Missouri's Most Engaged Neighbors: Comprehensive List of All Past Honorees Since 2022



Strong neighborhoods do not happen by accident. They are shaped by people who learn names, notice needs, welcome newcomers, bring people together and consistently show up for those who live around them.

Since 2022, Missouri Good Neighbor Week has recognized some of these people through the Missouri’s Most Engaged Neighbor awards.

The recognition began during the first statewide Missouri Good Neighbor Week in 2022 and has grown along with the celebration. What started with 11 statewide Engaged Neighbor honorees has become an annual opportunity to tell the stories of Missourians who demonstrate what intentional neighboring looks like.

These are not necessarily people with titles or large organizations behind them. Some organize neighborhood events or lead community projects. Others mow a neighbor’s lawn, provide rides, deliver meals, welcome new residents or regularly check on someone who lives alone.

What they have in common is that they turn neighbor from simply a noun into a verb.

Here is the complete list of statewide Most Engaged Neighbor honorees from 2022 through 2025.

2022 Most Engaged Neighbors

The first statewide awards were presented following Missouri Good Neighbor Week in 2022. Organizers received 115 nominations and ultimately selected 11 Most Engaged Neighbor honorees.

Alyssa and Bobby Smith — Albany, Gentry County
Echo Alexzander — Highlandville, Christian County
Kayla Henderson — Webb City, Jasper County
Sierra Lerma — Salem, Dent County
Philip Weidinger — Columbia, Boone County
Shari McCallister — Houston, Texas County
Pam Schultz — Ewing, Lewis County
Olivia Oglesby — Kirkwood, St. Louis County
Tom Gibson — Kirkwood, St. Louis County
Lee Howard — Lamar, Barton County
Pamela S. Buhr — Springfield, Greene County

The 2022 awards established an important tradition: publicly celebrating the people whose everyday actions often go unnoticed but make neighborhoods better places to live.

2023 Most Engaged Neighbors

In 2023, 62 Missourians were nominated. Organizers initially planned to recognize 10, but the strength of the nominations resulted in 12 award recipients.

John and Cheryl Dabney — Lebanon
Aaron Dohogne — St. Louis
Geralds Wirths — Pilot Grove
Bill Mueller — Kimberling City
Barbara Thurman — Springfield
Jenn Fischer — Webster Groves
Ray Morgan — Cleveland
Virginia “Ginny” Zarinelli — Ellisville
Dr. Melissa Nash — St. Louis
Greg and Suzanne Smith — Manchester
Lee Scribner — Sedalia
Kati Westcott — Chula

Their stories demonstrated the many forms neighboring can take: making home repairs for neighbors with disabilities, organizing trash cleanups and tree planting, sharing produce, providing transportation, welcoming new residents, planning gatherings, helping families following a house fire and simply being present for people who are lonely.

2024 Most Engaged Neighbors

The program grew substantially in 2024. More than 120 individuals were nominated before an additional wave of nominations arrived following national promotion by Nextdoor. Ultimately, 22 nominations received statewide recognition.

Traves Williams — Sedalia, Pettis County
Jessica Bueler — St. Louis City
Toni Burks — Tuscumbia, Miller County
Zulima Lugo-Knaap — St. Joseph, Buchanan County
Aaron Baker — Atlanta, Macon County
Chance Parish — Springfield, Greene County
Rachael Althaus-Brucker — Greenwood, Jackson County
Stefanie Johnson — Springfield, Greene County
Marj Locker — Ludlow, Livingston County
Nancy Susan Williams — Springfield, Greene County
Rudy Widmar and Rebecca Welsh — Springfield, Greene County
Omar Row — St. Louis City
Tracie Rice — Kansas City, Jackson County
Brennan England — St. Louis City
Sharon James — Odessa, Lafayette County
Marsha Taylor — Columbia, Boone County
Orlanda Alonso-Herrera — Kansas City, Jackson County
Jamie Tatum — Springfield, Greene County
Hayden Hradek — Republic, Greene County
John Sunde — St. Joseph, Buchanan County
Rennie Balance — Platte City, Platte County
Dawn and Scott Smith — Columbia, Boone County

The class demonstrated remarkable variety. Honorees repaired homes, organized neighborhood events, welcomed immigrants and refugees, built parks, organized community workdays, cleaned neighborhoods, created youth programs, provided transportation and even established a sports-equipment library.

2025 Most Engaged Neighbors

Another record was set in 2025, when 138 nominations representing 72 Missouri communities and 38 counties were submitted. Twenty honorees were ultimately selected.

Ashley Meredith Marks — Ozark, Christian County
Gary Knight — Raymore, Cass County
Steve Sawchak — Battlefield, Greene County
Reginald Gatlin — Raytown, Jackson County
Michelle Lamb — Antonia, Jefferson County
Michael J. Von Gebel — St. Louis City
Dennis Book — St. Peters, St. Charles County
Dennis Bird — Kansas City, Jackson County
Deborah and Dave Newman — Neosho, Newton County
Lyndel and Marilyn Bossing — Springfield, Greene County
Jen Moist — Springfield, Greene County
Harold Jackson — Lee’s Summit, Cass County
Charlie Guthrie — Marshall, Saline County
Brent and Julia Davis — Fremont Hills, Christian County
Jeff Fillpot — Hume, Bates County
Paul and Cathy Wegner — Columbia, Boone County
David Bennett — Manchester, St. Louis County
Darrell Hastings — Aurora, Lawrence County
Xintong Li — Moberly, Randolph County
Robbie Farabee — Excelsior Springs, Clay County

Again, the stories were wonderfully diverse. Honorees organized block parties, checked on older residents, mowed lawns, provided rides, shared meals, helped after storms, tended gardens, welcomed newcomers and created simple opportunities for neighbors to know one another.

2026 Most Engaged Neighbors

This winners will be announced close to October. 4.

By the Numbers

Numbers alone miss the larger story.

Engaged neighbors notice. They know when someone is sick, grieving, struggling or simply hasn't been seen for a while. They connect. They introduce people, organize gatherings and help newcomers feel that they belong. They serve. They shovel snow, mow lawns, repair fences, provide rides, share food and respond during emergencies. And perhaps most importantly, they are consistent.

The strongest examples of neighboring are rarely one spectacular act. They are small actions repeated until trust develops and relationships deepen.

That is ultimately what the Most Engaged Neighbor recognition celebrates.

It is not an award for being the busiest person in town. It is not a competition to see who has accumulated the most volunteer hours. It recognizes people who intentionally strengthen relationships among the people and places closest to them.

Across Missouri, these honorees have shown us that you don't need a large budget, a formal organization or an official title to strengthen a community.

You can learn someone's name. You can welcome the new family. You can check on the person who lives alone. You can share what you have. You can gather people around a table. You can notice when something is wrong and choose to act.

That is neighboring.

And from 2022 through 2025, these Missourians gave us examples worth celebrating—and worth following.


WRITTEN BY

David L. Burton

For more information, visit the Engaged Neighbor website. Take our pledge and become part of a movement! Or subscribe to our newsletter. Access some of the research documents written by David Burton, the author of this blog. Or better yet, purchase one of his books off Amazon. Contact David L. Burton via email at dburton541@yahoo.  


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