Foundation Stories

written by Shelley O’Brien, Executive Director of the Johnson County Library Foundation

One of the fun things about being a donor to the Johnson County Library Foundation is that we invite you to special events. On April 17, 2024, we hosted a private reception with author and middle school language arts teacher Matt Eicheldinger. According to Matt, you pronounce his last name “Eye-Coal-Ding-Rrrr”.

Easy, right?

Matt has multiple books coming out in 2024 and 2025 with Kansas City’s own Andrews McMeel Universal. This includes, “Matt Sprouts and the Curse of the Ten Broken Toes” for elementary school-aged students. Additionally, coming out in the fall will be “Sticky Notes: Memorable Lessons from Ordinary Moments” with stories about grief, joy, and compassion.

Johnson County Library Foundation former board member Caroline McKnight has called Matt the “Modern Mr. Rogers” in his approach to writing and posting videos on his Instagram (you can follow him at @matteicheldinger). His positive outlook on children, our times, and personal challenges, reframes his approach to teaching, and inspires others. Not to mention, most of his stories are funny and charming – focusing on family, learning, and resiliency.

Maybe more importantly, via storytelling, he connects with the audience. During his speech there was a lot of laughter, and a lot of “awwws” from the audience.

Matt shared a “Sticky Notes” story with us. He was teaching an elementary school class with a student who had gone quiet. She had spoken in the past but had recently stopped speaking. Matt asked the other teachers for help, but they didn’t know what to do. He came up with the idea of leaving a sticky note on her desk before she arrived at school each day. Sometimes it was a drawing, or a memorable phrase, but something to connect with this one student. Years later she returned to Matt’s class to thank him, and she had saved all his encouraging sticky notes.

Eicheldinger’s career trajectory includes years of teaching elementary school, years of literary agent rejection letters, Instagram success with sharing stories via video, and now writing and hoping for literary success. Many in the audience were impressed with his tenacity and hustle.

We thank Matt for sharing his special knack for storytelling with us. It was a wonderful evening. In addition, we thanked our newest members of the 1952 Society. A BIG thank you to Mel and Alice Hawk, Chris and Bonnie Limbird, and Leigh Anne and Bill Neal, who have all placed the library in their estate plans.

For more information about donating now or in the future through your estate or will, give me a call at (202) 923-6458 (cell) or [email protected] via email. I’m happy to meet you for coffee and give you a copy of Matt’s book.

1. Alonzo Fuller with Andrews McMeel Universal, Kelly Kilgore, Johnson County Library Board Chair, and Shelley R. O’Brien, Executive Director for the Johnson County Library Foundation
2. Guest Chalen David and foundation board member Anne Blessing
3. Christi and Ken Eaton
4. Chuck Sipple, foundation board member, Julie Steiner, foundation president, and Tricia Suellentrop, County Librarian
5. Guests Ian Donahoe and Jason Webb
6. Deputy County Librarian Kinsley Riggs and former foundation board member Caroline McKnight watching speaker Matt Eicheldinger
7. Guest Mel Haas and foundation past president Leigh Anne Neal
8. Guest Shannon Skoglund and Lisa Larson-Bunnell, Johnson County Library Foundation Board Member

written by Shelley O’Brien, Executive Director of the Johnson County Library Foundation

There is nothing better than the beginning of the baseball season. When I was a college student at KU, we often went to Opening Day. Usually, I needed a raincoat or my winter jacket, but we braved the cold day as the first major sign of spring. It was always an optimistic day, with nothing but potential and a wonderful summer ahead of us.

Going to see the Royals always reminded me of my grandmother Ruby Wilson from Pittsburg, Kansas. She was the closest thing I knew to a baseball expert. She would listen to at least three games a week on the radio in the 1970s and 1980s. It brought her so much joy, especially the 1985 World Series; she was bursting with pride that year. My grandmother always had strong opinions about the team and the coaching staff. Way before fantasy baseball leagues, she knew exactly what changes the roster needed to be made to make it to October.

If you are a baseball expert or a casual fan, celebrate the beginning of the Royals season with your Johnson County Library.

Matt Stewart, Local Emmy award-winning TV anchor and reporter at Fox 4 News, will be with us on Thursday, March 21^st at 6:30 pm to discuss his newest book – The Kansas City Royals: An Illustrated Timeline. In his book containing more than 160 color pictures and insight into the Royals organization, Matt details every big moment and profiles your favorite players through the decades, from George Brett to Bo Jackson to Eric Hosmer to Bobby Witt Jr.

Joining Matt will be Curt Nelson, Director of the Royals Hall of Fame. Nelson has worked in various roles for the Royals organization for the past 25 years.

They will be presenting at the Lenexa City Center Library, in the main room. This event is free, open to the public, and sponsored by the Johnson County Library Foundation. We hope you will join us and think of all the wonderful spring and summer days you have experienced at the K.