We spotlight the Manhattan Polar Plunge and how one brave jump funds health screenings, Unified sports, and leadership for 10,000 Special Olympics Kansas athletes. Katelyn Andrist and Corporal Rachel Pate share how athletes and officers build real inclusion, one cheer and costume at a time.

• Polar Plunge purpose, date, location, and $100 fundraising minimum
• Healthy Athletes screenings and statewide impact
• Unified sports with K‑State volunteers and community teams
• Law Enforcement Torch Run partnership and officer participation
• Costume tips, heated tents, and event flow
• Why saying athletes’ names and showing up matters
• How to register, form teams, and out-fundraise RCPD
• Statewide plunges and school-led “cool school” events

Register at soks.org for the Manhattan Polar Plunge on February 14 at Tuttle Creek Lake State Park. Registration opens at 10 a.m., teams start at 11 a.m.

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We showcase how Manhattan Area Technical College aligns new programs with real employer demand, turning education into high-wage jobs and community growth. From a community-driven campus to regional testing and NBAF-ready talent, we map the path from skill to paycheck.

• New plumbing, electrical, and cybersecurity-focused IT programs
• Community building as shared training and meeting space
• Employer connections that speed hiring for high-demand roles
• NBAF job alignment in electricians, ops techs, and lab techs
• Workforce housing pressures tied to talent growth
• Regional testing center drawing thousands across states
• Enrollment gains and second welding cohort launch
• Graduate earnings including linemen averaging $103k
• Strong ROI with lower tuition and faster completion
• Funding gaps and tangible ways to support technical education

You can always find out more about the mission that they have and the work and how you can help at the website, which is manhattantech.edu

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We share a candid talk with RCPD Director Brian Peete on preventing targeted violence by training first responders to recognize behavioral indicators and respond with empathy. The conversation spans homelessness, social media, political rhetoric, and the mission of Prevent the Aftermath to build standardized, research-based training and tools.

• community empathy versus criminalization of crisis
• differences between East Coast and Manhattan KS approaches
• what behavioral indicators look like in real cases
• why many incidents have domestic roots
• limits of facility hardening without proactive prevention
• active shooter trainings and current national gaps
• social media signals and triage
• depolarizing rhetoric to reduce risk
• building a standardized assessment tool and training plan
• how donations accelerate national rollout

“Preventtheaftermath.org is the website.” “Right now we need donations… we’re trying to raise $200,000 to $250,000… then we can begin training first responders.” “Be that light in the world that you want to see in the world.”

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We share how Center of Hope Ministry grew from a church basement to the Douglas School Annex to meet soaring demand for overnight warming shelter, and why local partnerships, volunteers, and small business fundraisers keep the doors open. A year-round shelter vision takes shape as we break down staffing, funding, and the rising need for cots, snacks, and safe space for families.

• mission to provide safe overnight shelter and warmth
• move to Douglas Annex with capacity up to 43 guests
• rising demand shown by bed night and guest data
• volunteer-powered model supported by targeted overnight staff
• local funding approach without state or federal dollars
• coordination with Common Table, Breadbasket, Pawnee, and coalitions
• practical needs list for snacks, breakfast items, cots, sleeping bags
• exploration of a year-round shelter model and required support
• family safety protocols and rapid partner referrals
• upcoming giving moments and small business fundraisers

Log on. And help if you can.
The website is thecenterofopehmhk.com.
You can donate through the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation or our Venmo, Cash App, any PayPal, any of those things.
Our Amazon wish list is up to date.

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We explore how relationship-based care turns clients into a community, tracing Pawnee’s seventy years of service, quality improvements, and growth across ten counties. We share events for the “New Day at Pawnee” campaign, Kansas’ rising mental health rankings, and a fundraiser that fuels care.

• what makes Pawnee’s model relational and consistent
• personal testimony on therapy and lasting support
• “A New Day at Pawnee” events and purpose
• regional reach across 17 locations in 10 counties
• Kansas’ rise in Mental Health America rankings
• ongoing challenges with stigma and the workforce
• training focus for qualified mental health professionals
• Pancakes for Pawnee details, sponsors and ways to help

Join us for Pancakes for Pawnee on February 17 at Early Edition West, 3210 Kimball Ave. For $9, enjoy pancakes and sausage, delivered or picked up.

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We share how Light MHK removes barriers to mental health care with grants for direct treatment, provider innovation, and awareness, and we invite the community to The Light Within masquerade to fund this work. Stories, specifics, and a clear call to action replace stigma with access and connection.

• purpose of Light MHK and the regions we serve
• three grant types and how they work
• examples including pediatric resources for timely support
• why stigma reduction matters and how we speak openly
• details for The Light Within masquerade fundraiser
• ticket options, auctions, raffle, and dress code
• meaning of LIGHT MHK and our statewide vision
• board leadership and community partnerships

Visit lightmhk.com, scroll to The Light Within, and get your tickets

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We sit down with Micah Carl to unpack how Kansas Infant and Toddler Services delivers free, no-waitlist early intervention that meets families in their daily routines. Micah explains eligibility, play-based evaluation, and how family-guided goals turn small moments into big gains.

• Statewide early intervention for birth to three
• Free services with no waitlist and flexible insurance
• Eligibility via delay, risk factors, or professional judgment
• In-home, routine-based coaching across daily settings
• Family-guided goals that fit real priorities
• Micro practice over marathon sessions for toddlers
• Simple referral paths without a doctor’s order
• Structured transition to preschool special education

Visit our website at infant-tawdler.org, and we’d love to have more referrals

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We share a full slate of new and returning events that fund mentorships across Riley County while laying out simple ways to become a Big. Our focus is on shortening the waitlist, growing male mentors, and sustaining longer, stronger matches.

• Bowl for Kids’ Sake details and $20,000 goal
• Women’s Drives for Dreams golf tournament launch
• Fairways for Futures open luau-themed golf event
• Studio 54 Manhattan gala planning and timing
• 75 new matches target in Riley County
• Persistent waitlist and the need for male mentors
• School-based lunch mentoring and community-based options
• Step-by-step path to become a Big at kansasbigs.org
• Match length growth from 13 to 33 months
• Grow Green Match Day impact and date

Put that on your calendar for April 22

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