Thanks for the memories...
Steve Harmon
Originally published 12:43 p.m., November 13, 2007
Updated 12:43 p.m., November 13, 2007
More than 100 volunteers from multiple organizations made FreedomFest 2007 a great success. Thank you for your hard work! We had great weather, great participation and raised more money then ever for support of the All Veterans Memorial.
I especially want to thank our core committee who has worked on this project since August. Thank you to Chris Walker of The Gazette and Ron Thomas and the gang at KVOE for your support of the media challenge. Thanks to CableOne and High Gear for starting the very popular Freedom Ride and thank you to Erin Miesel and Casey Woods at Madelynn’s for coordinating the Patriotic Pets event. The Freedom Run itself was a great success thanks to several groups including the Civil Air Patrol of Emporia, KS Army National Guard — Company A 1-635 Ar in Emporia, and Jean Tidwell and Amy Miller of Hi-Noon Kiwanis.
I also want to thank our steering committee for their hard work and their organizations & companies for hiring such outstanding indivudals — Kayla Oney at Emporia Main Street, Becky Smith at Town Crier, Barb Rourk at the Emporia Recreation Center, Gerald Kehres at Co A. 1-635 AR, Joe Michaels at Cable One, Matt Brown at High Gear, Barb Newell from ESU, Greg Leeds at Leeds Paint, Frank Lowery at the All Veterans Memorial, Anne Oreandor of KVOE, Shaen Shively from ESU and Michael Black at Core First Bank & Trust.
Thanks to the volunteers and over fifty-plus sponsors, the FreedomFest helped bring recognition and support to Emporia’s jewel — the All Veterans Memorial. The All Veterans Tribute has concluded but the reason for the FreedomFest never ends — honoring the the veterans and their families. In conlusion the biggest thank you goes to the veterans — past present and future.