Government Day in Butler County

Through a cooperative effort by the Butler County Administration, American Legion Posts and Auxiliary Units in Butler County, students from schools throughout the county convened in front of the Butler County Courthouse on Tuesday, November 16th to learn about the various functions of our county government and where tax dollars are invested.

Historic Butler County Courthouse

Education is an important part of the mission of the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary because a democracy depends largely on its people being informed.

The Government Day program is geared towards informing high school students enrolled in Government classes within Butler County.

Commission Chairman Jeff Masterson welcomes students.

Greeted by County Commission Chairman Jeff Masterson, the students were told how the day would unfold. They divided into several groups and rotated through stations throughout the day.

Those stations were composed of the different administrative, executive and legal offices within Butler County.

Group chaperones included members of the American Legion.

Students sat in the Board of County Commissioners meeting located on the fourth floor of the historic courthouse and heard from the County Commissioners and GIS Mapping Department’s Director Pam Dunham. She shared an abbreviated history of Butler County with the students in addition to quizzing them on some well-known, and some obscure, facts of the largest county in Kansas.

Commissioners welcomed students and shared about the roles in county government.

Students learning fun facts about Butler County.

At another station, students heard from Butler County Clerk, Tatum Stafford and her office.  Students who were of voting age and unregistered, were given the opportunity to register to vote.

Students learned about the voting process through a mock election.

Emergency Management Director, Keri Korthals shared why the need for emergency preparedness was the responsibility of all the people.

Butler County Emergency Management Director Keri Korthals speaks to students at her station.

And the Public Works Department was stationed in the parking lot and gave students an opportunity to learn what the department is responsible for as well as learning about the equipment they use on a daily basis.

Public Works equipment in the parking lot.

Students learned about the equipment used by the Public Works Department.

Students also visited the Judicial Building and the Butler County Detention Facility.

Butler County Judicial Building

For lunch, the students were treated to hamburgers and hot dogs at the Butler County Community Building. The lunch was hosted by the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary, and prepared by the Red Devil Chefs.  

American Legion Auxiliary members hosted lunch.

Red Devil Chefs grilled hamburgers and hotdogs.

Lunch is served.

While there students heard from American Legion Post #81 Commander Steve Seymour, American Legion Auxiliary Unit #81 President Karen Hasting, District 5 Auxiliary President Tracy Kinnick and State of Kansas Department President Annette Scheaffer.  Each of the American Legion and Auxiliary members spoke on the programs, like Government Day, provided by the organizations.  One of the programs available to high school juniors is Boys and Girls State. 

American Legion Boys State and American Legion Auxiliary Girls State are summer leadership and citizenship programs for high school juniors, which focus on exploring the mechanics of American government and politics.

Concluding the program, Representative Will Carpenter shared why he entered public service and encouraged each of the students to get involved in local government.

Cemetery Tours

This time of year brings trips to pumpkin patches, apple orchards and haunted houses. However, a fun and unique alternative is to take a cemetery tour.  The Butler County Historical Center Home of the Kansas Oil Museum is hosting their annual event on the two Saturday’s leading up to Halloween, Saturday, October 16th and Saturday, October 23rd.

There are two primary cemeteries in El Dorado; Sunset Lawn and Belle Vista. A dispute has existed as to which cemetery is oldest but it is likely that Sunset Lawn is the oldest with its first burial documented in 1872. 

Belle Vista Cemetery Tour attendees in 2019 listen as a reenactor Tom Penning brings the story of Nathan Frazier to life. 

The tours in 2019 were held in Belle Vista Cemetery and there were no tours in 2020.  

This year, the tours focus on Sunset Lawns Cemetery.  Guests are invited to walk back in time, accompanied by a tour guide, to listen to reenactors of prominent El Dorado and Butler County figures as they tell their stories. 

Tours will be held at 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. and are limited to twenty participants each tour.   

Tickets are available with a $10 donation per person and must be obtained in advance, in person, at the Butler County Historical Society Home of the Kansas Oil Museum located at 383 E Central, or by calling (316)321-9333.

Wilbur Clayton Barrett, recently returned home after dying at Pearl Harbor, is one of the many people buried in Sunset Lawns.

Miss Butler County and Miss Augusta Crowned

“There she is,” in the iconic words immortalized by Bert Parks, “the dream of a million girls who are more than pretty.”  

From left to right: Augusta’s Teen Candidate Emmie Johnston, Miss Augusta 2022 Anna Holman, Miss Kansas 2021 Taylor Clark, Miss Butler County 2022 Sierra Marie Bonn, Butler County’s Teen Candidate Grace Isch.

Sierra Marie Bonn was crowned Miss Butler County and Anna Holman was crowned Miss Augusta during the annual Miss Augusta/Miss Butler County Scholarship Competition held at Augusta High School on Saturday, October 2, 2021.

Bonn, a resident of Butler County, an El Dorado High School alum and Miss El Dorado 2021.  She served the community as Miss Augusta 2019. 

.Miss Butler County 2020-21 Allie Gier crowns her successor Miss Butler County 2022 Sierra Marie Bonn. Gier served two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.

She is a graduate of Wichita State University with an engineering technology degree. Bonn advocates for STEAM education through her SII “Let’s Go Full STEAM Ahead!”  STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.  

“‘Let’s Go Full STEAM Ahead!’ was founded to empower individuals of all ages to develop the critical thinking and collaboration skills needed to advance in their personal and professional lives,” said Bonn. “Additionally, the program works to resolve the inequity and underrepresentation in STEAM fields.” 

Holman is a resident of Columbus, Kansas and she was Miss Augusta’s Outstanding Teen 2019.  She is a Junior at Pittsburg State University and her educational focus is exercise science with a pre-physical therapy emphasis.  She advocates for physical fitness and inclusion for people with disabilities through her social impact initiative, “Fitness for All.”

Six young women competed for the titles of Miss Augusta and Miss Butler County and the scholarship dollars that accompany those titles.  The candidates were Maddie Livingston, Tyler Pollard, Payton Keller, Katie Brooks, Anna Holman and Sierra Marie Bonn. 

“Both Sierra and Anna will receive a wonderful scholarship and wardrobe assistance for the Miss Kansas Competition in June 2022,” said Miss Augusta/Miss Butler County Executive Director Larry Strong.

Bonn won an additional $100 scholarship as the overall interview winner.  The scholarships can be paid directly to the institution they are attending or towards student loan payments. 

The phases of competition include a private interview with judges, a Social Impact Initiative (SII) pitch and on-stage question, talent performance and red carpet wear. 

Augusta’s Teen Candidate Emmie Johnston, left, and Butler County’s Teen Candidate Grace Isch, right.

Two Miss Kansas’ Outstanding Teen (MKSOTeen) Candidates, Emmie Johnston and Grace Isch, made their first official appearance as well.  Jonhston will represent Augusta and Isch will represent Butler County at the MKSOTeen Competition March 25-27, 2022 in Pratt, Kansas.

The Miss Augusta/Miss Butler County Scholarship Competition is a local competition within the Miss America Organization and Strong has been involved with the organization for 47 years. 

Larry Strong, center, with Miss Butler County Sierra Marie Bonn, left, and Miss Augusta Anna Holman, right.

“The first Miss Butler County Scholarship Pageant was held on September 3, 1975,” said Strong.  

“In 2006, the Miss Augusta title was part of the White Eagle Festival,” said Strong.  “In 2008, both the Miss Augusta and Miss Butler County titles merged to become an official local of the Miss Kansas Organization, Inc.”

Throughout his many years of involvement, Strong has a successful track record of helping young women with their personal and professional development.  

As a volunteer, he works to fulfill the mission of the Miss America and Miss Kansas Organizations, to “prepare great women for the world and prepare the world for great women.”  

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of the Miss America Organization.  The Miss America Organization is a nationally recognized non-profit and serves as one of the largest providers of scholarship assistance to young women in the world. 

Since 2010, Strong estimates that the Miss Augusta/Miss Butler County Organization has awarded over $35,000 in scholarships. 

Strong said 6 women from the organization that have gone on to become Miss Kansas.  They are Heather Lynn Clark, Michelle Walthers, Emily Deaver, Lauren Werhan, Hannah Wagner and the current Miss Kansas, Taylor Clark.   

“Taylor was Miss Butler County’s Outstanding Teen 2017 and went on to win Miss Kansas’ Outstanding Teen 2017,” said Strong.  “Taylor was Miss Augusta 2020 and she is the first teen titleholder to also become Miss Kansas.” 

Additionally, he is proud of the many girls from Miss Augusta/Miss Butler County who have gone on to place in the Top 5 and Top Ten, as well as the numerous preliminary winners. 

Bonn and Holman will both go on to compete at the state-level, in the Miss Kansas Scholarship Competition in June 2022. To learn more about the Miss Kansas and MKSOTeen programs, visit MissKansas.org

Butler County Delta Waterfowl Banquet

The Butler County Chapter of Delta Waterfowl held their second annual banquet in El Dorado, Kansas, on August 28, 2021. The evening included a steak dinner with the meat prepared by the Red Devil Chefs and side dishes and desserts provided by local catering companies.  

A live auction was the main event of the evening and was called by Sundgren Auctioneer Rick Remsberg.  Additionally, a silent auction and raffle drawings were held throughout the night for both adults and children.  

The Red Devil Chefs were on hand to prepared the steaks. From left to right, Senator Mike Fagg, Miss El Dorado 2021 Sierra Marie Bonn, Representative Will Carpenter and Roger Smith.

The Butler County Chapter Chairman, Chad Dawson, said the banquet is the largest fundraiser of the year for the local organization.  

“The thing that really drew me to Delta Waterfowl is the community impact,” said Dawson.  “The Butler County chapter keeps 15% of all the money raised to spend locally on programmatic work,” said Dawson.  

Those programs include youth education and mentorship programs, family hunting events, and a veterans hunt known as “Hunt for Heroes.” 

Chad Dawson, left, was presented with the “Local Chapter Volunteer of the Year” award by Garrett Trentham.

Dawson was presented with the “Local Chapter Volunteer of the Year” award by Garrett Trentham. Trentham is the Missouri/Kansas Regional Director for Delta Waterfowl.

Delta Waterfowl is a national, non-profit organization with a mission “To produce ducks and secure the future of waterfowl hunting.”  

Chapter members and volunteers, from left to right, Jennifer West, Dominique Carroll, Naomi Mitchell, Sean Carroll, Charlie Terry, Jon Gepner, Briana Dawson, Joel Morris, Chad Dawson – Chapter President Jason Vanley, Garrett Trentham – Missouri/Kansas Regional Director, Andy Nusbaum, Skyler Johnson.
(Volunteers not pictured: Alicia Jones and Jeff Elrod.)

COVID-19 Survey

Regional Health Survey Participants Needed

Butler County Health officials are asking residents to participate in a second COVID-19 survey. One of its primary purposes of the survey is to gather information from individuals who have not been vaccinated.  Researchers are gathering insights of those individuals regarding their thoughts and concerns about the vaccine. As well as to identify potential barriers to receiving the vaccine.

“The local health officials in our region are once again sponsoring [it],” said Keri Korthals Director of Butler County Emergency Management. 

“This is a follow-up to the survey that was conducted in partnership with KU Med at the end of last year,” said Korthals.  

  There are many questions that apply to everyone whether or not they have received the vaccine. Those questions include the safety measures residents are following and trusted sources of information.

  Citizens can help the Butler County Health Department by participating in the survey and sharing their thoughts.

  The survey can be found by visiting: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SCMRVACCINE2