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July 22, 2026
West Central Missouri Community Action Agency (West Central) and New Growth invite community members to attend West Central / New Growth Advocacy Day on Thursday, July 23, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at their Central Office in Appleton City—112 W. 4th St. Advocacy Day is an opportunity for community members, elected officials, local leaders, partners, and stakeholders to learn more about the programs and services provided by West Central and New Growth and the impact they have throughout our region. This is an open-house event, so attendees are welcome to stop by at any time during the event as their schedules allow. During the event, guests will have the opportunity to: Visit informational exhibits hosted by our program teams; Learn about community needs, challenges, and opportunities throughout our service area; Meet West Central and New Growth staff and community partners; Hear brief remarks from elected officials and policymakers and Visit with others who share a commitment to strengthening our communities. Attendees are encouraged to enjoy lunch while they're here by visiting one of Appleton City's local restaurants or purchasing lunch from one of the food trucks that will be in town: Fobo's Cajun and MoKan Kitchen. Your participation helps strengthen the partnerships that support thriving communities and create opportunities for individuals and families throughout West Central Missouri. For more information, please email-- info@wcmcaa.org. They hope you'll stop by and join them on July 23!
Ellett Memorial Hospital will sponsor a blood drive Thursday, July 23, 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. in the Outpatient Clinic at 610 N Ohio St, ACMO. Sign up at savealifenow.org/group and use group code EG2B. For more details, contact Kayla Orear at (660) 476-5214 or kayla.orear@ellettmemorial.com or Julia Grubb (660) 476-5242 or julia.grubb@ellettmemorial.com
Golden Apples Senior Club will meet Thursday July 23 at 5:00 p.m. This week's menu is fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. Please bring sides and desserts to share that go with fried chicken. Come for the fellowship, enjoy the food and stay for the fun!
Appleton City now has recycling. It is for cardboard and plastic only. The dumpster is located on Walnut Street by the water tower.
Growing in Grace Community Center will have a back to school bash 1:00-3:00 p.m. August 8. They will have a taco bar, soft -serve ice cream and cookies, clothing giveaway, and Heather Smith will be giving haircuts from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at The Red Door. All clothing and haircuts will be free to the kids. Taco bar is free will donation to help with cost. Please come and be blessed!
Rural food and farm businesses in St. Clair, Henry, and Bates Counties may be eligible for grants of up to $25,000 through the Harvest to Market grant program. Funding can support projects that expand access to markets and strengthen local food systems. The program is through the Heartland Food Business Coalition and New Growth. Learn more at HeartlandFoodBusiness.org. Applications are due August 31. Learn more at Heartlandfoodbusiness.org
Make a difference in your community by helping neighbors get where they need to go. New Growth Transit is seeking local volunteer drivers to provide transportation for medical appointments, employment, and other essential trips. As a volunteer driver, you’ll receive IRS-approved mileage reimbursement to help offset the cost of using your personal vehicle. Plus, you choose when and where you want to drive flexibility that fits your schedule. Give back, stay connected, and make a real impact one ride at a time. For info, call: 417-283-7991 or email: transporation@wcmcaa.org
The Appleton City Museum would like to list owners of century farms in their area farm owners of 100+ years. Contact acmolampkin@yahoo.com or voice message 660-492-0131. They will assist you in filing an on-line application to the University of Missouri Extension site OR only be listed (with no fee) in the Appleton City Museum (12 mile radius). Eligibility is ownership by any and all family members for 100 years and income from farming (renting is acceptable). MU requires documentation and a fee. Be proud to be a pioneer family. Your story is priceless.
“The Little Apple” was started by the A. C. Economic Development as way of informing residents of news and events sponsored by area businesses and organizations. Items of a clearly personal nature, such as birthdays, anniversaries, awards (not group sponsored), personal sales and the like are not accepted for publication. Items may be edited for accuracy, grammar or space restrictions. Please email articles for “The Little Apple” to dcp81@embarqmail.com by Tuesday evenings or bring them to Dr. Payton’s office to be included in that week’s edition. To receive "The Little Apple" free by e-mail, or to be removed from the email list, send your e-mail address to dcp81@embarqmail.com If you have changed your email address, please send the current address, so the list can be updated.
Ellett Memorial Hospital Appleton City offers outpatient specialist services for July. Call 660-476-2111 for appointments. Wednesday, July 22 – Ophthalmology, Dr. Soni, Thursday, July 23- Dermatology- Dylan Timmerman, PA, Friday, July 24 - Dermatology- Dylan Timmerman, PA, Tuesday, July 28 - Rheumatology- Dr. John, Thursday, July 30 - Neurology- Dr.- Shoaib, Friday, July 31– Dermatology- Dylan Timmerman, PA, Wednesday, August 5 – Upper GI, Colonoscopy-Dr. Namin, Thursday, August 6 - OB/Gyn- Dr. Kallberg, Friday, August 7 – Dermatology- Dylan Timmerman, PA, Tuesday, August 11 - Rheumatology- Dr. John, Wednesday, August 12- Dermatology- Dylan Timmerman, PA, Thursday, August 13- Dermatology- Dylan Timmerman, PA, Friday August 14 –Orthopedic-Dr. Gray, Wednesday, August 19 – Upper GI, Colonoscopy-Dr. Namin, Thursday, August 20 –Podiatry: Dr. Pace, Friday, August 21 – Orthopedics- Laura Noble, FNP, Tuesday, August 25 - Rheumatology- Dr. John, Wednesday, August 26 - Orthopedic-Dr. Gray, Wednesday, August 26 – Ophthalmology, Dr. Soni, Thursday, August 27 - Neurology- Dr.- Shoaib, Friday, August 28– Dermatology- Dylan Timmerman, PA.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
July 23 West Central / New Growth Advocacy Day 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 112 W. 4th St.
July 23 Blood Drive at Ellett Memorial Hospital Outpatient Clinic 2:00 – 6:00 p.m.
The Barking Bulldogs is produced by the Mass Media class at Appleton City High School. This upcoming school year will be only the second year the course has been offered, so they are still a very new program and are looking to expand.
A little bit of background: The class was originally planned as a print journalism course, focused on launching a school newspaper, "The Bulldog Buzz". In September 2025, however, they began a side project, a filmed podcast that became The Barking Bulldogs. With a cheap video camera, microphones that worked intermittently, a makeshift backdrop, a borrowed table and folding chairs, and a lot of heart, ten students took on this new venture in the back of Mrs. Campbell’s classroom. Everything they have learned has come through research, experimentation, and lots of trial and error. From day one, the goal of the podcast has been to highlight school events, student achievements, athletics, club activities, and the voices and experiences of the students. The first episode aired on YouTube in October 2025.
In January, "The Bulldog Buzz" issued its final edition, so that they could focus solely on the podcast.
By the end of our first year (Season One), they had accomplished far more than they ever expected: 10 episodes, tremendous community support, and several local sponsorships. Those fundraising efforts allowed them to significantly upgrade their video camera and editing software.
They also received approval in May from school administration to move production out of Mrs. C's room and into the former RootEd office. Beginning this August, The Barking Bulldogs will be filmed in their new studio, complete with an official set!
Looking ahead, they’re excited to continue growing. In addition to the new studio, they’re looking to expand into live streaming home games with commentary, pregame interviews, and merchandise giveaways.
If you haven't watched the program, https://www.youtube.com/@barkingbulldogs will take you to the YouTube channel. Once they start filming in their new studio, things will look very different, but their goal remains the same: to highlight student life at ACHS. Please make sure you hit "Subscribe" so that their analytics will climb.
Thank you to everyone who has followed, watched, sponsored, shared, and encouraged this program. Your support has helped turn a small classroom experiment into something much bigger than they ever imagined, and they can't wait to show you the changes they have in store for Season 2!
APPLETON CITY FAIR COMMITTEE OFFERS FREE FAMILY FUN DAY
To the Appleton City Community,
The Appleton City Fair Committee would like to thank our community for its continued support and extend our sincere apologies for having to reschedule the second day of the fair.
We also want to be transparent with our community, sponsors, and vendors about the challenges we faced while planning this year's fair. Three weeks before the event, the carnival company we had contracted with unexpectedly canceled. The Committee immediately began contacting other companies in an effort to find a replacement. Just 10 days before the fair, Joe's Old-Fashioned Fun agreed to provide five rides, two bounce houses, a mechanical bull, and a climbing wall.
Unfortunately, a series of unexpected events resulted in the company arriving later than scheduled and falling behind on setup. The bounce houses were never inflated, and only two rides and the mechanical bull were operational. This was not the experience we intended to provide for our community, and we sincerely apologize for the disappointment.
On Saturday morning, after making the difficult decision to cancel the second day of the fair because of weather concerns, the Committee met with the owner of Joe's Old-Fashioned Fun to discuss the issues and the company's failure to meet its contractual obligations. The owner returned the Committee's pre-sale ticket funds, which were then used to refund anyone who returned unused pre-sale tickets at the original purchase price.
To make up for the canceled activities, the Appleton City Fair Committee is hosting a Free Family Fun Day on August 22, 2026. Children will be able to enjoy inflatable attractions provided by K & S Inflatables of Humansville, Missouri, pony rides provided by the Bates County Posse, and a K-9 demonstration by the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office—all at no cost.
Many of the activities that were canceled during the fair will also take place that day, including the Senior Royalty crowning, Baby Show, Toddler Swimsuit Contest, kids' games, Fair Bake-Off and Bake Auction, music by Sparrowfoot and the Truman Lake Dulcimers.
Food vendors and craft vendors who were scheduled for the original Saturday fair will also be returning, if available, giving families another opportunity to enjoy the event together. Please note that while the children's activities are free, purchases from food and craft vendors will require payment.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding. Our goal is to provide a fun, family-friendly event before school begins and to thank our community for its continued support. A complete schedule of events for Free Family Fun Day will be posted soon.
