Representatives from Medalist Sports of Georgia, the Missouri Tourism Commission, and Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder's office visited St. James last week to meet with members of the St. James Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for further planning and coordination concerning the start of Stage 5 of the 2008 Tour of Missouri on Friday September 12. Prior to meeting with St. James' LOC the representatives met with members of the Rolla LOC for similar coordination and planning. More information will be forthcoming on activities preceding the arrival of the Tour and events slated during the two days the Tour will be in the Rolla and St. James area. Volunteers are urgently needed in both locations. To volunteer, call Candace Connell at 265-7013 or email her at cconnell@stjames-mo.org. You can also sign up on line by logging onto the Tour of Missouri website, www.tourofmissouri.com, or the Medalist Sports website www.medalistsports.com.
Monday at City Hall, a check for $10,000 was presented to the St. James Area Community Foundation (SJACF) by Regional Director Dan Marshall and Superintendent of Parks Mark Benton of The James Foundation (TJF). The grant check was presented on behalf of the New York Community Trust, parent organization of TJF, and is to be applied to the costs associated with the on-going pool feasibility study regarding the future of the St. James Swimming Pool.
In addition to the check presentation, Dan Marshall also proudly announced that Maramec Spring Park had been recognized by the Rural Missouri's Best of Missouri competition in the category of "State Parks/Historic Sites." Maramec Spring Park was chosen the winner in the Southeast Region and was the only privately endowed park receiving such a designation. Other Southeast Region winners were Slice of Pie in Rolla and Missouri Hick Bar-B-Que in Cuba. Congratulations to all the employees of Maramec Spring Park and The James Foundation for the honor. I guess our best-kept-secret is finally out.
The Missouri Department of Transportation has announced its 2008 initiative to Clean Up Missouri. April will formally kick off MoDOT's "No MOre Trash! Bash 2008." Individuals, communities, schools, civic groups and businesses are encouraged to identify a neighborhood, a road or street or other public use area to clean up and be recognized for their efforts. For more information on this program call MoDOT at 888-275-6636 or email d9csc@modot.mo.gov.
