December 1, 2025 • 17 mins
We highlight how Manhattan Kiwanis turns pancakes, paint, and planning into visible community impact, from the Blue Mont Hill overlook to scholarships and a revived kids’ parade. Victor Steiner and Kent Foster share details on fundraising, accessibility, and inviting new members to carry the work forward.
• 74-year pancake feed at Pottorf Hall, December 13, 7–1
• Funds maintenance for the hillside letters and the accessible overlook
• Scholarships, including Senior Honors recognition and drawing
• Harold Bailey 4-H scholarship and K-family scholarship
• Key Club and Circle K support across high school and college
• Plan to revive a patriotic kids’ parade for 2026
• Proposed picnic shelter delayed due to higher costs
• Collaboration with Solar Kiwanis to share manpower
• Membership drive to bring in younger volunteers
13th for the for the pancake feed of Pottorf Hall. And I'll have membership applications available that day.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_02 (00:00):
Philanthropy Today is brought to you by the Greater
Manhattan Community Foundation.
In this episode, we feature arecently broadcast segment of
the GMTF Community Hour, asheard on News Radio KMAN.
We are back at segment numberthree of the GMTF Community Hour
here on News Radio KMAN.
The Manhattan Kiwanas Club hasbeen um part of this community.
(00:22):
I remember, Kent, um it was whatthree, four years ago.
You had your 100th anniversary.
SPEAKER_00 (00:30):
Yeah, maybe maybe five years ago.
Five years.
Not that long ago.
SPEAKER_02 (00:34):
We were out of prairie wood.
I had the opportunity to MC thatevent.
That's exactly right.
Yeah.
And I got to learn a lot aboutuh the Kiwanis organization in
its uh own right.
One of my uh best friends is uhum I guess president or governor
governor of you know theNebraska and Iowa uh district.
(00:57):
And and so uh, you know, we'vetalked about a number of
different things and helped, youknow, worked with him on a
number of different things.
And so you guys, um, of course,you are probably best known as
an organization and for what youhave done with the Manhattan
Hill, the lettering staging ofthat.
SPEAKER_00 (01:20):
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (01:20):
Before we get talking about this, I probably
ought to introduce you.
It's kind of important to knowour listeners to know.
Yeah, uh Victor Steiner is overin the corner.
Victor, I know you've been herebefore.
Thanks for being a part of theshow again today.
How you been?
Doing very well.
SPEAKER_01 (01:34):
So kind of enjoying this lovely winter weather we're
having this morning and justfestival boy.
You're the only one I've talkedto that's has.
I kind of like a little snow.
SPEAKER_02 (01:44):
Uh-huh.
Okay.
Okay.
So so tell me about your uhparticipation in Kawanas.
What's your background there?
SPEAKER_01 (01:50):
Well, I've been a member since uh tw you know
2007.
Um, I've got, you know, all theleadership in the local level.
We've kind of gone through it.
I've been the governor of theKansas district for Kianas in
22-23.
So we just are uh getting to bea smaller club, so it's kind of
all hands-on decks on mostprojects.
SPEAKER_02 (02:10):
Because I remember you and I had some some talks
there about the you know, whenyou had your 100th anniversary
celebration as a club here.
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (02:19):
And we've enjoyed it a lot, and we've done a lot of
projects, you know, over theyears that we're kind of
interested or in enjoying.
SPEAKER_02 (02:28):
Uh what feeds your desire to be a member of the
Kiwanas Club?
SPEAKER_01 (02:32):
Oh, I just like to help, you know, serve the
community in some way, to getback to the community that I
live in.
I enjoy working, you know, atthe hill on the letters you'd
mentioned.
Uh we work with a farmhouseorganization and just enjoy
working with the college age,you know, groups and whatnot.
So it's just fun to do.
SPEAKER_02 (02:53):
What'd you do for a living?
SPEAKER_01 (02:54):
I'm in the plumbing and heating business.
So Bob's plumbing is where Istill work there.
So you're you're not retired.
I'm not retired, so I might looklike I should be able to do
that.
What are you waiting for?
SPEAKER_02 (03:09):
Well, Bob's have been, I mean, you guys have been
around for a long time, and youknow, I've been a part of some
family things too.
Right.
And uh, you know, we just haveum had a you know, gosh, you've
been around forever, and it'sneat that and that's one of the
things I think it's cool whenyou have a a company, yeah, a
business that gets involved inan organization like Kwantis.
(03:31):
It becomes an extra added bonusfor you and and and your people
to to be a part of these things.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (03:37):
Well, we're on the third generation now, and so
we'll have to get that youngergroup involved.
But they, you know, with thekids and everything, that's you
know, they're they're plentybusy at that time.
SPEAKER_02 (03:47):
So Kent Foster is the other dude that's joining us
here.
And uh Kent, uh let's let's talkabout the same questions here.
You've been in Kwanis for forquite a while, and you've had a
hand with pen and paper in a lotof things.
SPEAKER_00 (04:00):
Right.
We have.
I have uh been in since like Ithink about 1984.
So that's quite a few years.
Really?
SPEAKER_02 (04:06):
That's forty-some years of 41 years of my remedial
math.
SPEAKER_00 (04:10):
I think I've done about every project that we have
in the club, except I've notbeen secretary or treasurer.
SPEAKER_02 (04:17):
So uh Are you holding out for that?
SPEAKER_00 (04:19):
No, I'm not.
I'm not sure.
SPEAKER_02 (04:20):
Are you looking for financial incentive for them to
draft you into that?
Or is there a particular reasonwhy you don't want them to hire
you?
SPEAKER_00 (04:28):
I know that's uh Secretary Treasurer probably
does the biggest share of thework in the club.
SPEAKER_02 (04:32):
So well, and and and you're an architect.
SPEAKER_00 (04:35):
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (04:36):
And um you have had a key role in the designing of
that deck that now oversees uhthe Manhattan lettering on the
hill.
SPEAKER_00 (04:45):
Yeah, that was our 100th year anniversary project
that we wanted to do.
And being an architect, I alwaysknew the value of handicap
accessibility, you know, arounduh to various places.
And so we wanted to do somethingup on the hill, and we decided
to do an overlook, but we madeit handicap accessible.
So we uh and it's just peopleare just up there all the time.
(05:08):
I drive by and look up, andthere's people up there, or we
uh whitewash the letters acouple of times a year, and the
Sunday that we're there, uh aSunday, and there's people just
coming in and out and in andout, you know, up there to you
know, overlook, you know,whether it's bad weather or good
weather.
It's just always traffic movingup there, which I'm amazed at.
SPEAKER_02 (05:30):
So do you do you do you like to walk up and down the
letters, you know, when you'rewhitewashing them?
SPEAKER_00 (05:35):
You know, we used to do that years ago, but now we
employ the um uh farmhouse.
The farmhouse boys boys, andthey're younger and they have
lots of energy and better shoes.
SPEAKER_02 (05:46):
They don't have the wisdom that you have gained just
yet, right?
Well, and and the Kawanis Clubhas um obviously, you know, the
gained a reputation because ofthat work there, and that's
probably the most notable workthat you do is you know, you
have this gift of maintenanceand now the the overlay.
SPEAKER_00 (06:04):
We're trying to get the city to let us put Kowanis
up on that water tower, buthow's that working?
Not very well.
SPEAKER_02 (06:13):
Does it uh is there a color clash there?
SPEAKER_00 (06:16):
No, the water tower is a light blue, and our colors
are blue, so dark blue.
Seems to make sense for me.
I know it.
SPEAKER_02 (06:22):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (06:23):
We've got an apple up there, a big giant koanis in
the ball.
Well, okay.
SPEAKER_02 (06:26):
So what you need to do then is you need to make
every year the mayor an honorarymember.
unknown (06:32):
There you go.
SPEAKER_00 (06:35):
All right.
SPEAKER_02 (06:36):
Hey, let's talk about some things.
Uh and and this is uh gosh, 74years now.
You have your annual pancakefeed.
And Victor, this is uh, youknow, this is a long time thing.
This is one of the things thathelps raise money for the work
that you do there.
Um not just for, you know, thatoverlook, the maintenance of the
(06:56):
sign, but you've got a lot ofother projects that the
Manhattan Quantas Club isinvolved in.
SPEAKER_01 (07:00):
No, this is by far biggest fundraiser of the year.
Um, I mean, it helps with thesign, it helps with a lot of our
scholarships that we may get tolater.
Uh, we have three or fourdifferent scholarships that uh
we make do.
And so yeah, it all goes intothat.
We also have a you know, CircleK and a key club, which are high
school and college age groups inthe Quantus family that we this
(07:23):
helps support them and theiractivities and and whatnot.
SPEAKER_02 (07:27):
You got your hands full.
SPEAKER_01 (07:28):
Yes, we do.
SPEAKER_02 (07:29):
Okay.
Well, let's talk a bit aboutsome of the specifics of the
pancake feed.
When, where?
SPEAKER_01 (07:34):
Okay, well, it's a pot or fall.
It's December 13th, uh, fromseven to one.
Uh it's a ten dollar don ordonation.
Uh we have uh sausage and eggsthat you have to purchase extra,
or if you want extra, you dothat.
Um there's gonna be a smallsilent auction this year.
(07:54):
Uh some of the sponsors werekind enough to just go ahead and
give us some sponsor, you know,for silent auction items.
So there'll be a small auctionand we're looking forward to
seeing everyone out there.
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (08:06):
Potter Fall has been the host of that probably
forever, hasn't it?
Well, it seems like it for a lotof years.
SPEAKER_00 (08:13):
We used to do it down in the community building.
SPEAKER_02 (08:15):
Oh, that's right, down there for that humble.
SPEAKER_00 (08:17):
Everything upstairs and set it up and then carry
everything up.
And the older you get, that'stougher and tougher, isn't it,
Kent?
Yeah, it was.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (08:25):
Yeah.
Well, okay, so we um want tomake sure that folks know about
that December 13th.
We'll we'll get that uh notedhere.
Let's talk a bit about somethingelse that uh, you know, the the
Kwantis organization, Kent, isvery, very, let's say patriotic.
And 2026 is a big year for theUnited States of America.
(08:49):
And uh so let's talk a bit aboutwhat the local Kiwanians are
doing to celebrate uh the firsttime.
SPEAKER_00 (08:54):
Our past members uh suggested this item to us.
And so years ago, I don't knowif you might remember, we used
to have a a pet and hobbyparade, and we'd invite all the
elementary kids to decor uptheir bicycles and tricycles and
wagons and bring their dogs, andand we just parade down points.
SPEAKER_02 (09:12):
And did you ever do that as a kid?
SPEAKER_00 (09:14):
No, I did not.
SPEAKER_02 (09:15):
See, I I never saw one, but I remember uh talking
about it at your hundredthanniversary that that used to
have these things, and it wasquite a spectacle.
SPEAKER_00 (09:24):
So it was, and so you know, it changed over the
years, it got smaller andsmaller, and we ended up
terminating it in about 19 or2004, I think, somewhere in
there.
Anyway, so we thought for the250th anniversary, why not we at
least reintroduce that for maybea one-time year and uh make it a
(09:46):
uh you know USA theme, you know,America theme, red, white, and
blue, or some sort of patriotictheme, and kids can decorate up
their their uh wagons ortricycles or pets, and we'll
parade around point around thecity park so we won't get out in
the traffic or anything.
But we thought that might be anice celebration and get the
(10:06):
kids excited about that sinceit's the uh 250th April.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (10:11):
Are you gonna are you gonna have a float?
SPEAKER_00 (10:13):
You're gonna well we haven't talked about all the
details yet, so I'm not surewhat we'll do.
SPEAKER_02 (10:18):
Victor, you'll be there.
SPEAKER_01 (10:20):
I'll be there.
You'll be there.
Uh I mean, we used to hand outlittle awards and ribbons, and
that's probably more where I'lltend to be.
Is that the, you know, justgiving little prizes for the
kids or people who show up andenter.
Always a lot of fun.
SPEAKER_00 (10:34):
It used to be an all-day affair.
They had it at the communitybuilding, and it was all day,
you know, they gave out awards,and so it was a big deal back in
the day.
SPEAKER_02 (10:43):
Okay.
Uh, Victor, earlier we hadtalked about, you know, some of
the uh things that you have donein terms of scholarships.
And you have uh a seniors onyour recognition.
Right.
And obviously what you do.
And let's let's talk a bit aboutthose scholarships and and how a
youngster may apply and some ofthe aspects that are important
(11:08):
to the Kawantas in order to forsome of these uh uh applicants
to win.
SPEAKER_01 (11:13):
Well, the senior honors is uh at Manhattan High
School, uh we just giverecognition to any student that
has a 3.5 grade point average orhigher.
I know.
And so you know, not that justyou know, it's a very good path
or academics.
Um this year we've got someextra money in our scholarship,
so we're just gonna maybe uhjust have a drawing.
(11:37):
So whoever shows up at that uhis eligible to receive a
scholarship that day.
Uh we have our normalscholarships.
Um, like I said, we have a 4-Hscholarship, which is a Harold
Bailey scholarship for the 4-H,and they pick out an applicant,
you know, the 4-H local 4-Hpeople do that, send it to us,
and we read the case.
(11:59):
Yeah, he was great person, greatquantian.
So and then we have our otherscholarship, which is just a uh
K family scholarship.
Uh, here again, if you're a highschool student in the area and
has, you know, joined the keyclub uh and turn your
application in, uh, you'reeligible.
You can do it in your college.
(12:21):
I mean, we like academics, butwe also like um they need to be
involved in community service.
We kind of look at that as partof our criteria also.
How much of these scholarships?
What's the value?
Well, uh a thousand dollars,most of them.
That's a that's a nice chunk.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (12:39):
Yeah.
Goes a long way for some ofthese.
Right.
Is there a place where um onlinethat you have kids that can
apply or at least get moreinformation on that?
Well, I'm not Mr.
SPEAKER_01 (12:51):
Technical here.
Uh can't you know?
SPEAKER_00 (12:53):
I think we do.
We have an application thatwe've uh fill out on.
I think they do put it on our onour website website.
Um and I forget, it usuallycomes due like April 1st or
right in that period of time sokids have time to you know get
it submitted and and apply it,or then it's product sent out to
the college or whatever they'regoing.
(13:13):
So so um but yeah, we'll have aa uh an application that they
fill out, and it's pretty simpleapplication.
They just need to you know takethe effort to fill it out.
Yeah, and we'll do the samething.
The one that we're gonna have adrawing for at the senior
honors, they'll have to fill outthe application and submit it
and and then it'll getprocessed.
SPEAKER_02 (13:34):
So and and I'm going down my notes here.
You have your senior honorsrecognition, and then we talk
about scholarship.
Are those two different things?
SPEAKER_00 (13:43):
They are okay.
The senior honors, like Victorsaid, we're just recognizing the
graduating seniors with a 3.5 orbetter.
And we wanted to do something alittle bit more than just simply
give them a certificate.
So that's where we came up withthis idea of maybe we'll have a
uh drawing for a scholarship.
So because normally ourscholarships go to a student
(14:06):
that some has some affiliationwith the Koanist Club, you know,
a granddaughter or or relativeof some sort, or is in the key
club or the circle K or somerelationship.
But the senior honors, all thosethat attend that, now they've
actually now have a relationshipwith the Koanist Club because
(14:27):
we've invited them.
So that's why we thought, let'soffer them a scholarship or at
least through a drawing, sortof.
SPEAKER_02 (14:34):
Okay.
You got any projects in theworks in the near future?
Well, uh, I guess you're anarchitect, you could never give
that up.
SPEAKER_00 (14:42):
No, never get that.
SPEAKER_02 (14:44):
And I'm right about that, aren't I, Victor?
That's right.
That's right.
SPEAKER_00 (14:46):
We do have a project.
We just had to put it on holdfor a while.
We'd like to do a picnic shelterup on the Blue Mont Hill area.
There's an open area wherethere's a couple of picnic
tables.
We really would like to do that.
We have some funds set aside,but the estimate that we got was
quite a bit more than what wehave funded right now.
SPEAKER_02 (15:08):
So we're gonna kind of build up that fund and those
building costs have kind of goneup a little bit, haven't they?
Yeah.
If it wasn't for those plumbers.
Yeah, that's right.
That's right.
The picnic shelter.
Yeah.
That's right.
That's right.
Well, you guys, um, you know,there's we've got a number of
(15:29):
civic organizations, and they'reall wonderful.
They all have their specificpurpose in town and their goals,
and and and it's greatcamaraderie.
But, you know, the I uh we doknow that you know the civic
organizations, whether it'sOptimus, Rotary, um, Lions, they
(15:49):
all seem to have, like us, agingmembers.
SPEAKER_00 (15:52):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (15:53):
And, you know, membership is always open.
You don't have to have an AARPcard in order to qualify.
But you're always looking fornew members, aren't you, Victor?
SPEAKER_01 (16:05):
Oh, yes, 100% so.
Uh like I say, it's a struggle,uh, but we'll, you know, just
have to invite people, or we,you know, if anybody's
listening, they can reach out tous.
SPEAKER_02 (16:15):
And and when you have something as special to the
community as you do theManhattan overlook and the
lettering, the signs there onBlue Mod Hill.
That is really a neat incentivefor people to get involved and
say, hey, I'm part of somethingspecial in this community.
SPEAKER_00 (16:30):
So And we have we have been uh uh combining some
of our projects with the uhSolar Koanus Club.
They're a noon meetingorganization.
So, you know, they both mean weall need manpower, so we kind of
combined some of those efforts.
SPEAKER_02 (16:44):
So okay, fellas, happy holidays.
Well, thanks.
Thank you.
Thanks for having me.
13th for the uh for the pancakefeed of Podorf Hall.
And I'll have membershipapplications available that day.
They want to check out.
Good to know.
Good to know.
That's how you play it.
That's right.
Victor Steiner and Ken Fosterwith the Manhattan Kiwanas Club
having a fun conversation abouttheir efforts here, and we
(17:06):
certainly appreciate the workthat they do.
Okay, so we're gonna get ourcommunity updates coming up here
in just a little bit here onNews Radio KMAN with the GMCF
Community Hour.
You can always find out moreabout what's happening on the
foundation in the foundation'sworld by joining us on our
website at mcfks.org.
Philanthropy Today is brought to you by the Greater
Manhattan Community Foundation.
In this episode, we feature arecently broadcast segment of
the GMTF Community Hour, asheard on News Radio KMAN.
We are back at segment numberthree of the GMTF Community Hour
here on News Radio KMAN.
The Manhattan Kiwanas Club hasbeen um part of this community.
(00:22):
I remember, Kent, um it was whatthree, four years ago.
You had your 100th anniversary.
SPEAKER_00 (00:30):
Yeah, maybe maybe five years ago.
Five years.
Not that long ago.
SPEAKER_02 (00:34):
We were out of prairie wood.
I had the opportunity to MC thatevent.
That's exactly right.
Yeah.
And I got to learn a lot aboutuh the Kiwanis organization in
its uh own right.
One of my uh best friends is uhum I guess president or governor
governor of you know theNebraska and Iowa uh district.
(00:57):
And and so uh, you know, we'vetalked about a number of
different things and helped, youknow, worked with him on a
number of different things.
And so you guys, um, of course,you are probably best known as
an organization and for what youhave done with the Manhattan
Hill, the lettering staging ofthat.
SPEAKER_00 (01:20):
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (01:20):
Before we get talking about this, I probably
ought to introduce you.
It's kind of important to knowour listeners to know.
Yeah, uh Victor Steiner is overin the corner.
Victor, I know you've been herebefore.
Thanks for being a part of theshow again today.
How you been?
Doing very well.
SPEAKER_01 (01:34):
So kind of enjoying this lovely winter weather we're
having this morning and justfestival boy.
You're the only one I've talkedto that's has.
I kind of like a little snow.
SPEAKER_02 (01:44):
Uh-huh.
Okay.
Okay.
So so tell me about your uhparticipation in Kawanas.
What's your background there?
SPEAKER_01 (01:50):
Well, I've been a member since uh tw you know
2007.
Um, I've got, you know, all theleadership in the local level.
We've kind of gone through it.
I've been the governor of theKansas district for Kianas in
22-23.
So we just are uh getting to bea smaller club, so it's kind of
all hands-on decks on mostprojects.
SPEAKER_02 (02:10):
Because I remember you and I had some some talks
there about the you know, whenyou had your 100th anniversary
celebration as a club here.
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (02:19):
And we've enjoyed it a lot, and we've done a lot of
projects, you know, over theyears that we're kind of
interested or in enjoying.
SPEAKER_02 (02:28):
Uh what feeds your desire to be a member of the
Kiwanas Club?
SPEAKER_01 (02:32):
Oh, I just like to help, you know, serve the
community in some way, to getback to the community that I
live in.
I enjoy working, you know, atthe hill on the letters you'd
mentioned.
Uh we work with a farmhouseorganization and just enjoy
working with the college age,you know, groups and whatnot.
So it's just fun to do.
SPEAKER_02 (02:53):
What'd you do for a living?
SPEAKER_01 (02:54):
I'm in the plumbing and heating business.
So Bob's plumbing is where Istill work there.
So you're you're not retired.
I'm not retired, so I might looklike I should be able to do
that.
What are you waiting for?
SPEAKER_02 (03:09):
Well, Bob's have been, I mean, you guys have been
around for a long time, and youknow, I've been a part of some
family things too.
Right.
And uh, you know, we just haveum had a you know, gosh, you've
been around forever, and it'sneat that and that's one of the
things I think it's cool whenyou have a a company, yeah, a
business that gets involved inan organization like Kwantis.
(03:31):
It becomes an extra added bonusfor you and and and your people
to to be a part of these things.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (03:37):
Well, we're on the third generation now, and so
we'll have to get that youngergroup involved.
But they, you know, with thekids and everything, that's you
know, they're they're plentybusy at that time.
SPEAKER_02 (03:47):
So Kent Foster is the other dude that's joining us
here.
And uh Kent, uh let's let's talkabout the same questions here.
You've been in Kwanis for forquite a while, and you've had a
hand with pen and paper in a lotof things.
SPEAKER_00 (04:00):
Right.
We have.
I have uh been in since like Ithink about 1984.
So that's quite a few years.
Really?
SPEAKER_02 (04:06):
That's forty-some years of 41 years of my remedial
math.
SPEAKER_00 (04:10):
I think I've done about every project that we have
in the club, except I've notbeen secretary or treasurer.
SPEAKER_02 (04:17):
So uh Are you holding out for that?
SPEAKER_00 (04:19):
No, I'm not.
I'm not sure.
SPEAKER_02 (04:20):
Are you looking for financial incentive for them to
draft you into that?
Or is there a particular reasonwhy you don't want them to hire
you?
SPEAKER_00 (04:28):
I know that's uh Secretary Treasurer probably
does the biggest share of thework in the club.
SPEAKER_02 (04:32):
So well, and and and you're an architect.
SPEAKER_00 (04:35):
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (04:36):
And um you have had a key role in the designing of
that deck that now oversees uhthe Manhattan lettering on the
hill.
SPEAKER_00 (04:45):
Yeah, that was our 100th year anniversary project
that we wanted to do.
And being an architect, I alwaysknew the value of handicap
accessibility, you know, arounduh to various places.
And so we wanted to do somethingup on the hill, and we decided
to do an overlook, but we madeit handicap accessible.
So we uh and it's just peopleare just up there all the time.
(05:08):
I drive by and look up, andthere's people up there, or we
uh whitewash the letters acouple of times a year, and the
Sunday that we're there, uh aSunday, and there's people just
coming in and out and in andout, you know, up there to you
know, overlook, you know,whether it's bad weather or good
weather.
It's just always traffic movingup there, which I'm amazed at.
SPEAKER_02 (05:30):
So do you do you do you like to walk up and down the
letters, you know, when you'rewhitewashing them?
SPEAKER_00 (05:35):
You know, we used to do that years ago, but now we
employ the um uh farmhouse.
The farmhouse boys boys, andthey're younger and they have
lots of energy and better shoes.
SPEAKER_02 (05:46):
They don't have the wisdom that you have gained just
yet, right?
Well, and and the Kawanis Clubhas um obviously, you know, the
gained a reputation because ofthat work there, and that's
probably the most notable workthat you do is you know, you
have this gift of maintenanceand now the the overlay.
SPEAKER_00 (06:04):
We're trying to get the city to let us put Kowanis
up on that water tower, buthow's that working?
Not very well.
SPEAKER_02 (06:13):
Does it uh is there a color clash there?
SPEAKER_00 (06:16):
No, the water tower is a light blue, and our colors
are blue, so dark blue.
Seems to make sense for me.
I know it.
SPEAKER_02 (06:22):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (06:23):
We've got an apple up there, a big giant koanis in
the ball.
Well, okay.
SPEAKER_02 (06:26):
So what you need to do then is you need to make
every year the mayor an honorarymember.
unknown (06:32):
There you go.
SPEAKER_00 (06:35):
All right.
SPEAKER_02 (06:36):
Hey, let's talk about some things.
Uh and and this is uh gosh, 74years now.
You have your annual pancakefeed.
And Victor, this is uh, youknow, this is a long time thing.
This is one of the things thathelps raise money for the work
that you do there.
Um not just for, you know, thatoverlook, the maintenance of the
(06:56):
sign, but you've got a lot ofother projects that the
Manhattan Quantas Club isinvolved in.
SPEAKER_01 (07:00):
No, this is by far biggest fundraiser of the year.
Um, I mean, it helps with thesign, it helps with a lot of our
scholarships that we may get tolater.
Uh, we have three or fourdifferent scholarships that uh
we make do.
And so yeah, it all goes intothat.
We also have a you know, CircleK and a key club, which are high
school and college age groups inthe Quantus family that we this
(07:23):
helps support them and theiractivities and and whatnot.
SPEAKER_02 (07:27):
You got your hands full.
SPEAKER_01 (07:28):
Yes, we do.
SPEAKER_02 (07:29):
Okay.
Well, let's talk a bit aboutsome of the specifics of the
pancake feed.
When, where?
SPEAKER_01 (07:34):
Okay, well, it's a pot or fall.
It's December 13th, uh, fromseven to one.
Uh it's a ten dollar don ordonation.
Uh we have uh sausage and eggsthat you have to purchase extra,
or if you want extra, you dothat.
Um there's gonna be a smallsilent auction this year.
(07:54):
Uh some of the sponsors werekind enough to just go ahead and
give us some sponsor, you know,for silent auction items.
So there'll be a small auctionand we're looking forward to
seeing everyone out there.
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (08:06):
Potter Fall has been the host of that probably
forever, hasn't it?
Well, it seems like it for a lotof years.
SPEAKER_00 (08:13):
We used to do it down in the community building.
SPEAKER_02 (08:15):
Oh, that's right, down there for that humble.
SPEAKER_00 (08:17):
Everything upstairs and set it up and then carry
everything up.
And the older you get, that'stougher and tougher, isn't it,
Kent?
Yeah, it was.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (08:25):
Yeah.
Well, okay, so we um want tomake sure that folks know about
that December 13th.
We'll we'll get that uh notedhere.
Let's talk a bit about somethingelse that uh, you know, the the
Kwantis organization, Kent, isvery, very, let's say patriotic.
And 2026 is a big year for theUnited States of America.
(08:49):
And uh so let's talk a bit aboutwhat the local Kiwanians are
doing to celebrate uh the firsttime.
SPEAKER_00 (08:54):
Our past members uh suggested this item to us.
And so years ago, I don't knowif you might remember, we used
to have a a pet and hobbyparade, and we'd invite all the
elementary kids to decor uptheir bicycles and tricycles and
wagons and bring their dogs, andand we just parade down points.
SPEAKER_02 (09:12):
And did you ever do that as a kid?
SPEAKER_00 (09:14):
No, I did not.
SPEAKER_02 (09:15):
See, I I never saw one, but I remember uh talking
about it at your hundredthanniversary that that used to
have these things, and it wasquite a spectacle.
SPEAKER_00 (09:24):
So it was, and so you know, it changed over the
years, it got smaller andsmaller, and we ended up
terminating it in about 19 or2004, I think, somewhere in
there.
Anyway, so we thought for the250th anniversary, why not we at
least reintroduce that for maybea one-time year and uh make it a
(09:46):
uh you know USA theme, you know,America theme, red, white, and
blue, or some sort of patriotictheme, and kids can decorate up
their their uh wagons ortricycles or pets, and we'll
parade around point around thecity park so we won't get out in
the traffic or anything.
But we thought that might be anice celebration and get the
(10:06):
kids excited about that sinceit's the uh 250th April.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (10:11):
Are you gonna are you gonna have a float?
SPEAKER_00 (10:13):
You're gonna well we haven't talked about all the
details yet, so I'm not surewhat we'll do.
SPEAKER_02 (10:18):
Victor, you'll be there.
SPEAKER_01 (10:20):
I'll be there.
You'll be there.
Uh I mean, we used to hand outlittle awards and ribbons, and
that's probably more where I'lltend to be.
Is that the, you know, justgiving little prizes for the
kids or people who show up andenter.
Always a lot of fun.
SPEAKER_00 (10:34):
It used to be an all-day affair.
They had it at the communitybuilding, and it was all day,
you know, they gave out awards,and so it was a big deal back in
the day.
SPEAKER_02 (10:43):
Okay.
Uh, Victor, earlier we hadtalked about, you know, some of
the uh things that you have donein terms of scholarships.
And you have uh a seniors onyour recognition.
Right.
And obviously what you do.
And let's let's talk a bit aboutthose scholarships and and how a
youngster may apply and some ofthe aspects that are important
(11:08):
to the Kawantas in order to forsome of these uh uh applicants
to win.
SPEAKER_01 (11:13):
Well, the senior honors is uh at Manhattan High
School, uh we just giverecognition to any student that
has a 3.5 grade point average orhigher.
I know.
And so you know, not that justyou know, it's a very good path
or academics.
Um this year we've got someextra money in our scholarship,
so we're just gonna maybe uhjust have a drawing.
(11:37):
So whoever shows up at that uhis eligible to receive a
scholarship that day.
Uh we have our normalscholarships.
Um, like I said, we have a 4-Hscholarship, which is a Harold
Bailey scholarship for the 4-H,and they pick out an applicant,
you know, the 4-H local 4-Hpeople do that, send it to us,
and we read the case.
(11:59):
Yeah, he was great person, greatquantian.
So and then we have our otherscholarship, which is just a uh
K family scholarship.
Uh, here again, if you're a highschool student in the area and
has, you know, joined the keyclub uh and turn your
application in, uh, you'reeligible.
You can do it in your college.
(12:21):
I mean, we like academics, butwe also like um they need to be
involved in community service.
We kind of look at that as partof our criteria also.
How much of these scholarships?
What's the value?
Well, uh a thousand dollars,most of them.
That's a that's a nice chunk.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (12:39):
Yeah.
Goes a long way for some ofthese.
Right.
Is there a place where um onlinethat you have kids that can
apply or at least get moreinformation on that?
Well, I'm not Mr.
SPEAKER_01 (12:51):
Technical here.
Uh can't you know?
SPEAKER_00 (12:53):
I think we do.
We have an application thatwe've uh fill out on.
I think they do put it on our onour website website.
Um and I forget, it usuallycomes due like April 1st or
right in that period of time sokids have time to you know get
it submitted and and apply it,or then it's product sent out to
the college or whatever they'regoing.
(13:13):
So so um but yeah, we'll have aa uh an application that they
fill out, and it's pretty simpleapplication.
They just need to you know takethe effort to fill it out.
Yeah, and we'll do the samething.
The one that we're gonna have adrawing for at the senior
honors, they'll have to fill outthe application and submit it
and and then it'll getprocessed.
SPEAKER_02 (13:34):
So and and I'm going down my notes here.
You have your senior honorsrecognition, and then we talk
about scholarship.
Are those two different things?
SPEAKER_00 (13:43):
They are okay.
The senior honors, like Victorsaid, we're just recognizing the
graduating seniors with a 3.5 orbetter.
And we wanted to do something alittle bit more than just simply
give them a certificate.
So that's where we came up withthis idea of maybe we'll have a
uh drawing for a scholarship.
So because normally ourscholarships go to a student
(14:06):
that some has some affiliationwith the Koanist Club, you know,
a granddaughter or or relativeof some sort, or is in the key
club or the circle K or somerelationship.
But the senior honors, all thosethat attend that, now they've
actually now have a relationshipwith the Koanist Club because
(14:27):
we've invited them.
So that's why we thought, let'soffer them a scholarship or at
least through a drawing, sortof.
SPEAKER_02 (14:34):
Okay.
You got any projects in theworks in the near future?
Well, uh, I guess you're anarchitect, you could never give
that up.
SPEAKER_00 (14:42):
No, never get that.
SPEAKER_02 (14:44):
And I'm right about that, aren't I, Victor?
That's right.
That's right.
SPEAKER_00 (14:46):
We do have a project.
We just had to put it on holdfor a while.
We'd like to do a picnic shelterup on the Blue Mont Hill area.
There's an open area wherethere's a couple of picnic
tables.
We really would like to do that.
We have some funds set aside,but the estimate that we got was
quite a bit more than what wehave funded right now.
SPEAKER_02 (15:08):
So we're gonna kind of build up that fund and those
building costs have kind of goneup a little bit, haven't they?
Yeah.
If it wasn't for those plumbers.
Yeah, that's right.
That's right.
The picnic shelter.
Yeah.
That's right.
That's right.
Well, you guys, um, you know,there's we've got a number of
(15:29):
civic organizations, and they'reall wonderful.
They all have their specificpurpose in town and their goals,
and and and it's greatcamaraderie.
But, you know, the I uh we doknow that you know the civic
organizations, whether it'sOptimus, Rotary, um, Lions, they
(15:49):
all seem to have, like us, agingmembers.
SPEAKER_00 (15:52):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (15:53):
And, you know, membership is always open.
You don't have to have an AARPcard in order to qualify.
But you're always looking fornew members, aren't you, Victor?
SPEAKER_01 (16:05):
Oh, yes, 100% so.
Uh like I say, it's a struggle,uh, but we'll, you know, just
have to invite people, or we,you know, if anybody's
listening, they can reach out tous.
SPEAKER_02 (16:15):
And and when you have something as special to the
community as you do theManhattan overlook and the
lettering, the signs there onBlue Mod Hill.
That is really a neat incentivefor people to get involved and
say, hey, I'm part of somethingspecial in this community.
SPEAKER_00 (16:30):
So And we have we have been uh uh combining some
of our projects with the uhSolar Koanus Club.
They're a noon meetingorganization.
So, you know, they both mean weall need manpower, so we kind of
combined some of those efforts.
SPEAKER_02 (16:44):
So okay, fellas, happy holidays.
Well, thanks.
Thank you.
Thanks for having me.
13th for the uh for the pancakefeed of Podorf Hall.
And I'll have membershipapplications available that day.
They want to check out.
Good to know.
Good to know.
That's how you play it.
That's right.
Victor Steiner and Ken Fosterwith the Manhattan Kiwanas Club
having a fun conversation abouttheir efforts here, and we
(17:06):
certainly appreciate the workthat they do.
Okay, so we're gonna get ourcommunity updates coming up here
in just a little bit here onNews Radio KMAN with the GMCF
Community Hour.
You can always find out moreabout what's happening on the
foundation in the foundation'sworld by joining us on our
website at mcfks.org.
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