By Dreya Roberts – Friday, September 27th, was KMSC’s first Community Connections of the year. We loved getting to know the organizations and interviewees that came to talk to us and learn more about what they do for the Siouxland community.
Community Connections is an annual event hosted by KMSC, traditionally held in the spring but now moving to the fall for the foreseeable future. During the event, organizations from across Siouxland come to the KMSC studio to participate in live on-air interviews. These discussions aim to raise awareness about each organization’s mission and highlight ways for community members to get involved and support their efforts.
KMSC talked to nine different organizations and learned so much about the community and all those working to improve it. There are so many people working to better Siouxland and provide for everyone who is in need, there are also many ways to help these organizations complete their missions.
Sioux City International Film Festival – Leslie Werden
Leslie Werden gave us news about the Sioux City International Film Festival, which is happening right now from October 3-6 at the Promenade in downtown Sioux City. There will be 60 short films from around the world shown during the event, which has been taking place annually since 2005. To find more information about the Sioux City International Film Festival, head to their website here:
https://www.siouxcityfilmfest.org
Community Action Agency – Jean Logan
Jean Logan explained what the Community Action Agency of Siouxland all is about. Each Community Action location is allowed to cater their programs to the needs in their own community. This allows for Jean and her coworkers to provide needed services, without wasting time on others that aren’t as needed in our community. A big program that the Community Action Agency of Siouxland runs is LiHEAP, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. This can help low-income homeowners cover a part of their heating bill in the winter. Their website is currently being updated, but you can find more information here:
https://iowacommunityaction.org/agencies
Camp High Hopes – Kyle and Laura Knack
Kyle and Laura Knack had a great interview with Morningside student Jaden Carney, they told him about all the amazing things they are doing. Camp High Hopes is a place where kids, teens, and adults with disabilities can enjoy a wide range of activities like painting, canoeing, archery, and more. There are community events that are open to all: Rib Fest in June, Miles for Smiles in August, and the Haunted Lodge Party later this month, on October 26th. Camp High Hopes has applications open for counselors, activity leads, internships, and other volunteering opportunities. You can find all the information on how to get involved here:
https://www.camphighhopes.com/get-involved
Siouxland Community Health Center – Ranee Ehrich and Matt Robins
Ranee and Matt had lots to say about everything the Siouxland Community Health Center has to offer. There is a full range of health services, including dental care for lower costs. They have an in-house pharmacy for the convenience of their patients, as well as a walk-in mental health program, free STI testing, and an Urgent Care-like clinic that is cheaper than hospital visits for those minor emergencies. The Siouxland Community Health center is also responsible for the mobile showers in downtown Sioux City.
There will be a trunk-or-treat on October 22nd, as well as a community walk-a-thon event on November 14th for World Diabetes Day. For more information on these events and other volunteering opportunities, call (712) 226-9020 or check the website at:
Mid-Step Services – Mary Bertram
Mary Bertram joined Jaden in the radio station to talk about the services Mid-Step Services provides to those in our community. Their focus is those with intellectual disabilities and autism, providing services that helps them work, play, and live to their highest potential. There are in-home based services as well as supervised community living to cater to everyone’s needs. They also offer the Pier Center for Autism, the only clinic of its kind in the region, and uses evidenced-based treatment to help those in our community with autism.
Mid-Step Services is always hiring and would love to add to their care team. They are looking for qualified nurses as well as other care providers (no experience necessary). If you are interested, please reach out at (712) 274-2252 or on their website at:
https://www.midstepservices.com/
Sioux City Public Museum – Matt Anderson
Matt Anderson is the Curator of History at the Sioux City Public Museum and helps coordinate the items on display in each exhibit. The museum focuses on the local history of the Siouxland area, spanning the native American tribes to 10 years ago. Along with the permanent Siouxland focused exhibits, the museum hosts traveling exhibits. Currently, the Society of Animal Artists is on display and will have a reception with some of the artists on October 11th and 12th. Starting in February, there will be an exhibit from local fossil hunters featuring some of the many dinosaur fossils in their personal collections. The Sioux City Public Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10am to 5pm, and Sunday 1pm to 5pm, and admission is always free! To check out the museum and get some more information, visit their website here:
https://www.siouxcitymuseum.org
Sioux City Human Rights Commission – Karen Mackey
Karen Mackey had an interview with another Morningside student Gabriel Ruiz and explained to him how above all, the Sioux City Human Rights Commission is truly neutral and wants to protect people from all forms of discrimination and unfair treatment. The Sioux City Human Rights Commission offers many internships for Morningside students that are interested, and you can find more information here:
https://www.sioux-city.org/government/boards-commissions/human-rights-commission
Habitat for Humanity – Shalya Becker
Shayla also got to speak with Gabriel and explain all the ways that Habitat for Humanity helps those in the Siouxland community receive a place to live. Shayla likes to make it clear right away that Habitat for Humanity does not give away houses. The people receiving help from this organization must pay for their home in ‘sweat equity’, as well as low mortgage payments for the duration of the home loan. Volunteering for the organization helping you is a great way to truly value the aid you are receiving and is a great way to make sure other people can benefit the same way in the future. Habitat for Humanity takes volunteers to help build the houses, as well as in their Re-store. For more information, please visit their website at:
https://www.siouxlandhabitat.org/how-to-help/volunteer.html
Food Bank of Siouxland – Valerie Petersen
The last interview of the day was Valerie with the Food Bank of Siouxland. She explained that the food bank operates as a distribution site and warehouse for storing excess food, and that the food is distributed from them to community partners that are better set up to give the food to people in need. The food bank is very grateful to receive many volunteers from Morningside University every year and already has filled up the schedule for the packing of their backpack program through the end of the school year. There are many other opportunities to volunteer, however, and the commitment is only 2 hours of helping to sort the food they have received. Valerie says the best thing is to get a group of friends and come hang out while being able to give back to the community. For more information about the Food Bank of Siouxland, head to their website here:
https://www.siouxlandfoodbank.org/get-involved
The next Community Connections will be on Friday, October 25th. We are going to talk with more amazing people from the Siouxland area and will be doing so live on KMSC. Tune in at 92.9 on the radio, or by searching KMSC on the Radio FX app! Radio FX: https://fx.radiofxinc.com/#forlisteners
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