District 6080

Springfield, Missouri

Hands-on Service: Springfield Southeast Rotarians volunteer for Good Dads!

Good dads volunteers 030626
Members of Springfield Southeast Rotary Club transformed the Pittman Elementary School gymnasium into a hub of activity on Friday, March 6, for the Good Dads program.  The volunteers arranged tables, laid out craft supplies, and set up refreshment stations with donuts, coffee, and juice.

As fathers and their children arrived, they received welcome stickers and raffle tickets from the greeting team.  Rotarian Kyle John led the day's featured activity: a paper airplane workshop in which dads and kids designed, built, and launched their creations together.

[L. to R.] Jim Bureman, Will Cox, Chuck Dow, Mike Cosgrove, Kyle John, and Dan Emrie (not shown) all contributed their time to make this service project a success. [Photo  by Dan Emrie]

Welcome new member James Bureman

Jim bureman new member1
Dan Emrie introduced Jim on March 6.  His cosponsor is Steve Rice.

Jim retired from his optometry practice in 2016 but volunteers at the Veterans Administration clinic in Springfield.  He established Missouri Eye Institute, a joint practice with other optometrists at which he was the managing partner, in 1988.  Dr. Bureman was honored as Missouri Optometrist of the year and an American Top Optometrist by the Consumer Research Council.  He also served as chairman of the Missouri State Board of Optometry.

Jim is originally from the North County area of St. Louis, where he was the Senior Class president of Hazelwood High School.  He attended Central Methodist University in Fayette on scholastic and football scholarships and earned a degree in Biology.  He then studied at Illinois College of Optometry on an Army Health Scholarship.  He entered the Army Medical Service Corps in 1980 as a captain.  He served three years in Germany and one year at Ft. Riley, Kan., receiving two Army Commendation Medals.  Jim completed his military service in the Missouri Army National Guard as a lieutenant colonel in 2000.

Jim met his future wife, Sherry, at Ft. Riley and they moved to Springfield in 1985 to begin his optometry practice.   They have two adult children: Chase is a Marine pilot flying the Osprey Tilt Rotor Aircraft and Kirsten is a Rotarian in the San Francisco Bay area and was the first president of Springfield Rotaract Club.   Jim was a former member of Springfield Southeast Rotary and is a Paul Harris Fellow.
Unite for good color

Hands-on Service: Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks

Springfield Southeast Rotary members Irwin Cohen, Sal Agosta, Tammy Mast, Angela Delahoussaye, Cheryl Briggs and Dan Emrie spent the late afternoon of Feb. 18 at the Ronald McDonald House at Mercy Hospital preparing dinner for families whose children were undergoing medical treatment. We offered them a choice of cashew or sweet n' sour chicken over rice, spring rolls, salad and baked cookies. It was a wonderful time to work, have fellowship and serve food to appreciative families.

[story and photos by Dan Emrie]
Rmho serve 1

Rmho serve 3

Rmho serve 2

www.dacdb.com
Dacdb logo 150x15020140423 15082 19ochpx 216x20140821 8351 1fcwsw

Welcome new member Jami Wightman

Wightman jami
Jason Hynson introduced Jami on Jan. 22.  Her cosponsor is Margo Spilde.

Jami is in charge of business development for Mouery’s Flooring on West Battlefield Road in Springfield, tasked with increasing revenue as well as developing and implementing long-term growth strategies.  She took that job in the fall of 2025 after working as a senior account executive for 417 Magazine for 11 years.

Jami was born and raised in Lockwood.   She earned a degree in marketing at Southwest Missouri State University (now MSU) and worked in both the Missouri State Capitol and the U.S. Capitol while she was in college.  She lived in St. Louis for 12 years before moving back to southwest Missouri.

Jami’s community service includes serving on the boards of Victory Mission and Redeemer Lutheran Church, and on the advisory board of Least of These.  Her faith is central to who she is and how she lives.  At her core, she believes success is measured by how many people you help along the way.  She finds her greatest fulfillment in serving others, building relationships, and giving back — which makes Rotary feel a lot like home.

Jami loves to eat breaded cashew chicken and enjoys having coffee with just about anyone, but would really enjoy a face-to-face conversation with Jesus.  She lives in Nixa with her husband, John, and their two children, Molly and Logan, who are students at Liberty University.  Her family loves boating, tubing and hanging out with friends on Table Rock Lake.  She also likes shopping, running and decorating.