• Student must complete application and submit one letter of recommendation.
• Student must commit to attending each session.
• Pay a $25.00 program fee (due July 5, 2024)

• To encourage students to realize their own potential and develop their leadership skills.
• To develop young leaders who will be challenged to apply their new skills through interactions with community leaders, decision makers, and peers from other schools in the area.
• To create an environment that nurtures potential young leaders to participate in school/community service and volunteerism.
• To increase personal and community awareness.

Sponsorship Opportunities

You will find the 2024 sponsorship opportunities link by selecting the icon above, please take a moment to review. There are many events/programs that can provide your business with advertising and promotional benefits. Submit your completed form to insure your investment with the Chamber. In the event we don’t receive your form we will be calling to verify your participation for the coming year.

Click Here for a schedule of 2024 Chamber events.

We understand that there are many ways to spend your advertising dollars; we hope you consider the Chamber when making your annual budgets. If you have any questions please give us a call at 573-336-5121 or send us an email to chamber@wsrchamber.com.

Submissions for Weekly Update

All submissions for the weekly update need to be sent in written format with a summary of information to include contact information (no flyers or PDF) by Thursdays at 3 p.m. Email information to chamber@wsrchamber.com. If you are interested in advertising with a PDF click here for additional advertising opportunities.

Request for Door Prize Items to be given at Command Orientation

The Chamber is represented every Thursday at Fort Leonard Wood's Command Orientation and gives welcome bags to all new incoming families. Organizations that participate give a door prize in the form of a gift certificate or goodie bag. We are requesting some gift certificates or promotional items that could be used to donate as the door prize. Please bring by your donation to the Chamber during business hours. We thank you for your continued support.

April Newcomer Spotlight

The Carey Heitman State Farm Insurance office is proud to serve St Robert, Waynesville, Fort Leonard Wood, and the surrounding Missouri areas with Auto Insurance, Home Insurance, Condo Insurance, Renter’s Insurance, Business Insurance, Boat Insurance, Motorcycle Insurance, ATV Insurance, RV Insurance, Life Insurance and Financial Services, with a focus on resident relocations to Pulaski, Phelps, Texas and Laclede County area.

My team of licensed Insurance Professionals is here to help get you Insurance coverage for your specific needs. We are also able to assist small business owners with their Commercial lines of Insurance.

Give us a call at (573) 336-3990 today for a free Car Insurance, Home Insurance or Life Insurance Quote!

Visit www.careyheitman.com for more information.

Fort Leonard Wood Command Orientation

74 bags were handed out in April 2024.

If you haven't had a chance to bring promotional items to the Chamber to be put in Newcomer Bags, don't miss out! Newcomer bags are handed out every week to incoming permanent party service members arriving to Fort Leonard Wood. Bags are packed every Wednesday. Chamber members, take advantage of this free opportunity!

The Chamber volunteers hand out bags each Thursday to all new permanent party and families arriving. Newcomer Materials can be brought to the Chamber Office every Tuesday to be included. We are handing out between 30-40 bags a week. This is an exclusive benefit to Chamber members only.

Upcoming Ribbon Cuttings

Ribbon Cutting for Jade Realty - May 29th at 11 a.m. to celebrate their remodel at 920 Missouri Ave., Ste. A in St. Robert.

eGuidon

More stories are at https://www.army.mil/paowood.

Past issues of the eGuidon can be found at https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/Garrison/pao/eguidon.

Free sports physicals

Free sports physicals for Waynesville High School and Waynesville Middle School students are being held May 28, and May 29, from 1:15 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the COMC clinic at East Elementary. Appointments are not required. Please see the flyer attached for more information.

Shoes from the Heart donations

Shoes from the Heart grants "instant access" to shoes by installing shoe closets in schools across Missouri. With the help of local sponsor Lisa Ellis, owner of Next Home Realty, Shoes from the Heart installed a shoe closet at Waynesville High School, donating 24 pairs of new tennis shoes on May 9, 2024.

Middle School Football Camp May 20-23

Middle School Football Camp will be held May 20-23, 2024, from 3 to 5 p.m. For students currently in grades 6 and 7 (and will be going into 7 and 8 this fall) Cost is $15.

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/Z3M2Sk616wixd3vd8

Payment Link: https://www.msbtickets.com/Athletics/schoolevents
For more information, please contact Athletics at 573-842-2450.

Elementary Soccer Camp to be held for students ages 8-12

Elementary Soccer Camp May 28-30 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. ($25)
For students ages 8-12 years old. Cost is $25.

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/vcebWbA5UM7bcB31A

Payment Link: https://www.msbtickets.com/Athletics/schoolevents

If you have any questions, please call 573-842-2450.

Kindergarten kickoff and enrollment

Kindergarten Kickoff was held on May 1, 2024, with a packed house of parents and students preparing for the start of their kindergarten school year. A popular spot was the "signing" table where students wrote their names and posed for photos.

Kindergarten enrollment is under way in the Waynesville R-VI School District online at https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/Page/13356. This is for students who will be enrolling as kindergartners at East, Freedom, Partridge, Thayer and Wood elementaries.

If you have a student eligible (see eligibility requirements below) for kindergarten in the 2024-25 School Year, you will need the following documents:

A. *Child's birth certificate

B. *Proof of residence: Any ONE of the following documents in the parent/guardian's name meets the state's proof of residence requirements:
1) property tax statement
2) utility bill/agreement (must be dated within the last 60 days). Utilities include water, electric, trash, gas and home phone/internet. Cell phone agreements may not be used to meet this criteria.
3) real estate contract
4) rental agreement/receipt
5) military housing contract
If you have questions about these documents, please contact 573-842-2092.

C. *Child's shot record*
If your child has not already received the 4-6 year old immunizations, here are the vaccines your child will need:
o Diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis) (DTaP) (5th dose)
o Polio (IPV) (4th dose)
o Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) (2nd dose)
o Chickenpox (Varicella) (2nd dose)
These shots must be administered on or after their fourth birthday.

D. Legal documents (for special circumstances/ e.g., custody, guardianship, etc.)

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible to attend kindergarten, a student must be age 5 before Aug. 1, 2024. According to Missouri law, a child is eligible for admission to kindergarten if the child reaches the age of 5 prior Aug. 1, 2024, or if the child is a military dependent who has successfully completed a state-accredited pre-kindergarten program or has attended a state-accredited kindergarten program in another state. Please note there are no exceptions made to this state law.
If you need help or have questions, please call 573-842-2092.

NOTE for WILLIAMS and PARKER Early Childhood Center students:

Williams Early Childhood Center and Parker Educational students who will be attending kindergarten in the Waynesville R-VI School District this fall will not need to complete the online enrollment process. The records of Williams and Parker students will automatically move forward to the elementary schools for those eligible for kindergarten.

Screenings for Pre-school age children

May and July screenings for pre-school children ages 3 and 4 who live in the Waynesville R-VI School District are now being scheduled at Williams Early Childhood Center, 12225 Pulaski Avenue, Fort Leonard Wood.

To schedule a screening appointment for May 28 or 29 or July 29, 30 or 31, please call 573-842-2650.

Students must be ages 3 or 4 by August 1, 2024, to qualify for screening. Students who have already been screened and are on a waiting list do not need to be re-screened.

"Our highly qualified, certified teachers work with students on skills that help prepare them to be successful learners in kindergarten," said Dr. Molinda Mitchell, principal at the center. "By engaging students early, our preschool students become successful kindergartners."

Williams Early Childhood Center's pre-school program consists of PACE and ECSE. Both are free for Waynesville R-VI residents who are admitted to the program.

PACE is the Parent And Child Education program and is for children ages three, four and five who are potty trained, have gone through the screening process used to place students and have been admitted to the program. Transportation is not provided for the PACE program.

ECSE The Early Childhood Special Education Program is a free service provided by the Waynesville School District and services children who are three-years to kindergarten age with educationally disabling conditions. Children with disabling conditions are those who demonstrate significant delays in one or more of these areas:

• vision/hearing
• speech/language
• intellectual functioning
• overall development
• rate of learning and/or
• social/emotional development

For information about the center, please call 573-842-2650.

District places items on GovDeals.com

The Waynesville R-VI School District places surplus items for sale through the govdeals website. To place a bid on an item, you must go to GovDeals.com.

Items will begin being placed on the site beginning on April 30 and will continue until all surplused items are placed there. Items will include welders, filing cabinets, rolling chairs, medical training equipment, school buses, library shelving, various tables, and cameras/tech equipment.

To search GovDeals.com, click in the search box by zip code, scroll down and click on Waynesville R-VI School District to see what items the district has for sale. All information needed for the bidder will be listed with each item. Bidders may contact the GovDeals Help Desk at 1-800-613-0156 for assistance.

All items will be sold "as is." Items may be removed by appointment only with appointments being made at least 24 hours in advance. All items MUST be removed within (10) ten business day from the time and date of issuance of Buyer's Certificate. All payments must be made on-line. Payment is due in full not later than (5) business days from the time and date of the Buyer's certificate. Buyer will make arrangements and perform all work necessary, including packing, loading and transportation of the property. NO assistance will be provided. A daily storage fee of $10.00 may be charged for any item not removed within the (10) ten business day allowed and stated on the Buyer's Certificate.

For questions about the items, please call the Waynesville R-VI School District at 573-842-2005.

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Please check out the district's calendar at https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/Page/2#calendar1/20231107/month for more details. Individual schools are color-coded.

The sports schedules (by individual sport) are at https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/Page/9539

May Update for Mercy

This update includes information on On-Site Wellness Checks for your employees, 3-D Mammogram Open House, Mercy Share Everywhere, and much more!

Bean named Rotary May Student of the Month

Dashayla Bean, a junior at Waynesville High School, has been named the Rotary Student of the Month for May for representing the word "responsibility." Her parents are Dash and Shantella Bean.

Bean is an outstanding student and carries a 4.13 grade point average, is ranked in the top 5% of her class, and has a 97% attendance rate. She is involved in track, NHS, FBLA, FCCLA, S2S and SGA as the junior class vice president. She plans to become a physician's assistant.

Bean's nominator stated, "Dashayla is the first student I think of when I think of the trait responsibility. She is my most dependable student-the one I can count on to help me in any situation. Dashayla is prepared daily and always working on assignments. When she finishes my work, she pulls out work from anatomy or another class and continues to work hard and study to get ahead. Dashayla has a goal to maintain straight A's in all her classes this school year, and she will definitely hit that goal, but she doesn't stop there. She continues to keep working so she can achieve her dreams of going to college to become a physician's assistant. Dashayla is quiet, but definitely one her peers look at as a leader by example. She is involved in track, BETA, SGA, NHS, and many other activities. Dashayla doesn't use the excuse of being gone for these activities to slack in class, she actually uses them to fuel herself in achieving higher standards and always gets all assignments prior to her being gone. She is definitely a role model for responsibility."

Seeking Volunteers for The Wall That Heals

The City of Waynesville has the honor of hosting the Wall that Heals from May 15- May 19, 2024.

The Wall that Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the Vietnam Ward and it bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

This amazing replica is supported by a mobile education center and both amazing features are open to the public 24 hours a day.

Tours Include

• History of the Wall - artist vision, competition that choose the design, and the significance of the layout.
• Mobile Education Center - items left at The Wall, Hometown Heroes, In Memory Honor Roll, Digital displays on the history, sample of items left at The Wall.

Tour Information and Registration

• Cost - Guided tours are free
• Reservations - We require reservations for Guided tours
• Group Size - We can accommodate up to 100 visitors per hour for a tour. The minimum size for the tour is 10, If we have a smaller group we can add them to another tour. Reservations are required for tours.
• Tour times- School tours are available on Thursday and Friday. Tours are available for other groups on Thursday or Friday evening and Saturday, subject to availability.

Schedule a Tour - Please email Doug Potts at economic.development@waynesvillemo.org or call for more information at 573-774-6171. When emailing provide the date, time, and the number of attendees for your tour and contact name, phone number, and we will confirm availability for your tour.

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Waynesville-St. Robert Senior Center Weekly Menu May 20-24

All are welcome to join us for lunch!

Weather may make changes to menu, please call if you are not sure we are open or if you have questions (573) 774-2668. You can also tune into to KJPW 102.3 FM for updates.

Lunch served Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

May 20 - Macaroni & Chili w/ Beef, Roll, Cucumber & Tomato Salad, Pears

May 21 - Sweet & Sour Chicken, Rice, Egg Roll, Oriental Blend, Pineapple

May 22 - Baked Ziti w/ Gr Beef, Garlic Breadsticks, Roasted Broccoli, Garden Salad

May 23 - Smothered Pork Chops, Roll, Roasted Potato/Carrots/Onions, Watergate Salad

May 24 - Polish Sausage, Bun, Scalloped Potatoes, Baked Beans, Fruit

Join us for Trivia every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. and/or BINGO every third Thursday at 12:30.

We also offer cards, games and crafts.

We are always looking for volunteers!

BoxDrop St. Robert Grand Opening and Super Sale

Saturday May 18th, Armed Forces Day, BoxDrop St. Robert will be hosting their grand opening and super sale at 14980 State Hwy Z in St. Robert. 25% off will be given to everyone between 11am and 2 pm.

Hot Dogs, Snacks, and Refreshments included! Kona Ice and Gypsy Sam's will be there, too!

Register to win a $450 Recliner, the winner will be announced at the end of the day!

Phelps' Health Butterfly Release Celebration

May 18th at 9 am, located at Huffman's Flowers of the Field Garden Center, 18148 County Road 1000 in St. James, this celebration will honor those we love and celebrate life. All proceeds benefit the Phelps Health Foundation Mission Fund, which provides support to the hospice program and patients. Enjoy light refreshments as you view the beautiful butterflies in the garden.

To register for this celebration, or show your support, please view the following.

*Release of the butterflies is contingent upon weather and may be delayed at the host's discretion. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Show Me Neighborhood Art Week

The Pulaski County Extension of the University of Missouri invites the community to empower Public Art by Missourians and Neighbors. Sculptures, Murals, Folk Art, Yard Art, etc. will be showcased. This event in open to all Missourians. You must register your participation and location by May 24th.

You may find more details about this event by visiting https://extension.missouri.edu

1st Annual PTSD Awareness Walk

Join the Truman VA and the Waynesville VA Outpatient Clinic and walk to raise to commemorate PTSD Awareness Month on June 27th at 6 pm located at the Roubidoux Park in Waynesville.

There will be informational booths set up there to provide mental health resources to the community.

If you have any questions, please email ryan.gore@va.gov

St. Robert Historical Preservation Committee's 10th Annual Fundraiser and Silent Auction

The St. Robert Historical Preservation Committee is hosting their 10th Annual Fundraiser and Silent Auction on August 10th at 5pm. Dress code is business attire. The cost is $25 per person, advance tickets are required. For information on tickets please call (573) 774-9780. All proceeds support the preservation comittee's mission.

Dr. Hilary Bales, Waynesville R-VI School District Superintendent, will be the guest speaker.