The Armourdale Renewal Association will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, Feb. 18.

The meeting will be held from 6-7 p.m. at the Armourdale Recreation Center, located at 730 Osage Ave.

Habitat for Humanity's Tom Lally will be the event's guest speaker. Refreshments will be served and there is no charge for the event. For more information, contact Kim at (913) 371-5696.

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The KCK Second Friday Downtown Art Walk will be held this Friday from 5-8 p.m. at scattered locations in downtown Kansas City, Kan.

A number of locations will host art walk displays on Friday.

• YWCA 6th Street Gallery: Alexander Austin's "Earnest to Epic, off the street" paintings and drawings displays will be available for display beginning Friday. An opening reception will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Friday. The display will be available until March 10.

• Imago Dei Arts Center: Greg Cissell's "Draws Me Coser" will have its opening reception at the Granada Theatre at 10th and Minnesota Avenue. The reception will be held from 5-8 p.m. and the display wil last until March. 6.

• KCK Public Library: Opened until 5 p.m. Friday, the "Welcome to Our World" exhibit will display a traveling exhibit created by people with developmental disabilities.

• Kaw Valley Arts and Humanities Gallery: Paintings and drawings from Melanie Lowrance and Rachel Mindrup will be available at 756 Armstrong. The opening reception will be held from 5-8 p.m. this Friday and the exhibit is viewable by appointment until March 5.

• Red Door Studios: An "Erotic Art Show" will be presented by Mark Glover. The exhibit will be viewable from 5-8 p.m. this Friday. Red Door Studios is located at 738 Armstrong Ave.

• Pressroom Studios: Studios of Darrell Trubey, George Morris, Michael Brantley, Jose Faus, Kim Eichler-Messmer and Carol Kariotis will be available for viewing at 750 Armstrong.

• Wheat State Pizza: Jim Russell's Paintings will hang at 612 N. 5th Street.

• Fat Matt's Vortex, 411 N. 6th Street, will host an after party. El Camino Real will also be opened for visitors.

The West Wyandotte Branch of the Kansas City, Kan., Public Library will be offering free events this week.

Here are the dates, times and in some cases, different locations, from a KCKPL press release:

Book Sale Cart – Good books at great prices!  Check out our February book sale cart filled with popular fiction authors.  All titles $1.

Mondays, February 1, 6 p.m. – Learn English – Join us for an informal gathering to practice and refine your English.  Spend one-on-one time with an English speaker.  All languages welcome.

Thursday, February 4, 10 a.m. - Bookfix @ Scooter's Coffeehouse - Join us for a discussion of the book Animal Farm by George Orwell.  Scooter's is in the Legends at Village West.

Thursday, February 4, 10 a.m. – Toddler time (18-36 years old)

Thursday, February 4, 9:30 a.m. – A computer class on using Microsoft Power Point will be presented.

St. Mary – St. Anthony Church will host a bingo and social event on Sunday, Feb. 21.

The event will begin at 2 p.m. at the Bishop Forest Church Hall, located at 615 N. 7th Street.

A $5 ticket admission will get you a bingo card, free desserts, popcorn, coffee and tea. Beer and soda will be available for purchase.

For more information, contact Carol Shomin at (913) 897-4833 or the Rectory Office. Tickets may be purchased in advance from the Rectory Office or Teresa’s Hair Salon, 508 North 6th or at the door on Sunday.

There's still room to celebrate Christmas at the Strawberry Hill Ethnic Museum & Cultural Center, located at 720 N. 4th Street, in Kansas City, Kan. 

In “Keeping Christ in Christmas,” the Museum will have an exhibit of 32 donated Nativity sets that have been displayed throughout the Chapel.
 
The Christmas exhibits are decorated with customs from Croatia, Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Slovenia, The Netherlands, Russia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, African-American, Belgium, Greece, Denmark and Mexico.  

Share in the traditions of yesteryear that continue with families of today.
 
The Christmas exhibits opened on Nov. 21, 2009, and will remain open every Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 5 p.m., through Sunday, January 31, 2010.

Take a tour of the beautiful Museum. 

The cost for a tour is $7 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-12.  Children age 5 and under are free. Visit the gift shop and stop by the Tea Room for some special desserts.  Tea Room hours are Saturday and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. throughout the holiday.
 
The Victorian Mansion was built in 1887 for John Scroggs, a prominent attorney in Wyandotte County for his wife Margaret Cruise-Scroggs. In 1919 it became St. John's Orphanage.

In 1988 the house became the Strawberry Hill Ethnic Museum and Cultural Center dedicated to preserving the ethnic heritage of the surrounding areas.
          
If you are interested in booking a group tour of 15 or more please call the Strawberry Hill Museum at (913) 371-3264 or (913) 371-0081 to make a reservation. 

All contributions preserve the Kansas City, Kan., landmark.

El Centro, Inc. will provide free classes in financial literacy, home improvement, and homebuyer education. These classes are open to the public and are presented at no charge.

All classes are held at 650 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas, 66101. Call (913) 677-0100 to register. Class schedules are listed below.

El Centro, Inc. is also organizing volunteer income tax assistance for households earning less than $49,000 per year.

These sessions are free and open to the public. Sessions will be held either at Catholic Charities, 2200 Central Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas, 66102, or at Living Waters Fellowship Church, 217 W. Park Street, Olathe, Kansas, 66061.

Contact Catholic Charities at (913) 621-1504 and Living Waters Fellowship Church at (913) 780-1655. 

Class schedules are listed after the jump.

(Release courtesy of the Unified Government)

Addressing the theme, "Embracing The Dream; Striving For Peace, Economic and Moral Justice At Home and Worldwide", the Reverend Dr. Mack King Carter, Pastor Emeritus of the New Mount Olive Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, will be the keynote speaker for the 2010 Kansas City, Kan., Martin Luther King' Jr. Holiday Celebration at 11 a.m. on Monday January 18, 2010 at the Jack Reardon Civic Center located at 5th and Minnesota Avenue

Rev. Dr. Mack King Carter has a long history of civic, civil rights and social justice involvement dating back to the days of the Civil Rights Movement where marches, protest, sit-ins and civil unrest marked a change in the consciousness of the nation.

He is considered to be a "preacher's preacher" and is noted for his biblical scholarship, his exegetical expertise and masterful skill in homiletics and hermeneutics. He is a noted prophet, pastor, teacher, author and lecturer, and has led the New Mount Olive Baptist Church to greater heights in ministry. He retired as the senior pastor on September 30, 2009.

Dr. Carter is considered one of America's great African American pulpiteers as he travels throughout the United States and abroad preaching, teaching and lecturing.

His classes at the National Baptist Convention congress of Christian Education are packed to capacity with preachers and laypersons who come each year to hear one of God's master teachers.

Dr. Carter is a native of Ocala, Florida. He received an Associate of Arts degree in 1967 from Central Florida Community College, a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1970 from the University of Florida, a Master of Divinity degree in 1976 from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctorate of Ministry degree in 1978 from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

He has completed additional studies at Florida Memorial College in Miami, Florida and has received honorary doctorate degrees from Bethune Cookman College and Florida Memorial College.

Prior to accepting the call to Pastor the New Mount Olive Baptist Church, Dr. Carter served Calvary, Watula and St. John Baptist Churches in Ocala, Florida and Green Castle Baptist Church in Prospect, Kentucky.

He is the author of four books including, A Catechism for Baptist, To Calvary and Beyond, A Quest for Freedom and Interpreting the Will of God.

He has been married to Patricia A. Thomas Carter since 1973 and he is a proud father of two daughters, Annalisa Robinson-Melton and Pamela Latrice Johnson. He is also the proud grandfather of Brittany N. Robinson and Carter Nathaniel Johnson.

In addition to the 11 a.m. Mass Celebration, the annual "Motorcade For Hunger" will depart from the Mt. Zion Baptist Church parking lot promptly at 10 a.m. and will arrive at the Reardon Civic Center by the 11 a.m. Celebration service where the King Mass Choir will  perform under the directorship of  Rev. George DeBose. 

Rev. DeBose will be assisted by Mrs. Alecia Saunders. The music will be inspiring and will touch the hearts of all who listens. The Greater Pentecostal Temple Dance Ministry will also participate through their Praise Dancing Ministry.

The celebration will include youth highlights and over $20,000.00 in scholarships will be awarded to graduating high school seniors through the Rev. C. E. Taylor/MLK, Jr. Educational Awards Program.  The youth program will feature local youth talent from elementary schools in the Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools District and Kiddie Kollege.

The annual scholarship award winners will be announced and students will be on hand to receive their educational scholarship awards.

Special accommodations will be made for the physically challenged and the hearing impaired.  A sign language interpreter will also be on hand.

There will be a voter registration booth set up with official registrars in attendance to conduct on-the-spot registration for persons not registered to vote.

This year's celebration is sponsored by Sprint, Southwestern Bell/SBC, The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, Fred Ball Food Stores,  Kansas City, Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Board of Public Utilities, Kansas Gas Service, Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, Proctor and Gamble, Construction and General Laborers AFL-CIO #1290, Hilton Garden Inn, Mark One Electric Co., Inc., Landmark Mortgage Co., UMB Bank, The Community Foundation of Wyandotte County, J.E. Dunn Construction Co., Church of the Resurrection, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, the Raphael Hotel Group,  Western Wyandotte Investors, LLC and Bank Midwest.

Kaw Valley District Ushers, Prince Hall Masons, F & AM and PRIDE will assist in seating and management.

For additional information, contact:  LaVert Murray, General Coordinator at (913) 334-2355; or Rev. Tony Carter, General Program Chairman at (913) 342-0306 or (913)515-4354 or (913)342-0051; or Tyszu Coggs, Publicity Chairperson at (913) 544-2271.

From a press release:

Mondays, January 4, 11 and 25, 6 p.m. – Learn English – Join us for an informal gathering to practice and refine your English.  Spend one-on-one time with an English speaker.  All languages welcome.

Thursday, January 7, 10 a.m. - Bookfix at Scooter's Coffeehouse - Join us for a discussion of the book A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horwitz.  Scooter's is in the Legends at Village West.

Tuesday, January 12, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. -  Interview Workshop - Workforce Partnership presents a workshop on preparing for an interview, proper attire, and common questions not only you will be asked, but that you should be asking. Registration required; call (913) 596-5800.

Thursday, January 14, 7 p.m. – Inspirational Book Club – Join us for a discussion of the inspirational book Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan.

Monday, January 18, 12:30 p.m. – Clueless: A Mystery Book Club – Join this mystery loving group for a discussion of the book Brutal Telling by Louise Penny. Clueless is held at Panera Bread in the Legends at Village West.

Wednesday, January 20, 7 p.m. – Jane Austen Book Club – Join us for a discussion of Jane’s classic novel Emma.  Discussion led by an official member of the Jane Austen Society.

Saturday and Sunday, January 23 and 24 – Mini Book Sale – Good books at great prices!  Join us for the first mini book sale of the year.  Good selection of fiction, cookbooks, gardening, computer and kid’s books.  Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 1pm-5pm.  Hardbacks $1, fiction paperbacks .50 and Harlequin and Silhouette romance books 4/$1.

Tuesday, January 26, 6:30 p.m. – Movie Night: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs – Flint, a scientific minded inventor, tries to solve world hunger only to see things go awry as food falls from the sky in abundance.  This is the most delicious event since macaroni met cheese!  Rated PG.  Kids under 9 must be with an adult.

Saturday, January 30, 9 a.m. – Practice ACT Test – High school students are invited to register for a full length practice ACT test. Students will experience the testing environment as well as the types of questions they'll find on a real ACT test. Registration required. Exam will take approximately 3 1/2 hours.

ALAN HOSKINS, Kansan Contributor

The Kansas Secretary of Health and Environment and the great grand-daughter of Booker T. Washington headline the Third Annual “Breaking the Silence” Environmental Conference to be held at the Reardon Convention Center in downtown Kansas City, Kan., Friday and Saturday, Jan. 8-9.

Roderick Bremby, the Secretary of Health and Environment for the state of Kansas, and Sarah O’Neal Rush, the great grand-daughter of Booker T. Washington, will deliver the keynote addresses on Saturday morning.

The conference will also feature more than a dozen breakout sessions and free health screenings for anyone who attends. Co-produced by Kansas City Kansas Community College and the Wyandotte County Health Department, admission is just $1 a day. The conference will be held from 5-10 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday.

Event director Richard Mabion said the conference is making a statement in response to a recent survey by the Kansas Health Institute.

“When we became aware of a report that was issued that ranked the health of Kansas residents in all 105 counties, we were very disturbed to find that Wyandotte Country received the worst ranking (105th) for health care,” said Mabion.

The conference will open with two performers on Friday night – story teller Molly Postlewait and poet laureate Lloyd Daniel. “We will use Friday as a way for us to bond for a weekend of Environmental Education,” said Mabion.

One of the presentations will be from the KC Plant Project, a coalition that has come together to publicize the Kansas City Honeywell Nuclear Weapons plant. Scheduled speakers are Jay Coghlan from Nuke Watch, N.M., who will speak on the U.S. Nuclear Weapons Complex; and Maurice Copeland, who will address health related issues affected by nuclear power.

Breakout sections will cover a wide variety of areas ranging from energy efficiency, health research, sustainable food production and environment law to prisoner’s re-entry, No Child Left Inside, Job Core for Single Parents and Food, Not Lawns.

The conference will conclude with the showing of an award-winning documentary, “Taking Root,” which tells the dramatic story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai, whose simple act of planning trees grew into a nationwide movement to safeguard the environment, protect human rights and defend democracy.

Further conference details can be found on-line at www.breakingthesilence.us.

(PRESS RELEASE)

Imago Dei is pleased to announce the retrospective exhibition of Kansas City area artist George Chrisman. 

The opening reception, scheduled for Friday, January 8th from 5pm to 8pm, will be held at the Imago Dei Arts Center located at 1015 Minnesota Ave, Kansas City, KS 66101.

“Imago Dei is fortunate to have the opportunity to feature the work of an artist with such a distinguished career,” said Lori Triplett, Executive Director of Imago Dei. “George has offered a body of work that contributes to the ever increasing quality level of artwork showcased in the Kansas City, Kansas community.”

George Chrisman was an art instructor at Grandview High School for 31 years and at Avila College for 12 years. While at Avila, he also served as director of the Thornhill Gallery.

George produces functional stoneware, porcelain and paintings and has exhibited internationally in multiple group and solo exhibitions over five decades. George maintains a studio at his home and at Red Star Studios in the Crossroads Arts District.

The work of George Chrisman will be on display from January 5th, 2010 to February 6th, 2010. The Imago Dei Arts Center is open from 10am to 5pm, Tuesday through Saturday.

The F.L. Schlagle Library at Wyandotte County Lake will celebrate "America Recycles Day" on Saturday, Nov. 21.

The event begins at noon at the lake, which is located at 4051 West Drive.

Participants will create their own landfill and other activities related to recycling. The "Gooey Garbage" demonstration will be held.

Those interested are also asked to bring a recycled glass jar, such as one used for baby food, olives, pimentos and other smaller items. With the glasses, a holiday snow globe will be made.

For more information about the event, contact the library at (913) 299-2384.