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 ...
EVERYONE who contributed ideas during the Emporia City Commission’s pre-budget hearing Wednesday. Stay tuned, the process isn’t over by a long shot.
• Nina and Gaylord West, who own Toad Hollow, and the 13 local artists who will be putting their works on display there in the annual Art in the Garden show this weekend. Good luck with the weather — some media don’t mix well with rain water.
• Messiah Lutheran Church, which is holding a fund-raising dinner for Phoebe Hensley on Tuesday. Hensley suffered extensive damage to her heart from a viral infection.
• Organizers and participants for the Flint Hills Rodeo this weekend. The rodeo is now in its 70th year.
• Neighbors of Rebekah Davidson, who are trying to help her family rebuild after Davidson died in a car crash.
• The Sertoma Club for getting the Little Train back on track. About 1,200 people showed up for the refurbished train’s first run on Memorial Day.
• Those who paused a moment on Monday to remember our country’s fallen defenders. Monday was Memorial Day.
• Jacquelyne Leffler, who had five record-breaking throws in shot put, winning the state title for the third year in a row.
• Layne Moore, who won the state title in the 400-meter dash and the 800-meter run for Emporia High School and helped win another one in the 4x400 relay.
• Katie Guevel of Burlington High School , whose four first-place finishes at the state track and field competition gave her 12 gold medals in three years — third on the all-time list. On top of that, she broke three state records.