Organizational meeting held in February 1965
Editor’s note: Following is the first in a periodic 2025 series by NECAC Public Relations Officer Brent Engel
It would be the last full season for the St. Louis Cardinals at Sportsman’s Park.
A set of four tires at Moon Winx Shell Service in Bowling Green cost $33.80.
Health-Way Dairy in Louisiana sold a dessert called “Flaming Ice Cream Snowballs.”
A Minnesota firm got the contract to haul away dirt in preparation for construction of the Dundee cement plant in Clarksville.
And on a cold afternoon with seven inches of snow on the ground, the predecessor of North East Community Action Corporation was born.
The year was 1965. Seventy-five government, civic and business leaders met at the Pike County Courthouse on Feb. 23 to form a committee that would work with like-minded representatives from Ralls and Monroe counties.
The goal was to create an agency that would participate in the federal Economic Opportunity Act signed by President Lyndon Johnson the previous year. The law authorized Community Action Agencies that would assist disadvantaged people across the country.
The theory of Community Action was simple: Establish small, local agencies that would work with low-income residents, government agencies, the private sector and non-profit community groups to address economic problems in specific geographic areas.
“Such an agency would have to mobilize local resources, develop programs to be carried out, submit proposals to the government and administer the overall program if funds become available locally,” the Bowling Green Times told readers.
Two weeks later, volunteers from the three counties put together the framework.
“Now that the request for a non-profit corporation has been initiated, we have been asked: How does one start the anti-poverty battle at home?” asked University of Missouri Extension Agent Allen Sudholt. “We do it with community action.”
A certificate of incorporation for what would become NECAC — the TRICO Economic Opportunity Agency based in New London and representing Pike, Ralls and Monroe counties — was filed on April 5, 1965.
Jack Scott was the first board chairman and Errol Gamm was the first director. Early programs included youth education, home economics classes and construction maintenance training.
On Nov. 24, 1965, TRICO became known as QUINCO Economic Opportunity Agency Inc. after Marion and Shelby counties were added.
Things remained that way until Oct. 10, 1968, when QUINCO merged with Daniel Boone Human Development Corporation, based in Troy. The agreement expanded the new agency’s territory to include Lincoln, Montgomery, St. Charles and Warren counties.
The agency made a major change in January 1970, when its headquarters were moved from Troy to Bowling Green.
“We feel Bowling Green is the central location of the nine-county area we cover,” said Daniel Boone Executive Director John Fielder.
Next time: Growing pains.
CUTLINE FOR PHOTO:
An organizational meeting that led to the founding of NECAC was held at the Pike County Courthouse on Feb. 23, 1965. Pictured, front row from left, are John Croll, Annice Wells, Dr. Ralph Dobbs and Jack Scott. Back row, from left, are Frank Ward, Carl Pierce, James Marshall and Murry Smith. (Scan from the Bowling Green Times).