Hands-on Service: Springfield Dream Center's block party

Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Springfield Southeast volunteered to support the Springfield Dream Center’s community block party on Friday, Oct. 9. They ran kid-friendly activity stations, served meals, and helped with general hospitality needs throughout the event. At the conclusion of the block party, the volunteers helped with clean-up and take-down activities.

A special thanks goes to volunteers from Rotary Community Corps (Bianca Barriga Fujihara, Madeleine Mickle, Mohammed Alakwaa, Wail Moussa, Salim Bamehriz, Nour Amri, Shuja Bhatti, Bilal Overton, Annie Aggarwal, Afia Kyebi Bruce-Appiah, and Yomna Awad) who joined our club to support this event.

The Springfield Dream Center block parties create a safe, welcoming, and memorable evening for local children and families. They help build community connection by providing positive experiences for kids, and ensuring families feel valued and supported in a fun, safe environment.

(Text and photos by Dan Emrie)

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Springfield Southeast Rotary Club's Greatest Hits Tour

The 2nd annual Springfield Southeast Rotary Greatest Hits Tour on Sept. 17 provided a snapshot of the many wonderful projects and organizations the club has funded and supported since its founding in 1967. Our newest SER members were joined by a few seasoned members.

The tour participants enjoyed getting better acquainted with one another and seeing some of our projects in person. Thanks goes to all who attended and contributed supplies and equipment to make this come to life, especially SER member Tyler Moles and the Discovery Center!

Welcome new member Keith Mills

Michael Wehrenberg introduced Keith on Sept. 3. His cosponsor is John Horton.

Keith is the chief financial officer and general manager for 60-year-old Mills Foundations, based in Nixa, and other of his third-generation family-owned businesses that specialize in concrete construction throughout southwest Missouri. The companies concentrate on residential basements, stem walls and retaining walls instead of commercial buildings.

Keith is a native of Southwest Missouri whose career has taken him through business, architecture, design, construction, and ultimately back to the family’s businesses. After graduating from Rogersville High School in 2011, Keith attended Drury University, initially studying business before leaving school to join Mills Foundations. In 2017, he returned to Drury to pursue architecture, ultimately earning his Bachelor of Architecture in 2023.

Keith joined Buxton Kubik Dodd Design Collective in 2021. Even while attending school and working at BKD, he remained actively involved in his family’s businesses, spending weekends managing payrolls and accounts payable. In 2024, Keith returned to the family businesses full time. He calls himself “just a hillbilly who enjoys working hard.”

Keith is actively involved with the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield, serving on both the Codes Committee and Parade of Homes Committee. He also remains heavily involved with the alumni council of Sigma Nu, his fraternity at Drury. He also volunteers for Breakthrough T1D, which works to cure, prevent and better treat Type 1 Diabetes. Keith has lived with Type 1 diabetes since he was 4 years old, which is why his companion dog, Faux -- pronounced “Fox” -- is rarely far from his side.

Outside of work and community involvement, Keith enjoys kayaking local rivers and playing tennis. He lives in central Springfield.

Welcome new member Justin Lockhart

Brian McDonough introduced Justin on Aug. 20. His cosponsor is Barbara Lucks.

Justin is vice president of Community and Neighborhood Development at Community Partnership of the Ozarks. He has been with CPO since 2017 and currently oversees its student mentoring initiatives, financial stability services, neighborhood supports, and community collaboratives.

Justin is a lifelong Ozarks native. He grew up in Bolivar and has lived in Springfield for the past 20 years. He worked as a deputy juvenile officer for the Greene County Juvenile Court from 2013 to 2017. He earned both his undergraduate degree and a Master of Public Administration at Missouri State University. He is also a graduate of Leadership Springfield Class 46.

Throughout his career, Justin has worked closely with a variety of community collaboratives and local groups dedicated to making our community a better place for everyone, including CASA and the Job Center of the Ozarks Youth Committee.

Justin lives in southeast Springfield with his wife, Whitney, and their two daughters, Madison and Layla. He enjoys spending time with family, fly fishing, cooking, and enjoying the outdoors.

Welcome new member Jim Blaine

Sam Blaine introduced his father on Aug. 20. His cosponsor is Brian McDonough.

Jim is a semi-retired physician who’s served in private and public medical practices in Springfield since 1977. He currently serves as chair of the Greene County Medical Society’s Community Action Committee and as co-editor of the GCMS Journal.

Jim grew up, played football and graduated from high school in Grove, Okla. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Physiology at Oklahoma State University, and earned his medical degree at the University of Oklahoma. He practiced Family Medicine in Norman, Okla., and Siloam Springs, Ark., where he developed an interest in Emergency Medicine, leading to his move to Springfield, where he worked for 12 years as an emergency and trauma center physician. He then worked at Smith Glynn Calloway Clinic as a primary care physician for 11 years. Jim started on-site primary care offices at the Paul Mueller Company, City Utilities of Springfield, Ozarks Technical Community College, and Digital Manufacturing Products before retiring from a full-time practice in 2022.

Jim has been active in the Greene County Medical Society since 1980 and served as president in 1996. He has been active with the Child Advocacy Center for more than 30 years and was medical director for most of that time. He also served in the U.S. Navy’s Public Health Service and is a former member of the Bolivar Rotary Club.

Jim lives in east Springfield with his wife of more than 40 years, Barbara. They have four children (Sam, Sara, Mark and Jamie), five grandchildren (Drew, Pete, Emily, Lewis and Suleiman) and one great grandson (Scottie).

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Welcome new member Amy Henson

Angela Delahoussaye introduced Amy on Aug. 6. Her cosponsor is Logan Aguirre.

Amy is a workplace strategist for Groom Office Environments in south Springfield. She’s been with the company since 2015. Her job is helping clients create customized workplaces.

Amy grew up in Columbia but has mostly lived in Springfield since coming here for college in 2004. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Communications, with a minor in Marketing, at Missouri State University. She interned with the Springfield Cardinals under Springfield Southeast Rotary Club member Kirk Elmquist and later worked for the St. Louis Cardinals. Upon returning to Springfield, she worked at the Springfield News-Leader before joining Grooms.

Amy is passionate about community service. She is a past board president of Diaper Bank of the Ozarks, was a lunch buddy with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks, is a sustainer with Junior League of Springfield, and also has volunteered at Crisis Cold Weather Shelter, United Way Day of Caring, Ozark Food Harvest, the Discovery Center, the Hickory Hills Elementary School PTA, and the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. She is in her fourth year on the cabinet for Cattle Baron’s Ball of Southwest Missouri, which raised more than $1 million last year for the American Cancer Society for cancer research. Amy is a graduate of Leadership Springfield and a 2022 SBJ 40 Under 40 honoree.

Amy and her husband of 14 years, William, live in east Springfield and have two daughters, Josie and Alice. She enjoys golf, volleyball, lake weekends, travel, and spending time with family and friends.

Welcome new member Jonathan Jones

Michael Wehrenberg introduced Jonathan on July 30. His cosponsor is Lindsey Robison.

Jonathan is the commercial director and owner of Claro Studioworks, a video production company in downtown Springfield that began operating two years ago. The company specializes in commercial advertising and custom special effects for packaged goods, food and beverage brands.

Jonathan is originally from Pennsylvania. He worked in Los Angeles in the film industry before meeting his wife in the Ozarks and moving to Springfield in 2019. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at Evangel University.

Jonathan is engaged in the community as a member of Springfield Creatives, the Downtown Springfield Association and Springfield Sister Cities. He also volunteers at Urban Roots Farm. He sees Springfield Southeast Rotary as a good place to make a hands-on difference through local service initiatives.

Jonathan and his wife, Rachel Love-Jones, live with their Bernese mountain dog in downtown Springfield about 12 blocks from his business. He enjoys cycling, cooking, and rooting for the Springfield Cardinals.

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