Audrain County Area Public School Retirees (ACAPSR) met Oct. 2, at the Audrain County Courthouse Farnen Family Community Room. Audrain County Eastern Commissioner Leslie Meyer presented information on Mexico Main Street, which is part of the Missouri Main Street program. Mexico Main Street is an economic development program that focuses on the culture and history of the community. There are four principles: promotion, design, organization, and economic vitality.

Co-president Diana Henage called the meeting to order. The minutes from the August meeting were approved as well as the current treasury balance. The legislative report chair presented information regarding Amendment 2, legalizing sports gambling. Information about debit card fraud and intercepting mail was presented in the Informative Protective report. The community service chair reported on food item donations for the Mexico Middle School Food Pantry. Members are asked to bring paper products for the Senior Center Christmas baskets to the December meeting. Volunteer hours, food items donated, and money given for hunger totals are due in January.

From ACAPSR Unit funds, a check for $500 was presented to Melanie Utterback of Community RVI for her consumer science class project, “From Seeds to Platter, and a check for $200 was presented to Mackenzie Mudd of Mexico Middle School for $200 to buy novels for her English as a second language classes.

Mexico Middle School teachers Autumn Sublette and Christina Terry were presented with $500 memorial grants named for Carolyn Sprowls at the welcome back convocation meeting of teachers and staff in August.

The nominating committee presented a slate of officers for 2025, to be installed at the Dec. 4 meeting.

Teague reported on the 49th MRTA Fall Membership Conference held in Branson, Sept. 17 – 18. ACAPSR received the MRTA Unit of Excellence Award recognition and Joan Fecht received the Distinguished Retiree Award for Unit 4.

The MRTA Region 4 meeting will be held in Moberly on Monday, Oct. 28. The meeting begins at 10 a.m. A cost of $20 includes a light breakfast and lunch. Members will meet at Moser’s Foods west end parking lot at 8:30 a.m. to carpool. Those interested in attending are asked to let Henage know by Oct. 16.

Members will Ring Bells for the Salvation Army inside Moser’s Foods store on Saturday, Dec. 7 in one-hour shifts from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A sign-up sheet was passed around.

The next ACAPSR meeting will be at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Dec.4, at the Mexico Public Schools Board Room with a brunch hosted by the school district.

Christine Shire gave the Meal Blessing and members enjoyed a lunch provided by the social committee chair Brenda Haden, and members Joyce Lowry, Iris Shoemaker, Christine Shire, Jane Coatsworth, Lois Runnels, Fran Robley, Donna Quinlan, Sally Stuart and Sue Ann Keith.