KCKidsFun

I’ve written before about one of our favorite KC field trips–going to KC’s Waldo neighborhood (75th and Wornall) and hopping the Metro’s MAX bus for Crown Center/Union Station.  It makes for an excellent adventure, and many lessons to be learned:  the art of conserving gas and helping the environment by taking public transportation, not to mention the life skill of getting oneself from point A to point B by reading maps and following a bus schedule!

Another public transit trip has been brought to my attention– and this one is great for all you Johnson Countians.  Did you know that you can take “The JO” (Johnson County’s public commuter bus system) all the way to Union Station?  You could plan a half-day trip and check out Dinosaurs Unearthed–or Kaleidoscope– and save yourself the gas money while you’re at it!!

Route “M” (Midday) is your key to taking half-day trips to and from points in Kansas City from Johnson County, KS.  There are several major park-and-ride locations in Johnson County on the way to Crown Center, Union Station and downtown Kansas City.  These are: Great Mall of the Great Plains (151st Street at I-35), Downtown Olathe, Johnson County Community College (College Blvd at Quivira), Oak Park Mall (95th Street at Quivira), Metcalf South Shopping Center (95th Street at Metcalf), and the Transit Center at 6000 Lamar in Mission, KS.

From any of these locations, you can take a morning commuter bus to Union Station and return via Route M (leaving from Union Station shortly after 1pm), or take Route M to Union Station and return on one of the afternoon commuter routes.

Regular fare on The JO is $2.00 for adults, $1.50 for kids 6-17, and free for kids 5 and under.  For extra adventure, you can transfer from The JO to MAX or another Metro bus to visit other attractions up and down the MAX corridor stretching from Waldo on the south to Downtown and River Market on the north.  Your JO driver can give you a transfer good for 2 hours on any Metro route.  For your return, pay the regular fare on the Metro ($1.50 for adults, 75 cents for kids 6-17) and get a transfer that’s good on The JO. Here’s a summary schedule of some of the buses you can take in combination with Route M (note that it’s on 24-hour clock time!)

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Greater Kansas City Chapter (AAFA) is one of our local partner organizations. We are proud of this partnership and wanted to share one of the great things that AAFA is doing for kids and families dealing with asthma and allergies. AAFA hosts an annual, fun-filled Family Asthma and Allergy Education Day; it takes place on Saturday, March 6, 2010 at Shawnee Mission West high school in Shawnee Mission, KS.  It is an interactive opportunity for families and individuals to learn about asthma and how to control it’s affects on their lives. Each adult will choose from a variety of classes to attend. Separate classes will be held for preschool and grades 1-6 which teach children the fundamentals of asthma and allergy treatment, while having fun. All classes are led by area healthcare professionals and physicians.

For additional information on the 15th Annual Family Asthma and Allergy Education Day, or to register, please contact the AAFAKC office.  Space is limited, so don’t delay!  Scholarships are available.

You might even want to contact AAFA to learn about some of the other great services available for your kids and other family members with asthma and allergies!

You long-time readers know by now that there are two organizations which are especially near and dear to our hearts–Children’s Therapeutic Learning Center (CTLC) and Asthma & Allergy Foundation, Greater Kansas City chapter (AAFA).

Both help Kansas Citians–from all walks of life–in extraordinary ways.  I wanted to let you all know what AAFA has been up to and provide some contact information in case you or someone you know needs some help!  AAFA recently hosted its annual SuperKids Asthma Camp, and it was bigger and better than ever.  The day camp is for kids, diagnosed with asthma and allergies, entering 2nd through 7th grades, and it lasts one week.  In addition to being tons of fun for the kids, they are in a medically supervised environment and leave the camp feeling empowered and educated about how to take charge of their health.  The SuperKids spent some time at Kaufmann Stadium and also with Brett Anthony, meteorologist on NBC Action News.

AAFA’s yearly fundraiser is fast approaching!  Saturday, October 17, 2009, the Overland Park Sheraton will be transformed into “A Night in Monte Carlo”–featuring dinner, a lively casino party and an auction.  Tickets are still available!  Call Executive Director, Melissa Ford, at 816.333.6608 for details.

Looking forward, in March 2010, AAFA hosts its annual Family Asthma & Allergy Education Day. This is a fabulous interactive opportunity for local families and individuals alike to learn more about asthma and allergies.  This is the 15th year for the program…so you know it’s good!

We are proud to be one of  AAFA’s community partners and encourage you to check them out–and even volunteer!