A group of Humboldt volunteers’ years-long effort to host a museum exhibit dedicated to baseball history netted the group the biggest prize of all Friday evening.
The Humboldt Smithsonian Hometown Teams Exhibition, sponsored by the Historic Preservation Alliance, brought home the Donna Talkington Award at Friday’s annual Thrive Allen County banquet.
Presenter Allen Weber lauded Humboldt’s exhibit, calling it “a unique a community effort, which as far as we know, is without precedent in Allen County.”
The exhibit was not simply a static museum display, Weber explained, with events including a 19th century baseball exhibition game, calf roping and a professor’s lecture on James Naismith and his invention of basketball.
“Of course nobody in Allen County should be surprised the small but mighty Humboldt received this national recognition to be selected for the higher honor by the Smithsonian,” Weber said. “Project director Jan Coykendall labored tirelessly to bring this once-in-a-lifetime project to fruition. Jan formed 30 committees responsible for parts of this logistically challenging six-week event. As we understand it, she made 30 calls requesting help for the 30 committees. She received 30 yes answers in the response.
“This is the spirit of what Thrive Allen County is all about,” Weber said. “It’s the spirit Donna Talkington showed throughout her decades of her community life.”
SEVERAL OTHERS were honored.
The Rotary Clothes Closet received Thrive’s Excellence in Education Award, by providing new clothing for grade school children in Iola, Humboldt and Moran. “The program has been a lifesaver for kids, who through no fault of their own, found themselves lacking the most basic necessities to be ready to learn,” presenter Tosca Harris said.
The Farm-City Days Committee received the Recreation Award. Presenter Randy Rasa explained how the newly formed committee had just a few scant months to prepare for the annual fall festival after the previous committee resigned en masse. “The result was a Farm-City Days celebration that was everything these organizers and the community as a whole had hoped for, and more, and which has restored the festival back to its rightful place as the Iola area’s marquee event.”
The City of Iola’s State Street Sidewalk project earned Thrive’s Excellence in Health and Wellness Award.
The 4,000-foot, 6-foot-wide sidewalk connects the State Street shopping plaza to the Prairie Spirit Trail.
The city’s Street and Alley crews overcame complicated rights-of-way challenges, driveways, signs and bad weather to complete the sidewalk in a timely manner.
“The project also helped silence critics who once said that sidewalks are a waste of money because nobody uses them,” presenter Karen Gilpin said. “This particular sidewalk is one of the busiest in Iola, getting significant traffic from a cross-section of the community that particularly includes low-income residents lacking vehicles who previously had to risk life and limb just to buy food.”
BANKS FROM Iola, Humboldt, Gas and Moran pooled together to present Unsung Heroes awards to residents from eastern Allen County, Humboldt and Iola.
Honored from Moran was Bill Bigelow, who serves on both the Moran City Council and the Marmaton Valley USD 256 Board of Education. He also volunteers as a coach with the Moran Ball Association and with each Moran Day. Bigelow served with the Marines in Kosovo, and is a member of the American Legion.
Honored from Humboldt was Eileen Robertson, who has “been involved in everything big and small,” in Humboldt, presenter Heather Curry said. Robertson was involved in the establishment of the Freedoms Frontier National Heritage Area, and Humboldt’s inclusion in the area, from her re-enactment with Humboldt’s Civil War Days. She also serves with the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce, Biblesta Committee and Downtown Action Committee.
Iolan Wanda Lytle was recognized for her volunteer work with the Veterans Day Committee. She was involved with the original construction of the Veterans Wall on the courthouse square, and its recent expansion. She also helps with annual Veterans Day services, and is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.
“While Wanda is synonymous with veterans’ issues, the entire community has benefited tremendously for her contributions,” Curry said.
