Category: News

Christie Scanlin Dobson, the new Director of Ballard Center, spoke about the center and her new responsibilities.  The Ballard Center has performed a mission of service in Douglas County since 1964 for individuals and families in need of emergency assistance.

The Ballard Center is a nonprofit located in North Lawrence in a 100 year old brick building.  It is governed by a volunteer board of community members.  The responsibility for Penn House and its programs was added in 2005. The combined program of services offered includes emergency assistance with food, clothing, rent, employment, diapers, senior commodities, school kits and income tax.  Case managers work with individuals and families to become self-sufficient.  An educational program is provided for some 58 lively 1-5 year-olds.  This program also supports employment opportunities for parents and operates on a sliding fee scale.  There is also a substantial waiting list.  Over 8,000 people in need receive unduplicated Services from Ballard each year.  Christie Scanlin Dobson explained that the actual need is twice the number they are able to serve.

Unfortunately, the center is facing a major funding crisis and it is not clear how their programs will be impacted.  Ballard Center welcomes visitors and contact information is available on the web site at Ballardcenter.org.

The Pregnancy Care Center of Lawrence (PCC) is a 501C3 organization that has operated in Lawrence since 2003 offering nonjudgmental counseling and support for parents experiencing an unplanned pregnancy.  Bridgit Smith spoke on behalf of PCC explaining the organization’s mission and range of services.  Free pregnancy testing is offered, as well as sonograms, parenting classes, counseling and support.  PCC maintains that women have a right to be informed about their choices regarding their pregnancy.  Adoption referrals may be made, however, no referrals are made for abortions.  The center offers the services of an attorney for consultation.

“Earn While You Learn” classes are available to teach parenting skills and class participants earn “Baby Bucks” that may be redeemed at the PCC Baby Boutique.   PCC provides a Birth Mom Advocate and staff also work to encourage fathers to be a responsible parent.   The largest demographic served is ages 19-25.  Lawrence PCC averages 55 service contacts a month—some of that number are repeat visits.  22 births were celebrated  in 2015.  PCC is working to reach out to students, with some success—those contacts are up 40% over last year.  The Organization is funded by donations from individuals, businesses and churches.  Bridgit Smith expressed considerable satisfaction with her work at PCC and told of numerous parents and babies she has served through the years.  More information is available at www.pcclawrence.org.

Dr. Ed Berger, retiring president of Hutchinson Community College and chair of Revitalization Initiatives at the Kansas Cosmosphere told Lawrence Central Rotarians about the work of revitalization at the Hutchinson Cosmosphere, already called one of the eight wonders of Kansas and on the White House’s list of  the project to Save America’s Treasures.

“The Cosmosphere is reinventing itself to become a world class museum that inspires education and innovation, “ he said.  “Our vision is that the Cosmosphere will be recognized internationally for excellence in inspiring learning and innovation.”

The Cosmosphere already hosts 105,000 visitors per year, one fourth of them from out of state.  Fifteen hundred campers per year attend field events there and  a goal is to make field trips more rigorous and inclusive, Berger said.  “We want to be part of the effort  to improve math and science education for U.S. students.  We want to get students interested in these programs as early as elementary school.”

The Cosmosphere  now has the largest collection of U.S. space artifacts outside of the Smithsonian and the largest collection of Russian  space artifacts outside of Russia.  Hollywood director and producer Ron Howard used the Cosmosphere to reconstruct interiors from Apollo 13 for his Apollo 13 film, saying the Hutchinson museum had more authentic information than NASA.

For the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 13 flight,  astronauts  Fred Haise and Jim Lovell came to the Cosmosphere to see the capsule and other astronauts have visited frequently.

“We’re going to need more and more highly skilled workers in technology,” Berger said “and through our work here we want to encourage students to get these skill sets.”