President Tim Tholen called the meeting to order and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Matt Meyer provided us with a thoughtful Invocation.
GUESTS: David Gibbins (U.S. Banks) by Tom Woolwine; Eric McGuire District Governor 6040 (our District).
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Thanks to the Greeters, the Community Service Committee members.
Rotary Regatta: Tom Woolwine and his guest David Gibbons discussed the event. Tom provided us with the schedule of events: [our 3rd year]
- Sunday July 20th Commodore’s Kickoff Party @ Aixois Bistro
- Friday Aug 22nd through Sunday Aug 24th, Weekend of Sailing, Service & Celebration.
- Saturday Aug 23 “Service Above Self” Award Dinner @ the Camp
- David Gibbins, the head of the Lake Jacomo Sailing Club, is intent on growing our
- Rotary Regatta from local sailors to those of Oklahoma, Minnesota etc
Brad Kleindl, spoke briefly on “Shoes for Orphan Souls” with baby shoes on the table for funds. Congrats to Tucker Clark & his wife Kathryn on the birth of their baby – Cohen Matthew Clark, born April 9th, 2025 (7 lb 12 oz, 19.5 inches long !) Volunteers are needed for Sleep in Heavenly Peace Bed Build (Saturday April 26th, 9 am to 1 pm; at 31711 Colbern Road, Oak Grove, MO 64075) There’s a job for everyone! Eric McGuire* District Governor 6040 (our District) reminded us of the District 6040 Conference May 30th -June 1st, 2025 in Kirksville, MO. The flyer on the noted the Schedule of useful Breakouts, Conference Fee (very reasonable), Lodging alternatives, and Conference Location (A.T. Still University ATSU). [*Eric hails from the St. Joseph East Rotary Club]
UPCOMING EVENTS: BRING A GUEST!
May 9th Native Plant Sale at the Rotary Youth Camp (4 -6 pm)
May 10th Camp Clean Up Day (8am - Noon)
June 15th Step Up to the Plate for the Rotary Youth Camp (Rotary Day at the Royals) (Details are still developing but $5 per ticket bought through a special code will go to the Camp). We may be selling banners. Next year we may be moving back to opening day. There will be Volunteer opportunities. Also this is our Rotary Friendship Exchange Weekend.
PROGRAM: Kristy Bayer introduced our speaker, Mr. Chris Cotton, the Director of the KCMO Parks & Recreation Board. Chris is a parks professional with 30 years of experience in sports management and parks & recreation operations including 16 years as Department Director in the cities of Salina, KS, Normal, IL, Joplin, MO and Harrisonville, MO. He previously worked for the KC Parks managing the Brush Creek Community Center from 1999 – 2004. Mr. Cotton received his bachelor’s degree in Secondary & Physical Education from Drury University and a Master of Physical Education with an emphasis in Sports & Leisure Management. Chris is also a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional. Chris’s topic was “Where KC Plays”. We found out a lot about the domain of the KC Parks & Recreation.
KCMO P&R Mission: To improve the quality of life, health and wellness of our community by providing socially equitable, community-driven programming and environmentally sound natural resource management.
HISTORY & HIGHLIGHTS: Citizens early on saw the need for creating a better of quality of life and improving the city’s appearance through development of municipal parks, and later, a boulevard system. [Good for marketing the city]
1892: Park Board hires George E. Kessler, Landscape Architect, to design a boulevard and park system master plan that would provide for a “city within a park”
1895: City approves a charter amendment to give the Park Board the authority to condemn land, issue bonds and receive special taxes.
1896: Col Swope deeds to the city more that 1,300 acres (!), which became the park that bears his name and the largest park in the KC system ( & one of our nation’s largest )
1927: Ella Loose donates land in memory of her husband, Jacob(Loose Park, south of the Plaza)
1967: The Park Department and Recreational Division of the city’s Welfare Department were combined into the present-day Kansas City Parks & Recreation Department.
2016: The Kansas City Parks and Boulevard Historic District Jackson County MO, were officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its significance in Community Planning and Development and Landscape Architecture.
GOVERNANCE: The Parks and Recreation Department is governed by a volunteer five-member Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioner who are appointed by the Mayor.
MANAGEMENT: What is the Board responsible for:
222 parks, 10 community centers, 5 golf courses, 12,000 + acres of parkland, 9 museums, 2 aquatic centers, 47 fountains, 178 miles of bikeways & trails, 11 pools, 47 fountains, 18 lakes, 135 monuments, sculptures & art, 5 dog parks, 17 spraygrounds, 73 shelter, 135+miles of boulevards & parkways (WOW!)
Within the ADMINISTRATION are the COMMUNITY SERVICES providing such services or areas as Community Centers, Aquatics, Athletics, Programming & Events, Out of School Camps, Mayor’s Nights Programs, and Golf.
Also within the ADMINISTRATION are the CULTURAL FACILITIES such as Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center, Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City, Liberty Memorial / National WWI Museum and Memorial, Starlight Theatre, Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, The Museum of Kansas City, and Shoal Creek Living History Museum.
CURRENT or ANITICPATED PROJECTS:
9TH & Van Brunt Soccer fields, Satchel Paige sports field (football & baseball), Swope Memorial Golf Course, Tony Aguirre Community Center – Outdoor Pool
STAYING UP-TO-DATE: Website: KCParks.org, you can sign up to receive monthly eNewletter. To Volunteer: use kcparks.org/volunteering
UPCOMING MEETINGS: Bring a Guest:
April 24th Kim Randolph, Heartland Black Chamber
May 1st Roger Coldsnow, “Always Bring a Cannon to a Gun Fight”
May 8th Celia Llopis Jepsen, Environment Reporter, “Up from Dirt”
May 15th Georgia Eckett, Conservation Manager, KC Zoo
Today’s Quote: “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” - George Bernard Shaw
Tim Tholen wrapped up the meeting with the Four Way Test.
Please join the Rotary Book Discussion Group for the discussion of the book The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. The book discussion will be led by Vivien Jennings and all Rotarians and guests are welcome.
@rotaryclub13
@rotaryclub13.jpg)
