Hank Osterhoult is the founder and director of Kansas Free for Arts and will be providing our program this week at Rotary Club.
According to Julia Govert Walter and Kelsey Pfannenstiel from the North Central Flint Hills Agency on Aging, it
sounds like they provide lots of know-how and help for us who want to remain independent as we all age. A private, non-profit agency serving 18 counties anchored around Manhattan, Salina and Emporia, the NCFHAA is an aging & disability resources center that is part of a national network of like centers helping people know their options with objective advice. Friendship Meals served to people 60 and over from 38 local senior centers is one of their primary services. They serve 170 meals locally and to Olpe and Neosho Rapids from their Friendship Center at 221 West Logan Avenue in Emporia. Julia, the Executive Director, explained many of the other services provided:- Meals on Wheels - ends up being a wellness check for people as meals are delivered.
- Information referral and assistance
- Health insurance counseling
- Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) - volunteer network
- Case management and assessment
- Client assessment referral & evaluation (CARE)
- Wellness programs
- Caregiver assistance and support
- Several publications
- Sunflower Fair in Salina - September 17
Our Rotary Club summer schedule starts in July when we meet twice per month through August. We will meet on the following dates during this time:
July - 9 & 23
August - 6 & 20
Our weekly meeting schedule will resume on September 3.
Jami Reever, at the last meeting of her Rotary Club Presidency, referred to our club as the "Movers and Shakers for our Town". During the past year, our Rotary Club donated $12,000 toward community service projects. Thanks, Jami, for your extraordinary leadership this past year!
Clark Rusco brought Doug Bjerkaas of Dynamic Discs and the 2016 PDGA Tournament Director of the Year to our Rotary Club to talk more about disc golf in Emporia. There are currently 14 disc golf courses in and around Emporia, of which every one are needed for the 1,600 who play in the Glass Blown Open, the largest disc golf tournament in the world. Other tournaments being brought to Emporia include the US Amatur Match Play Championship this coming weekend (June 22-23), and the 2019 PDGA Junior Worlds Disc Golf Championship (July 9-13). Doug indicated that the Emporia community truly is embracing disc golf here as the people of the community engage the golfers who visit, and Emporia is becoming a disc golf destination for people across the country trying out our courses. The attention and welcome that the players get in Emporia is unmatched elsewhere.
The number of people playing disc golf is rapidly growing as well. It is inexpensive to play and it is a game in which relationships are developed.
Volunteers are needed for the Junior Worlds in July. Contact volunteer coordinator at the Dynamic Discs store downtown.
For more information on Dynamic Discs, click HERE.
The Kansas Talking Books Program (started in 1970) was presented by Maggie Witte. It was interesting to find out that 90,000 books and 80 magazines are available in this program. 300-400 per week are sent out to those with sight impairments or reading disabilities. This program is located on the ESU campus, and it records locally in a production studio. Many Kansas-interest books and publications are recorded regularly.
Rotarian Barbara Wry was recognized by Richard Duncan as a Paul Harris Fellow + 7 for her outstanding contributions to the Rotary Foundation. Great job, Barbara!
Emporia Middle School Interact students joined our club meeting to share with us what they have been involved. Andrew Hawley, EMS teacher, has facilitated these students since our Rotary club helped to get it started 10 years ago. The students shared many of their activities this past school year, including helping our Rotary Club label the dictionaries that are given away to all third graders in Emporia schools, a KCSL drive, and their main fund raiser this year was their annual popsicle sale. The funds from that drive (close to $900) was used to help pay for vaccines for kids in need. It warms my heart to see the drive of these kids to help others.
Our Rotary Club recognized several outstanding graduates of The Teachers College at Emporia State University. Teachers College Dean Ken Weaver (and Rotary Club Member) introduced each and told a little about each one. These graduating future teachers seem like they keep getting better and better!
The top 5% of the Emporia High School graduating class were recognized at our Rotary Club. It gives me lots of confidence in our future leaders when I get to visit with these outstanding young people.
Melissa Kurtenback (Executive Director) and Becky DeJesus (Board President) 
presented to our club Beacon for Hope Suicide Prevention. This group was started in Emporia in August 2017 in memory of Carrie Owen, who died by suicide on April 15, 2006. They are creating a safer community by providing education, resources, support and hope, and work to try to prevent suicides from occurring. Providing training for law enforcement is what this group is currently working towards in the Emporia area. The group organizes a masquerade ball to help raise funds for their projects.
Seth Wheeler, in his first year as Emporia State University head baseball coach, has coached his team to a record to date of 9-7. They sport Tanner Carnes, a great pitcher in his fourth year for the team. Seth indicated that pitching and defense are the strengths of this year's team.
April Gonzales, Emporia State University women's softball coach for the past four years, is rebuilding her team after losing seven seniors from last year that ended on a good note after winning twelve games in a row to get all the way to the NCAA Regional Championship game. Four of their six pitchers are returnees from last year. Eight of this year's team are freshmen and five are upper class players. All twenty kids on the team are on the honor roll, earning a 3.62 GPA in the fall semester. This spring has been challenging due to the weather, playing only 4 of 19 games as scheduled.
Shekhar Mehta of India selected to be 2021-22 Rotary International President
Shekhar Mehta of India selected to be 2021-22 Rotary International
Fighting poverty on a small scale
A collaboration between Rotary and Heifer continues to produce big results, helping small farms provide healthier, locally-sourced
Rotary and ShelterBox celebrate the power of partnership
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Rotary announces US$100 million to eradicate polio
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Rotary’s 110th annual convention concludes
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