Free complimentary copy November 27, 2015 • Volume 3, No. 5
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Raytowner performs at Plaza Lighting Ceremony By Kris Collins After meeting him, it doesn’t take long for the talent and charm of Raytowner Elijah Thomas to surface. At 15 years old he already has a storied history of success in dance, music and nearly anything else entertainment based. Most recently he performed several Christmas numbers for the Plaza Lighting Ceremony Nov. 25. Thomas, a sophomore at Raytown South High School, has participated in a number of music competitions — KC SuperStar, Lee’s Summit’s Got Talent, and others — one of which led to his booking at the lighting ceremony. “That person that does KC SuperStar, her name is Tammy Ruder, she reached out to us and she said they were having tryouts at the plaza and we ended up going down and trying out on that day,” Thomas said. Thomas performed with eight others who also tried out for the event. He first got interested in music after he earned a spot in a Battle of the Bands competition in Independence. After being selected as a finalist for his solo performance, he sought the services of two schoolmates to finish out the competition. Thomas, axe man Donte Williams, 18, and 17-year-old Jordan Patrick, percussionist, have been performing under the moniker Royal Elements since June and the band is working on its debut album, appropriately named “The Beginning.” Thomas has seen success so far in his musical endeavors, opening for performances of the Harlem Globetrotters and Missouri Mavericks, but
Photo by Kris Collins Elijah Thomas, 15, performs a song on acoustic guitar. The Raytowner performed several Christmas songs at the Plaza Lighting Ceremony Nov. 25.
his talents run deeper than singing and playing multiple instruments. At the age of 3, he sought a career in entertainment with a reading for “The Pursuit of Happiness” to play next to the film’s star Will Smith. Since then, his interest in entertain-
ment has brought him to various art forms. He’s an accomplished dancer of jazz, contemporary, hiphop, ballet and lyrical forms, and he won dancer of the year in a Dance America competition in 2013 while studying at Dancin’ 2 Wynn School
of Dance in Raytown. If a career in music or dancing doesn’t play out, Thomas said he is interested in studying engineering in college. In the meantime, the massively talented youngster will keep playing shows around the Kansas
City metro area and working on his craft. Thomas posts all of his upcoming shows on his Instagram account, @Eli7song. To hear an impromptu performance in the Raytown-Brooking Eagle offices, find this story at RaytownEagle.com.
Jewish Family Services expanding in Raytown By Kris Collins Jewish Family Services of Greater Kansas City is in the process of expanding operations to Raytown. The nonprofit already operates one of its programs, Help@Hope in town, but more volunteers are needed to begin JET Express, a transportation service for adults 65 or older. “The reason why we’re in Raytown is actually because of a presentation that he (Truman Heartland Community Foundation President and CEO Phil Hanson) did years ago,” said Dawn Staton, director of older adult initiatives for Jewish Family Services. “We knew that we were going to have to grow and we were trying to figure out where the next places were to go. “Independence had a bigger older adult population, followed by Raytown; just because where we were geographically, Raytown was closer to us so we decided the next place for us to grow was to be in Raytown. You have an older adult population that needs to have the services.” Hanson, whose organization helps subsidize membership costs through grants, said approximately 20 percent of Raytown’s population is comprised of adults 65
years of age or older. “Everywhere out here will be there in the coming years, but Raytown is ahead of the curve on the aging,” he said. To jumpstart JET Express service, Jewish Family Services (JFS) needs 10 to 12 volunteers. JET Express launched in 2008 and aims to serve adults 65 years of age or older who have no readily available form of transportation. Through JFS, members request rides using user-friendly software and volunteers can choose which rides fit their schedules. Rides are available within a 30-mile radius at $5 each way. However, trips requested for medical appointments or services are not tethered by a mileage ceiling. “We really want to be able to provide services for older adults here in Raytown, but you can’t put the cart before the horse,” Staton said. “We need the horses.” Taly Friedman, director of volunteer engagement, said volunteers must be 21 years old, pass a background check and complete nominal training. Drivers are also reimbursed, at 33 cents per mile, for gas while members are in volunteers’ vehicles. “It’s flexible, it’s convenient, it’s easy for people to access, and it’s also one of the most meaningful
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opportunities because they actually get to interact with the people they are helping,” Friedman said. JET Express gives approximately 250 rides a month. Last year, volunteers drove 21,739 miles. The service is door-to-door, meaning volunteers help clients from the door of the home to the door of the
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car, if needed. Dru Splitstone, 77, is a resident of a retirement home and has used JET Express for the past six years to get to medical appointments. “I’ve had no trouble whatsoever,” she said. “The only problem I would say is when they don’t have drivers available. The drivers
are always courteous and they’re always on time and if they can’t stay with me during the visit they make sure they’re back in time to pick me up.” Occasionally rides must be cancelled because a lack of volunteer availability. To remedy cancella-
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