[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 146 (Thursday, September 19, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5459-H5460]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING JONES BOOTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Alford ) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Jones Boots of Vernon 
County, Missouri, as our Fourth Congressional District September Small 
Business of the Month.
  From the humble beginnings of two employees and an inventory of just 
500 pairs of boots, Jones Boots has expanded their selection over the 
years to more than 6,000 pairs. They have renovated their building, 
always focused on the customer.
  Jones Boots has been in business since 1974, and they have operated 
in pretty much the same building they are in to this day.
  Jones Boots has been in the Jones family for more than four 
generations and is now run by Kaleb and Kaden. We are proud to see 
their hard work, success, and dedication to quality customer service.
  Congratulations, Jones Boots.


                         Honoring Sharla Howard

  Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor our September Veteran 
of the Month, Mrs. Sharla Howard of Dallas County.
  Sharla served in the U.S. Army and sustained an injury during 
training that led to her eventually being medically discharged.
  It bothered Sharla that she could not deploy with her platoon in the 
military, so she searched for other ways to serve her country and our 
Nation's veterans.
  She paid for and completed college alone as a single mother and in 
2016 was inspired by her late husband to become a Disabled American 
Veterans life member at the chapter in Butler, Missouri.
  Sharla volunteers her time as a chapter service officer where she 
assists veterans with completing paperwork to file for VA benefits. She 
also serves as the treasurer and bingo chairman for her chapter. Sharla 
has logged more than 2,000 volunteer hours since August of 2023.
  Congratulations to our September Veteran of the Month. I thank Sharla 
for her service in the Army and for her unwavering commitment to 
veterans.

                              {time}  1115


     Osceola Cheese Honored as October Small Business of the Month

  Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Osceola Cheese, our 
October Small Business of the Month in the great Fourth Congressional 
District of Missouri.
  Established in 1944, Osceola has provided cheese, beef jerky, various 
meat selections--I know you are getting hungry, Mr. Speaker--and also 
specialty sauces and mixes to Missouri and to the United States.
  With the business growing, they acquired a new building in 1946, 
including 15 trucks. They were collecting milk from 1,000 dairy farms 
across our great State. When Truman Lake began to develop, the business 
relocated to 13 Highway and officially changed from Riverview Cheese to 
Osceola Cheese in St. Claire County.
  Osceola has continued to expand with facility redesigns, new flavors, 
and new snacks. They have more than 275 varieties of cheese, from mild 
cheddar to chocolate cheese. That is right, I said chocolate cheese.
  Congratulations to Osceola Cheese for 79 years of success. Mr. 
Speaker, say along with me, 79 years of great cheese. Say cheese.


           Ginny Fletcher Named October Veteran of the Month

  Mr. ALFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor our October Veteran of 
the Month, Ginny Fletcher, of Webster County.
  Ginny joined the Missouri Army National Guard in 2007 as a welder and 
deployed to Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011. She served with Missouri ADT 
IV Mission, an agribusiness development team that improved local 
agriculture and business infrastructure.
  Ginny's fondest memories include her women's engagement team teaching 
Afghan children first aid and organizing activities. The team also 
empowered local women by teaching them to raise chickens, grow crops, 
and create sellable items.
  After completing her service as an E-4 specialist in 2017, Ginny 
worked for

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the State of Missouri. Right now she supervises benefit programs for 
the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. I thank 
Ginny so much for her dedication and service.

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