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Child abuse is truly horrifying and yet it happens to one in ten children in our community. The abuser is often a known and trusted individual. Bev Turner, Director of the Douglas County Advocacy Center (CAC), trained to be a teacher and found herself interested in dealing with kids with special needs and problems. She sought an advanced degree and went to work at the CDC. The mission of the CDC is to insure children and families affected by child abuse receive compassionate community based intervention through a multi-disciplinary team approach. Staff work to prevent, identify, investigate, prosecute and treat child mistreatment.

Trained forensic interviewers are utilized and referrals are made to other support agencies. Families and children are guided through the entire process. Turner noted that there have been big improvements on information sharing among agencies in the last decade. The CDC has an annual case load of approximately 120. Funding is primarily from the State, County and various foundations. Staff members who work with these cases also may need counselling and support. The CDC has a distinguished board of local citizens and is one of seventeen such agencies in the State. The CDC welcomes volunteers and financial gifts.

Danny Caine, co-owner of the Raven Bookstore, made a return visit to Lawrence Central Rotary to share his experiences as a poet. Caine’s high school English teacher and T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” stimulated a life long enthusiasm for poetry. He studied English and writing as an undergraduate and was influenced by the poetry of Frank O’Hara and Philip Metres. Poetry became his best avenue of expression. He came to Lawrence in 2014 and earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Kansas. He went to work at The Raven Bookstore but continued to write poetry.

Caine describes his poetry as belonging to the school of “The Restless American Landscape.” Caine’s work reflects themes of travel, food and family. He read from several of his works, including “Eldorado Freddy’s,” “Flavor Town,” and “Continental Breakfast.” Caine’s work is often inspired by photographs and conveys both poignancy and humor. He also read from his new work “Picture Window” which was written durning the pandemic. He read poems addressing not going out, the sale of his family home and suburban life. Caine’s account of his poetry journey and his selected readings were very well received. All of the volumes mentioned are available at the Raven Book Store.

Philanthropy has accomplished great things for Kansas University, according to Dale Seuferling, President of the Kansas University Endowment Association. The Endowment Association has prospered under his leadership of twenty years, building assets of some three billion dollars. It is a non profit organization with 160 staff members and generates 200 million dollars of annual support for the University. Those funds are used to support endowed professors, scholarships, construction and renovations. Seventy Trusties and an Executive Board provides governance, with the Chancellor serving as an ex officio member. The role of the Endowment Association increases as state aid has decreased through the years.

Some forty per cent of all donations come from out of state and the Endowment Association owns and operates some fifty thousand acres of farm land that produces revenue for the University. Eighty-five per cent of University land was acquired through the Association. Notably, fund transfers to the University are significantly higher than transfers in peer institutions.

Some areas of emphasis include stadium improvements, further development of the KU Cancer Center, and maintaining KU’s membership in the prestigious American Association of Universities. Seuferling plans to retire later in the year, leaving a personal legacy of great accomplishments through the Endowment Association.

Every child in Douglas County deserves the oportunity to attain their fullest potential, according to Lawrence Central Rotary member Emily Hilding. Hilding is the Development Director for Positive Bright Start (PBS), a non profit organization dedicated to providing specialized early childhood services for children under six and their families. PBS was started in 1972 to address the needs of day care aged children who were not getting services.

Through the years PBS has grown and presently operates five early childhood classrooms and provides therapy services, financial aid and a food program. PBS collaborates with a number of schools and agencies providing services for preschoolers and their families. Hilding has a background of working in early childhood programs, and has served as a coach for teachers and students, utilizing the Positive Behavior Support Model. This model helps children and adults recognize behaviors and provides cues and alternatives to problem behaviors. Positive Bright Start has a staff of twenty-two and is funded by grants and other fundraising efforts.

Sarah Bell spoke about the Kansas Museum of History where she has just taken the position of Director of Education and Museum.  Although the museum is currently closed for a major renovation, she encourages everyone to plan a visit once the changes are complete in 2024.  

Sarah showed images of the displays in the museum prior to the current renovation.  The museum displays sought to provide information in chronological order.  The focus was on key artifacts and used interactive elements intended to stimulate conversations about what is historically significant.  The John Brown exhibit, for example, asked questions about whether Brown was a hero or a terrorist.  A teepee and a grass lodge show the way that Native Americans lived.  A locomotive positioned in the center of the museum underlines the key roll that the railroad played in Kansas history.   William Allen White’s printing press was  

These artifacts and many others will continue to be on display, but the new arrangement will emphasize themes over time rather than chronology.

As the public awaits the re-opening of the museum, they can visit the many other historical sites maintained by the Kansas State Historical Society and enjoy “Museum After Hours” presentations at 6:30 p.m. on the second Friday of each month.