United Way of Central Kansas is involved with the Barton County Young Professionals to ensure that the community, its agencies and its programs will continue with the next generation of young leaders.
The first project that launched the UWCK and BCYP partnership was the Born Learning Trail, with the help of several underwriters such as CUNA Mutual and the Harms Trust with help from the City of Great Bend and the City of Claflin. This educational activity trail for toddlers and preschool age children is located at the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo and in the Claflin City Playground, and is maintained annually at both locations by volunteers from the Young Professionals group.
Most United Ways have Young Leaders in some aspect of their agency. Regan and Cole Reif are in their second year as Young Leaders for UWCK. They are active in the Young Professionals group as well, with Regan serving as the BCYP chair for 2016. They have been instrumental in organizing the assembly of literacy kits for 400 preschool students to help with the transition to kindergarten. Volunteers from the Young Professionals group helped assemble all the kits for UWCK, which took an afternoon of manpower.