Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe served as a special guest during the Daily American Republic’s seventh annual Difference Makers banquet Thursday, Aug. 21, at the Black River Coliseum – in honor of the community leaders who came together to rebuild after the EF-3 tornado.
“In tragedy, we witnessed Missouri’s best,” said Gov. Kehoe who, the day after the tornado touched down March 14, visited the Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Center, which was among the dozens of businesses and organizations, and hundreds of homes that were reportedly damaged in Butler County.
Following the governor’s keynote address, R-I Superintendent Dr. Aaron Cornman joined Three Rivers College President Dr. Wes Payne in reflecting on losses sustained to educational facilities, yet how the community rallied around its schools to minimize disruptions for students.
“This experience has shown us that strength doesn’t come from buildings. Strength comes from people. It comes from the unwavering resolve of this community,” Cornman stated. “We are more than a collection of schools. We are a Poplar Bluff Mule family.”
Cornman expressed gratitude to legislators, state education officials, county and city leaders, architects and contractors, the Board of Education, his superintendent cabinet, teachers, custodians, maintenance and transportation staff, school social workers and countless volunteers for playing a role in the swift recovery.
Kindergarten Principal Christy Young’s story was spotlighted for riding out the storm in the very campus facility where she was employed as a first-year administrator, attempting to seek refuge in the Kindergarten Center, as the 145-mile-per-hour winds tore the roof off.
The event proceeded to honor the first responders who assisted families displaced and injured in the storm, with one casualty unfortunately confirmed. Linemen and chainsaw crews through Samaritan’s Purse and Texans on Mission were celebrated for their clean-up efforts, while storm spotters and media outlets were commended for keeping the public informed throughout the disaster.
The 2025 Difference Maker of the Year was Jerry Moore, New Covenant Fellowship Church pastor, for his immediate actions in helping to evacuate residents of the devastated Harmony Hills Trailer Park. The DAR donated over $12,000 raised from banquet proceeds toward the Bread Shed’s warming center.
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Cutline: Gov. Mike Kehoe served as the keynote speaker at the Difference Makers banquet for his role in expediting the deployment of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Missouri National Guard and Missouri Task Force One in the wake of the tornado that struck Butler County and other regions of the state.