20 earn Silver Spoon Awards

CIS cafeteria staff honored On Jan. 18, Roger Brock, Barry County Health Department administrator, and Jan Cox and Kim Scritchfield, environmental public health specialists, presented the Cassville Intermediate School kitchen staff with the 2012 Silver Spoon Award. During the last year, Cassville Intermediate School did not receive any non-critical or critical violations during health inspections conducted in the kitchen. School cafeterias are known as "high priority" establishments due to the volume of food and people served. There are 48 high priority establishments in Barry County, and 184 total establishments that are inspected by the health department. The CIS cafeteria was one of only two high-priority food establishments to receive the Silver Spoon Award. Intermediate school cafeteria staff members are pictured above accepting the award from Brock, Cox and Scritchfield. The staff includes Jane Bland, Mary Sprenkle, Linda Coones and Tammy Tucker.

"The health department congratulates these establishments and hopes the Silver Spoon Award will encourage all food establishments to strive to provide the safest food to Barry County residents," said Roger Brock, health department administrator. "We encourage good food service throughout the course of the year, and we hope that all food establishments will continue to strive to provide the best quality of eating establishments for the people of the county."

The Silver Spoon program, which began four years ago, recognizes food service establishments that did not have any critical or non-critical health violations during inspections conducted between Jan. 1, 2012 and Dec. 31, 2012.

The health department's environmental services department conducts routine inspections of all food service establishments in the county. Food service code violations are divided into two categories: critical and non-critical violations.

Critical violations are more likely than other violations to contribute to food contaminations, illness or injury. Non-critical violations, although important to the overall hygiene of the establishment, do not necessarily present an immediate threat to food contamination, illness or injury.

The frequency of the inspection of each food establishment is determined by public health priority, which is calculated by a risk assessment worksheet.

Rating levels include: high, which are establishments that are inspected a minimum of three times per year; medium, establishments that are inspected at least twice a year; and low, establishments that are inspected a minimum of once a year.

A pair of the 2012 Silver Spoon Award winners, the Central Crossing Senior Center in Shell Knob and the Cassville Intermediate School, were rated as high priority.

Kountry Kitchen Katering in Shell Knob and Roaring River Waterslide in Cassville, which are both rated as medium priority food establishments, were also honored this year.

The remaining 16 establishments that received honors were rated as low priority. They include: Big M Marina and Nita's Cakes in Cassville; the Barry-Lawrence Development Center, Coffee Cabin, Harlan Fruit Company, Calamex Produce, Show-Me-Twice the Ice, Plaza 8 Theater and Modern Variety in Monett; Lakeside Marine and Viola Country Store in Shell Knob; L&L Stop and Shop in Exeter; Aldavas Aragaon in Purdy; Hillbilly Henry in Washburn; Lucky T Convenience in Seligman; and Wheaton Asian-American Market.

Each facility will receive a Silver Spoon certificate for their efforts. Establishments are encouraged to display the award in their facility.