The December Senior Citizens’ Luncheon will be held Wednesday, December 4th at the Grain Valley Community Center. Menu will include BBQ brisket, roast chicken breast, scalloped potatoes, green beans, hot roll, and assorted desserts.
     Allen Lefko of Bank of Grain Valley and Jan Reding are the hosts of this month’s luncheon. Reservations are requested by Friday, November 29th by calling 816-847-6293 or emailing info@cityofgrainvalley.org. A suggested donation of $3 is welcome.
     Bingo will follow the luncheon; bingo cards are $1 for the first card, $.50 for the second card.
 

Photo credit: Valley News staff

     An evening of spooky fun is promised for trick or treaters at the annual Trail or Treat event sponsored by the City of Grain Valley on Friday, October 25th at Butterfly Trail Park. 
     The free event will be held from 6:30pm—8:30pm. Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and personal care items for the Grain Valley Assistance Council.
   According to Grain Valley Assistance Council Site Director Donna Compton, the organization is in need of the following items:
 
shampoo/conditioner
body wash
deodorant
shaving cream
paper products, including
paper towels, toilet paper, Kleenex. 
jelly in plastic jars
canned meat
boxed dinners
canned fruit
 
     More than 30 local businesses and organizations will be stationed along the trail distributing treats. Attendees can also enjoy a haunted hayride, silly slides, the gruesome graveyard, and more.
     Parking is available in several areas at the trail site. In addition, overflow parking is available at OOIDA (see page 5 for event parking map).
 For more information on the Grain Valley Assistance Council, visit www.grainvalleyassistancecouncil.org.
 
 

     The Grain Valley Police Department held Camp Focus, July 15th – 19th.  The objective of the camp was to provide the youth of Grain Valley with an opportunity to creative positive interactions between law enforcement and the youth through education and mentoring.                 
     Attendees of Camp Focus completed intense training including lectures regarding internet safety, behavior science, drug & alcohol prevention, mental health information and life skills techniques.  They took part in role play situations, peer panels, and demonstrations. 
     They also spent the afternoon at Watkins Mill State Park, fishing and engaged in other activities with volunteers from Grain Valley’s VIPS – Volunteers in Police Service and Grain Valley Police officers.  

 

Two upcoming community events at Armstrong Park will keep you cool and refreshed during these hot summer nights:
 
Join Grain Valley Parks and Recreation for a story and Popsicles in the Park on Tuesday, July 16th at 6:30pm. This free event, held at the Armstrong Park gazebo, includes a story, geared for ages 2-7. No registration required.

     The Grain Valley Historical Society will host its annual Ice Cream Social on July 25th from 6:00pm—8:00pm. Enjoy homemade desserts and visit with friends old and new.
 

​     This week, Valley News celebrates our first anniversary. Traditionally, a first anniversary gift is paper, as it symbolizes new beginnings and the fragility of a new relationship. Seems fitting that we celebrate our first year of serving our community with this print and online edition.
     We are so grateful for the partnerships we’ve established, the talented writers who share their stories, the advertisers who make this publication possible, and the readers who are so encouraging and loyal.
     When we introduced ourselves in the first edition, we quoted the famous line from Forrest Gump: “Are you crazy, or just plain stupid?” Starting a newspaper in this ever changing media landscape is risky at best, but we firmly believe in the importance of community journalism and are honored to work for you.
     As Jeff Moriarty with Johnson Press so eloquently explained,
     “We continue to play an important role in our local communities. Even in the age of social media, people still want to feel connected, to know what is going on around them, for someone to hold power to account and be an advocate for the place they live. No matter the platform, that continues to be our role.”
     Thank you for your readership and support. We look forward to serving you for many more years to come.
 

​     Care Packages From Home, a local nonprofit organization, is hosting its annual Packing Party on Monday, June 10th from Noon—4:00pm at the Elks Lodge, 100 NE Brizendine Road, Blue Springs. Volunteers are needed to help pack up care packages and prepare them to ship out to soldiers overseas.
     Donations of items for the care packages are also needed. Some of the items most wanted by soldiers include: beef jerky, tuna packets, puzzle books, flavor packets for water, hard candies that can withstand extreme temperatures, cards/dice/games, small Nerf or stress balls, recent magazines, postage/stationery, bandanas, first aid kits, travel size toiletries, DVD movies, and paperback mystery books.
     Boxes are only 12”x12”x5.5”, so bulky or heavy items are not recommended.
     For more information, call 816-507-6891, email carepackagesfromhomekc@gmail.com or visit www.carepackagesfromhomekc.org.