The week of Nov. 12-18, 2018, marks Community Foundation Week, a celebration of the role community foundations play in promoting charitable resources building stronger communities. During this week, the Emporia Community Foundation will host its fifth annual Match Day, an event that raises awareness of the impact charitable giving has in our community. This event is an opportunity for individuals to give to charitable organizations they care about and receive a bigger bang for their buck because of the $50,000 matching pool.

Community Foundation Week was created in 1989 by former president George H.W. Bush to raise awareness of the increasing role of community foundations. These foundations are philanthropic organizations fostering local collaboration and innovation addressing persistent civic and economic challenges. Activities this week recognize the work of community foundations throughout America and their collaborative approach to working with the public, private and nonprofit sectors to address community problems. Match Day is the perfect example of how this collaboration works through donor contributions, local sponsorships and donations from private foundations or donors and their generosity in helping the nonprofit sector.

Building on the success of the past four Match Day events, the Emporia Community Foundation uses donated funds, which are proportionately matched to donor contributions for 25 participating organizations on Match Day.

From 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12, donors can go to the Flinthills Mall to visit the participating organizational booths and drop off their donation for one or more of their favorite charities.

Osage County Emergency Management and Osage County Local Emergency Planning Committee will host a table top exercise at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 15, 2018, at Lyndon Community Center, 204 S. Topeka Ave., Lyndon, Kan.

Target participants of the exercise are Osage County fire districts, Scranton Fire Department, Osage County Sheriff’s Office and dispatch center, Osage County Health Department, Osage County Road and Bridge, Osage County EMS, Osage County Local Emergency Planning Committee, and Osage County government officials.

Sign-in and registration will be at 6:30 p.m., with the exercise beginning at 6:45. Following the exercise, the Osage County Local Emergency Planning Committee will review federal Emergency Support Function No. 10, which deals with hazardous materials. At 9:15 p.m., the exercise concludes with hot wash, after action review, and check out.

Those planning to attend are asked to notify Bryce Romine, Osage County Emergency Management director, at 785-828-3323, or 131 W. 14th St., Lyndon, Kan., to obtain a count for handouts and refreshments.

Osage County Elections Clerk Dena McMahon has announced that the Osage County Courthouse will be open two evenings this week for early voting. In addition to regular hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. this week and until noon on Nov.5, the courthouse will be open until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 30, and Thursday, Nov. 1, for early voters.

For more information about voting in Osage County, contact McMahon at 785-828-4812 or visit the county clerk’s office at the courthouse at 717 Topeka Ave., Lyndon, Kan.

Grace Cathedral’s Readers Theater company will present two short live performances at the Carbondale ELM Community Building on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 11, 2018.

Grace Readers Theater members are a group of individuals who enjoy sharing stories before a live audience. The first set is an original script and a humorous excerpt from Joe Depetrios “Over the River and Through the Woods”. The other set will focus on Veterans Day. This original performance is based on authentic letters between service men and their families during World War I.

ELM volunteers will have cookies and beverages available at the opening and during intermission. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m. for socializing and refreshments, with the performance beginning at 3 p.m. There is no admission charge, but freewill donations are appreciated and will support the ELM Building with maintenance expenses.

Everyone is invited to come view the parade of flags by Carbondale Lions Club on Main Street, socialize, and enjoy some live theater in Carbondale, at 3 p.m. on Veterans Day, Sunday, Nov. 11.

TOPEKA, Kan. – Kansans who need a photo ID before the Nov. 6, 2018, general election can visit any Kansas driver’s license office, jump to the front of the line, and get one for free, according to the Kansas Department of Revenue.

To ensure the ID is free, Kansans should specifically state they need it for voting. The cost for ID cards normally is $22.

“This service is always available and it’s important for us to remind voters that it’s an option ahead of the November 6th general election,” Kansas Director of Vehicles David Harper said.

TOPEKA – The Cold Weather Rule, designed to help Kansans who are behind on their utility payments avoid disconnection during the winter months, will begin on Nov. 1, 2018, and remain in effect through March 31, 2019.

“The Kansas Corporation Commission encourages Kansans who are past-due on their utility bills and at risk for disconnection to prepare now for the colder weather by contacting their utility company to make the necessary payment arrangements,” said KCC Chairman Shari Feist Albrecht.

The Cold Weather Rule was first enacted by the KCC in 1983 to prevent utility companies from disconnecting a customer’s natural gas or electric service during periods of extreme cold. Utility companies are prohibited from disconnecting a customer’s service when temperatures are forecast to be at or below 35 degrees over the following 24 hours.

Utility companies are also required to offer a 12-month payment plan to allow consumers to maintain or re-establish utility service. Any residential customer with a past due balance will qualify for payment arrangements under the rule. However, it is the customer’s responsibility to contact the gas or electric company to make those arrangements.

Payment plan terms to maintain or restore service require that customers agree to pay 1/12th of the total amount owed, 1/12th of the current bill, the full amount of any disconnection or reconnection fee, plus any applicable deposit to the utility. The remaining balance must be paid in equal payments over the next 11 months, in addition to the current monthly bill.

The Cold Weather Rule applies only to residential customers of electric and natural gas utility companies under the KCC’s jurisdiction. More information about the Cold Weather Rule may be found at http://kcc.ks.gov/consumer-information/cold-weather-rule. Kansans may also contact their local utility company or the KCC’s Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at 800-662-0027.

OCHS Band Boosters are sponsoring a “dinner and a musical” combo before the evening performance of GREASE! at Osage City High School, on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018.

Guests will enjoy a three course dinner of salad, spaghetti with meat sauce, seasoned green beans, bread sticks, and dessert. Featured will be live entertainment by The Fabulous Tweed Tones.

Seating begins at 5:15 p.m. in the Osage City School Cafeteria, and the musical begins at 7 p.m. Following dinner, everyone will go to the auditorium to enjoy GREASE!

Dinner and show combo ticket prices are $20 adult, $18 student. Contact Michelle Robert at 785-231-9344 or the Osage City High School office at 785-528-3172 to reserve a seat.

OSAGE CITY, Kan. – The Osage County Republican Women will host a free movie at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018, at the Osage City Public Library Annex, 515 Main St. The movie, originally shown on the HBO television network, highlights the conflict that occurred when women sought to gain the right to vote in America.

This historical account of women’s suffrage is rated ’14’ and stars Hillary Swank (portraying Alice Paul, a leader of the women’s suffrage movement), Angelica Huston and Patrick Dempsey. The movie vividly recounts the struggle in the early 1900s of the brave women who single-handedly fought to secure U.S. constitutional voting rights for future generations of women. Up until that time, women had no vote, no political clout, and few rights as American citizens. It features the inspirational story of women who were determined to make a stand for women’s rights and were successful in changing the voting status of women in America.

Movie concessions at the site will be sold by 4-H members participating in the Citizenship Washington Focus Program. Area high school government class students will be assisting with the program.

Admission is free with a complimentary ticket. Youth ages 14 and older and adults are welcome to attend. Complimentary tickets are available in Burlingame, Carbondale, Lyndon, Osage City and Overbrook. For ticket location information, call Sue Anderson, OCRW secretary, at 785-836-7621.

LYNDON, Kan. – Law enforcement officers at locations across the state will be collecting unused medications for safe disposal on Oct. 27, 2018, including the Osage County Sheriff’s Office. The Osage County collection site will be open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, at the sheriff’s office, 131 W. 14th St., Lyndon, Kan.

The collection events are part of a nationwide effort to safely dispose of leftover medications to prevent accidental or intentional misuse. The sheriff also collects unused drugs year round at the sheriff’s office during regular office hours.

Since the Drug Take-Back Day program began in 2010, nearly 75 tons of unwanted medications have been collected and destroyed in Kansas alone.

“Unused medications are dangerous for kids, pets and the environment,” said Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt. “Diversion of opioid painkillers, in particular, can contribute to the misuse of these drugs that has become a serious nationwide problem. Getting leftover medicines out of the medicine cabinets and safely destroyed keeps them from falling into the wrong hands and makes our communities safer.”

Medications will be accepted at drop-off sites across the state Saturday.

OSAGE CITY, Kan. – Individuals from the Resource Center for Independent Living, Inc., on behalf of the Kansas Equipment Exchange, will be accepting donations of gently used durable medical equipment at an upcoming equipment drive. Donations of bariatric equipment are also desperately needed.

Individuals wishing to make a donation can drop off the equipment at the RCIL office 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 31, 2018, at 1137 Laing St., Osage City.

While most any donation of bariatric equipment or gently used durable medical equipment will be accepted, the following items are in need: bath benches, transfer benches, feeder seats, gait trainers, hospital beds (electric or semi; please no manual beds), patient lifts, scooters, standers, strollers, and wheelchairs (power and manual).

The Assistive Technology for Kansans KEE Reuse Program serves all Kansans with disabilities or health conditions. Since April 2003, reusing donated equipment has saved Kansas taxpayers over $10,000,000 through the program. Last year, 625 Kansans with disabilities or health conditions were given refurbished or repaired equipment from KEE Reuse providing increased independence and safety.

KEE Reuse services are especially important to those Kansans who “fall through the cracks” – folks without health insurance, who are underinsured, or have limited resources. While individuals who are Medicaid eligible take priority, everyone is eligible to receive high quality, lightly used durable medical equipment from the KEE Reuse Program.

What can you do to help? Bring in durable medical equipment that you no longer need. Get the word out to those who need equipment.

Frost on the ground and chill in the night air mean fall is here, and Melvern is celebrating the season change with a community festival this Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018. Famous for its Halloween spookiness, Melvern will scare up some family fun with haunted hayrack rides this year. The day gets underway with a craft fair at 3 p.m., followed shortly afterward by a Halloween costume parade for kids up to fifth graders. In addition to haunted rides through the countryside, evening fun includes the Dirt Grass Canyon Band performing live in the Melvern Community Building. Here’s the schedule for the day:

At 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, the Osage City Kiwanis family of clubs will install its new officers for the 2018-19 year. The installation will be at the Osage City Santa Fe Depot, 504 Market St.

The Kiwanis family is made up of Osage City Kiwanis, Kiwanis Key Club, Kiwanis Builders Club and Kiwanis K-Kids. Kansas Kiwanis Division XI Lt. Governor Paul Swanson will conduct the installation.

Families of the new officers and guests are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served afterward.

Osage County Fire District No. 2 will hold an open house in recognition of Fire Prevention Week, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018, at the fire station, 911 Laing St., Osage City, Kan.

Osage County EMS will be giving instructions on hands-only CPR, doing blood pressure checks, and providing stroke awareness information. There will be fire safety presentations and child safety seat inspections, and LifeSave (previously LifeTeam) will have its helicopter on display (it will land at OCFD No. 2 at approximately 12 p.m.) Firefighters will serve up food and door prizes while supplies last.