EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. – Excelsior Springs has earned a new honor as one of Missouri’s most neighborly cities, celebrated for fostering connections and promoting goodwill among its residents. This recognition comes during Missouri Good Neighbor Week, an annual event created to inspire Missourians to build strong neighborhood bonds through acts of kindness and engagement.
Missouri Good Neighbor Week, launched in 2022, was initiated by David Burton, a community development specialist with the University of Missouri Extension. Burton’s vision began with local celebrations in Republic and Springfield, Missouri, eventually leading to a statewide effort backed by the Missouri legislature and Governor Mike Parsons. The program, supported by MU Extension and The Hopeful Neighborhood Project, encourages citizens to perform acts of kindness and connection, and bridging gaps within communities.
This year’s Missouri Good Neighbor Week set an ambitious goal of documenting 20,000 acts of kindness across the state. Missourians surpassed that target with over 31,000 acts recorded, highlighting the state’s commitment to unity and community spirit. Among the cities honored for their dedication to this mission, Excelsior Springs was recognized as a top neighborly city in the Medium City category (population 5,000-15,000). The city joins Houston, Sikeston, Springfield, and Ferguson in Missouri’s “Most Neighborly” honors.
“Excelsior Springs is fairly new to the neighboring movement, but the effort is gaining momentum with special campaigns, a community event, an emphasis on neighbors gathering, and a city employee focused on neighbor engagement,” noted representatives from Missouri Good Neighbor Week. The city earned its place on the list through the enthusiasm of its residents and local initiatives encouraging positive neighbor interactions, contributing significantly to the documented acts of kindness during the week.
David Burton, the program’s creator, highlighted the growing interest and dedication across Missouri: “The goal was to further engage cities with Missouri Good Neighbor Week. We had over 12 cities pass proclamations, and at least 12 organized city-wide efforts for Missouri Good Neighbor Week. We ended the week with over 31,000 documented acts of neighboring and five cities worthy of the title ‘most neighborly city’ in Missouri.”
On Monday, November 18, 2024, a representative from MU Extension will formally present a plaque to Mayor Mark Spohn, recognizing Excelsior Springs as one of Missouri’s most neighborly cities. This gesture not only celebrates Excelsior Springs but also will hopefully inspire other cities to deepen their commitment to building strong neighborhood networks.
Residents of Excelsior Springs are encouraged to keep the spirit of Missouri Good Neighbor Week alive by continuing to track and document acts of kindness on the program’s official website, missourigoodneighborweek.com, which also features a state-wide map of these efforts.
Missouri Good Neighbor Week demonstrates the power of community connection and the impact of seemingly small acts of kindness. As Excelsior Springs receives this honor, our citizens and leaders should take pride in their role as champions of neighborliness, cultivating a community where everyone feels welcomed and supported.
If you appreciate the value our local journalism brings to the community, please consider making a recurring contribution to the Excelsior Citizen!
