Author: Fred Atchison

Dawn Buehler is the Riverkeeper and Executive Director of Friends of the Kaw. She works as a nongovernmental advocate for the health of the Kansas(Kaw) River which involves environmental oversight of a watershed encompassing parts of three states. The Kaw provides recreation and drinking water for thousands of Kansans and its health is a primary concern. Dawn is an advocate for the river and is Chair of the Kansas Water Authority and also a member of the Oil and Gas Advisory Commission. She monitors a pollution reporting system, and educates people about river awareness and appreciation. Friends of the Kaw sponsors educational paddle trips, a kids educational program, an adopt a boat ramp program and an ecosystem restoration project. Friends of the Kaw relies on donations and grants to fund their activities. The 9th annual Beers of the Kaw fundraiser is scheduled for Sunday, November 3rd.

LiveWell Douglas County Director Ginny Barnard oversees the work of a unique coalition of groups working to improve the health and well-being of county residents. The organization was created in 2008 as a result of the Douglas County Community Foundation’s proposal to the Kansas Health Foundation. Today more than twenty groups partner in this effort, including community organizations, school districts, local governments and volunteers. These partners develop a variety of evidence based public health practices for the community. LiveWell maintains a number of work groups: Healthy Built Environment, Healthy Foods For All, Healthy Kids, Sexual Violence Prevention, Tobacco Free Living and Work Place Wellness. Grants and donations fund LiveWell’s work and a home base is provided by Douglas County K-State Extension.

The month of October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, and City of Lawrence Cyber Security Manager, John Williams, provided a report on challenges and advances in the field. The anonymity of the Internet makes it easy to be a bad actor and vulnerable and uninformed people are particularly at risk. Major financial loss and system damage is common due to fraudulent contacts online. John said the City of Lawrence averages forty attempts a day by unauthorized parties attempting to access the City’s network. He urges computer users to use long, unique and complicated passwords and password management systems. Whole phrases function like passwords and are easy to remember. He recommended a site that evaluates passwords and provides a record of any past compromises: haveibeenpwned.com. Use multi factor authentication whenever possible. Recognize and report efforts to deceive you online and don’t give up personal information. Keep your security software updated. John believes that good work has been done to secure vital networks and the need to work together and share information about threats is better understood.

Anahi Quezada’s Rotary journey had an early start in her hometown of Loja, Ecuador. Anahi is a member of Lawrence Central Rotary and a student at the University of Kansas where she is working on a Masters in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Loja is a cultural center of over 200,000 people in the south of Ecuador and boasts a thriving arts scene and many historical structures. The area is mountainous, very beautiful and is a major coffee producer. Anahi was introduced to community service at an early age working in a soup kitchen with her mother. She joined the local Rotaract Club and got involved in the club’s numerous projects which number three or four per month. Some of these projects include sponsoring surgeries for children, raising money for victims of violence and supporting a safe house, activities for the elderly, trash pick up, and Christmas events. Anahi loves Lawrence and the study of butterflies in particular and plans to pursue a doctorate degree.

Mike Cobb is an Active Shooter Team Training Leader for the City of Lawrence Police Department. He is an 18 year veteran of the department and a former SWAT Team member. Mike utilizes the CRASE training system: Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events to provide critical information for a life or death situation. Understanding human behavior is key to surviving an active shooter situation. Almost everyone tends to freeze when confronted with a shooter and they often look to others to judge their reactions. This failure to assess and act quickly can be fatal. The first rule is to Avoid; run away from the shooter if possible and call 911. Secondly, if escape is not an option, Deny the shooter access to your location by barricading the door. Lastly, Defend; you have the right to defend yourself by any means necessary. When police do arrive, follow their instructions and show your hands. Officer Cobb recommended breathing techniques to calm down. He also noted that shooters are motivated by high body counts and are not likely to listen to you. Always observe where the exits are in a room and be aware of your surroundings. This information can save lives.