The Great Bend Public Library has been selected as a “Hometown Teams” partner site and will receive a grant of up to $1,500 to tell its local story of sports and community. GBPL will join 17 museums, historical societies, libraries, and community organizations across the state in researching and documenting local sports stories as part of the Kansas Humanities Council’s “Hometown Teams” initiative.
The Great Bend library is planning an Argonne Rebels exhibit.
Other area partner sites are Hodegman County Economic Development in Jetmore, Fort Larned Old Guard in Larnd and Rice County Historical Society in Lyons.
The Kansas Humanities Council’s “Hometown Teams” partner site initiative explores the ways sports build and unite communities through exhibitions, oral history projects and public programs. From the little leagues to the big leagues and everywhere in between, “Hometown Teams” partner site projects examines how sports are a significant part of our national narrative.
Other partner site projects will take place in Blue Rapids, Cottonwood Falls, Eudora, Glasco, Hays, Hiawatha, Independence, La Cygne, Lawrence, North Newton, Oakley, Pratt, and Wamego.

Smithsonian exhibit
In January 2015, “Hometown Teams,” a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition that tells the story of how sports shape America, will kickoff a statewide tour in Ellinwood. The exhibit will be at the Ellinwood School-Community Library Jan. 31 through March 15 and will continue on to stops in Goodland, Greensburg, Atchison, Perry, and Humboldt through November 2015.
The Kansas Humanities Council sponsors “Hometown Teams” in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street program.
The Kansas Humanities Council is a nonprofit organization that supports community-based cultural programs, serves as a financial resource through an active grant-making program, and encourages Kansans to engage in the civic and cultural life of their communities. For more information, visit www.kansashumanities.org.