Winner of five straight after a 91-45 thumping of Saint Mary junior varsity Tuesday, Kansas City Kansas Community College’s women’s basketball team turned its focus on this weekend’s KCKCC Classic and a possible first round clash of unbeaten teams.
The Blue Devils will take on Jefferson College of Hillsboro, Mo., Friday at 7 p.m. after Labette and Wentworth collide in the opener at 5 p.m. Jefferson is 4-0 and averaging nearly 80 points game heading into a home game tonight with Southeastern Illinois while the Lady Blue Devils are averaging 92 points in their 5-0 start. In Saturday action, Labette and Jefferson will meet at 2 p.m. with KCKCC playing Wentworth at 4 p.m.
Nine Blue Devils scored seven or more points in the win over Saint Mary at Leavenworth. Cierra Gaines led with 14 while Rashaun Casey and Ky’Ana French added 12 points each, Sierra Roberts 11, Janai Mitchell and Iland Shurn 8 apiece and Cassidy Harbert, Cheyenne North and Julia Garrard 7 each.
“We continue to get good balance and production off the bench,” said KCKCC coach Valerie Stambersky. No Blue Devil starter played the final 12 minutes.
Three-point shooting continued to be a big part of the KCKCC arsenal as the Blue Devils matched their season high with 11 treys. Casey led with four while Gaines, Roberts and French each had a pair. Alan Hoskins is the sports information director at KCKCC.
Domestic violence advocates, church officials and community leaders came together to observe National Domestic Violence Month on Oct. 31 at a luncheon sponsored by the Friends of Yates Inc.
On Oct. 31, Friends of Yates Inc. held its 14th Annual Faith Luncheon in observance of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month on behalf of the Della Gill-Joyce H. Williams Center.
This year’s theme was “Unmasking the Violence”. In attendance were prominent community leaders, local and state domestic violence advocates, church officials, friends and honorees who came together to acknowledge and share triumphs concerning their untiring efforts to end Domestic Violence in our community.
The program opened with an invocation given by the Rev. Robert L. Baynham of Metropolitan Baptist Church located in Kansas City, Kan., followed by a welcome to guests from Friends of Yates Inc. Board President Clyde Townsend.
Carolynn Washington, longtime supporter of Friends of Yates Inc., served as the program’s mistress of ceremony.
Demetrius Hurt, community outreach educator for Friends of Yates, Inc., gave a few words to remind guests of the occasion and the importance of the support of the services and programs provided by Friends of Yates, Inc. and the Della Gill Joyce H. Williams Center, a program of Friends of Yates.
Ah’Lee Robinson, executive director-CEO of the Kansas City Boys and Girls Choir, gave a rendition of the civil rights movement song “If I Were a Hammer,” while renowned saxophonist Vernard Johnson serenaded the audience with a soul stirring rendition of “Grateful.”
A survivor of domestic violence provided a courageous and powerful testimony of her own personal struggle and how the Della Gill-Joyce H. Williams Center has helped her become safe and empowered with the many services that have been provided, and is ultimately living a violence free life.
Greetings were given by local officials: U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom, of the office of the U.S. Attorney, District of Kansas, Maureen Mahoney, chief of staff to Mayor Mark Holland’s Office, Susan Alig, of the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office, Ellen Hanson, Kansas City, Kan., Police Chief. Adrienne Foster, administrator of Governor’s Grants Program, Dorothy Stuckey Halley, director of victim services of the Kansas Attorney General’s Office and Joyce Grover, executive director of the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence.
Each of the speakers offered comments that reminded guests of the importance of recognizing the strides made in ending domestic violence and the need for continued support to our local program the Della Gill-Joyce H. Williams Center.
Arica Roland, program director, presented program highlights of the agency for the past year. Highlights included: providing shelter and transitional housing for over 158 victims of domestic violence and their children, occupied over 7,180 bed nights, over 7,674 calls on its 24 hour service hotline.
This year’s featured guests were Myrna Irons and Christina Porter, who dramatized through song and dance, “Unmasking the Violence” a dynamic and thought provoking presentation of a victim of domestic violence’s response to and recovery from trauma. In the dramatization the dancers portray the lives of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and how through trauma informed services received through the Della Gill-Joyce Williams Center, were able to remove the mask and stigma of domestic violence and began living violence free lives.
Friends of Yates, Inc. Board Vice President Rosalyn Brown, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom and Kansas Board of Public Utilities Board Member Robert Milan Sr. presented to this year’s honorees the Lucile V. Jackson-Charlestine Scroggins Domestic Violence Distinguished Service Award. The honorees of this award have individually or collectively affected the lives of survivors of abuse. The 2014 Honorees were Joshua Baker, Rev. Dr. Robert L. Baynham, Errol Cade, Castina Cooper, Rev. Vernon DeBose, Jr., Naomi Carter-Dillard, Major Tyrone Garner, Lisa Garza, Della Gill, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom, Chief Ellen Hanson, Ingrid Hubbard, Ruth Jones, Sidney King, Dr. Jessie Kirksey, Commissioner Tarence Maddox, Maureen Mahoney, Irene C. Minor, Michelle Orpin, Kelli Peters, Thomas Scott, Susan Seward, Justin Shaw, Phyllis Taylor, Clyde Townsend and LaMonica Upton.
LaDora Lattimore, consulting CEO of Friends of Yates Inc., shared with the attendees the rich history of the organization, thanked the staff and reiterated the importance and need for volunteerism and community support in addressing domestic violence issues within the community. From there, she invited the attendees to the center’s dining hall where a lunch was served.
Friends of Yates, Inc.-Della Gill-Joyce H. Williams Center for Battered Women and their Children, continues to provide comprehensive programs and services for battered women as they make the transition from “Victim” to “Survivor”. These programs and services include a strength-based case management program, BridgeSPAN Healthcare Program, Crime Awareness Coordinating Effort (C.A.C.E.), Community Education and Outreach, Individual and Group Counseling, Educational Seminars, Children Programs, Court Advocacy, Job Coach, Budgeting, Substance Abuse Services, Keep a Clear Mind, Transitional Housing and a 24-hour crisis hotline. With 101 years of continuous service to the community, Friends of Yates, Inc. along with its community partners have no plans to rest in its efforts to facilitate a “Safe Place” for victims of domestic violence. – Story from Demetrius Hurt
The Rosedale Development Association has had a record number of applications for its Feed-A-Family program.
The association is collecting nonperishable food, household items, children’s winter wear of all sizes, diapers and cash or gift cards to purchase perishable items.
The program has been going on for 29 years.
Community members and businesses may sponsor a basket, hold a donation drive, volunteer to sort and distribute baskets or make a donation.
For more information on the program, call Scott Misamore at 913-677-5097 or email [email protected].
