Pandemic or not, recognizing Difference Makers never goes out of style

The following is a column I wrote for the latest edition of B Magazine, a regional magazine covering business in Southeast Missouri. The Difference Makers edition is one of my favorites. Twelve individuals and one organization were highlighted, plus there's additional business content you'll want to read. If you don't already receive B Magazine, you can pick up a copy outside Schnucks in Cape Girardeau or at the Southeast Missourian offices on Broadway. All 12 Difference Makers features can be found online at www.semissourian.com/newsmakers. To have B Magazine mailed to your home or business six times each year, you can purchase an annual subscription online at www.bmagazine.io or call (573) 388-3680.

n

This is the edition of B Magazine where we recognize Newsmakers -- or as we have referred to them, Difference Makers. Those individuals who go above and beyond to make their community, industry, schools and churches thriving entities that benefit our region. As always, we have a strong group this year. However, 2020 hasn't been a normal year either. And not only do this year's honorees excel during "normal" times -- whatever that means -- there are many who made meaningful contributions during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Take, for example, the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center. We recognized this group as a collective Difference Maker. From director Jane Wernsman to health educator Maria Davis to Dr. John Russell and others, this group, which in non-pandemic times you hear little about, has played a seminal role in the local response to COVID-19. The public health center has been key in disseminating information about new COVID-19 cases, recoveries and hospitalizations along with doing contract tracing. They've answered questions from the media and led an organized effort to help provide data on the local situation. Not every public health center runs as efficiently.

This year's group also includes the largest age range of Difference Makers compared to previous lists. In fact, our youngest honoree is 8 years old and our oldest is in his 80s.

Benny Arends is the 8-year-old who started Kids for Kids, a charitable effort to provide toys for children in hospitals. When the pandemic hit, he switched gears to develop quarantine kits to keep children his age entertained. He even made the process a game in itself.

Meanwhile, Carroll Williams -- in his 80s and known mostly as "Coach" -- made the list largely for helping a local Christian school, which nearly closed its doors, continue its mission. After the previous church sponsor made the difficult decision two years ago to discontinue its 40-year sponsorship, Williams led a small group of passionate volunteers and board members to keep the school going. This fall, thanks in part to his leadership, the school gets a new start as Lynwood Christian Academy. A prominent Christian school was not only saved but positioned to succeed in the future with a new church sponsor, long-term location and financial backing. His leadership in the process played a key role.

There are many other examples, and we hope you take time to read about each individual and their accomplishments in print or online. (Video stories of each Difference Maker will also be available on www.semissourian.com and the B Magazine Facebook page in the coming weeks.)

Special thanks to Fresh Healthy Cafe for sponsoring this year's Difference Makers. The restaurant, owned by Rick Hetzel and Cheryl Mothes, is arguably a Difference Maker in its own right. This spring when the virus hit and restaurants felt the financial impact, Hetzel and Mothes were able to keep their employees working by having them pack meals for the hungry. Not only were they helping those most in need with nutritious meals consisting of rice, pre-cooked beans or vegetables, fortified soy and mineral powder, but their employees got to keep their jobs during a difficult time.

One of the reasons we dedicate an edition of B Magazine to Difference Makers is to recognize those doing good things. But another prominent component is that stories of these individuals have the potential to inspire. If we can shine a light on these folks, in normal times or a pandemic, that's good for this region. And hopefully it inspires others to find their own niche for doing good.

Lucas Presson is the publisher of B Magazine and assistant publisher of the Southeast Missourian.