In 1914, farmers were restless because they had no control over prices they received for their products and no control over prices they paid for the feed, machinery and supplies they bought. A young man named William Hirth wanted to change that, and he helped farmers join together in clubs to buy and sell more cooperatively. Thus began the Missouri Farmers Association.

About 15 years later, Hirth’s office was a stifling hot one on the third floor of the Miller Building in downtown Columbia. But his cooperative ideas were catching on throughout the state. My friend Zenobia Hankins worked for the MFA Exchange in Marshfield in 1935 for less than a dollar a day. Later, she earned a prestigious title and a monthly raise of $2.50. At that time, MFA was 21 years old and struggling through the horrible Depression.

For decades, MFA served mostly farmers, but as it grew, the association started an insurance company serving only member cooperatives and exchanges. Then, after World War II, the top brass saw an opportunity to expand the insurance activities.

During the war, people on the home front gave up leather, rubber, lumber, metal, machinery and more. At the war’s end, people built homes, cars and trucks as they struggled back to normalcy. MFA’s officials realized that insurance would be needed as never before -- many kinds of insurance. In addition to insuring autos, the companies now offer other coverage, including fire, plate glass, cattle, employers’ liability and much more. MFA Mutual Insurance began business in 1946 and, with its new name, Shelter Insurance Cos., is people-oriented and has made very important contributions to our community.

Not only have these companies given employment to thousands of Mid-Missouri residents, they have also made a significant impact on our community in other ways. What would Christmas be without the fountain lighting and carol singing? And the ceremony welcoming spring as the water is turned on each year. Strikingly beautiful flowers beds welcome us as we pass on the way to work and back -- or stop by for an evening stroll through the grounds.

We can step back into Missouri’s history by visiting the one-room school, a replica of the one where William Hirth’s suggestion about the cooperative began to catch on. We can go to the goldfish pool with its waterfall for family photos or special events in our lives.

The company sponsors youth and employee sports team and lends its spacious paved parking lots for community safety programs for bicyclists and others. That is just a drop in the bucket, as there have been six Alfred P. Sloan awards for promotion of traffic safety, National Safety Council Public Interest awards and unique industrywide contributions to safety education..

Each summer, free Sunday evening concerts at Shelter Gardens attract hundreds of townspeople. On Sunday, Dave Schmidt, our friendly weatherman, will briefly tell the Shelter story as the Lucky Star quartet reviews Shelter’s 50 years in song. The Sweet Adeline singers will be Marj Friedmeyer, Lisa Woolridge, Nancy Freeman and Nancy Russell; the program starts at 7 p.m.

A glance through the index of Alan Havig’s book will remind you of the many individual contributions to our community. You’ll find these names and many more: Sappington, Denham, Silvey, Hume, McTurnan, Hulen, Roiser, Toler, Heinkel, Faurot, Connor, Creasy, Nelson, Douglas, Lang, Wyatt -- and that’s just a start!