Lee's Summit Town Hall

Nick made a friend! Welcome aboard, Vanessa

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.

Burning questions and rocking the countdown to Downtown Days!

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!

Can't we all just give 'a little extra'

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.

Matching our passions with service and what's happening this week

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.

Shared vulnerabilities & appeals for empathy highlight community event on youth mental health

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.

Some flights of fancy, some shopping, and some conversation about local politics

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.

From bureaucrat to community volunteer — Steve Arbo talks life after City Hall

If you're feeling down, or a little overwhelmed, Steve Arbo has a suggestion — Find a local organization and volunteer. Service to others, he says, offers a reward of happiness you may not be expecting. Arbo, who has now been retired from his role as Lee's Summit City Manager for a year, entered The Vault this week for a conversation with host Nick Parker on his new life outside the bureaucracy and his dive into a role as community volunteer. Since leaving the northeast corner of City Hall, Arbo has enjoyed extra time traveling with his wife (who is also recently retired) and finding some local nonprofit organizations where he can share his passions and support Lee's Summit in new and profound ways.

Teens step forward to lead community convos on mental health

In a little bit of a twist, host Nick Parker hands the reins to local Lee’s Summit West Senior Ellie Johnson, who talks with ReDiscover’s Jennifer Craig and LSPD Officer Amanda Geno about the upcoming community forum on mental health scheduled for 6 p.m. April 22 at the Missouri Innovation Campus. This episode was edited by Lee’s Summit Junior Charlie Parker. Both Johnson and Parker are part of the I Can Relate podcast project. 

A business with an unexpected, yet rewarding focus on care for special needs kids

Their chiropractic business isn't exactly what they thought it would be. She didn't plan on developing a passion helping young patients and he had no idea the directions his study and budding network would take him. Today, Doctors Alex and Lauren Nelson operate HML Functional Care in Lee's Summit and have a budding practice focusing on providing a holistic and collaborative approach to caring for kids with special needs. The duo drop by The Vault for an open conversation with host Nick Parker on their business and approach to healthcare.

Passion for music and the arts leads new director to Lee's Summit and its symphony orchestra

Listen in on his resume, and you may start to wonder how Gary Good wound up in our midwest hamlet as the new executive director of the Lee's Summit Symphony. First off, we'll apologize, he's not all that new anymore. He's actually been here almost year, Nick and Liesl are just late getting him on the show. Good enters the vault to share his story of a career in music and the path to Lee's Summit. He also previews this weekend's performance at The Pavilion at John Knox Village and offers a bit of his vision for the future of the Symphony.