First State Bank & Trust

Community-Level Sponsor

Locations: 609 Vermont St., Lawrence, KS; 3901 W. 6th St., Lawrence, KS; 402 Plaza Dr., Perry, KS; 400 S. Bury St., Tonganoxie, KS; 1525 Highway 24-40, Tonganoxie, KS; 15506 Pinehurst Dr., Basehor, KS; 10900 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS

Years sponsoring the 5K Home Run: 4 

Why do you sponsor the 5K? First State Bank & Trust recognizes that Family Promise of Lawrence is a vital part of our local community. As a community bank, we are proud to support Family Promise of Lawrence however we can. The 5K is a great fundraiser to contribute to!

How do you participate with Family Promise throughout the year? Besides the monetary donations while sponsoring the 5K in 2017, 2018 and now 2022, our mortgage loan originator, Jessica Wollesen, has been connected in a couple ways to Family Promise of Lawrence for the past 5 years, as well.  Whether it is fundraising for the Lawrence Board of Realtors Community Foundation that often benefits Family Promise or participating in Project 913, her fundraising work has be ongoing.

About First State Bank & Trust: First State Bank & Trust is a full-service, family- and employee-owned bank headquartered in Tonganoxie. The owners and staff have made a commitment to remain independent and to maintain the spirit of excellence and service that is so important to the organization. The bank has a long history of community service since its original charter in 1925, and that service continues today in each of its 7 locations in Northeastern Kansas. In Lawrence, the 6th & Vermont location was established in 1997, and a second location at 6th & Monterey was established in 2001. The bank prides itself in knowing its customers so don’t be surprised if we call you by name!

Smoothie King

Network-Level Sponsor

Locations: 565 Wakarusa Dr., Suite D, Lawrence, KS

Years sponsoring the 5K Home Run: This is our first year!

Why do you sponsor the 5K? Events like the 5K Home Run help bring the Lawrence/Douglas County community together to help fight a systemic problem and support families in times of need.

SSC CPAs + Advisors

Network-Level Sponsor

Area Locations: 3320 Clinton Parkway Ct., Suite 120; Lawrence, KS; 5825 S.W. 29th St., Suite 101, Topeka, KS; BMO Harris Bank Building, 7225 Renner Rd., Suite 110, Shawnee, KS

Years sponsoring the 5K Home Run: This is our first year!

Why do you sponsor the 5K? Family Promise engages the community in addressing challenges around housing and we value that partner in the community.

Do you participate with Family Promise throughout the year? Several of our team members volunteer with Family Promise through their faith communities. About SSC CPAs + Advisors: A unified team across five locations, our accounting and financial professionals are dedicated to serving your family and business for generations to come, building on tradition and a passion for entrepreneurship.

Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

Network-Level Sponsor

Headquarters Location: 1421 Research Park Dr., Lawrence, KS

Years sponsoring the 5K Home Run: All 10 years!

Why do you sponsor the 5K? GCSAA is proud to be a part of the Lawrence community. As a part of a community, we share the role of looking after the well-being of other members. It has been a longstanding priority for GCSAA to fulfill our role in strengthening our community. 

About GCSAA: GCSAA is a professional association for golf course management professionals worldwide. GCSAA is dedicated to serving its members, advancing their profession and enhancing the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf.

GCSAA values giving back to the community. Employees are encouraged to volunteer and are allotted volunteer hours each month. A GCSAA committee allocates funds each year for varying community needs. Additionally, each Christmas season, GCSAA adopts numerous families from the community from the proceeds of a fundraising fridge. GCSAA’s facilities also play host to many community trainings, and serve as a polling location.

McDaniel Knutson Financial Partners

Family-Level Sponsor

Location: 3705 Clinton Parkway, Suite 200, Lawrence, KS

How many years have you sponsored the 5K Home Run? This is our second year.

Why do you sponsor the 5K? It is a great staff and client activity, and we draw attention to the great work Family Promise is doing.

Do you or any of your employees participate with Family Promise throughout the year? If so, how? In the past we have been board members, and there are a few specific projects we have participated with in the past and currently.

Kindred CPA, LLC

Family-Level Sponsor

Location: 211 E. 8th St., Ste. A, Lawrence, KS

How many years have you sponsored the 5K? This will be our 7th year sponsoring the 5K.

Why do you sponsor the 5K? The employees of Kindred CPA, LLC appreciate the mission of Family Promise and want to support the ways in which it helps individuals and families in the Lawrence community.

Do you partner with Family Promise in other ways throughout the year? If so, how? We partner with Family Promise by adopting a family each Christmas. Family Promise is also a regularly featured nonprofit on our Facebook page.About Kindred CPA, LLC: Kindred CPA is an accounting firm based in Lawrence, Kansas, serving individuals and organizations nationwide. We specialize in providing tax and accounting solutions for small businesses and nonprofit organizations. With over 100 years of combined experience from our leaders, we take pride in the quality service we provide and in helping our clients stay on top of their accounting, payroll, tax and consulting needs. To keep up with new and evolving tax and business news, subscribe to our biweekly email newsletter at https://kindredcpa.com/newsletter-sign-up/.

KJ Abel Ruch, Volunteer Manager

KJ is a seasoned Certified Volunteer Administrator with 22+ years of experience in volunteer administration, program management, and organizational development. She specializes in recruiting, training, and recognizing volunteers and AmeriCorps members for Douglas County nonprofits, including disaster response and group service. Beyond her professional role, she serves on the Douglas County Kansas Fair Board and chairs the USA Rugby Senior Club Council Governance Committee.

She holds a Master of Liberal Arts in Management and Leadership from Baker University and a BS in Exercise Science with an emphasis in Leisure Management from Truman State University. Her contributions have earned honors such as the Lawrence Schools Foundation All Star Award, USD 497 Outstanding Citizen Award, YWCA Empowered Leader, and selection for Leadership Lawrence.

Outside of work, she leads an active lifestyle—raising backyard chickens, coaching rugby, and exploring cultures through travel. Her passion for community and service drives everything she does.

Ashley Thornton, Director of Development & Community Engagement

Ashley Thornton brings nearly 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, event management, advertising, operations and customer service. In the past she owned a local business, Gracefully Gifting, where she curated corporate gifts and helped her clients with all things gifting and branding. Ashley enjoys sharing all the positive things that Family Promise does to support children and families and all the incredible FPL programs that help families in a housing crisis. 

Meg Pearson, Director of Operations

During her 18-year career, Meg Hooper Pearson has built a strong reputation for her nonprofit leadership and engagement abilities. Her work includes creating and implementing strategic action plans that effectively address community needs by connecting community partners and leveraging volunteers.

Ms. Pearson, her husband, and their 16-year-old daughter currently reside in Lawrence, KS and connect with the community through numerous volunteer activities that support social justice, emergency planning, the arts, local music, youth development, and environmental stewardship.