May a busy time for Pilot Club of Great Bend

Great Bend Pilot Club Executive Board, back row from left: Treasurer Marty Aldrich, Director Judy Fox, 2026-2027 President Chris Rippel, President-elect Amy Mayhill, and Director Ros Neeland. Front row: Secretary Marsha Gerstner, Past President/ Director Joyce Beadles-Fry, Director Connie Cale, Corresponding secretary Nancy Sundahl, and Vice-president Niki Helfrich.

From the Pilot Club of Great Bend

This month of May, the Pilot Club of Great Bend installed a new executive board for the 2026-2027 service and program year, along with promoting Bike Safety awareness month by donating and fitting free bike helmets through our international signature initiative “THE HELMET PEOPLE” to USD 428 students with perfect attendance, reminding everyone a helmet that does not fit properly will not protect your brain when needed most. That is why we take the time to go through the steps to properly fit the helmets our club gives away.

Pilot club of Great Bend is a member of the guiding organization Pilot International an international civic organization established in 1921 with a focus on education and support and prevention of brain-related disorders and injuries of all types. Pilot Club of Great Bend has for 38 years been a chapter of Pilot International whose mission is to influence positive change in communities throughout the world. To do this, we come together in friendship and give people an outlet for service.

Our Pilot Club supports the "ABCs" of Pilot International namely: Advocating Leadership & Service in youth and young adults; Brain Safety & Health, andCaring & supporting caregivers in the community and families in times of need.

Great Bend Pilots as a club plan for the coming year with several projects to aid and support the community. Pilot members annually sponsor and gather donations for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s held Oct. 24, this year at Jack Kilby Square from 10 a.m. to noon. Our 4th Autism Workshop, "Sensory and Play Understanding Autism and Other Neurodivergent Conditions" will be Sept. 12 at Barton Community College. Registration is open for families, educators, and other professionals and caregivers.

We use the Pilot International award winning BrainMinders™ program with our puppet shows to teach brain injury prevention to youth, along with our “Helmet People” bike helmet giveaways. For seniors we have a Brain-O bingo activity that helps raise awareness with seniors on brain illnesses and disabilities that come with aging. Pilot club of Great Bend also supports and donates to several community activities and programs to promote brain health and awareness like the Great Bend Public Library's Summer Reading program.

In the coming year the club will be active with several fundraising and volunteer projects to aid and support the community to fulfill the club mission to improve the quality of life in our community.

Our club meetings are in-person at noontime on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at Perkins restaurant. To learn more about Great Bend Pilot Club go to https://www.greatbendpilotclub.com or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com