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“We try to represent Jesus as best we can,” Wray said, adding that mission includes “teaching, minis- tering” and taking opportu- nities to “do service in the community. “It’s all to uplift and min- ister to those in need,” she said. Mormon missionaries are volunteer representatives of the LDS Church. Mission- aries are often assigned to serve far from their homes, including in other counties. Missions typically last two years for males, 18 months for female and 1 to 3 years for older couples. They serve voluntarily and do not receive a salary for their work; they typically finance missions themselves or with assistance from family or other church members. Many Latter-day Saints save money during their teenage years to cover their mission expenses. “They can come from anywhere,” Hartman said, adding missionaries “help people” and work to “be a light and example to oth- ers.” Many missionaries work to save money for their mis- sions, and some get support from their families. “We want to teach people to help and be good to each other, even when we don’t agree, especially during this time,” she said. Female missionaries typ- ically leave for their mis- sions at 19 years of age, while male missionaries leave at 18 years of age and serve for two years. During their missions, the mission- aries take time away from their normal lives; work, school and other activities, Wray said. Hartman said LDS missionaries must fill out paperwork, and can be assigned to locations around the world. She said due to the COVID-19 pandem- ic, she has seen instanc- es where missionaries who were serving overseas were called and reassigned in the United States. The pandemic has impacted the missionaries’ work. “It’s kind of hard, because we used to be able to knock on people’s doors, and we can’t do that anymore,” Wray said. “Because of the spread of COVID, every- thing turned to online.” Wray said the mission- aries were able to conduct video calls with people in their homes. When the pan- demic began in the spring, all of the missionaries were quarantined for 3-4 weeks. “We were not sure the effect of the virus,” Wray said. “We went through Facebook, and phone calls.” Now, the missionar- ies can call to schedule appointments to visit peo- ple’s homes, and when they visit, must wear masks and practice social distancing. Hartman said she and Wray sometimes visit homes and food pantries to offer assis- tance. Prior to coming to Fort Scott, Hartman said her missionary work began in Nevada, Mo. Wray said her mission work began in Salem, Mo. While serving, the mis- sionaries do not spend time watching TV or using com- puters, as those can be dis- tractions, but instead “focus on people,” Hartman said. During times when they are not engaged in community service or spreading their message, they read and study scriptures, exercise and follow a daily routine that runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. “This is the Lord’s time and our focus is on that and with everyone else,” Hart- man said. Wray said she doesn’t “really notice” the absence of those leisure activities such as TV and internet, as “we’re staying busy.” Hartman said missionar- ies go through a six-week rotation, and each mis- sionary will “likely move at some point.” They learn from each other based on previous experience. “Our strengths and weak- nesses play well together,” she said. “We play on our strengths.” Wray said the missionar- ies also participate in other community service activi- ties, and when first com- ing to a community, they do tasks such as picking up trash until they talk to people in the community and learn about the needs. They’ve also learned how to create budgets and manage their health and time. “We learn from each other,” she said. “I’ve learned there’s a lot of depth to people, and to the world.” Wray said they learned about the painting project through social media, and contacted the fire depart- ment to offer assistance. They have also reached out to other local organizations about helping when needed. Wednesday was the final day of Wray’s mis- sion, and she now plans to return home to family and continue her personal goals, which include graduating from college. “I have mixed emotions,” she said. “Now I have to make my own schedule, where I did things before out of habit.” Wray said she would eventually like to be a coun- selor and a stay-at-home mother. “I love listening to peo- ple,” she said. Hartman, who still has about a year left in her mis- sion, said after her mission she would like to pursue a career in the fire department or military. “I will look and see what would work best,” she said. “I love to go and explore history and cultures.” The Sister Missionar- ies can be reached at (417) 987-1257, and are willing to help with community ser- vice projects. Saturday, October 10, 2020 14 THE FORT SCOTT TRIBUNE Community News ANNUAL JUST FOR FUN!! Show off your little goblins and ghost costumes this year! Submit them dressed up to our Halloween Photo Album on Facebook OFFICIAL RULES It’s time once again for our Halloween Coloring Contest, where we hunt for the area’s most creative artists! Color in your favorite picture for your chance to win! One Treat Basket will be presented to a lucky winner from each of these age groups: 6 & Under and 7-10 1. Contestants may use crayons, colored pencils or markers. Adults may assist in completing the contest entry form but not in coloring. 2. Limit one entry per child. (Submit one picture only) (Originals only, no copies) 3. All entries must be submitted no later than Wednesday, October 28th at midnight. 4. Submissions are considered property of this newspaper and may be printed by this newspaper. 5. Winners will be published in the Saturday October 31st edition of the Fort Scott Tribune. Winners will be contacted via phone, email or facebook (depending on their method of entry and information given) Winners will be chosen by the community!! All entries will be uploaded to our Fort Scott Tribune facebook Halloween Coloring Contest 2020 Photo album. The photo with the most likes in the two age categories will be the considered the winner. (FS Tribune staff will verify all rules were followed and number likes are correct to announce the official winner) Voting will end Thursday, Oct. 29 at midnight and winners will be published in the Saturday, Oct. 31st edition of the Fort Scott Tribune. (Winners will be contacted Friday Oct 29 before 5pm to make arrangements for prize collection) Be sure to share your little ones masterpiece with all your friends and family and direct them to the Fort Scott Tribune Facebook page to vote!! (Likes must be on the original post in the FS Facebook Photo Album in order to be counted) WAYS TO ENTER • Drop your completed submission off with the entry form in our Drop Box or Mail to: Fort Scott Tribune, 22 N Main, Fort Scott. • Email a photo of your colored picture or a photo of your child with their colored picture to [email protected], be sure to include the child’s first name and age and best form of contact. • Drop a message of a photo of your colored picture or of your child with their colored picture in the Fort Scott Tribune facebook page INBOX, be sure to include your child’s first name and age. Hydrants Continued from Page 1 The application lists the following sidewalk proj- ects: • Margrave Street from 9th Street to National Ave- nue. • 6th Street from Mar- grave Street to National Avenue. • National Avenue from 15th Street to 6th Street. • Fort Scott Middle School Safe Routes area, which includes work on 12th, 10th and Shephard streets. Community Develop- ment Block Grant Emer- gency Funding In June, the city was awarded a little more than $132,000 for business- es through the CARES Act Funding to help with COVID-19 hardship. Turvey said the city is now ready to fund some of the applicants. “I really appreciate the patience of all the business- es in the process because it has not been easy,” Turvey said. “They have to turn in a lot of stuff in order to get to the approval stage.” She also asked commis- sioners to approve a change in the program parameters from 60 days of working capital to 120 days of work- ing capital receipts related to inventory. She said the businesses she is working with were unable to meet the maxi- mum allocation with less than 60 days. “I am not asking you to increase the maximum allocation,” Turvey said. “I think that would be unfair to businesses who received the CDGB-ER funding. I’m just asking you to allow us to reimburse more than what we originally said we would.” The maximum allocation is $10,000 per business. Commissioners voted 4-1 to change the parame- ters. Kevin Allen abstained. Voting yes were Pete Allen, Randy Nichols, Watts and JoLynne Mitchell. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve awarding $2,500 to each of the following businesses: H&R Transport; Design- ing Edge Graphics; Romax Electric, LLC; and Thomas D. Reifschneider, D.C. Turvey said with the commission approval, the award list will go to the state for final approval. The funds will then be sent to the city for disbursement. Fort Scott Area Com- munity Foundation grant The commissioners approved the acceptance of two Fort Scott Area Com- munity Foundation Grants. Director of Finance Susan Bancroft reported the city is working with the Pioneer Kiwanis Club to purchase and install a friendship swing for the city parks. The club and the city have received a $2,000 FSACF grant. The swing is designed for a child and sibling or adult. The swing helps with developmental skills, such as balance, coordination, problems solving, social development and coopera- tion. The fire department has been awarded a $2,500 grant to purchase to refur- bish its safety trailer. Economic Development Council, Inc. Commissioners learned Bourbon County Econom- ic Development Council, Inc., will be disbanded and a new non-profit economic development board is being organized. According to citizen Mark McCoy, the 11-person board will use a three-mem- ber committee to hire an economic development director. “The county has com- mitted to eliminating their economic development director,” McCoy said. McCoy said as a non-profit, there would be more opportunities to obtain grants. “We would hope the city would join us at some point in the future and it’s an opportunity for the city to save money,” McCoy said. He said it is nothing per- sonal, but is about sharing services. Grants Continued from Page 1 Jason E. Silvers/Tribune photo Fort Scott Community College cross country student-athletes, from left, Cailee Lake, Aniyaha Tabb, Gudisa Adnow and Angelica Bernal work to paint a fire hydrant near the soccer field on the college’s campus. In recent weeks, community volunteers have helped the Fort Scott Fire Department paint hydrants throughout Fort Scott. Not pictured, but also helping to paint Oct. 2 were FSCC students Henok Tadese, Javin Burrell and Dylan Graham. During Tuesday’s meeting, Fort Scott Commissioners voted unanimously to dedicate 90 percent of the city’s share of a 1-cent county-wide sales tax to streets. In November, voters will be asked in renew the county’s retail sales tax, which expires in 2021. In addition to fund- ing hard-surface roads throughout the county, a portion of the revenue also goes to the five cities in Bourbon County. While the revenue is dedicated to hard-surface roads in Bourbon County, cities have an option of where to spend their share. The breakdown of how much of the tax each entity has received in the past is: Bronson, 18 percent; Fort Scott, 11 percent; Mapleton, 29 percent; Redfield, 27 percent and Uniontown, 14 percent. Currently, 67 percent of the revenue Fort Scott receives goes towards streets, 20 percent and 13 percent to the general fund. In the past, the sales tax has generated about $750,000 for Fort Scott. Kevin Allen’s first motion to dedicate 100 percent of the sales tax revenue to streets failed to pass 2-3 with Kevin Allen and Pete Allen voting yes and Nichols, Watts and Mitchell voting no. Commission votes to dedicate more funds to streets
