by Mary Wilson
Mayors across the state of Missouri are showing their sweet
side as one five-year-old girl invites each of them to meet her for an
unforgettable treat. Taylor Duncan, the “almost six-year-old,” as she’d tell
you, from Waynesville, is on a mission to meet every mayor in Missouri while
learning about each town and enjoying some ice cream along the way.
On Saturday, October 13, Taylor, her mother and younger
siblings, visited Grandview Mayor Leonard Jones, her 116th mayoral
ice cream visit, to be exact. The idea came about when Taylor, who is
homeschooled, was studying the state and learned that the ice cream cone
originated in Missouri. So, she set a goal to have an ice cream cone with every
mayor in the state.
“It’s a really delicious idea,” she said through a big bite
of her rainbow sherbet.
Taylor toured the Truman Farm Home before heading over to
Topsy’s with Mayor Jones for their special treat. There, she also met Alderman
Damon Randolph, and was excited to ask questions of both elected officials.
Randolph, with bubblegum ice cream, and Jones, with his vanilla swirled with
fudge and peanuts, answered questions from Taylor like why they decided to get
into local politics, the biggest challenges, and what their favorite thing
about living in Grandview is.
When asked which mayor has been her favorite so far, Taylor
responded, “Mommy asked me to not answer that question.” Her mom said that
she’s supposed to answer the question differently than that, but Mayor Jones is
convinced that he’s the favorite.
While she couldn’t answer which mayor she likes best, cotton
candy ice cream is the flavor she chooses most. She also loves orange sherbet.
Following their treats at Topsy’s, Jones, Randolph and the Duncan family headed
over to City Hall. There, Taylor was impressed with the size of Grandview’s
municipal government building. She also sat at the mayor’s desk and played at
Freedom Park.
After Grandview, the family was headed to Oak Grove. Taylor’s
trek across the state is documented by her mom on a Facebook page. Follow her
journey at Show Me Ice Cream.
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