Member Update: August 2017

 

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Inside this Member Update:

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Message from the President Randy Pace photo

Happy Summer!

With the new class of 2018 now with us for a month or more, many things are happening, we all are busy and filled with anticipation for interaction as the Icebreakers are over. If you are a new sponsor, be sure to go over the paperwork about the background and people of your sponsored country. That will help with some of the “unknowns” that will surface from time to time.
 
The Fort’s military sponsors have some specific areas with which they’ve been tasked: housing, bank accounts, furniture, perhaps even a used car, and the coordination of getting a Kansas driver’s license.  By now, most of this has been accomplished. Be conscious of what you’re hearing from your officer. Make sure your officer is covered for all the necessary items, and pitch in where you are needed.
 
These are fun times for the Paces and they should be for you… getting to know the new officers, having them over to your home for a dinner, figuring out who they may know from previous sponsorships, and finally putting faces with names. It’s that much more fun to spend time with their children!
 
I thank you for your commitment to our chapter’s mission. Keep in touch with your officer, your involvement and communication with them is crucial! We hope you found the Sponsor Orientation helpful. Sometimes, it also raises questions. So, if you have any additional questions, concerns, or ideas, please don’t hesitate to call me.
 
Again, many thanks for all you do to support our important work!
 
Have fun!

Randy Pace
President
Board of Directors
Greater Kansas City Chapter People to People International
816-810-4004 Phone


Flag Ceremony Monday, August 14

Dear Sponsors,
flags imageThe Flag Ceremony on the 14 of August will begin at 09:30 and will last about an hour. Attendee transportation will run from the Bell Hall parking lot at 08:30 and return immediately after the ceremony up until 12:30 p.m. You are welcome and encouraged to attend. Be sure to have your base access card or otherwise make your access arrangements. A brief reception will follow, but IMS must be seated at 13:15 (1:15 p.m) for the Commandant's Opening Class Address.


Calendar

Click here to download calendar in PDF
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ice cream imageIce Cream Social! Sunday, Sept 24

Ice Cream Social! Sunday, Sept 24
You are invited to an ice cream social
Hosted by Greater Kansas City People to People
At Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead
Sunday, September 24, 2017
1:30-5:00 pm
13800 Switzer Rd. - Overland Park, Kansas 66221

  • Cost: $5.00/person
  • Free for children under 2

The Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, established in 1978, was designed to depict a 1900s Kansas farm.  Click here for a map and more information about the Farmstead

Your ticket price includes admission to the Farmstead, some children’s activities and cookies and ice cream! Please do invite family and friends who might be potential GKCPTP members and IMS sponsors (same costs apply).
 
Please RSVP, including payment by Friday, September 8, 2017. This is a hard deadline for both our chapter members and the IMS, so please contact your officer immediately to plan the day together.
 
Register and pay by credit/debit card online at www.gkcptp.org (click on events) or mail the attached form with your check to: GKCPTP c/o Kim Nitz - 14025 Knox Street - Overland Park, Kansas 66221.  Please consider a donation beyond your family’s tickets in order to help offset the costs of our IMS families.  Thank you very much!
 
Special note from our chapter president:
Those that have attended the Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead event in past years will notice that we have changed up the event this year. It no longer includes a meal for attendees as the costs for the meal, tents, chairs, service, bus rental for IMS families, etc. became prohibitive over the years. The event expenses were subsidized by our chapter and via generous grant money from our parent organization, People to People International. 

We believe the Farmstead continues to be a wonderful place for sponsors and IMS to gather and enjoy a more reasonably priced (and still subsidized) event. We hope you do, too, and encourage your feedback to me, chapter president Randy Pace.


Celebration of International Friendship, Friday, Sept 29

Hold the date. We'll have information on how to purchase tickets soon. Here is the basic information.
You are cordially invited to this very special event sponsored by the Command & General Staff College Foundation (CGSCF) and the Kansas City Chapter of People to People International. It will feature some notable speakers, presentation of the IMS class of 2018 and a musical performance.

  • Date:        Friday, September 29, 2016
  • Time:      TBA
  • Location:   Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
  • 1601 Broadway, Kansas City, Missouri 64108
  • Featuring the U.S. ARMY Chorus

Future Changes in Local Access Control (LAC) Procedures

Mike Brettman of the International Military Student Division (IMSD) at Fort Leavenworth recently notified each sponsor organization about upcoming changes to improve Local Access Control (LAC) procedures going forward.

Summer is an extremely busy time with officers leaving and officers coming to Fort Leavenworth. The Visitors Control Center (VCC) has processed over 14,000 pass applications this summer. To alleviate the summer workload, the VCC has agreed to issue the majority of sponsor LACs in January and February and have them expire a year from that date.  Below is a summary of changes:

  • All GKCPTP sponsors holding LACs renew them in February of 2018  (FYI, the Operation International sponsors will renew their LACs in January of 2018)
  • IMSD will work with GKCPTP sponsors who are going to be gone during February to find a month that suits them
  • In May of 2018 when GKCPTP has assigned sponsors for the IMS Class of 2019, IMSD will collect LACs from any sponsors from the 2018 class who are no longer sponsoring and destroy those LACs
  • New sponsors must submit their applications by the 15th of June each year so IMSD has enough time to process their paperwork before the sponsor Icebreakers.
  • IMSD will hold a meeting each Wednesday with the VCC to reconcile the LAC status (submitted LACs and what their status is). 

These improvements should lighten the load for all parties during the busiest time of the year when the officers arrive.  Please let me (Sharon Valasek) know if you have any questions.


My Life by Zahid Awan Zahid photo

GKCPTP member Zahid Awan has become known as a leader in the local Pakistani community while building a life that includes work, family, citizenship and business ownership. Learn more about this high-achieving IMS sponsor by reading his article here.


Member Testimonial: Barbara and Larry Dolci

Long-time GKCPTP members Barbara and Larry Dolci have had many, many great experiences with international military students and their families. In this linked article, they share some of those experiences with you. Be sure to take a look at this quick read and enjoy. Both Barbara and Larry are also past board members (including both serving as chapter president), and encourage all members to consider board service to enrich their membership experience.


Would You Like to Help GKCPTP Have Even More Impact?

Your help is needed and you can choose to become involved by volunteering to become involved in the newly established Outreach Committee of GKCPTP.  This committee has been charged with the responsibility of increasing membership and sponsorship---and establishing and managing programs to help increase the exposure and knowledge about the mission of PTPI and GKCPTP throughout metro Kansas City.  If you have such an interest, please contact Marlin Cone at: marlincone@gmail.com or 816-820-6698. Marlin has more to say on this topic. Read his full article here.


Ike's Invitational Golf Tourney Monday, Aug 14

Ike's Invitational Golf Tournament
Monday, August 14
The Ike’s Invitational Golf Tournament is a fun and important annual event that will allow each player and sponsor to directly connect with President Dwight D. Eisenhower via his favorite game while supporting his living legacy, People to People International (PTPI).  All proceeds from the Ike's Invitational Golf Tournament benefit PTPI’s activities which promote educational, cultural and humanitarian activities.

RSVP by Friday, August 11, 2017
 
National Golf Club of Kansas City
$200 per per person, $800 for foursome
Breakfast and Registration: 7:30 a.m.
Shotgun Format Tee Time: 9:00 a.m.
Thank You Luncheon: 1:00 p.m.
For general information contact Croix Thompson at <development@ptpi.org> or call 816.531.4701.
To learn about foursomes of GKCPTP members/friends contact Randy Pace at 816.810.4004.


Share Your Sponsoring Tips with Us

Sponsors, we’d love to hear from you! 
As we enter a new IMS sponsorship season, we would like to better harness the great ideas, insights, and challenges of our sponsor members, in hopes of enhancing the experience of all sponsors and IMS officers and families.  We recognize that our sponsors represent an amazing wealth of knowledge, and we are asking you to share it with GKCPTP, so we can summarize it for the membership in an upcoming newsletter.  Whether it’s a great activity you’ve enjoyed with your officer, or a question or observation that might be beneficial to others, please send a quick message to Kim Nitz and let us know your thoughts.