Kiwanis Club of Joplin

06/10/2026

Some photos taken at our annual Kiwanis Shrimp Boil Tuesday. Photo credits to Rod Surber. Special thanks to Ed Scorse, Dr. Ben Rosenberg, Jared Bruggeman, and Harvey Hutchinson for their work on this event. A good time was had by all.

05/16/2026

At our weekly meeting Tuesday, Kiwanis President Jared Bruggeman proudly presented a new member plaque to his son, Micah Bruggeman. Welcome to Kiwanis!

Need Insurance? Call Micah at Bill Williams Shelter Insurance (417) 626-8332.

05/10/2026

Last Tuesday, Devin Blankenship, Director of the Joplin Health
Department Animal Control Division, presented the
program.

Devin said the depatment’s main goal is education to
avoid court actions. His department also deals with dogs running
at large and too many animals. The city allows only 4 animals
(any combination), but that does not include animals such as fish
or snakes. His department also handles compaints about farm
animals in the city. Dogs at large are also managed by the
department. The department also handles animal bites, which are
reported to the state health department to protect against rabies.
Several cases of rabis have been reported this year in Jasper
County.

The department also works with education and assistance with the state Wildlife division. The city is using a new “trap, neuter, release” program to deal with feral cats. He also shared unusual stories about animal rescues such as a beaver, owl, ferret and dagu, which is endemic to Chile.

05/06/2026

05/03/2026

APRIL 28 PROGRAM:
Stephanie Snyder and Matt Snyder, Senior Pastors at Frisco Church in Webb City, presented the program about the Overcoming Children ministry in Kenya, Africa.

The ministry is located primarily in Kakamega where they partner with a children’s school that serves orphans. The school provides
meals and educational services for 500 students twice a day. Their efforts have provided shoes and school uniforms for the children, building renovations and additions, water well pumps, water holding tanks and other projects.

More information is available at Overcoming Children or overcomingchildren.org . The ministry feeds about 600,000 meals each year at a cost is about 10 cents per meal.

04/15/2026

Joplin Kiwanian Doug Lawson retired from the Joplin City Council last night after Eight years of service, including that of Joplin Mayor.

Doug Lawson has given a lifetime of service to his country and community. After serving a decorated career in the United States Navy, including VietNam, he returned home as a Chaplain at Freeman Hospital. Showme magazine detailed some of his service in a past issue. Thanks for your service!

04/12/2026

This 1998 photo, shows some of the persons who served as President of the Joplin Kiwanis Club, beginning with the year 1951. The middle row is of spouses of those who served.

04/05/2026

At Tuesday's meeting, Jay St. Clair, Executive Director, Joplin's God's Resort, presented the program. Jay is a former youth minister and community outreach minister at College Heights Christian Church for more than two decades. He is now executive director of God’s Resort transitional housing.

God’s Resort is a not-for-profit corporation offering transitional housing to people whose lives are changing for the better. The GOD’S RESORT MISSION is to help people through a Christ-centered community to choose freedom from their past and reach their full potential as children of God. The organization currently has 40 homes in Joplin serving 65 adults and children.

God’s Resort offers a Stability Plan centered on healthy relationships, and safe, affordable, and dignified housing in the form of drug and alcohol-free apartments and houses in the neighborhood of 14th and Pearl in Joplin, Missouri. Most of the homes are one and two-bedroom units that rent from $465 to $565 per month. A few dwellings have three bedrooms and rent for $665 per month. The program offers a relationship-based program to help people heal from past hurt and prepare for a new season of life. Information is available at https://godsresort.org/ .

04/02/2026

Yesterday, Kiwanians Doug Lawson, Bill Eichman, David Niebur, and Marda Schroeder assisted in packaging 558 Snackpacks for Bright Futures Joplin. Kiwanis is all about kids.

03/31/2026

At this week's meeting, we recognized Joplin High School Teacher Karisa Boyer.

Mrs. Karisa Boyer, a true JHS original who is celebrating her 25th year at Joplin High School, was the recipient of the Joplin Kiwanis Educator of the month award. A proud JHS graduate from the Class of 1997, Mrs. Boyer has dedicated her entire teaching career to Joplin (even if it’s been in 4 different “buildings”).

Mrs. Boyer teaches Dual Credit Biology Research, Intro to Health Occupations, Biology, and Advanced Biology. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Missouri Southern, originally thinking she might work at a zoo or become a veterinarian. In fact, she was offered a position at the Tulsa Zoo at the same time she was offered a full-time para position at Cecil Floyd. Faced with two very different paths, she chose education and Joplin has benefited ever since. She later earned her Master of Arts in Teaching from Missouri State University and went on to complete a Master’s in Biology from Pittsburg State University. In addition to teaching at JHS, she also serves as an adjunct instructor for Crowder College and Missouri Southern, continuing to expand opportunities for students.

One of Karisa Boyer's classes this year is called Intro to Health Occupations, and her focus has also included an Eagle-Proud twist: she's brought in 28+ JHS alumni as presenters, leading students on a semester-long exploration of health science careers. Students have heard from doctors, nurses, healthcare admin students, dentists, therapists, paramedics, medical students, anesthesiologist assistants, physician assistants, epidemiologists, orthodontists, and more, all of whom graduated from the halls of Joplin High School.

Karisa was awarded Joplin Schools Teacher of the Year Award in 2014, and has several times been a finalist as Missouri’s Teacher of the Year. She also was named one of three national ambassadors for Science News Magazine through Science News Learning, and named the Science Coach of the Year for 2025 by ScienceCoach.org!

We have only briefly touched all that Karisa Boyer has accomplished while teaching in Joplin. She has easily earned the award of Joplin Kiwanis’ Educator Award. The award and gift certificate are sponsored by Steve's Auto Body and Frame of Joplin.

Shown in the photo Left to Right, David Niebur with Joplin Kiwanis, Karisa Boyer, Dr. Matthew Harding, Assistant Superintendent of Joplin Schools and a member of the Kiwanis Club.