It’s all about kindness: Walk, breakfast are part of SevenDays in Johnson County

SevenDays will present two public events in April. The nonprofit provides opportunities to encourage kindness through knowledge, mindset and behavior. SevenDays began in April 2014, after a white supremacist killed three Kansas City people in a hate crime.

A Kindness Breakfast will be held 8 a.m. April 5 at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, 13720 Roe Ave. It will include the presentation of the 2023 Ripple of Kindness Award to Lisa Ginter, CEO of CommunityAmerica Credit Union. Limited tickets remain and are available at sevendays.org/events/2023-kindness-breakfast.

The Kindness Walk will be held on April 16 also at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood. Pre-walk activities begin at 4 p.m. with live music, activities and a photo booth. The leisurely one-mile walk begins at 4:30 p.m. After the walk, the public can enjoy food trucks and a live performance by Diamond Empire Band. Kindness Walk registration is now open. Go to SevenDays.org.

Olathe project receives recognition

The Kansas Avenue streetscape project in Olathe was awarded the Project of the Year for transportation projects under $5 million by the Kansas City Metro Chapter of the American Public Works Association.

Olathe’s Brougham Drive Regional Detention Basin won the KC Metro APWA Project of the Year Award for environmental projects under $5 million. Both projects are now in the running for APWA national awards, which will be announced later this year. For more information about the projects, go to olatheks.gov and search APWA.

Eat Local & Organic Expo coming to OP

The family friendly Eat Local & Organic Expo will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 1 at Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park. The event draws more than 30 KC Food Circle farmers, who focus on certain standards for growing plants and mushrooms, beekeeping and raising animals. There also will be opportunities to sign up for weekly farm shares, buy transplants for the garden, and purchase early spring produce. For more information, go to kchealthykids.org/eat-local--organic-expo.

More than 60 crafters coming to Shawnee fest

The April Showers Craft Festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 1 at the Shawnee Civic Centre, 13817 Johnson Drive, Shawnee. More than 60 local vendors will offer homemade items. Admission is free.

For more information, go to cityofshawnee.org/Departments/Parks_Recreation, click on special events and find the craft fest.

OP begins ash tree removal program

The city of Overland Park has begun a large-scale ash street tree removal and replacement program. The emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle that feeds specifically on ash species, is expected to kill the majority of the city streets’ 11,000 ash trees. The city is removing ash street trees from 12 areas across Overland Park already hardest hit by the bug. To see a list of the neighborhoods, go to www.opkansas.org, click on city services and search ash tree.

One tree will be replanted for every tree removed by the program. Residents in neighborhoods receiving ash street tree removal service will see signs placed at neighborhood entrances before removal work begins. Also, door hangers will be placed at homes where street trees will be removed about a week in advance of removal.

Mission to hold citywide clean-up

Mission will be holding a citywide clean-up from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. April 22. Volunteers will pick up litter with the help of park maintenance staff. Volunteers must register by April 10 for a free T-shirt. For more information and registration, go to www.missionks.org and search clean-up.

Stream clean-up coming to OP

A day of removing trash and debris from Overland Park streams will be held on April 1. Volunteers will pick up the debris, bag it and pile the bags for the city’s Parks and Recreation crews to pick up.

The city is seeking groups and individuals to volunteer for two or more hours.

For more information on volunteering, contact Brenna Duffy, neighborhood services supervisor, at 913-895-6339 or Brenna.Duffy@opkansas.org.