Community advocates throughout Northwest Missouri attended the 20th Annual Great Northwest Day at the Capitol February 1. Individuals from the 19-county region including representatives from business, education, economic development, healthcare, and government came together to educate legislators on Northwest Missouri counties and to discuss issues that are critical to the region.

This year, Great Northwest Day’s priorities encouraged legislators to:

• support ongoing investment in the buildout of broadband internet to rural Missourians;

• invest in our rural region’s roads, bridges, water, and wastewater projects that are essential to the health and wealth of our region;

• support continued investment in Missouri’s public schools and institutions of technical and higher education; and

• encourage affordable, safe, and reliable childcare by simplifying and streamlining the process to open childcare centers.

Atchison County attendees met with Senator Dan Hegeman and Representative Allen Andrews in their respective offices and participated in the introduction of the Great Northwest from the House floor. Governor Mike Parson was the keynote speaker at the luncheon, and in the afternoon, a panel was held to educate attendees on this year’s regional priorities.

Volunteers from across the region began planning for the event in September of 2021. Community and corporate sponsors provide financial support for this annual project. Sponsors for this year’s event were Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, Mosaic Life Care, Evergy, Allstate Consultants, Cameron Regional Medical Center, Saint Luke’s Health System, North Central Missouri College, Northwest Missouri State University, Missouri Western State University, Missouri American Water, Snyder & Associates, and Olsson.

For more information on this annual legislative event and the 2022 priorities, visit the website at www.greatnorthwestday.com.