Back to School Basket Winner

Ms. Jamie Ball, a Fifth Grade teacher at Grandview Elementary in El Dorado, is the winner of the “Back to School Teacher Survival Gift Basket.”

She won the gift basket through an online nomination and voting process that doubled as a scholarship fundraiser for the Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation. 

Sierra Marie Bonn, is Miss Southwest and a candidate for the job of Miss Kansas. She conceived of the fundraiser as a way to recognize and honor teachers during a unique and stressful time. 

“Our teachers are heading into a brand new school year, and I wanted to find a way to show them love and support,” Bonn said.

The Back To School Survival Basket is valued at $100. All funds raised benefit the Miss Kansas Summer Scholarship Campaign.

Ball is currently a Fifth Grade teacher at Grandview Elementary in El Dorado, and has been teaching for a total of nine years with two of those years as a Fourth Grade teacher. She previously taught at Skelly Elementary. 

One of her favorite aspects of her job is serving as a sponsor for the Ambassador Living as Leaders (A.L.L.) program at Grandview. 

Student leaders have to opportunity to participate in extracurricular community service projects 

community service projects like picking up trash at local parks.  

Upon accepting the basket, Ball said “I appreciate it and all the votes. It’s very humbling and very appreciated.”

Butler County Records First COVID-19 Death

Butler County Health Department Director Jamie Downs appeared before the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, August 4th to give an update with the latest information on the spread of COVID-19 in Butler County.  

Butler County Health Director Jamie Downs gives Commissioners COVID-19 updates during work session.

Butler County has experienced their first COVID-19 related death.  The individual, who was between the ages of 55-64, died on or around July 25th and was originally thought to be a Sedgwick County resident. 

According to Downs, since the Commissioners issued their repeal of Governor Kelly’s Executive Order 20-52 “Requiring masks or other face coverings in public,” cases in Butler County have climbed.  

From March 13th, when the first positive case in Butler County was documented until July 2, the date of the repeal, only 60 positive cases were reported.  

In the month following the Commissioners repeal, from July 3rd to August 3rd, that number has more than doubled to 168 positive cases and the numbers continue to trend upwards.

Within the Proclamation, Kelly identifies one reason for issuing her mandate, “Whereas, after a steady trend of decreasing metrics, recent weeks have seen the numbers of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths spike in Kansas and across the nation.”

The spike in positive cases in Butler County have been associated with individuals attending softball camp, dance camp, band camp, weight room lifting and a church gathering.  

Certainly wearing a mask, alone, will not prevent the spread, however in combination with limiting mass gatherings, practicing social distancing and good hygiene, the risk to exposure could be minimized. 

“Remember – my mask protects you, and your mask protects me,” Governor Kelly said. “We’re all in this together.”

In this journalist’s humble opinion, the decision by the Commissioners to repeal the Governor’s mandate, which included guidance on limiting mass gatherings was not in the best interest of public safety.

Can Do Attitude Needed

A ‘Can Do’ attitude helped to engage our nation during World War II when there was a shortage of workers to support the war effort. That same attitude is what is needed now to help support the frontline heroes battling coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease it causes.

The Marion County Emergency Management Director, Randy Frank, has created an initiative designed to do just.  In order to help him get his message out, he has called back into service an original “Rosie the Riveter” Virginia Ball of El Dorado, Kansas.  His goal with this campaign is to encourage all Kansans to practice safe social distancing and wear a protective mask while in public. 

“There is a plan in place, as established by Governor Kelly,  to help us carefully move back to our previous routines,” said Frank. 

Frank reached out to Ball, better known by her moniker “Rosie the Riveter,” to help lead the campaign for a safe and healthy transition.  

Randy Frank and Virginia Ball hope to encourage all Kansans to do their part to fight the spread of COVID-19.

As Kansas nears the end of Phase 1, and transitions into Phase 2 of the Governor’s plan to reopen the state, more restrictions will be lifted but Kansans need to be diligent in order to reach the goal of flattening the curve and preventing any further outbreaks.  

“Our biggest challenge is patience,” Ball said. “But Kansans have shown that they are willing to do what is necessary when times are tough.  Together, ‘We Can Do It!’” 

“I think the ‘Can Do’ attitude is in all of us. That attitude will help us as we move into our new normal,” said Ball.