Farmer draws attention to Misty's Mission

Local farmer Jason Chandler appears to have achieved his goal of drawing attention to a cause near and dear to his entire family.

Dunklin County residents traveling on Highway 412 between Kennett, Mo., and Senath, Mo., recently have seen 15 cotton bales wrapped in pink round module wrap, with the ends of the bales tagged with pink breast cancer awareness ribbons.

When his sister, Misty Chandler Edmonston, lost her battle with cancer in June 2010, the Chandler family organized a not-for-profit foundation devoted to helping men and women battling breast cancer in the area.

"I wanted to bring attention to breast cancer awareness and to Misty's Mission," Chandler said. "We worked along with the wrap manufacturer and Legacy Equipment to get this done," he said.

Chandler's goal is to have his entire cotton crop in pink wrap next year. "We'd ultimately like to have the option to buy this color every year, with a portion of the cost going to charity," he said.

Other area cotton farmers fully support Chandler's idea. "I haven't talked to one farmer that wouldn't use pink wrap on every bale if given the chance," he said.

"I usually keep my feelings to myself, but it really put a smile on my face when I saw the bales actually coming out of the picker," he said. "I know my sister was smiling down on me also."

According to representatives from Dalton Gin, the bales will remain in the fields "until approximately the end of the month to give people the opportunity to see them and to help spread the word about breast cancer awareness and Misty's Mission."

"I really hope the bales put a smile on everyone's face," Chandler said. "Especially the people and the families affected by this awful disease."