The annual City Wide Garage Sale is this Saturday, May 21st. The event is not a City-sponsored event, but is traditionally held on the 3rd Saturday in May. A directory and map of sales scheduled this weekend can be found on the Grain Valley News website at 2022 Garage Sale Directory. 
     Once the garage sale is over, residents can continue spring cleaning efforts at the City Wide Clean Up event on June 4th from 8:00am - 2:00pm at 405 James Rollo Drive. Seniors (65+) may call 816-847-0091 by May 30th to schedule curbside pickup of items.

Know Before You Go:

• This is a free service to Grain Valley residents. Proof of residency will be required.
• Unwanted items may be brought to the disposal site. Items not accepted are listed below.
• Please remain in your vehicles at all times. City staff will assist with the removal of all items. 
• Please bag items such as insulation, carpet scraps, and other debris or they will not be accepted. 
  
  

The following items will not be accepted:

• Tires
• Paint
• Oil
• Refrigerators
• Household Cleaners/Chemicals
• Air Conditioner Units
• Bagged Trash
• Yard Waste or Clippings

     Mid-Continent Public Library’s biannual Food for Fines program will be held from Monday, May 9, through Sunday, May 15. During the weeklong initiative, MCPL customers will have the chance to donate nonperishable food items in place of money to pay off overdue fines or replacement card charges.
     Customers with no fines or fees can also donate to “pay it forward” toward another customer’s fees. Following the completion of the program, the food will be given to charitable organizations across the Kansas City metro.
     MCPL offers the Food for Fines program twice a year—leading into the summer to encourage active participation in the annual Summer Library Program, which this year will begin on May 31, and in the fall to alleviate any barriers for students seeking resources at the Library. To date, the Library has collected more than 155,000 items for local charities through the program.
     In Grain Valley, donations will benefit Community Services League, a partner of the Grain Valley Assistance Council. 
     “Food for Fines is a great opportunity for Library customers to support their community by making donations that go directly to food pantries in their own neighborhood,” Stephen Chalmers, MCPL Excelsior Springs Branch Manager and Food for Fines coordinator said. “Plus, you can eliminate fines from your Library account or from a fellow customers.”
     Suggested donations include boxed meals, canned food, peanut butter, cereal, and pasta. Donations must not be expired, damaged, open, non-nutritious, or in a glass, plastic, or cardboard drink container. Each donated food item will count as $1 toward a customer’s fines and fees (up to $10). 

     Area high school students have organized a drive-in movie night featuring the classic family favorite, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, as part of Truman Heartland Community Foundation's (THCF) Youth Advisory Council's (YAC) fundraiser. The event will take place on Saturday, April 30, 2022, in the front parking lot of William Chrisman High School, located at 1223 N. Noland Road in Independence, Mo.
     Gates will open at 7:00 p.m. with the movie beginning at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance on the THCF website via Eventbrite for $10.00 per person, plus fees, or at the gate for $15.00 per person. Funds raised will be directed to the YAC Endowment, which helps fund grants to youth-serving nonprofits in the community.
     This year's proceeds will increase the YAC Endowment to nearly $100,000, an incredible accomplishment for our philanthropists of the future. "One of the most important and gratifying aspects of the YAC program is the ability of these students to make choices on how to put their funding to use," Diana Castillo, Director of Grantmaking and Donor Services for THCF said.
     "As a collaborative team, they choose how they will use their funds to improve the lives of children and teens in their communities. It is a powerful and empowering experience that few high school students have the opportunity to experience." In 2021, YAC awarded $3,300 to three nonprofits serving Eastern Jackson County.
     This family-friendly drive-in event will include Humdingers' food truck with all the usual favorites and a popcorn & cotton candy stand. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wheels-reels-yac-fundraiser-et-drive-in-movie-tickets-289561936547 or by calling the THCF office at (816) 836-8189. Some sponsorships are still available.
     About Youth Advisory Council (YAC): The Youth Advisory Council at Truman Heartland Community Foundation empowers area students to take an active leadership role in their communities, teaching them how to give back through fundraising, grantmaking, and volunteering. As the THCF "School of Philanthropy," YAC engages hundreds of student leaders annually, representing numerous area high schools. YAC members are committed to improving their communities and the lives of children and young people throughout our region.

     The Grain Valley Department of Bands Night of Percussion concert will be held at 6:00pm on Thursday, April 21st at the Jerry Mueller Performing Arts Center. Tickets will be available at the door. 

     Explore the many and varied ways to enjoy nature in Jackson County at the 2nd Annual GET OUTDOORS event on Saturday, April 23rd from 10:00am - 2:00pm at Jackson County’s Kemper Outdoor Education Center located at 8201 Jasper Bell Road in Fleming Park near Lake Jacomo. This free event is open to all ages and families are encouraged to attend.
     Visitors will have an opportunity to experience kayaking, fishing, archery, atlatl (spear-thrower), hiking, birding, outdoor yoga and more. All equipment will be provided, and no experience is necessary as experts will be on hand to assist. Pick up a slice of pizza from the Minsky’s Food Truck to enjoy a picnic while exploring.

     As part of Truman Heartland Community Foundation's (THCF) Youth Advisory Council fundraising activities, more than 100 area high school students have organized an 8-hour food drive on Saturday, April 9th from 8:00am - 5:00pm to benefit local community food pantries. Student volunteers will attempt to fill several box trucks with food and household goods donations and expect to collect at least 10,000 donated items at each participating Hy-Vee location in just eight hours.  
 
Locally, students will collect items this Saturday, April 9th from 8:00am - 5:00pm at Hy-Vee on 40 Hwy, Blue Springs. Donations will benefit Community Service League. 
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     The Youth Advisory Council at Truman Heartland Community Foundation empowers area students to take an active leadership role in their communities, teaching them how to give back through fundraising, grantmaking, and volunteering. YAC engages hundreds of student leaders annually, representing numerous area high schools. YAC members are committed to improving the lives of children and young people throughout our region.

     Grain Valley's Special Olympics basketball team brought home gold in their state tournament on Saturday, March 19th. 
     "This is the first time this group of kids have ever played together. Due to COVID they did not get to have their local competition, but did get to go to regionals. At regionals they lost both of their games, but were still able to move on to State Games, and they were slated to play the same two teams they played before. This time they were able to come out and beat both teams. They have worked so hard to improve their game and I am so proud of them. Now we're on to the track and field," coach Amanda Chrisman said.

     Central Jackson County Emergency Management Agency will host the 2022 Severe Weather Workshop on April 9th from 9:00am - 3:00pm at the Steven P. Westermann Training & Education Center, 4715 US Highway 40 W Blue Springs, MO 64015. 
     Residents are invited for an exciting day of weather education and to hear from experts in the field of meteorology and emergency preparedness. Table displays and take-home gifts will also be featured at the workshop. 
     There is no cost to attend and lunch will be provided. Seating is limited, so early registration is recommended. 

To register, visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4eacac22abf5c61-2022 

     Come take a look at where the GV Eagles call home.
     During Homecoming Weekend 2021, a number of alumni and their families enjoyed a tour of the updated GVHS campus.
   On Saturday morning March 19th, there will be a tour of the high school for the entire community, courtesy of the Grain Valley Education Foundation. Tours will begin at 9:00am and 10:30am, starting from the Commons area. Entrance and parking will be on the west side of the building.
     If you've ever wanted to see what the school is like inside, now is your chance. Even if you only graduated from Grain Valley 5 years ago, you won't believe what GVHS looks like now.

More tour tickets will be added if the early demand exceeds expectations.

To register for the 9:00 am tour, click on this link:  https://bit.ly/34bzDSR
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To register for the 10:30 am tour, click on this link:  https://bit.ly/3C9cVqY