Welcome to Neosho

Our children’s church message a couple of weeks ago was about making people feel welcome.  Our children/youth minister Melinda Gibson brought a welcome mat and asked the children what it was.  Most of them replied rug, which provided her with the opportunity to explain the phrase "putting out the welcome mat."

I’ve been thinking a lot about Neosho’s welcome mat every time I drive down Harmony Street.  It is so refreshing to see a full parking lot in the old McClintock’s/Scholastic parking lot.  One of the businesses damaged as part of the Joplin tornado has temporarily located to the space.  These folks are spending a large part of their day now in townand it feels good to know we, as a community, had the space to provide.

Reading a recent Neosho Daily News report, it was not surprising to learn that there has been an increase in local home sales since May 22.  Amye Buckley wrote that since that time, 87 new Neosho water customers established residency and signed up for services. The signs of change are evident in our neighborhood, three homes on our circle, long on the housing market, and have now sold.  All three are being occupied by families whose homes were destroyed by the tornado.

So many of us have felt lost as to how to help, and now it seems we have a perfect opportunity simply by throwing out Neosho’s welcome mat and making sure our new residents, no matter how long they’re here, know they’ve arrived somewhere they can regroup and right themselves.

If you’re like me, sometimes I’m asked if I know a particular person.  Even if we’ve never spoken, but if they’re from Neosho, I’ll say yes; because they’re “Neosho people.”  Having only lived here for the past 24 years, I have never experienced any feelings of being on the outside.  Neosho has always felt like home.

A quote I remember attributed to Thomas Hart Benton was his description of Neosho as a town addicted to celebration.  We have our Christmas parade, our arts celebrations, our car shows and Wildcat pride.  More importantly, I believe we celebrate each other.  We celebrate our commitment to our schools by volunteering when asked to help.  We celebrate our community when we participate in civic events; serve on committees and attending council meetings.  We celebrate the arts when we attend local plays and concerts.

Maybe now more than ever, we can prove Thomas Hart right and celebrate Neosho by welcoming our new residents.  A warm smile and a quick, “Welcome to Neosho.  We’re glad to be here for you,” will be one of the many ways we can help renew and rebuild.