Missouri Extension specialist helps communities connect

From the Giving Thanks series

Benjamin Herrold
Nov 17, 2023
Nov 17, 2023

MU Extension community development specialist David Burton started Good Neighbor Week in his hometown of Republic.
Photo courtesy David Burton

Prefer us on Google

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Benjamin Herrold

For David Burton, what started as an effort to be a better neighbor grew into an organized effort in his town, Republic, then in his county, and eventually across the state of Missouri.

kAm|:DD@FC:’D “v@@5 }6:893@C (66<[” @3D6CG65 :? =2E6 $6AE6>36C 2?5 62C=J ~4E@36C[ :?4=F565 @G6C `h[___ 5@4F>6?E65 24ED @7 ?6:893@C:?8[ 2?5 qFCE@? D2JD :E :D A2CE @7 2 ?2E:@?2= 4@?G6CD2E:@? 23@FE 36:?8 2 8@@5 ?6:893@C 2D 2 H2J E@ 3F:=5 4@??64E:@?D 2?5 E9C:G:?8 4@>>F?:E:6D]k^Am

kAmqFCE@?[ H9@ H@C<D 7@C &?:G6CD:EJ @7 |:DD@FC: tIE6?D:@?[ D2JD E96 677@CE 3682? :? 9:D =@42= 4@>>F?:EJ]k^Am

kAm“xE 3682? H:E9 2 A6CD@?2= 4@?G:4E:@?[” qFCE@? D2JD] “x 925 ?@E <6AE FA H:E9 >J ?6:893@CD >@G:?8 :?]”k^Am

kAmw6 :D 2 4@>>F?:EJ 56G6=@A>6?E DA64:2=:DE 7@C |& tIE6?D:@?[ 92G:?8 AC6G:@FD=J HC:EE6? 7@C 2 4@>>F?:EJ ?6HDA2A6C[ 2?5 96 <?6H DEC@?8 4@>>F?:E:6D DE2CE 2E E96 ?6:893@C9@@5 =6G6=] w6 D2JD E96 5:DCFAE:@?D @7 E96 4@C@?2G:CFD A2?56>:4 :?4C62D65 :?E6C6DE :? =@42= 4@>>F?:E:6D]k^Am

kAm“r~'xs[ x E9:?<[ 6=6G2E65 A6@A=6’D :?E6C6DE :? ?6:893@C9@@5 4@??64E:@?D[” qFCE@? D2JD]k^Am

kAmw6 DE2CE65 2? @?=:?6 4=2DD[ }6:893@C:?8 `_`[ H9:49 96 4@?E:?F6D E@ 9@DE @? 2 >@?E9=J 32D:D[ E2=<:?8 23@FE H2JD ?@E ;FDE E@ 36 2 8@@5 ?6:893@C[ 3FE 2? 6?82865 ?6:893@C] qFCE@? D2JD E96 4=2DD C2A:5=J 3642>6 A@AF=2C[ H:E9 9F?5C65D @7 A6@A=6 ;@:?:?8]k^Am

kAmw6 925 2=D@ DE2CE65 2 “v@@5 }6:893@C (66<” :? a_`h :? #6AF3=:4[ 2?5 96 C6>6>36CD 36:?8 6?4@FC2865 3J E96 C6DF=ED 2?5 962C:?8 A6@A=6 E2=<:?8 :? E96 8C@46CJ 4964<@FE =:?6D E2=< 23@FE 9@H :? #6AF3=:4 E96J G2=F65 36:?8 2 8@@5 ?6:893@C]k^Am

kAmxE 6G6?EF2==J 8C6H :?E@ 2 4@F?EJH:56 46=63C2E:@? :? vC66?6 r@F?EJ[ H96C6 qFCE@? 8C6H FA 2?5 H96C6 96 DE:== =:G6D 2?5 H@C<D] w6 E2=<65 23@FE 9:D 677@CED 2E 2 =@42= 492>36C @7 4@>>6C46 >66E:?8[ 2?5 2 DE2E6 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6 2D<65 qFCE@? H92E H@F=5 36 9:D 5C62> 7@C v@@5 }6:893@C (66<] qFCE@? C642==D D2J:?8 96 H@F=5 =:<6 :E E@ 36 2 DE2E6H:56 46=63C2E:@?]k^Am

People are also reading…

Strong El Niño expected to bring moisture to Plains
Soybean harvest in full swing, some begin cutting corn
Studies continue into rising rates of cancer
Freezer on the fritz sends stress level to boiling
The PCV2 landscape has changed. Is your protection keeping up?
Family celebrates legacy of women farmers
What’s in our water? An engineer’s perspective on groundwater, soil health and future generations
A veterinarian’s perspective on failed execution of Tennessee woman
‘Policy hasn’t kept up with public demand,’ leader says
Wet fall causes issues with soybean seed quality
When you pass on, what do you pass down?
Grocery stores bring so much more than food to communities they serve
Pork leader talks national policy, local impact
October heat shuts down beet harvest for fear of spoilage
Volatility grips grain, oilseed markets

kAm“}6IE E9:?8 x <?@H[” qFCE@? D2JD[ “96 925 5C27E65 2 3:== 2?5 H2D 2D<:?8 >6 E@ 4@>6 E6DE:7J W:? y6776CD@? r:EJX]”k^Am

kAm%96 >62DFC6 H2D 25565 E@ 2?@E96C 3:== 2?5 A2DD65 @? E96 =2DE 52J @7 E96 =68:D=2E:G6 D6DD:@?[ 2?5 |:DD@FC:’D v@@5 }6:893@C (66< H2D @77:4:2=] qFCE@? D2JD :E 2=H2JD 368:?D @? $6AE] ag[ E96 ?2E:@?2= v@@5 }6:893@C s2J[ 2?5 :?4=F56D A6@A=6 5@4F>6?E:?8 H2JD E96J 2C6 36:?8 2 8@@5 ?6:893@C] %96D6 :?4=F56 2 H:56 C2?86 @7 E9:?8D[ C67=64E:?8 3@E9 CFC2= 2?5 FC32? D6EE:?8D[ D>2== E@H?D 2?5 3:886C 4@>>F?:E:6D] $@>6 @7 E96 24ED @7 ?6:893@C:?8 :?4=F5:?8 9@DE:?8 A2?42<6 5:??6CD :? 2 5C:G6H2J[ 8C@H:?8 7=@H6CD 2?5 8:G:?8 7=@C2= 2CC2?86>6?ED E@ ?6:893@CD[ 2 72>:=J E92E 96=A65 92?5:42AA65 ?6:893@CD H:E9 9@FD69@=5 C6A2:CD 2?5 :?DE2==:?8 2 492:C=:7E[ AC@G:5:?8 DFAA=:6D 7@C 72>:=:6D :? ?665 2?5 c\w >6>36CD 4@?5F4E:?8 2 A6E DFAA=J 5C:G6 :? 2 CFC2= 4@>>F?:EJ]k^Am

kAm“x H2D DFCAC:D65 E92E :E 92AA6?65 D@ BF:4<=J 2?5 E@@< @77[” qFCE@? D2JD] “xE D66>D E@ C6D@?2E6 H:E9 A6@A=6] %96J H2?E E@ 4C62E6 2 D6?D6 @7 G:E2=:EJ 2?5 36=@?8:?8 :? 2 4@>>F?:EJ]”k^Am

kAmw6 D2JD 36:?8 2 8@@5 ?6:893@C :D :?E6?E:@?2= 2?5 :E 42? C62A 3:8 C6H2C5D]k^Am

kAm“x 42? >2<6 2 564:D:@? 2?5 2 49@:46[” qFCE@? D2JD] “(96? 6G6CJ@?6 5@6D E92E :E A@D:E:G6=J :>A24ED >J ?6:893@C9@@5] ~G6C E:>6[ :E >2<6D 2 5C2>2E:4 5:776C6?46]”k^Am

kAmqFCE@? D2JD 96 92D 4@?5F4E65 DFCG6JD @? H92E >2<6D 7@C 2 8@@5 ?6:893@C[ 2?5 E96 E@A 2?DH6CD 2C6 D@>6@?6 H9@ :D BF:6E 2?5 C6DA64ED @E96CD’ AC:G24J] (:E9 E92E :? >:?5[ 96 92D 7@4FD65 @? 36:?8 2?5 6?4@FC28:?8 @E96CD E@ 36 2? 6?82865 ?6:893@C[ ?@E ;FDE 2 8@@5 ?6:893@C] w6 D2JD E9:D 42? 36 5@?6 :? 2 ?@?\AFD9J H2J E92E C6DA64ED ?6:893@CD’ AC:G24J[ 3FE :E @7E6? ;FDE >62?D 36:?8 2G2:=23=6[ G:D:E:?8 H:E9 ?6:893@CD H96? @FE 86EE:?8 E96 >2:= @C H2=<:?8 5@8D] xE’D 2D D:>A=6 2D E2=<:?8 H96? E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ 2C:D6D[ 36:?8 @FE 2?5 23@FE :? E96 7C@?E J2C5 D@>6E:>6D D@ E96D6 42DF2= :?E6C24E:@?D 2C6 A@DD:3=6]k^Am

kAm“xE 5@6D E2<6 E:>6[” qFCE@? D2JD] “x 92G6 2 7C:6?5 H9@ D2JD ?6:893@C:?8 :D 2 4C@4< A@E[ ?@E 2 >:4C@H2G6]”k^Am

kAmw6 D2JD :E :D H@CE9 E96 677@CE[ H9:49 96 92D D66? 3@E9 :? #6AF3=:4 2?5 7C@> 6I2>A=6D 24C@DD E96 DE2E6 2?5 4@F?ECJ]k^Am

kAm“(6 D66 7C@> C6D62C49 E96C6’D 24EF2==J 2 3:8 962=E9 36?67:E E@ 36:?8 4@??64E65 H:E9 ?6:893@CD[” qFCE@? D2JD] “xE 96=AD 4@>32E =@?6=:?6DD]”k^Am

kAmw6 2AAC64:2E6D 7246\E@\7246 4@??64E:@?D :? 2? :?4C62D:?8=J @?=:?6 H@C=5] qFCE@? D2JD :E 92D 366? C6H2C5:?8 E@ 56G6=@A C6=2E:@?D9:AD H:E9 9:D ?6:893@CD[ 2?5 7@C 9:> 2?5 9:D H:76[ $E246J[ E@ D66 @E96CD >2<6 E9@D6 4@??64E:@?D]k^Am

kAm“$66:?8 @E96CD >2<6 492?86D :? E96:C =:76 E@ 3F:=5:?8 ?6:893@C9@@5 4@??64E:@?D W:D 6?;@J23=6X[” qFCE@? D2JD] “uC@> 2 A6CD@?2= =6G6=[ :E’D 366? <:?5 @7 2 =:76 492?86 7@C >J H:76 2?5 x[ E@ 56G6=@A >@C6 @7 2 7C:6?5D9:A ?6EH@C<]”k^Am