Schell City Fall Festival helps by giving big

The Schell City Fall Festival concluded this past Saturday evening with a near-record amount of money being raised for the community and conducted the drawing for a 1999 Ford Expedition, the proceeds of which benefit the Schell City Rural Volunteer Fire Department.

The Schell City Fall Festival has been a long-standing tradition that not only serves as a form of entertainment for Vernon Countians, but also as an avenue to generate necessary community funding for various projects in Schell City and the surrounding communities. Organized by volunteers from across the community along with the Schell City Community Betterment Committee, this festival helps to fund vital necessities most towns take for granted, and traditionally gives a portion of the proceeds to Northeast Vernon County Schools, Schell City Rural Volunteer Fire Department and the all-purpose Community Building, just to name a few.

In a community the size of Schell City, with a population of just 249, you won't see large tax revenues being collected that usually help fund necessary community improvements and services. The town just simply does not have the infrastructure to support that; that is where the Schell City Community Betterment Committee comes into play. This group has organized the Fall Festival every year and has put money back into the community for many things that otherwise wouldn't be available for this small town. Every year the festival has a "Royalty Coronation" and the candidate in each category who sells the most tickets is crowned for the year. Twenty percent of each winning candidate's proceeds are returned to their sponsors.

The tickets sold by the Royalty candidate's go into a drawing for various items which are donated by Schell City community members and from those in surrounding communities, such as Nevada, El Dorado Springs, Walker, Harwood and this year even Branson. The money generated from these drawings help support the festival and things which the city doesn't have the money for, within its' own budget, such as upkeep on the city's park. Other means of fundraising throughout the festival for the community, include other drawings, the Schell City Rural Volunteer Fire Department Smorgasbord, horseshoe and volleyball tournaments and a basketball shootout.

Schell City Community Betterment President Jeanne Hoagland said, "There are so many people that are vital to the success of this festival; many of whom are doing, donating, cooking and simply relaying messages -- in a community our size, it simply takes everyone, and I thank them all."

A special note this year, community members, Doug and Tarah Vantellman generously donated a 1999 Ford Expedition that went to a very lucky winner. Ms. Brenda Langley of Butler, won the prize from just a handful of tickets that friends had purchased in her name. Langley, completely unaware that the festival was taking place last weekend (or that she had entered the drawing at all) was surprised on Tuesday, when the Expedition was delivered to her workplace, personally, by Mr. and Mrs. Vantellman.

Ms. Langley suffers from severe and costly diabetic issues and is a working, single mother. Friends say she has often found it difficult to purchase the necessary insulin and other medicines which are needed to maintain her health, and even more difficult to make necessary repairs on her vehicle, due to her medical circumstances. After being presented with the keys to the Ford Expedition, in tears, Ms. Langley said, "I want to give a very big thank you to the entire Schell City Community, the Fire Department and anyone who bought a ticket in my name. I would especially like to thank Doug and Tarah Vantellman. I think the names "Doug" and "Tarah," are my two, new and favorite names, from here on out."

When asked why they donated the vehicle for the prize, Doug Vantellman simply stated, "We've had a good farming year, so far. God has blessed us, and we simply just wanted to give something back."

The Schell City Fall Festival is held every year the weekend after Labor Day and everyone is invited to attend. Plans for next years' events will soon be underway and if you would like to donate your time, or anything else to this worthy cause you may do so by calling City Hall at 417-432-3222.

For any questions about the Schell City Community Betterment Committee, or to volunteer, please call Jeanne Hoagland at Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home at 417-432-3111, or you may contact any of the other officers: Vice President, Jim Goodman, secretary, Vivian Bachand or treasurer, Sharon Goodman.