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 ...
MARVIN BOTTOMLEY, who received his high school diploma last weekend at the age of 55. Bottomley is legally blind and was accompanied on stage by his guide dog Fred.
• Betsy Yanik, an Emporia State University mathematics professor who was named this year’s Roe R. Cross Professor. Yanik has worked regularly to increase the number of women enrolled in math and science courses.
• Stanton Wurm of Lebo, a hobbyist beekeeper who removed a two-pound cluster of honeybees from the back yard of an Emporia day care. The day care got its yard back, Wurm got the bees and the bees got a new home — a win-win-win if there ever was one.
• Troy Chapman’s class at Riverside Elementary School, the keepers of the Outdoor Wildlife Learning Site. The OWLS is a student-maintained and mostly student-built nature retreat.
• Harry Waters, who retired this week after 47 years on the Emporia Recreation Commission. At the time of his retirement, Waters was the longest-serving recreation board member in Kansas.
• The city of Hartford, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this weekend. Gee, if only we knew another town of similar age that could congratulate them properly.
• The Emporia High School golf team, which finished two strokes shy of a state championship Monday. Congratulations on a silver-plated finish.
• The Save the Pool Committee in Americus, which is trying to make sure the city’s pool doesn’t sink beneath the waves.
• All the various celebrants of the Senior Olympics last week at area nursing homes, for reminding us that you’re never too old to have fun.