Several contributions to Great Bend USD 428 were approved by the school board on Tuesday. These included $1,210 from the Joe Murphy Memorial designated to Eisenhower Elementary and $769.63 from the Great Bend Middle School Booster Club for jump boxes.

Earlier this month, Eisenhower Elementary held a ceremony to unveil an eagle mural available thanks to a memorial gift in honor of Murphy, a former custodian at the school.

Abby Jonas, principal, and Tricia Reiser, former principal, offered remarks about Murphy’s dedication to his job and the students and staff he served. The mural was painted in December during Winter Break by Anna Popp, Great Bend native. Jonas extended her appreciation to the Murphy family as well as the Eisenhower PTO for their assistance in bringing this mural to life for students to enjoy for decades to come.

The jump boxes will be for the Physical Education Department at GBMS. They are for vertical jump development.

Other contributions:

• Central Baptist Church contributed $200 to Eisenhower Elementary School for unpaid student lunch accounts. 

• The United Women in Faith group from Trinity United Methodist Church contributed $500 to Lincoln Elementary to support student needs at the principal’s discretion.

• USD 428 received $116.08 from the Local Contribution School District Checkoff Program, a program that provides that each Kansas taxpayer may designate an amount on their income tax return as a donation to a Kansas school district.

• GBHS Panther Pantry received $100 from Dawn Szot

• GBHS Class of 2025 Prom Fund received $250 from Nex-Tech 

• GBHS FFA received $300 from High Plains Farm Credit 

• GBHS Drama Club received $50 from La Nana Mexican Restaurant