Submitted by Lyla Edelman

The Nemaha County Association of Retired School Personnel met for the first meeting in 2023 at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 7, at Buzz Café, with 11 members present as well as District 2 Director Carol Bunning and her husband Gil. The group enjoyed a lunch with several specials to choose from or ordered from the menu. Don Fischer gave the blessing.

The program was presented by Carol Spangler. She updated the group on the Grains for Hope program. This program started in 2002 and was a school-wide problem solving project at Sabetha High School. Today, the program is not a part of the school year. The students involved meet on their own with Spangler at the Sabetha Methodist Church.

Their last big project was a packaging event that was held on Dec. 31, 2022, at the Main Event, with people of the community involved in packaging the food that was sent to the Rescue Mission and other places locally to help alleviate hunger. Their next big project is a 5 K walk/run on April 1. Info will be posted as the time gets closer. Registration fee is a can of food to be given to the food pantry.

Roll call was to name something that we have today or that has happened today that one never would have dreamed of 20 years ago.

Co-President Joyce Fee opened the business meeting. Lyla Edelman read the minutes of the Nov. 1, 2022, meeting, and they were approved as read. Edelman shared a thank you letter from The Kids Kloset for the donation we gave them. Treasurer Alice Zahner gave the treasurer’s report.

Gay McClain mentioned that all of the high schools in the county have scholarship information and that applications are due March 25.

District 2 Director C. Bunning shared information about the volunteer hours needing to be turned into the state in April. Members are to let Edelman know their hours working with youth and overall total hours. The state convention is June 14-16 at Junction City, and Spangler highly encouraged some of our members to attend. Also, Earth Day is April 22.

Suggestion was made to talk to the grade school and also Grains for Hope to see if either needed any assistance. Members also were to give any other suggestions to Joyce or Jim McKim.

All retired school personnel in Nemaha County are welcome to join and can do so by sending $30 to Alice Zahner at 385 Parkview Drive, Sabetha, KS 66534. Twenty-five dollars is sent to the state organization and $5 goes into the local treasury. Checks need to be made out to NCRSP. A person can join either both local and state or just one.

With no other business, the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting will be held at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 2, at Buzz Café.