Not many legacies start with an octogenarian woman who, while sitting under an old-fashioned hair dryer, gets a spark of inspiration that develops into an organization still going strong more than half a century later.
That’s what happened with Olive White Garvey and her idea for Wichita’s Center for the Improvement of Human Functioning, which today is known as the Riordan Clinic.
Now that the clinic is considering leaving the 92 acres Garvey’s family foundation gave the nonprofit, which is known for its prominent eight geodesic domes and pyramid along K-96, vice president of operations Steve Howard said the late Garvey still is directing the clinic’s future.
“It’s important to stay grounded in her vision for the place.”…