August, 2015
Celebrating Topeka's Past as we Change the Future

As Heartland Visioning works on large scale community change projects we see both of these aspirations woven into the fabric of the Freedom Frontier movement.
 

Did you know that in 1871 over a thousand wagons following the Oregon Trail passed in front of Constitution Hall? Constitution Hall marks our Freedom Frontier as the first state capital and the site for deeming Kansas a free state. Topeka Rotary in celebrating 100 years is creating a pocket park next to Constitution Hall on Kansas Ave. 

 

Did you know the wagons crossed over the Kaw river at Papans landing as they travel north along the Oregon trail?  The Oregon Trail Riverfront Park project is now underway! Topeka has been chosen as an Oregon Trail historic site. Once the current site is cleared and prepped, we will be meeting next spring with park architects associated with the National Historic Trails project. They will be visiting Topeka to work on designing the park layout and preparing a budget for the park development.    

 

In regards to the dynamic core development Heartland Visioning is continuing to work on collaboration of all aspects both celebrating the past and writing a new future for Topeka.  Other core historic landmarks in the dynamic core include Brown vs. Board, Ritchie House, Curtis House, Dillion House, State Capital, and Constitution Hall.

 
United Way of Greater Topeka 

 

United Way of Greater Topeka received the Pacesetter award for its ongoing commitment to narrowing the reading achievement gap between children from low-income families and their more affluent peers. Partnerships made the Pacesetter award possible including Topeka Public Schools, the Topeka Housing Authority and County Commissioner Shelly Buhler. Read more here.  

 

United Way of Greater Topeka also invites the public to take part in the 2015 Nancy Perry Day of Caring on August 28, 2015 beginning with a kick off breakfast from 7:30-8:30 AM. Last year, 700 volunteers worked a total of 3,413 hours, completing 60 projects for 35 community organizations. See more information on their website here. 

 

Tonantzin Society Receives Grant

 

Tonantzin Society and The University of Kansas Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies was chosen to receive a national grant of $10,000. This grant will go towards education courses in the history and experiences of Latinos and Latinas in Kansas and the United States. Among the key events will be workshops for teachers to integrate this history into their classrooms, as well as bringing in national speakers. 

 

The Mulvane Art Museum will host an exhibit highlighting the Mexican and Mexican Americans relationship to Our Lady Guadeloupe. A full list of events will be released next month on their website. See the full press release here.

 
National Night Out

 

You are invited to celebrate the Safe Streets National Night out on Saturday August 8, 2015! These events provide neighbors the opportunity to get to know one another. A good neighborhood is one of your best defenses against crime.

 

Topeka and Shawnee County residents along with the Topeka Police Department, Shawnee County Sheriff's Office, the Shawnee County District Attorney, Safe Streets, Target and many other neighborhood sponsors, will form a powerful partnership in the fight for a safer, crime- and drug-free community!

 

The themes for each neighborhood are anything from "Get to Know Your Neighbors Pot Luck," to "Pool Party," to "Blue Grass Concert." Find the event in your neighborhood here. Receive updates from Facebook here.