People Are Awesome: Springfield Orchid Society Show opens, CFO offers specialty grants

Linda Leicht
·4 min read

Specialty grants available through CFO

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks is accepting applications for several specialty grants. These programs, supported by field-of-interest endowments, are open now through May 15. The programs are open to 501(c)3 nonprofits or organizations with similar tax-exempt status, such as school districts, government entities and faith-based organizations. They include:

  • Hearld Ambler Fund for Senior Centers Grant Program — $13,000 is available to senior centers in the 18-county SeniorAge Area Agency on Aging service area;

  • Lennie Cloud Fund for the Hearing Impaired Grant Program — $500 is available to a nonprofit within the CFO’s service area to assist individuals with impaired hearing through equipment, programming or training;

  • St. Francis Fund Grant Program — $2,500 is available to support animal-welfare needs in Springfield and Greene County;

  • Smith Atwell Girls Recreational Grant Program — $500 is available to a project that empowers and encourages girls and young women in Greene County to be involved in athletic and outdoor recreational opportunities;

  • Wounded War Veterans Grant Program — $3,000 is available to a project that serves the needs of wounded war veterans in southwest Missouri through equipment, programming or training; For information and to begin the application process, visit cfozarks.org/applyforgrants.

Springfield Orchid Society Show

The 2024 Annual Springfield Orchid Society Show will take place March 16-17.

The 31st annual orchid show is at the Springfield Greene County Botanical Center at 2400 S. Scenic Ave. in Springfield. The theme for this year’s show is An Irish Orchid Melody in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Admission is free. Hours of operation are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. both days.

There will be at least 10 displays on the floor, with more than 350 orchid plants in bloom to view during the show.

Commercial orchid vendors will have plants for sale to the public.

Polar Plunge raises funds for SOMO

The 9th Annual Springfield Polar Plunge on March 2 at Ski Shack has raised $62,926.48, with online fundraising continuing. The goal this year is $65,000 for Special Olympics Missouri.

A total 150 brave men and women from around the area donned Hawaiian-themed costumes and swimwear to take a chilly dip into Ski Shack Cable Park.

Top individual fundraisers are Monique Carriger, Logan Flemming and Kevin Smith. Top team fundraisers are Hot Wings, Springfield Police Department and Branson Schools.

This year’s event was held in conjunction with the Springfield Police Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop D.

Sponsors were Pinegar Honda, Ski Shack, iHeart Media and KY3 at Polar Level, and Gold Mountain Communications and SRC Holdings Corp. at Tundra Level.

For more information about the Polar Plunge, visit www.somo.org/plunge.

Missouri online teacher nominated for award

Missouri Connections Academy gifted teacher and advisor Rhonda Moffit has been nominated for National Life Group’s 2023-24 LifeChanger of the Year award.

Sponsored by the National Life Group Foundation, LifeChanger of the Year recognizes and rewards K-12 educators and school district employees across the United States who are making a difference in the lives of students by exemplifying excellence, positive influence and leadership.

Moffit, a teacher with 15 years experience, was nominated by a parent of a student.

Missouri Connections Academy is a tuition-free online public school for K–12 students across Missouri.

To view Moffit’s LifeChanger of the Year nominee profile, or to nominate someone from your school community, visit www.LifeChangeroftheYear.com.

Donation increases archery scholarships

The Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation has established the Daniel Duncan Archery in the Schools Scholarship Fund, increasing the number of scholarships awarded to student archers at the Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program State Tournament beginning March 2024.

Missouri native and avid conservation supporter, Daniel “Dan” Duncan from Columbia has donated to MCHF, creating a scholarship endowment for the MoNASP State Tournament which will support and encourage Missouri youth archers to build confidence and character through the sport of archery.

Previously, MCHF was able to award $20,000 in scholarships to the top three male and females in both bullseye and 3D at the MoNASP State tournament. Contributors that made this possible comprise of $10,000 from MCHF, which includes the Chip and Teresa McGeehan Archery in the Schools Conservation Fund, and a matching grant of $10,000 from the National Archery in the Schools Program.

Now, with the help of the Daniel Duncan Archery in the Schools Scholarship Fund and an additional $5,000 from NASP, MCHF will be able to award $30,000 in scholarships to the top five male and female archers in both bullseye and 3D at the MoNASP State Tournament. These scholarships are awarded to students to be used for their education endeavors after graduation.

To learn more about the Daniel Duncan Archery in the Schools Scholarship Fund, the MoNASP State Tournament or MCHF, visit the website mochf.org.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield Orchid Society Show opens; CFO offers specialty grants