Issuu

07 WEEKLY 2026

SEPTEMBER

B A L D W I N

C I T Y

VOL 4 NO. 32 FREE DIGITAL VERSION

N E W S P A P E R

SUMMER CAMPERS MAKE THEIR

MARK WITH NEW CITY POOL MURAL

A new piece of artwork at the Baldwin City pool is more than a colorful addition to the space. It is the result of a community partnership that gave local children the opportunity to help create something they can be proud of for years to come. The mural project grew from a conversation between the Baldwin City Recreation Commission and Lumberyard Arts Center and developed through the Baldwin City Community Mural Program. BCRC’s Shaunacee and the Lumberyard’s Jeannette shared an interest in bringing art to the pool, while BCRC summer camp directors Amber and Anessa were looking for a project campers could work on throughout the

summer at the local arts center. The two ideas came together to create the summer camp mural project. Rather than simply having campers paint a predetermined design, the project introduced them to the process behind creating public art. Throughout the summer, campers learned about collaborative and interactive art, toured murals around Baldwin City and developed ideas for what their own mural could become. Their ideas were eventually combined into a bright, summer-inspired design featuring a warm yellow sun and cool blue waves. Local artist Katee Smith led the project with help from art apprentices, volunteers, camp staff and the Lumberyard Arts Center.

“This is a fun mural project I was able to lead this summer with the BCRC day camp kiddos,” Smith said. “They did an awesome job, and now they get to see it every time they pass by the city pool and be proud of their hard work.” The campers were involved throughout the process, helping shape the design and painting individual blocks that became part of the finished mural. Each camper also signed the back, leaving a permanent mark on a project they helped create. The completed mural was revealed to campers and their families during the summer camp’s final-day talent show on July 31. For the organizations involved, the project brought together recreation, art

and community in a way that gave young people ownership in a public space. And when the pool opens again next summer, those campers will be able to walk by the mural and know that it is there, in part, because of them. The project is also an example of what can happen when Baldwin City organizations combine their resources and ideas. What began as separate conversations about bringing more art to the pool and creating a meaningful summer project for campers became something that accomplished both. The result is a colorful addition to the city pool, but perhaps more importantly, it is a piece of Baldwin City that local kids can proudly say they helped create.

07 SEPTEMBER

COMMUNITY

PG. 02

SPRING CREEK LAKE PROJECT

MOVES CLOSER TO SPILLWAY REPAIRS

Grant could put longawaited Spring Creek Lake spillway project within reach after seven years After seven years without a functioning spillway and nearly two years of organized community fundraising and volunteer work, efforts to restore Spring Creek Lake may finally be approaching a major turning point. Members of the City Lake Committee are optimistic that grant funding could soon allow the long-awaited spillway project to move forward, bringing the community one significant step closer to restoring the lake.

While final details of the grant are still being gathered, committee member Kenny Niehoff said the outlook is encouraging. “Everything is looking really good and we are all really excited for the next step,” Niehoff said. “It does look like we have a green light to start moving forward.” Niehoff applied for the grant on behalf of the project and said he is hesitant to release specifics until the process is further along and everyone involved has been fully briefed. He expects to have more definitive information within the next couple of weeks

and plans to present an update at the Sept. 15 Baldwin City Council meeting. The existing spillway was destroyed during a storm approximately seven years ago and was never rebuilt. Without it, Spring Creek Lake has been unable to function as the recreational lake many longtime residents remember. Committee member Becky McMillen said that once the grant is officially awarded, responsibility for the spillway project will shift to the City of Baldwin City. The City will be responsible for receiving bids and overseeing construction of a new spillway. The grant, however, will not necessarily mean the fundraising is finished. The Save the Lake campaign has raised a little over $15,000 so far, and McMillen said fundraising will continue. The committee will ultimately need to help cover the difference between the grant funding and the final bid for the spillway work. Volunteer hours contributed by committee members helped strengthen the grant application, but those hours do not replace the cash needed to pay a contractor. McMillen said the City does not currently have funding allocated for City park maintenance beyond mowing, making outside funding and community support critical.

Free Estimates! Insured!

785.424.3696

wheatfieldflooring@gmail.com

The City Lake Committee began its Save the Lake effort on Nov. 5, 2024, and its work has grown into much more than pursuing funding for a new spillway. Volunteers have continued clearing and maintaining trails, caring for the staircase and repairing signs around the property. The goal has been not only to bring the lake back, but to improve Spring Creek Park as a community destination. Additional improvements remain on the wish list, including a new bridge connecting the two trails, a project Sam Richards hopes to complete. The shelter canopies could use fresh paint, and adding a bathroom remains among the longer-term goals. The future of the lake itself will also be part of conversations with the engineers involved in the spillway project. Even without a functioning lake, Spring Creek Park continues to draw visitors for disc golf, walking the trails, exercising dogs and picnicking. McMillen believes restoring the lake could make the property an even more heavily used community destination and bring back recreational opportunities that have been missing for years. “We are excited to have reached this point in our Save the Lake campaign,” McMillen said. For nearly two years, committee members and

community supporters have donated money, volunteered their time and continued pushing toward a project that, for much of the past seven years, had no clear path forward. Now, that path is beginning to take shape. Community support will remain important in getting the spillway project across the finish line. Donations to the Save the Lake Fund can be made at either Baldwin State Bank branch. Donations may also be dropped off at the grocery store or mailed to P.O. Box 46, Baldwin City, KS 66006. Venmo donations are also available through Linda and Kenny Niehoff, and Save the Lake T-shirts remain available for purchase. For now, committee members are waiting for final grant details before announcing exactly how much funding could be available and what it will mean for the project. More information about the grant, funding and anticipated next steps is expected to be shared with the community in September. After seven years without a functioning spillway, the possibility of moving from fundraising and planning into construction marks a significant milestone for Spring Creek Lake — and for the community members determined to bring it back.

VINYL CUSTOM HARDWOOD TILE PLANK SHOWERS CUSTOM BATHROOMS

07 SEPTEMBER

COMMUNITY BALDWIN CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY CELEBRATES LIBRARY CARD SIGN-UP MONTH September is Library Card Sign-Up Month, and the Baldwin City Public Library is giving residents a little extra incentive to make sure they have one of the most useful cards they can carry. The national observance dates back nearly 40 years. The campaign began in 1987 after then-U.S. Secretary of Education William Bennett called for a national effort encouraging every child to obtain — and use — a library card. The American Library Association and National Commission on Libraries and Information Science responded with a nationwide campaign, and September was officially designated Library Card Sign-Up Month the following year. Today, the annual campaign has expanded beyond simply putting library cards in the hands of children. Libraries across the country use September to remind people of all ages that their local library provides access to far more than the books sitting on its shelves. A library card can open the door to digital books and audiobooks, educational resources, technology, programs, classes and other services — many of them available at no additional cost to cardholders. The American Library Association describes a library card as one of the most cost-effective back-to-school resources available to families. Here in Baldwin City, the Baldwin City Public Library is joining the celebration

throughout September and encouraging residents who don’t yet have a library card — or who have an old one that needs to be renewed — to stop by. Anyone who gets a new library card or renews an old one during the month will be entered into a raffle. At the end of September, one winner will receive two movie passes along with popcorn and drink combo deals. Young readers have another reason to put their cards to use. Kids who check out a book using their library card during September will receive candy throughout the month. The celebration offers a good reminder that a library card isn’t something that has to sit forgotten in a wallet. Whether it’s used to discover a new favorite book, help with schoolwork, find information, participate in a library program or simply encourage a child to read, the card connects residents directly with resources available in their own community.

CREATE YOUR OWN FUTURE WE CAN HELP YOU S TA R T O R G R O W Y O U R BUSINESS IDEAS!

For those who haven’t visited the library in a while, September is also an opportunity to come back, renew an old card and see what the Baldwin City Public Library has to offer. Nearly four decades after the national campaign began with a goal of putting a library card in the hands of every child, the message remains simple: get a card — and use it.

PAINT THE TOWN PURPLE SET FOR OCT. 7 Baldwin City is getting ready to Paint the Town Purple in celebration of Baldwin High School Homecoming! USD 348 and the Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce are partnering with local businesses, organizations and community members for a special Homecoming Spirit Week celebration on Wednesday, Oct. 7. This year’s Homecoming theme is “Once Upon a Time,” and Paint the Town Purple will bring the celebration beyond the schools and into the community. Plans include a parade, pep rally, T-shirt design contest and decorated storefronts throughout Baldwin City. Local businesses and organizations are encouraged to get involved by creating a float

for the Homecoming parade or decorating their storefronts and windows in purple. Businesses that would like to participate but need a little help decorating can also partner with a USD 348 team or club. Those interested in being matched with a student group should contact the Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce. The goal is to fill Baldwin City with purple and give the entire community an opportunity to celebrate Homecoming alongside USD 348 students, staff and families. Additional details about Paint the Town Purple, including event information and ways to participate, will be announced as Homecoming approaches.

PG. 03

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CALL OR TE XT F OR M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N :

CHRIS NICHOLSON

(785) 594-2100

07 SEPTEMBER

COMMUNITY

PG. 04

BC FASHION SHOW RETURNS WITH ‘WE THE PEOPLE’ CELEBRATION OF AMERICAN STYLE Fashion, art, history and local creativity will come together in downtown Baldwin City this month as one of the Lumberyard Arts Center’s signature events returns for another year. The BC Fashion Show 2026: We the People will take place Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Lumberyard Arts Center, 718 High St. Doors open at 4:30 p.m., with the runway show beginning at 6:30 p.m. This year’s theme, “We the People,” takes inspiration from 250 years of American expression, identity and style. The event will explore those ideas through fashion while also expanding beyond the runway to showcase the many different forms creativity takes throughout the community. At the center of the evening will be the live runway show, featuring local designers, wearable art and plenty of unexpected looks. The fashion show has become an annual opportunity for designers and creatives to think beyond everyday clothing and use fashion as another form of artistic expression. But guests won’t have to wait until 6:30 p.m. for the experience to begin. Doors open two hours before the runway show, giving attendees time to explore Shop the Bricks, a curated fashion market featuring local and regional makers, businesses and creatives. The market will also be available after the show. Shoppers will find a wide range of offerings, from clothing and jewelry to self-care products and services. Jewelry makers scheduled to participate include Kisa Miller Invisible String Jewelry, Light + Links and Lex

Moderne. Clothing vendors include Ad Astra Alpacas, Becky’s Fashions, Eric Smallwood, Quilt Capital of Kansas, Standard Grooming Supply and The Sticks. The self-care portion of the market will feature Baldwin Wax + Wick, Mandi Martinez of Momento Vivere Massage and Meghan Bolanos of Revive.rx. This year, organizers are also adding another creative element to the evening with Stories in the Square, bringing local authors, writers and poets to Sullivan Square before and after the fashion show. Lynn Meador, Cheryl Heide, Shannon Musgrave, Melinda Hipple and Charles Snedegar are scheduled to participate. Guests will have an opportunity to meet the writers while discovering another part of the growing literary arts community connected to the Lumberyard. The evening will also include an Experience + Shop component featuring Baker University, Baldwin City Creative Arts, Kay’s Stages of History and Prairie Root Designs. A pre-show performance, booths and historical characters will add another dimension to the event and connect with the evening’s celebration of American history and culture. Those additions make the 2026 event much more than a traditional fashion show. From the runway inside the Lumberyard to makers and businesses selling their work, authors gathering in Sullivan Square and performers and historical characters contributing to the experience, the evening is designed to showcase creativity in many different forms.

ADVERTISE IN THE MAPLE WEEKLY! CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILS! jenni@baldwinmaple.com

It also brings together a collection of people and organizations that contribute to Baldwin City’s creative community throughout the year. The fashion show serves an important purpose beyond the evening itself. The event is a signature fundraiser for the Lumberyard Arts Center, with proceeds helping support arts programming and creative opportunities in Baldwin City. That means an evening celebrating local creativity also helps make future creative experiences possible. For the Lumberyard, the annual fashion show has become an opportunity to transform its downtown space, bring people together and demonstrate that art can take many forms — including what people wear, what they make, what they write and how they tell stories.

This year’s “We the People” theme gives organizers an especially broad canvas, using America’s 250th anniversary as a starting point for celebrating individuality and the many influences that have shaped American style. Tickets for the BC Fashion Show 2026: We the People are available now. The event has sold out in previous years, and those hoping to attend are encouraged to purchase tickets early. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, with shopping and activities before the 6:30 p.m. runway show. The celebration will continue after the show with additional opportunities to shop, explore and enjoy downtown Baldwin City.

SERVICES

FROM SMALL JOBS TO LARGESCALE BUILDS Local. Reliable. Trusted. 785-330-5828 | www.btskexcavating.com

Residential & commercial excavation Site prep, grading & trenching

Land clearing & dirt work Utility & drainage work Agricultural & municipal projects Reliable, local service

07 SEPTEMBER

USD348/BAKER U DOG WALK BUILDS PREGAME ENERGY FOR BALDWIN FOOTBALL

A new Baldwin High School football tradition is giving fans another way to show their support before the Bulldogs ever take the field. The Dog Walk, a tradition started last year by the Baldwin Bulldog football team, brings players and coaches through the alley at Liston Stadium as they make their way from the bus before each home game. It is specifically a football tradition, created around the Baldwin Bulldog football program and its home-game experience. Before every home game, fans, families and community members are encouraged to gather at the corner of Second and Fremont by 5:30 p.m. Wearing purple is highly encouraged. As the team and coaches make their

way down the alley, fans line both sides of the route, cheering, offering high-fives and sending the Bulldogs into Liston Stadium with plenty of energy before kickoff. Cheerleaders, students, families and other community members are all invited to be part of the crowd. Now entering its second season, the Dog Walk is still a relatively new addition to Baldwin football, but the goal is to build it into a lasting part of Friday nights at Liston Stadium. For Bulldog fans, it’s also an opportunity to arrive a little earlier, put on some purple and help set the tone for the night. The Dog Walk begins at 5:30 p.m. before every Baldwin High School home football game, starting at the corner of Second and Fremont.

BLOOD DRIVE AT BALDWIN HIGH SCHOOL

Help save a life by donating blood! A blood drive will be held at Baldwin High School on Wednesday, Sept. 9, from 2–6 p.m. Donors should eat well and stay hydrated before donating, bring a photo ID and be feeling healthy and symptom-free. Donors must be at least 17 years old, or 16 with a signed parental consent form, and must meet minimum weight requirements. Appointments can be made through savealifenow.org/group using Group Code: TPGN. Sign up, roll up a sleeve and help make a difference!

School Lunch Schedule Sept. 7–18 Monday, Sept. 7 No School

Tuesday, Sept. 8

BHS SPORTS THIS WEEK: Sept. 7–12

Monday, Sept. 7

Boys Soccer 4:30 p.m. — JV vs. Maranatha Christian | Away 6:30 p.m. — Varsity vs. Maranatha Christian | Away Football 4:30 p.m. — JV vs. Hiawatha | Away

Sausage Biscuit Popcorn Chicken Rice Edamame Beans Cucumbers Mandarin Oranges

Tuesday, Sept. 8

Wednesday, Sept. 9

Girls Tennis 3:30 p.m. — Varsity Baldwin Tri | HOME 3:30 p.m. — JV Paola Quad | Away

Breakfast Mini Cowboy Pasta Breadstick Corn Grape Tomato Frozen Juice Cup

Thursday, Sept. 10 Breakfast Bagel French Toast Sticks Egg Patty & Sausage Potato Triangles Baby Carrots Cinnamon Apples

Friday, Sept. 11

Cinnamon Breakfast Square Pizza Quesadilla Mixed Veggies Salad Pears & Blueberries

Monday, Sept. 14 No School

Tuesday, Sept. 15 Sausage & Cheese Tots Philly Steak Sandwich Onions & Peppers Fries Cucumber Slices Pears

Wednesday, Sept. 16 Cinnamon Oatmeal Square Chicken Strips Au Gratin Potatoes Celery Sticks Pineapple

Thursday, Sept. 17 Breakfast on a Stick Beef Nachos Corn Black Beans Lettuce, Tomato & Peppers Frozen Juice Cup

Friday, Sept. 18 Muffin Garlic Cheese Bread Steamed Broccoli Salad Peaches

PG. 05

Girls Golf 1 p.m. — Varsity at Fort Scott | Woodland Hills Golf Course

Junior High Volleyball 4 p.m. — 7th Grade JV vs. Eudora | HOME 4 p.m. — 8th Grade JV vs. Eudora | HOME 5 p.m. — 7th Grade Varsity vs. Eudora | HOME 5 p.m. — 8th Grade Varsity vs. Eudora | HOME Junior High Football 4 p.m. — 8th Grade vs. Tonganoxie | HOME High School Volleyball 4:30 p.m. — C Team vs. Osawatomie | Away 6 p.m. — JV vs. Osawatomie | Away 7:30 p.m. — Varsity vs. Osawatomie | Away

Wednesday, Sept. 9

Girls Flag Football 5 p.m. — Varsity vs. Wellsville | Osawatomie High School

Thursday, Sept. 10

Friday, Sept. 11

Football 7 p.m. — Varsity vs. Ottawa | Away

Saturday, Sept. 12

Cross Country — Wamego Invitational 8:30 a.m. — Varsity & JV Girls 8:30 a.m. — Varsity & JV Boys Wamego Country Club Girls Volleyball 8:30 a.m. — Varsity Baldwin Invitational Tournament | HOME Baldwin High School & Baldwin Junior High School Girls Tennis 9 a.m. — Varsity Salina Central Invitational Tournament | Away

07 SEPTEMBER

COMMUNITY

PG. 06

September 10

EVENTS

Explore Baldwin Series

September 12

Fall Potluck Dinner and Program

Ad Astra Alpacas 5-6:30pm

September 11

First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 5pm

Baldwin City Distillery, 5-7 pm

September 12

Happy Hour

Friends of the Baldwin City Library Mum Sale Locally grown by Enright Gardens. $14 each or $11 for members.

September 12

BC Fashion Show 2026

Lumberyard Arts Center, 4:30pm

Baldwin City Distillery, 6-8pm

September 18

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

Sunday School :

9:30 am

(in the church basement.)

Welcome Center Opens:

10 am

Services Start:

10:30am

Mark and his dog, Tank, are pictured at the front door of their home in North Lawrence.

Live Music: David Marker

September 11-12

Baldwin City Library, 8am-6 pm

‘IT SAVED MY LIFE’: MARK’S JOURNEY TO STABILITY THROUGH SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

SEE YOU SUNDAY!

+ Everyone is welcome! + Non- Denominational

One Hour

BIBLE STUDY

Wednesdays @ 6pm Men and women welcome!

Vinland Valley Community Church

1724 N 692nd Rd, Baldwin City, KS 66006

(785) 594-3256

his story is part of a series published in recognition of Supportive Housing Week, highlighting programs in Douglas County that combine affordable housing with services to help people maintain stability, improve their health and live independently. We are grateful to those who have agreed to share their experiences to show how this investment is making an impact. Mark, 67, and his dog, Tank, are settling into their new home in North Lawrence. “This hasn’t just changed my life. It has saved my life,” he said. “It’s a new home and new beginning.” The home is fully accessible, with a zero-step entry, walkin shower and room for him to maneuver his wheelchair. Angie Bauer, supportive housing rental manager for Tenants to Homeowners, said the Homeless Response Team advocated for Mark and referred him to her. “I am really invested in what his story is, not where he has been,” Bauer said. “If you look at Mark on paper, most people wouldn’t rent to him. I am more interested in where he is now, what he needs and how I can successfully house him so it’s sustainable.” Mark previously lived in one of the nonprofit’s tiny homes when he had a manual wheelchair,

but he could no longer get around after receiving a larger motorized wheelchair. Before finding affordable housing with Tenants to Homeowners nine months ago, Mark and Tank were living in his truck, which he described as “a piece of junk.” He had a criminal record that prevented him from accessing housing, and without housing, he couldn’t access the health services he qualified for. He said it became a vicious cycle — he wasn’t falling through the cracks, but through holes in the system. Mark has engaged in services and has been clean for three years. He said he not only attended group meetings but eventually led them. He has turned to faith and meditation to cope with pain. “I want to live a clean life. I quit smoking. I don’t drink. I don’t use drugs,” he said, then laughed. “I do cuss like a sailor sometimes, though.” He said he’s grateful for the connections he’s made in the community, and for those who have advocated for him, including Bauer, who gave him a chance. “I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize what I’ve been given,” he said. “I am glad for Tenants to Homeowners because it’s the only option that I have. It’s this or the streets.”

07 SEPTEMBER

COMMUNITY VERSIONS OF YOU THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX By Jeanine Ross

I’ve always found it interesting how some people work so hard at staying the same. I have a friend who is just a year younger than I am, but she still dresses like her forty-something daughters. She wears five-inch heels and lots of makeup, and lately she dyed her hair green! That was the last straw for me. I just had to ask her what was going on with her. She pretended to be confused by my question so I got a bit more direct. I said, “What in the hell are you doing to yourself?” Her response was designed to shut me up, but it didn’t work. She said, “I thought you believed that people should be who they are.” I said, “I do but that means you have to know who you are. You are a senior citizen dressing like a teenager with green hair! Who are you?” She said, “I still feel like a teenager, so why shouldn’t I dress like one?” First of all that was a lie. She complained about her swollen feet and aching knees and back and her sagging skin all the time. I said, “Because you’re not a teenager! That version of you has forever changed, and you look ridiculous trying to recreate it.” Usually, people who refuse to embrace who they are now are trying to resolve some issue in their past that can never be resolved. Consciously or subconsciously, they are harboring a fear that they’ve never faced head-on. In my friend’s case, she was terrified of growing old. To her, that meant she would be sickly, her kids would abandon her, and she would live out her life alone and unloved. She had been very close to her grandmother, and that was how her life had been. After many conversations (some very heated because I made her face herself), she admitted the truth to herself and cried like a baby. I felt so sorry for her, but it started me thinking about all the

different versions of ourselves. We come into this world as totally helpless infants, then we grow through the many versions of ourselves in childhood until we begin the process of independence as we break away as teenagers. Then, as young adults, we experience our first real taste of freedom until love captures us and parenthood engulfs us, and through it all, we are changing everyday. Then before you know it, you’re experiencing the joys of being a grandparent until they grow up and move into their lives, and you watch as the process starts again. But this is where it gets tricky for some people. If you are a person who lived for your family, at a certain age, you realize they are now living for themselves (as they should), and you start to feel lost and alone. Making friends becomes a challenge because all the friends you’ve had forever are now on a different kind of journey on the other side. For some people, they don’t see the value in their lives anymore, and they just wait impatiently to journey to the other side. But for people like me, the door to a new kind of freedom opens. For those of us who embrace this new version of ourselves, we finally have time to explore our long-buried passions. We write, or garden, or paint, or volunteer or make a business out of selling all those things we’ve been making over the years. We take pleasure in knowing our families are thriving and our work is done there. We travel more. We are more daring and challenging. We jump out of planes, and hike Mount Everest. We heal old wounds and explore adventures we only once dreamed of. Embrace whatever version of life you are in, release the old version of you that has already died, and live your life to the fullest cause you only get one! So, if you really want your life to change for the better, it begins by “Thinking Outside the Box.”

HAVE A STORY TO SHARE?

FREE NEWS baldwinmaple.com/the-maple-weekly Questions? jenni@baldwinmaple.com Published by Design-o-Saur, LLC Baldwin City, KS

SEND US YOUR NEWS, UPDATES, OR EVENTS TO HELP US SPOTLIGHT IT FOR FREE! Email: jenni@baldwinmaple.com

PG. 07

ONE ADVOCATE’S MISSION: HELPING RESIDENTS REBUILD STABILITY WITH SUPPORT FROM FLEXIBLE HOUSING POOL PROGRAM This story is part of a series published in recognition of Supportive Housing Week, highlighting programs in Douglas County that combine affordable housing with services to help people maintain stability, improve their health and live independently. We are grateful to those who have agreed to share their experiences to show how this investment is making an impact. Mary Rodriguez, a wellness and support advocate employed by Mental Health of America Heartland, works with homeless individuals who have received a voucher through Douglas County’s Flexible Housing Pool program. This year, the County Commission allocated $932,000 for the program to serve up to 30 households annually. Vouchers can be used for rent and utility assistance as well as case management and other items such as beds, chairs and dishes. Rodriguez said clients will tell her what they need, and she then reaches out to resources like 100 Good Women, Lawrence Habitat for Humanity’s Restore and Ready for Good. “We try to stretch that dollar,” she said. Once individuals get housed, Rodriguez said they work on accessing case management and mental health resources. “The goal is to get them to be as independent as possible,” she said.

Rodriguez described how program funds helped a man move from a bug-infested home to a clean apartment. She said he was having nightmares and living in fear because of the infestation caused by his neighbors and environment. It took months to gain his trust. Rodriguez said she understood his hesitation because she had once been homeless herself. During the interview, she pointed to a backpack. “It has taken a long time for me to be able to place that backpack over there, and not have it on my back,” she said. The man eventually moved to a new place and then trusted Rodriguez enough to let her help pick out some furnishings. “It was so amazing and so remarkable,” she said. “The turnaround that everybody witnessed, and the pride that he was taking in saying, ‘This is my home.’” The man later told Rodriguez said that the sudden, overwhelming support had scared him. Rodriguez said everybody’s story is different and unique. “How you approach this work has to be as flexible and unique as possible,” she said. “Everybody has a different level of acceptance and avoidance. Slowly, you start making that rapport and let them know that they are worthy to be treated in a dignified and respectful manner.”

Questions about building or remodeling? CHRIS IS HERE TO HELP.

y d a Re ? d l i u B to s. n o i s i c e al d c o L . s r de for you. n e l l a c lt Lo i u b g n i Financ

Chris Nicholson

Loan Officer cnicholson@mid-americabank.com 785-594-2100 | NMLS: 2185360

Specialized Care for Your Health Needs Specialties:

• Traditional & regenerative pain management • Metabolic medicine & BHRT Aesthetic Services:

• Neuromodulators • Microneedling • Chemical peels

785-434-9399 | 705 High St. Baldwin City, KS

Your Hometown Solution • Locally owned in Baldwin City • Lifetime Warranties • Free Evaluations Call Today!

(785) 979-0043

Hometown Construction Roofing • Siding • Windows • Gutters • Locally Owned in Baldwin City • Detailed Reports with Photos • Lifetime Warranties • Free Estimates

HometownConstruction785.com

r., :lf-J'.= r., L!J i"f: •--= L!J �

[!]""3