Palmyra Chamber of Commerce Holds August Meeting at Rebel Pig Smokehouse

PROTECTED CONTENT

If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.

Lost your password?

Username and Password Help

Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.

← Back

The Palmyra Chamber of Commerce met on August 12 at Rebel Pig Smokehouse, featuring presentations from the 2024 Miss Marion County Fair Queen, Marissa Gottman, and Priority Physical Therapy.

Miss Marion County Queen’s Year in Review
Marissa Gottman reflected on her year as the 2024 Miss Marion County Fair Queen, highlighting her participation in the 2024 Marion County Fair, attending pageants in Illinois, speaking at events such as the Taste of Palmyra and the Hannibal Cannibal, and assisting with preparations for the 2025 Miss Marion County Fair beginning in June and July. She also attended the 2025 Missouri State Fair.

During her reign, Gottman launched a gratitude letter campaign to farmers to support agricultural mental health. She hosted a Princess Tea Party through her developing non-profit, Giving for Good, which raised $300 and collected hygiene items. Over the summer, she organized three donation drives.

At Palmyra High School, Gottman started a student newspaper and writes an agriculture column. Her favorite experience as queen was connecting with people who understood her background and experiences.

In addition to her role as queen, Gottman serves as president of her FFA chapter and competes at both state and national levels, earning third place in the nation for the 2024–2025 year. She plans to attend Washington University in St. Louis to major in English with a focus on creative writing. She has already begun work on a four-book series, with the first book moving toward publication.

Priority Physical Therapy Shares “Story of Hope”
The second half of the meeting featured a presentation from Priority Physical Therapy on suicide prevention through its “Story of Hope” program. The initiative began when a college student returned home from the University of Missouri for the weekend and was discovered by his mother in the midst of a suicide attempt. The next 18–24 months were a difficult recovery period for the family, leading to the creation of the program.

“Story of Hope” now provides depression screenings in schools, trains teachers to recognize warning signs, and teaches the ACT method—Acknowledge their pain, show you Care, and Tell someone.

Presenters noted that suicide is the leading cause of death among people ages 18–25. The program hosted a 5K fundraiser in the spring and featured a presentation from Chad’s Coalition, a St. Louis–based non-profit. Efforts also focus on helping students develop coping skills, manage difficult situations, and keep an open dialogue about mental health.