First Responders Recognized At Program

Grundy County first responders were recognized during the opening ceremonies for the 31st annual Missouri Day Festival, held on Thursday night at the First Baptist Church.
“Hometown Heroes – First Responders: First to Call,First to Arrive and First to Sacrifice” is the theme of this year’s festival and Grundy County Sheriff Rodney Herring, representing local first responders, talked about the men and women who serve in those roles.
“First and foremost, a first responder can be any member of law enforcement, fire service, EMS or the military,” he said. “A first responder can be a mom, dad, husband, wife, son, daughter, sister, brother, grandmother or grandfather…Most importantly, a first responder is a real person, a human being like anyone in this room, and first responders are bound to make mistakes.”
He noted that first responders “work in extremely difficult and demanding environments on a daily basis,” adding that their jobs require intensive training, “a decisive unhesitating mentality and the banality to quickly evaluate and respond to complex situations.”
Herring said that those who choose to be first responders do not do it “looking to be a hero,” but instead are individuals who care about their community. He said first responders miss a lot of family time and respond to emergencies at all hours of the day and night.
“It is the decision to act for others and not themselves that distinguishes the mind-set of the first responder from the rest of the population,” he said.
Herring also discussed his experience of being a recipient of help from a first responder, citing an incident last summer in which he was pinned behind his patrol car by gunfire while trying to capture a murder suspect.
“I will tell you that when my first responders arrived in that armored vehicle to rescue me from behind my patrol car…it was one of the best feelings in my life and one of the best rides I’d ever had. At the end of that day, I had a new insight as to what it feels like to be a first responder as well as what it feels like to be a person that a first responder is there to assist.”
Herring concluded by noting that first responders “do not have super powers, but they are super men and super women who perform courageous acts day-in and day-out when the need arises.”
“First responders have grit, they have compassion and they have a sense of civic duty,” he said. “First responders do know fear, but they also have faith; faith that gives them a sense of humility. First responders have the kind of spirit that’s infectious and it makes everyone want to be better people. I feel profoundly proud to be a first responder and to have the privilege to work side by side with the outstanding men and women of all the first responder agencies in Grundy County, Missouri.”
Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce Director Debbie Carman, who gave the welcome, recognized those first responders who were in attendance at Thursday night’s program and thanked them for their service. Tammy Chamberlain played the bag pipe to start the ceremonies, which included a presentation of colors by Trenton Boy Scouts, led by Trenton Police Sgt. Jeb Walker. Pastor Mike Moore, who is also a lieutenant with the Trenton Fire Department, sang the National Anthem and Pastor Doug Franklin, a member of the fire department, gave the invocation.
There was also recognition of winners of contests held as part of the Missouri Day Festival. They include:
Coloring Contest
Preschool – 1. Landry Shippen, Trenton R-9; 2. Paige Little, Pleasant View R-6; 3. Landon Olmstead, Pleasant View R-6.
Kindergarten – 1. Audree Vandever, Pleasant View R-6; 2. Liliiahna Sosa, Rissler Elementary; 3. Jayden Gannon, Grundy R-5.
First Grade – 1. Audrey Coffman, Grundy R-5; 2. Bentley Kitchen, Rissler Elementary; 3. Lydia Smiley, Rissler Elementary.
Second Grade – 1. Justyce Miller, Rissler Elementary; 2. Ali Cox, Rissler Elementary; 3. Cutler Epperson, Rissler Elementary.
Third Grade – 1. Colton Hammond, Rissler Elementary; 2. Logan Wilson, Rissler Elementary; 3. Astrid Soriano, Pleasant View R-6.
Fourth Grade – 1. Carly Smith, Grundy R-5; 2. Paige Farris, S.M. Rissler Elementary; 3. Gabe Meneses, Grundy R-5.
Yard Decorating
Residential – 1. Misty and Jeremy Savage of 1709 Carnes St.; 2. Barb and Roger Hawkins of 614 Town and Country Lane.
Business – 1. Sunnyview Nursing Home, 1311 E. 28th St.; 2. Century 21, 1724 E. Ninth St.
Window Decorating
1. Oak Leaf Achievers 4-H Club, 804 Main St.; 2. Classic Hair Fair (Barb Hawkins), 915 Washington St.
The evening concluded with a performance by the Trenton High School Choir, “Gold Rush,” under the direction of music instructor Tyler Busick.