Come hear Tom Gerend, Executive Director of the Kansas City Streetcar Authority,  provide an update on KC Streetcar operations and expansion.  Mr. Gerend will recap the first 6 years of downtown streetcar’s success, provide details on current expansion efforts currently underway to connect the existing system to UMKC and Berkley Riverfront, and outline plans for further expansions in the years to come.

On June 16^th, 2014 Tom Gerend was named the first Executive Director of the Kansas City Streetcar Authority (KCSA).   Since the public opening of the streetcar system on May 6^th, 2016 the KC Streetcar system has carried over 8 million passenger trips, won numerous state and national awards, and has been credited with stimulating over $3 billion in active economic development in downtown Kansas City. Gerend is currently leading planning on streetcar expansion to the Missouri Riverfront and University of Missouri, Kansas City and actively supporting transit expansion efforts region-wide.

Prior to KCSA, Gerend worked for the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) leading regional transportation planning and public transit coordination across the eight county bi-state Kansas City region. Gerend earned his MBA from the University of Illinois and his undergraduate degree in Community and Regional Planning from Iowa State University in Ames.

The Club Service Committee and the International Service Committee are excited to co-sponsor a visit to the Kansas City Ethnic Enrichment Festival on Friday August 19th at 6:30pm!  We will gather at the Beer Garden in front of the Main Stage Pavilion for drinks then make our way around to the various booths for food and performances. 

Come to learn more about your own ethnic heritage and that of the diverse communities represented in Kansas City!  Please email co-chairs Bethany Ruhl or Kathy Kopach if you plan to attend at bethanyruhl@gmail.com or kathleenkwoods@gmail.com.  Links to the menu, schedule and program can be found below:

Ethnic Enrichment Festival Menu: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1up6Qahn28sB9mbnor4gl26BjAqFg0Xr7/edit

Program, Map and Schedule: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u2MFKe0IOPbrNvpiip-1YY_-de79_QXl/view 

At 6 pm Aug. 25, the Kansas City Plaza Public Library and the Women's Equality League present: 

They Fought the Fight: The 1965 Voting Rights Act

Details and registration at: https://kclibrary.org/signature-events/they-fought-fight-1965-voting-rights-act?delta=0 The event occurs in person and via zoom. Reception at 5:30 at the Kansas City Plaza Public Library. 

Emilye Crosby, a history professor at the State University of New York at Geneseo, discusses the significance of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and the crucial role women played in its passage.

While well-known leaders of the civil rights movement like Martin Luther King Jr. are regularly lauded, Crosby explores and celebrates the work of ordinary citizens who organized at a grassroots level. The contributions of women, in particular, and the lessons learned from their successes are at the heart of her research.

This event occurs on the eve of Women's Equality Day, Aug. 26.

The state of home ownership, and the state of just finding a place to live, is being challenged countrywide. More specifically, the Kansas City Metro is a challenge. The factors leading up to today started long ago. Steve will share his thoughts on the subject based upon his experiences as a real estate agent.

Biography

• Born, raised and educated in Kansas City.
• Licensed real estate broker since 1974.
• Directly or indirectly handled 2200+ transactions.
• Past Realtor of the Year and Salesperson of the Year for local real estate board. Past President of Metro Kansas City Real Estate Board and the Missouri Association of Realtors, past member of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Realtors.
• Member of Plaza Rotary since 1987. Club President 2000-2001. Avenues of Service Award. Paul Harris Fellow. Host of fourteen Plaza Rotary Kansas City Chiefs Watch Parties.

• Where: Starting at URC HQ
  • Cleaning roadside trash/debris from 55th to 63rd
  • 5908 Swope Pkwy, Kansas City, MO 64130
  • When: Saturday, July 23 @ 9:00am
  • Clean-up materials will be provided by URC
  • Usually lasts about an hour  

Justin Walker, Director of Development, Credit & Homeownership Empowerment Services, Inc.

Bank On KC is a member coalition of a national initiative empowering consumers to improve their financial capability, health and independence through access to affordable banking products certified using national account standards. As a program of Credit & Homeownership Empowerment Services, Inc. (CHES) our coalition is particularly focused on assisting youth, first-time job seekers, and families with disabilities to access financial services.

Mr. Walker is a business development professional with twenty years-experience helping global corporations, nonprofits and start-ups grow. He has expertise in marketing products and services, managing P&L, improving governing board engagement and organizing events. In 2021 he was hired by CHES, Inc. to build upon the organization’s credit and housing initiatives.

Prior to joining CHES, he spent 10 years with another nonprofit spearheading a comprehensive growth campaign. As a technical project manager for a Fortune 500 company, he led an effort that expanded a web services product to seven countries.

A nationally recognized speaker and author, he helped organization's messages reach more than three million impressions in 2020.  Additionally, Mr. Walker remains engaged in our nation’s political landscape and legislative affairs. His political portfolio includes working for elected officials on both state and federal levels, campaign advance logistics, board member service for national organizations, and grassroots advocacy.

Mr. Walker holds an MBA from Regis University and resides in the Kansas City area with his wife and daughter.

For this month's Justice committee meeting, we will meet at the new Trades CoWork facility, 1701 Troost, for a tour and brief presentations. Hear from founder William Hayes, also of ReUse Homes, on his vision to address poverty and racism in Kansas City by creating jobs, reclaiming safe/affordable housing and more.

We will also hear from Kyle Smith of Determination Inc., a non-profit that helps previously incarcerated people with job training and employment. 

This will be an exciting and informative program, with information that can guide new projects for our committee and offer new ways for our action in the community. Please attend in person if you can; we will start the Zoom meeting at approx noon. Contact Nancy for Zoom login if you cannot attend in person. 

Learn about these programs in advance:

https://tradescowork.com

https://determinationincorporated.com

The Justice Committee and Vocational Committee sponsors a trip to visit the National Parks Historic Site, the Brown v Board of Education Museum in Topeka, KS.  https://www.nps.gov/brvb/index.htm

We will carpool, leaving KC at approx 8:30 am Saturday Sept. 24. We will have a 90-minute guided tour at the museum. Tour is free, donations optional. Limited to first 20 -- please let Nancy or Roger know if you are interested in joining.

Optional lunch break at The WheelBarrow before returning. 

The Road to Justice

The story of Brown v. Board of Education, which ended legal segregation in public schools, is one of hope and courage. When the people agreed to be plaintiffs in the case, they never knew they would change history. The people who make up this story were ordinary people. They were teachers, secretaries, welders, ministers, and students who simply wanted to be treated equally.

 https://www.nps.gov/brvb/index.htm