Peace Connections News

  (Originally Published Monday, November 14, 2022) This past spring, our Board of Directors came together to discuss our Mission and Vision Statements and discussed our values (listed below). These are the things we hold firmly that dictate how we move through the world and the things that really help us live our mission. These judgments on what is important to us shape how we see the world and show us how we get there. As we are looking ahead to celebrating 40 years next year (!!!), we would invite you to ponder the values written below and to share your own values with us, the stories they shape, and the meaning they create in your life. These words spur us to action, they help us live our faith, and they appear in our day-to-day lives. As a new Director here at Peace Connections’, I feel woefully inadequate to share the story and history of Peace Connections as I haven’t lived it. I would love to hear your stories, how you have engaged with this organization, what connection and...

  (Originally Published Monday, November 14, 2022) Thank you to our Hole-In-One Sponsors! Laurie Robinson  The Oswald Golf Tournament was created in memory of Paul Oswald. Paul grew up in rural Nebraska during the hardscrabble days of the Depression and Dust Bowl. His life experiences gave him a tenderness for struggling families working hard to get ahead. As a long-time resident of Harvey County, Paul resonated with the mission of Peace Connections and the Circle of Hope program. Paul's contribution joins the gifts of many others to empower families working to build a better future through education, mentoring, and community support. Laurie states, "He was a human being who just wanted to be a better person. His vision was for people to be all they could be." Thank you, Laurie and family, for continuing his legacy through this tournament and in our community. Koehn Painting Gary Rediger In speaking with Gary to find out his reason for sponsoring the Oswald Tournament, Ga...

  (Originally Published Monday, November 14, 2022) Kendra Davila is the spirited Executive Director of Peace Connections, where she spends her days building relationships, resources, and resilience with a wide variety of people. Kendra is passionate about building a thriving community and loves using stories to better understand the people and places around her. When not in the office, Kendra can be found recklessly sowing seeds in her garden, crafting toys for her nieces and nephews, and meandering the walking trails throughout Harvey County. Bonnie Garcia is the new Associate Director of Peace Connections. Bonnie comes from a legal background, having been a paralegal for the last 14 years. She saw the post for the job and decided to follow her heart and apply for the position. When Bonnie isn't working, she's typically found doing something with her husband, watching a sport that one of her four boys competes in, or visiting with her new granddaughter. Bonnie was born and rai...

  (Originally Published Monday, November 14, 2022) Even as the leaves start to change, we are still bask-ing in the post-summertime-glow of SEAK (Summer Enrichment Activities for Kids). We had a tremendous summer laughing and learning at the playground and getting to know kids in our neighborhood. We added a second location this year and still continued to see new faces every week. Many thanks go out to our volunteers and community partners who coordinated, transported, played, splashed, encouraged, and shared their talents this summer and emphasized the joy of spending time with others. Our community is blessed with an abundance of relationships and commitments for children, especially from places like Shalom Mennonite Church, New Creation Fellowship, First Mennonite Church in Newton, and Immanuel Baptist Church. This program would not have been possible without them and the oodles of support coming from you! This summer we had a 160% increase in the number of meals served to kids...

  (Originally Published Monday, November 14, 2022) Peace Connections participated in the 2022 United Way Chili Cook-Off on September 24, 2022. Our dynamic kitchen crew from Circle of Hope, consisting of Trianna Cowden, Tracy Duffman, Margaret Goering, and Terrie Fuller, cooked a delicious and smoky Green Pork Chili that was voted #1 in the People's Choice Category. Our booth was decorated in a 'Going Green' theme with trees borrowed from a local nursery. We are grateful to participate in this United Way event, as it brings partners and community members together and spreads awareness of United Way of Harvey County, one of our biggest supporters! We are also grateful to Everence for sponsoring our booth and all of you for stopping by, trying our chili, and engaging with us at this event!

 ( Originally Published Wednesday, June 22, 2022) This past month, LaRita Claassen stepped down from her long-time role as a board member and as our liaison with First United Methodist Church. She brought passion, perspective, and considerable care to her position, and we are so grateful for her service to us in various roles. Her place on the board will be filled by Gerhard Neufeld (pictured above), another gem of FUMC who shares a passion for a vibrant community-based church. Both have been instrumental to Circle of Hope, are valuable assets to our community, and keep us connected to the needs of those around us. We are grateful for their commitment!

 ( Originally Published Tuesday, June 14, 2022) We are gearing up for another fun season of Summer Enrichment Activities for Kids (SEAK), an eight-week program for children to interact with others, learn about community resources, and get a good meal. This program, geared towards kids ages 1-18, offers free programming to any family in Harvey County and puts more meals in the hands of children while simultaneously reducing social isolation and supporting small businesses! With your help, we had a fantastic year in 2021, where we served nearly 1,000 meals to kids and their caretakers and were able to introduce them to new community resources. Icing on the cake- we are partnering with Immanuel Baptist Church to offer a second location for meals and social activities to build even greater community connections this summer!     This will be twice the fun and twice the opportunity to get involved and offer twice the impact. Collaborative partnerships with community member...

 ( Originally Published Wednesday, May 11, 2022) Harvey County Circle of Hope has been growing into its mission for 13 years, finding a place and voice in the community while fostering connection in a variety of ways. This program wouldn’t be possible without the investment of hundreds of volunteers and community partners, specifically without the space offered by First United Methodist Church (FUMC), which has given the program a home. Having dedicated space to meet, a kitchen to cook, classrooms to teach, childcare rooms with age-appropriate toys, and seemingly limitless tables to converse has made a difference in the lives of hundreds of persons across Harvey County. The 23rd Getting Ahead Class is set to graduate next month, and innumerable meals have been served out of their kitchen. Recognizing the abundance of resources available, FUMC made an offer in 2009 to open its doors for the program and provide space for it to grow. Circle of Hope naturally integrated into the church...

 ( Originally Published Wednesday, March 02, 2022) Veronica is a graduate of Wichita State University with a Bachelor’s degree in History/Political Science and a Master’s in Social Work. Veronica is currently working as the Director at Heart-to-Heart Child Advocacy Center. While she had known about Peace Connections and their work in the community for many years, it was not until 2018 that she experienced first-hand how great a community resource it truly is. Being able to attend SEAK with her children allowed her to appreciate and learn more about Peace Connections programs which eventually led to being able to become a volunteer herself. Veronica is excited to be able to join the Peace Connections Board and continue to promote and share the mission across Harvey County.

(Originally Published Thursday, February 17, 2022)    December 2021 saw a graduation rate of 100% for our 22nd Cohort of the Getting Ahead Class. Patricia, pictured below, received her certificate of achievement along with seven others. These class members learned alongside one another for 15 weeks and are already making strong progress working toward their goals. Congratulations to each of them as they continue to build relationships, resources, and resilience. This class also enjoyed the presence of Hesston College Nursing students, all working to complete their community-based medicine practicum. The nursing students were able to share their passion for health, hear stories of lived experiences, and gain insight from the class members.

 ( Originally Published February 7, 2022) Gordon retired in Sept 2020 after working 42 years as an editor for a magazine called The Mennonite. He has lived in Kansas all his life - he born in Emporia and has been living in Newton and North Newton since 1976 when he graduated from Wichita State University. He was among those who began the Newton Area Peace Center (now Peace Connections) in the early 1980s and served on the board for several years back then. He has been an Ally for Circle of Hope since 2010 and a member of New Creation Fellowship Church since 1976. Gordon and his wife Jeanne have two children and four grandchildren.       

(Originally Published January 17, 2022) Over the past several months, the way we relate to one another has changed in a fundamental way. Personally, I found myself wanting to help my neighbors, but I wasn’t sure what that would look like or how to do so in a meaningful or safe manner. I didn’t have a connection to them or their needs, as I was new in the neighborhood. I wanted to share my resources (insert joke about toilet paper here) but didn’t know if that was the greatest need. One thing I did note was that the Little Free Library in front of our office was getting used more frequently, and people were taking more items than they had before. This sparked something for me, as it was a tangible thing people would use. So we got soap and sanitizer for the Little Box and it quickly disappeared. I sewed dozens of masks to put in there. They disappeared. And that meant people were using them! The things I was doing to support my neighbors were also supporting me and keeping me safe. We w...