opinion

   If you have attended any of the major parades or special events in our city, you couldn’t help but notice a group of people dressed in kelly green shirts and caps with the word CERT on them. Do you have any idea who these people are or what they do?
   CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team. We (I am a part of the CERT team) learn what to do in case of a disastrous situation caused by man or nature. In such an event, the fire department, police, Red Cross and other emergency entities cannot always be on the scene of the disaster immediately.
   CERT members are trained to assess the overall situation, search for injured, do an assessment of the injured, or whatever is needed to be done until the emergency responders arrive.
   Once the emergency responders arrive, all the information the CERT team has gathered is given to them. After that, the CERT team is ready to be of assistance to the emergency responders as they are needed. We may do something as simple as sitting with people who are not injured, but are in need of moral support, transport injured, or keeping a record of who came to the emergency station.
   Classes are held in the emergency management facilities in City Hall twice a year, spring and fall. They last for nine weeks from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Thursdays. Trained professionals and CERT members teach the classes. At the end of the training period, the class will participate in a planned exercise that will require them to use what they have learned.
   Everyone in the class who would like to join the team will be required to have a background check. All who pass the background check will then be issued a backpack that contains emergency items.
   The next class begins on Sept. 23. If you would like to join our team, call Mike at 573-6300. You must have a reservation to attend the class. Space is limited. There is no charge for the classes.
   Helen Marie Fotovich is a Kansas City, Kansas, resident.

   Thursday, the United Way of Wyandotte County held a community rally. Our speaker was Kevin Salwen, co-author of "The Power of Half." This is the story of one family’s commitment to effect a change in an area of need.
    During his talk, Mr. Salwen asked attendees to look at the use of our time. If one spends six hours watching television can one cut the time in half and use the three free hours to volunteer? Volunteers can tutor a child, help an agency with a backlog of clerical work, prepare a nutritious meal at a local food kitchen, get exercise by working in a community garden to name just a few of the many options available. As the director of the volunteer center that sounds like a real good idea. The needs in our community are tremendous. Today I want to share just a few of those needs with you.
   Do you know the rules of soccer? Can you share your knowledge and skills with children? Communities in School Kansas City, Kansas is recruiting soccer coaches and assistant coaches to work with teams of elementary level students from M.E. Pearson and Whittier schools in KCK. The fall season starts soon. Games are on Saturdays and practice is weekly as scheduled by the coach. High School students with soccer backgrounds will be considered. Background checks are required. For more information on how you can volunteer to coach soccer please contact Jamie at 913-638-1103 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
   Kauffman Scholars in collaboration with Big Brothers Big Sisters is recruiting volunteers to mentor students.  Mentors are matched in a one-to-one friendship with a scholar. Kauffman scholars is a comprehensive multi-year program designed to provide students who would not otherwise have a chance to go to college an opportunity for a full ride. To learn more about this mentoring opportunity visit bbbskc.org/kauffmanscholars or call 816-561-5269.
   Sister Strength is sponsoring Heal the Land, 1000 Woman Prayer Conference on Sept. 11, 2010. Volunteers are needed to help the day of event to work registration, serve as ushers, greeters, give water to attendees, and help with clean-up. If you would like to help with this event go to www.sisterstrength/whatsnew or contact me at 913-371-3674.
   Do you like to work outdoors? The Family Conservancy needs volunteers to do simple landscape work at the 54th & State Ave. office. Thursday, Friday or Saturday mornings would be good times. This is a one time opportunity for 3-5 people. For more information contact Barb at 913-742-4137 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .   
   Sunflower House is looking for volunteers who know something about building maintenance. They are planning to organize a committee to complete a facilities needs assessment and then develop a plan to see that needed preventive maintenance and corrective maintenance takes place on schedule. Please contact Allison at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or at 913-631-5800.
   These are only some of the many opportunities available to potential volunteers. Now is a good to re-evaluate how you use your time. Just maybe, you can find a free hour or two to volunteer and make a difference in the life of someone in need. For information on other volunteer opportunities see our website at www.volunteerkc.org.
   Diane Hentges is the director of the Volunteer Center at the United Way of Wyandotte County.

Publisher's column

   What is the proper role for a newspaper?  At Wyandotte Publishing, we embrace three traditional roles my father taught me as a young editor, too many years ago.  
   A community newspaper should always strive to be:

1. A trusted source of local information

2. A guardian of the public interest

3. A forum for public discussion

   In this era of continuous high tech communications, where our own NewzMedia consist of online, mobile and print delivery methods, we’ve added a fourth role:  

4. Connecting communities with relevant content and commerce

   One of the most important ways we can connect communities internally is to support credible and meaningful public and private institutions that increase the quality of life for our citizens. The United Way of Wyandotte County is an excellent example of the type of public service we enthusiastically endorse.
   Our newspaper’s role as major sponsor of this week’s events is relatively small when one considers the thousands of hours Dotte volunteers devote to making the United Way an important part of Wyandotte County’s caring and sharing with others.
   Led by President Wendell Maddox, United Way of Wyandotte County has provided over $2 million via 53 local programs that provide direct services. They also administer approximately $250,000 in grants for emergency food, shelter and utilities via United Way partner agencies.
   The United Way’s investment strategy addresses three focus areas: Meeting Basic Needs; Nurturing Children and Families; Promoting Health and Quality of Life.  
   Trained community volunteers evaluate programs and recommend funding priorities to an executive committee of the board. This process assures United Way donors that the community, and not some bureaucrat, decides where and why funds are allocated.
   We salute and congratulate all United Way volunteers, donors, supporters and participating agencies for the important work they do in our community.
   Special recognition is due those who serve on the Board of Directors:
Marilyn Alstrom, Executive Director, 20/20 Leadership
Jason Banks, Manager, Small Bus. Affairs, Unified Government 
Roger Beach, President, IBEW Local 124
Tim Bell, Business Representative, Laborers Local 1290
Donna Birks, President, Tri-County Labor Council
Arlana Coleman, Owner, A Joy Event Planner 
Jarvis Collier, Pastor, Pleasant Green Baptist Church
Dr. Ray Daniels, Community Volunteer
Chris Degner, Body Shop Area Manager, General Motors
Terry Eidson, Owner, Eidson Florist
Jack Geissinger, Plant Manager, Procter & Gamble Mfg. Co.
Abe Glaser, Investment Officer, Country Club Financial Services  
Johnetta Hinson, Supervisor - Cash Operations, BPU
Larry Horseman, President, Boilermakers Local 83 
Jon Jackson, Senior Vice President, University of Kansas Hospital
Bill Johnson, Acting Manager of Electrical Operations, BPU 
Tom Kanatzar, Intl. Association of Fire Fighters Local 64 
Lisa Kearney, Budget Director, Unified Government
Dorothy Knoll, Ph.D., Dean of Students, University of Kansas Medical Center 
Carol Levers, Director, KCK Public Libraries 
Jeff Lind, Store Director, Nebraska Furniture Mart 
Jeff Manning, President, United Auto Workers Local 31
Adriana Martinez, Account Manager, ECCO Select
Jerry Mayne, CFO, Archdiocese of KCK
Lynn McClure, Marketing President, First Legends State Bank 
Karla Nichols, Executive Director, Cancer Action, Inc.
Rhonda Philpott, CPA, Kansas City Catering 
Rosemary Podrebarac, Attorney
J.D. Rios, Assistant Superintendent, KCK Public Schools
Terry Robinson, President/CEO, Robinson's Delivery Services, Inc.
Greg Shondell, Secretary/Treasurer, Heathwood Oil
Clausie Smith, Mayor, Bonner Springs
David Smith, Chief of Staff, KCK Public Schools
Margaret Steele, Community Relations, Kansas Gas Service
Rev. Ricky Turner, Pastor, Oak Ridge Baptist Church
Wayne Yang, Professor, KCK Community College 

We Live United column

   The United Way of Wyandotte County supports programs in 30 community-focused nonprofit agencies that work to help people meet basic needs, nurture children and families, and improve health & quality of life. As the economy has declined the needs have continued to grow, and quite simply, the only way we can adequately meet those needs is to raise more money for the United Way of Wyandotte County.  
   On Thursday, Sept. 2, at our Community Rally, we are privileged to host Kevin Salwen, author of “The Power of Half” and father of Hannah, whose bold ideas about meaningful giving set the Salwen family on an unforgettable journey.  Their story has inspired those of us working on behalf of the United Way of Wyandotte County by helping us to realize that when we give-advocate-volunteer for the benefit of others, our lives take on new meaning and purpose. And that any sacrifice of time, money or effort necessary for those actions has not left us feeling deprived, but in fact, has left us feeling enriched.
   Our goal is for all in our community to be enriched.  Some will have their lives enriched because they will receive the basic health care that, otherwise, they could not afford. Others lives will be enriched because their children will be able to attend a quality child care program that will have them “ready to learn” when they reach kindergarten. And still others will be enriched when tragedy strikes and there are agencies to whom they can turn in their time of need.  
   The focus of the United Way of Wyandotte County’s fundraising efforts continues to be workplace campaigns.  But we need to go beyond the workplace and engage our entire community in answering the call to action:  Give. Advocate. Volunteer. When we LIVE UNITED we will all be enriched.
  J.D. Rios is the principal of Silver City Elementary School in Kansas City, Kansas, and the chairman of this year’s
United Way of Wyandotte County general campaign.