The History of the CSO

The Leavenworth CSO

The CSO vision was conceived in 2008 by LTC Glenda Steward who thought it was important to have local Community Service Organizations come together twice a year to celebrate their individual and collective accomplishments and to show appreciation for one another’s efforts at a community-wide cookout. That year, fourteen organizations came together to share costs and labor for a community-wide cookout that celebrated the awarding of over $10,000.00 in scholarships to deserving young men and women.

The CSO group held their first Cookout in June 2008 @ Doughtery Park.  The 2nd Cookout was in August, 2008 @ Doughtery Park; the 3rd Cookout was in June, 2009 @ Hawthorne Park.  The 4th Cookout was in August, 2009 @ Hawthorne Park; the 5th Cookout was in June, 2010 @ PBJ Family Entertainment Center.  In August 2010, the organizations agreed to forego the Summer Cookout and lend their efforts instead to the Richard Allen Cultural Center's "Jazz by the River" fundraiser.

The Leavenworth Community Service Organization, Inc. has since grown in both size and activity.  The CSO is now organized under the laws of the State of Kansas exclusively for charitable, humanitarian and educational purposes and continues to emphasize recognition of volunteer accomplishment across the community.