Mid-Missouri is full of individuals making a difference in the lives of others, working toward a better future or reaching new accomplishments.
The stories below recall the journeys of a few local folks from 2016.
Couple adopts six foster children
Clarksburg couple Jason and Jennifer Miller have fulfilled their dream of rearing a large family in a rural home with the adoption of six foster children, following the death of the oldest of their three biological children.
About six months after that, "we decided losing Josh was not the end of the world," Jason said. "We had plenty of room in our hearts and home."
Their new set of children are not a "replacement" for Josh, the couple emphasized.
"But there's a lot to be said about happiness, laughter and chaos," Jason said. "We will always miss (Josh's) voice, and the grandchildren he won't have.
"Being busy, we don't dwell on what's missing."
Russellville Football Boosters hope to raise $30,000
Girls make up about a quarter of the players on Russellville flag football teams in the Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department program.
And they have ambitions of playing the game beyond the flag field.
The Russellville Football Boosters through the Russellville School Foundation currently are fundraising to reach $30,000 by July 2017, to be added to the area middle school teams' 2018 football season schedule.
The Russellville community sent three students to the flag program its first year, 35 last year and sent more than 50 in first through sixth grades in 2016.
Yellow Rose honors Arauz-Chase
Third-generation business owner Abby Arauz-Chase was honored as the celebration speaker at the Jefferson City Zonta Club's annual Yellow Rose Luncheon, selected to represent the luncheon's theme of generational business.
The family operates the Arkansas Valley Feather Company and Zucker Feather Products out of 77,000-square-feet of factory and office space, as well as holding Feather Place showrooms in New York and Los Angeles.
Her grandparents established the family wholesale feather business, which passed to Arauz-Chase's parents and now to her and her brother Anthony Arauz.
Twins hit basketball milestone
Two sets of twins each scored more than 1,000 points in their high school careers on the Jamestown basketball team.
In his 14 years of coaching, E.H. Hirschvogel said he has only heard of one boy reaching 1,000 points. And he speculated the last girl to reach 1,000 was in the late 1990s.
Officials at the Missouri State High School Activities Association, a longtime area sports reporter and area coaches had never heard of such a feat.
"It shows a tremendous amount of dedication and commitment to the program," Hirschvogel said.
Difficulties well worth the effort
One of the most difficult parts of earning U.S. citizenship is mastering the English language.
Many immigrants have found help through the English as a Second Language program hosted at the Moniteau County Library @ Wood Place, especially with the help of retired elementary school teacher Kathy Burns.
The personal commitment required to complete the U.S. naturalization process can be daunting. Not all who start the process will finish, she said. And the fees are not cheap.
Most Hispanics that Burns has met are seeking citizenship for work, a better education for their children and better opportunities, she said.
In the last eight years, Burns said she has helped more than 30 adults earn their citizenship.
Mysterious friendship quilt
A 1930s set of mystery quilt blocks were discovered at The Salvation Army Thrift store in Jefferson City and quilted by Fortuna resident Marian Martin at the urging of Jo Warnke from Stover.
The mystery of the signed pieces was solved after a story published in the California Democrat and Jefferson City News Tribune reached the granddaughter of the original owner.
The quilt was auctioned to help raise funds for international welfare through the annual Festival of Sharing in Sedalia.
Church supports offenders, offenders help city
Offenders from the Tipton Correctional Center gave up a week's pay from their normal work-release program to help the California Parks department make repairs and improvements while at the same time receiving support and encouragement from local church members.
Inside Church Men's Group has been hosted by the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church for 17 years.
The offenders said they gained self-worth and refreshed their dignity by being part of the week.
This year, the 10 offenders helped put a metal roof on the Rohrbach Shelter House, as well as put safety capping on the ballfield fencing and other jobs around the parks. Without the offenders' help on the roof project, Pace said they might have had to subcontract the work.
"It's about belonging," said organizer Mike Staton. "Some guys have never felt welcome anywhere. We give them a sense of home, a taste of family."
"We want to connect with these guys and give them hope," he continued. "These guys will re-enter society; we want to help them on the right path to be a good citizen."