Issuu

Table of Contents 3-4

Belinda Goodrich

5-6

Venna Oldsen

7-9

Cheryl Bruce

10-11

Autumn Burk

12-13

Debbie Reeves & Rita Beck

14-15

Stacy Emerson

Publisher Shelia Rouse General Manager Mike Smith Editor Jeff Dorris

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Belinda Goodrich Salon B – A vision brought to life Trina Bell tbell@dddnews.com Being a woman in business can be empowering. But when it comes to living your dream and following your passion, where you love what you do, and by helping others to feel better about themselves, there’s a lot to be proud of. Belinda Goodrich of Kennett had a vision when she was a young girl, knowing that one day she would have her own place, therefore, he vision became a reality when she purchased her own salon. Salon B is a one-stop shop for anyone who wants to be pampered. Goodrich said she is living her dream and doing a job she is passionate about. Salon B has several professionals who offer a variety of services. But something which sets Salon B apart from most is that you have privacy. Each professional has their own private room to work their magic. “We have four hair stylists, a massage therapist, an esthetician, and a nail tech,” Goodrich explained. “I knew when I was growing up that I wanted a place where women could go and get everything done that they want, all in one place, and Salon B is that place. We do hair, make-up, massages, skin care and eyelashes.” The stylists of course, handle cuts and style customers’ hair. Their main duties include washing, coloring and cleaning hair, recommending and selling salon products and staying updat-

ed on ongoing hair styling trends. And of course, a stylist is always needed before that important engagement such as weddings, prom, or homecomings. The massage therapist treat clients by using touch to manipulate the muscles and other soft tissues of the body. With their touch, therapists relieve pain, help heal injuries, improve circulation, relieve stress, increase relaxation, and aid in the general wellness of clients. The nail tech cleans, files, trims, polishes and repairs fingernails and toenails. They discuss treatments with clients, such as applying artificial nails or moisturizing hands and feet, and sell additional services and products. The esthetician provides services focused on skin care including, but not limited to, skin treatments, facials, makeup application and hair removal, just to name a few examples. Goodrich has been doing nails for more than sixteen-years. “Here at my full-service salon we work to accommodate our

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From Page Three clients,” Goodrich said. “You will likely find one of us in here seven-days a week. Whatever it takes to make our customers happy, that’s what we will do.” In addition to being pampered in a full service salon, the ladies go a step further by providing refreshments for their clients. “We take turns each week putting $20 in a pot to go towards buying the refreshments, and our customers seem to really like it,” Goodrich said. Salon B is newly remodeled. In addition to leaving their customers feeling glamorous, they are pampered in style as well. Clients will see three new beautiful nail spa and pedicure chairs set within a room that just speaks DIVA as you choose a spa manicure or pedicure in either a dipped gel nail, a gel polish, or acrylic with over 500 colors to choose from. “In order to better accommodate the growing demand, we have a private room available for a nail tech as well, if anyone is interested,” Goodrich said. Salon B is a place where you can come in and get whatever you need done, with a team of professionals who care about their clients and want to leave you feeling fabulous. Goodrich is thankful to have the support of her family, her husband Sam, and son Cody Clark. Located at 809 S. By-Pass in Kennett, just down from Wilcoxson’s Home Furnishings.

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Venna Oldsen Executive Director Dunklin County Caring Council “I worked at a Christian pre-school in Poplar Bluff and was working with four year olds. I had no idea what I was doing, but I made it through.” Oldsen informed, “Then I worked with DAEOC doing early head-start in our area. I was everything from a child/family advocate to a teacher.” Oldsen stated she decided to take a different path. “I became passionate about families,” she said. “That’s how I landed here at the Caring Council. I started here in May 2014. At that point in time I had just become a CASA volunteer. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a national association in the United States that supports and promotes court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected children. CASA are volunteers from the community who complete training that has been provided by the state or local CASA office. They are appointed by a judge, and their role is to gather information and make recommendations in the best interest of the child, keeping the child’s personal wishes in mind. “I was at a point in life where I wanted to basically give back to that field,” said Oldsen. “I had two young children so I wasn’t in a place to do foster are, but I found out we had a CASA program here. I did that for several years.” Oldsen continued, “I loved volunteering and working with the families and loved reporting backto the court my observations. I enjoyed it very much.” When a part-time position became available with CASA, Old-

Jeff Dorris jdorris@dddnews.com Venna Oldsen is all about families. Oldsen was raised in foster care and has always had a passion for helping children and families and with her career choices, that’s exactly what she’s done. Oldsen recently reflected on her life and the career path that brought her to the Dunklin County Caring Council. Olsen is a Kennett native, however she has lived all over the state. “I moved a lot in childhood,” said Oldsen. “I actually grew up in foster care, which is what led partly to my involvement with CASA.” Oldsen continued, “I was 17 when I moved back here. I graduated from Holcomb. I went into foster care when I was seven. I moved several times in this area, then moved to the St. Charles area, ended up in Springfield, where I was adopted at 15.” “I didn’t go right to college,” shared Oldsen. “I took some time off and actually went to college several years later. I went locally, to SEMO and Three Rivers. I actually still like a few classes to get my degree.” “Through having kids and raising a family, that kind of got put on hold,” she said. “It’s one of those things that I aspire to have done by the time my kids move into college.” Oldsen had considered a career in education. “My passion at that time was early childhood,” said Oldsen.

See OLDSEN page 6

Oldsen From Page Five sen decided to take that on as well as working part-time at the Caring Council. “That led into the program director position,” stated Oldsen. “That was an interesting combination because the director position there is a part-time role and my position here at the Caring Council as Community Development Coordinator was also part-time.” Oldsen shared, “It worked out nicely because the programs complemented each other and allowed us to bring a little of that work into the Caring Council.” In 2018 an opportunity arose with the First Birthday Project. “That was a full-time role,” said Oldsen. “I decided to step down from CASA and step into that position. I really loved that role. The position centered on reducing infant mortality by providing safe sleep services.” “It was a change of pace,” she said. “I stayed with CASA as a board member for probably about a year, then stepped down from that as well.” Oldsen stated, “CASA will always be close to my heart. I’m still close to some of the volunteers and can always available for them.” Concerning her new role at the Dunklin County Caring Council, Oldsen informs she loves it.

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“I love the professional growth that has come along with it,” said Oldsen. “I’ve learned a lot. It’s been great.” Oldsen provided on the different programs the Caring Council offers. “Some of our programs are the Stork Store,” said Oldsen. The Stork Store is an incentive-based program for parents and caregivers of young children. By accessing services provided by partner programs such as WIC, Health Department, Parents as Teachers, Building Blocks, and Project WIN, parents can earn stork cash to be exchanged in the store for necessities like diapers, wipes, and baby food. “What’s really neat about the Stork Store is we’ve wrote for a grant with Bootheel Babies and Families for the infant mortality initiative and we’re just getting ready to kick that off. That’s going to increase the capacity of the Stork Store.” Oldsen continued, “The cancer assistance services program provides transportation assistance and nutritional supplements to patients that are in treatment for cancer. We also have some community health initiatives, like the Farm to School program. We have workforce development programs.” “The team that has grown the most in the two years that I’ve been doing this is our Family Outreach team,” informed Oldsen. “They have done phenomenal work.” “We’ve worked really hard to build relationships with Children’s Division and the court system,” she said. “We started with one staff member in July 2019 and just doing a few parent aid services and have grown to a team of four with two open positions in Stoddard County as well.” “Oldsen stated, “They do everything from supervising visits and we have developed a family unification room. They also offer parenting classes.” “Our team’s favorite thing to do are parent cafes,” said Oldsen. “Those are just an opportunity for parents to come together and connect over challenges.” Oldsen shared the staff is incredible. “The key to our success has been the staff members we’ve had and the dedication they have for their roles,” said Oldsen. Oldsen shared on some of the challenges the organization faces. “Our biggest challenge is visibility,” she said. “We have a lot of, we didn’t even know the caring council existed. Obviously, when you’re a non-profit organization or charitable organization funding and reliability of funding is always a challenge.” “We’re constantly looking at ways to keep our programs sustainable.” Oldsen shared on her passion for families. “One of my favorite pieces of what we do is when we see a family that has been struggling and have their children removed and then they are reunited and their family is able to come back together.” Oldsen is married to husband, Derek, and they have four children, Adelyn, 12, Dawson, 11, Grace, 11, and Tyson, 4. “We have a beautiful blended family,” Oldsen said. “A veritable yours, mine, and ours.” Oldsen concluded, “When I was a kid I always wanted to be a professional volunteer. I feel like I’m exactly where I want to be.” “I can’t imagine being anywhere else,” said Oldsen.

Cheryl Bruce

Bringing resources together to help families succeed for a change. “This job with the Caring Council fell in my lap that summer,” said Bruce. “It started off with what I thought was going to be part-time, but part-time didn’t last very long.” Bruce is currently the Community Program Director. “Venna and I make a good team,” said Bruce. “When I was at the school it was all about the kids, in this role you’re helping those parents of former students, and some of my former students are parents, so I get to see them as well.” “It kind of came full circle,” she said. Bruce shared on her new role at the Caring Council and what it entails. “I built a lot of great relationships in the community and I’m thankful for that,” Bruce stated. “Now my job will be a little more based in the office and I’m always available to assist Venna.” “In fact, I’ll help anybody that needs assistance in the office,” she said. Bruce informed that one of the reasons the Caring Council runs so efficiently is the leadership skills of Venna Oldsen. “She’s great,” said Bruce. “She realizes we have families. She understands the needs of the family and allows us to take care of that, but she also realizes we get our work done.” “Bruce continued, ‘She knows that our families are just as important as the families we serve. That’s huge because a lot of the ladies that work in the office have children at home” Bruce shared on the programs offered at the Dunklin County Caring Council.

Jeff Dorris jdorris@dddnews.com Cheryl Bruce the job she has prepared for her whole life, bringing people resources together to assist struggling families succeed. Bruce is originally from Wyandotte, Michigan but considers the Bootheel home. “I came here after marrying my husband,” said Bruce. “He was in the military for six years. I met him in Virginia Beach, Virginia, while cruising the strip.” Bruce continued, “29 years later, we’re still married. He’s from Senath originally, so when his contract ended with the Navy we moved home.” Bruce shared she has worked all her life. “I’ve worked everywhere from a video store clerk to Walmart, and grocery stores,” she said. “I’ve worked all kinds of jobs. The longest job was at Kennett Public Schools as a teacher’s aide for 18 years.” Bruce shared, “When you have a family, now it requires two incomes. Working at the school was the best fit, because we had two children at home at the time. I was home when they were home.” “I loved it,” said Bruce. “I loved the kids. I started off as a kindergartner’s aide and an aide in the resource room.” Bruce informed, “I’ve been a personal aide for a handicapped child. My favorite was working at South School in fifth grade. The kids were older, and they got my humor, and it was fun.”In May of 2018 Bruce’s son had graduated and she was looking

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Bruce From Page Seven “I’m proud of our cancer assistance services,” said Bruce. “Sometimes we’ll help get them through their treatment and they’ll come in and give us a hug. We helped them and now they’re in remission and they don’t need us.” Bruce shared, “It’s great when I get a phone call or a thank you card. My mother passed away from cancer when I was 16, and my husband has had leukemia, so it’s close to my heart.” “I’ve met some great people through that cancer program,” said Bruce. “The outcomes haven’t always been great, but when we do get those great outcomes and the thank you’s and the hugs, there’s been tears.” “I’m so excited when they get to that point and they shared it with us,” she said. Bruce informed that funding is always a major challenge for the Caring Council. “COVID really put a hit on us as far as being out in the community doing fundraisers,” provided Bruce. “The W.I.C. Office here in Kennett is our greatest asset. They started donating baby formula to our office. We’ve been able to distribute baby formula to daycares in the county.” Bruce stressed, “Also, the cancer assistant services, couldn’t run without the United Way. They are our biggest contributor.” Bruce said, “Our Family Outreach Program is also doing some great stuff. It’s growing and we have a great staff. This is a great team.” Bruce concluded, “We have a lot going on here.”

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When you think of a woman in business you may picture a woman behind a desk or a boss lady who can tackle any job. Well, Autumn Burk is both. Serving as the Chief Financial Officer at Kennett Trust Bank, Burk wears many other hats as well. With a resume a mile long it’s hard to imagine how she can do all she does while keeping a smile on her face the entire time. A cheerful lady at heart, Burk prides herself in family. Behind every good woman is usually a good family. Although Burk’s schedule keeps her extremely busy, she displays pride in her marriage to her husband, whom she met at Oklahoma State University, where they were both attending college. Before discussing her credentials, Burk took a minute to brag on her family. The Burk’s daughter Hannah, recently graduated from Holcomb High School as the 2021 Class Salutatorian. She was a member of the Girls Softball team who went to State as well as other athletics. “My son Braiden is also involved in sports,” Burk stated. “And he will be a junior this next year. We have stayed busy with both kids being involved in all kinds of sports.” As if being a mom and keeping up with your kids’ activities isn’t enough, Burk herself is involved in a long list of groups and organizations because she loves giving back. “My family and I are members of the First Baptist Church in Holcomb and I am also a member of the Holcomb School Board, where I am serving my third term.”

Autumn Burk

“This new building will give us all we need to give more access and the ability to better serve our customers in their future in banking,” Burk stated. “I love that we give back and show support to our local community. Kennett Trust Bank gives out approximately $18,000 in scholarships each year. They offer great benefits, along with employee benefits, and we take care of our own,” she advised. In addition to these community services, Kennett Trust Bank also offers a school program for area seniors, which gives them the opportunity to be involved in the workforce, while finishing up their senior year. “And that is something to be proud of,” Burk added.

The epitome of a woman in business In addition to this, Burk is also the LaFemme Club Treasurer, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and has served several terms as treasurer for the Delta Children’s Home. But Burk’s full-time day to day job or position as CFO of Kennett Trust Bank is where she feels at home. Burk laughed about getting her foot in the door started out as a joke between her and her mentor Doyle Privett. “I received my degree in accounting at Oklahoma State, and after I returned to this area, I began working for a local CPA office, which is where I met Mr. Doyle,” Burk explained. “It was while I was working with him that he said I should get my degree in banking. So I did. I attended the program at Barret School of Banking at Christian Brothers in Memphis. And Doyle helped me get my start here. Even though he has retired now, he is still on the board and he is always around to help anytime we need him.” Burk works closely with bank President David Dalton. She helps handle the day to day projects, which can include auditing, verifying and reconciling accounts, as well as, liquidity, and managing employees, along with their schedules, employee insurance, and things of that nature. “Right now we are excited about the new building, which is going up right out here on the east side,” Burk said. “A lot of people think that COVID has caused us to downsize, but it didn’t. It only changed how business was conducted.” Kennett Trust, formerly Kennett National changed names when the bank decided to transition from a Federal Bank to a State bank, which means, they could no longer use ‘National’ in the name. But by doing so, they are able to offer their customers more assistance. “You will never call us and receive an automated system,” Burk explained. “You will speak to someone locally, who will be able to assist you with your banking needs. We can offer a more friendly experience and like many other banks, we have gone to the chip.” Burk said she is thankful for the opportunity to be a part of something that is bigger. In that, she means being a part of a business that gives back.

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Jeff Dorris jdorris@dddnews.com D and R’s McCormick’s Restaurant, a longtime Kennett business continues to provide the community with home cooked meals and desserts, thanks to co-owners Debbie Reeves and Rita Beck. Reeves and Beck purchased the business in 2014, after the original owner retired. Both had been employed at McCormick’s for thirty plus years. Reeves as waitress and Beck as cook. “I’ve always wanted to do this,” said Beck. Reeves agreed and added, “I thought about the twenty-something jobs they had here and I wanted to keep those people employed.” The ladies agreed that ownership of the business has been quite an experience. “We have made a lot of changes here,” said Reeves. “That’s been fun.” Beck informed, “We’ve added to the menu. The burritos with the white cheese sauce, that’s new, as well as the tacos.” “We have bigger hamburgers now,” said Reeves. “We have nine inch burgers. Those are real good sellers.” McCormick’s also now offers breakfast on Wednesday nights and Saturday. “We’ve added to the breakfast menu also,” shared Reeves. “We’ve added skillets, different omelets, and breakfast burritos.”

D and R’s McCormick’s also has a large back dining room that seats 45 to 50 people, perfect for family gatherings. “Since COVID hit we’ve had a lot of families ask for that back dining room for social distancing,” said Beck. The two business owners discussed the affect the pandemic had on the restaurant. “Going through it was rough” Beck said. “I hated that it happened, but I will have to say, I know it changed for us, but since its died down some, its helped our business,” added Reeves. Reeves continued, “The government funds helped us bounce back and now we’ve built back our customer base.” Beck agreed. “Older customers are coming back,” Beck said. “Our business is better than it was before,” informed Reeves. Of the many changes, both shared on the popularity of McCormick’s desserts. “We now have different desserts, “ said Reeves. “The Chocolate Supreme and the Pineapple Crunch is new. They’re awesome. “I love to bake,” said Beck. The two ladies compliment each other in the business. “I come in at 4:30 a.m. and go home at 2:00 p.m., Debbie

comes in at 8 or 9:00 a.m., goes home about 3:00 p.m., comes back at 5:00 p.m. and some nights she doesn’t get out of here until 10 or 11:00 p.m.,” stated Beck. McCormick’s is also a family affair. “My husband, Johnny, helps too,” said Reeves. “He does all of our maintenance as well.” Beck said, “He enjoys the customers.” Reeves continued, “He saves us thousands in maintenance. He can fix anything.” Beck added, “He’s one of the people we depend on.” D and R’s McCormick’s employs 22 staff and the ladies have a vision for the future of the business. “We’d like to put a hot bar in here,” shared Beck. “We’ve just got to find the time.” “Eventually, we’ll put in a buffet,” said Reeves. The ladies had advice for future entrepreneurs. “If you enjoy doing it, then yes, pursue business ownership. But pick a business you’d enjoy waking up to.” Beck stated, “Running your own business is never a nine to five, and it’s very stressful. Beck concluded, “Through all of it though, it’s been fun. Rita gets to do what she enjoys doing, baking and cooking, and I love cooking breakfast. I love being with customers and waiting tables.” “It’s been a good choice,” said Beck. “The main idea behind it was we wanted to keep the jobs available in Kennett,” said Reeves.

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jdorris@dddnews.com Stacy Emerson, Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, at FCC Behavioral Health is dedicated to uncovering the root causes.of mental health problems. “I love what I do,” said Emerson. “I think there’s such a stigma against mental health, and people don’t want to be diagnosed with certain things.” Emerson continued, “There is no shame in needing help. People are reluctant to help because of the stigma. My goal is to

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help people understand that mental health is no different than diabetes.” “If you have diabetes you’re going to need take medication, and you’re going to watch your diet,” said Emerson. “If you’ve got neurotransmitter deficiency in your brain, take the medicine. It’s no different than your pancreas not secreting insulin.” “You just give back what your body needs,” she said. Emerson, a native of San Antonio, Texas, acquired her education at the University of Texas, University of Tennessee at Knoxville and Arkansas State University. She is also a U.S. Navy veteran. “I had a navy scholarship through nursing school,” informed Emerson. “Being in the Navy was wonderful.” Emerson shared, “It taught me resiliency, a lot of resilience. I wouldn’t change the experience for anything, honestly. It taught me a lot about people. It taught me to some degree about different cultures.” “It taught me how to be ready for things you can’t prepare for,” she said. “It was a great experience.” Emerson stated she always knew she wanted to be a nurse. “I was nosey,” said Emerson. “I always wanted to know who was in the back of the ambulance.” Emerson reflected, “When I was about five years old, my grandmother told me we passed a nursing home and some of the old folks were outside and I said, ‘Someday, I’m going to care of you’.” Emerson informed that she was primarily raised by her grandparents. “My grandfather was a military officer during World War II and he was always telling me to marry an officer,” said Emerson.

“That was his goal for me. College not on the trajectory, just marry an officer.” Emerson continued, “When I started college, he told me to become a teacher. Ultimately, I ended up teaching at the University of Tennessee. When I became an officer, my grandfather actually commissioned at graduation.” “I became a nurse, a teacher, and an officer,” she said. Emerson reflected on the uptick in suicide rates recently, especially amongst the youth. “I’m seeing it a whole lot more in kids,” said Emerson. “I’ve worked with a lot of kids. That’s my passion.” Emerson stated, “I think with the kids, it’ societal pressures and I think COVID has been a huge proponent, because of the isolation. The kids are not in school, their routine is messed up, parents are more stressed, and I think it all trickles down.” Emerson had high praise for FCC Behavioral Health. “I have never been with a company that has such a great team,” said Emerson. “I genuinely mean that.From the very top, CEO, all the way down to the care coordinators.” Emerson provided, “We have two psychiatrists and there’s never been a time when I haven’t left a message or picked up a phone with a question, that they’re not on it. If I ever left FCC it would be tragic for me.” Emerson shared this has been a good career choice for her. “I’m doing what love,” said Emerson. “I think the nursing route has so much potential to do whatever you want,” Emerson continued, “In nursing you can be a floor nurse, a teacher, I can do E.R., or I can do psychiatry. Nursing is limitless.” Emerson concluded, “Fundamentally, it’s going back to the thing that I love which is working with and helping people.”

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