Sunflower Children's Collective operates as an umbrella organization encompassing three vital agencies serving vulnerable children: Sunflower CASA, Stepping Stones Child Advocacy Center, and Sunflower Bridge Child Exchange and Visitation Center. CASA volunteers serve as court-appointed advocates for abused and neglected children, walking alongside them through their court cases to ensure their voices are heard and needs are met.

• CASA volunteers provide crucial advocacy for children in the court system due to abuse and neglect
• New two-Saturday training format launching in October to make volunteer training more accessible
• Recently acquired a dedicated vehicle (nicknamed "CARSA") for staff to visit children placed throughout Kansas
• Successfully navigating funding challenges after temporary loss of federal expansion grant
• Implementing innovative therapy program for children with problematic sexualized behaviors, with 98% success rate
• Currently seeking gas cards or fuel donations to support their outreach vehicle
• Planning to reapply for federal funding in 2026 to continue expansion into underserved counties

We would love to have support from the community for gas money. We've created a Give Butter link on our website and in our newsletters where you can donate to help fuel our outreach vehicle.

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Meadowlark's Parkinson's Program provides free education, exercise, and support services to anyone affected by Parkinson's disease throughout the Flint Hills region. The program helps combat the depression, anxiety, and apathy often associated with Parkinson's while providing crucial exercise opportunities that are proven to slow disease progression.

• Boxing therapy shows immediate results with participants taking larger steps by mid-class
• Virtual and hybrid formats connect participants from as far as Indiana and Kansas City
• The 17th annual Speedy PD race aims to reach 1,000 participants this year
• Race features a half-mile memorial walk/run, 5K, and 10K events starting at 8:00 am
• Special recognition for VIPDs (Very Important People with Parkinson's Disease)
• Post-race celebration includes food, drinks, and activities - "a party with a purpose"
• K-State's Ireland game has sparked international connections with Dublin Parkinson's organizations
• Coach Kleiman and wife Rhonda support the program through their personal connection to Parkinson's

Register now at runspeedypd.org, in person at Meadowlark, or at the event on Saturday, August 23rd at Tuttle Creek State Park.

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Candice McIntosh and Melissa Colby share their mission at Girls on the Run of the Flint Hills, bringing joy and confidence to girls in third through eighth grade across a ten-county region. The program combines physical activity with lessons on confidence, friendship, and community engagement.

• New "Hello Bold Heart" curriculum focuses on helping girls find and use their voices
• Program teaches girls to be good teammates and friends while building individual confidence
• Expanding to new counties with Clay Center joining this season
• Volunteer coaches don't need running experience—just a desire to empower girls
• Male coaches especially welcome as positive role models
• Annual fundraiser "Sneaker Soiree" becoming a luncheon on October 16th at Manhattan Country Club
• Looking for event sponsors and auction item donations

Visit gotrflinthills.org to register a girl, become a coach, or learn more about supporting the organization. Tickets for the Sneaker Soiree Luncheon go live September 1st and typically sell out quickly.

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Kent Michael Smith, director of the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art, introduces the inaugural Kansas Triennial, a new exhibition showcasing contemporary artists living and working in Kansas that will occur every three years.

• Beach Museum is the only major museum with a focus specifically on Kansas art and the region
• The Triennial emerged from Smith's desire to highlight this focus and connect with artists across Kansas
• Unlike typical exhibitions, the Triennial uses an artist-centered approach rather than starting with a predetermined theme
• Four diverse artists featured: Mona Cliff (indigenous beadwork), Mark Cowardin (sculpture/ceramics), Poppy Delta Dawn (fiber arts), and Ann Resnick (intricate paper works)
• Exhibition will run through May 31, 2026
• Kansas has a vibrant arts scene outside the pressures of major art hubs like New York and LA
• The exhibition demonstrates that Kansas art "can hold its own anywhere"

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The Rural Riley County Community Foundation unites three small towns—Keats, Leonardville, and Riley, creating meaningful community impact through local philanthropy and robust fundraising initiatives.

• Foundation manages 26 funds, with 23 participating in their upcoming Match Day
• Raised over $97,000 in their first Match Day with $23,000 in matching funds
• Community Food Basket program addresses food insecurity with a central pantry and blessing boxes throughout the region
• Board includes representatives from all three communities plus dedicated ambassadors
• Second annual Match Day scheduled for August 28-29 at Riley County High School
• Already secured $32,000 in matching funds for this year's event
• Satellite locations will be available in all three communities during Match Day
• Online donations accepted at ruralrileycountycf.org
• Support extends to churches, schools, wellness programs, and mental health services

Join us for Match Day on August 28-29 at Riley County High School or visit ruralrileycountycf.org to donate online and support our rural communities.

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Christine Benne discusses the new Gold Star Family monument being established at Victory Park on Fort Riley, honoring the 13,578 members of the First Infantry Division who made the ultimate sacrifice across multiple conflicts. This monument provides Gold Star families, those who have lost a loved one in military service, a place for reflection and remembrance.

• Gold Star Family Fund initially created to help Kansas families visit the First Infantry Division Memorial in Washington, DC
• Monument features the inscription "Their duty was to serve, Ours is to remember" with the Gold Star family seal
• Monument lists total casualties: 5,516 in WWI, 4,325 in WWII, 3,079 in Vietnam, 27 in Desert Storm, 439 in Iraq, and 192 in Afghanistan
• Unveiling ceremony scheduled for September 26th at 1:00 PM at Victory Park with Senator Marshall and General Rohn attending
• Memorial service at Kansas State Capitol in Topeka on September 25th at 10:00 AM, organized by the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs
• Support for Gold Star families available through Fort Riley's Survivor Outreach Support (SOS) program

To support the Gold Star Family Fund, visit the Armed Forces Community Foundation website at www.armedforcescf.org or contact GMCF directly through mcfks.org.

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Amy Payton shares the mission of Packages for Warriors, a nonprofit offering free shipping of medium flat-rate care packages to deployed service members through their partnership with Box and Ship in Junction City. Started as a grassroots effort after 9/11 and eventually becoming a nonprofit in 2006, the organization helps civilians support military personnel with comfort items from home.

• Service available to anyone sending packages to military members with APO/FPO addresses, regardless of branch
• Operates with zero payroll staff, functioning entirely through volunteers
• Featured on Trace Atkins' "Great American Heroes" TV show in 2012
• Each package costs approximately $20 to ship; every $1,000 donated funds 50 packages
• Participates in Combined Federal Campaign and local community foundations like the Armed Forces Community Foundation
• Hosting upcoming Pumpkin and Spice Holiday Bazaar fundraiser on October 24-25 in Salina
• To date, they have never had to turn anyone away from their services

Contact Packages for Warriors at 844-785-4404 or info@packagesforwarriors.org. Learn more at packagesforwarriors.org.

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Sheila Ellis-Glasper of Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills shares how her organization has distributed over $114,000 in grants to business owners of color and launched a groundbreaking loan fund with a 4% interest rate. She unveils plans for the Yuma Street Cultural Center, the first Kansas initiative combining African-American heritage, entrepreneurship support, and cultural preservation while revealing fascinating historical connections, including Dr. King's impromptu Yuma Street speech.

• Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills has graduated over 20 entrepreneurs through a 12-week Kauffman Foundation business training program
• The Elevate and Empower Loan Fund offers entrepreneurs up to $15,000 at just 4% interest
• Yuma Street contains rich but often overlooked history, including visits from Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis, and Lena Horne
• The Woods family (including Tiger Woods' father, Earl Woods) was among Manhattan's first African-American settlers
• The inaugural Yuma Street Cultural Festival takes place August 31st from 1-9 pm with free admission, food, dancing, and historic tours
• The $2.3 million Yuma Street Cultural Center project is planned to open by 2027 in the historic Shepherd's Chapel building
• The Center will feature event space, entrepreneurial resources, a commercial kitchen, and a rotating restaurant incubator

Learn more or contribute to these initiatives at blackflinthills.com and yumastreet.org.

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