Inn Activities

Summer BBQ with Douglas County Bar

By Stacy Edwards

On July 20, 2019, the Douglas County Bar Association and the Judge Hugh Means Inn of Court gathered at Judge Amy Hanley's beautiful home for an evening social and to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Inn. The summer swelter didn't deter a great turnout, and the attorneys and guests got creative with shade and were on alert for the slightest breeze. More enterprising guests found the best spots in front of the fans early and could be found there for the rest of the evening. Many thanks to the party organizers who kept plenty of cold beverages on hand!

 Attendees came ready to enjoy a taco bar from Salty Iguana and to compete in the guacamole and dessert competitions. Eric Weslander took top prize in the guacamole arena. Inn President Kate Marples Simpson won acclaim (and a glittery first-place crown) for her elegant dessert offering:  dolce de leche brownies.  The Judge Hugh Means Inn of Court holds these gatherings to engage with emeritus and alumni members of the Inn, as well as other members of the Douglas County legal community.

Giving to the willow domestic violence shelter

By: Judge Paul Klepper

Over the past several months the Judge Hugh Means Inns of Court (Team Hanley led!) service project was to collect ethnic hair care products for the Willow Domestic Violence Shelter here in Lawrence. Collectively, we managed to donate a combined estimated $525 worth of both products and cash. In speaking with staff at the Willow about this, my suspicions were confirmed that this is an area of constant need that often goes unfunded and unsupported. I also learned that much of the Willow’s focus during the pandemic, due to social distancing rules and health concerns, has been on placing survivors of domestic violence and their children somewhere other than the shelter. As a result of this, the importance of having access to some amount of helpful soap and shampoo and other products is even more critical, because these individuals are often starting over from scratch and outside of the shelter where such items might be shared.

These donations are absolutely going to help people who need help and make a difference in an area where a difference needs to be made. I think we should all be proud of this contribution from the Judge Hugh Means Inn of Court. We should also strive to do better and to keep this and other unmet needs in our community in mind as we contemplate our own fortune and our respective abilities to contribute.