Author: Fred Atchison

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.

Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel grew up in Brooklyn, did his religious studies in New York and did service work in several different countries. In 2006 he moved his family to Lawrence to establish a Chabad for Jewish students at the University of Kansas. A Chabad is a community dedicated to connecting Jewish students to each other, their Jewish heritage and their future. The Chabad offers a gathering place close to campus and a variety of programs and activities, including dinners, mentoring, mental health and well being support, courses on Jewish topics, service opportunities, social activities and much more. Rabbi Zalman emphasized the Chabad has a warm, welcoming and nonjudgmental atmosphere. The Chabad is funded totally by parents, alumni, and friends.

Chelan David is a life long KU Basketball super fan, attending his first game in 1982 as a forth grader. Stories from the Phog is a labor of love about the birth place of college basketball, the players, the coaches and the fans. Allen Field House is said by many to be the best venue in the country for college basketball, and certainly the loudest. The author talked about the many great players and memorable games. Chelan also writes about how the game brings families and friends together to share in a grand tradition. Stories From the Phog was a runner up for the American Writing Awards Sports Book of the Year.

Julie Boyle, former School District Communication Director, has a new role speaking out for the Douglas County Child Care Association (DCCCA). DCCCA is a private-non-profit whose membership includes licensed local family child care home providers. DCCA cultivates quality child care through education, support and mentoring of parents and providers. The organization furnishes referrals to information, classes, workshops and peer interactions, and advocacy for quality child care. DCCA operates a service center, services for mental health and substance abuse and a residential treatment center. In 2024 1,988 people were served in Douglas County. DCCCA is funded by grants, donations and service fees.