Author: Fred Atchison

Retired Air Force Colonel Mike Kelly spoke on behalf of the Kaupan Memorial Committee, a group working to raise funds to place a statue of Korean War Chaplain Emil Kaupan in the Kansas State House. Emil grew up in the small Czech farming community of Pilsen, Kansas. He experienced an early calling to the priesthood and served as a Chaplain in Burma and India at the end of World War II. He asked to serve in the Korean War an landed in Pusan with the Eighth Cavalry. He ministered to men under fire as his division fought their way north. He was captured in Unsan in November 1950. He saved a wounded sargent and carried him on his back sixty miles to a prison camp. Under terrible conditions the Chaplain provided comfort and inspiration to his fellow prisoners. Chaplin Kaupan died in the camp in May of 1951, leaving a legacy of courage and service. He is the most decorated Chaplain in the service and was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2013.

Ashley Taylor is the Assistant Director of Tenants to Home Owners and has a background in real estate. Tenants to Home Owners is a non profit community land trust (CLT) dedicated to stewardship of land and affordability of housing on that land. A CLT retains ownership of acquired land, holding it in trust, and leasing parcels out to individual homeowners or other non profit entities. Low interest loans and grant programs help keep housing costs affordable. Home owners may resell their property and benefit from improvements but the CLT keeps the resale price affordable. Eligibility requirements are based on income, household size and other factors, including completion of a home buyer’s work shop. The CLT provides continuing advice and support for home owners and also maintains 141 affordable rental homes.

KDOT Field Engineering Administrator Michelle Anschutz and Emery Sapp and Sons Project Manager, Jase Hartenbower, provided a progress report on the South Lawrence Traffic Way (SLTW) construction. Work on the project began in 2024 to relieve traffic congestion and improve connections between the larger cities in Eastern Kansas. A nine mile stretch of highway K-10 is being widened into a four lane freeway, starting on the western end. The middle phase of the project is underway with the third phase starting early next year. That work will include dealing with major intersections and the construction of a pedestrian bridge. Having to move utilities has been a particular challenge. Meanwhile, traffic continues to move through the construction area.

Emily Henry is the Community Engagement Coordinator for Harvesters, a food bank located in Lawrence, serving 27 counties in Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas. A food bank acquires and stores food in bulk and transports it to local partners like the Ballard Center and Just Food, homeless shelters and community kitchens. Harvesters relies on volunteers to sort and repackage food for distribution. The organization also offers educational programs to teach about hunger and serves as a disaster relief site. One in seven people in our region experience food insecurity. Lawrence Central Rotary members recently had a productive volunteer work day at Harvesters on February 28.

Lawrence Central Rotary’s own Beverly Turner, Executive Director of the Children’s Advocacy Center(CAC), spoke about the work of the Center. The CAC works with children and families affected by child abuse to provide
compassionate, community based, multidisciplinary support to prevent, identify, investigate, prosecute and treat child abuse. The CAC provides family advocacy, forensic interviews, trauma therapy and extensive resources for care givers. CAC works closely with law enforcement, prosecutes, victims advocacy, DCF, medical and mental health and sexual trauma and abuse staff. The Center receives State ad Federal funding, foundation gifts and grants.