The "Manhattan Optimist Club Bulletin": Vol. 2024 #17: 1-24-24
VOLUME 2024 January 24, 2024 NUMBER 17
President Bill Wisdom welcomed the membership and guests, and Greg McCune presented a reflection in honor of Kansas Day, followed by the Flag Salute.
Reflection:
Come, all you folks of enterprise who feel inclined to roam
Beyond the Mississippi to seek a pleasant home
Pray take a pioneer's advice, I'll point you out the best--
I mean the state of Kansas, the Lily of the West.
Our prairies all are dotted o'er with houses white as snow,
Where nothing stood but dugouts just ten years ago.
But that's the way we do things, here; we enjoy it with a zest,
In the lovely state of Kansas, the Lily of the West.
Our boys, the bravest of the brave; our girls they are the best
In the lovely state of Kansas, the Lily of the West.
I've travelled the New England states, New York and North Carolina,
And down into the southern states, and thought them very fine,
But of all the states that I have roamed, the one that I love best
Is the good old state of Kansas, the Lily of the West.
-Folk Song taken from THE KANSAS ART READER, ed. by J.W. Bell
Program:
Both Kevin and his wife have full time jobs. She is the Director of Financial Aid at Manhattan Area Technical College. They had a fourteen-year-old daughter moving from middle school to high school. This didn’t seem like a good time to buy a retail store, however, a Fair Trade store was available in Manhattan and its premise resonated with his family’s mission. Kevin’s favorite non family person is Dolly Parton, and he finds the following quote inspirational: “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” Dolly Parton. Being of service and giving to others matched what their family wanted to do and owning a Fair Trade store accomplished this.
There are ten principles that Fair Trade is based on:
Ten Principles of Fair Trade
1. Opportunities for Disadvantaged Producers
Most of the items in the store are hand made or grown.
2. Transparence and Accountability
All the organizations they work with agree to have all their financial and production processes open for inspection at any time.
3. Fair Trade Practices
They commit to Fair Trade practices.
4. No Discrimination, Gender Equality, Freedom of Association
They practice nondiscrimination.
5. Good Working Conditions
They provide good working conditions for the people they employ.
6. Capacity Building
They are selling items that connect directly to that person making a living and making a life and building their own personal capacity as well as the capacity of the community.
7. Fair Payment
People in that community are employed and paid a fair wage, then they can contribute to their community both economically and personally and build their capacity in their family. They are paid fairly and there is a process for how payment happens promptly along the entire supply chain. Items are not sold on consignment but have been paid for by the store just like any other wholesale transaction.
8. No Child Labor or Forced Labor
9. Promote Fair Trade
10. Respect for the Environment
There is an element of sustainability; many items are made from recycled or upcycled resources.
How did they decide to do this?
He and his family have been Fair Trade shoppers for over 20 years. A lady owned a Fair Trade store in Lindsborg and one with the same name in Manhattan, but was having family issues and needed to sell the store and Kevin and his wife heard about it on Facebook. Kevin messaged his wife and said, “I hope someone buys this store.” His wife messaged back and said, “What if we are that someone?” His wife is not normally a risk taker, so this was something special, and provided them with the opportunity to live their purpose.
The buying process was arduous as the lady was going through a divorce which complicated things. It took from January to July of 2019 for them to purchase the business from her. They had to rename the store because the lady was keeping the store in Lindsborg and they could no longer use the same name. Audrey, their daughter, was asked to brainstorm ideas for the name of their store and came up with the name Rooted. The products they sell are “rooted” in the communities where they are produced. The tree logo was created by a friend of theirs. On their store window is a tree. In the top are the types of products they sell and in the bottom roots are the principles of Fair Trade.
Their store has a very eclectic mix of items because the common thread is the principles, not is specific line of goods, such as a clothing store. They have four product lines that they love. Fair Anita is a jewelry and accessory company in St. Paul MN. It is owned by a woman who is 29 years old and was inspired by a social worker named Anna. She works with people in 11 different countries, almost exclusively female producers. Many, if not all, are survivors of domestic abuse and are working with social workers in their community to emerge from that situation. Fair Anita is one of Rooted’s number one selling lines. Many of the items were created from recycling spent artillery shell casings in Ethiopia.
Twin Engine Coffee was discovered by looking and Fair Trade conference material and discovering a session was being held by a woman Kevin had gone to high school with many years ago. She had founded a Fair Trade coffee company in Nicaragua, a most extraordinary coincidence. The commercial coffee industry is noted for taking advantage of the growers. She was working directly with growers to export their coffee directly under the guidelines of Fair Trade.
Conscious Step is a line of socks discovered by one of their employees in a Fair Trade store in Colorado. Each pair of socks is connected to one of many nonprofits and help raise funds for that nonprofit and is made from Fair Trade cotton.
Bright Endeavors is located in Chicago, while not a Fair Trade company, they operate by the same principles. Bright Endeavors works with young moms in the Chicago area and employee them to make candles and other home scent products. The company teaches them how to do this and provides them with ongoing training and classes, including parenting. The goal is for them to graduate from Bright Endeavors and get another job. They get help with learning interviewing skills, resumes etc.
In 2023, Rooted contributed $41,309.42 to their Fair Trade partners. Kevin and his family are proud to have contributed this to the Fair Trade suppliers as part of their calling. For many of their suppliers, that is more money than they will ever see in their lifetime.
Kevin closed with another Dolly Parton quote: “Don’t get so busy making a living you forget to make a life.” Link to Rooted
Member Spotlight
Brady grew up in Olathe and went to Olathe North High School. His father, Brian, is a supply chain engineer for an auto parts manufacturer and his mother Laura is an elementary school teacher. He has a younger sister, Gavin, who is married and lives in Topeka. He graduated from K-State in 2015 with an unlikely combination of economics and psychology degrees.
After college, he worked very briefly in the auto insurance industry as a liability claims adjuster. He quickly changed back to his passion for nonprofit work and youth development, serving with AmeriCorps at the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence. He was fortunate to be able to remain there as a full-time staff member for the next seven years. Last month he was excited to join the team at the Boys and Girls Club of Manhattan as Director of Development.
Brady is single and the father of a dog, Humphrey. In his spare time, Brady enjoys reading novels and watching films. Since moving back to Manhattan, he has enjoyed exploring local restaurants, coffee shops, and scenic places to walk the dog.
Guests:
Bill Wisdom introduced our speaker, Kevin Cook, owner of Rooted Fair Trade.
Jack Carlson introduced his son, Brian Carlson a network engineer from Los Angles, California.
Jerry Banaka introduced Gary Fike, Riley County Extension Director.
Greg McCune introduced Tim Fairbanks retired from San Antiono, Texas and moved to Manhattan in August.
New Member Initiation
Club Stuff/Announcements:
Special Olympics Basketball sign up for March 15 & 16 was on the back of the agenda.
Save these dates: March 5: Lawn Mower Clinic and March 23rd for the annual Spaghetti Dinner.
Adjourned with the Optimist Creed
Next Weeks’s Meeting:
JANUARY 31 – MORNING MEETING: Program: Business Meeting
February Meeting Schedule
February 7 – BREAKFAST MEETING: Program: Youth of the Month: Manhattan Catholic and Theodore Roosevelt Elementary Schools.
February 14 – NOON MEETING: Program: Student of the Month Presentation and Matt Walters, General Manager, Manhattan Broadcasting: Topic: “KSU Sports.”
February 21 – MORNING MEETING: Program: Ryan Smallwood, Special Ed. Instructor, Eisenhower Middle School: Topic: “Special Education and Presentation.”
February 28 – NOON MEETING: Program: Rachel Veenstra, K-State Department of Agronomy: Topic: “A Crop Judging Dynasty – 32nd National Championship.”