By Jason Terry, Board Member for Father’s Club

For those of you that made it to last year’s Kentucky Derby watch party, you know that it is a really fun way to watch the race, eat some great food, and maybe have a beverage or two while talking with a bunch of great people. It’s time to mark your calendar for the 2026 Kentucky Derby watch party!

2026 Kentucky Derby Watch Party

Date: Saturday, May 2nd
Time: Starts at 5pm and the race begins at 6pm

Address: The Carriage Houses of Johnson County (Directions)
29230 W. 83rd St, De Soto, KS 66018

Dress Code: Anything from comfortable, to business casual, to full blown Derby Attire with big hats!
Co-Ed: Lots of people ask, this is a “bring your spouse and friends” kind of event.

More Details

This event will be similar to last year, including a food truck, various drink options including water, soda and adult beverages, and a Bourbon Bottle raffle following the race. We ask that everyone attending buy a wrist band which covers everything but the raffle. (You can also pay as you go, but it is a better deal to buy a wrist band.) And all proceeds will benefit the mission of Father’s Club. We will also get to hear an update from Mike Davisson, Executive Director of Father’s Club.

Pictures from Last Year’s Event

To get a feel for this event, here are some of the pictures from the event in 2025!

 

By David Norber

Let’s set the scene. Blue Valley High gym. Standing room only. A rapt audience of students, parents, and administrators from 17 high schools in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Oklahoma are waiting to hear the results of one of the largest (if not the largest) show choir competitions in the entire Midwest. This isn’t just standing on stage and singing. This is full lights, sets, costumes, choreography, backing bands, and epic performances. If you want to see the winning performance, go to YouTube and search “2026 Tiger Takedown”. You won’t believe the talent and the production value that is coming out of high schools!

As the excitement grew in the gym and before the results were revealed, John Dale, the smooth voiced public address announcer for Sporting KC, the Kansas City Mavericks, and Avila University football & basketball gets ready to address the crowd with the first round of results. John, who graciously donated his time and energy to the event starts the program by introducing Fathers Club! This is to an audience that is testing the legitimacy of the “maximum occupants” sign on the gym wall. It was a great moment for Father’s Club.

Showing Up!

The Blue Valley High (BVH) Father’s Club chapter decided that we would show up, be involved, and also provide dinner for the more than 80 BVH choir students who all worked the event from 6am – midnight. As one mom told us, “It’s extremely appreciated that Father’s Club showed up to support Tiger Takedown and choir. It means a lot to these kids and us parents. You guys cannot imagine the impact it has.”

A huge shout out to all the BVH Father’s Club dads that showed up and engaged with Tiger Takedown attendees, students, and competitors. Oh yeah… that was Mike Davisson and Charles Dahm giving fist bumps and pumping up the competitors before they dazzled the overflow audience. Talk about getting kids locked in. Those kids were smiling and laser focused!

For the BVH chapter, the interactions were meaningful. The interest was genuine, and the potential for Father’s Club to get the word out about our mission was center stage.

Of the 17 schools that competed, only one has a Father’s Club chapter, and that’s Blue Valley High. Even if your school doesn’t have a show choir, this annual event could be a great way for Father’s Club chapters to join forces under the Father’s Club banner and make an impact on a segment of the school populations that doesn’t always get the attention that it deserves.

True, this is an event hosted by Blue Valley High School, but Tiger Takedown is more than a Blue Valley High School event. It’s an opportunity. It’s an opening. It’s a platform for the Father’s Club chapters to unite with one voice and show these students and their parents the true impact a Father’s Club chapter can have in their own school communities.

Next Steps

• To get involved with a Father’s Club chapter at your school, visit the Chapters page on our website.
• If there isn’t a chapter currently at your school and you would like to know more about starting a Father’s Club chapter, visit the Contact page and fill out the form with your details and we will be in touch!

By Steven Richmond, Olathe Schools Regional Chair for Father’s Club

Handing out fist bumps and treats to our students—fruit snacks, donuts, Chick-fil-A chicken biscuits, and more—is always a blast. These moments create smiles, spark conversations, and is one of the main reasons Father’s Club exists in the first place: to show up for kids. While we are occasionally able to partner with generous local vendors to help offset costs, the reality is simple—those treats cost money.

This year, the Olathe District Father’s Club set out to answer a bigger question. Yes, we can establish donors to raise funds… But we asked, “How can we raise money in a way that reinforces our mission – encouraging dads to be intentional, present, and engaged with their families, and have some fun at the same time?”

The answer, not surprisingly, was food.

Food is more than fuel. It is a platform for connection and community across all cultures. When you break bread with people, you get to know them better. When you break bread with people you love, time slows down, conversations deepen, and memories are made. Food naturally invites presence—phones down, laughter up, and relationships strengthened.

So how do we create fun food-centered opportunities that invite dads to show up, engage fully, and enjoy time with their families—while also raising funds? We made it simple and fun by adding a game of chance… Raffles. The Olathe District Father’s Club now runs two district-wide raffles each year that do exactly that.

The Labor Day Grill & Smoker Raffle

While the 4th of July may be the most famous grilling holiday, many would argue that Labor Day is a close second. What a wonderful way to start off the school year, enjoy a great day on the grill for Labor Day, and support Olathe Father’s Club at the same time? Buy a $25 raffle ticket and a chance to win one of the exceptional meat bundles from Fareway Market in Olathe.

• Grill Bundle – $100 value
• Smoker Bundle – $125 value
• Steak Bundle – $185 value

These weren’t just prizes—they were invitations. Invitations to gather around a grill, linger at the table, and be fully present with family and friends and enjoy an amazing Labor Day cookout!

The Valentine’s Date Night Raffle

We recognize that Valentine’s date night planning is often left until the last minute. So why not simplify it—and make it fun? For just $25, purchase a raffle ticket for a chance to win a complete Valentine’s evening, already planned and ready to enjoy. Winners receive a dinner reservation for two at 6:00 p.m. on Valentine’s Night, along with a $150 gift card to one of seven outstanding local restaurants, including The Bristol, J. Gilbert’s, Jack Stack Barbecue, North Italia, Red Door Grill, Rye KC, or The Silo Modern Farmhouse.

And because no Valentine’s celebration is complete without flowers, each prize package also included a $100 gift card to The Flower Man in Olathe. With seven separate drawings, one ticket provided seven chances to win – making Valentine’s Date Night truly covered while supporting a great cause.

There still may be a chance to buy a ticket for the 2026 Date Night Raffle! Scan the QR…

A Win-Win-Win for Everyone

Who can buy the raffle tickets? Dads, moms, grandparents, faculty, staff—anyone and everyone. These fundraisers are more than just a way to raise money:

• They create genuine opportunities for families to connect
• Proceeds directly support Olathe Father’s Club chapters
• They support local community businesses

There’s an additional layer of impact that matters. Dads get involved selling tickets together. School administrators are engaged and supportive. Social media becomes a display for the photos of winners around the grill or dinner table, celebrating the very moments the fundraiser was designed to encourage.

Fundraising That Reflects Our Values

Fundraising with a purpose, it’s not just about covering costs. It’s about creating experiences that align with our mission, strengthen families, and build community—one shared meal and conversation at a time.

Next Steps

• To get involved with a Father’s Club chapter at your school, visit the Chapters page on our website.
• If there isn’t a chapter currently at your school and you would like to know more about starting a Father’s Club chapter, visit the Contact page and fill out the form with your details and we will be in touch!

By Kevin Saylan, Chapter Chair at Blue Valley West for Father’s Club

In November, all the Blue Valley Father’s Clubs partnered to toss chicken and biscuits sandwiches and fist bumps to students as they entered the Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) building. This is the second year in a row all Blue Valley Father’s Clubs have participated in this event. When each club hosts their own Fist Bumps for Food, CAPS students miss out. So we thought we would spread the love by coming to them!

The CAPS Program provides an environment where students get to explore their future.

The program helps students engage with local business partners as they work on projects in different industries.  CAPS has programs in the following areas:

• Bioscience
• Business Technology Media
• Engineering
• Foods and Entrepreneurship
• Medicine and Healthcare
• Teacher Education and Law

Seeing the students smile when they see us (maybe for the free food, but we like to think it is for our support as well), brings a lot of joy to fathers who volunteer.

Last year, I received the following text message from a student at Blue Valley West, “Thank you so much for the chicken and biscuits! I woke up late and had a bad morning and you guys turned it upside down and made my day! Love that you guys came to CAPS.” As much as we made this student’s day, she made mine as well. As we always say, “We do it for the students (and staff)!”

We had a dozen dads show up to pass out 200 chicken and biscuit sandwiches.

We try to make it fun by throwing the sandwiches across the parking lot and seeing if the student can catch it. I’d say they did pretty good this time.

Chad Ralston, Director, Center for Advanced Professional Studies, wrote the following email: “A huge thank you to all the Blue Valley Father’s Clubs for stopping by CAPS and surprising our students with Chick-fil-A breakfast sandwiches. Your positive presence set a great tone for the day and helped deepen the bond between CAPS and the BVW community we proudly represent. The boost of kindness and connection you bring leaves both students and staff feeling energized as they start the day!”

As dads, we know that life’s challenges can sometimes be difficult… for you and your kids. Whether you or someone you care about is facing some mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is there to help. You are not alone!

Next Steps

• To get involved with a Father’s Club chapter at your school, visit the Chapters page on our website.
• If there isn’t a chapter currently at your school and you would like to know more about starting a Father’s Club chapter, visit the Contact page and fill out the form with your details and we will be in touch!

By Charles Dahm, Blue Valley District Chair for Father’s Club

Three new chapters in the Blue Valley School District are having a great fall! Sunrise Point Elementary, Stanley Elementary and Aubry Bend Middle are now schools with Father’s Club chapters and they have immediately embraced and demonstrated Father’s Club values.

Aubry Bend Middle School

Aubry Bend is led by Mercedes Givens who has identified some great dads who are looking to give back to the school by supporting students, teachers, and one another. At a recent Fist Bumps, I asked two of those fathers, “What brought you out here today?”

Marcus Tyrance said that Father’s Club provides a “Great opportunity to get more involved.” Christopher Gude, like many dads, indicated that his wife has volunteered for years, and he’s happy to give back also. He says, “I want to be present in my daughter’s life at this critical time.”

Sunrise Point Elementary School

Sunrise Point Elementary, led by Aaron Pickert and Clint Graber, are also having a great fall semester. Aaron says Father’s Club is a great way to “..invite and inspire dads to become better fathers, spouses, and leaders in the community.” A highlight among their fall accomplishments was their pop-up gourmet burger and steak stand at the Sunrise Point Elementary, “Picnic at the Point.” The event was HEAVILY attended by families and teachers. The guys provided some great food and fellowship!

Stanley Elementary School

Stanley Elementary, led by Jason Dolezal is also off to an impressive start. Dolezal, who is also a teacher at BV High School, has identified a talented Steering Committee to help this successful new chapter hit the ground running. They’ve pulled together some successful events for students and dads including a night of bowling for the dads and a Halloween Fist Bumps to get the night of trick-or-treating off to a good start.

Congratulations to these chapters as they demonstrate the Father’s Club Values:  others first, personnel excellence, integrity, work together, accountability, lead courageously.