Lawrence Central Rotary

Author: Admin

New ED for Lawrence Habitat for Humanity Visits Lawrence Central

Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1978 by Christian missionary and lawyer, Millard Fuller, in the belief that everyone should have a “safe, decent place to call home.”

New Habitat executive director in Lawrence, Erika Zimmerman, and Habitat Board President Lindsey Slater, told Lawrence Central Rotarians on Wednesday that since 1990 Habitat has built 88 homes in Lawrence. And In 2005 Habitat opened the ReStore at 7th and Connecticut which accepts and resells new and used building material, furniture and appliances with the proceeds going to support Habitat.

“Lawrence is unique,” Zimmerman said “in that we have unusual resources in terms of donated time, labor, art, furniture, you name it.”

Families who don’t nave money to buy a home without assistance but have a stable income, no excessive debt and will commit to 225 hours of sweat equity are eligible. They take classes and make monthly mortgage payments. Their income must fall between the HUD Median income guidelines.

“The houses cost around $85,000 to build , primarily by volunteer labor, and are sold to the families through no interest mortgages. The payments don’t exceed 30% of the family’s income.”

Zimmerman said Habitat’s goals in Lawrence are to build six homes per year by 2018, and to raise $450,000 by then. “Our biggest problem is finding and affording land’” she said.

“And we want to utilize our volunteer pool to the fullest. Millard Fuller said ‘The work of Habitat has literally moved forward on the shoulders of volunteers.’ “

For more information about the Lawrence chapter of Habitat visit their website.

October 24, 2015
“Hands on” Architecture with KU Distinguished Professor of Architecture, Dan Rockhill

Kansas University Distinguished Professor of Architecture, Dan Rockhill, spoke about his award winning program that provides senior architecture students with “hands on” experience in designing and building unique structures. Rockhill teaches an intensive class that produces a prefabricated structure designed, built and installed by students. Participants learn skills on the job including design, working with city officials and neighborhood associations, and actual construction. Rockhill believes his class promotes engagement, creativity and practical experience. The results of the program may be viewed in a number of Kansas cities and on campus or on the web site at Studio804.com. Rockhill receives no special funding from the university so the structures built each year are sold and the proceeds are put back into the program for the next class. Sale homes may be viewed at Rockhillandassociates.com. The structures are quite modern in appearance and are built to a high standard of sustainability and energy efficiency. Recycled building materials are often utilized, like aluminum scraps , limestone tailings and even chalkboard. Homes are often placed in the urban core and in 2008 Rockhill’s students built a community arts center in tornado damaged Greensburg, Kansas. Rockhill has written extensively about his work and he has received numerous awards for architecture and sustainability.

Here’s a great time-lapse from the Studio 804 site of the East Lawrence Passive House, being built. Having broken ground in January the studio went through all aspects of constructing this house which hopes to attain the status of LEED Platinum, Passive House and Net Zero certifications becoming one of the most sustainable homes in the city of Lawrence and the State of Kansas.

October 16, 2015
Bigs Change Lives – Mia Gonzales Explains Why Big Brothers Big Sisters Is So Important

A “Big” can change a life of a “Little” when matched up in a mentor relationship. This was the message Mia Gonzales, Development Director for Big Brothers Big Sisters, brought to the September 31 meeting. Bigs are caring adults who volunteer to spend at least an hour a week for a year building a friendship with a “Little”—a child in need of some extra guidance and encouragement. These kids come from single parent homes, from alcohol and drug addiction backgrounds, and are living at or below the poverty level. Kids enter the program as walk-ins or are referred from schools or social agencies. Participating families are assigned a case worker who makes a complimentary match with a carefully screened volunteer. Research shows that kids benefit significantly from a mentor relationship and show growth in skills and confidence. Youth with Bigs are less likely to skip school, be involved with violence, or use drugs. They are more likely to improve academic performance, improve self-esteem and attend a 4-year college. Adult mentors also find great satisfaction from these relationships. The organization also provides programs and mixers for Bigs and Littles.

There are 250 active matches presently in Douglas county and there is a waiting list of 75 to 100 kids. The organization also faces financial challenges as grant sources for non profits disappear. Find out more about Big Brothers Big Sisters, or volunteer by going to the web site: Douglas.KansasBigs.org.

Mia showed a powerful video that is a true story of how being in a young person’s life can have amazing outcomes, we’ve posted it below.

October 1, 2015
Walk (or Bike) To School Day is Wednesday, Oct 7th

Mark your calendars! Wednesday Oct 7th is the official day that Lawrence Schools are encouraging students to walk or bike to school.

The Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department had a great website with information about finding the best routes to your local school and even has maps.

From the website: “Be Active Safe Routes is a local movement to create safe opportunities for children to bike and walk to and from schools. The goal is to get children moving again and to reverse the growing rate of childhood obesity.

In 1969, approximately 50 percent of children in the U.S. walked or biked to school. Today, fewer than 15 percent do. As a result, kids today are less active, less independent and less healthy.

“The research is pretty clear that kids who walk and bike to school are more active. They will be healthier and perform better in school.” – Community Health Director Chris Tilden.”

September 30, 2015
New LCR Member Margaret Weisbrod Morris Talks About Arts Education

Margaret Weisbrod Morris is an artist, arts administrator and advocate active in the arts education and non-profit community. As the Chief Program Officer at the Lawrence Arts Center, Morris leads an extensive community arts education program that delivers over 500 classes a year to over 9,000 students in all arts media to students age 3 to 103. Since her arrival at the Lawrence Arts Center, she has pioneered the development and implementation of a model STEAM education curriculum, underwritten by the energy industry and recognized by the Hearst Foundation. She serves as the lead contributor and editor for major agency publications and grants, and serves as the public liaison for the Arts Center on matters of education and cultural policy. Before moving to Kansas, she started her career working as a prop artist for children’s television, eventually creating studio art and art therapy programs for non-profit organizations in Brooklyn and Manhattan, and provided training on the use of art with people affected by violent crime. Ms. Morris is an active presenter and author, presenting in national forums such as the Arts Education Partnership’s National Forum, the National Association for State Arts Agencies National Assembly, National Art Education Association’s National Conference and the Americans for the Arts – Arts Education blog salon. She has served as a panelist for the US Department of Education, National Endowment for the Arts, Mid America Arts Alliance and the Oklahoma Arts Council. Margaret Weisbrod Morris holds a B.F.A. in painting and printmaking from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and studied with Edith Kramer, the founder of the field of art therapy, to get her M.A. degree from New York University.

She works with six people on her team at the Arts Center, along with three full time artists in residence as well as a variety of visiting artists and faculty. Morris pulls all this together while also giving talks such as the one she gave as a new member of Lawrence Central Rotary.

“Research shows that children who regularly study the arts are likely to show much higher academic achievement and be concerned, voting citizens of their communities,” she said.

“A Gallup poll showed that 91 percent of Americans think the arts are essential to building imagination and 73 percent believe the arts are as important as academics.”

In Kansas, one school credit in an art form is required for graduation. The most common art form found in public schools is music. Morris and the Arts Center staff work to compliment what students learn during the school day in out-of-school arts education. They present classes in art, theater, sculpture, digital media, photography, printing, film, to name a few. “In a regular class room, teachers don’t always have the time spend hours trying to figure out solutions,” Morris said “so we fill the gap by constructing a place where there is the time, setting and support for people to test ideas, make mistakes, persevere, and realize a goal. These are the fundamental skills of innovation and invention. Since more and more of our economy will be driven by innovative thinking in the future, we do our part to help foster this.”

September 26, 2015