Category: Events

KCKCC to hold health insurance fair

by Kelly Rogge
Kansas City Kansas Community College will hold a Health Insurance Fair later this month to help people understand their options when it comes to purchasing health insurance.

The Health Insurance Fair is from noon to 2 p.m. March 26 in the deli area of Lower Jewell. It is free and open to the public.

“Many times it can be confusing to look at it online,” said Kim Morgan, nurse at KCKCC, of health insurance. “This will allow people to meet with companies and brokers who will introduce them to insurances of all types as well as costs.

Morgan said many individuals might have missed the opportunity to enroll during the enrollment time for healthcare.gov as the site closed Feb. 15. However, the government is re-opening the site for a short period from March 15 through April 30. According to healthcare.gov, individuals can still enroll for 2015 coverage if they do not owe a fee for not having coverage in 2014, have not already enrolled in 2015 coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace or did not realize until after Open Enrollment ended last month that the health care law requires individuals to have health coverage.

“That is another reason to have the insurance fair, so some of those questions can be answered,” she said. “It is beneficial for the students to attend the insurance fair to obtain the necessary knowledge for insurance.”

This year, taxpayers will be responsible to pay $95 per person or 1-percent of their yearly household income (whichever is higher) if they did not have health insurance in 2014 or did not go to healthcare.gov and register, showing they did not qualify for insurance. Next year, that penalty will increase to $325 per person or 2-percent of the yearly household income. If individuals do not have coverage in 2016, they will pay the higher of these two amounts – 2.5 percent of the yearly household income or $695 per person. The penalty for not having health insurance is paid on federal income taxes.

Insurance companies will be on hand during the insurance fair to answer questions and assist individuals in signing up for insurance. Companies that will be attending include Coventry, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Amerigroup, among others.

“KCKCC is hosting this event to educate our students and community to assist in their growth and knowledge in healthcare,” Morgan said. “This will allow individuals to become their own advocate in caring for themselves by having the knowledge to make a more informed decision.”

For more information on the Health Insurance Fair, contact Kim Morgan at 913-288-7683 or visit Room 3363.

Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

Presentation explores World War I propaganda

Wyandotte County Historical Museum in Bonner Springs, Kan., will be the host of “World War I on the Homefront: Persuasion and Propaganda,” a presentation and discussion by Lorraine Madway, at 2 p.m. March 14. at Wyandotte County Historical Museum, 631 N. 126th St., Bonner Springs, Kan.

Members of the community are invited to attend the free program. Contact the Wyandotte County Historical Museum at 913-573-5002 for more information. The program is made possible by the Kansas Humanities Council.

This program is part of the Wyandotte County Historical Museum’s commemoration of Local Poppies: Centennial of WWI exhibition.

When the United States entered World War I in the spring of 1917, the civilian population was aware of the high casualty rates from trench warfare and the resulting low morale. It was necessary to inspire and inform people in ways that were both heroic and practical. This presentation will highlight posters, pamphlets, and sheet music that encouraged Americans to participate in the war effort.

Lorraine Madway is the special collections curator and university archivist at Wichita State University Libraries. She has also taught courses on archives in the public history program at WSU and in the graduate library science program at Emporia State University.

“World War I posters aimed for the civilian American population to concentrate not only on familiar themes of supporting Liberty Bonds and providing famine relief for those suffering in Europe. What is less well known,” explained Madway, “is their emphasis on access to knowledge through public libraries as a vital attribute of democracy and civilization for English-speaking peoples in general and an important facet of American democracy in particular.”

“World War I on the Homefront: Persuasion and Propaganda” is part of the Kansas Humanities Council’s Humanities Speakers Bureau, featuring presentations and discussions that examine our shared human experience—our innovations, culture, heritage, and conflicts.

The Kansas Humanities Council conducts and supports community-based programs, serves as a financial resource through an active grant-making program, and encourages Kansans to engage in the civic and cultural life of their communities. For more information about KHC programs contact the Kansas Humanities Council at 785-357-0359 or visit online at www.kansashumanities.org.

For more information about “World War I on the Homefront: Persuasion and Propaganda” contact the Wyandotte County Historical Museum at 913-573-5002 or visit www.wycomuseum.org or Facebook us at wycomuseum.
– From the Wyandotte County Museum

Pulitzer Prize winning author coming to Donnelly College

Sonia Nazario, author of Enrique’s Journey, will speak publicly at Donnelly

Donnelly College faculty, staff and students will welcome best-selling author Sonia Nazario to campus on Monday, April 6. This year, all Donnelly freshmen read Nazario’s book, “Enrique’s Journey.”

This will be Donnelly’s inaugural event in its new Sister Jerome Keeler Lecture Series established in part by the National Endowment for Humanities.

Nazario, a veteran of the Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times, published Enrique’s Journey — an expansion of a six-part newspaper series from which she earned her Pulitzer -in 2006. The story follows a young Latin American boy and his journey to reunite with his parents in the United States. This experience represents just one of thousands of children who make similar voyages each year.

In addition to working on her second book, Nazario is an experienced speaker who has traveled to many college and university campuses in addition to making appearances on The Daily Show, Meet the Press and more. Nazario originally hails from Kansas.

All are invited to attend a public presentation at 1:30 p.m. in Donnelly’s Community Event Center. Nazario will speak about Enrique’s Journey and will sign books, sold in advance online and on-site by Rainy Day Books. Reservations are required and attendance is free; make reservations to Nancy Fansher: [email protected].