August is here, school bells are about to ring, and our fall events are right around the corner!
Tune in to get the latest back-to-school start dates across Miami County, see what’s in store for our Fall Non-Profit Gathering, grab your Match Day tickets before they sell out, and try a refreshing low-sugar dessert.
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Check out this month’s spotlight events!
Back to School in Miami County
As summer winds down, our local school districts are gearing up for the yearly back to school. Here are the key start dates and official calendars for each district across Miami County:
- Louisburg USD 416:
- Aug. 12: PreK, 6th, & 9th grades
- Aug. 13: K–12 grades
- 🔗 View the USD 416 Approved Calendar
- Paola USD 368:
- Aug. 12: Start of school (all grades)
- 🔗 View the USD 368 Calendar
- Osawatomie USD 367:
- Aug. 17: Start of school
- 🔗 View the USD 367 Calendar
I wish everyone a fun and exciting return to the classroom: teachers, families and students. It’s always great to see the town bubble with all the activity that comes with a new school year!
The Miami County Non-Profit Gathering Returns This Fall
So far 22 people from 15 of our local Miami County non-profit organizations have registered for our upcoming Fall gathering. Mark your calendars so you don’t miss this opportunity to network and collaborate.
To show our gratitude, any participating non-profit organization present at the gathering will be entered into a live drawing for a $500 donation directly to their organization! (You must be physically present when your name is drawn to win.)
Event Details
- 🗓️ Date: Friday, August 21st
- 📍 Location: Wildwood Outdoor Education Center
- 🕒 Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- 🎟️ Cost: FREE (Lunch is provided!)
Click here to register! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mrZ_nUt113MakSvJwRw84rOm-ajpwUYHmQTVB926ITQ/viewform?edit_requested=true
Stomp Out Suicide 5K Walk/Run
Brian and Debbie McQuay will be joining us at the gathering to present on Stomp Out Suicide (SOS). Brian and Debbie founded SOS after tragically losing their son Joshua on March 19, 2010.
Started in 2019, SOS works to equip local schools in Miami and Linn counties with critical suicide prevention training and mental health resources to recognize and respond to challenges early.
Let’s grab our walking shoes and step on the trail to support mental health awareness, honor loved ones, and bring our community closer together in the 5K Walk (or Run, if you’re the sporty type!) to stomp out suicide!
- 🗓️ Date: Saturday, September 12th, 2026
- ⏰ Time: 9:00 AM
- 📍 Location: Flint Hills Trail, Osawatomie, KS
Check out how to register here → https://givebutter.com/stomp-out-suicide-walk-2026
Match Day Celebration 2026: Tickets Available!
If you attended last year, check your mail – our official Match Day cards have hit mailboxes!
Registration is officially open, but capped at 250 total attendees, and tickets are selling out fast, so don’t wait to grab yours!
This year we have the incredible opportunity to raise $300,000! Our sponsor, the Patterson Family Foundation, is doing it again: if we raise the sum of $200,000, they will donate an additional $100,000 to the total.
Join us:
- 🗓️ Date: Saturday, September 26th, 2026
- 📍 Location: Town Square Events, Paola, KS
- 🍽️ Catering: delicious barbecue by Rick Schoenberger of Paola’s BBQ Shack!
What is Dueling Pianos?
This year we’re trading trivia for high-energy Dueling Pianos entertainment provided by Big Time Entertainment!
Featuring Max Cooper (from NBC’s The Voice) and Kevin Coon (featured in KC’s The Pitch magazine), it’s going to be an unforgettable night of live musical requests, comedy, and community spirit.
Auctions & Fun
Get ready to bid on our Silent Auction Baskets and participate in a live, mouthwatering Dessert Auction!
Register here!
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/PGL6D7H7QBJWN
Local Recipe Spotlight
Jennifer Gander Memorial Scholarship Fund
Anna Gross, who submitted this month’s recipe, also has a fund at Miami County Community Foundation.
The Jennifer Gander Memorial Scholarship Fund, established by Anna in memory of her sister Jennifer, awards a yearly $1,000 scholarship specifically to graduating high school seniors who are pursuing alternative pathways to success – think trades, vocational training, and career certification programs outside of a traditional four-year college.
It’s a meaningful way to honor Jennifer’s legacy while lifting up local students as they build bright futures right here in our community.
Diet Peanut Butter Ribbon Pie
This family recipe was passed down from her grandmother, Betty Sinclair who originally created this cool, low-sugar dessert for Anna’s diabetic cousin.
Light, delicious, and easy to whip up, it has become a family favorite that’s perfect for hot late-summer get-togethers!
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 Tbsp. diet margarine
- 1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1st Layer:
- 3 cups milk
- 2 small packages instant sugar-free vanilla pudding
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2nd Layer:
- 2 small packages instant sugar-free chocolate pudding
- 3 cups low-fat milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Topping:
- 1 (8 oz.) carton lite Cool Whip
Directions
- Prep the Crust: melt 1/2 cup peanut butter and diet margarine together in a pan over low heat. Add graham cracker crumbs and mix well. Press firmly into the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch pan.
- Make the 1st Layer: in a bowl, whisk together 3 cups milk, sugar-free vanilla pudding mix, and 1/2 cup peanut butter until smooth. Pour over the graham cracker crust and place in the refrigerator to chill.
- Make the 2nd Layer: whisk sugar-free chocolate pudding mix, 3 cups low-fat milk, and vanilla extract together until well blended. Carefully pour over the chilled vanilla layer.
- Top & Serve: spread the lite Cool Whip evenly over the chocolate layer. Chill in the refrigerator until set and serve cold!
If you don’t know me
I am Tammy Booe, Executive Director of MICOCF. You can read about me in this article. I’m so excited to get to know you all better and continue making a difference together!
Stay Connected with Me and the MICOCF Family
I love getting to know more of you and seeing all the ways we can work together to make Miami County even better. Keep following along, sharing our updates, and letting me know what you want to see in future newsletters! We’re in this together, and I’m so grateful to be on this journey with you.
Have a local talent or small business you’d like to spotlight? Know a hidden gem in Miami County that everyone should visit? Or maybe you have a fall season tip or fun activity you love to do in the County?
Drop us a message, and we might just feature you in our next newsletter or social media!
Sending you all the love,
Tammy Booe
Executive Director, MICOCF
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