2024 Annual Dinner

MPF held a celebration of prairies on Saturday, August 17, 2024 in Columbia, Missouri at the Stoney Creek Hotel. Our keynote speaker was Dr. Chris Barnhart, Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Missouri State University. Doors opened at 5 p.m. for the silent auction, drinks, and social hour, followed by dinner at 6 p.m., and subsequent presentation of awards and Dr. Barnhart’s presentation, “Conserving Prairie Royalty: The Regal Fritillary.”

Thank you to everyone who attended the 2024 Annual Dinner! Stay tuned for information about our 2025 event.

If you have questions, please email info@moprairie.org.

Special thanks to in-kind sponsors Modern Litho and Bass Pro Shops®, and to silent auction donors Alpine Shop, The Clean Refill, Bluestem Missouri Crafts, Missouri Northern Pecan Growers, Handker, KC Current, St. Louis Cardinals, Henry Domke, Switchgrass Spirits, World Bird Sanctuary, National WWI Museum and Memorial, Stoney Creek Hotels, Drury Hotels, Martha Hill, Bryce Knight, Noppadol Paothong & Monica Lee, Vernon Elsberry, Mike Leahy, Bruce Schuette, Bob & Barbara Kipfer, Steve & Ann Mowry, Doug Helmers, Stephanie Michels & Everett Stokes, Carl Haire, Dave & Tanya Haubein, Rose Magaw, Rick Thom, Birds for Good, Inc., Tom Socca / AKT Studios, Mother’s Brewing, Betsy Garrett, Backyard Bird Center, Missouri Wildflowers Nursery, Linda Ballard, and Jerod Huebner.

The Annual Dinner supports the mission of the 58-year-old Missouri Prairie Foundation (MPF) to protect and restore prairie and other native grassland communities through land acquisition, management, education, and research; to promote the use of native plants through its 24-year-old Grow Native! program; and to support the control of invasive plants through its administration of the Missouri Invasive Plant Council.