Renovating a basketball court or adding a sign to the outskirts of town may seem like small steps, but in some rural Kansas communities they are part of a bigger effort to enhance the quality of life for the area’s citizens.
For their work, several communities, including Lucas, and individuals have been honored with awards for 2016. The awards were given by the Kansas PRIDE program, a partnership of K-State Research and Extension, the Kansas Department of Commerce, and Kansas PRIDE, Inc.
Through the program, communities identify what they want to preserve, create or improve for the future. Volunteers form a local PRIDE organization that works with K-State Research and Extension and the Kansas Department of Commerce to accomplish its goals.
“Kansas PRIDE is a volunteer-led organization. These awards allow an opportunity to highlight the hard work the volunteers provide for their communities and the state,” said Jaime Menon, extension assistant for community development in the PRIDE program. “Each community has its own unique structure, culture, and assets, and Kansas PRIDE volunteers work to bring out the best in their communities and promote what they have to offer. Through the work of these volunteers, Kansas communities continue to thrive and be a great place to live and raise a family.”
Ten Kansas PRIDE Capital Awards were given in recognition of a special project
• Delia PRIDE – Built Capital Award for the Delia School Paint Project, Cultural Capital Award for Delia Days, Social Capital Award for the City Wide Garage Sale and Human Capital Award for the Library.
• Iola PRIDE – Natural Capital Award for the Disc Golf Project.
• Lenora PRIDE – Human Capital Award for the Blood Clinic and Social Capital Award for the Welcome Banners.
• Lucas PRIDE – Financial Capital Award for the Robert Durham Trust Funds.
• Perry PRIDE – Cultural Capital Award for the Evolution of Sports.
• Rossville PRIDE – Social Capital Award for the Hometown Teams.
Kansas PRIDE Community Partners Awards went to 16 individuals and three organizations
• Alton PRIDE – Homer Smuck
• Centralia PRIDE – Centralia Community Church
• Delia PRIDE – The Original PRIDE Committee, John Dink and Tracy Nitsch , JoAnn Nitsch, Don and Connie Trimble and Curtis and Jaime Baumchen
• Humboldt PRIDE – Rick Lowry and Bob Reed
• Iola Community Involvement Task Force/PRIDE – Nancy Ford
• LaHarpe PRIDE – Raymond Maloney
• Lakin PRIDE – Shannon McCormick
• Lenora PRIDE – Lenora Family and Community Education (F.C.E.)
• Linn Valley PRIDE – Lee Eisenhauer
• Lucas PRIDE – D’Avalon Durham
• Perry PRIDE – Perry Lecompton USD #343
• Randolph PRIDE – Mitch Innes
More information about the Kansas PRIDE program is available by calling 785-532-5840 or online http://www.kansasprideprogram.ksu.edu/,