By Dr. Ferrell Miller
JC Breakfast Optimists
The guest speaker at the September 2 meeting of the JC Breakfast Optimist Club was Frank Catalo, who spoke about his work with the Silver Haired Legislature. Frank moved to Junction City from Manila with his family when he was 11 years old. He attended Junction City High School and graduated in 1963. “I played football when Al Simpler was the Head Coach. I was one of the smallest players on the team, but had success (as a defensive player) tackling the quarterback. So much so that the opposing teams would double team me”, he said.
After high school, Frank attended Kansas State University for one year and then joined the Air Force for four years. In 1972, Frank graduated from Emporia State University and then went to work for Dillon’s as a transportation supervisor. He worked for Dillon’s for 25 years before retiring. Since retiring Frank has become involved as a volunteer at the Senior Center in Junction City, the Flint Hills Area Agency On Aging and the Silver Haired Legislature.
The Silver Haired Legislature was created by an act of Congress in 1969 in which each state was encouraged to create a body of Seniors who would educate the Kansas Legislature about issues related to Seniors. The Kansas Silver Haired Legislature (KSHL) was created by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 1649, which was passed by the 1982 Legislature composed of 125 representatives. KSHL representatives must be aged 60+and elected from their county of residence.
The KSHL provides opportunities to identify priority concerns of Kansas over 60 years of age; to develop bills and resolutions designed to address those identified concerns and to present those resolutions to the Kansas Legislature and Governor as recommendations for state policy.
The next session of the KSHL will be held in Topeka October 5-7. Priorities for the 2026 session identified by priority are: Medical Cannabis Access; Property Tax Relief for Seniors; Medicate and Food Assistance; Voting Rights, protecting mail-in early voting and polling accessibility for seniors; Senior Transportation, advocating for continued funding of collaborative community-based transportation systems.