Stories

Another March Madness tournament has ended, with history being made by the Connecticut Huskies, winning back-to-back years, and cutting down the nets as National Champions after their big victory over Purdue on April 8th!  Many of us chose Connecticut to win it all, but our brackets stumbled along the way with losses in the earlier games.  Therefore, our points were not high enough to claim the top three prizes.  So … our top winner of the 75 brackets, receiving a check for $160, earning the most points after the championship game, is Eileen Kludt, with 140 points.  Larry Stoppel won the 2^nd place prize, and a $115 check, with 139 points, and Ed Frey was awarded third place with 138 points; he receives a $75 check. Then, at our April 10th Rotary meeting, we drew the three $50 winners from the non-winning brackets and ….. drum roll please …. Madison Riemenschneider, Chelsea Hearson, and Diana Fredelake are our $50 winners. 

 

Thanks to Andover State Bank and State Farm agent and EW Rotarian, Kevin Rathert, who co-sponsored the $500 prize purse.  With their generosity, we could use all the bracket purchases as profit for the East Wichita Rotary Foundation.  And what a profit it was:  $1,875, which is more than one year’s scholarship for local students attending Kansas colleges, universities, or technical schools. 

 

 

From:   The Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum
204 S. Main, Wichita, KS 67202

 

An online local history resource available for use October 21

Funded through a Rotary Foundation Grant by the Rotary Club of East Wichita, The Rotary International Foundation, Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum and a gift by J Eric Engstrom

 

A public reception and short program introducing the new archive was held Thursday, October 20^th, at the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, a sampling of pictures of which is above.

The funding awarded has enabled Museum to achieve a unique digital publishing initiative, featuring an archive of historic Sedgwick County photographs and images for use by public and private schools, home educators and the general public through a free, open access, web-based resource.

March Madness has concluded with Virginia winning it all on April 8th's championship game!  With your participation, together(!) our 2^nd Annual “Battle of the Brackets” raised $1,400 for the East Wichita Rotary Foundation, surpassing last year’s inaugural fundraiser total of $1,250!  Many thanks to each of you for endorsing this fundraiser for our Foundation, which provides scholarships to local area high school students.  Your participation, with the purchase of a bracket or two or a contribution “to the cause”, will provide OVER ONE scholarship, for $1000/year, for a deserving student!  Great teamwork, folks! 

 

As always, the "Changing of the Guard" meeting is a Club favorite!  This year's was no different, thanks to a fantastically funny "roast" of Scott by Burke.  But first, we looked back at highlights of this last year, including installing benches, via a District grant, in Eastview park, putting a mentorship program in place for new members, hosting a "March Madness Battle of the Brackets" to benefit our own Foundation, and welcoming 13 new members.   Many thanks to Scott Holder, "our fearless leader" for all of the energy and leadership he shared with our Club this year; he was the consummate "team player"!  Good luck to Burke as he leads us for 2018-19!    Congratulations, too, go out to Denise Hearson and Tammie Rhea, named the recipients of the "Service Above Self" and  "Rotarian of the Year" award, respectively.  Scott also recognized and thanked his board members and our own Foundation's board members.  The meeting was well attended, and fun was had by all!