The "Manhattan Optimist Club Bulletin" Vol. 2026 #23 3-11-26
SPECIAL NOTE: the March 18th morning meeting will be held at the Riley County Police Department, 1001 S Seth Child Rd, and breakfast will be catered there.
VOLUME 2026 MARCH 11 NUMBER 23
President Kelly Karl welcomed the membership and guests, and Tim Fairbanks presented a reflection. The flag salute followed.
Thad Hall outlined the Optimist's Manhattan High School Student of the Month Program. The program recognizes Manhattan High School seniors who make a difference in their community through volunteerism and leadership of activities that have a positive impact on the MHS or Manhattan community. The goal of the program is to inspire and encourage youth to get involved in their community in an effort to benefit others. We recognize six Students of the Month throughout the year nominated by faculty and staff at Manhattan High School. Applicants submit a résumé and are judged by a committee of Optimists. Recipients receive $100 to donate to the organization of their choice and are eligible for a $1,000 scholarship as the overall yearly winner. Thad introduced Caris Goering as the Optimist's Manhattan High School Student of the Month.
The past four summers she volunteeredt the Kansas Bible Camp full time as staff and counselor, working primarily with junior high age groups, but also served as counselor for high school and elementary campers. She helped manage dorms and groups, lead activities and lessons and strived to create deep, intentional relationships with each of her campers.
At Faith Manhattan Church she served as a Sunday School Teacher where she helped co-teach elementary and middle school Sunday School. She created and presented lessons, lead discussions, and mentored several younger girls.
At Manhattan High School she served Secretary (2024-25) and Vice President (2025-26) of the Spanish Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Leadership (2024-26). She is on the Varsity Cross Country team (2022-26) and Leadership Counsel for Cross Country (2024-26) as well as on the Varsity Girls Swim and Dive Team (2023-current) and is Team Captain this year.
She has taken four years of Spanish and two years of CTE pathway classes including Foundations in Early Childhood and Teaching as a Career with classroom aid and observation esperience. She also has taken, and is currently enrolled in many advanced placement and college credited courses: AP Physics1, AP Calculus AB, AP American History, AP Language and Composition, AP Literature, AP Spanish Literature, AP Spanish Language and Culture.
Caris Goering donated her $100 award from the Optimists Club to the Kansas Bible Camp.
She closed by thanking her parents for always supporting her and the Manhattan Optimist club for selecting her for this award.
Heather Peterson introduced Beth Klug, Executive Director, Shepherd's Crossing. Beth has been the director of Shepherd's Crossing for eight years and has worked at Shepherd's Crossing for a total of nine years. She raised her family in Manhattan and has three grown children, all married, and has five grandchildren plus one on the way. She started her career in accounting and then fell in love with nonprofit work, which she has been doing for over 20 years.
To qualify for services, the applicant must have resided in the service area for six months. They do not serve students because it is hard to know what their needs are and determine their real financial position. Shepherd's Crossing is funded through churches, grants, businesses, individuals, and service organizations throughout the community. They receive three grants from the Greater Manhanhattan Community Foundation (GMCF) for prescriptions, and grants from the City of Manhattan and a Memorial Hospital grant. For fundraising they work parking lots, participate in Grow Green and recently participated in fundraiser Home is Where the Heart Is in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity and Flint Hills Area Breadbasket. They are going to be launching a campaign in 2026 to mark their 25th anniversary.
The primary mission of Shepherd's Crossing is to provide help with rent, utilities, and prescriptions. When clients come in they have to provide a photo ID and proof of income from sources such as Social Security, disability, food stamps, work, etc. and the bills needing assistance to be paid. They bring those in and meet with an intake coordinator who scans the documents and then they meet one-on-one with a counselor who takes the time neccessary to work through the client's issues; it may take twenty minutes or it may take an hour and twenty minutes. They listen to their story, what brought them to Shepherd's Crossing and what they need. The stories can be heart-wrenching. They also go through all their income and expenses and see where they may be paying too much, such as $200 for two phones. They guide them and help them to fill out paperwork to get discounts on phones, Raising Riley, scolarships etc. They give out Tough-Love advice on their spending, help them to save money, and help them get out the crisis.
When they began in 2001, they paid out approximately $10,000 to 81 clients. In 2025, they served nearly 1,750 clients with $443,000 in support. Shepherd's Crossing does not pay the client the funds, but pays the funds directly to the vender.
They do the intake, hear their story, (often they first time someone has listened to them), then they make referrals. They are in contact with nearly every agency in the community. Some typical ones are the Bread Basket, Common Table, the Crisis Center, Manhattan Emergency Shelter plus many others. They help the client fill out the necessary forms to apply to these agencies. They do this to lift the client up as they try to be a hand up, rather than a handout, though sometimes a handout is necessary and can't be helped.
Some of their clients are living on $600-$800 per month. They can make it work as long as a surprise bill does not occurr, such as an appliance or automobile breakdown and repair. They usually do not come in often, maybe once or twice per year. They are working with a lot of them getting jobs by connecting them to employement agencies. They also facilite all of the Fairy Godmothers and Guardians. Fairy Godmothers are men and women; Guardians receive up to $1,000 every 12 months for major surprise expences (such as car repair, dental work, hot water heater, furnace etc.) and Fairy Godmothers receive up to $1,000 every three years. They also work with the Lions Club for eye Glasses and eye exams. Passes are provided to ATA Bus for transportation, when needed. Help is also given to acquire a birth certificate, replacement social security card, ID etc. so they can get housing or employment. Often, the client has left a situation quickly and were not able to get their identification paperwork to take with them. They do provide some assistance beyond rent, utilities, prescriptions, but they stay focused on those three fundmental needs. Sometimes kitchen supplies are provided so they can eat at home and gift cards to the Habit for Humanity store are also provided. They work with many other agencies in the community to connect clients to resources.
They serve families who live paycheck to paycheck and have one setback which upends their budget. There are women leaving violent and dangerous situations, often with their children. They need finacial support, referrals and someone to listen.
She invited the Optimist members to come to Shepherd's Crossing and visit to learn more about what they do. They are always looking for volunteers. She closed by thanking the Optimist for having her speak.
Website: https://www.shepherdscrossingmhk.com/
GUESTS: Beth Klug, Executive Director, Shepherd's Crossing, our speaker, Optimist's Manhattan High School Student of the Month, Caris Goering and her mother, Grace and father, and Jeremy Goering.
Jim Franke announced staffing for the Spaghetti Dinner Saturday, March 28th is complete. Volunteers are still needed for making desserts and donations are needed for the silent auction.
Bruce Bidwell announced the Lawn Mower Clinic, that Optimist sponsor in conjunction with Kansas State Extension, was held at Pottorf Hall at CICO Park on March 10th. Thirteen young boys and girls attended. Manhattan Optimist volunteers were: Bruce Bidwell, Steve Boeckman, Craig Cox, Jim Franke, Dan ONeill, and Jim Blanton. KSU Extension volunteers were Gregg Eyestone, John Joe, and Alan Ladd. Thanks to all who helped out with this project. See Lawn Mower Clinic pictures after Birthdays below.
March 18th will be an onsite Breakfast meeting at the Riley County Police Law Enforcement Center. Breakfast will be catered on site and there will be a tour of the facility. Sign up to let catering know the numbers attending and eating breakfast.
March 20th and 21st Special Olympics Basketball event. Opportunities to volunteer as scorekeepers and many other opportunities go to www.givepulse.com/event/723136 to sign up as well, if you do sign up, please let Bill Wisdom know.
April 22nd is Grow Green Match Day. The Optimist Board will designate a project for the donated funds.
May 13th the IPS Class joint Interpersonal Skills Class Essay Contest winners will read their essays to the group.
Bill Snyder Half Marathon is Saturday May 23rd. Volunteers are needed to help guide the runners to stay on the course. The race organization donates to the organizations supplying volunteers, so it is an easy way for the Optimist to generate some funding. The half marathon starts at 7:00 am on K-177 near I70 and the 5k starts at 7:00 am at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and both races finish at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Report time is usually 6:30 am and the location will be available later, though recently it has been near the stadium.
October 24th is our 24th annual Chili Crawl.
Meeting adjourned with the Optimist Creed.
SAVE THE DATE: Annual Spaghetti Dinner March 28th
MARCH 18 – MORNING MEETING: Program: Riley County Police Department Remote Meeting including Breakfast: Topic: “Riley County Police Operations & Facility Tour”
To read the "Official" Manhattan Optimist Club's "Grass Gazette" click on the following link:
2026 Lawn Mower Clinic Pictures
