Bonfire 4-H Club
For the July Bonfire 4-H meeting, the annual tour was held. Members spoke about their upcoming exhibits for the county fair and also traveled to farms to see animals. Members showed and talked about embroidery, telescopes, baking, Legos, rockets, lambs, rabbits and pigs.
The banner committee met July 11 to discuss and execute ideas for the county fair exhibit.
The window decorating committee met at corner of Juliette and Poyntz to decorate a window to promote the fair.
Riley County Fair will be from July 25-29.
Preceptor Beta Zeta Chapter
The Preceptor Beta Zeta chapter of Beta Sigma Phi met July 9, at 10 a.m. at the home of Margo Caley, who provided a brunch.
President Betty Frank called the meeting to order with the Opening Ritual. Seven members answered roll call: “Bloom” where you are planted – why did you “plant” in Manhattan? There were two excused absences.
Peggy Riley gave the treasurer’s report. There has been no change since last month. There was no Executive Board meeting.
The Crisis Center needs standard bed pillows. Members are interested in donating pillows. No new Torch issues have been posted. The BSP website is not accepting online payments at this time. Various ideas were discussed for the July social, including a movie, trying a new restaurant, attending Third Thursday or visiting local historical sites. No decision was made. For the yearbook, Peggy Riley reviewed the Aug. 13 meeting details. Members will meet at Early Edition in Candlewood Shopping Center. Roll call will relate to the 2024-25 theme: ”BSP-The Right Place to Be.”
The members with upcoming birthdays are Sue Mengel, on Aug. 13 and Margo Caley, on Aug. 19. Their birthday month flower is the Poppy, or gladiolus. The members with upcoming wedding anniversaries are Sue and Dave Mengel, on Aug. 30.
Members discussed completing and submitting the 2023-24 Chapter Yardstick. The chapter had 78% attendance at meetings and 92% at socials. Betty Frank shared copies of the form.
New Business: The group discussed locations for upcoming meetings and how to incorporate programs into those meetings. One idea was to have a group discussion.
For the Grow and Bloom gift exchange, after answering Manhattan history question, members opened an "MHK gift.” Gifts ranged from a Call Hall ice cream scoop to locally brewed beer. President Betty Frank presented each member a dish towel printed with her name and birth month flower. August starts a new year for all Beta Sigma Phi chapters.
Margo shared information on the Edge District at K-State, where industry, research and talent converge to create meaningful innovations and real outcomes to K-State, Kansas and beyond. Margo’s family has a long history with K-State, including having a building named for her father, John Shellenberger.
The meeting concluded with the Closing Ritual and Mizpah.
Manhattan Rotary Club
The Manhattan Rotary Club welcomed two guests at its last meeting: Brady Armstrong, the director of development for the Boys and Girls Club and Marcia Rozell, a visiting Rotarian. July's cup money goes to the Manhattan Crisis Center. Ribbon cutting for the Welcome to Manhattan sign was held at the sign along Bill Snyder Highway with Dave Lewis, Vern Henricks, Randy Peterson, Felix Jimenez and Mitzi Richards participating. The Community Cares Chest had over 30 nonprofits choose items in the last two weeks.
Daryn Soldan introduced Dawn Buehler, Kansas riverkeeper and executive director of the Friends of the Kaw. Friends of the Kaw (FOK) is a 501c(3) dedicated to protecting and preserving the Kansas River through educating about the benefits of the river and cooperative efforts with cities and counties to protect water quality. The Kansas River provides drinking water for 950,000 Kansans. Programs include advocacy, river cleanup, paddle trips, adopt-a-boat ramp, teaching students grades 6-12 about water programs and ecosystem restoration projects. The Manhattan Rotary Club adopted the Fairmont Boat Ramp.
Through advocacy and policy, a water strategic plan is in the works with a goal to elevate water in Kansas and outline long-term, large scale investments in water. All are encouraged to attend one of the public and stakeholder meetings on water. Over the last three years, Rotarians have joined with the FOK to remove old battery cases, which were dumped in the Kansas River in the '40s and '50s. Other pollutants along the river include glass, tires and appliances. The Manhattan Little Apple Cleanup is on Aug. 27 from 4 to 7 p.m. The seventh annual Battery Case Cleanup is Sept. 21 at 8 a.m. In honor of Dawn’s presentation, the children’s book “Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior” will be donated to Northview Elementary.
Manhattan Solar Kiwanis
The Kansas District Kiwanis Convention is taking place at the Salina Hilton Garden Inn from Aug. 2-4. Those attending will pay the registration fee of $75. We heard our club's applicant for the Kansas Kiwanis Foundation Kiwanian of the Year, Chad Tepe, and our applicant for the Kansas Kiwanis Foundation Pete Loux Achievement Award, Angela Chapes, were both selected for the respective awards. They will receive the awards at the Kansas Kiwanis District Convention luncheon on Aug. 3, at the Salina Hilton Inn. To show support, Manhattan Solar Kiwanis Club members are encouraged to attend the conference or, at least, the luncheon. The club will reimburse the registration fee and a carpool to and from the conference will be available on Aug. 3. The registration deadline is July 22. The registration form is at the bottom of the email Secretary Doug sent on July 11.
The Solar Kiwanis July Board of Directors meeting was Wednesday, July 17, at noon at the Bluestem Bistro in Aggieville. Vera Williams reported that her husband Ron is in the hospital. Happy Dollar donations were given for a speedy recovery for Solarian Ron Williams.
President Dean called upon Solarian Steve Bartle to introduce our guest speaker, Mark Moser. Moser is owner of Mark Moser LLC and he invented a solar tracker that will pivot and face the sun no matter what direction the sun is from the solar panels. Moser has an undergrad education in physics and a graduate degree in mechanical engineering. He is an engineer, developing and improving the efficiency of solar energy production. He has a patent on his solar tracker design. To find out more about his portable solar tracker you can go to konzasolar.com.
Solar Kiwanis meets at noon at the Blue Hills Room next to RC McGraw’s in the Blue Hills Shopping Center. Our next weekly meeting will be July 23, and Solar Kiwanis President Karl Dean will update club members on his recent attendance at the Kiwanis International Convention. Contact Secretary Doug Ackley at rda@ksu.edu or 785-539-4945 if you have any questions.
