The Friends of the Library will be hosting their annual Book & Bake Sale, from Wednesday, April 27th – Saturday, April 30th at Bradford Memorial Library, downstairs in the Clymer Room. Hours are April 27th and 28th from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. On April 29th, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and April 30th, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Books may be purchased for .50 cents per book or $7 per bag.
The Book & Bake Sale is a semi-annual fundraiser held by the Friends of the Library group for the Bradford Memorial Library. The Friends of the Library meet on the second Monday of every odd month. All meetings begin at noon in the Clymer Room. They provide financial support for library projects and special needs. If you would like more information about the Friends, call the library at 316-321-3363.
Bracing against the windy, forty degree weather with colorful baskets in hand, families arrived at Walters’ Pumpkin Patch for breakfast with the Easter Bunny.
The Easter Bunny joined hundreds of families
Walters’ annual Egg-splosion was held on Saturday, April 16, 2022 at the farm located 10 minutes north of El Dorado on Highway 77.
Egg hunters spent the morning finding colorful eggs filled with candy and toys.
After breakfast with the Easter Bunny, individual egg hunts were held divided by age groups. Kim came all the way from Maize to join her granddaughter, Talia for the egg-splosion. They were in the 0-3 egg hunt age group.
Visitor, Kim from Maize, with her granddaughter Talia, have breakfast with the Easter Bunny.
“We had a blast,” said Kim with Talia echoing her sentiment.
“The drive was worth it to see the bunny,” she said.
Following the egg hunts, families gathered along the fence line of the large open field to watch the airplane egg drop and scramble to collect the eggs filled with candy and toys.
The Easter Bunny acted as Air Traffic Controller to guide the plane down the “runway” in order to drop the eggs.
While Walters’ Pumpkin Patch is known for their fall festival which provides visitors with the opportunity to pick their own pumpkin, navigate a corn maze, and enjoy many activities, the farm transitions with the seasons to offer unique experiences for their guests. Now, they are continuing the fun and changing perceptions with unique offerings throughout the year.
While Walters’ Pumpkin Patch has been known primarily as a fall destination, they are changing that perception with offerings throughout the year.
“Memories are the one thing we all have in common,” said Angie Day, the Events and Marketing Coordinator for Walters’ Pumpkin Patch.
“We harvest memories,” she said. “We are blessed to have multiple generations of families passing on the tradition of visiting Walters’ Farm numerous times throughout each year.”
The Easter Bunny welcomed guests with hugs and photos as they entered through the Pumpkin Patch gift shop. The store’s backdrop highlighted the expansion of destination location offerings by Walters.
“Each event hosted at Walters’ Pumpkin Patch allows memories to be shared, remembered, harvested, and created,” said Day.
“Walters’ Farm looks forward to creating additional events while honoring the traditions that have blessed many generations,” she said.
Located at Butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum
Board members of the Butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum picked up shovels and hard hats for an on-site groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, March 29, 2022.
El Dorado Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Phil Benedict, left, Museum Executive Director, Tiya Tonn, center, and museum employee Tyler Melugin, right, welcome attendees alongside an artist’s rendition of the future Energy Education Center.
A crowd of supporters gathered to witness Phil Benedict, Executive Director of the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce, the emcee for the event with Brad Nightengale, Senior Vice President of Vintage Bank, Caiden Bump, Sales Manager of El Dorado Building Systems, Bill Young, Mayor of El Dorado, and Loren Jack speak during the groundbreaking event.
Supporters excited to watch the Energy Education Center come to life were on hand to witness the groundbreaking ceremony.
“We are excited to share that it is for our new Energy Education Center,” said Jack.
The Energy Education Center, a new facility spearheaded by Loren Jack, Owner of Albert Hogoboom Oilfield Trucking and President of the Board of Trustees, will be an indoor event center equipped with exhibit showcases, tables, seating, a stage, technology for presentations, a kitchen with a service window, and a 14ft access door for special equipment.
Pictured left to right are Executive Board Members/Building Committee Members President Loren Jack, Vice President Tim Myers, Board Member JR Hogoboom, and Treasurer Sean Maclaskey.
“This building will allow for interactive STEM activities that look to the future while honoring the museum’s mission to preserve the history of the oil industry,” said Jack.
The addition of the Energy Education Center will free up space in the Large Exhibit Hall to expand displays and add exhibit features from the Museum’s extensive historic collections. The combination of these new features is estimated to bring 15,000 additional visitors per year to the Museum and El Dorado.
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Wichita Section is hosting their annual Engineering Expo on Saturday, April 9, 2022 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. in the Century II Performing Arts & Convention Center Expo Hall.
The expo is a free, fun-filled day of STEM activities sponsored by SWE and Spirit Aerosystems. Each year, the Society of Women Engineers Wichita Section – SWE Chapter partners with local companies, educators, and more to provide kids K-8 with FREE activities geared to engage and encourage STEM education.
“Last year’s event was held virtually and those videos are online for all to view and enjoy,” said Sierra Marie Bonn, Miss Butler County 2022 and founder of Let’s Go Full STEAM Ahead!
Rachel Schwante, left, and Sierra Marie Bonn, right, have fun coding with LEGOs during the virtual SWE Expo 2021.
She is one of the event volunteers who will be there teaching about Leonardo’s Bridge.
“Last year I taught Coding with LEGOs,” she said. “There are so many wonderful and virtual activities to utilize when engaging students with STEM/STEAM. All of those videos are on the YouTube channel ‘Engie does STEM.’”
“Let’s Go Full STEAM Ahead! is an organization that promotes STEAM education and engagement to empower the next generation of innovators,” she said. “STEAM is used as a popular acronym in advocacy for an increase in STEAM education in schools.”
Bonn promotes STEAM education and engagement which lies at the intersection of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics, through hands-on activities like those offered at the SWE Expo as well as her book Innovators: women in history who have made positive contributions to STEAM.
El Dorado Police Chief Curt Zieman received the Patriot Award from the Kansas Committee of the Employer Support the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Monday evening at the El Dorado City Commission meeting.
Jim Wishart, with the ESGR, presented the award.
Police Chief Curt Zieman (middle) receives the ESGR Patriot Award from Jim Wishart (left). Officer Brett Sanchez (right) nominated Zieman for the award.
“We work with the employer community, civic groups, and military groups, particularly, the Guard and Reserve,” he said. He explained they provide education and information to employers about time off for training and deployment, but what they like to do most is present awards.
“We start with our most basic award,” Wishart continued, “which is our Patriot Award.”
Any member of the Guard or Reserves, or their spouse, can nominate an employer – particularly their boss – who makes it easy for them to wear their two hats.
“They fill out a nomination form and list what it is that makes it particularly easy for them to be a citizen-soldier, as well as an employee,” Wishart said.
Zieman’s nomination was submitted by Officer Brett Sanchez, who just returned from his most recent deployment that day. Sanchez serves in the Air National Guard.
“He just makes it really easy for me to continue to be in the Guard and do that part of my life I enjoy,” Sanchez said. “If I get orders short notice or drills short notice or anything short notice, he doesn’t question it. It makes it very easy for me to do that.”
Sanchez also wrote on the nomination form that Zieman and the rest of the department keep in touch with his family while he is deployed to make sure everything is going alright for them, which is really appreciated.
The Patriot Award recognized Zieman for protecting liberty and freedom by supporting employee participation in the Guard and Reserves.
Deanna Bonn 
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