
23rd Annual 4-States Baby Contest Winners
By Amy Howe Every year, it’s our joy and privilege to showcase the most adorable little ones in our Annual Cutest Baby Contest—all while supporting a great cause. Each child is simply precious, and we loved seeing every sweet photo submitted. Thanks to your entries,...

St. Martin’s Academy Stays True to Mission of ‘Cultivating Saints’
By Don Lowe In just a short seven years since officially unveiling its higher purpose, St. Martin’s Academy boarding school for young men (ages 14-18 years old) in Fort Scott, Kansas, continues to remain fervently focused on raising up individuals who have their eyes...

Oklahoma Roadside Oddity: The Winganon Space Capsule
By Wendy Brunner If you ever find yourself on the road between Talala and Winganon in Northeast Oklahoma, you might be surprised to see what appears to be a space capsule crashed into the ditch. Is this a Cold War relic? Did the Soviets paint it to look like a U.S....

Back in the Saddle: Joe Cox’s Return to Life with Grand Prosthetics
By Sean K. Gray Joe Cox doesn’t like to make a fuss. At 80 years old, he has spent most of his life working hard—on the farm, in the factory and on the road. Born and raised in Welch, Oklahoma, Joe ran a John Deere tractor over nearly 1,000 acres, harvested wheat from...
Connecting the People, Places, Businesses and Culture of the Ozarks for more than 23 years
Since 2001, Show Me The Ozarks Magazine has showcased what makes the four-states such a fantastic place to live, work, play and visit.
We continue to celebrate with you, our loyal readers and advertisers, all that makes our region exceptional. The sights and the sounds. The parks and the trails. The dining. The shopping. The sports and the theatre. The nightlife and the day trips. The rich heritage and the promising future.
Show Me The Ozarks Magazine promises to provide you with the highest possible level of quality, integrity and professionalism possible. If you have a story that you’d like to share with our readers, or if you have comments, questions or suggestions, we would like to hear from you!
Northeast Oklahoma, a Mentor and a Mentee, and a 9-year-old Champion
Welcome to summer! In our June issue, we feature Northeast Oklahoma, an area known for summer activity. We’ll stroll down memory lane to Lavern’s Wedding Chapel in Miami, learn about a roadside oddity near Winganon and meet 9-year-old Quinley Inman, a barrel racing champion from Ketchum.
As I’m writing this letter, we just got through a day of major storm warnings. I always chuckle how everyone talks about KOAM Chief Meteorologist Doug Heady like we’re all on a first-name basis with him. “Doug said if we’re in this circle, we can go to bed now,” or “Doug said he’s pretty concerned about the weather tomorrow.” No one asks, “Doug who?” We all know. Thanks to Doug’s willingness in 2011 to mentor a young weather fan from San Diego, the path to then 13-year-old Chad Crilley’s career in meteorology was paved. Read about Doug and Chad’s journey starting on page 54.
Doug and Chad’s story got me to thinking about the mentors in my life. I don’t think they set out to be my mentors, but however it happened, my life and career are better because of their efforts. If you have the chance to mentor someone in any way, I hope you’ll do it. And if you don’t feel like you’re mentor material, try to become a mentee. Never stop learning and asking questions. You’ll be all the richer for it.
There are so many more pages of this issue that are filled with great reads. Be sure to peruse the pages while you’re enjoying your summer, and don’t forget to apply sunscreen!
Sincerely,
Wendy Brunner, Publisher/Editor
P.O. Box 3325 • Joplin, MO 64803
844.417.SMTO (7686)
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