Chocolate, Community, and Closing Out LGT

Selfie Before Event

This past Friday, I finished the last class for Leadership Greater Topeka (LGT). Throughout the day, we spent time downtown at the Greater Topeka Partnership, where we had closing discussions to wrap up the class.

That is the Owner in Front

We had one final project in which each of our core groups was given $40 to use however we wanted to give back to the community. Several groups pooled our money and went to Hazel Hill Chocolate to purchase chocolate and suckers. The owner, a former LGT alum, generously donated an additional four boxes to our effort. In total, we had over $1,000 worth of chocolate to help make Friday a little brighter for members of the community.

The four groups, consisting of 24 people, split up and headed in different directions downtown to hand out the candy. One group went to Washburn University, another to NOTO, and two groups covered different areas downtown. I was part of one of the downtown groups, and we focused on the area around the Capitol, specifically seeking out construction workers, police officers, and people walking nearby. We had written notes of encouragement to accompany the candy as we handed it out. It was a truly rewarding experience. People were hesitant at first, but once we explained the purpose and offered free candy, they were happy to accept it. One construction worker was especially excited to receive a sucker on a hot day while working outside.

I really enjoyed this experience and the opportunity to give something simple back to our community. There were no strings attached, just a small gesture paired with a kind message. It may have been my favorite activity of the entire LGT program. When we returned to the office and shared our experiences, that sentiment was echoed across the groups. Everyone found the experience meaningful and rewarding.

LGT Core Group.
Front row: Jenae and Maggy.
Back row: John, Lauren, Alicia, and Ben

That evening, we attended the Bollywood Nights graduation for the Leadership Greater Topeka class. It was a fun night to celebrate and connect with past graduates of the program, as well as spend time together as a class. The event was held at Prairie Band Casino and featured a Bollywood theme, complete with food and dancing before the graduation ceremony, which concluded the evening.

LGT has been a truly rewarding experience. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity and for the connections I made with the 35 members of the Class of 2026. I look forward to staying in touch with them in the years ahead, especially my core group.

Lessons, Leadership, and a View from the Capitol Dome

Topeka Capital

This past Friday, I attended my second to last Leadership Greater Topeka (LGT) class. We have one more class, which is a half day, followed by graduation. My time in LGT has flown by, and I cannot believe the end is already approaching. We have covered so much through these classes and learned a great deal about the community where I live and work.

On Friday morning, we spent time talking with leaders from local and state government, including Kansas Representatives and Senators. It was an engaging day of listening and learning as they shared their journeys into public service and described what a typical day looks like when they are in session.

Washburn in the Distance

Friday afternoon was spent at the Topeka Capitol, a place I have visited a number of times. However, I had never been to the top of the Capitol. On previous tours, the top was closed, so I made it a point to go all the way up this time to see the view. It was an incredible experience to climb more than two hundred stairs and look out over Topeka from the top of the Capitol.

Spiral Stairs to the Top

The journey to the top was challenging. The guide mentioned several times that anyone who wanted to turn back could do so, but asked that they let her know so she could account for changes in the group size. There were three different locations where people could peel off and not continue. A few people decided they had gone high enough. I am very glad that I kept going and was able to take in the view of Topeka from atop the Capitol.

Looking Up

During the tour, the guide also shared a few ghost stories, which were interesting. She explained that while she had never experienced anything herself, there have been reports of banging or unexplained noises near the top of the dome. When officers investigate, they never find anything. When we were up in the dome, it was extremely quiet, which felt a bit odd. There was no sound of wind and no noise from below. It was not until we started our way down and reached the third set of stairs that I began to hear the sounds of people far below in the Capitol participating in other tours.

It was a wonderful way to wind down the LGT experience. I have truly enjoyed the LGT journey and look forward to nominating others for future classes.

Proud to Be Part of the Best Class Ever: Leadership Greater Topeka 2026

TK Magazine Article

I am honored to have recently been featured in a local Topeka publication, TK Magazine. Along with 35 other community leaders, I am participating in the Leadership Greater Topeka (LGT) class. The program began in January, and we are now approaching graduation in May. We proudly call ourselves the Best Class Ever, and I have truly enjoyed getting to know so many incredible people throughout this experience. Being surrounded by engaged leaders in our community and the outstanding 2026 class has been both inspiring and rewarding.

Posing in December After
Being Notified I am part 
of LGT 2026 Class

Back in December, I shared a post about being surprised by an LGT alum with the news of my selection. Classes officially started in the second week of January and have been held every other week since then. Gaining behind-the-scenes insight into how our city operates, from neighborhoods and city government to technical and operational areas, has made this an incredibly valuable experience. It has been a privilege to participate in a program that offers such a comprehensive view of Topeka.

The connections formed through this class, both with my fellow members of the 2026 LGT cohort and with graduates from past years, have been fantastic. Building relationships with leaders across the city has been one of the most meaningful aspects of the program. We have three class days remaining, followed by graduation on the final day.

I am already thinking about people I would like to nominate for the program next year. Prior to being selected, I had not really been familiar with Leadership Greater Topeka until my father-in-law, Eddie, nominated me in 2025. He reached out to see if I would be open to being nominated, knowing it would require approval from work due to the time commitment. I am incredibly grateful that he did, and I am thankful for the opportunity to be part of Leadership Greater Topeka.

If you would like to read more about me, you can visit https://tkmagazine.com/blog/2026/3/7/john-haverty-lgt-class-of-2026. To learn more about the entire 2026 Leadership Greater Topeka class, including all class members, you can visit https://tkmagazine.com/blog/2026/3/3/leadership-greater-topeka-class-of-2026.

Seeing Our Community From a New Perspective

Ride Along with Officer Hoffman

The Leadership Greater Topeka (LGT) experience is going well. We are a number of classes along and not yet halfway through all of the meeting times. I am learning so much about my community. As part of LGT, Saturday I went on my first ever ride along with the Topeka Police Department. I was a bit nervous about going, but Officer Hoffman was great answering all of my questions. We did not have any crazy calls while I was on the ride along. Well, at least not crazy calls as compared to some of the other stories he shared with me.

I have wanted to do a ride along for a few years, but never had the energy to start the process. Thanks to the LGT, I was able to accomplish this goal. Officer Hoffman asked me about the LGT and what I get out of the process. I shared with him it is learning about our community, having us involved, and helping to lead in our community is the goal that I see from being involved in LGT. I further shared that doing the ride along is providing a better understanding of what our fellow citizens are doing to protect are city.

A few weeks ago at LGT, we did a tour of the Topeka Public Library where they shared the process of a book return to the library. Something most people do not see. What happens when a book is returned that does not belong to the library? Well, they have a process for that and it automatically drops into a bin to transport to the correct library. I also did not realize that they have years books for most schools in Topeka.

Returning to the day I just had and the ride along, I found it interesting learning the process of the officer for which I was riding with today. The view of traffic stops and how to deescalate an issue was interesting to hear how he goes through the process. How he enters a situation can directly impact the outcome. I often times think of this as I go into different situations whether those be personal or work. Sometimes I do not go in with the right attitude and the issue escalates needlessly. 

Thank you for the ride along Saturday, Office Hoffman, and the Topeka Police Department. It was shared with me that ride alongs happen throughout the week and they are booked out weeks in advance.