Sullivan County - Resident & Alumni Fall Forum with Maximize Northwest Missouri

What is helping Sullivan County grow? What challenges may be holding it back? And what can residents, leaders and community partners do together to strengthen the county’s future?

Sullivan County residents and community partners are invited to explore those questions during a county-wide fall Forum on Monday, October 5, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., at the Milan Community Center, 205 N. Market St. in Milan. 

Hosted by the Sullivan County MU Extension Council in partnership with Maximize Northwest Missouri, the forum will give participants an opportunity to review local data, share their experiences, and help identify priorities for future community action.

The discussion will include findings from Maximize Northwest Missouri’s 2025 Alumni and Resident Survey, a follow-up to research first conducted in 2020. The survey examines why people choose to stay, leave, or return to Northwest Missouri and provides insight to the factors that influence the region’s ability to attract and retain residents.  

“Data can help us understand what is happening, but residents help us to understand why it matters,” said Christel Gollnick, Director for Maximize Northwest Missouri. “The forum is an opportunity for people from Sullivan County to share what they are seeing in their community, learn from one another, and help guide the conversation towards what comes next.”

Participants at the forum will have the opportunity to:

• Make their voices part of Sullivan County’s future.
• Connect with other residents, local leaders, and community partners.
• Learn with local survey data reveals about the county and region.
• Discover resources that can help move ideas to action.

The forum is open to anyone who lives, works or serves in Sullivan County. No special leadership role is required, and attendees are encouraged to bring their experiences and ideas to the forum.

The forum is hosted by Sullivan County MU Extension Council and funded through a grant from the Patterson Family Foundation. For more information, contact Jackie Spainhower at 816-752-8662 or email spainhowerj@missouri.edu.