A Harvesters and GEHA food distribution scheduled tonight for persons affected by the federal government shutdown has been canceled because of the extreme cold weather, according to an announcement.
The distribution that was canceled was scheduled from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30, at the Pipefitters Local Union 533, 8600 Hillcrest Road, Kansas City, Missouri.
Other food distributions assisted by Harvesters and GEHA are scheduled:
• Thursday, January 31 – IBEW Local Union 304, 3906 NW 16th St.., Topeka, KS 66618, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. • Friday, Feb. 1 – Heartland Community Church, 12175 S. Strangline Road, Olathe, Kansas, 66062, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. • Saturday, Feb. 2 – Harvesters facility, 3801 Topping Ave., Kansas City, Missouri, 64129, from 9 a.m. to noon
Signs will be posted to direct individuals to the distribution location.
In addition to these new food distributions, Harvesters’ network will continue to offer its regularly scheduled food distributions across its service area. Dates and locations for these distributions can be found through the Agency Locator on Harvesters’ website: https://www.harvesters.org/get-help
There are no requirements to receive help at these sites.
Individuals wishing to help Harvesters provide enough food to meet the increased demand, can donate food or money. Every dollar donated through Harvesters’ website helps the organization provide three meals. In addition, nonperishable food items can be donated in Harvesters’ barrels at Price Chopper and Hy-Vee stores in the Kansas City area, at Dillons stores in Topeka and Lawrence, and the Hy-Vee in Topeka. Donations also can be dropped off at Harvesters’ facilities in Kansas City and Topeka.
Harvesters – The Community Food Network is providing food distributions for individuals affected by the federal government shutdown.
Kansas City based GEHA (a nationwide provider of medical and dental plans for federal employees), is sponsoring these extra distributions.
According to a Harvesters spokesperson, even though an end to the federal shutdown was announced today, they are continuing with plans for food distributions because they are anticipating that some employees will still need help for a while.
Additional food distributions will begin Tuesday, Jan. 29, and will continue each week as long as the need for emergency food assistance exists for these individuals. The distributions will be held: • Tuesday, Jan. 29 – Surface parking lot between 19th and 20th off Grand Street, Kansas City, Mo., 64108, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. • Wednesday, Jan. 30 – Pipefitters Local Union 533, at 8600 Hillcrest Road, Kansas City, Mo. 64138, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. • Thursday, Jan. 31 – IBEW Local Union 304, at 3906 NW 16th St., Topeka, Kansas, 66618, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. • Friday, Feb. 1 – Heartland Community Church, 12175 S. Strangline Road, Olathe, Kansas, 66062, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. • Saturday, Feb. 2 – Harvesters facility, 3801 Topping Ave., Kansas City, Mo., 64129, from 9 a.m. to noon.
Signs will be posted to direct individuals to the distribution location.
In addition to these new food distributions, Harvesters’ network will continue to offer its regularly scheduled food distributions across its service area. Dates and locations for these distributions can be found through the agency locator on Harvesters’ website: https://www.harvesters.org/get-help. There are no requirements to receive help at these sites.
Harvesters’ network of food pantries is ready to provide assistance and many are expanding their assistance guidelines in order to accommodate requests from those affected by the government shutdown. These locations also are available through the agency locator on Harvesters’ website.
Individuals wishing to help Harvesters provide enough food to meet the increased demand, can donate food or money. Every dollar donated through Harvesters’ website helps the organization provide three meals. In addition, nonperishable food items can be donated in Harvesters’ barrels at Price Chopper and Hy-Vee stores in the Kansas City area, at Dillons stores in Topeka and Lawrence, and the Hy-Vee in Topeka. Donations also can be dropped off at Harvesters’ facilities in Kansas City and Topeka.
Harvesters will also likely need additional volunteers to help meet the increased demand. Volunteers can sign up to volunteer on Harvesters’ website.
To stay informed on food distributions, ways to donate food, and the effect on the federal nutrition programs due to the government shutdown, visit Harvesters’ website at https://www.harvesters.org/Government-Shutdown.
Walking into the Hy-Vee Arena (the former Kemper Arena) recently brought back memories for Kansas City, Kansas, product Ed Corporal.
Corporal, the head coach of the Kansas City Tornadoes professional basketball team, is preparing for the season home opening weekend on Friday, Jan. 11 and Saturday, Jan. 12, against the Raleigh Firebirds. The games will begin at 7 p.m. at Hy-Vee Arena, Kansas City, Missouri.
The Tornadoes are in The Basketball League, formerly the North America Premier Basketball League.
Corporal, who has been a coach for 31 years, describes the Tornadoes as a “very, very up-tempo team.” At the same time, it will be a smart, tough team that plays very aggressive defense, he added.
“Our team is equivalent to an NBA team in height and limb,” he said. It’s more of a development team, where players go to get ready for the NBA G league and the NBA, he added. They work on their skills at this level. Last year, the team went 15-15 and was one game away from the finals.
“If you come to watch, you’ll see a very exciting team,” he said, adding it may be similar to watching the Kansas City Kings. Previously Corporal was the Tornadoes’ assistant coach.
Otis Birdsong, a former player for the Kansas City Kings, is the president of the Tornadoes, is one of Corporal’s inspirations, and is like his brother, he said.
From Kansas City Kings ballboy to Tornadoes coach
Corporal recalled his days as a ballboy for the Kansas City Kings in the 1980s.
“Now walking in the building, through the tunnels, I started having flashbacks of when I was a ballboy getting things for the players and coaches, and here I was walking in like Cotton Fitzsimmons, the coach of a professional team,” Corporal said. “It’s come full circle.”
Corporal said he’s very humbled by the experience. Just being a coach in his hometown is very special to him, he added. It has been a long way since his younger days at Stony Point South School.
“It’s a very good feeling,” he said. “It’s really just enjoyable knowing I’m in KC, and being a KCK kid and becoming a professional coach in my hometown.”
Since those days as a ballboy, Corporal has played basketball at Schlagle High School, Kansas City Kansas Community College and Pittsburg State University. He has a bachelor’s degree in management from MidAmerica Nazarene University.
Besides being inspired by Birdsong, Corporal said he was inspired and mentored by Cotton Fitzsimmons and Walt Shublom.
While he did not play for Wyandotte High School, Corporal formerly attended Shublom’s basketball camp at KCKCC, and he was in seventh grade at Arrowhead Middle School when he first met Shublom.
“By the time I went to high school, he took me under his wing,” Corporal said. Corporal became a counselor in one of Shublom’s sports camps in Liberty, Missouri.
Another big influence on Corporal’s coaching career was Randy Springs, who coaches at Sumner Academy, Wyandotte and Topeka. Corporal worked under him for 10 years at Sumner Academy.
Corporal is a past coach for three Kansas high school championship teams at Schlagle and Sumner Academy.
Corporal also previously served as head coach of the Arkansas RiverCatz in the American Basketball Association and was associate head coach for the Arkansas RimRockers. He also has coached at Pittsburg State and at Park University.
Overcoming stroke
Few people have faced the challenges that Corporal has faced and come through them. Five years ago, Corporal had two massive strokes within 24 hours, leaving him paralyzed and unable to walk.
He was coaching volleyball at Perry-Lecompton school at the time and it happened in the middle of the season, he recalled. He spent about a year-and-a-half undergoing physical therapy, learning how to walk again.
“I had to work really, really hard to recover from that,” Corporal recalled. “I spent four months at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. I was in Tonganoxie another two months.”
When he went home after six months, he had to continue rehabilitation. He had to walk with a cane and walker for a while, then gradually he got better, and returned to coaching, he said.
During his recovery period, he helped out around the University of Kansas men’s basketball program with mentoring and other tasks. He was asked to come back to Sumner Academy to help with the team.
Mentoring young athletes
Corporal has a place in his heart for young athletes in Kansas City, Kansas. He has met with administrators in the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools and offered his assistance in helping to be a mentor for young athletes and also for coaches. The team plans to go to high schools and middle schools in the district and hold practices there, he said.
“Our guys go and speak to young men and women about life skills and things going on in their lives, academics, peer pressure, making life decisions,” he said. Also, each school will receive tickets to attend a Tornadoes game.
If he is asked by youth for advice, he emphasizes education.
“What I would tell any young kid, especially in the KCK school district, first and foremost is get your education,” he said. “Classroom and academics, that’s very important. Without that you can’t get to the next level to play or coach. Try to get in college and get a degree, whether you’re going to be a player or not.”
“I would tell them take your education very, very serious because it will open up a lot of doors for you,” Corporal said. “You’ve got to be prepared. One thing school teaches you is how to manage time.”
For more information on the Kansas City Tornadoes, visit http://www.kctornadoes.com/.
