Oct. 30, 2023
Award to be presented at local Philanthropy Day event on Nov. 28
Dr. Heather Lyons-Burney has been named the 2023 Humanitarian for her work to establish My Neighbor’s Charitable Pharmacy in Branson.
Lyons-Burney is a volunteer pharmacist and board president for My Neighbor’s Charitable Pharmacy, which opened in February as the first charitable pharmacy in Missouri. The pharmacy provides access to vital medications and health care resources for uninsured individuals in Stone and Taney counties.
“Her selflessness, innovative thinking, and steadfast commitment to improving the lives of others are qualities that deserve recognition and celebration,” said Kyle David, executive director of Faith Community Health, in a letter supporting Dr. Heather Lyons-Burney’s nomination.
An associate professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy, Lyons-Burney also operates a clinical practice site at Faith Community Health, a nonprofit clinic for uninsured and underserved residents of the Branson area, located next door to the pharmacy.
“Her selflessness, innovative thinking, and steadfast commitment to improving the lives of others are qualities that deserve recognition and celebration,” said Kyle David, executive director of Faith Community Health, in a letter supporting her nomination.
The Humanitarian Award was founded in 1990 by the late Springfield donor Jewell Thompson Schweitzer to honor individuals in our region who excel at serving others in a humanitarian capacity. The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce organizes a committee to review nominations and select the annual recipient.
The 38th person to receive the award over 34 years, Lyons-Burney joined with others in Taney and Stone counties to create Faith Community Health after she and her husband, Brian, sold their local pharmacy, Branson Drug. The clinic was established to serve those living in a medical gap of earning too much to access Medicaid, but not enough to pay for health insurance, said Anne McGregor, also writing in support of the nomination. Later, Lyons-Burney worked with the Missouri General Assembly to pass legislation creating Class Q Charitable Pharmacies, which laid the groundwork for the pharmacy to also provide medications for those in the medical gap.
The CFO will present the Humanitarian Award at the Association of Fundraising Professionals–Ozark Region Chapter’s National Philanthropy Day celebration at 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 28, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 2431 N. Glenstone Ave. The event honors a range of individuals and organizations involved in many facets of philanthropy. For tickets, please visit cfozarks.org/npd.
This year’s selection committee, facilitated by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, was chaired by Brian Hammons, Hammons Products Company, Stockton, and included:
- Kim Cox, Ozark Gateway Association of Realtors, Joplin
- Rev. Don Everts, First & Calvary Presbyterian Church, Springfield
- Pastor Dennis Miller, Aldersgate Church, Nixa
- Jaimie Trussell, Council of Churches of the Ozarks, Springfield
- Aaron Wheeler, Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative, West Plains
- Pam Yancey, Arvest Bank, Branson
Lyons-Burney will receive a $5,000 cash award, which has traditionally been donated to one or more charities of the winner’s choice. For a list of past honorees, please visit cfozarks.org/humanitarian.
