Speakers

Dr. Jarrett Grosdidier will be joining our weekly meeting to share on how he has used Dentistry for philanthropic endevours.

In a country where a person can be anything, Jarrett Grosdidier has chosen to be the best kind of person—a humanitarian. An esteemed athlete, an established dentist, and a venerated philanthropist, he has made his life’s labors extend far beyond work.

Grosdidier gives all credit for his rooted values to his large, close knit family. Growing up on a farm in a small Kansas town, he gained a solid work ethic that was etched into his core. He was a standout in athletics and a stellar football player who went on to play at Kansas State. But when asked to continue playing beyond college, he chose dentistry—a profession he had long dreamed of pursuing.

Helping others is ingrained in Grosdidier, who worked in a dental clinic for the Kansas School of the Blind while still in school. It is a service he has continued and eventually took over through his career. Once a month, he and another staff member perform dental screenings, cleanings, procedures, and secure further treatment at very little cost. Beyond this they also work on life skills and areas that will help clients to be successful in life. But this is not where the altruism ends. Last year, he and his family traveled to the Dominican Republic where the Royals had spent years reviving an orphanage. Grosdidier contributed by establishing a dental clinic. These experiences are both rewarding and motivating.

In true modest fashion Grosdidier gives much of his credit to his family, as well as his work partners. Ultimately, he says it comes down to doing the right thing, which is exactly what he gleaned from his family.

I want to be the kind of person that would make my family proud. From my grandparents down to my children, this is what drives my day-to-day decisions

Dr. Tonya Merrigan, current Deputy Superintendent, will succeed Dr. White as superintendent for Blue Valley Schools on July 1, 2020. Dr. White will retire from his 35-year career in education after the 2019-20 school year. Dr. Merrigan joins our weekly meeting to share about the Blue Valley School Bond 2020 that has scheduled for voting between January 8th and January 28th.

The Blue Valley School Bond 2020 will be a request for almost $187 million from residents within the BVSD boundary. The Blue Valley community will have an opportunity to invest in facilities, safety and technology.

Midwest Adaptive Sports is a 501.c3 non-profit organization focused on positively impacting the lives of those with physical, cognitive, emotional or behavioral challenges through adaptive recreational and competitive sports.  Offering hope, encouragement and the ability to achieve to people with wide range of abilities MAS empowers athletes and enables them to grow physically, cognitively, socially, and emotionally.

Their mission is to provide therapeutic recreational and competitive sports programs for individuals with disabilities. Their objective is to have fun, build independence, self-esteem, confidence, physical development and socialization. They strive to enhance active participation in all aspects of the community by promoting the concept of ability through integration, public awareness and education.

Matt Bollig has been involved with adaptive sports for 6 years. He has been with Midwest Adaptive Sports (MAS) since August 2016 and has served as the Director of Wheelchair basketball and Youth Sports. During his time with MAS, he has enjoyed going to meetings and talking about/planning all of the ways to make Kansas City one of the most well known cities for adaptive recreation. Matt works in and spends his free time playing wheelchair basketball, hunting and working on grants and fundraising to build MAS into a bigger and better organization.