Ground broken for new Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium building

SIKESTON, Mo. — A groundbreaking ceremony for a Sikeston not-for-profit's new building was held Friday, July 7, in the vicinity of its current location.

Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium Inc., or MBRC, currently located at 903 S. Kingshighway, Suite A, will construct a new, stand-alone building next to the former Plaza Tire building in Sikeston.

MBRC Board of Directors members, staff, community partners and volunteers gathered for the occasion.

"I'm so honored," said Cynthia Dean, chief executive officer for MBRC and one of this year's B Magazine Difference Makers. "This has been a long time coming for years. We have so many people that are not here, and the people that are here have contributed to this day. We're just excited and so appreciative and thankful for many years of hard work to make this a reality."

A not-for-profit, community-based organization, MBRC is in Sikeston with a service area including Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot and Scott counties. MBRC's core programs provide outreach, education, training, targeted interventions, community events and community mobilization services for mothers, fathers, children and families in the Bootheel.

The new building will include MBRC offices along with a telehealth conference room, a double conference room and media room, Dean said. Estimated completion is January or February.

MBRC turned 20 years old this year, during that time was housed in four locations, in Portageville and Sikeston. It's been in its current location in Sikeston for the past 12 years, according to Dean.

Pastor Michael K. Harris Sr. gave the invocation, and Dean then acknowledged the MBRC staff before John Gary, president of the MBRC Board of Directors, spoke to the crowd.

"On behalf of the Board of Directors, the clients, the staff and all of our community stakeholders, we thank you for being here on this momentous occasion, this groundbreaking ceremony," Gary said.

Gary recognized Dean, who he said, for over 10 years, kept the discussion and vision for a space of their own before the Board of Directors. He also thanked financial and project partners including Montgomery Bank and Columbia Construction.

James McNeal, MBRC Board of Directors chairman, also addressed those in attendance.

"During this course of time, we have bounced around quite a bit, from location to location, trying to find a forever home," McNeal said. "But ... through the tenacity and vision of Ms. Dean, the steadfast leadership of Mr. Gary, a dedicated board, loyal staff and a community of business people and funding sources that saw the vision and mission of MBRC along with us, we are here today."

And everyone is thankful, McNeal said.

"We have wished for a long time for a permanent home -- not just a permanent home, but a home to call our own," McNeal said. "Today, we are here. ... My prayer is that six months from today, we'll be gathered again at this spot to dedicate our new home."

"MBRC was built on the cornerstone of volunteers," Dean told the crowd. "Many years ago they passed around a hat at Chubby's in Hayti to take up money to create the nonprofit status for the state of Missouri."

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Dean said, "I truly believe this is part of God's plan for the Bootheel. This organization just didn't happen overnight. I truly believe that dedication and the commitment from many of our volunteers and staff and our partners and people that work with us on a daily basis will soon pay off."