Connecting the Dots of the Past and Future

 (Originally Published Wednesday, September 20, 2023)

















It seems fitting on this 40th anniversary of Peace Connections, Kendra Davila, Executive Director, was one of four winners of the 4 Under 40 award given by Emerge. The organization (formerly Newton Young Professionals) presented Kendra with this honor in early August.

For a second year in 2023, Emerge recognized young professionals (18-plus-years-old up to 40) for exemplary service within the community, fostering leaders for the future. This is a community that Kendra knows and loves, given that she grew up in south-central Kansas and is now serving this region in her adult vocation.

“I love being in connecting roles – connecting families to resources and making new connections with partner organizations and churches that may not have partnered with us before,” Kendra said during an interview after the award ceremony. “Connecting is in our name and is a big part of what we strive to do in all our programs that engage adults and children from all walks of life.”

While honored to receive the award, Kendra said she wants the distinction to be more about a celebration of community than about her life. “Building community is so important – a community where one really knows their neighbors and embraces their giftedness as well as their own,” Kendra said. “I believe Harvey County fosters that kind of spirit, and I am grateful to be living and serving here.”

An initiative that no doubt put Kendra on the radar for the honor was her creation of an online app for the Harvey County Resource Guide. The online database lists all types of resources for people living in the area, anything from agencies that help with rental assistance, provide food resources, or volunteer opportunities.

“My ability to create that app was prompted by a conversation with Annie Pitts, with the Harvey County Extension office,” Kendra said. Annie had created an app for youth in 4-H to help them get all their paperwork done. If she hadn’t shared that with me, I wouldn’t have known the technology existed. …

“Because we connected on a really cool thing that she was doing with technology, I was empowered to create a really cool tool for the community at large. That’s how this all works – people sharing their gifts with other people.”



NOTE: The Resource Guide can be found at harveycountyresourceguide.glideapp.io

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