Bill Jones, President of Branson Bank, awarded $1,500 to MOPS PM as the 2012 beneficiary of the bank’s cookbook contest at the monthly MOPS PM meeting at First Baptist Church of Branson.  Over 300 custom cookbooks entitled “Made with Love,” were purchased and sold with the proceeds to be donated to the local, non-profit.

“We are excited to be able to contribute to the efforts of MOPS, locally,” said Bill Jones, President and CEO of Branson Bank. “The concept of bringing together mothers in our community to build relationships, providing an outlet for these ladies to make friends, who learn and grow together…it’s a great thing.”

MOPS, Mothers of Pre-Schoolers, originated in 1973 in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. The organization began as an outlet for mothers to gather together to share, talk, laugh, eat, make crafts, and receive short devotionals, while their children received care.  Growth occurred when word spread to churches and conventions, by way of magazine articles and word of mouth. Today, local MOPS organizations can be found all over the world, helping mothers build relationships while exclaiming proudly that “mothering matters.”

Branson has two MOPS programs, the MOPS AM group that meets at Woodland Hills Church twice a month and the MOPS PM group that meets at First Baptist Branson on the first Tuesday of every month in the evening.