Legends Bank in Linn and the Christmas on Main Street Committee were recently recognized with awards from the Missouri Community Betterment Association (MCB) for “Best Use of Community Assets” for Legends Bank Park and “Most Engaged Community” for the Christmas on Main Street event.

“I’m grateful for the participation of the Christmas on Main Street Committee,” said Shelley Klebba, of Legends Bank and co-chair of Christmas on Main Street Committee. “They have dug in and pitched in with the same passion Mary Ann (Gelven) and I have had from inception of the concept. It’s been a joy to see the town embrace and look forward to the second year of Christmas on Main Street.”

Klebba added that Legends Bank Park has been a gem for the community. “It’s nice to see it being used as we’d hoped,” she said.

Missouri communities, especially small rural communities, struggle to maintain their livelihood, facilitate growth, and improve their quality of life due primarily to a variety of interdependent economic and population challenges.

MCB offers hope by helping community leaders expand personal connections through individual contact, technology use, resource networks, celebrations, and gatherings. MCB provides a network for progressive communities that is designed to facilitate, promote, and showcase meaningful community efforts and serves as a conduit to technical assistance, funding sources, and partnerships. It is also an advocate that encourages community leaders to move forward.

The MCB program accomplishes this mission primarily by connecting community needs with available resources and by providing networking and educational opportunities through conferences and webinars to those involved in improving their communities.

While Missouri Community Betterment, a nonprofit organization established in 1963, exists to benefit any community within the state, participants are primarily those that lack professional economic and community development, a chamber of commerce, or a local convention and visitor’s bureau personnel. The most active communities tend to be those in the rural regions of the state with populations less than 5,000 residents and are not necessarily defined by traditional geo-political boundaries as collaboration balanced with individual community pride is encouraged.

Most individuals within MCB-member communities are volunteers who have gathered a group of people that recognizes the need for improvements and take it upon themselves to plan and facilitate group efforts to move their community forward.

Many primary contacts are local business owners, elected officials, and board members of various civic and nonprofit organizations. Local youth who are interested in leadership and civic engagement are also involved. MCB encourages communities to include and foster their seniors, adults, and youth in every aspect of their community betterment efforts.