Each Friday, The Gazette salutes those who make Emporia and the surrounding area a better place to live and work. Give these folks a pat on the back ...
HALLIE KRETSINGER, who was named a semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship program. Kretsinger will now compete for one of 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards worth a total of $33 million.
• Organizers of the Football Traditions banquet at Russ and Jeannie Jenkins’ house. The food for the event was donated by Rod Jones of Kansas City. The event raised money for ESU’s football program.
• The Emporia Arts Council, for bringing the famous Second City improvisational comedy troupe from Chicago.
• Olpe cross country runner Sharon Zeller, who won the Northern Heights Invitational.
• Michael Lane, who has accepted the job of president at Emporia State University.
• Bethany Bowman, who sold the most tickets for the Sacred Heart Mexican dinner. The dinner is a fund raiser for Sacred Heart School.
• Laura Schlobohm and Flo Ringler, who placed third and fifth respectively in a state spelling bee for senior citizens.