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This Week's Meeting
January 23, 2025
 
NO LUNCH MEETING THIS WEEK
 
We will be meeting at the Granfalloon for our 4th Thursday Social!
 
Last Week's Meeting
Jan. 16, 2025
 
President Tim Tholen welcomed all to the Club with the Camp for Kids at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. We stood for the Pledge of Allegiance followed by an invocation of inclusivity by Rick Beyer. The following Club anniversaries were recognized: Madaline Walter (37 years); Rick Halterman (27 years); and Marc McCarty (6 years). President Tim thanked the International Committee for serving as greeters, and Rick Beyer (+6) and Brad Kleindl (+1) were recognized as the Club’s most recent Paul Harris Fellows. The Club is serving at Harvesters on January 30 beginning at 6:00 p.m. and the window for registration is still open. The next Program Committee meeting is February 20 so please get your guest speaker ideas to Kristy Bayer or Tucker Clark before that meeting. The January 23 meeting of the Club will be held at Granfalloon, and February 8 is the Geeks for Kids Build Day. Save the date for the Rotary Roundup on March 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the Youth Camp. 
 
Kara Bennett then introduced our guest speaker, Taylor Obersteadt, the Director of WIN for KC for the Kansas City Sports Commission. WIN advocates and promotes the lifetime value of sports and fitness for women and girls in Kansas City. Taylor, a Shawnee Mission South grad, has an undergrad degree in psychology from Kansas State and two master degrees, one from Barry University in sport performance psychology and another from KU in D.E.I. leadership and is uniquely qualified to direct WIN. WIN was established in 1994 and now encompasses a number of programs such as Camp WIN, a multi-day event exposing girls to 16 different sports, Reading and Fitness Challenge (a partnership with the Big 12 women’s basketball tournament), Thrive Youth Advisory Board, and the Evelyn Gates Award (in volleyball). The Commission also hosts the Women’s Sports Award and the KC Sports Award banquets. Using resources available to her on social media, Taylor related how she was able to get Caitlin Clark to serve as the keynote speaker for the Women’s Sports Awards this year. Awards banquet is the largest celebration of women’s athletics in the country. Awards are given to six women making a difference in sports and fitness, and girls who were on high school state championship teams are recognized.  Taylor has designed a new program, WIN Wellness, a mental health and fundraising campaign to create awareness, resources, and programming for women of all ages and girls through a web series promoting conversations regarding healthy management of social media influences, body image, and other topics germane to females of all ages. With regard to national events, the Commission bids on numerous events through the NCAA which has over 240 events to award throughout the country. Kansas City has been awarded the 2025 Women’s Soccer Championship, the 2025 NCAA volleyball championship, the 2026 NCAA Division II Fall Festival which includes cross country, volleyball, field hockey, and soccer events, the 2027 Men’s Basketball Sweet 16 and Elite 8 bracket games. Kansas City has recently seen the fruits of the Commission’s work, such as the Big 12 men’s and women’s basketball championships (which has now been secured through 2031), the 2023 NFL Draft, and the 2024 NCAA wrestling championship, among others. KC is the finalist for the Rugby World Cup to take place in 2031 and 2033 and as everyone knows, is also hosting some of the FIFA World Cup matches in 2026. There are many volunteer opportunities available through 222.sportskc.org. Taylor could not share any developments but did say that the Commission was working hard on landing a WNBA team in Kansas City.
 
After questions and answers, the quote for the day was from Natasha Hastins: “You’ll never know what you’re capable of until you take that first step and just go for it.” We said the Four Way Test and the meeting was adjourned upon the clanging of the Rotary Bell.
Book Discussion Group
Please join the Rotary Book Discussion Group for the discussion of the book Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. The book discussion will be led by Vivien Jennings and all Rotarians and guests are welcome.
 
Date: Monday, February 10, 2025, 6:30 PM
Location: J. Wilbur Company
3242 Roanoke
Kansas City, MO 64111
 
About the book:
Demon Copperhead is the story of a boy born to a teenage single mother in a single wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival.  In a plot that never pauses for breath, relayed in his own unsparing voice, Demon braves the modern perils of foster care, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses.  Through it all, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.
Volunteers Needed for Harvesters Event
We are scheduled to volunteer at Harvesters on Thursday, January 30 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Please click the link below for more info and to sign up for this event!
 
The Volunteer Engagement Center is a vital part of Harvesters’ mission to mobilize the power of our community to create equitable access to nutritious food and address the root causes and impact of hunger. In this area, volunteers sort and repack food, which assists Harvesters in feeding more than 226,000 neighbors each month. 
 
Geeks for Kids Build Day - Feb 8

Our next Geeks for Kids Build Day is February 8. We need many volunteers for this Build Day!

No tech skills are necessary for many tasks. Physical therapists check our designs to make sure they suit each child’s specific needs. Seamstresses help us cut out and sew seat cushions and make seat belts. Folks from all walks of life help with tasks like wrapping hard, plastic wheels with rubber tread, pulling LED lights through plastic tubing, installing license plates and cushions, and more. 

There are lots of jobs for our technically-minded folks, too.  The techies can pitch in and help our Design Team build drive systems that make it possible for kids to drive using only their hands, or their feet, or just with a flick of the finger or the press of a cheek.  They also help us assemble other assistive devices.  They create wiring harnesses.  And, they modify steering assemblies and ready safety systems for installation.  

There is lots of work for every skill set and interest. And, no one has to "go it alone."  One of our experienced team leaders supports every team.

There are two shifts on February 8, 8:30 am - 1:30 pm and 11:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please click here to sign up (scroll down under Events and select your shift on Feb. 8).

We meet Thursdays at Noon

Crowne Plaza KC
1301 Wyandotte
Kansas City, MO 
 
 @rotaryclub13
 
 @rotaryclub13
Upcoming Events
Rotary Bowling League
Ward Pkwy Lanes
Jan. 29, 2025 4:03 p.m.
 
Harvesters Packing Event
Harvesters
Jan. 30, 2025
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
 
Bagel Run
Feb. 01, 2025
 
Rotary Bowling League
Ward Pkwy Lanes
Feb. 05, 2025 4:30 p.m.
 
Bagel Run
Feb. 08, 2025
 
Geeks for Kids
The Downtown Underground
Feb. 08, 2025
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
 
Rotary Book Discussion Group
J Wilbur Co.
Feb. 10, 2025
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
 
Rotary Bowling League
Ward Pkwy Lanes
Feb. 12, 2025 4:30 p.m.
 
Bagel Run
Feb. 15, 2025
 
Fireside at Marc Horner's Home
Horner's Home
Feb. 18, 2025
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
 
View entire list
Speakers
Jan 30, 2025
Feb 06, 2025
Natural vs. Lab-grown Diamonds: What's the difference?
Feb 13, 2025
Up From Dust, How the World is Changing Around Us
Feb 20, 2025
View entire list

Bowling News
 
Happy Monday 13!
 
The bowlers got together again last week for our 3rd week of the half. We were missing a few folks, people must be bathing in warmer climes to escape the cold!
 
200 games:
Adam Kaplan-233
John Lawrence-255
 
Splits and spares:
Brady Clark-2/4/10
Del Karmier-3/7/10
Ted Middendorf-3/5/7
 
See you all Thursday! 

Youth Camp Update
Laurie Mozley, Camp Superintendent
 
Although it doesn’t look or feel like it right now, soon it will be time to get the Rotary Youth Camp ready for summer.  Mark Saturday, May 10th on your calendars and plan to be at the camp at 8 AM for donuts and coffee with your fellow volunteers.  After a morning’s work enjoy a relaxing lunch having the satisfaction of knowing the Rotary Youth Camp is once again ready to welcome our campers!
_______________________
 
Centennial Memory
1990-1991 saw changes in the Rotary Youth Camp staff.  The Duncans retired and Larry North was hired as the new Camp Superintendent.  Unfortunately he passed away suddenly and the search was on for someone to replace him.  Bob Walden was chosen and served as Superintendent until 1999.
 
 

 
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