Overheard

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations through Aug. 24 for its annual Salute to Health Care awards. The awards have been given since 1985 to health care professionals and organizations for their community service and medical achievements. Last year’s honorees were St. John’s internal medicine specialist Dr. James T. Rogers and retired CoxHealth gastroenterologist Robert Kipfer. Nominees must meet certain criteria: provide health care service; demonstrate leadership in efforts to improve the health of Springfield-area residents; and show longevity in health care, have pioneered fields, brought about significant changes or gone beyond the scope of their jobs.

Forms can be printed at the chamber Web site, www.springfieldchamber.com, and mailed to the chamber, PO Box 1687, Springfield, MO, 65801. Honorees will be recognized at a banquet later this year.

Model T Meet

More than 120 Model T Fords from 28 states and Canada will be at the Hawthorn Park Hotel (undergoing renovations to become a Doubletree – see the cover story “Flying a New Flag”) in Springfield Sept. 1–8 for the Western National Hillbilly Tour.

Dubbed “the cars of the century,” the automobiles built from 1909 to 1927 can be viewed up close by the public at the hotel from 4–8 p.m. each day. The tour is hosted by the Heart of the Ozarks Model T Club Chapter of The Model T Ford Club of America. The nonprofit club’s purpose is to preserve and maintain Model T Fords and serve as an accurate and technical source of information about the cars.

The Heart of the Ozarks chapter meets at 5 p.m. the second Sunday of each month at Heritage Cafeteria in Springfield.

For more information, contact Gene or Kay Gemmill at (417) 881-6702.

Giving Grocery Stores

Harter House supermarkets in Springfield are launching a public campaign to raise funds for the local fight against breast cancer. A kickoff event will take place at 8 a.m. Sept. 5 at the Eastgate grocery store. The locally owned company will donate 5 percent of all meat sales sold at both Harter House locations Sept. 5–11 and Sept. 19–25.

Harter House and affiliated businesses already have committed $25,000. Money raised will be used to purchase additional digital mammography equipment for St. John’s Breast Center.

Country Mart officials in the Branson area are trying to make grocery purchases at their stores sustain more than the buyers. Through August, customers at the Branson, Forsyth, Hollister and Branson West stores can round up their grocery bills to the next dollar – or more – with proceeds going to the Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks units in Forsyth, Branson and an extension site in Reeds Spring. Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Autumn Page said the funds would enhance the organization’s youth programs and cover staff expenses. Last year, the club served more than 1,000 youth ages 6 to 18 through its after school, summer and athletics programs. The Gerard family owns Country Mart.