Kristin Chambers, executive director of Winding Road Equine Rescue & Retirement in Waverly, for her efforts in rescuing retired racehorse Clever Allemont from being shipped to Mexico to be slaughtered.
• Emporia’s fifth-grade classes, for collecting nine wagonloads of change in their annual Penny Wars, in which the classes compete to raise money for the Salvation Army. This year’s penny wars raised a total of $2,039.68.
• Former Emporia Master Teacher Marilyn McComber of Strong City for receiving a $1,500 award from the Kansas Geological Foundation. McComber has 37 years of experience as a teacher and has received National Board Certification in earth and space science.
• Megan Hilbish, who will represent Kansas in the junior class of this month’s “Make It With Wool” competition in San Diego, Calif. The 13-year old has been sewing since she was 5 years old.
• The Emporia State University baseball team, who ranked eighth in the 2009 Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Preseason Poll. The team will open its 2009 season on Feb. 10 at Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford, Okla.
• The staff of ESU’s William Allen White Library, for raising $242 in donations for the CASA Tree at the Town Crier bookstore. The money will be used for the purchase of books for children in need. Approximately 120 area children will benefit from the donations.
• ESU students John D. Barker and Scott E. Jones, both of Emporia, who each received $1,000 scholarships from the Kansas Geological Foundation.
• Flint Hills Music and Madelynn’s and Designs by Sharon, who came in first, second and third place in the Emporia Main Street Window Display contest. Town Crier Bookstore, Flint Hills Music and Madelynn’s came in first, second and third place in the amount of money raised in the penny war portion of the contest. In all, the event raised more than $325.