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Sunny. High 99F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..
Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Low 79F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin (front left) and Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe meet with MO Girls Town Staff and Administration to learn more about the care and services they provide to girls from across the state. The Hannibal local business, Be The Change For Your Community, is helping to organize these awareness opportunities around the state. Others in the photo include Jenny Preiss, MGT executive director, Melissa Blumer, MGT assistant executive director, Deanna Barger, MGT development director and Amy Vaughn, Be The Change For Your Community director.
Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin (front left) and Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe meet with MO Girls Town Staff and Administration to learn more about the care and services they provide to girls from across the state. The Hannibal local business, Be The Change For Your Community, is helping to organize these awareness opportunities around the state. Others in the photo include Jenny Preiss, MGT executive director, Melissa Blumer, MGT assistant executive director, Deanna Barger, MGT development director and Amy Vaughn, Be The Change For Your Community director.
HANNIBAL — Missouri Girls Town is bringing its mission to Hannibal with a fun-filled day of events — sharing its story of providing life-changing support and compassion to girls and young women throughout Missouri.
Missouri Girls Town was founded in 1953 by the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Missouri. The organization is dedicated to providing care and a safe haven for girls who have experienced abuse or neglect.
Amy Vaughn, founder of Be The Change For Your Community, has been working with Executive Director Jenny Preiss and Development Director Deanna Barger to spread the word about Missouri Girls Town. She commended the Hannibal Rotary Club for its support of the organization.
Festivities on Tuesday, July 26 begin during the noon Hannibal Rotary Club meeting at the Hannibal Country Club. Preiss and Barger will deliver a presentation about Missouri Girls Town and how it has helped young ladies from nine to 21 years of age throughout the Show-Me State.
Vaughn said the Hannibal Rotary Club is sponsoring the Business After Hours event on behalf of Missouri Girls Town. Club members will present a check for the evening event, which will be a collaborative event through the Hannibal Area Chamber of Commerce and the Mark Twain Cave Complex.
The Business After Hours event will feature appetizers and refreshments from 4:30-6 p.m. at Cave Hollow Winery, with a short presentation provided by representatives from Missouri Girls Town at 5:15 p.m.
Homebank will sponsoring an afternoon awareness social to spread the news about Missouri Girls Town, which begins at 2 p.m. in the Homebank Community Room. Vaughn thanked Homebank for providing the location, drinks and desserts for the event.
Vaughn noted specific groups have been invited to the afternoon gathering, including representatives from the Juvenile Office, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Children’s Division and other stakeholders who specifically work with the population served by Missouri Girls Town.
She stressed the event is open to all community members who would like to attend.
To ensure there are enough refreshments available, Vaughn requested reservations be arranged by calling her at 573-231-1775 or by emailing amy@bethechangeforyourcommunity.com.
The July 26 visit to Hannibal kicks off a statewide tour to let community members know more about the services Missouri Girls Town provides every day.
In August, Missouri Girls Town representatives will visit Chesterfield, partnering with the local chamber of commerce and sponsoring a community concert event. Next, they will stop in Springfield in September, Lake of the Ozarks in October, the Kansas City area in November and Cape Girardeau in December.
Barger explained there will also be other unique ways to support Missouri Girls Town. A trivia night is also coming up soon in Columbia, scheduled for Wednesday, July 20 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Gunter Hans Euro Pub, 7 Hitt St.
Individual tickets are still available, and tables of six participants can gain entry at a discount. More information about the event is available by visiting missouri-girls-town-foundation-inc.square.site.
Capital City Productions will present the play “Kinky Boots”, featuring music by Cyndi Lauper. The production is open the weekends of Aug. 11-13 and Aug. 18-20 in Jefferson City.
Preiss shared why Missouri Girls Town is crucial to each person they care for.
“Our mission is supporting youth and families by providing therapeutic services and education to empower them to reach their full potential,” she said.
Missouri Girls Town started offering services in 1959 in Mountain Grove and the foundation relocated to Kingdom City in the 1980s, setting up their campus on 23 acres of land donated by Bill and Peggy McClain.
Five direct housing units are set up for girls during their stay. There is also a school, dining hall, recreation area, clinical building and administrative building on the campus licensed for 50 girls.
Each girl served by Missouri Girls Town was removed from their home due to extreme abuse or neglect.
Often, the trauma experienced by the youth results in negative behaviors such as self-harm, physical aggression, or risk for running away. When a girl is welcomed to Missouri Girls Town, she receives resources and care to help instill positive behaviors for success.
Preiss explained that Missouri Girls Town works with family members, Missouri Department of Social Services Children’s Division, court personnel and other entities to provide the best care possible for each child.
Licensed clinical social workers and licensed practicing counselors conduct weekly sessions with children at Missouri Girls Town, Preiss said. Group sessions include skill-building activities to assist girls with processing the trauma they are experiencing.
Each girl lives on campus for the duration of their care, and the average stay is six to 18 months. Preiss said each child faces a different situation, and Missouri Girls Town is often the seventh to 11th placement for a child.
Vaughn expressed her excitement about what the July 26 festivities would bring — spreading the message about Missouri Girls Town’s outreach throughout Missouri. She encouraged everyone who is interested to consider attending the festivities scheduled for July 26.
“We’re really excited about it and looking forward to seeing what the future holds for us,” she said.
Barger stressed how the day filled with fun activities can help spread awareness and hopefully spark new collaborations toward the common goal of supporting girls during a time of need.
“I think that these are going to lead to some strategic and really thoughtful partnerships. The Rotary Clubs across the state — Rotary International — really focuses on service in general,” she said. “Just so far, they obviously welcomed us with open arms. Missouri Girls Town serves girls from across the state, so we’re really working to make that known. We want to make sure that we gather and garner the support from across the state.”
More information about Missouri Girls Town is available by visiting https://missourigirlstown.org/who-we-are/
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