Olathe News - Jan. 14 '08

• Annual Noon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration is Jan. 18
• City to Host Fourth Development Forum January 23
• Mahaffie Valentine Event Helps Girl Scouts Acquire Badges
• Cultural Learning Links Series Continues with Deaf American Focus

Annual Noon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration is Jan. 18
The winners of the Olathe Human Relations Commission Contest Celebrate Diversity 2008 with the theme, "Martin Luther King Legacy: Keeping the Dream Alive," will be announced on Friday, Jan. 18, in the Council Chamber of Olathe City Hall, 100 E. Santa Fe.

Olathe Mayor Michael Copeland will present a proclamation and there will be videotaped remarks from Dr. Ann Sanders, director of Continuing Education at Baker University. The Pledge of Allegiance will be led members of our armed forces, including members of the Tuskegee Airmen and Buffalo Soldiers will present the colors.

The celebration will be televised on OGTN beginning at noon. There were 1,496 entries submitted for this year's contest. 

The top three winners in each of the high school areas will receive cash awards of $300, $200, and $100 while the junior high school students will receive savings bonds in the amounts of $200, $125, and $75.  Additionally, the contestants were competing for the $500 Atmos Energy Best in Show Award.  In addition to the students being honored, there will be an individual honored with the Community Goodwill Award at the event.

During the noon celebration, an essay will be read and there will be visual art and multi-media presentations.  There also will be visual art and multi-media presentations on display in the foyer of Olathe City Hall.

The public is invited to attend the celebration which is co-sponsored by the City of Olathe, the Olathe Human Relations Commission, Olathe District Schools and the Olathe Public Schools Foundation.  Other sponsors/donors include: Ball Conference Center, Atmos Energy, Alternative Solutions, Inc., D.L.J. Property Management, LLC, State Farm Insurance-Ramon Smith Agency, The Olathe News, Ryan's (20050 West 153rd St.), HyVee (135^th St. location) and Planet Sub.

The goal of the annual contest is to increase awareness, foster greater understanding, and celebrate the diverse groups which make up the Olathe community.    

For more information about the event, contact the Office of Human Relations at (913) 971-6490.

Those involved in development in Olathe, such as developers, contractors, architects, and engineers, are encouraged to attend.

The following are the development forum topics:

• Recent changes to City development codes and processes
• Status of the City's consideration of the adoption of the 2006 International
• Building Codes and related changes
• Stormwater Management Initiatives: National Pollutant Discharge
• Elimination System (NPDES), Phase II
• Tips for improving submittal of building plans to expedite their review
• Updates from City staff on other the recent changes/improvements

For more information or to sign-up to attend, call Sharyn Mueller at (913) 971-8956 or send an e-mail to smueller@olatheks.org.

Mahaffie Valentine Event Helps Girl Scouts Acquire Badges
The Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm Historic Site's annual Girl Scout Valentine program, Historic Value of Valentines, will be held on Saturday, January 26 from 1-3 p.m. at the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm, 1100 Kansas City Road, inside the newly constructed Heritage Center.  Girl Scouts from ages five to 17 are welcome to participate.  Scouts will learn the historical origins of Valentine's Day, meanings of flowers, and make Valentines.

Girl Scouts will have an opportunity to earn requirements for several badges through this program.  Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts can earn requirements for their Artistic Crafts and Service Project badges, Junior Scouts can earn requirements for their My Heritage, Time Travel, and Across Generations badges, and Brownies can earn their Colors and Shapes Try It badge. The Colors and Shapes Try It badge will be awarded after the program.  Girl Scouts ages 12-17 can arrive at 1 p.m. for their Valentines and then assist the younger scouts from 2-3 p.m. Girl Scouts ages 5-11 can arrive at 2 p.m. for their portion of the program.  A variety of Valentines will be available to make and give away. Girl Scouts will be able to make up to four valentines.  Brownies will make four valentines to meet the requirements of the Colors and Shapes Try It badges.

The Historic Value of Valentines program is for Girl Scouts ages five to 17 and pre-registration is required. Participants can register individually or entire troops can register by calling Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop at (913) 971-5111 or email aradil@olatheks.org. The registration deadline is Friday, January 25 by 5 p.m. and the cost is $5 per scout and adults are free. Registration is open to all Girl Scouts.

The Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm Historic Site is operated by the City of Olathe. Open hours, stagecoach operations, living history activities, special events and programs vary seasonally. Access is limited in the winter months and the site is closed all major holidays. Please call or visit our website for current times and dates, www.olatheks.org/Visitors/Mahaffie, (913) 971-5111.

Cultural Learning Links Series Continues with Deaf American Focus
A multicultural group of panelists, representing the Deaf American community, will come together to dispel myths, discuss deaf multiculturalism and share personal stories, and experiences of families with both hearing and non-hearing members.

"Celebrating Diversity and Honoring Unity" is the theme of the Cultural Learning Links series.

The event, free and open to the public, will meet from 1 - 3 p.m. Jan. 31 at MidAmerica Nazarene University's Bell Cultural Events Center, 2030 E. College Way, Olathe. (Please note: This is a new meeting time.)

(Cultural Learning Links series schedule listed below.)

"Our sole purpose is to promote understanding and to plant seeds of cultural awareness in the community and throughout the metropolitan area," said Diversity Program Assistant for the City of Olathe Tabitha Davis.

During the Jan. 31 session, the City's goal is "to bridge the gap between hearing and non-hearing communities," said Davis.

The Cultural Learning Links panelists, listed below, will each answer different questions about the diversity and culture of being deaf and then discuss their answers with each other. The audience will have an opportunity to write questions on note cards for the moderator to ask the panelists.

The panelists:

• Ann Cooper -   President of the Kansas Association for  the Deaf
• Mary Groves -  7^th grade student from Kansas School for the Deaf (KSD)
• Luanne Ward - Director of Instruction at KSD
• Theresa Chandler - Deaf Experience from a Multicultural Parent's perspective
• Sutha Ramanathan - Deaf Experience from a Multicultural perspective

The event facilitator will be Ken Clark, a retired counselor for Kansas School for the Deaf. 

City of Olathe Councilmember Marge Vogt and MidAmerica Nazarene University President Edwin H. Robinson, Ph.D., will welcome panelists and the audience to the discussion.

Those attending and eligible can receive 2 CEU credits from the Kansas Commission of Deaf/Hard of Hearing.

The event is sponsored by the City of Olathe, Americana Jubilee, MidAmerica Nazarene University, Able Hands Interpreting Services, Olathe Public Library, the Mdivani Law Firm LLC, and Ken Hinson's KHR radio.com.

The meeting room is accessible.  For additional accommodations or an interpreter, please call at least one week in advance of the meeting.

For more information about the Jan. 31 and upcoming Cultural Learning Links, contact the Office of Human Relations at (913) 971-6490 or go to http://www.olatheks.org/.

The City of Olathe Announces the following 2007-2008 Cultural Learning Links series panels:

• Russian American                     March 11
• Asian American                         May 22

"Celebrating Diversity and Honoring Unity" will be the theme of all of the panel discussions, which will begin at 1 p.m. at MidAmerica Nazarene University's Bell Cultural Events Center, 2030 E. College Way, Olathe. The series is free and open to the public.  For information, call the Office of Human Relations at (913) 971-6490.

*MidAmerica Nazarene University's Bell Cultural Events Center is located on the university's campus, 2030 E. College Way, Olathe. The actual street address for the Bell Cultural Events Center is 2000 Pioneer Blvd., Olathe.

For more up-to-date City of Olathe info. including Construction Alerts and Job Opportunities, visit the City website at www.olatheks.org.

To unsubscribe to this newsgroup go to http://www.olatheks.org/news/list

You may also receive the citizen newsletter via e-mail; go to http://www.olatheks.org/News/OlatheLink

100 E. Santa Fe; Olathe, KS  66061
913-971-8700