Although they don't have confetti cannons, the folks at Donnelly College have embraced a very similar mindset as they help students achieve academic excellence on their urban campus on 18th Street in Kansas City, Kansas.
I had the privilege of representing the Unified Government at Donnelly on Friday, April 5th as they opened and dedicated their new community center.
 |
| The Donnelly Board of Trustees prepares for the grand opening. |
 |
| Donnelly president, Dr. Steve LaNasa, shared his vision with everyone who attended the event. |
You can view a slide show of photos from the event on the web at: http://dceventcenter.weebly.com/grand-opening.html
Here are the thoughts that I shared with the group at the dedication ceremony.
= = = = = = begin remarks = = = = = =
On behalf of Mayor Joe Reardon and everyone associated with the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, I congratulate you on the opening of this wonderful community center. It is a great accomplishment.
Back when you first took down the old laundry facility and started putting up the walls of this new center, I used the metaphor of "the circle of life" from the Disney movie The Lion King to describe how you are closing the circle of life by reconstructing and reinvigorating the older parts of our city.
And while this new community center is a shining example of physical reconstruction, it only hints at the Spirit of Life that is at the very core of the Donnelly organization and all its people.
Donnelly touches lives in so many other ways.
For 63 years, Donnelly has been an active partner, an education catalyst and the spiritual anchor for our entire community.
I have personally witnessed and benefited from the power of the Spirit of Life in Donnelly.
The faculty and staff of Donnelly started me on my undergraduate educational journey. I spent two years taking classes at Donnelly and I think the journey has turned out okay so far.
Besides the books, the Donnelly community helped keep me connected to my faith and to a belief that there is good to be found everywhere.
And I met the young woman who would later become my wife in English Composition class during fall semester of our freshman year...
I try to walk on my treadmill every morning after I get out of bed. And while I'm walking, I generally read so that I won't fall back asleep...that would not end well!
These last few days, I've been reading Colin Powell's book, "It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership".
And this morning, while I was walking I read the following paragraph:
"Perpetual optimism, believing in yourself, believing in your purpose, believing you will prevail, and demonstrating passion and confidence is a force multiplier. If you believe and have prepared your followers, the followers will believe."
And I almost fell off my treadmill as it hit me… That's it! "Belief" is the certain intangible something that I feel every time I talk to a member of the Donnelly community and every time I walk on to this campus.
Belief in the power of education. Belief in the power of people.
To Dr. LaNasa and everyone associated with Donnelly, I say this new community center is cool… Keep building stuff. :-)
But more important, keep believing.
Keep believing in yourselves… That you have the power to positively change the world.
Keep believing in your students... That they have the potential and the capacity to succeed beyond their wildest dreams... That they, too, have the power to positively change the world.
If you keep believing in yourself and your students, Donnelly will be the Spirit of Life in our community for countless years to come.
Once again, I congratulate you on this magnificent accomplishment and I wish all of you the very best in everything you do in the future.
= = = = = = end remarks = = = = = =
 |
| Whoa!! Security must have been looking the other way. How did that guy get in here? :-) |
 |
| George Breidenthal, '69 and William H. Dunn, Jr.share their happy remarks. Both are Donnelly College Trustees and Transformations Campaign Co-Chairs |
 |
| The Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann, D.D. Archbishop, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and Donnelly College Trustee shares a few thoughts before the ribbon cutting. |
 |
| Open for business! |
So, to everyone in District 2 and all of Kansas City, I say...let's follow the powerful examples of Sporting Kansas City and Donnelly College.
Keep believing in yourselves.
Keep pursuing your dreams.
Why not you?
