- Posted by rddogoli on Wed, Feb 27, 2008, at 7:50 AM

Thanks, rd - I come from spunky stock. I also have the good fortune to work with folks dedicated to our area and they help me keep the spunk on..

-- Posted by Jan McElwrath on Fri, Feb 29, 2008, at 1:17 PM

Jan: First of all, as a member of The Trend and one who, along with John T. McMullan, in the 2nd grade SANG "Last Train to Clarksville" in front of Jolene Lamb and God and Everybody, I have to say how mad I am for not having known that Davy was in the area. It seems like only yesterday when Marcia Brady, my obsession in 1973, was obsessing over him!! The Monkees got Macky and I through alot of tedious years of elementary school! Their TV show, as cheesy as it was, was OUR MTV!!

Now.. to the meat of your argument: The crises that face both this country

and small towns such as Kennett are big and numerous--as were the hits that DJ and the Monkees released yo so may years ago. The only way to continue to avoid being left behind is to commit to involvement, which sometimes I think must be your middle name. As Candy and I travel around this local area and the country big and wide, we both agree that a town can be fairly accurately judged by its overall 'look'. Sure Kennett isn't Stepford; but who'd want THAT? For our inherent disadvantages of geography, history, and economy we have more than overcome by simply manifesting that idea of 'community' for all the years that I have known life here.

America is only as Good as its ideas and laws and its people. Flipsidedly it can seem to be as Bad as its 10:00 nightly news.

In my view we Kennettians are faced with the pretty much same issues as our grandparents were: Acknowledge our limitations while rejoicing in the beauty of that knowledge, and try to multiply the good while continuing to subtract the bad (math is my favorite!), which will give us all the closest thing to The American Dream as anyone can hope to attain.

Let us Pursue Happiness ladies and gentlemen!

We have so little time here. Let us refrain from the complain. The 'where' 'here' is just a point on a map. Kennett's history, given our small population , is a magnificent reflection of the FACT that our neighbors throughout history have always seemed to thrive here while additionally seeking to help their/our neihbors do likewse.

Let us not tire.

2008 can be the first year in the 2nd coming of this little bootheel town. Is it too optimistic to believe that you and I and our friends and neighbors can increase our support of this community?!

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS TOO MUCH OPTIMISM?

The New York Giants don't think so.

The 2006 St. Louis Cardinals didn't think so.

Harry Truman didn't think so.

George Washngton didn't think do.

Sheryl Crow doesn't think so.

The men and women who run for office, take all kinds of responsibility on themselves because they care about Kennett don't think so.

If I may be sentimental, my father, Keith Mitchell, has NEVER thought so. In his eyes we're all in a sort of pact with each other: be honest, be diligent, be upbeat, be friendly (wave with 5-fingers!!), and then be something else entirely: BE here. Be here.

Another 'local', Twain, once said something that, loosely translated, goes like this: Show up on time alot and you'll succeed.

Let's take that a step further in Kennett. Let's show up on time alot and offer our collective talents to one another.

We hold these truths to be self-evident. Let us dial down the self and focus for a time on the "we".

Just a thought from the square (to borrow from Edit. Hunt!)

Brian and Candy Mitchell

-- Posted by conovox on Sun, Mar 2, 2008, at 10:38 PM

Thanks, Brian and Candy! I'm a little older than the Trend group, so when I was in 2nd grade my ELY (Masterson to the younger folk) School buddies and I sang "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at recess - while wearing our fabulous Beatles tennis shoes.

I firmly believe that you can never have too much optimism. It sometimes takes as much as we can gather to overcome the negative vibes that seem to float around. I do try to balance optimism with realism - practical application of great ideas.

Right on with the "we". WE are all part of the same picture and we sometimes forget that if the picture is not quite what we'd like it to be.

Your family's long-time commitment to being HERE does us proud. Keep the faith!

-- Posted by Jan McElwrath on Mon, Mar 3, 2008, at 12:31 PM

Well Jan and all the other "Kennett We"s, one of MY 'we's is there in Spirit! And another of my 'we's is there in Mind! It is the 118 lb. part of my 'we's (body) that hasn't arrived back yet... ;-) But the other 2 parts of my 'we' are there quite a bit of the time.

Jan, when 'I' went to Ely, my buddies and I sang "Ghost Riders In The Sky". That kinda describes those of us 'still' as some of us cannot actually be there/here (Kennett) but we are there in spirit and mind.

When you say "It sometimes takes as much as we can gather to overcome the negative vibes that seem to float around", THAT is proven time and time again by you and some of the posters to your blog at the DDD.

Please do keep carrying around the positive vibes for all of us that call Kennett our hometown, thanks for doing so...

Ruth Chambers Holt

-- Posted by Ruth on Mon, Mar 3, 2008, at 2:45 PM

Ruth, it is so great that home folks like you keep us in your hearts. I keep telling people that the cradle of civilization is actually Kennett, MO because it seems that no matter where you go you eventually meet somebody who is either related to someone or knows someone from our area.

When did you attend Ely? My parents are Doris and J.T. Lynn - among other educational vocations, my mother was a teacher & assistant principal at Ely for many years, then a counselor at Jr. High. That spunk is a multi-generational thing...

-- Posted by Jan McElwrath on Thu, Mar 6, 2008, at 3:03 PM

Hey Jan

I attended Ely back in the 40's and I remember several of my teachers, There was a Miss Revele (married later to one of the Haggarts), Mrs. Hester and of course Miss Tatum... Now, Miss Tatum kind of 'made an impression' on her students!!!, in more ways than one if you catch the 'drift'... ;-)

Too bad we do not have more Miss Tatums today in every school across the nation...

I remember some Lynns, in fact one Mr. Lynn rented our farm acerage for a few years. His house was right across from Ely school and I think they also owned a gas station on that corner, across from the Haggard grocery store.

Yes, I agree "that spunk is a multi-generational thing" ... Proof of it can be shown that my spunk may have come from my daddy. See:

http://privateviewing.homestead.com/MarshalDillion...

Seems *I* am STILL working on those 'wooden sidewalks' trying to keep the 'children' from causing problems in Kennett ;-)

You and I are NOT alone when it comes down to inherited 'spunk'. "Ghost Riders In The Sky" is echoing across the cottonfields in the bootheel, even though the strains of the song is a distant memory...

You keep up the good work Jan, Kennett is so lucky to have residents such as you... Thanks again...

Ruth Chambers Holt

-- Posted by Ruth on Thu, Mar 6, 2008, at 3:49 PM

Ruth, LOVE the Marshal's story! And a link to this blog - girl, you're good.

The Lynns that lived across from Ely School were my grandparents, Wilford and Alva.

I was raised that if I got in trouble at school, I got in trouble at home. Now it seems that many times the parents are quick to assume that the teacher is in the wrong.

While I was taught to obey authority, I still cause myself trouble by believing that a blatant obiedience to authority can lead to a lack of personal responsibility. Even when I was younger I would think "but what if the person in the position of authority is wrong?" I tried to teach my kids to respect authority, but use common sense and good judgement, and if you're willing to accept the consequences of sometimes making life more difficult for yourself, challenge authority.

I've always said that my tombstone will read "At least she was never boring..."

As always, thanks for your insight!

-- Posted by Jan McElwrath on Mon, Mar 10, 2008, at 2:39 PM