The December meeting of the Sedalia Area Chamber of Commerce breakfast club was held Thursday morning at Best Western and featured an update from Sedalia-Pettis County United Way.

Staci Harrison, SPCUW executive director, was one of two speakers for United Way Thursday. Campaign Chairman Phillip Mefford was the other.

Harrison said that the United Way continually strives to improve the economic stability, education and health of Pettis County residents, adding that the median income for Pettis County is $10,000 below the state average. "Collectively, we can work towards a common goal," Harrison said.

The 2016 Day of Caring event held October 22 was a success, drawing 450 volunteers, Harrison noted.

Mefford, in his speech, said that 94 cents out of every dollar given locally to United Way stays in Pettis County. He noted that the current campaign, Give Where You Live, is about 85 percent complete. This year's goal is $506,250. "We are finishing up our campaign ... we're continuing to get the word out and we have a very good campaign team; they're working very hard and they're following up and tying up all the loose ends," he said.

Helping raising the median income in the county, a goal of the United Way, is achieved by early education and community impact funding to help break the cycle, Mefford noted.

The SPCUW serves 19 agencies, he noted.

Chris Stewart, chair of the Community Impact Committee for United Way, expressed her appreciation for funded partners and donors. "We think the community impact model is what the future is for our Sedalia-Pettis County United Way. We have focused very hard on identifying what we think are some of the core problems here in our community and it is only with all of us working together can we really make a dent in those," Stewart said.

Angie Thompson, executive director of the Chamber, was pleased with the attendance at Thursday's breakfast, which not only included updates from several community leaders, but also an ugly sweater contest.

Looking forward, Thompson said she is always welcoming new members to the Chamber with ribbon-cutting ceremonies and also welcoming the new President, John Meehan, who is taking over for Karl Kramer, who served two-and-a-half years in that capacity.

 

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