Welcome to Topeka South Rotary
Jayhawk Theatre - Offsite

Step Inside Topeka’s Landmark: Join Us for an Offsite Tour of the Historic Jayhawk Theatre

This Friday, October 23rd, Topeka South Rotary will trade our usual meeting venue for an exciting offsite excursion to one of our city’s most cherished architectural treasures: the Historic Jayhawk Theatre. Opened in 1926 and proudly recognized as the official State Theatre of Kansas, the Jayhawk has stood at the heart of downtown Topeka for a century as a vibrant hub for entertainment, community gatherings, and shared memories. Today, this iconic landmark is undergoing a remarkable revitalization to honor its storied past while preparing for a dynamic new century of cultural experiences.

Our exclusive building tour will be led by two extraordinary leaders deeply invested in community enrichment and historic preservation. Vance Kelley brings a distinguished 40-year career dedicated to preserving historic structures, having licensed architectural practices across nine states and Ontario. As a veteran leader of preservation projects at six state capitols and a longtime Advisor to the National Trust for Historic Preservation—including two terms as Chair of Advisors—Vance brings unmatched expertise in architectural heritage. Alongside him is Joanne Morrell, a seasoned nonprofit leader with over three decades of experience in community development and fundraising. Known for her instrumental roles in launching the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center and the Evel Knievel Museum, Joanne is helping advance a passionate vision to restore the Jayhawk as a premier destination for education, celebration, and community connection.

Members are encouraged to gather for this unique behind-the-scenes look at how history, vision, and dedication are breathing new life into a Topeka landmark. Don’t miss this inspiring opportunity to explore the ongoing restoration work firsthand and learn more about the bright future ahead for the Historic Jayhawk Theatre!

Please arrive by 7:30 am and use the Jackson Street entrance. Jayhawk Theatre is located at 720 SW Jackson St. Coffee and pastries will be provided.

 

World Polio Day Proclamation in Topeka

World Polio Day Proclamation

On October 20, Mayor Spencer Duncan presented a World Polio Day proclamation to the Topeka South Rotary Club and Rotary Club of Topeka at the Topeka City Council meeting. Rotary Club of Topeka President Leanna James and Topeka South’s Tanya Dorf Brunner received the proclamation and made brief remarks.

Thank you to Mayor Duncan and the City Council for their support of the Rotary Clubs’ work on behalf of eradicating polio.

Click here to see the proclamation.

After Hours
Join us for our upcoming After Hours to socialize and connect with fellow members. Whether you're a regular attendee or haven’t been able to join us lately, this is a great opportunity to share your ideas for service projects through open dialogue and catch up with the club’s activities. The agenda begins at 5:30 and is very brief. 

Meetings are the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at a rotating location. Next meeting is November 11th at Blind Tiger (417 SW 37th St).

 

Preparing for World Polio Day

Posted by Doug Anstaett
 

As we all know, the eradication of polio has been the No. 1 goal of Rotary International since 1988.

Each year we join with our Rotary partners around the world by observing Oct. 24 as World Polio Day, which coincides with the birthday of Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the first polio vaccine. The day serves to raise global awareness about the importance of polio vaccination and the ongoing efforts to eliminate the disease worldwide.

Our efforts have been wildly successful, yet wild polio remains endemic in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and variant polio outbreaks threaten the progress we have made against the disease. Rotary has helped immunize over 3 billion children against polio in 122 countries since 1988 and polio cases have been slashed by 99.9 percent.

What has made the difference is comprehensive immunization efforts that have spread to every country around the world.

The efforts of Rotary Clubs, the Gates Foundation and national and international health organizations have been extraordinarily effective, but high levels of vaccination must continue now and into the future to stop polio transmission.

We hope you will join Rotary Club members in observing World Polio Day. The support of all of us will guarantee that this awful disease is kept in check for future generations. If you haven’t already, consider becoming a PolioPlus member, which requires just a $100 commitment per year to RI.

Anyone can be a part of the fight to end polio and have their donation to Rotary International matched 2-to-1 by the Gates Foundation. Visit endpolio.org to learn more and donate.

And there is still time to join a Rotary International trip to India in late October to vaccinate children. For more information, click the link below or contact Maria Wilson, D 5710 PolioPlus Chair, at (785) 224-6745 or Maria4PolioPlus@gmail.com.

https://worldpolioday.agratajmahalrotary.org/default.aspx for trip details

https://rotary5710.org/50021/Page/ShowSitePage?ClassCode=SitePage&Slug=polio-plus for scholarship details

Let's make this the year we end polio. 

Upcoming Speakers
Shannon Reilly
Oct 30, 2026
Topeka Civic Theater
Katy Nelson - Offsite
Nov 06, 2026
Topeka Area Builders Association
View entire list...

Upcoming Events

About Topeka South Rotary
Rotary International Links
 
Club Executives & Directors
President
Adrienne Olejnik
President Elect
Michael Wilson
Vice President/Program Chair
Lori Rowe
Immediate Past President
Cassandra Taylor
Treasurer
Angela Dailey
Secretary
Tina Dreitzler Anderson
Sergeant-at-Arms
Benjamin Coultis
Membership
Sandy Warren
Public Image
Kyle Lear
Club Service
Jamie Stafford
Social/Club Administration
Katy Nelson
At Large Director
Lauren Barr
Rotary Foundation
Tanya Dorf Brunner
At Large Director
Candy Williams
Club Service Projects Chair
Jamie Stafford
District Link
 
Motto: "Service Above Self"
We meet In Person
Fridays at 7:45 a.m.
Brewster Place Cultural Arts Center
1205 SW 29thTerrace
Topeka, KS 66611
United States
Mailing Address
Topeka South Rotary Club
PO Box 194
Topeka, KS 66601
Check us out on Facebook
 
Missed a Meeting?
Do an easy, 30-minute makeup online at eRotary.org.

Your Attendance Matters!

Posted 
on Dec 17, 2014
 
Missed a meeting? Do a makeup! As a participatory organization, Rotary highly values regular attendance at the weekly club meetings. In fact, attending the meetings is one of the basic obligations that a member accepts upon joining Rotary.
 
If you must occasionally miss a weekly meeting, however, you can easily do a “makeup” if you:
 
  • Complete a 30-minute online session at Rotary eClub One watching videos or reading articles on everything from personal growth and community service to international literacy projects.
  • Participate in a TSR service project, such as serving a meal at Let’s Help or helping a child choose new sneakers at a Sole Mates event.
  • Attend a regular meeting of another Rotary club, a District Conference, or other approved District or RI meeting.
Please do your part to keep our attendance numbers up – and help our club stay strong and active!
 
For questions about membership, contact Jeff Sorensen. To report a meeting makeup, contact Club Secretary Angela Dailey.
- See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/4261/Stories/your-attendance-matters-1#sthash.yyncKehA.dpuf

Your Attendance Matters!

Posted 
on Dec 17, 2014
 
Missed a meeting? Do a makeup! As a participatory organization, Rotary highly values regular attendance at the weekly club meetings. In fact, attending the meetings is one of the basic obligations that a member accepts upon joining Rotary.
 
If you must occasionally miss a weekly meeting, however, you can easily do a “makeup” if you:
 
  • Complete a 30-minute online session at Rotary eClub One watching videos or reading articles on everything from personal growth and community service to international literacy projects.
  • Participate in a TSR service project, such as serving a meal at Let’s Help or helping a child choose new sneakers at a Sole Mates event.
  • Attend a regular meeting of another Rotary club, a District Conference, or other approved District or RI meeting.
Please do your part to keep our attendance numbers up – and help our club stay strong and active!
 
For questions about membership, contact Jeff Sorensen. To report a meeting makeup, contact Club Secretary Angela Dailey.
- See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/4261/Stories/your-attendance-matters-1#sthash.yyncKehA.dpuf
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