Kansas City IISE

The KCIISE chapter had the opportunity to tour a local small business on November 17^th – Kurt’s Bars.  Kurt’s Bars are health energy bars used by anyone from endurance athletes to kids’ sports teams and are made locally in Shawnee, KS. 

Kurt’s Bars was started by local athlete, Kurt Niemackl.  After trying to find the right fuel for his endurance races, he found that they were lacking in taste, weren’t easy on the gut, or did not have lasting energy.  So, he decided to create his own.  Using natural and organic ingredients, he often used his friends and family as guinea pigs for various recipes.  When he finally landed on the right recipe, he found that Kurt’s Bars were in high demand by his fellow athletes.  Outgrowing his home kitchen, he renovated the basement of a house to function as an FDA approved commercial kitchen.

We learned about how to get the process certified and get nutrition information validated and appropriately labeled.  We were in awe of how streamlined Kurt’s operation was; that awe was topped only by how amazing the bars tasted!  Kurt’s background in construction is apparent in the operation, as you can see where he has modified equipment and tools to be more efficient. 

We all left with a yummy sampling of goodies!  To get your own, be sure to visit www.kurtsbars.com.

#fuelwhatdrivesyou #smallbusiness #shoplocal

On the evening of October 20th, IISE and family volunteered via Harvesters at “A Turning Point” in Northmoor, MO just north of Kansas City.  Volunteers worked for two hours after learning the pantry process.  The pantry is stocked with a plethora of essential food items from local groceries and donations, enabling families to get what they need for a week. 

The pantry opened around 4:45 and volunteers helped customers pick items from the shelves, navigate the pantry, and stocked additional items when needed.  Then, volunteers assisted in pushing carts and loading vehicles for the customers.  One couldn’t help but smell through their mask the abundance of sanitizer in the air and on common surfaces, emphasizing the safety and health of all in the process. 

In addition to the pantry, A Turning Point offers a Wardrobe, an Academy, and other community services.  More information can be found at aturningpointkc.org.  Thank you to all who volunteered, we certainly hope to volunteer again in the near future!

The Kansas City IISE group had the opportunity to see a variety of airplanes up close at this MRO operation at the Aviation Technical Services facility. It was impressive to hear, see and think about what all goes into the maintenance, overhaul and repair of an airplane. The team also got a great historic overview of how and why the facility was built initially for TWA.