There will never be another Memorial Day in Chamois, like the one we enjoyed May 25, 2026!
As President of the Friends of Chamois Cemeteries, it was my privilege (and responsibility) to orchestrate a moment in time that few will forget.
The point of this letter is to shine the spotlight on three quotes:
Ralph “Rube” Cramer: “There has never been an event that pulled our town together like this special day.” (“Rube” designed and built the stage that was installed by Joe Keilholz.)
Meghan Birmingham: “I always hoped something like this could happen. This might be the turn around for our little town.” (Meghan is City Clerk)
Rashawn Williams: “We have never felt so welcome and so honored.” (Rashawn is the Worshipful Master of Prince Hall Lodge Masons in Jefferson City and received the folded flag.)
What came out of eight months of collaboration was not exactly what we had hoped…it was “beyond.”
How did we merit those quotes?
The weather was a Jerry Berry gift from heaven. The crowd was three times our hopes. The Feel Backs (that’s different than “Feedback”) were unsolicited, numerous and affirming.
The real “success” for the FCC Board, which is made up of a “bunch of kids who went to Grade School and High School together,” (per my Welcome Address) is that the we have the reassurance that the sustainability of our efforts, this year will continue…into , as they call it, Perpetual Care.
I was invited, two days later, by the brand new Chamois City Council to give our FCC “pitch.” Jeff Kormann (FCC Board Secretary) added to the remarks.
The topic of “Maybe make this one vs two cemetery maintenance accounts” was a unanimous approval within minutes.
Why was it unanimous? Because that eager, energetic, Level 10 work-ethic gang of “young people” had every single one; put in man hours for Memorial Day.
I physically witnessed it and became acquainted with each of them, long before Memorial Day.
Each of them, had burned brush, chopped trees, removed logs, installed street signs, washed streets, filled endless trash bags with beer bottles, run errands, spread new gravel or brought food.
The City Council Meeting was a reunion of people with the same goal: Put the Shine on Chamois!
I’m a CHS ‘73 guy, living in KC and have been on many boards, but the chemistry of the new City Council was amazing. No power struggles, no sniping…it was all in concert.
Thus, my letter is both an echo of the quotes and a shout out to our top tier City management of: Shawn Mitchem (Mayor), Meghan Birmingham (City Clerk) and Aldermen, Mercedes Durham, Darrell Chrisenberry, Dylan Barnes and Justin Bathke.
Do I hope we get livestock and cars out of front yards, lawns mowed and drug dealers out of ghetto like houses, for the sake of Chamois?
Of course!
We all do.
Re: The property values will escalate and the city experiences a return to the drug free/curb appeal town we all cherish. It brings in the people/businesses that lift us up!
But…Memorial Day was a start. And my thanks goes to the full team effort of the founding fathers and the new frontiersmen.
Shine on, shine on Chamois!!
Michael J. Nolte
FCC President
Michaeljnolte@gmail.com
913-522-7610
