By Quinn O’Hara

Photo by Quinn O’Hara

The Clay Counts Coalition met for their regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, May 8.

Jess Borgerding presented on the Teammates mentoring program that was implemented into Clay Center schools near the end of 2023. Borgerding said since then, the program has been extremely successful, and many matches have been made. She also reported that the Clay Center Teammates program will be opening a fund to participate in the yearly Match Day.

Lori Martin presented several YLinK updates as well as the results of the Coalition’s Red Balloon Day event held on May 1. Martin also encouraged community members to join the Red Backpack Challenge.

The Coalition then agreed to pause the Courageous Conversations program over the summer.

The Coalition also discussed several summer training opportunities for its members, ways to provide mental health services for local farmers, and the K-State River Valley Extension Office’s upcoming Walk Kansas meeting at the Clay Center Zoo Walking Trails.