The Hamner Barber Theater, along with many other Missouri area businesses and organizations,  urge you to please donate anything you can, as soon as possible, to help our neighbors in Jasper County, Missouri, just 110 drive miles North West of Branson.  The fine folks of Joplin have been huge supporters of the Branson community and vacation here often with their families throughout the year.  Now that they are in desperate need of help, we are joining in to lend our support to give back to them in this extreme time of crisis.

Below are several easy ways that you can make an important and positive impact on the lives of thousands of Joplin residents in need of assistance now…

How you can help with Tornado recovery in Joplin

You can help immediately to support the purchase of medical supplies, food and other basic necessities by making a cash donation to these organizations that are already on the ground serving in the Joplin area:

• American Red Cross
• Salvation Army Disaster Services
• Convoy of Hope
  

Donate Blood and Save A Life!

There continues to be demand for all blood types and donations are needed.  If you are able, you might consider participating in a blood drive in your own area of the country to help others in your own backyard who are in need.  Volunteer Blood Donors in the Springfield-Branson area have been advised to watch www.RedCross-Ozarks.org for updates about when blood drives in the Ozarks will be scheduled.

Text A Joplin Donation Right Now!

• Text “REDCROSS” to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross, or donate, give blood or volunteer by signing up online.

• Text “JOPLIN” to 864833 to donate $10 to the Heart of Missouri United Way, which has dispatched medical help to the affected areas of Kansas and Missouri. Volunteers are also welcome by signing up either online or at 1-913-764-5200.

• Text “CONVOY” to 50555 to donate $10 to the Convoy of Hope, which is delivering disaster supplies to victims. Donations may also be made online or by calling 1-417-823-8998.

Donation Points in the Branson Area

• Country Mart on Hwy 248 (Budget Rental Truck in Parking Lot)
  The Caring Cupcakes are accepting donations through Tuesday 9 p.m.
  Needs: Bottled water, bedding, blankets, pillows, personal products (shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, diapers, wipes, etc), pre-packaged food
• Tri-Lakes Motors (Parts Department)
  Accepting donations Tuesday and Wednesday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  Needs: Food and clothing that will be donated to Convoy of Hope
• Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors
  Call 417-338-4437 to coordinate donation
  Needs: Blankets, nonperishable food items, personal care items
• Options Pregnancy Clinic (192 Expressway Lane (across from The Mansion Theatre)
  Accepting donations Monday-Tuesday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
  Needs: Diapers (all sizes), wipes, formula, bottles, car seats, bassinets, clothing or other new/gently used infant supplies
• First Baptist Church Branson Community Life Center (400 S. Sunshine, Branson)
  Accepting donations through Thursday afternoon
  Needs: Ready-to-eat food, first-aid supplies, infant needs
• America’s Best Campground (Buena Vista Road) / The Mansion Theatre / Oak Ridge Boys Theatre
  Call 417-336-4399 to coordinate donation
  Needs: Clothing, food, cash, baby supplies
• Branson Travel Office (120 N. Commercial St.)
  Accepting donations during office hours through 9 p.m. Wednesday
  Call w/ questions 417-544-1944
• Love In the Name of Christ is collecting items that will go to the students and staff of the Joplin School District. They will accept (gently used) clothing, towels/blankets/bedding, toiletries, cleaning supplies and ready-to-eat foods. For more information or to donate contact them at 417-336-7056.

Additional Information

If you have relatives or friends in the Joplin area that you have not been able to contact, please visit the Red Cross’s Safe and Well registry.

Health Professionals and other volunteers can sign up to help with disaster recovery at ShowMeResponse.org

Missouri State Emergency Management Agency

Branson-Area Agencies: If your organization is responding in the Joplin area, please contact the Chamber of Commerce/CVB at 417-334-4084 to let them know of any needs you may have.

Please visit www.explorebranson.com/spring/2011-tornado-donations.php for updated info about other drives planned in the area.

There are many ways to assist financially so that your donation will instantly be available to those who can put it to great use… TODAY!

Here are two easy ways to donate…

If you have a text enabled cell phone, text the word Haiti to 90999 and $10.00 will be added to your phone bill to go directly to the Red Cross Haiti fund… TODAY!

Or… click on the Help Haiti Now image and contribute to The World Food Programme. They are sending food and other necessary provisions to Haiti, a country that has suffered recently from hunger, malnutrition, high food prices, hurricanes and now one of the worst earthquakes ever to strike the region.

Here are ten facts that give the measure of the hunger crisis facing Haiti, an island nation which was already stalked by hunger and malnutrition even before the earthquake struck.

1. Assessments show that 3 million people may need humanitarian relief, including food assistance, in the wake of the earthquake.
2. Even before the quake, 1.9 million people were ‘food insecure’, meaning they needed assistance to stave off hunger.
3. Only 50 percent of Haiti population has access to safe drinking water.
4. Some 55 percent of Haiti’s 9 million people live below the poverty line of US$1 a day.
5. Rural households spend almost 60 percent of their income on food; the poorest groups spend more than 70 percent.
6. Chronic malnutrition affects 24 percent of children under five, rising as high as 40 percent in the poorest zones.
7. Poor diet means many women and children suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. Anaemia affects 59 percent of children between the ages of six months and 5 years.
8. During 2008, high food and fuel prices triggered violent demonstrations and political upheaval.
9. In the same year, three hurricanes and one tropical storm struck Haiti, killing 800 people, destroying 27,000 homes and raising the general level of hunger.
10. Food prices have declined since September 2008, but remain higher than the four-year average.

Eric Nave - Brave Young Advocate for MDA

About a week ago, a handsome young boy in a powered wheelchair came up to meet us after the show.  He just wanted to say hello and thank us for the fun entertainment.  He didn’t discuss the reason for his mobile chair, but with a big smile asked lots of questions about the show.  In the few brief moments that we chatted with him we could tell he was a very special boy, wise beyond his 10 years of age.

Today we received the following email and photo from Eric Nave and were so impressed with his desire to help other kids, that we thought we’d share his story on our website as to perhaps inspire our readers to get on board with his proposal as we plan to do.

The definition of the word “Nave” is “the hub or center of a wheel.” In physics, the hub is where the power to turn the wheel originates.  We think this 10 year old boy with the last name “Nave,” is generating a great deal of power that will radiate outwards across the country and keep the wheel rolling towards a cure for Muscular Dystrophy.

Dear Mr. Jim Barber,

My name is Eric, and I’m 10 years old.  I went to your show in Branson last week, and I met you after the show.  I had a great time.  I couldn’t believe it the way you made all of those puppets talk.  I really liked the baby.  I still don’t know how you did all that.  Thank you for making it so easy for me to get around in my power chair.  I didn’t have any problems getting around.

I have Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy and my muscles are sick.  Sometimes I get frustrated because I can’t do things that I used to be able to.  Last year I could walk, not far, but still I could walk.  Now, sometimes I have a hard time just standing up.  Also, it’s getting harder to raise my arms very high and I need a lot more help opening things.  I try not to worry about the future because God will provide for me.  I pray that one day the doctors and research people will find a cure so my muscles will be better, and then maybe I could do some of the things that everybody else does.  Research costs a lot of money.  I think it’s like $80 a minute.  The telethon is coming up and I’m trying to let people know that whatever they can do to help would be great.  My mom says she thinks you’ve been on the telethon before and thank you for that.   Here is the local address for my MDA office:

MDA San Antonio

8610 Broadway, Suite 200

San Antonio, TX  78217

Phone:   210-650-3181

If you want to make a donation, you can mail it to them or you can call them to do it on a credit card.   It’s okay if you’re not able to, but please pray for all of the people who need some help.

Thanks!  Eric Nave – Converse, TX

Thank you Eric, for your kind and generous spirit.  It was our honor to meet you and your family and we look forward to crossing paths again one day soon.

For more information about Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and how you can help, please visit the  Official MDA Website.