The Ararat Shriners have called Kansas City their home since 1888 and have brought the Shrine Circus to Kansas City for 75 years. This year’s 75^th Annual Diamond Anniversary performance of the Ararat Shrine Circus will be held at Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City on November 11-14. Circus Script Coupons are available at my office for $10 each. All you need to do is call 816-224-2890 and ask for Theresa Cooper. The coupons can then be redeemed at Ararat Temple. The coupons can be used towards the purchase of both General Admission and Reserved Seats for the performances.  I hope that you and your family will join me and Wanda at this year’s Ararat Shrine Circus!

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Shriners Hospitals for Children® is a health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing specialty pediatric care, innovative research and outstanding teaching programs. Children up to the age of 18 with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate are eligible for admission and receive all care in a family-centered environment with no financial obligation to patients or families. More information is available at http://www.shrinershq.org/Hospitals/Main.

If you are aware of a child that would benefit from these services please let me know.  You can contact me at 816-224-2890 x11.

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Information regarding Ararat Shrine and Shriners Hospitals for Children was copied from the Ararat Shrine and the Shriners Hospitals for Children websites.

Rotary Park at Railroad Lake is one of the most popular in our city park system and one of my personal favorites.

Each Sunday evening throughout the summer, the gazebo on the south side of the pond comes alive with the sounds of blues, jazz and rock ’n’ roll. Residents bring lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the free concerts with family and friends. This past Sunday, the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce sponsored the concert that featured The Elsea Smith Band, hosted its annual member appreciation event with hamburgers and hotdogs and provided free ice cream for everyone who attended the concert.

As Wanda and I enjoyed the fellowship and music with our friends, neighbors, and fellow chamber members, I realized these events and activities are just a part of what makes our small town a great community. I say small town, yet Blue Springs is the tenth largest city in Missouri.

As Blue Springs has grown, we have maintained a welcoming, small-town, bedroom community feel without inhibiting the growth required to provide for our citizens. As I looked across the park, I saw friends and neighbors listening and laughing, enjoying the beautiful evening together. I saw business associates benefitting from the opportunity to build relationships outside of the confines of the workday, meeting family members and networking together. In the shelter house, a young child practiced her first steps, the newest addition to the chamber family slept in Daddy’s proud arms, and twins took in their first chamber picnic.
Life should be more than just work. Play is important too! A well-rounded life includes time for work, time for rest and time for fun. Seek out community events, and share time with friends and neighbors. We are so fortunate to live in a community that provides a wide variety of recreational events and opportunities to enrich our lives. Walk the paths, pack a picnic lunch, enjoy the art pieces in our parks, or just sit and listen to the music.

The complete concert schedule is available at http://bit.ly/bscp2010.

BLUE SPRINGS SOUTH CHEER BOOSTER CLUB

INVITES YOU TO JOIN US FOR A FLAPJACK FUNDRAISER BREAKFAST AT

APPLEBEE’S NEIGHBORHOOD GRILL

1100 N. 7 Hwy., Blue Springs

SATURDAY, JUNE 19^TH 8:00-10:00am $7.00 per person – tickets may be purchased from any BSS cheerleader or at the door

If you haven’t tried out the disc golf course at Young Park its time to get out and give it a try.  This multi-year project is now open to the public and receiving rave reviews.  Following are samples of some of the letters the city has received regarding the course:

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My name is Ken F. I have been playing disc golf for nearly 10 years and play this game professionally on the PDGA tour. I'm ranked in the top 70 in the world.
I recently relocated to the KC (Midtown) area about 7 months ago. I've lived on both coasts and the midwest, played hundreds of courses around the country and Blue Springs is vastly becoming one of my favorite! I'm excited to have a league night now. I have friends that drive in from Topeka, just to play leagues on Wednesday evenings.
I'm so thankful to have such a well thought out and maintained course, to play golf on...
Thank you for all your efforts and team work, working with John Theiss on this course!!!
Ken F.
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I am a local disc golfer from Overland Park and I had a chance to play the Young Park course a few weeks ago. I had a great time and the course, in my opinion, is one of the best in the metro already. I wanted to write the Parks & Rec Department to thank them for all their development and maintenance efforts thus far. It appears that the City of Blue Springs truly understands and believes in community strength. Makes me want to move east.
Thank You So Much!!!
Seth W.
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I just wanted to let everyone know what a great job the Parks and Rec have done at Young Park disc golf course. I have received tons of compliments about the course. We have been running league at the course and we are getting folks from BS and LS and as far as 2 hours away. We had a Pro player that drove 2 hours just to play in the league because he loves the course. Pros are saying the this course is in their top three courses in KC. That is a huge compliment because Water Works DGC is one of the best in the world and Cliff Drive is also the most balanced course in the city. We are also getting some of the better players in the area out to play in the league which means they are skipping the other league held at Rosedale Park on Wednesdays. I am not sure what type of feedback that the parks dept is getting, but it has been overwhelming positive. Many folks that I have seen and spoke with are driving from downtown, North of the River , and Kansas to play. That is great news for the course and for Blue Springs. These people will stop and spend money in our town.
Just wanted to send this because I am getting positive compliments from all types of players, beginners to pros . Keep up the great work BSPR.
Thanks,
John T,

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My name is Michael K., and I just wanted to let you all know what a wonderful job you did installing the disc golf course at Wilbur Young Park. My children attend William Yates Elementary where John Theiss was also instrumental with the small course that when into the school yard there, and that's how we first discovered this great sport. When we heard a course was being installed at Young Park, we were simply delighted! Now that the course is finished and we've had the chance to play it a few times, we could not be happier with how it turned out. The disc golf course at Young Park is one of the most beautiful and well-designed courses we have seen, and we are so excited to have such a world-class course within short driving distance from our home. Just one look at this course makes it apparent that the Blue Springs P&R department did it the right way, with close attention paid to all of the important details! Congratulations to the Blue Springs P&R and everyone else involved with this course on a job well done. Thank you so very much from the bottom of our hearts.
Best Regards,
Michael K. and Family
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Hello:
I played in the Eastern Front event this past weekend and wanted to provide some feedback regarding the course at Young Park.
Wow! You folks have really done things right out there. I have lived in Gladstone for close to 15 years and don't know that I have ever been to Blue Springs for anything in the past. I will be coming there on a regular basis in the future for league play and just to play the course casually. Area restaurants and such will be getting business from me. I consider the course there one of the best in the KC area and I know that others agree. John Theiss did a great job designing the course and it is obvious the Parks Department was on the ball in getting it ready. I heard that new grass was put down already since the tourney!!
Thank you and I look forward to spending more time in the Blue Springs area.
Ted K.
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My name is Steve G. I am a member of the Kansas City Flying Disc Club with an uninterrupted 15-20 years of membership. I live in Ks. My drive time to the park is about 45 minutes. Its well worth the trip. I love all the water shots!!!
First I want to thank the city for putting forth the efforts and getting the grants and making sure the project was first rate.The commitment I have seen put forth from the city on this project thus far has me really excited about revisiting this course because its only going to get better.
I especially want to let you know how special John Theis and his family are.
As you know there was a tournament there the day after the ribbon cutting ceremony.
His wife, mother and father were all present helping run the tournament.
Now here is the really impressive thing that happened during the first round. We guess one of the tee signs was missing a lock stud. It was breezy that day and the wind tore the sign off hole 7. When I reported it to John he immediately responded it was already fixed. His dad is a fix it guru and got the stuff needed to take care of the problem. The city should be thankful for all their sacrifices. I know I am.

Buy a Brick and make a difference for the St. Mary's Medical Center Foundation A Great Father's Day Gift! The St. Mary's Medical Center Foundation is offering a new and unique opportunity to commemorate a loved one and support the mission and services of the medical center at the same time. For $50, donors can purchase a custom laser-engraved brick that will be placed in the Garden Walkway at St. Mary's Medical Center's Garden of Memories. $25 of the cost is a tax-deductible charitable gift.  Bricks can be customized with graphics as well as inscriptions.  Remember a loved one or honor a friend or colleague with this special gift that helps pave the way for the continuing healthcare ministry of St. Mary's Medical Center For more information or an order form, contact the St. Mary's Medical Center Foundation at 816-655-5366 or sdellstclair@carondelet.com.

St. Mary's Medical Center Foundation | 201 NW R.D. Mize Road | Blue Springs | MO | 64014

Our 2^nd Annual Garden Tour is Saturday, June 19^th from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Hi Society Members and Friends,

What an opportunity to enjoy wonderful  gardens and see local artists painting flowers and foliage at each of the 6 gardens.

The presale ticket price is $6.00 and $8.00 the day of the tour.  Pre-sale tickets are available at:

· Ben’s Garden Center, 1001 U.S. 40 Hwy, Blue Springs

· Petals & Potpourri, 708 U.S. 40 Hwy, Blue Springs

· Yellow Strawberry, 1745 Burdett Crossing (N 7 Hwy and Duncan Rd) Blue Springs

· Vintage Daisy, 1412 Old U.S. 40 Hwy, Blue Springs

· Dillingham-Lewis House Museum, 101 SW 15th St, Blue Springs (Sundays 2:00 - 5:00 pm)

On the day of the Garden Tour, tickets may be purchased any of the homes and the museum.

Two of the gardens are in Independence.  One of these is Martha Waits, niece of Ann York.  Her    address is 1204 W Beverly Road.  The other Independence Independence garden is the Woodson Guest House Bed and Breakfast.  This home is tucked away on a “special acre of land” and is on the National Historic Register.  Charlotte Olejko is the owner of this garden at 1604 W. Lexington.

Crystal and Wyatt Zucca, 117 Dockside Circle, Lake Tapawingo will have their home on the tour.  In Blue Springs you will tour the gardens of Gwen Myers, 4200 SW 14th Street Court and Linda and Victor Celano, 1709 NW 11th Street Circle. 

You may choose to begin or end your tour at the Blue Springs Historical Society’s1906 Educational Heritage Garden.  This garden is in the second of its 4-phase grant from the Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City.  While at the Dillingham-Lewis House Museum, you may view the exhibit, “Weddings Through the Year” and enjoy a cool drink. 

Enjoy the day with friends and family while you view the gardens and take in the scent of flowers.

For more information call Frances at 816-419-8304

Please email everyone in your Address Book.

Thank you, Mary Potter

P.S. I need 2 volunteers at the Museum Garden

The Renew the Blue Committee and Blue Springs School District’s efforts on recycling are paying dividends!  The data is very impressive.  Imagine the mound of trash that was kept off of the steps of city hall!  Through this effort, the idea of “environmental responsibility” is being realized in Blue Springs.  The BSSD School with the most recycled material should receive a presentation of an “E-excellence” award!

With 327,490 lbs recycled per quarter!  That’s over a million pounds annually!  Annually that amounts to nearly $8000.00!  This is really encouraging news.

Following is detailed information about the material recycled by the School District during the first quarter 2010:

The information in this article are excerpts from an letter received from Bob Fasl who served on the Renew the Blue Committee and helped encourage and organize this very successful recycling effort.  Kudos to Bob for his work in this area!

 The Blue Springs Agriculture Science students have been working on planting flowers at Baumgardner Park. The class is a Landscape Design class, which is made up of Junior and Senior Ag Science/FFA members.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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