John Freshnock and Dalyn Novak, both partners in our firm, continue WSKF Architects’ long commitment to community service in their respective officer roles in Rotary Clubs in Kansas City, Kan., and Parkville, Mo.

John’s year as the president of the Rotary Club based at the Reardon Center in downtown Kansas City, Kan., runs through June of 2020.

The KCK club has celebrated its centennial and includes membership of about 45 with individuals from the business community as well as public and private institutions throughout Wyandotte County and KCK.

John says the club is focused on scholarships for high school students throughout Wyandotte County as well as a dedicated effort to fund scholarships for Hispanic students. “It’s a way to give back and for our club to help Wyandotte County students meet the challenge of paying for their educational expenses,” John says.   

Another initiative also focuses on helping high school students cultivate leadership skills and connect with opportunities for community service. The KCK club sponsors college-age adults and young professionals in the immediate area to build leadership and professional skills thorough mentoring while connecting with peers through community service.

“Our membership and club reflect the diversity and close-knit community you find throughout Wyandotte County,” John says. “We focus on initiatives inspired by the principles of Rotary to address the unique needs we see across the county.”

Dalyn Novak still recalls first learning of Rotary in her high school years when she attended her first club meeting. It clearly made an impression. In 2006 she joined the Parkville club that meets at Park University as an active member and over time took on leadership roles. She finished her term as club president in June of 2019 but remains an active member.

Her focus was to advance a number of ongoing chapter initiatives while building on the chapter’s online presence to raise the group’s profile in the community at large as well as for current and prospective members.

Over the past five years the club has provided more than $160,000 in donations to local, national and international projects. Each year the chapter provides scholarships of $1,500-2,000 to two to four high school students who live in or attend school in Platte County or at St. Pius X High School. Parkville Rotary’s “Fly the Flag” program started in 2014 to raise funds for charitable initiatives. For a $60 donation, the club will deliver an American flag to a home or business for display four times a year on national holidays such as Memorial Day and Independence Day.

In her term as president Dalyn also emphasized community outreach. “My focus was to help the public in and around Parkville better understand Rotary, who we are and what we do,” she says.

Club members also decided to introduce a corporate membership option, which has greatly benefitted the club and helped in the overall membership growth.  

Dalyn takes pride in sustaining a Rotary club dating to 1946. “As I took on a more active role in our club, you couldn’t help but see the magnitude of what Rotary International and Parkville Rotary do as a whole. My goal as club president was to build on that tradition,” she adds.