Day to Day Activities - Tuesday, June 14, 2011

This morning, citizens were faced with manydeadlines. By the end of breakfast, anyone wishing to run for state office must have filed their petition. Furthermore, breakfast this morning marked the first day that court dockets must be filed; yes, if you break a law at MBS, you go to trial just like the real world.

Citizens spent the remainder of the morning at their state party caucuses. This was where they met all of their parties candidates for state office and heard their thoughts and ideas on what they will do if elected. They also worked together to take all the platforms they wrote as individual counties and united them into one, state-wide platform.

Senator John Danforth Honored as Lehr Chair

John Danforth accepted the 23rd Annual George W. Lehr Memorial Speakers Chair on Tuesday night at Hendricks Hall. John is a native of St. Louis, MO, where he attended St. Louis Country Day School. He later received his bachelor's degree from Princeton University in 1958, and attended both law and divinity graduate schools at Yale University. He served as the 37th Attorney General of Missouri from 1969-1976, United States Senator from Missouri from 1976-1995, and was appointed the 24th United States Ambassador to the United Nations in 2004. As an ordained Episcopal priest, Danforth officiated the funeral services of former president Ronald Reagan. Following his prepared remarks Danforth took questions from the Boys State Citizens.

The American Legion Riders helped to commemorate flag day by conducting a rolling flag line at Missouri Boys State during the evening Colors Ceremony.

Currently, 106,000 American Legion Riders meet in over a thousand chapters in every domestic department and in at least three foreign countries. Riders in Mulvane, Kan., founded the Patriot Guard to protect the sanctity of military funerals from protesters. Riders in all states have escorted military units returning home from combat tours overseas, conducted massive cross-country fundraising events for wounded warriors from all services, and have raised millions of dollars for countless local, state and national charities.

Walt Hicklin was honored at the evening assembly in Hendricks Hall as he was inducted into the American Legion Missouri Boys State Hall of Fame. Walt has served the Missouri Boys State program for over 35 years and helped shape the lives of thousands of Boys State citizens and many more outside of the Boys State program. As a member of the Central Missouri State and University of Central Missouri family he was introduced to the Boys State program in 1977. He was the head foorball coach for the Central Missouri State University Fighting Mules at the time and he volunteered to be the Missouri Boys State Athletic Director. Walt grew with the university and became a trusted administrator, serving in manay capacities. He retired from the university as Vice-President of Student Affairs in 2006. Just a year later he was appointed to the University of cental Missouri board of Governors by Missouri Governor Matt Blunt and he currently serves as the President of the Board.
After serving many years as Missouri Boys State Assistant Dean of Administration, The Missouri Boys State Board of Directors appointed him as Dean of Administration in 1992. During his tenure as Dean he was instrumental in opening up new opportunites and experiences on the University campus for the participants of Boys State.
In 1992, he helped facilitate the live telecast of the Missouri Governors debate featuring the major candidates for governor from both parties. Walt played a huge role in creating the program that offers college credit to Missouri Boys State participants. At the time, it was one of the first Boys State college credit programs in the country. He was also instrumental in establishing a scholarship for Boys State and Girls State participants here at the University of Central Missouri.
We are honored and privledged to have someone like Walt as a member of the Missouri Boys State family and proud to present him with Missouri Boys State's highest honor as the newest member of the Missouri Boys State Hall of Fame.