24 WEEKLY 2026
AUGUST
A
B A L D W I N
C I T Y
VOL 4 NO. 30 FREE DIGITAL VERSION
N E W S P A P E R
EAT LOCAL ON TUESDAYS EXPANDS
SUPPORT FOR BALDWIN EDUCATION FOUNDATION Foundation, along with increasing awareness of BEF’s work and helping donors connect their passions with meaningful ways to give. Eat Local on Tuesdays puts that goal into action in a particularly visible way. What began with one business has grown into a recurring community partnership that gives Baldwin residents an opportunity to support BEF nearly every Tuesday of the school year. More Than a Fundraiser The Baldwin Education Foundation has been supporting students and staff in USD 348 since 2001, providing financial assistance and organizational support for public education. Its mission is to “inspire excellence, incentivize innovation, and create belonging for all Bullpups and Bulldogs.”
What started with one local restaurant has grown into a full month of Tuesdays dedicated to supporting Baldwin City schools. The Baldwin Education Foundation’s Eat Local on Tuesdays initiative now features a different Baldwin City business each Tuesday of the month from September through May, giving residents an easy way to support local businesses while also giving back to students and teachers in USD 348. The initiative originally began with Baldwin City Beer Company and has since expanded to include Gambino’s Pizza, El Patron and Uplift Coffee. Eat Local on Tuesdays 1st Tuesday/month: Gambino’s Pizza 2nd Tuesday/month: Baldwin City Beer Co. 3rd Tuesday/month: El Patron 4th Tuesday/month: Uplift Coffee
On their designated Tuesdays, Gambino’s, Baldwin City Beer Company and Uplift Coffee donate 5% of the day’s sales to BEF. Support at El Patron helps support the restaurant’s annual food contribution to BEF’s “Let’s Taco-Bout Teachers” fundraising event. It’s a creative partnership that manages to accomplish several things at once: encourage residents to spend their dollars locally, support Baldwin City businesses and generate additional resources for local education. The growing program is also representative of the energy Executive Director Kelley Bethell-Smith has brought to BEF since stepping into the position in 2024. Bethell-Smith has identified building more “local-supporting-local” partnerships among businesses, organizations and education as one of her goals for the
That mission takes many forms. BEF’s work reaches students and educators throughout USD 348. During the 2025-26 school year alone, the Foundation awarded 45 Innovative Project Grants totaling more than $37,000 and administered 28 scholarships totaling $25,400 for Baldwin High School graduates. The Foundation also supports programs including Paws to Read, teacher assistance grants, student and staff recognition and other community partnerships. Eat Local on Tuesdays is another example of the creative approach Executive Director Kelley Bethell-Smith has brought to BEF — connecting local businesses, residents and schools in ways that strengthen the entire community. From September through May, supporting that work can be as simple as eating local on a Tuesday. Tuesday is BEF day! Eat & Support Local! Learn more about BEF at bef348.org.
A REMINDER TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS This issue marks the final mailed edition of The Maple Weekly as we transition away from paid subscriptions and focus our resources on expanding free public distribution throughout Baldwin City. We sincerely appreciate everyone who has supported The Maple Weekly through a subscription. Subscribers who purchased a subscription at the beginning of the year may request a $9 prorated refund for the remaining four months by emailing jenni@ baldwinmaple.com. The Maple Weekly isn’t going anywhere — only the way we deliver it is changing.
24 AUGUST
COMMUNITY
PG. 02
AUGUST 18TH COUNCIL UPDATE:
CITY LAKE GRANT, SPECIAL EVENTS AND UTILITY WORK HIGHLIGHT The Baldwin City Council worked through a relatively short agenda Tuesday, Aug. 18, approving several special-event items, receiving updates on city projects and hearing encouraging news about a potential grant for improvements at the Baldwin City Lake. The meeting also included a special remembrance marking the approaching 50th anniversary of the 1976 Kappa Sigma fraternity house fire. City Recognizes 50th Anniversary of Kappa Sigma Fire Council members began the meeting with a proclamation remembering the Aug. 29, 1976, fire at the Beta-Tau Chapter of Kappa Sigma fraternity house, which claimed the lives of five young men: Mark Morris, Stephen Hoge, David Sloop, Stuart McCoy and Theodore “Ted” Bailey. Representatives of the fraternity spoke about the fire, the response from the Baldwin City Fire Department and the support the fraternity received from Baldwin City, Baker University and communities beyond Baldwin following the tragedy. One speaker, who survived the fire by escaping through a second-floor window, recalled that 22 people made it out of the house. A Remembrance and Celebration of Life is planned for Saturday, Aug. 29, on the Baker University campus, including a reception at Collins House and a memorial service at Rice Auditorium. Mayor Gerald Cullumber called for a brief moment of silence following the proclamation. Wellsville RZR/Ranger Run Approved The council approved a request connected to Wellsville’s first RZR/Ranger Run, which will bring sideby-sides through Baldwin City as part of its route. Organizer Mystic Masten told the council the event is being held to benefit USD 289, with profits going toward paying negative school lunch balances for families in the district. The route includes a stop at The Bullpen in Baldwin City. Because participants will only be traveling through Baldwin City for a short period, the city agreed to allow vehicles registered in other communities to participate without obtaining a separate Baldwin City registration. Police Chief Mike Pattrick said vehicles would still be expected to meet requirements related to insurance,
lighting and other safety equipment. Council members also discussed whether the city’s ordinance should eventually be updated to recognize registrations from other communities. The council approved the special event and separately agreed to waive the city’s $100 application fee for the event. Common Consumption Event Approved Council members also approved a commonconsumption designation for an upcoming special event. The discussion offered council members and staff an opportunity to work through how Baldwin City’s relatively new common-consumption rules will operate in practice. Under the ordinance, common-consumption areas must be approved individually for each event. Alcohol can remain within an otherwise authorized event area, but the common-consumption designation allows attendees to carry approved alcoholic beverages throughout the designated area. For the event approved Tuesday, the commonconsumption area will extend along High Street to Fifth Street, with signs identifying where attendees enter and exit the designated area. E-Bike and Scooter Ordinance Still in the Works The Public Safety Committee continues to work on proposed regulations for e-bikes and electric scooters. Council Member Jay King said the committee hopes to bring the ordinance before the full council at an upcoming meeting. Public Works Reports $9,000 Generation Profit Council Member Julie Constantinescu provided several updates from the Public Works and Utilities Committee. Work has begun on regrading and adding ditches along First Street near the police station. City crews have also dealt with three water leaks during the month and have been flushing hydrants in west Baldwin to maintain chlorine residuals and ensure the hydrants remain operational. The city recorded 104 utility meter “nonreads” during the month. Electrical work is also continuing, including fiber installation to the Chapel substation and work on the southeast feeder conductor. Temporary repairs were made at the Newton substation to transformer connections that
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had been producing incorrect voltage signals. All seven city generation units passed required annual capacity testing. Two registered units were dispatched for approximately seven hours on July 28, allowing the city to cover its input costs and realize approximately $9,000 in profit. Constantinescu also reported that next month will bring the city’s first negative PCA charge in a year. City Lake Could Receive $30,000 Grant One of the most encouraging updates of the evening came from the Lake Advisory Committee. King reported that the city had received unofficial word that it is likely to receive a grant from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks for improvements at the Baldwin City Lake. An official award letter had not yet been received, so the funding was not considered final as of Tuesday’s meeting. The city requested $30,000, and King said indications are that Baldwin City will likely receive the full amount requested. The grant requires matching funds, but the committee’s fundraising efforts have put those funds in place. Committee members and community volunteers have also contributed more than 225 volunteer hours at the lake this year. King specifically recognized Becky McMillan, Kenny Niehoff, Sam and Danny McMillan, along with numerous other volunteers. If the grant becomes official and the project proceeds through the bidding process, work could take place in 2027. The Lake Advisory Committee is expected to make a future presentation to the council outlining its work and plans for the lake. Mayor Comments on Difficult Budget Process Before adjournment, Cullumber addressed the city’s ongoing budget discussions and acknowledged the difficulty of the process. He said there are “a lot of moving parts” involved in developing the budget and that decisions cannot be made by simply cutting one expense and adding another. He thanked council members for their time and dedication throughout the process, acknowledging that members may have differing opinions as they work toward a final budget. The council’s next regularly scheduled meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 1.
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24 AUGUST
COMMUNITY BUDGET WORK SESSION:
COUNCIL CONTINUES TO WEIGH 2027 OPTIONS The Baldwin City Council continued working through the city’s proposed 2027 budget during a work session held immediately before its regular meeting Tuesday, Aug. 18, with much of the discussion focused on how to rebuild city reserves without making cuts that significantly affect services. No final budget decisions were made. The city’s budget and revenue-neutral-rate hearings are scheduled for Sept. 1, when the council is expected to consider adoption of the 2027 budget. Mill Levy and General Fund Matt Wolff with Baker Tilly walked the council through the latest projections. The budget scenario presented during the work session used a projected total mill levy of 42.247 mills, rather than the higher 44.928 mills included in the city’s published budget notice. The published amount establishes the maximum the council can adopt, but the final rate can be lower. Under the approximately flat-mill scenario, the city’s general fund is projected to end 2027 with about $338,000, approximately $22,000 less than the estimated ending balance for 2026. The larger concern is what happens beyond 2027 as expenses continue to increase. One-Time Revenue Could Help Rebuild Reserves Council members reviewed several five-year scenarios, including the potential sale of approximately $385,000 in tax credits and an assumed $115,000 in city property. Selling all of the tax credits could move the city’s general fund above its 15% reserve target. Adding the property sale could help maintain that level through 2028, but projections showed reserves falling below the target again by 2029 without additional changes. Council members noted that rebuilding reserves through one-time revenue still has value, giving the city a stronger financial cushion for emergencies and unexpected expenses. The longer-term challenge will be keeping annual expenses from growing faster than revenue. Higher Mill Levy Also Considered The council also reviewed what it would mean for taxpayers if it adopted the full mill levy allowed under the published notice. Wolff estimated the additional city portion of the property tax bill would be about $61.66 per year on a $200,000 home, $92.49 on a $300,000 home and $123.33 on a $400,000 home.
Those estimates reflect only the difference in the city’s mill levy and do not account for changes in property valuations or taxes levied by other taxing entities. City Administrator Russ Johnson said tax-credit sales could potentially get the city to its reserve goal without a mill increase in 2027, but warned that future years could eventually require the city to choose between additional revenue and reductions in services. Future Tax Restrictions Discussed Council members also spent time discussing the possibility that state lawmakers could eventually limit annual property-tax revenue growth. For long-term planning, Baker Tilly’s projections assumed property-tax revenue growth of about 3% annually. That could create challenges when personnel accounts for roughly 65% of the city’s budget and those costs have been growing faster than 3%. Council members said they would rather begin considering how the city would operate under those restrictions now than wait until such a limit is imposed. Utility Funds Remain a Concern The city’s water and wastewater funds were also discussed. With previously planned rate increases, the water fund is projected to finish 2027 above the city’s 15% reserve target. Wastewater remains further behind. Even with an anticipated rate increase of more than 8%, the wastewater fund is projected to end 2027 about $100,000 to $110,000 below its 15% reserve target. Chamber and Maple Cuts Not Final The council also revisited proposed funding reductions for the Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce and The Maple. The current proposed budget includes a $20,000 reduction in Chamber funding and $9,000 in funding for The Maple products, but council members made clear those amounts are still open for discussion. One option discussed was phasing reductions in over multiple years, giving organizations more time to adjust their budgets, increase fundraising or find other revenue sources. However, because the cuts are already incorporated into the proposed budget, restoring some or all of the funding would reduce the city’s projected reserves unless savings or additional revenue are found elsewhere. The council is expected to provide additional direction before considering the final 2027 budget on Sept. 1.
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PG. 03
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE BLACKJACK BATTLEFIELD AND NATURE PARK! The Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park was jointly purchased in November 2025 by Baldwin City and Douglas County. These two groups are working together to stabilize, protect, and enhance the property. An Advisory Board was formed with members from Baldwin City and Douglas County. This group is developing the short- and long-term vision and goals for the battlefield and park. The Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park Advisory Board is looking for public input to help shape the vision and make recommendations for the future of the park. Your feedback on this survey will help develop a planning framework to support this important historic site. Link to the survey:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/VQwAWq5xzi
• Find more information about the park, Advisory Board, and survey at dgcoks.org/hcc (scroll halfway down) • The survey will also be available at Third Friday, August 21, at the Santa Fe Trail Historical Society booth, in front of 705 8th Street. We appreciate your participation! The Advisory Board
24
PPURPLE paint
A new community tradition celebrating all bulldogs! the town
AUGUST
PG. 04
What is it?
The Idea
E L P R U P COMMUNITY
Co on
Why it matters
A new tradition celebrating all bulldogs! Our schools are an important Paint thecommunity Town Purple is a This is about more than of our community. new Baldwin City tradition wearing purple. It’s What is it? The Idea Why itpart matters tradition celebrating bulldogs! Paint the Town Purpleallgives all celebrating Bulldog Pride about bringing ourA new community What is it? The Idea of Baldwin City an opportunity during community together. Weschools are an important Our PaintHomecoming the Town PurpleWeek. is a This is about more than to celebrate our students, Our part of our community. Businesses, schools, families, want topurple. see Baldwin City new Baldwin City tradition wearing It’s Paint the Town Purple is a This is about more than Paint the Town Purple gives all purple.and celebrating Bulldog Pride about bringing our p new Baldwin City tradition wearing It’s support our Bulldogs organizations, and community literallly and figuratively Pain celebrating Bulldog Pride about bringing our Baldwin City an opportunity during Homecoming Week. together. We of strengthen the connection members are invited to come community painted purple! during Homecoming Week. community together. We of B to celebrate our students, Businesses, schools, families, want to see Baldwin City Businesses, to schools,between families, want see Baldwin City ourto schools, together and show their support our Bulldogs su organizations, and community literallly and figuratively organizations, and community and literallly and figuratively businesses, and community. st members are invited to come painted purple! support for Baldwin Schools strengthen the connection members are invited to come painted purple! together and show their between schools, andtogether our entire and community. show their bu support for Baldwinour Schools
PAINT THE TOWN PURPLE AIMS TO BRING COMMUNITY TOGETHER FOR HOMECOMING A new Baldwin City tradition is taking shape this fall, with a goal of turning Homecoming Week into a celebration that extends well beyond the school campus. Paint the Town Purple is a new initiative created by the Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce to bring businesses, families, organizations, schools and community members together to celebrate Baldwin USD 348 and Bulldog Pride throughout Homecoming Week. Organizers hope to see Baldwin City both “literally and figuratively painted purple.” The initiative also helps fill the community-celebration role previously held by The Bash, which was discontinued last year. Rather than creating a single replacement event, Paint the Town Purple is designed to build excitement throughout the community leading up to Homecoming. Businesses and residents are encouraged to wear purple, decorate storefronts, support students and school organizations and find their own ways to participate. The idea is to strengthen the connection between Baldwin City’s schools, businesses and the larger community.
businesses, and community. and our entire community.
support for Baldwin Schools and our entire community.
Wear Purple
Wear WearPurple Purple Show your Show your BulldogPride Pride Bulldog aroundtown town around and at the and at the7 October October 7 Pep Rally! Pep Rally!
Show your Bulldog Pride around town and at the October 7 Pep Rally!
Join the pep rally Bring your family & friends to the October 7 Commuinty Pep Rally Downtown!
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Decorate your storefront! Contact us about partnering with a school club!
Bring Bring your yourWatch forWatch the for the Share the Share the familyfamily & friends & friendsstudent- student- event, invite event, invite to theto October designed the October others and help designed 7 Commuinty official 2026 us Paint theothers and help Commuinty official 2026 Pep7Rally Paint the Town Town Purple! us Paint the Pep Rally Downtown! Homecoming Parade PepPurple! Rally Paint the Town& Community Purple T-shirt! Town
OCTOBER 7, 2026
Downtown!
OCTOBER 7, 2026
OCTOBER 7, 2026
Purple T-shirt! Downtown Baldwin City - 6pm
Get Involved!
Have an idea? Want to help Homecoming Parade & Community Pep Rally & be a part of our tradition? Downtown Baldwin City - 6pm Pep Rally admin@baldwincitychamber.com Homecoming Parade & Community
785-594-3200
Downtown Baldwin City - 6pm
Get Involved!
a community-wide show of support for Baldwin students.
Have an idea? Want to help &Students be a part of our tradition? Helping Shape the New Tradition admin@baldwincitychamber.com Have an idea? Want help Students will have a roleto in shaping
Get Involved!
785-594-3200
of Paint Town Purple, too. & bethealook part oftheour tradition? All Baldwin USD 348 students in kindergarten through 12th grade are admin@baldwincitychamber.com invited to enter a T-shirt design contest.
Parade and Community Pep Rally Planned The celebration will culminate Wednesday, Oct. 7, with a Homecoming Parade and Community Pep Rally beginning at 6 p.m. in downtown Baldwin City. Local businesses and organizations are invited to participate in the Homecoming parade, and the Chamber is encouraging anyone interested in getting involved to reach out. Parade participants can register or request additional information by emailing admin@ baldwincitychamber.com. The community is also encouraged to bring family and friends downtown for the Oct. 7 pep rally and help create
Decorate your business
The winning student’s artwork will become the official 2026 Paint the Town Purple design. The theme combines Bulldog Pride, community and Paint the Town Purple, with students encouraged to incorporate ideas such as Baldwin City, Homecoming, school spirit and local landmarks. Designs are due Friday, Sept. 4, and the winner will be announced Sept. 11. Ultimately, organizers hope Paint the Town Purple becomes more than a Homecoming event. The goal is to establish a new community tradition built around a simple idea: Bulldog Pride. Community Spirit. One Baldwin City.
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24 AUGUST
COMMUNITY
t ppaainin t PPUURRPLPELE
PAINT THE TOWN PURPLE T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST OPEN TO BALDWIN STUDENTS
PG. 05
the town
the town
DESIGN INSTRUCTIONS Baldwin USD 348 students have a chance to leave Create your original design inside the box below. Your design should celebrate Bulldog Pride, our community DESIGN INSTRUCTIONS their mark on one of the community’s favorite traditions and Paint the Town Purple. Purple should be a primary or important part of the design. Hand-drawn or digital Create original design inside the box below. Your design should celebrate Bulldog Pride, o through the 2026 Paint the Town Purple T-shirt Design yourartwork is welcome. Contest. and Paint the Town Purple. Purple should be a primary or important part of the design. Hand-dr Students in kindergarten through 12th grade are is welcome. artwork invited to create an original T-shirt design celebrating Bulldog Pride, the Baldwin City community and Paint the Town Purple. The winning design will become the official 2026 Paint the Town Purple shirt worn as part of Baldwin High School’s Homecoming activities. Designs may include Bulldogs, purple and white, Baldwin City, Homecoming, school spirit, community, local landmarks or other creative ideas. Both hand-drawn and digital artwork will be accepted. Entries are due Friday, Sept. 4, with the winner scheduled to be announced Friday, Sept. 11.
How the Contest Works
Students should create their design using the official entry template and submit the completed entry through their school, the Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce or the designated digital submission method. Entries will be judged anonymously by community judges using a 100-point scoring rubric. One overall winner will be selected to have their artwork featured on the official shirt. Students will compete in four age divisions: K-2, grades 3-5, middle school grades 6-8 and high school grades 9-12. One finalist from each division will receive Bulldog gear, a certificate of recognition and public recognition. The overall winner will receive a family pack of Paint the Town Purple shirts, Bulldog gear and recognition during the Community Pep Rally on Wednesday, Oct. 7. The winning student will also be featured in event marketing. A Chance to Show Bulldog Pride
Student Name: ________________________________________________
Grade: __________
Teacher / Homeroom: _________________________________________
School: ____________________
Parent/Guardian Name: _______________________________________
Phone or Email: ____________________
STUDENT/PARENT AGREEMENT
Designs must be the student’s original work, and each I certify that this design is the student's original work and was created for the Paint the Town Purple Student T-Shirt Design Challenge. I understand that the winning design may be professionally adapted for printing and promotional purposes while student may submit one entry. Purple should be a primary preserving the student's original concept. I give permission for the student's name and design to be used in connection with the or important part of the design, although additional colors contest and Paint the Town Purple event. may be used. Entries should not include another person’s artwork, logos, trademarks or existing designs. Student Signature: _______________________________ Parent/Guardian Signature: _______________________________ Organizers may make professional adjustments to the Designs are due Friday, September 4, 2026. Please follow your school or event organizer's submission instructions. winning artwork as necessary for T-shirt production while preserving the student’s original concept. Student Grade: __________ The contest is open to all Baldwin USD 348 studentsName: ________________________________________________ and is part of the 2026 Paint the Town Purple celebration, Teacher / Homeroom: _________________________________________ School: _______________ presented in connection with the Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce, Baldwin City Made and USD 348.Parent/Guardian Name: _______________________________________ Phone or Email: ______
24 AUGUST
COMMUNITY
PG. 06
August 28
EVENTS
PEASLEE TECH LAUNCHES $1 MILLION MATCHING FUND FOR PEASLEE PROMISE
September 10
Live Music: Bob Freeman
Explore Baldwin Series
August 29
September 12
Baldwin City Distillery, 6–8 pm
Happy Hour
Ad Astra Alpacas 5-6:30pm
BC Fashion Show 2026
Baldwin City Distillery, 5-7pm
Lumberyard Arts Center, 4:30pm
August 31
September 18
Tech Time
Baldwin City Library, 2-3 pm
September 5
Flower Pressing and Drying Workshop Vinland Valley Nursery Must Pre-register
September Third Friday Market
Downtown Baldwin City, 6-9pm
October 7
Paint the Town Purple Parade & Pep Rally for all! Downtown Baldwin City, 5-8pm
Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center is excited to announce a new matching fund program for the Peaslee Promise Endowment. Those who donate to the Peaslee Promise will have their donation matched until the $1,000,000 in funds are matched. Once this fund is expended, the Peaslee Promise will have attained 60% of its goal of raising 5 million dollars by 2030 and 30% of its overall goal of 10 million dollars. The Peaslee Promise Endowment Fund makes career training and education accessible without debt for students from partnering high schools or adults from low-income households in Douglas County. Donations will sponsor Debt-Free education. “I am not aware of another post-secondary institution in America that pledges to keep its students debt-free,” said Kevin Kelley, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Peaslee Tech. “Our Board is committed to helping our students start their careers without the burden of student loans,” said Shirley Martin Smith, Board President of Peaslee Tech. To help keep the Promise, donations can be made by contacting Kevin Kelley at 785-856-1801, extension 101, or at kevin.kelley@ peasleetech.org. Donations may also be made through the Douglas County Community Foundation 785-843-8727 or https://www.dccfoundation.org.
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24 AUGUST
COMMUNITY WHEN YOU KNOW BETTER, DO BETTER THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX By Jeanine Ross
When we’re children, (and sometimes as adults) we blame our parents for everything they did that didn’t measure up to our standards of who we thought they should be. We blame them for all the things we think they should have done to help us grow into productive adults, and isn’t it their fault that our fears and phobias and bad habits all came from them? I know I was angry with my parents for a long time (especially my mother) and when I heard her say things like “She did the best she could,” it would make me furious! I felt like it was just an excuse she hid behind to stay the same and do whatever she wanted to do. I grew up with a love/hate relationship with her, and I studied all the things she did wrong and swore I’d never do those things to my kids! Ha! Sound familiar? Even when I had kids of my own, and I caught myself saying or doing some of the same things she did, I still blamed her for scaring me! But she would say, “You did the best you could.” I remember one time, I was so angry with myself (and with her) that I yelled at her when she said that to me. What she said to me next, changed my life and the way I saw her. She said, “I made a lot of mistakes with you kids and I’d change it if I could. But life teaches us in hindsight.
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We can never re-live our mistakes, only do what we can to keep it from happening again and pass on what we’ve learned to those that come after, cause when you know better, you do better. Just keep living and you’ll understand that better too.” Then she left the room. The sadness in her eyes made tears spring up in mine. I couldn’t imagine what she must have been thinking about. She always seemed so sure of every decision she ever made. I never imagined she struggled with anything or had remorse about how it affected us. “When you know better, you do better.” What had she meant? What was she doing better? What did she know better? I was so ashamed of yelling at her, I just apologized, but I never got the courage to ask her what she meant. Instead, I studied her more closely after that. I realized she was a lot kinder and quieter and so much more thoughtful. Whatever she’d learned had clearly come at a cost she would carry for the rest of her life. I wanted to make it better for her, but like she said, life teaches in hindsight. That day I realized this life is about teaching us and showing us and grooming us. None of us will ever live up to the potential that society says we have. This life is about preparing for the next leg of our journey and we know we’ve done it right when we realize and accept we have a lot to learn, but “When You Know Better, You Do Better.” So, if you really want your life to change for the better, it begins by “Thinking Outside the Box.”
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PG. 07
BALDWIN CITY RECREATION COMMISSION UPDATE The Baldwin City Recreation Commission is wrapping up summer while looking ahead to fall activities, with an extended pool season, upcoming special events and youth program registration among the latest updates.
Pool Season Continues Through Aug. 29
There is still time to enjoy the Baldwin City pool this summer. The season has been extended through Aug. 29, with weekdays reserved for lap swimming and public swim offered on weekends. Current pool passes will remain valid throughout the extended season.
Free Coffee and Donuts for Senior Citizens Day
BCRC will celebrate National Senior Citizens Day on Friday, Aug. 21, with free coffee and donuts at the Community Center. The gathering begins at 9 a.m., and no registration is required. The event is part of BCRC’s lineup of activities for the community’s 50-plus crowd, which also includes regular card games and outings.
Maple Leaf Gravel Grind Returns This Fall
Registration is underway for the eighth annual Maple Leaf Gravel Grind, scheduled for the final weekend of October. The timed gravel bicycle race takes riders through southern Douglas County and past local landmarks including Signal Oak and Pork Chop Hill.
Riders can choose from 16-, 40- and 70-mile routes, providing options for a range of ages and experience levels. BCRC has also partnered with Primal Wear for an official Maple Leaf Gravel Grind online store. Orders for race gear can be placed through Aug. 31 to allow time for delivery before race day.
Micro Soccer Registration Open
Registration is also open for BCRC’s fall Micro Soccer program for children ages 2 to 4. The four-week program will be held Sundays from Sept. 13 through Oct. 4 and will be led by Challenger Sports coaches. The program focuses on developing balance, coordination and social skills while introducing young children to soccer. Registration is $60, and participants will receive a size 2 soccer ball and graduation certificate.
More Happening at the Community Center
BCRC continues to offer monthly fitness classes and free activities at the Community Center. Participants who completed 20 Dog Days fitness classes can also pick up their earned T-shirt at the Community Center during regular office hours. Additional information about BCRC programs and activities is available by calling 785-594-3670.
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