About 60 people gathered at Bachelor Creek Cattle Company Tuesday evening to hear from 11 local office incumbents and candidates as part of the Friend to Friend-hosted candidate forum.
A nonprofit organization dedicated to developing a sense of community among residents, Friend to Friend invited county-level candidates up for election this year to meet with their current or potential constituents. Each candidate had five minutes to talk about themselves and their platform to the group, speaking from the steps of the cattle company house.
The forum was facilitated by Briant Kling with Friend to Friend, who introduced each candidate and gave information on what each office entailed. Invocation and benediction were performed by Pastor Noel Crowson, and posting and retirement of the colors by the Shamrock Lone Scouts.
In keeping with Friend to Friend's mission statements, information in the candidate forum program also included a list of state-level elected officials, Missouri voter requirements, information on election terms and where voters can register and a list of voter's rights.
"One of our main goals is reaching out to the community," said Kling. "We're helping people know how government works."