Farmer's award to help revamp McGennis Center school

James R. Campbell/Herald-Tribune Presented by Monsanto to benefit McGennis Youth Center, a $2,500 American Farmers' Grow Communities Program award went to Debbie and Wyatt Hoenshell of Richards, center, Thursday night in Rich Hill. With them are Monsanto Territorial Sales Manager Jon White of Pittsburg, Kan., and Youth Center Board Vice President Virginia Habjan.

RICH HILL, Mo. -- Fifty people convened at Lions Club Meeting Hall Thursday night to have a buffet dinner and see Richards farmer Wyatt Hoenshell and his wife Debbie accept a $2,500 Monsanto American Farmer's Grow Communities Award for Mary E. McGennis Agricultural Park & Youth Center.

Referring to the facility's 1966 inception on 160 acres two miles north of Metz in northwest Vernon County, Hoenshell said, "Our family has used the center for three generations and it has been a good deal."

Virginia Habjan of Nevada, board vice president for the non-profit corporation, said the money will be combined with contributions from the Thalia Group of Nevada to refurbish the center's one-room school building for programs held there.

"We were really excited to receive the award," Habjan said. "We had wanted to do this for a long time."

Serving young people and families from Bates, Henry, St. Clair and Vernon counties, the complex has basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, a baseball field, a chapel, camping, picnicking and four cabins with fishing and swimming on a six-acre lake. The supervisors are Chadd and Kerry Duncan.

The award was presented by Monsanto Territorial Sales Manager Jon White of Pittsburg, Kan., who said his St. Louis-based manufacturer of herbicides and genetically engineered seeds is investing more than $3 million in 1,200 counties around the nation.

"To date, more than 60,000 farmers have participated in the program, which is designed to benefit non-profit groups such as ag youth, schools and civic organizations," White said.

McGennis Board Secretary Debbie Balk of Rich Hill announced during a business meeting after the presentation that a work day will be held at the center on May 7.

Other directors are President Robert Wills of Rich Hill, Treasurer Carla Armentrout of Hume, Russell Chandler and Wesley Merritt of Butler, Rhonda Headley of Hume, Scott Sudkamp of Sheldon, Jennifer Byers of Deerfield and John Engeman of Montrose.

Also, all of Rich Hill, the panel includes Guy Nelson, Randy Bell, Jeff Steuck, Marc Bell, Jeff Droz, Luke Tourtillot, Carl Steiger, Bob Schlyer, Doug Abend, Bonnie Teel, Greg Brocka, Den Westerhold and Jim Barton.