Paving the Way Campaign

Prompted by a pledge of matching/challenge funds, Meadowlark Foundation announces in January 2022 the “Paving the Way” campaign. Jan Fink Call and Jeff Call of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., and Dan Fink of Highlands Ranch, Colo., have pledged to match, dollar for dollar, up to $40,000 in memory of their father, the late Rev. H. Wayne Fink, to pave a portion of the loop trail which circles Meadowlark’s campus. The next section proposed to receive a hard surface stretches from Stillman Cemetery, located east of Meadowlark Circle, to near the new CenterPointe Physicians building, located east of the Meadowlark Valley road. 

“Our dad loved to be outside; he appreciated nature and the value of fresh air,” Jan Fink Call said recently. “This project appealed to my brother and me because the trail is used by many now, and improving it will provide even greater access to the outdoors for current residents and guests as well as those in the future.”

Persons walking the aforementioned section of trail currently step on a variety of surfaces: mowed grass, mulch, and soggy soil after the recent snows. Trail-users also traverse a new wooden bridge installed this fall to span a rock-lined drainage ditch created to control water flow northeast of the physicians’ office.

A successful “Paving the Way” campaign, $80,000, allows for a 1,550-foot long, 6-foot wide ribbon of concrete that will improve accessibility. An additional $12,000 also would cover improvements, such as dirt work and a rock base just west of the new bridge. A wide, hard-surface trail more easily accommodates persons walking side-by-side, or those using an assistive device, such as a walker, wheelchair, or mobility scooter.

From being part of the process in the late 1970s to open Meadowlark’s doors to living in a healthcare household decades later, one might say Rev. Fink came full circle in his relationship with Meadowlark. It’s fitting that a donation in his memory is helping exercise and nature enthusiasts more safely walk Meadowlark’s “full circle.”  The donors also mention Edward and Jo Anne Call as inspirations for their generous contribution. The late Ed Call, Jeff’s father, lived at Meadowlark prior to his passing in early 2016. Jo continues to enjoy her home at Meadowlark.

To support this project, select the “Paving the Way” option on the drop-down menu on the Donate Now page. https://www.meadowlark.org/giving/donate-now

Or, write a check to Meadowlark Foundation with “Paving the Way” in the memo line and mail to Meadowlark Foundation at 2121 Meadowlark Road, Manhattan, KS 66502.

Good Samaritan Fund

The Good Samaritan Fund was established shortly after Meadowlark Hills opened. The original and continued purpose of the fund is to assist residents, who have depleted their resources in healthcare, to continue receiving the same quality of service, care, and life enhancement as those with means still available. The fund provides assistance in offsetting the financial gap between private pay and government assisted program re-imbursement. Currently, the cost to provide care to those without financial resources totaled $1.5 million. These funds go directly into resident care and services. Currently, we have both an expendable fund (for immediate needs in charitable care) and an endowed Good Samaritan Fund. Most gifts to the fund come through memorials established by families, friends, and fellow residents. You may select which to support. Otherwise, all memorial gifts go to the expendable fund for immediate use. 

Helping Hands Fund

The mission of the Helping Hands Fund is to provide staff members with help in relieving personal hardship and/or financial duress. The Helping Hands Fund promotes a healthy and productive work environment by providing a self-support system for staff by staff.

Meadowlark is enriched by the individual talents and contributions of its employees. The Helping Hands Fund is a resource for our employees to continue their important contributions in their area of expertise.

• All Meadowlark employees are eligible.
• The distribution can be made confidential if that is the desire of the recipient.
• To apply for assistance from the Helping Hands Fund, contact Human Resources at (785) 323-3893 or e-mail the office.
• The fund provides for critical incidents of medical or family hardships.
• Gifts can be made to the fund through a payroll deduction (employees visit the Human Resources office) or with a check made payable to the Meadowlark Foundation (please include Helping Hands Fund in the memo line).

Meadowlark Parkinson’s Program

The Parkinson’s Program Fund allows the organization’s leaders to provide services to improve the quality of life for all those affected by Parkinson’s disease in the Flint Hills region: patients, caregivers, therapists, and nurses. With this fund, they are able to continue and expand opportunities for education, outreach, and scholarships for medical purposes.

Every August, the Meadowlark Parkinson’s Program hosts the Speedy PD 5k/10k Race for Parkinson’s disease and each April, the program hosts Pig Out for Parkinson's. All proceeds from both events support the program.

Household Gifts

Give a gift, financial or in-kind, to a specific household for future projects! Your gift will be designated to the household of your choice. When a special project utilizes donated funds, the donors will be contacted upon completion.