Overland Park Rotary Club Spends October Serving and Connecting with the Community
October was a busy month for the Overland Park Rotary Club. The month opened on Thursday, October 1, when members joined Harvesting Hope, a fundraiser for Growing Futures Early Education Center, at Strang Hall in Downtown Overland Park. The evening of music, food, drinks, and games supported high-quality early childhood education and family services for children and families in Johnson County.
The following two days, October 2 and 3, club volunteers poured beer at KC Oktoberfest at Crown Center to raise money for our Crawfish Festival beneficiaries. Each volunteer earned $15 an hour, donated directly to charity, and received a free T-shirt and a ticket to share with a friend or use another day. Members signed up for shifts across both days, and friends and family were welcome to pitch in as well.
On Friday, October 16, the club enjoyed a sweet outing to Johnson County Community College for a Pop Up Pastry. Pastry students sell their latest creations on Fridays during the fall semester, and Chef Damian Fraase hosted our club at 2:55 PM, just before the students opened their shop, 12 Dames and 1 Dude, at 3 PM. There is always a line, and the delicious pastries are gone by 5 PM.
The menu included Gluten Free Chocolate Decadence, Cowboy Cookies, Ginger Peach Danish, Caramel Sunflower Cream Puff, and Crispy Filo Apple Pie, along with Butterfinger Pie for anyone who couldn't decide. One student even made homemade Milk-Bone dog biscuits for four-legged friends. Most items were under $4, making it a great way to start the weekend.
Our service reached beyond Kansas City this month as well. Thirteen members of Rotary District 5710 traveled to India for World Polio Day and a National Immunization Day, working alongside local Rotarians and health workers to immunize children in high-risk rural communities as part of Rotary's ongoing effort to make polio the second human disease ever eradicated.