A heartfelt thank you to the team members from Falls City American National Bank who visited Falls City Care Center on Monday and brought along a fun and festive Independence Day craft for our residents!

Residents and staff enjoyed spending time with these wonderful volunteers as they worked together to create patriotic decorations for the dining room. The activity was filled with laughter, creativity, and meaningful conversation, making it a memorable afternoon for everyone involved.

The beautiful finished decorations added the perfect patriotic touch to the dining room, helping create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for residents to enjoy throughout the holiday.

We are grateful to Falls City American National Bank for sharing their time, talents, and community spirit. Thank you for making our residents smile and helping us celebrate Independence Day in such a special way!

The Hiawatha City Commission welcomed representatives from the Hiawatha Dolphins Swim Team and Rainbow Communications during its meeting Monday evening, highlighted by a $10,000 donation from Rainbow Communications to support improvements at Paul Rockey Field.

Rainbow Communications presented the commission with a ceremonial check to help fund the purchase of a new baseball scoreboard at Paul Rockey Field, located at Noble Park. The donation is part of a community partnership to replace the aging scoreboard, which has become increasingly difficult to maintain and is challenging for spectators to read because of its current location.

The new scoreboard will feature a modern design with a built-in pitch count display and will be relocated to left-center field to improve visibility for players, coaches and fans.

The scoreboard project is estimated to cost approximately $25,445. In addition to Rainbow Communications' $10,000 contribution, Amberwell Hiawatha has also committed $10,000 toward the project, with the City of Hiawatha funding the remaining balance.

The commission expressed its appreciation for the generous support from Rainbow Communications and Amberwell Hiawatha, noting that the partnership demonstrates the community's continued investment in local parks and youth athletics.

Representatives of the Hiawatha Dolphins Swim Team also attended Monday's meeting to provide an update on the organization's activities and ongoing support of youth swimming programs in the community.

Construction and installation of the new scoreboard are expected to take place following the city's approval of the project.

Sabetha Elementary School is grateful for the generous donation from Iron Order MC to help support students by reducing outstanding school lunch fees.

This thoughtful gift will make a meaningful difference for many families in our school community, ensuring that students can focus on learning and growing each day. Acts of kindness like this remind us of the strength of our community and the positive impact we can make when we work together.

We sincerely appreciate Iron Order MC for investing in our students and helping meet an important need. Your generosity and commitment to supporting local children are truly valued.

Thank you, Iron Order MC, for making a difference in the lives of our Sabetha Elementary students!

Valley Falls Trapshooting Team – Introducing your Kansas High School Clay Target League State Tournament Varsity High Lady Champion! Taygen, a Valley Falls student, delivered an outstanding performance at the state tournament, shooting an incredible 99/100 to earn the championship title. Her hard work, dedication, focus, and determination were on full display, and this achievement is a testament to the countless hours she has put into her sport. She represented the Valley Falls Trapshooting Team with excellence and made her teammates, coaches, school, and community incredibly proud. Congratulations, Taygen, on this well-deserved accomplishment! We are so proud of you and can't wait to see what you achieve next.

Summer STEAM Camp at Horton Elementary was filled with dazzling discoveries as our young astronauts explored the wonders of galaxies, stars, constellations, and light!

Campers stepped into the roles of space engineers and astronomers as they designed and built their own telescopes, created colorful "galaxies in a jar," and used their imaginations to create and name their own unique constellations.

We were also thrilled to welcome another NASA Solar System Ambassador, who challenged students with an exciting Moon Lander Challenge that encouraged critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving.

A huge thank you to Greg Strahm and Livie Strahm of Grimm's Gardens for sharing their gardening expertise with us during today's Picnic in the Park!

Our young gardeners had a wonderful time learning about flowers, soil, and the basics of planting before getting their hands dirty by planting flowers around the shelter house. Each child proudly placed their name next to their flower, giving them a special reason to visit the park throughout the summer and watch their blooms grow.

Be sure to stop by the park and check out their beautiful work the next time you're visiting. We can't wait to see these flowers—and our young gardeners—continue to grow!

(KNZA)--A longtime Brown County educator will be inducted into the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame.

Darlene Rake, of rural Horton, is among eight educators selected for induction during a ceremony Saturday, June 6th, in Dodge City. Rake was the only nominee from northeast Kansas chosen for this year's Hall of Fame class.

Rake spent 30 years in education--including 28 years teaching in the Hiawatha Public Schools of USD 415.   She also directed several school plays and later worked as a substitute teacher at Horton High School.

To be eligible for nomination, candidates must have been certified K-through-12 teachers in Kansas for at least 25 years. Rake was nominated in March by members of the Brown County Kansas Association of Retired School Personnel.

She was selected for the honor in recognition of her lifelong commitment to student achievement and her contributions to education and the community.

The Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame, established in 1977, was the first state-level hall of fame in the nation dedicated to the teaching profession. More than 450 educators have been inducted over the years.

 

Photo Credit: KS Teachers Hall of Fame