2009 Meeting Schedule

Ozark Regional Alliance seeks to meet regularly to encourage networking among its members and their guests, and to present information and ideas that will help members better serve residents of southwest Missouri as they seek to provide educational opportunties to meet the challenges created by cultural change.

Meetings are free and open to the public. Membership is encouraged for those who wish to attend regularly and vote on leadership and issues.

March 20, 10:30 am, Joplin Library
Join us in Joplin to hear from speaker Jeana Gockley about a program called "Spanish that Works." This interactive Spanish language course is specifically developed to help library staff assist Spanish-speaking patrons with limited English skills. Its emphasis is on oral rather than written expression of practical, library-specific words and phrases.

To learn more about the program, visit the Missouri State Library or Learning Light.


May 15, 11:30 am, Happy House in Monett
Maria Cepeda from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' Minority Health Division will present information on "Unnatural Causes" exploring racial and socioeconomic inequalities in health.


General Meeting Recaps
These documents contain highlights of the guest speakers' presentations as well as items that are mentioned by ORA membership in the roundtable update session. Links to supporting documents and Web sites are included.

DHSS Office of Minority Health - August 15, 2008
The Lion and the Lamb: The Role of Religion in the Lives of Immigrants - July 11, 2008
H.E.L.P. Introduced - June 11, 2008
Barceda Families Lunch and Learn - May 7, 2008
Monett Schools' English Language Learning (ELL) Program - April 18, 2008