Tarkio College Alumni Association and Tarkio College Inc. received the Volunteer of the Year award. Representatives (pictured above, left to right) were: John Fisher, John Davis, David Hoffman, Debbie Hoffman, Don Jagger,  and Sheridan Mires.

Quality of Life awards were given to organizations in the community who have helped breathe life back into older or existing establishments in the area, including Karma Coleman and Rachel Meyer with Tarkio Activity Center; Julie Jones, CEO at Community Hospital-Fairfax; and members of the Atchison County Memorial Building Foundation board: Scott Deatz, Bob Jones, Kelly Daugherty, and Gary Henson.

New businesses that were recognized at ACDC’s annual meeting were, from left to right: Ashlynn Lingerfelt, Ashlynn’s Salon & Spa; Megan Ingram, Burlap & Bows, LLC; Chivon Levendahl, Kiddie Cove Daycare; Quin Staten and Mark Staten, Q&M Snowing and Mowing; Mason Straub and Justin Straub, S&S.

ACDC recognized youth members in the community for the #MakeACBeautiful Youth Community Beautification Grant. Recipients were, from left to right: Jadyn Geib, Audrey Dougherty, Ethan Brumbaugh, Sophie Brumbaugh, Ashlynn Meyer, Brynnan Poppa, Bryli Staten, Joaquin Hill, Tate Johnson, and Marisa Hedlund, Fairfax R-3 Guidance Counselor.

The Atchison County Development Corporation (ACDC) held its annual meeting Wednesday, September 25, 2019, at the Fairfax R-3 School.

President Lori Seymour welcomed around 110 guests to the Fairfax School cafeteria, recognizing dignitaries and ACDC’s board and staff. Board member Roger Martin led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and offered the invocation. Guests enjoyed a great dinner by Torrey Pines and dessert by Memories in the Baking.

Dr. Tim Crowley, the evening’s keynote speaker, gave an uplifting talk on resiliency, choosing one’s attitude regardless of circumstance, and finding the bless in the mess. “Life is not what happens to you, but how you respond to it that matters.”

Executive Director Monica Bailey thanked the ACDC Board and Administrative Assistant Carol Clark for all their support and recognized the staff of the Fairfax School for their tremendous help with meeting set-up. She highlighted successes of the past year, including:

• Passage of HB220, which assures that the millions of dollars of tax revenue created by wind farms will stay local. Thanks to those who sent in testimonies or testified in person; special thanks to Rep. Andrews and Atchison County Clerk Susette Taylor for their unparalleled effort.

• Passage of the Economic Development Sales Tax, which funds the ACDC office

• Youth career programs (Careers on Wheels, Youth Professionalism Workshop, AC Job Shadowing Day)

• ACDC 2019 Scholarship recipients: Tyler Brown, Kelcie Gaines, Megan Lee, Madison Lesher, Brock Martin and Grace Martin

• Business Grants given since September 2018: Business Improvement (CB King Rentals, Oswald Crow Agency, Hometown Comfort Crew, Holmes Electrical Services), New Business (Cedar Bluff Lodge, Midwest Chic Boutique), and Special Project (MDT Woodworks)

• Shop AC event, held the Thursday before Thanksgiving, with 25-30 businesses participating

• Support of nonprofits: Northwest Missouri Enterprise Facilitation, Atchison County Battle of the Books, and scholarship to Leadership Northwest Missouri

Tarkio College Alumni Association and Tarkio College Inc. received the Volunteer of the Year award for their collective effort to acquire certification for Tarkio Technology Institute.

#MakeACBeautiful Youth Community Beautification Grant winners were announced. ACDC will be giving a $500 grant to each of these six projects. Because Tarkio Renewal agreed to cover the remainder of the cost of the Tarkio projects ($650 total) and Restore Rock Port will contribute $250 to the Rock Port City Park projects, all grant projects will be completely funded.

Grant recipients were:

• Fairfax 6th Grade Guidance Class will clean the Boy Scout cabin, paint the shelter house posts, purchase items and clean up the bathroom at the ballfield, and purchase new basketball rims for the city park basketball hoops.

• Tarkio FBLA will work on the Doug Summa Memorial Park, purchasing sand for the volleyball court, a volleyball net, paint to repaint picnic tables, mulch for under playground equipment and around the sign, and a tree net swing.

• Tarkio Cub Scout Pack 88 will plant trees in the Tarkio city parks to replace those that have died or been damaged by storms.

• Rock Port Peer Counselors will paint the bathhouse, pool concession stand, park benches, and swing sets at the Rock Port City Park.

• Rock Port Student Council will update the sand volleyball court at the city park by adding sand and purchasing a net.

• Atchison County 4-H Lucky Clovers will power wash and apply weather sealant to all picnic tables in the west, northeast and concession area shelter houses of the Rock Port City Park.

New Business Awards were given to the following:

• Alsup Landscape and More, Tarkio, owner Matt Alsup

• Ashlynn’s Salon & Spa, Rock Port, owner Ashlynn Lingerfelt

• Bressler’s Academy of Martial Arts, Rock Port, owner Eric Bressler

• Burlap & Bows, LLC (apron, wreath, handbag & craft supply store), Rock Port, owner Megan Ingram

• Kiddie Cove Daycare, Tarkio, owner Chivon Levendahl

• Curt’s Custom Creations (wood burned signs), Rock Port, owner Curtis Elam

• Git-r-done Repair Services, Tarkio, owners Jason and Gina Hendrix

• Holistic Resolutions, LLC (counselor), Rock Port, owner Janell Moore

• Morehouse Electrical & Home Maintenance, Tarkio, owner Tim Morehouse

• Perfectly Clean (cleaning service), Tarkio, owner Rachel Graves

• Q&M Snowing and Mowing, Tarkio, owners Quin Staten and Mark Staten

• Rusty Nail Mowing & Handyman, Tarkio, owner Dusty Golden

• S&S (electrical, plumbing and home maintenance), Fairfax, owners Mason Straub and Justin Straub

• The Creative Outlet (art school), Rock Port, owner Courtney Meyerkorth

• Farmers City Title Co. (new name and owner), Rock Port, owner Brett Hurst.

The Business Expansion Award was given to Hidden Beauty, a salon in Tarkio, owned by Brooke Vette. The business moved from a one-room salon to a larger building on Main Street and has added an infrared bed for therapy use to the list of services.

Quality of Life Awards were given to the following:

• Atchison County Memorial Building Foundation, for their amazing “old made new” renovation of the Memorial Building, including Liberty Theatre.

• Community Hospital-Fairfax, for installing an MRI machine, adding Saturday hours at the Tarkio Clinic, and constructing a healing garden (a project funded by the Auxiliary.

• Fully renovated Tarkio Activity Center, a result of stellar communication, cooperation and effort by both Heartland Education Institute and the Tarkio School.

Bob Alldredge, Treasurer, presented financials and reminded attendees that information about these public funds are available at the ACDC office anytime.

Bailey dismissed the group, encouraging them to focus on the good things happening throughout Atchison County: #ACisAwesome!