Sandyland Shepherd's Center
110 E. Third, St. John, KS 67576-1733
Jim Lakey, Director
Phone: 316-549-6351

Sandyland Shepherd's Center at St. John, Kansas. Visited by phone with director James Lakey on October 3. 2002

BRIEF HISTORY OF THIS CENTER
tarted in 1991, Sandyland Shepherd's Center is located in a small town of 1,250 people, but serves an area with 6 towns in Stafford County. Sandyland is a local name given to the area of the county. Since each of the towns have senior center, the program of this Shepherd's Center is primarily focused on service projects in the county. The Wesley Foundation in Wichita gave them seed money with which to start the program.

STAFFING, ORGANIZATION, MEMBERSHIP
They have a main office in St. John, and a second office in nearby Stafford, KS, was opened last year. They have a half-time director, Jim Lakey, who is paid for 20 hours per week. They have 2 paid office workers in St. John, and 1 paid office worker in Stafford. The policy and budget of the center is determined by a board of 15 members, which includes 5 or 6 members of the local clergy. They are organized to serve the seniors of the whole county.

WHAT IS WORKING WELL?
The following service programs are strong:

• A medical equipment loan program for seniors, sharing from 26 to 68 items each month.
• Senior Wheels Program providing transportation, making over 400 trips per year, and driving between 8 to 9 thousand miles per year.
• Handyman Program giving 185 hours so far this year.
• Phone Check Program, making more than 300 calls so far this year.
• Heartland Share Food Box Program, giving inexpensive food boxes to needy seniors.
• From Marksville, KS, a town without a grocery store, they drive 8 or 9 people to St. John to shop for groceries each week.
• Lunch and Learn Program, usually each month, with speaker on legal or health issues. 45 to 70 attend.
• It was noted that each of the towns have senior centers to take care of recreational and social needs.
• The Center receives adequate financing of a budget of $27,000 from the following sources:

-- 50% from two cable television stations that they own and run.
-- 40% from county taxes that support senior programs.
-- 10% from individual gifts.

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS?

• They have difficulty getting enough volunteers for these programs. In this small-town setting, they have difficulty recruiting new volunteers to replace those that move away or can no longer serve.
• They also have difficulty finding people who can staff the two television stations that they run.

HOW COULD THE NATIONAL SCA OFFICE HELP YOU?
They appreciate the SCA monthly packets, and the research that SCA does about programs and shares in the packets. They read the packet material carefully for program ideas.