"Every reform movement has its lunatic fringe"

Hello and welcome to another installation of Kansan adventuring. If you're wondering if I'll ever get more on top of my updates, the answer is of course not. If you're also wondering about the title of this post, I could say stop being so curious; it's none of your damn business. But in that case you'd be a cat and you'd probably lack the digital coordination necessary to operate a computer (that's for you Kels).


Seriously though, a coworker sent me that quote because he thought it seemed fitting for our office. I like it there because everyone is just a bit nuts and a tad idealistic. Basically, we have beautiful, impractical, ambitious ideas coming out of our eyeballs. We do get things done though. Some of you may already know, but I recently designed and wrote a grant with my coworker Josh and we won $8000 to start a community walking club. Very exciting stuff, especially considering if was the first grant I ever wrote! So 1 for 1--we'll see how long that lasts.


I've also been writing the newsletter that RDA sends out to about 600 residents and businesses in the community. You can read the newsletters here (mine are March and April). I've been working with volunteer groups, especially in our community gardens. We have quite a few popping up, as one of our strategies for fighting childhood obesity in the neighborhood is fresh food access. RDA recently acquired two vacant lots across the street from my house for us to start a garden in. That's right, 5300 square feet for the girl who's only ever grown tomatoes in a pot. So, very wisely, I've decided to grow potatoes, beets, carrots, lettuce, spinach, asparagus, corn, squash, watermelon, peppers, and every herb found in North America! Oh don't fret for the poor, unsuspecting plants; my roommate works on a farm. He's guiding us and I'm writing everything down in the hope that I might be able to replicate some semblance of a garden on my own someday.


Let's see, what else have I been up to? I've been running with a Girls & Moms on the Move club, which builds young girls' self-esteem with healthy programming and a weekly walk/run leading up to a 5K. I got running shoes donated for our girls (plus pedometers, reflectors, and armbands for our community walking club--people just give you stuff if you ask nicely, who knew?) I've been working with a group of KCAI students who designed an amazing sidewalk advocacy project. The park in the video is right by my house, and I cross this terrifying road on my bike at least three times a week. Follow their blog and check this site out when it launches in a few weeks (I wrote their "about" section). They're also erecting a huge billboard on I-35 in May and the UG (local gov't here) has taken interest in the project. I help out with a Walking School Bus every Wednesday, volunteer with a Healthy Kids Club, keep up RDA's website, Facebook page, Twitter account, and I'm planning a volunteer e-newsletter. Our Farmers Market kicks off this weekend and I'm doing a healthy cooking demonstration with dandelions! (Not only are they free, but they're delicious in a salad and one of the healthiest greens you can eat!) I spoke at an Excellence in Education elementary school program, I'm coordinating our Summer Youth Employment program, and though it's crazy busy, I am loving it.


But enough about me...what are you all up to? Feel free to comment and follow my blog. You can also check out pictures on my work account Facebook "Stephanie Kollmann". Other than (all) that, I'm just meeting lots of new people and seeing as much of KC as I can. I went to a secret jazz bar the other night and my first KC barbecue experience was at Oklahoma Joe's, which Anthony Bourdain lists as one of the top 13 places to eat in the world.  There are also tons of great Mexican places here, and the first Friday of every month we check out a bunch of free art galleries in the Crossroads District. Most excitingly though, Bret Baker will be moving here this summer! So life is good. (The only thing missing in my life is more jellyfish). Message me and follow RDA on the web to help build up our exposure! All my love from KC...

Procrastination at its finest...

Sophomore year of high school, a lovely lady named Christy Gettler took the time to create and honor me with a "World's Best Procrastinator" award, because I was, indeed, the finest procrastinator that the hallowed halls of Mother of Mercy had ever seen. I thought I had moved on, but alas, I've been in Kansas City almost a month and have yet to write a single word to you, my adoring public. This is not entirely my fault. Bret Baker has been in KCK for the past week and a half and he's terribly distracting. Also, there's a puppy in my office. A PUPPY.

So you can't really blame me. But now its time to get down to business. Some of you, being the curious cats that you are, have expressed interest in my work out here. Others, like my grandparents, are genetically obligated to give a crap about me. So, in either case, I will do my utmost to lay down faithfully the epic saga of my Kansan travels. (You may have noticed that that is the second time I have used Kansan on this blog and if you know me at all, you know that it is indeed the correct term for a person residing in Kansas. Just in case you fools believed it to be Kansian, or, god help us, Kasonite.)

So. Where to begin? Let us take the sage advice of one of my favorite authors and begin at the beginning and go on till we come to the end: then stop. After series of wonderful going away parties, thrown by my friends and family and involving shameless deception, plenty of booze, and a flying monkey cake, I departed for Albuquerque, NM for a four day workshop. There were about 150 other potential VISTAs there, and despite my worries, everyone was great. I've learned to be wary of large groups of do-gooders. They can be super competitive and pretentious, but everyone I met was incredibly open-minded and cooperative. Luckily I'll be seeing several of the people I befriended in a few weeks for In Service Training in St. Louis. The workshops themselves focused on poverty, adapting to city cultures, volunteer recruitment, and capacity building. I learned some excellent public relations tactics to combat my innate inclination toward awkwardness and discovered so many great resources for living on a budget, reaching out to communities, and retaining volunteers. I was truly inspired every day.

We were only able to see a bit of the surrounding area in ABQ, but we managed to have some good times in the Nob Hill area. (I'll get pictures up here soon.) I purchased a stunning pair of cowboy boots from a thrift store, which I'm sure only a select few of you will care about (Ami Iannone), but I've always wanted to buy boots out west, so I feel the need to tell everyone about them.

We were sworn in as VISTAs on the last day, which felt a little bit like joining the army

(I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; That I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; And that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. ) but still thrilled me to my bones. I was feeling unstoppable as we head out of ABQ, but actually getting to Kansas turned out to be a tad tricky. About 15 of us were on a flight from ABQ to Dallas, which was delayed due to wildfires. Then we got stuck in Dallas for the night because Kansas was getting slammed by a blizzard. So, caught between ravaging fires and howling snow, we eventually made our way to the Sunflower State.

I'm living in Kansas City, Kansas (as opposed to Kansas City, Missouri) in the neighborhood of Rosedale. Rosedale used to be its own city and was incorporated in the 20s. It's a very small, very defined area of about 4 square miles, located in Wyandotte, the poorest county in Kansas. (Ironically, we abut Johnson County, the richest in Kansas.) I'm working for the Rosedale Development Association, which is involved with just about everything that goes on in Rosedale. For instance, since I've been there, we've rescued an abandoned dog, painted over graffiti, recommended contractors for minor home repair, found affordable housing for an individual, placed volunteers in projects around the community, and a thousand other things. Plus there are programs that we are directly involved in, like the Summer Youth Employment, Green Corridor, Healthy Kids Initiative, Community Gardens, Complete Streets, and the Rosedale Farmers Market. We write a hella grants and no one there makes much money, but it's never boring. 

More to come later this week on what I've I been doing here.

All my love to Ohio...

(Danke to my darling sister Kelsey for editing!)