EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. — Excelsior Springs is celebrating three statewide honors from the University of Missouri Extension during Missouri Good Neighbor Week 2025, including being named Most Neighborly City for the second year in a row. MU Extension also recognized citizen Robbie Farabee as Most Engaged Neighbor and Other Trails Coffee and Goods as one of Missouri’s Most Neighborly Businesses for their efforts in fostering community connection.
Farabee was selected as one of only twenty Missourians to receive the title of Most Engaged Neighbor, an annual recognition highlighting individuals who strengthen community bonds and demonstrate exceptional commitment to their neighborhoods. His sidewalk chalk art, along with his kind hellos and friendly smile, have become a familiar and uplifting sight all across town.
“Robbie invests time and care into building connections in Excelsior Springs with a smile and big hello,” wrote City Manager Molly McGovern in her weekly newsletter. “But it is his sidewalk chalk drawings that have made his entire community a friendlier and more supportive place to live.”
Farabee said he’s noticed the community becoming closer since he began his chalk art in 2022. His goal, he said, is to bring people together through creativity and kindness.
“Be the best you can be,” Farabee said. “Let your kind personality shine. Whether it’s art, cooking, or just saying hi, a smile can make a difference to anyone.”
The same spirit of connection can be felt at Other Trails Coffee and Goods, a local gathering spot that encourages neighbors to slow down, share a cup, and get to know one another. The shop was one of only four businesses across Missouri to receive the Most Neighborly Business award, which honors places that create welcoming spaces where kindness and community naturally come together.
Owners of Other Trails Coffee and Goods, Phil Scherer and Jody Pasalich, said they were surprised and honored by the recognition as one of Missouri’s Most Neighborly Businesses.
They credited their win to involvement in local activities such as the cycling club that meets on Tuesdays, participation in the Opal Wapoo Gravel Race, and board game nights throughout the year.
“It’s kind of become a meeting place for Excelsior Springs,” Jody shared. “People meet here all the time for various reasons.”
He said their approach to participating in the community is similar to other small business owners downtown. “If you’re doing this, you have a passion or desire to be involved in the community and be part of something bigger than just your business.”
Missouri Good Neighbor Week, held annually from Sept. 28 through Oct. 4, is a statewide initiative in partnership with MU Extension and The Hopeful Neighborhood Project. David Burton, community development specialist with MU Extension and curator of the program, said the awards are meant to spotlight real-life examples of how everyday people make their communities better places to live.
“These honorees represent the very best of what it means to be a neighbor,” Burton said. “The nominations reflect a culture of care that thrives on simple and repeated human actions.”
Excelsior Springs joined other cities such as Springfield, Manchester, Fremont Hills, Houston, and Lee’s Summit in being recognized for overall neighborly values. MU Extension noted through research that neighborhoods with engaged residents experience greater trust, safety, stability, and a stronger sense of belonging.
Residents across Missouri, and in Excelsior Springs, are encouraged to continue acts of kindness and organize neighborhood events to strengthen community ties.
For more information about Good Neighbor Week or how to become an engaged neighbor, visit www.engagedneighbor.com or missourigoodneighborweek.com.
To learn more locally or get involved, visit cityofesmo.com/development/index.php/neighborhoods or contact Neighborhood Specialist Laura Mize at (816) 629-7011.
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