September 2015 – Page 34 – Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!

Faith news

To send in items for the Faith News, email information to maryr@g3f.1db.myftpupload.com. Please include your name and contact information.

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 2203 Parallel, will hold a Parish Fiesta on Saturday, Sept. 19. A bilingual Mass will be held at 4 p.m., followed by the Parish Fiesta from 5 to 9 p.m. The Fiesta will include Mexican food, games, music, and dancing.

Holy Family Church is planning the annual Slovenefest from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Holy Family Club, Msgr. Mejak Hall, gym and school grounds, 513 Ohio, Kansas City, Kan. The 7th annual Slovenian festival is dedicated to the memory of Mike Waliczek, a long-time Holy Family church member and volunteer. The celebration will begin with Mass at 4 p.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church, 274 Orchard St., Kansas City, Kan. Ethnic food, booths, a silent auction, and activities for children will be available. For more information, visit www.holyfamilychurchkck.com.

A weekly Scripture Group with Bible Sharing and Reflection, Lectio and Journaling, is offered from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesdays at Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. Heather Neds is a pastoral minister and leads the group at Keeler Women’s Center. Call 913-906-8990 to register.

Parkway Baptist Church, 12320 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kan., will hold a Community Blood Center blood drive from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at the church classrooms. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 816-753-4040 or visit www.savealifenow.org.

Risen Lamb International Church of the Nazarene, located in the Turner area of Kansas City, Kan., has announced the opening of the Risen Lamb Prayer Room and Retreat Center. On location at their church at 5301 Metropolitan Avenue, the prayer room and retreat center is open to the public for daytime retreats. All individuals or small groups seeking a quiet, sacred space to gather, pray, meditate, journal or read resources about prayer are welcome. The prayer room provides a peaceful space for solitude or can be scheduled in advance for groups of up to eight people. Guests seeking spiritual guidance may schedule a time of spiritual direction with one of the pastoral staff, and groups may inquire about scheduling a member of the pastoral team to lead or speak at a retreat. Donations accepted but not required. For more information, or to plan a visit, contact the Rev. Philip Friday at pobfriday@yahoo.com or call 913-287-9418.

The Shepherd’s Center of Kansas City, Kan., is planning a clergy and volunteer appreciation breakfast from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the KCKCC TEC Center, 6565 State Ave. Partner churches and volunteers are invited to the breakfast. For information or reservations, call 913-281-8908.

Members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1300 N. 18th St., Kansas City, Kan., will observe the 17th Sunday in Pentecost Sept. 20. Services in English will be at 10 a.m. and in Spanish at 7 p.m. The parish will learn of the Presiding-Elect Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, at a Christian formation class at 11:30 a.m.

Wesley United Methodist Church 32nd and Barnett, is having a homecoming and silent auction on Oct. 4. There will be a light lunch at 11 a.m. following the worship at 9:15 a.m. Bidding will be before and after service. Proceeds from auction will be used to buy children’s coats for Crosslines Christmas Store.

A free Health Fair will be held at White Church Christian Church, 2200 N. 85th, on Saturday, Sept. 26. The Health Well Mobile will be there at 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will give free bone density tests, as well as hearing, vision, blood pressure and other tests. White Church Christian Church is sponsoring this as a community event, to increase residents’ access to health care. There will be a free healthy lunch, and many advisers on topics from dental hygiene, Medicare plans, to anything of a spiritual nature. The public is invited.

Wyandotte United Methodist Church, 7901 Oakland Ave., will hold an all-church breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26. The church trustees are sponsoring the breakfast, and a freewill donation will be accepted. The church will hold a Community Blood Center blood drive from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13 at the church fellowship hall. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 816-753-4040 or visit www.savealifenow.org.

Send in items for the Faith news to maryr@g3f.1db.myftpupload.com. Please include your name and contact information.

Community calendar

The Wyandotte Daily News is interested in news of your community event in Wyandotte County. Send information to maryr@g3f.1db.myftpupload.com and include your name and phone number. Please send in planned events by about a week before the event if possible. In the event of inclement weather, call the sponsoring organization to see if the event will be held.

Strawberry Hill Museum open on weekends
The Strawberry Hill Museum, 720 N. 4th St., Kansas City, Kan., is open on the weekends. The museum is open from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The admission charge is $7 for adults, $3 for children 6 to 12, and free for children under 6. Special tours are available during the week for groups of 20 or more by calling 913-721-0081. The museum’s tea room is open from 1 to 4 p.m. on the second Saturday and Sunday of each month. For more information, visit www.strawberryhillmuseum.org/.

Wyandotte County Museum open
The Wyandotte County Museum, 631 N. 126th St., Bonner Springs, is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. It is closed on Sundays and holidays. For more information visit the website www.facebook.com/wycomuseum or call 913-573-5002.

Renaissance Festival continues
The Renaissance Festival will continue Sunday, Sept. 13, near 126th and State in Bonner Springs. Gates open at 10 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, each festival day, rain or shine. The event is open weekends only. Shamrocks and Shenanigans is the theme of the Sept. 26-27 events. The special events will include a Celtic village, Celtic games, arm wrestling, fencing competition, Irish stepdancing competition, free arts and crafts for kids, steampunk costume contest, Magic the Gathering tournament on Saturday, college weekend and an eating contest. Tickets are $20.95 for adults and $11.95 for children 5 to 12. Discounts may be available. For more information, see www.kcrenfest.com/.

Shakespeare in the Parking Lot continues Saturday and Sunday at Alcott
Shakespeare in the Parking Lot will continue on Saturday and Sunday afternoon, Sept. 19 and 20, at the Alcott Arts Center, 180 S. 18th, Kansas City, Kan. Performances will start at 3 p.m. and will be outdoors. The play runs about two and a half hours. In the event of inclement weather, the show will be moved indoors to the Alcott Theatre. The Alcott is not ADA accessible yet. Admission is $5 per person and nonperishable items to be given to the Center of Hope food pantry. Those attending also should bring a lawn chair. For more information visit www.alcottartscenter.org or call 913-233-2787.

Bikers for Babies planned Sunday
The 20th annual Bikers for Babies, a benefit for the March of Dimes, will be held Sunday at the Kansas Speedway, near I-70 and I-435 in Kansas City, Kan. The 70-mile motorcycle ride begins and ends at the Speedway. Registration is $40 on the day of the event and $35 in advance. The program begins at 10:30 a.m. and the ride starts at 11 a.m. For more information, see www.bikersforbabieskc.com/.

Historical society plans program on new book on Sunday
The quarterly program of the Wyandotte County Historical Society will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, at the Wyandotte County Museum in Wyandotte County Park, 126th and State Avenue, Bonner Springs. The program is cosponsored by the Kansas City, Kansas Public Library. Joe Vaughan will present a program on his new book about the Rev. Thomas Johnson, who arrived in 1830 in what would later become Wyandotte County and established a mission to the Shawnees near 52nd and Swartz Road in the Turner area. Later, the mission was moved to what is now Shawnee Mission in Johnson County. Refreshments will be available. There will be a book signing.

Leavenworth Road Parade planned
The Leavenworth Road Parade is scheduled at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20. The parade route is along Leavenworth Road, from about 72nd to about 51st. For more information, call the LRA office at 913-788-3988.

Program on sleep to be presented Sept. 23
A program on sleep will be presented from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, at the K-State Research and Extension of Wyandotte County office, 1216 N. 79th St., Kansas City, Kan. “Sleep: Want It, Need It, Get It,” will require advance registration no later than Wednesday, Sept. 16, to 913-299-9300.

Financial program offered Sept. 23
The Family Conservancy will offer a free seminar to assist individuals with financial knowledge. The class will be from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Sept. 23 in the third floor conference room, 444 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kan. Topics are making savings affordable, creating a spending plan and selecting the banking products that are best for you. Reservations are necessary to 913-742-4158.

Chamber to sponsor Carnival KC business expo
The Kansas City, Kan., Area Chamber of Commerce will sponsor Carnival KC, a nontraditional business expo, from 3 to 7 p.m. Sept. 24 at Memorial Hall, 400 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kan. The event is free and open to the business community in the Kansas City area. It will include entertainment, arcade games, aerial entertainment, networking, food, drinks, games and business exhibits. Eight live bands are scheduled to play. For more information, see www.kckchamber.com/carnival-kck.

UG Commission to meet Sept. 24
The Unified Government Commission is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Commission Chambers, lobby level, City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kan. An agenda should be posted a few days before the meeting at www.wycokck.org.

Blood drive scheduled Sept. 25
Providence YMCA-Ball Family Center, 8601 Parallel Parkway, will hold a Community Blood Center blood drive from 8 a.m. to noon Sept. 25 at the multi-purpose center. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 816-753-4040 or visit www.savealifenow.org.

Bishop Ward plans 37th annual auction
Bishop Ward High School, 708 N. 18th St., Kansas City, Kan., is planning its annual auction Sept. 26. The event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. and will have a “There’s No Place Like Ward” theme. It will include a silent auction as well as food from several local restaurants and live music. At 7:30 p.m., the live auction begins. The Nigro Brothers will be in charge of the live auction. The charge for the annual event is $60 per person. For more information, visit wardhigh.org/auction2015.

Community concert offered Oct. 1
The Kansas City, Kan., Community Orchestra is offering a free concert on Thursday, Oct. 1, at Trinity Community Church, 5010 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kan. A silent auction begins at 6:30 p.m., and the concert begins at 7 p.m. The orchestra is accepting musical instruments on behalf of the Band of Angels collection. Those attending may bring any unused instrument to donate. For more information, see https://www.facebook.com/Kansas-City-Kansas-Community-Orchestra-10150090182130512/timeline/.

Silver City Day Parade to be Oct. 3
The Silver City Day Parade will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. The parade route is along Strong Avenue in the Argentine area, from 37th to 24th streets. There will be food, drinks, and informational booths at Emerson Park, 29th and Strong. For more information see www.facebook.com/Argentine-Silver-City-Day-Celebration-388221744610660/timeline/.

Turner Days scheduled Oct. 10-11
Turner Days will be Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11. The event will include a parade at 10 a.m. Oct. 10; a festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 10; and a festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 11. Events are at Steineger Field, 5800 Metropolitan Ave., Kansas City, Kan. For more information, see www.facebook.com/turnerdaysofficial.

Mayor’s Listening Tour to be Oct. 13 at Turner High School
Mayor Mark Holland’s Listening Tour next will visit District 6 at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Turner High School, 2211 S. 55th St., Kansas City, Kan. Mayor Holland will make remarks, along with commissioners, and then comments of residents will be heard in small discussion groups. The Listening Tour will gather information from residents on their priorities on countywide initiatives. It is based on the scheduled retirement of the sales tax revenue (STAR) bonds in 2017, which can result in the county receiving an additional $12 million a year, according to UG officials. For more information, see www.wycokck.org/listen.

Women’s Chamber to sponsor After-Hours Gathering
The Women’s Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring an After-Hours Gathering from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, at Grinter House, 1420 S. 78th St., Kansas City, Kan. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. with networking and light hors d’oeuvres. At 6 p.m., Kelli Poles of ABC’s Extreme Weight Loss will share her journey and personal experience. A silent auction, “Purses with a Purpose,” will be held. This auction features filled handbags, and will benefit the Women’s Chamber’s scholarship fund for nontraditional female college students. There is no charge to attend this event; registration is required by Oct. 12 to www.womenschamberkck.org.

Counseling offered
Keeler Women’s Center, a ministry of the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan., offers individual and couples counseling to women and men who might otherwise not be able to afford counseling. Nothing is billed. Donations are accepted. Call 913-906-8990 for information or to do an intake and schedule an appointment.

United Way receives $1.1 million for YouthBuild program

YouthBuild KCK members posed after completing a community garden service project. (Photo from United Way of Wyandotte County)

The Department of Labor recently announced the award of nearly $76 million in YouthBuild grants to support academic and occupational skills training across the nation.

United Way of Wyandotte County is one of 75 organizations that has been awarded and is the only program in Kansas to receive funds for this award cycle.

The YouthBuild Kansas City, Kan., program is facilitated by the United Way of Wyandotte County and the $1.1 million award will allow the program to continue to train and educate low-income young people in the Wyandotte County area.

“We received news the morning of a Board of Directors meeting that our YouthBuild program had been renewed at the amount of $1.1 million,” Wendell Maddox, president-CEO of United Way of Wyandotte County said. “The announcement at the meeting elicited cheers and applause from our board members and staff. We are thrilled because we believe this program is vital to our community, and most importantly our young people.”

YouthBuild KCK was established 16 years ago after the Kauffman Foundation approached United Way of Wyandotte County about bringing a YouthBuild affiliate program to the area. YouthBuild USA Inc. is a national organization founded by Dorothy Stoneman in 1978. The program seeks to teach low-income young people constructions skills to help build affordable housing and other community assets such as community centers and schools.

In the Kansas City, Kan., area, opportunities for low-income young people were sparse and job training along with GED programs, were a clear and desperate need. To address that need Kauffman Foundation provided $50,000 in start-up funds and a community coalition was assembled to start the planning process to implement a local YouthBuild program. After the program was established, United Way received its first grant in 2001 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to support the program at the amount of $700,000.

The YouthBuild KCK program quickly began to fill a void in its area of service to young people. Not only does the program provide occupation skills but it also provides education training so that young people can earn their GED while part of the program. The program is structured so that the participants receive a stipend, allowing them to support themselves as they work through the program.

Over the years YouthBuild KCK has built partnerships with many community organizations including the Kansas City, Kan., Housing Authority, which provides the office, classroom and workshop facility.

Kansas City Kansas Community College coordinates with the program to provide GED training.

YouthBuild KCK has built 11 houses through partnerships with the Kaw Valley Habitat for Humanity and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, along with providing numerous housing rehabs and building renovations for local nonprofit organizations.

“YouthBuild does more than provide training and education, it also instills leadership, service, and a community responsibility,” said Justin Mossman, executive director of YouthBuild KCK. “Our participants may have not had access to any of this without the YouthBuild program.”

That is true for one YouthBuild KCK participant, Caliph Brown, who stated, “After I get my GED I have plans to go to college to study construction management, or something along those lines. YouthBuild KCK is helping me not only get my GED, but pushing me to that secondary education. It’s helping me to expand my knowledge and share it with others to help them do better as well.”

YouthBuild KCK is accepting new applicants at all times. For more information visit www.unitedway-wyco.org or call 913-371-3770.
– Story from United Way of Wyandotte County

Program participants work on school work in a computer lab at YouthBuild KCK facility. (Photo from United Way of Wyandotte County)

A program participant works on a construction project. (Photo from United Way of Wyandotte County)