In our view: Hal Roper’s map to life

Opinion

Discussion

September 1, 2010

The Joplin Globe The Joplin Globe Wed Sep 01, 2010, 09:17 AM CDT

It’s one thing to receive a great honor.

It’s another thing to earn it.

Joplin businessman and community leader Hal Roper last week accepted the prestigious Distinguished Citizen Award from the Boy Scouts of America, Ozark Trails Council.

Roper also received the key to the city from Joplin Mayor Mike Woolston. It’s purely symbolic. Roper already has the keys to the important things in life. That was evidenced by the number of friends and business associates who turned out last week to honor Roper.

We were most impressed, though, by the many, many members of his family who attended the event.

The well-known Joplin personality supports his town in a number of ways. That was apparent when he put his efforts behind the Joplin-Webb City Industrial Park in 1984. He has served as chairman of the Joplin Business and Industrial Development Corp. and helped bring the Newman Business and Technology Innovation Center to fruition. He led the Joplin School District Foundation to raise enough money to change the student to computer ratio from 13:1 to 4:1. His involvement is also evident in The Bridge, Children’s Miracle Network, the Joplin Family Y, and the Community Health Clinic of Joplin.

Roper, during the evening of accolades, revealed his secret to success. He calls it his map to life and he found it in the Old Testament of his Bible. Proverbs 3: 1-6, he says, has been his guide.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

Hal Roper has a sense of purpose in his life. Because of it, the Joplin area is a better place to live.

Text Only

Opinion

Our View: Santorum's Achilles' ear
Rick Santorum knocked everyone for a loop this week, not just with his victory in Missouri but with the landslide size of the thing.

February 10, 2012 1 Photo
Our View: Are school loans next 'debt bomb'?
The late American middle class struggled for decades to keep pace with an American dream slipping from its grasp.

February 9, 2012 1 Photo
Our View: A better way of limit terms
A Missouri House committee on Tuesday endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow lawmakers to serve 16 years in the state Legislature, either the House or the Senate.

February 8, 2012 1 Photo
Your View: Is it our fault?
When did coveting things and money take over character? What happened?

February 8, 2012
Your View: No way to run a school
All throughout the state of Missouri, you’ll hear much discussion about teacher tenure and the indefinite contracts that go along with that. Most — if not nearly all — jobs in the private and public sectors have no such career protection.

February 8, 2012
Your View: Prime suspects
If it’s too cool in the house, you can turn up the heat if you think you can afford it.

February 8, 2012
Our View: Worldwide concern
There is growing concern worldwide that Israel might launch an attack on Iranian nuclear plants.

February 7, 2012 1 Photo
Other Views: FAA deal up in air five years
The Federal Aviation Administration bill was delayed 23 times, but the agency finally has a law giving it $63 billion and full operating authority for the next four years.

February 6, 2012 1 Photo
Don Ray, columnist: Obama's pipeline excuse an election-year cop-out
On Jan. 18, President Barack Obama announced he was rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline project — a project that had its beginnings some 40 months ago (September 2008).

February 6, 2012
James Whitford, guest columnist: Broken people or broken system?
Are the people broken or is the system broken? If you walk into Watered Gardens, our rescue mission, it may seem the people are broken. But it’s a rescue mission. It just feels that way. And sometimes, it just looks that way.

February 4, 2012
More Opinion Headlines

Water company cites reconnections

Opinion

Search Results

Discussion

In our view: Hal Roper’s map to life

Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr wants the city to distribute weather radios to all Joplin homes that don’t have one. That’s 11,000 radios. Do you think that’s a good use of $300,440?

Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr wants the city to distribute weather radios to all Joplin homes that don’t have one. That’s 11,000 radios. Do you think that’s a good use of $300,440?

Site Map

Contact Us