Lee's Summit Town Hall Fredcasts

It's been eight years since Nick Parker launched Link 2 Lee's Summit and the Lee's Summit Town Hall podcast. In the never-ending quest to do local news a little bit differently, a new friend is joining the team to help make sure a spotlight shines on our local nonprofit organizations. Enter Vanessa Hickman. Vanessa has made multiple appearances on the podcast and is a well-known community volunteer and activist. She's joining the team to help tell the stories of local charities and help link them with the community.

It's May 22, the kids are in their final days of the school year and we're all counting down the official local summer kick-off event — Downtown Days. Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street's Julie Cook and Jenny Gale return to The Vault to prep us for the big weekend coming June 7-9. And Julie turns the tables! She's got questions for the hosts, and for you!

Whether it's time, skills or money, sometimes youth in our community just need a little extra. Enter, Pro Deo Youth Center. Executive Director Elaine Metcalf and head volunteer fundraiser/Pickleball Bringer of Fun Shannon Pennington enter The Vault to talk about the upcoming Rally for Teens pickleball tournament raising funds for Pro Deo's fall 2024 programming. The tournament will run on Saturday, June 8 at Epic Sports. You can head on over to prodeoyouthcenter.org to enter the tournament or help sponsor the event.

Hosts Nick Parker and Liesl Hays take a few minutes to discuss upcoming local events and since Wednesday is National 501c Day, the duo takes a few minutes to talk about some of the many local nonprofits serving the Lee's Summit community and how easy it is for residents to offer service be it donations of time, talent or treasure.

A now years-long effort to give teens a voice and help bring the community together in conversation about youth mental health continued this week with a community forum presented by Pro Deo Youth Center and ReDiscover at the Missouri Innovation Campus. The event was moderated by ReDiscover's Demetrios Walker and Lee's Summit West senior Ellie Johnson and included a panel of 12 local high school students and just under 150 residents. Walker and Johnson came to The Vault for a conversation with Nick Parker and Liesl Hays about their reactions to the event and where they think the conversation is headed next.

Everyone relax. Liesl is back home. After what seemed like a way-too-long hiatus, Liesl Hays rejoins Nick Parker for the latest episode of the Lee's Summit Town Hall podcast just in time to preview some weekend activities and discuss a recent guest column in Link 2 Lee's Summit discussing the role Political Action Committees are playing in our local elections and governance. Both Nick and Liesl are curious how others in the community feel about partisan political groups inserting themselves into local politics.