Melodee Colbert Kean

Melodee is a restaurant owner, community leader, and connector. She served as Mayor of Joplin, MO from 2012-2014. Her Sacred Place serves as a space of remembrance and reflection for the Joplin community, providing a place for people to process and heal from the devastation caused by an EF5 mile-wide tornado that tore through the city in the spring of 2011. The storm claimed 161 lives, injured 1,150 others, and caused billions of dollars in damage to businesses, homes and community spaces. The Butterfly Garden and Overlook, created in 2014, is a symbol of Joplin’s resilience and is a place where people can go to be in a peaceful atmosphere, recollect memories, and reflect on life. In the wake of the devastation her community endured, Melodee remains a beacon of hope and a dedicated community leader. For her, connecting with nature is soothing, calming and energy restoring, and is an important part of the city’s healing process and wellbeing overall.