All Roads Lead Home by Kim McCully-Mobley

September found two leadership panels visiting Aurora High School to share their experiences, advice and wisdom with local students.

Take a listen to the ideas of Shannon Walker from the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, John Paul Lee of First Independent Bank fame and Dr. Ben Yocom, our new superintendent of schools.

Ten years ago in September, my husband had a stroke. It was a learning experience, to say the least.  It also prepared us for what we would both endure a few years later in the midst of the pandemic.

Like most of you, we consider ourselves survivors. We have had some ups and downs in our journey together. Faith holds. Love remains. 

As a writer, I often feel led to write about those who are closest to me. I know sometimes they don't mind. Sometimes they do. It is a delicate dance that I try hard not to abuse.

I am honored with this life we have been able to have and the lessons God has allowed us to share. 

As always, thanks for your support as I meander my way through these stories for the podcast.

When the Twin Towers were hit by planes during September of 2001, people across the world were numb with shock, grief, anger and new feelings of patriotism, pride and love for their fellow man.

This is part of my memory of that fateful day, that serves as a benchmark for the War on Terror and the feelings that came afterwards.

It has been in the works for several months.

The people who serve us every day have been looking for new and improved ways to add more grant funds to the table for our rural communities.

It is finally happening. Hometown Partners Giving Circle is being launched to give area residents some skin in the game of collective giving. We can all donate $100. Then, later we can all decide by voting where that grant money is going to go.

I love the power that we have together. We are stronger together. We are better together. We are building trust layer by layer in the towns that we serve.

Kelley Field is the namesake of an important person in our community's history. He was young, vibrant and full of compassion for his fellow man--despite the horrors of war he had endured. Howard Kelley was, by all accounts, a remarkable man who loved Aurora and its people. 

As we welcome our Cassville visitors tonight for the first home game of the 2023 season, I'd like to go down the halls of history a little bit and remind you that you will be on the sidelines of some pretty sacred ground.

See you there!

Twenty years ago this month, I met a man who would change my world...for the better. He is smart, funny and a heck of a dancer.

I am quite certain God put him in my path for tons of reasons. I am looking forward to the next 20 years.

I am celebrating him with a song he played for me...not long after we met. And, yes, I am still hoping someday he lets me lead on the dance floor. But, I'm not holding my breath.

I fell off the boat the past few weeks and was busy with grant reports, curriculum, new teacher events and some family obligations.

I was asked today why I had not posted any Hee Haw popups of late.

Well, these two are pretty rough; but here you go.

I am hoping Jack Muench, Tom Morris and Scott Pettit are good sports and won't retaliate.

The concept of home is a combination of things that trigger memories and feelings of being safe, happy and loved.

Mike and Mona Thach and Billy Redus were all three recipients of the awards this year at the Annual Aurora Chamber of Commerce Banquet.

I love it here.

I love Aurora.

I love the Ozarks. There's no place I'd rather be.

These honors are pretty special to me as we talk about legacy, love and paying it forward.

Please excuse the couple of stumbles. I have had a hard time with my emotions every time I start to record this week's podcast. This is as good as it's going to get.

I recently met up with some classy gals from the Aurora High School Class of 1963. Their names are Pam, Connie and Pauline. 

Their class made a donation to our work at the Aurora Houn' Dawg Alumni & Outreach Center.

They also issued a challenge for other classes to do the same in the wake of the upcoming All-School Reunion this fall.

I enjoyed the walk down memory lane. I hope you will, as well.

I have been taking jaunts to Roaring River since I was a child.  I recently embarked on a retreat to the banks of the rippling waters. I love the lore, the people the magnetic pull of the river and the green vegetation along its banks.

Roaring River adventures are looming on your to do list. Do yourself a favor and take a trip there before the summer ends. You won't regret it. I promise.

(You'll have to pardon my stuttering a couple of times. I was on my third recording of this narrative and kept feeling like someone was behind me...and it's not even Halloween!)

With Back to School events looming on the horizon, conversations about technology and its use and abuse seem to crop up in tons of conversations.

I work with incoming teachers at Aurora and always get asked about do's and don'ts of  social media and promoting our school and community.

Here's some information that pertains to all of us as we navigate the ever changing aspects of technology in a fast-paced world.

I have been singing my way through the hot summer by reflecting on old shows, old songs and old memories from days gone by.

This might be one of those "you just had to be there" moments.

If you want your own personal Pfffft, You Was Gone song written and performed,
just let me know. 

My backroads pal, RaVae Lewis, and I found ourselves at a most unlikely picnic spot in the Arkansas delta a few days ago. Let me tell you the story behind this dilapidated field. You won't want to miss it.

I have been on a few adventures with my travel buddy, RaVae Lewis, the last few years. Covid messed us up a little bit last year; but we are always planning that next outing---Thelma & Louise style.

We spent a few days meandering around the Arkansas Delta last week.
I wrote a column about it and revamped it a little bit for this podcast.

I am happy to be home, but I will always love the lure of the open road, the back alleys and the ghost towns of days gone by. 

Once more, I am either offering up a spoof or parody of a sacred Hee Haw hym...called Where Oh Where, Are You Tonight?

I have been working at the Alumni Center/Old Armory this week.
Let's just say the spirits/ghosts and my imagination have not disappointed me.

There are sounds being made that I'm pretty sure I'm not making...But, at least I haven't hurt myself by running to the parking lot yet.

Would that be workmen's comp?

We just wrapped up a grant project based on dental health and better hygiene.
Thanks to the hard work of our partners, the grant project has been deemed a big success. 

Dental health has been linked to better circulation, heart health priorities and better self-esteem.  Here's hoping you become dedicated to rest, brushing your teeth, better nutrition and exercise this coming school year.

We need you to stick around awhile, because...Barry Manilow and I...well...
WE CAN'T SMILE WITHOUT YOU!

We will be hosting a dedication of the All Roads Lead Home Veterans Honor Garden this coming fall.

A large, midnight black granite stone has been set near the flagpoles  to call attention to our two World War I veterans heroes: Howard Whitsett Kelley and Harold Leo Turner.

This stone has been a long time coming and has been made possible through grants provided by the City of Aurora, Missouri Humanities and the Aurora Affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks (among others).

It is an honor to be a part of this effort to preserve legacies and protect our stories.

I hope you'll join me in this journey.

I celebrated a milestone birthday this month and I absolutely love it. I am proud of all 62 years---even though my friend and colleague Jimmy Sexton inadvertently placed a headline about a 102 year old Aurora woman next to my head on last week's front page of The Aurora Advertiser. Ramona Lewis is a class act, for sure.

Don't mind me, though, as I hop, skip, jump and plunge into the next circle around the sun. But just be aware that I will probably be making some Wild Kingdom animal sounds in the process.

Here you go with some more odes and Hee Haw spoofs as I pretend I am a singing/dancing/tambourine playing gypsy. 

1. I was dared to do some more podcast popups...so I did them. (I once ate hand lotion for money on a dare in the first grade. It did not end well, but I did make about 75-cents. But, to my knowledge--my neighbor Harold Thurman took my secret to his grave.

2. If you have some song topics, just send them my way and I'll get to work on them.

3. My friend--Ravae--has a birthday tomorrow. She will ALWAYS be older and wiser than I am.