JOPLIN, Mo. —
Jane Cage, a longtime Joplin businesswoman who led the Citizens Advisory Recovery Team in its creation of a tornado-recovery plan for the city, was recognized as the Outstanding Citizen of the Year on Thursday night during the annual banquet of the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce.
The executive with Heartland Technology Solutions in downtown Joplin received a standing ovation from those attending the chamber’s 95th annual banquet at the Holiday Inn Convention Center.
Cage was recognized for her leadership with the recovery team and for her compassion for the community.
Noting that there is a lot of work ahead for the community, Cage said: “It is a privilege to help. I cannot think of anything I would rather do.”
Cage has been chairwoman of the Rotary Club of Joplin, the Joplin Humane Society and the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce. She also is a former chairwoman of the board at St. John’s Regional Medical Center.
Cage came to Joplin in 1978 to work at St. John’s. She and her late husband, Bill, started a computer systems company in downtown Joplin in 1985.
Dan Stanley, a Joplin businessman who served as master of ceremonies, said, “It was a blessed day when Bill and Jane Cage came to Joplin.”
Also recognized were four individuals who provided leadership to the community through the year: C.J. Huff, superintendent of Joplin schools; Mark Rohr, city manager; Mike Woolston, former mayor; and Rob O’Brian, president of the chamber. They, too, received standing ovations.
In recognizing the individuals, state Sen. Ron Richard said it was an “act of providence” that these men “were at the right place at the right time.”
Four teachers received Golden Apple awards. The program, now in its 27th year, is designed to recognize excellence in the teaching profession.
The recipients were Karen Evans, Kelsey Norman Elementary School; Brandi Landis, Kelsey Norman Elementary School; Ivan Obert, South Middle School; and Jeff Brown, Joplin High School.
Seventy-four teachers from Joplin’s public and private schools were nominated by students, parents and co-workers.
Two businesses and a not-for-profit group were recognized as winners of the Small Business of the Year awards. In the category for one to 10 employees, the Kyle Hickam State Farm Insurance Agency was the winner. In the category of 11 to 50 employees, Anderson Engineering Inc. was the winner. Access Family Care won in the not-for-profit category.
Hampshire Pet Products was recognized as the Large Industry of the Year. Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Mid-America was recognized as the Small Industry of the Year.
About 750 people attended the banquet. They viewed a promotional video, “Go Town USA,” that was created in the 1970s to illustrate how Joplin had recovered from the closure of mining operations in the Tri-State District.
The film depicted some places that were destroyed by the May 22 tornado, including images of Joplin High School.
In introducing the film, Brad Belk, director of the Joplin Museum Complex, said it shows how Joplin has picked up the pieces before and moved forward.
Commendation
MIKE WIGGINS, the outgoing chairman of the chamber board, commended the organization’s staff for providing outstanding service to Joplin’s business community in the days and weeks after the tornado. The chamber, he said, “is the thread that holds the community together.”
May 2011 Joplin tornado
Jane Cage named Joplin’s Citizen of the Year
Chamber recognizes businesswoman for work on tornado-recovery plan
- May 2011 Joplin tornado
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Farmers Insurance teams up with Rebuild Joplin
Farmers Insurance announced Tuesday that the company will team up with Rebuild Joplin for an initiative to help the community complete its recovery efforts. The company already has placed one of its executives in Joplin, and it is pledging additional funds and volunteer hours by company workers to go toward the city’s recovery.
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SLIDESHOW: One year later, One day of unity, updated
Photos from a day of events commemorating the May 22, 2011 tornado anniversary
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Joplin man continues struggle to recover two years after tornado
As the Joplin tornado passed overhead, sweeping the house at 2430 S. Pennsylvania Ave. away in its wake, there was a moment of calm. Delbert Mcguirk was on his back in the basement, where he had sought shelter along with his wife, daughter and two grandchildren. In that moment of relative quiet, he stared up into the eye of the tornado.
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Storms cause damage throughout the Four States
Four-State Area residents hunkered down twice Monday to ride out tornadoes and powerful spring storms, then went to work cleaning up. The worst damage from Monday night’s storm was being reported in Ottawa County, Okla., near Wyandotte. That followed a report of an EF-1 tornado early Monday morning near Carthage.
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Two plead guilty to post-tornado wire theft
Two defendants pleaded guilty Monday to stealing copper wire from utility poles in the wake of the May 22, 2011, tornado that struck Joplin. Timothy M. Silveria, 45, of Joplin, and Nycoa K. Kracht, 32, of Laurel, Ind., entered open pleas of guilty in Jasper County Circuit Court to felony counts of theft from a public utility.
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FACES OF RECOVERY: 176,869 volunteers help put Joplin together again
They initially came in droves, pouring into Joplin by the thousands during the months following the May 2011 tornado to clear debris, clean up damaged homes and businesses and distribute donations of food, water, clothing and other necessities.
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Therapy dogs
Any question that Louie was bred to put people as ease is put to rest when the golden retriever trots over to where a visitor sits and puts his head on their knee, the dog’s eyes filled with a gentle affection.
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Nova Kluseman and Jeanne Morrow
Nova Kluseman has staked her claim on Wednesdays at the Mercy medical office clinics where she volunteers. The staff at Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri will know it’s Thursday when they see Jeanne Morrow walk through the door.
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Greentree Community Church
Every two months, Joplin plays host to some now-familiar faces. They’re members of Greentree Community Church in St. Louis, and they have “adopted” the city as one of their mission projects since the tornado.
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Virginia Laas
Virginia Laas isn’t an accountant or bookkeeper by trade. But when the tornado caused significant damage to Joplin Schools, and subsequently spurred a massive landslide of donations to the district, Laas voluntarily stepped into those roles to fill a need that administrators were too busy to handle.
- More May 2011 Joplin tornado Headlines
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