EDITORIAL: Ten reasons we're proud of where we live

Dec. 21—We couldn't be more proud of all the giving we've witnessed lately.

Not a day goes by that we aren't given information about some local initiative to benefit those in need among us.

We're reluctant to run a list for fear of leaving someone's generosity out, but here's a tip-of-the-iceberg sample:

—Missouri American Water Co. gave $6,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri.

—Jan and Wes Houser recently gave $25,000 to the Hope 4 You Breast Cancer Foundation for early detection of the disease.

—The Kiwanis Club of Joplin presented individual checks of $1,000 to Travis Hurley, advancement director of Watered Gardens, for its Family Life Center; and to Susan Hickam, executive director of LaFayette House of Joplin.

—The Joplin Daybreak Rotary Foundation recently presented year-end checks to a number nonprofit organizations in the area: the Boys & Girls Club, Ronald McDonald House, Rotary Sculpture Garden, Community Support Services, Solace House, Children's Haven, Joplin Miracle Field, and the Joplin School Foundation for Community Gardens.

—Contract Freighters Inc. employees, through the 30th annual Truckload of Treasures campaign, donated contributions totaling $13,400 to eight charities: The Salvation Army of Jasper and Newton Counties, Ronald McDonald House, the Disabled American Veterans, the Joplin Humane Society, the Area Agency on Aging, the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri, Children's Haven and Camp Quality.

Steve Studer, vice president of maintenance at CFI, told us the company had been holding the Truckloads of Treasures campaign for 30 years and had given about $1 million back to the community through these events.

—The Newton County Food Basket Brigade provided 900 families in Newton County with food recently — Christmas dinner, things like a ham or turkey with the fixings, and food staples for two weeks. This was the 36th year for the program. They estimated volunteers received 20,000 food items for the event and around $46,000 in monetary donations.

—Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity received $10,000 from the U.S. Bank Foundation.

—The Joplin Regional Community Foundation recently gave a total of $25,000 to 14 organizations during a ceremony at the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce. Among the recipients: Vita Nova Village, which helps build transitional housing for the homeless that also provides vocational education; the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, the Greater Ozarks Audubon Society, Loving Grace and more.

—Bob Wolfe, who you'll read about in today's paper, owns Always Buying Books and has taken on a weekly project to donate toward negative school lunch balances in the area. He just wrote his 16th check, this one to the elementary school in Wheaton.

—Kansas City University and Bright Futures Carthage each received a $10,000 grant to help provide dental care for students in need in the region. Delta Dental of Missouri contributed $100,000 for the grant program.

—Fellowship Lodge No. 345 and the Masonic Home of Missouri recently made a $45,000 donation to Children's Haven.

Actually, that's 11, and we could keep going. We beg forgiveness for those we missed. It is heartwarming to see such generosity.