CITY OF BLUE SPRINGS, MISSOURI

MEDIA ALERT

903 W. Main Street, Blue Springs, MO 64015  —  P: 816.228.0110  —  F: 816.228.7592  — www.bluespringsgov.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE:              July 19, 2010

CONTACT:      Kim Nakahodo, Communications Manager

                        Phone: 816.655.0497, Cell: 816.651.6449

                        Email: knakahodo@bluespringsgov.com

City of Blue Springs Honors 2010 "Civic Leadership Award” winner

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – Mayor Carson Ross is proud to announce that the 2010 Missouri Municipal League Westgate Division’s recipient of the “Civic Leadership Award” was Blue Springs residents, Reverend Doctor Ed “Doc” Golden.

The Civic Leadership Award celebrates the work of outstanding business and civic leaders and their contributions to the improvement of their communities. Mayor Carson Ross describes Golden as an “extraordinary resident that has enabled positive growth and community partnerships in Blue Springs.”

Golden was honored at the Missouri Municipal League’s Civic Leadership Awards Dinner on Thursday, July 15, 2010 at the Gladstone Community Center in Gladstone, Missouri.

Ed currently serves as Chaplain for the Blue Springs Police Department and Inter-City Fire Protection District in Kansas City. He is also the Volunteers In Police Service volunteer supervisor, managing the day to day operation of the program under the guidance of the Crime Prevention Supervisor.  Golden is the founder of the Community and Youth Outreach Unit (CYOU) Scholarship that awards college scholarships to Unit graduates.   Ed has been a constant supporter, mentor and volunteer with the CYOU since 1994.

Ed was awarded the Lifetime Presidential Volunteer Service Award for more than 4,000 hours of volunteer service in 2009.

Golden is the Founder and President of Celebration of Life Counseling & Consulting.  He has been published in magazines, and other periodicals on Personal and Spiritual Development, Motivation and Goal Achievement, Addiction Recovery, Family and Marriage issues, in articles, poetry, programs, and books. Current works include, "From Skid Row To The Front Row, or When Drugs And Poverty Stop Working".  Ed is also the CEO and Chairman of the Board for Operation Thermal Reunion, Inc., a not for profit organization that hosts charity golf tournaments to raise funds to purchase Thermal Imaging cameras for fire fighters.

“I am honored to recognize ‘Doc’ Golden for his amazing commitment of service and the contributions he has made to the City of Blue Springs,” said Mayor Ross. “It is with gratitude that I extend this honor for his many years of work to make our City one of progress and promise.”

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Kim Nakahodo

Communications Manager

City of Blue Springs, Mo.

903 W. Main Street

Blue Springs, MO  64015

Phone:     (816) 655-0497

               (816) 651-6449

Fax:         (816) 228-7592

Email:      knakahodo@bluespringsgov.com

www.bluespringsgov.com

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.

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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BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – The City of Blue Springs, Blue Springs Public Art Commission, Blue Springs School District and area businesses and veterans’ organizations have formed a partnership to bring the traveling exhibition of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall to Pink Hill Park Thursday, Sept. 30 to Sunday, Oct. 3.  The exhibit will be free to the public and includes a special welcome home to all Vietnam War veterans. 
“This famous Vietnam memorial has inspired and healed many people. But not everyone can get to Washington, D.C. to see it. So, we’ve worked for many years to bring it here,” says Eleanor Frasier, chairman of the Public Art Commission. “We invite all Vietnam War veterans to come see The Wall That Heals, and all parents and children to participate in the events to learn about this painful time in America’s history.”

ATK, which operates the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant adjacent to Blue Springs, has agreed to be a lead partner for the event.  Mark Hissong, the vice president and general manager, will present a $15,000 check to Blue Springs Mayor Carson Ross on Tuesday, June 1, in a special ceremony at 1 p.m. to launch the major fund drive for other sponsorships.  That event will be in front of Blue Springs City Hall, 903 W. Main Street.

“We are honored to be a lead partner in this historic event for our community of Blue Springs and for all Kansas City area Vietnam Veterans,” said Mark Hissong, of ATK Small Caliber Systems, the operator of the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. “This plant supported these soldiers with more than 14 billion rounds of ammunition during the conflict. As we continue to support today’s modern day war fighter, we’re proud to give Vietnam Veterans the welcome home they deserve.” 

“We are grateful to ATK for being one of the lead partners of The Wall That Heals event.  Blue Springs is fortunate to have excellent business partners to help bring this exhibit to our community,” said Mayor Carson Ross.

The funding for the Blue Springs “The Wall That Heals” is all by donations.  All funds are set up with the Truman Heartland Community Foundation, a 501-C-3 organization.

For more information, contact Kim Nakahodo, Communications Manager at (816) 655-0497, visit the Web site, www.bluespringswallthatheals.net or Wall That Heals Blue Springs on Facebook.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA ALERT / PHOTO OPP

Truman Heartland Community Foundation Media Alert & Centerpoint Medical Center Community Ice Press Alert

WHAT: All media is invited to attend a special Press Conference at the Centerpoint Medical Center Community Ice in which representatives from the Truman Heartland Community Foundation will unveil the recipients of the 2010 Heartland Humanitarian of the Year and Corporate Citizen of the Year.

WHEN: Friday, May 21, 2010 (4:30 p.m.)

WHY: Executives from the Truman Heartland Community Foundation will announce this year’s top honorees during a community skate session at the Centerpoint Medical Center Community Ice. Award Recipients will be presented with a special gift from the General Manager of the Independence Events Center. At the conclusion of the presentation, Community Foundation personnel, Independence Events Center Staff and Honorees will be in available for interviews. A formal celebration will take place at the Community Foundation’s Annual Toast to Our Towns Gala on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at the Independence Events Center.

WHERE: Centerpoint Medical Community Ice is located on the Southwest side of the Independence Events Center located at 19100 East Valley View Parkway, Independence, MO 64055.

CONTACT: For more information please contact: Sarah Miskew at 816-503-1655 smiskew@independenceeventscenter.com

Disk Golf Course to open May 22 at Wilbur Young Park

Blue Springs, Mo. – Blue Springs’ first disk golf course will officially open May 22 at Wilbur Young Park, 1100 SE Adams Dairy Parkway.

Based on traditional golf, disc golf is a fast-growing sport where players throw a flying disc into a metal basket with catch chains. The player that completes the course making the fewest number of throws of the disc wins. The discs are specially designed for various shots of the game – from drivers to mid-range discs to putters.

The Young Park Disc Golf Course is an 18-hole median length, technically difficult course.  The course is geared for both the family and more skilled players. Located in the woods of the north end of Wilbur Young Park, the course is challenging as players must maneuver their shots around trees and over water.

This course is free to the public and open daily from sun up to 10 p.m.  Blue Springs Parks and Recreation Department will host instructional clinics, lessons and tournaments annually.  Score cards can be downloaded from the City’s website at www.bluespringspringsgov.com/scorecard.

Blue Springs received a $49,500 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund of the National Park Service and $6,500 from the Blue Springs Rotary Club for construction of the course; in addition the City Council approved $18,263 from City funds.  Dr. Brouse of the Blue Springs School District assisted in writing the grant application and the Kansas City Flying Disk Club assisted in the course and signage design.  The Building Trades class of Blue Springs High School helped construct the tee pads and the Boy Scouts of America Troop # 58 and Blue Elk District helped in the construction of a bridge and mulching the paths.  Parks Maintenance staff provided labor for general construction.  Special thanks goes to Blue Springs resident John Theiss, who volunteered countless hours in the planning and layout of the course and City of Blue Springs employee, Randy Cooper for coordinating volunteer efforts with the Boy Scouts of America.

The disc fling and unveiling of the entry sign will officially open the Wilbur Young Park Disk Golf Course at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 22, at Wilbur Young Park.  Souvenir disks will be given to attendees of the dedication.

The first tournament, “The Eastern Front” will be held Sunday, May 23.  The tournament is a double-round and each participant will get a special collector disc.  Check in is at 8:30 am with event beginning at 9:45. To register for the tournament or for information, visit www.kcfdc.org or call (816) 471-3472 (Disc Golf World).  

For more information on this new facility, contact Roscoe Righter, Director of Parks and Recreation at (816) 228-0137 or email to rrighter@bluespringsgov.com.

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Blue Springs parks offer great diversity, with a variety of recreational opportunities for all ages. Located throughout the city, tucked into quiet neighborhoods as well as larger, sports-oriented parks, they are truly one of the treasures of Blue Springs.

Frequent exercise is beneficial for our health and mental wellbeing, and walking is a great choice. The Blue Springs parks system includes many walking trails. One of the newest is located at Gregory O Grounds Park at the northeast corner of the Adams Dairy Parkway and the I-70 interchange. This new paved walking trail is ten feet wide and encircles Lake Remembrance, and is a beautiful tree-lined trail, with excellent views of the lake. As you walk along the Eastern side, you pass one of the other popular features of this park, the Blue Springs Off-Leash Dog Park.

The dog park is resulted from the efforts of a small group of citizens who attended a leadership seminar hosted by StandUp Blue Springs in 2005. This group formed an organization called RUFF (Responsible Unleased Fun for Fido, www.ruffbluesprings.org) which developed a relationship with the Blue Springs Parks department and set about the task of raising private funds to share in the cost of the development of the dog park. The city of Blue Springs provided the land, the parking lot and the clearing of the woods and brush, with support from RUFF for amenities such as water fountains, park benches, upgrades to the fencing, the dog wash area and the new small dog area recently added.

With the addition of the small dog area, the park now has two separate unleashed areas, one for average to large dogs and one for dogs that weigh less then 25lbs. This allows for better safety for the smaller dogs, and both areas include water fountains and park benches. You can access the larger park from the walking trail or from the parking lot on 20^th street.

For the 5^th year, RUFF will hold its main fundraiser, Pooches on the Parkway, at Wilbur Young Park near Blue Springs South High School on Sunday May 16^th from 11am to 4pm. Funds raised at this event will be used to improve the pond attached to the park, providing better access and water quality for the dogs that enjoy swimming and exploring. A complete schedule of events and activities is available on the RUFF website. Please bring your 4-legged companions for a walk on the parkway to raise funds to improve this special asset in our city.

Wilbur Young Park also offers one of our newest park features in Blue Springs, a disc golf course. This 18 hole disc golf course will open later this month and will host its first tournament on May 23, 2010. You can find more information about the course and the tournament at http://bit.ly/bsdiscgolf. You can find information about all of the parks Blue Springs has to offer on the city website at http://bit.ly/bsparks.

In November, Business Week magazine announced its list of the “Best Places to Raise Your Kids,” naming Blue Springs the number one city in Missouri to raise a family, with Lee’s Summit and Joplin listed as runners-up. This unsolicited honor speaks volumes about the great community in which we live.

What is it that made our community rise to the top of that list? Criteria included school performance, number of schools, household expenditures, crime rates, air quality, job growth, family income, museums, parks, theaters and diversity, with the greatest weight given to affordability, safety, and school test scores.

However, there is much more to this story than just the statistics. Our citizens, not only in Blue Springs but also throughout all of Eastern Jackson County, are actively involved in their community. Volunteers are the heart and soul of community service, and many local non-profit organizations rely on their commitment and generosity. People serve their communities as elected officials and on the many boards and commissions that are integral to local government. Parents and other volunteers support sports activities available to our youth. Community service organizations such as the Community Services League, Rainbow Center, Hillcrest Ministries and StandUp Blue Springs provide services to those in need within our communities.

Foundations such as Truman Heartland Community Foundation and Eastland Community Foundation provide opportunities for philanthropists to concentrate their resources and provide funding to the many non-profit organizations throughout the area.

The Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce’s annual leadership class, in conjunction with Home Depot, Haldex, Randy and Jan Castle, MarKirk Construction, the Blue Springs School District, Hy-Vee, Betty’s Restaurant, Costco, Adams Dairy Bank, Sonic, Lamar’s, MAC Corporation and Architectural Ornaments, joined forces this past Saturday morning to renovate the patios at St. Mary’s Manor. Individuals and businesses working collaboratively make our community a special place to live.

Each year the Heritage Philharmonic holds a competition for local young musicians. The winners will perform with the philharmonic this at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Blue Springs High School performing arts center. The members are volunteer musicians from our community, and the orchestra provides opportunities for these musicians to hone their skills and share their talents with the community at large. Led by a volunteer board of directors, the orchestra provides the community a cost effective opportunity to enjoy a diverse variety of fantastic music.

These organizations, and others like them, are the lifeblood of our towns. By investing our time in these organizations, and making a commitment to the success of our communities, we continually set the bar a little higher, and we strive to reach it. By participating in the process, by giving of your skills and passions, you will reap benefits tenfold.