Vision Chanute

Technology Action Team

Youth Action Committee

Build a Home Committee

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Technology Action Team

Goal: Develop technologies to enhance and grow business/economic development and to attract youth/new citizens to stay/return to Chanute.

Activities: Originally the function of this committee was to establish/install the basic fiber optic systems in Chanute to enhance public communications.  Once the basic system was installed, USD #413, and NCCC were added to the system to enhance education.  After the last Public Square Town Meeting, the goal of this action team was to utilize and expand Chanute’s fiber optic asset to grow business and economic development, and to attract new citizens and business to Chanute, and to keep our youth in Chanute with new job opportunities which were aided by Chanute’s fiber optic system.

Accomplishments: Beside Chanute Public Schools, NCCC, and County of Neosho County E911 and central dispatch, several businesses have subscribed to the fiber optic system such as Kustom Signals, Kansas State Board of Regents (Kan-ed), Midwest Connections, Ash Grove Cement, Tri-Valley Developmental Services, Chanute Public Library, City of Chanute governmental and public safety departments, Chanute’s municipal utility departments, Chanute Manufacturing, Community National Bank, and Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center.  In addition, a newspaper article was placed in the Chanute Tribune informing the subscriber’s of Chanute’s under-utilized fiber optic asset.  Several phone calls were received by the committee expressing opposition to the article’s content, however several phone calls were received expressing interest in joining the Technology Action Team.  The action team is to schedule a luncheon meeting at the hospital in the near future to establish a new direction for this committee.

Members:

·       Ken Lickteig, Sr. Vice-President- Bank of Commerce, Chanute, KS-Business

·       Dennis Franks-Administrator-NMRMC, Chanute, KS-Health & Human Services

·       Larry Gates-City of Chanute, Electric Dept., Chanute, KS-Government

·       Steve Parsons-USD#413 Superintendent of Schools-Education

·       Ben Smith-NCCC, Chanute, KS-Education

·       Conrad Froehlich-Safari Museum, Chanute, KS-Education

·       Christine Dunlap-Community National Bank, Chanute, KS-Business

·       Melanie Behrens-McDonald’s Restaurant, Chanute, KS-Business

Youth Action Committee

List of Accomplishments

 Goal:  Increase/Expand youth enrichment services and programs: after school, evening, and week-end.

•  Working in partnership with an existing after school program at the First Presbyterian Church for Middle School Youth (1 block from Royster Middle School)

• Developed a Mission Statement:  The YAC seeks to provide a safe, fun, Christian environment for the middle school youth of Chanute and the surrounding area.

• Developed “Reducing the Risk Policies"

•  Developed volunteer application process for events

• Developed registration process for events

• Established liability coverage for events

• Developed “Friday Nite” identifier for initial events

• Currently planning Friday Nite middle school activities:

Friday Nite Flight targeting current 6^th graders (May 16)
Friday Nite Splash targeting incoming 6^th Graders (June 27)
Friday Nite Block Party targeting all middle school students (August 15)

• Collaborated with the following organizations:

School District #413
Chanute Parks and Recreation
Cherry Street Youth Centers
Fire Escape Coffee House
Neosho County Youth Advisory Coalition
Elks Lodge
First Christian Church
New Life United Brethren Church in Christ
Zion Lutheran Church
First Presbyterian Church
City of Chanute

• Raised $950 in donations for the youth event

At-Risk Neighborhoods Citizen Action Team

List of Accomplishments

 Ø     Painted Playground Equipment

o    Worked together on equipment at Katy Park

o    Inspired Comm. Chard to work w/ others at Highland Park

o    Worked with City crews, citizens and Chanute High School students to work together at Cross Park

Ø     Established Neighborhood Watch Program

Ø     Implemented Meth-Awareness seminars

List of Current Projects 

Ø   Continuing with Meth-Awareness seminars

o    Plan to do three seminars annually

Ø   Working with local landlords to form a landlord association

o    Self-policing measure among landlords for rental guidelines/housing standards to provide safe, livable, decent housing for all residents

o    Work together on measures to improve property conditions and leasing concerns

Ø   Developing Community Conversation on Community improvements with action team and City of Chanute

o    Set for July 21^st at Central Park Pavilion

o    Have an informative presentation on the guidelines and regulations related to code enforcement and nuisance abatement and what they can do to help

Ø   Establishing Tool Lending Library

o      Most likely working with local rental businesses

o      Seeking grant funds to off-set costs

Ø   Enable citizens to become involved in neighborhood revitalization efforts by making participation easy, fun and convenient.

o    Work co-operatively with and use local model, such as the First United Methodist Mission Blitz

o    Work with individuals, groups, businesses & organizations

§        Community serve-a-thon

§        Adopt-a-family program

Members of the At-Risk Neighborhoods Citizen Action Team

Build a Home Committee

Goal:  To build a house in the community with community and School involvement and then help a low income family get into that house .

List of Accomplishments

• Facilitated discussions with NCCC and Chanute Public Schools leading to partnership in construction trades curriculum

• Assisted in choice of blueprint for first home

• Obtained contractors’ agreement to be placed on vendors list for first home construction project.  Further, contractors indicated willingness to serve as instructors/mentors to students as they are learning HVAC, electrical, plumbing trades.

• Facilitated initial conversation on financing options for sale of home

• Achieved commitment from local business to provide construction trailer for first project

• Have had interest expressed by Tri-Valley Developmental Services for second project

Members of the Build a Home Citizen Action Team

Multigenerational Citizen Action Team

 List of Accomplishments

• High School Greeter Program

• Neosho County Community College Ambassadors

   

  o       Welcome to Campus/ Move-in Assistance

  o       First Day of Class Refreshments

  o       Holiday Treats, Halloween, Christmas, Valentine Day

  o       Goodies during Finals Week

  o       Senior citizens eating in with NCCC Students in Cafeteria every Thursday  (60-80 seniors)

  o       Senior citizens coffee in cafeteria every Tuesday morning

•  USD 413 Elementary School Greeters

  o       Alcott

  o       Lincoln Kindergarten Center

  o       Murray Hill

  o       Senior citizens tutor at the elementary schools

  o       NCCC students tutor at the elementary schools

• NCCC students serve meals at Retired Senior Volunteer Program’s Annual Banquet

• Pre-school students (Brighter Beginnings) spend time in area nursing homes and assisted living centers (Heritage Healthcare, Chanute Healthcare, and Guest Homes Estates III)  Singing, making crafts, etc.

• The Annual “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” Event – a community multi-generational activity focusing on the great American pastime – baseball!

  • Preschoolers make rowdy towels

  • Assisted living residents make rowdy towels

  • Housing authority residents make rowdy towels

  • USD 413 donates baseballs

  • Royster Middle School choir sings National Anthem and Take Me Out to the Ballgame

  • Royster Middle School students will do face painting

  • Chanute High School students will assist in moving tables from CHC to ball park

  • McCune-Robinson Reality donates baseballs

  • Chanute Healthcare donates popcorn, peanuts, tables, tent, chairs

  • Emprise Bank donates popcorn bags

  • Housing Authority donates peanut bags

  • NCCC donates copy work for baseball card invitations/posters

  • NCCC Senior Ambassadors and RSVP Volunteers bag the peanuts/popcorn

  • NCCC Senior Ambassadors hang posters and organize volunteers to man the event

  • Every preschool, grade school, and middle school student gets a personal baseball card invitation to the event.

  • NCCC Phi Theta Kappa student members will assist Chanute Healthcare residents to and from the ballgame

  • First pitches are thrown out by a senior citizen and a middle school student!

  • NCCC baseball players autograph baseballs after the kids run the bases at the end of the game.

Members of the Multigenerational Citizen Action Team

Name	Organization	Public Square
Patty Allen, co-chair	Director of RSVP	Health & Human Service
Brenda Krumm, co-chair	Dean, NCCC	Education
Anita Fairchild	Retired
Karen Almond	Brighter Beginnings	Education
Kelly Diller	Director, Brighter Beginnings	Business
Kristin Feeback	Manager, Heritage Healthcare	Business
Sandy Redburn	Activity Director, Chanute Healthcare	Health and Human Service
Sandy Moore	Director, Guest Homes III	Business
Patty Fox	Retired
Lori Kiblinger	Assistant Principal, Royster Middle School	Education
Terri Orozco	Vice Mayor – City of Chanute	Government
Sandy Robb	Lifetime Learning Coordinator – NCCC	Education