Emporia State University track & field coach Steve Blocker told our Rotary Club how he and his coaches make the most of the athletes who they have. They attract student athletes with good work ethics and accomplish a lot of hard work to excel in the MIAA and in the NCAA Division II, and have high expectations this year. The men's 4x400 relay team earned 6th place in the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships this winter without their best runners participating.
ESU's opening meet this spring attracted over 1,100 participants. Their next meet is an evening event scheduled for May 14. A new track is being installed as part of the new football field in Welch Stadium. Watch for a possible gold-colored track with black lines and lettering.
Erin Blocker, assistant track & field coach at ESU, shared that as part of her dissertation she is beginning medical research in Emporia as a rural community project to promote high-intensity physical activity as an intervention for people with a high risk for Alzheimer disease. Erin is looking for 25-30 participants over 50 years of age over a period of time of 10 weeks.
A decision will be made soon of our club's participation in the Dirty Kanza 200 event. During the last several years, we have had fun providing food along the finish line area on Commercial Street on Saturday evening.
With the expanding number of bicyclists participating in the events on that day, we have been informed that we would be more helpful to their needs for the overall event if we could help them by passing out water on the course at check point #3 from 1:00 to 3:30 in the afternoon. Although our participation in this way would not lend to much visibility to others in our community that day, it would definitely lead to a greater feel for the event for our club members by being out on the course with the athletes.
Mike Hutfles, a visitor to our club brought by Don Hill, informed our Rotary Club of his daughter's current participation as a Rotary exchange student at Reunion Island, an insular region of France located in the Indian Ocean with a population of about 845,000.
James Bordonaro, a board member of the Humane Society who somewhat reluctantly decided to jump in and become part of the solution, talked about how the Humane Society ended up successfully taking over the operation of the Emporia Animal Shelter in April of last year, discontinued routine euthanasia of animals (decreasing from 67 animals in 2014 to only 14 in 2015), changed hours of operation to allow families to visit and choose the right animal, partnered with Kansas State University to periodically host a mobile surgical lab to spay and neuter 222 animals over the past year and reducing the number of unwanted animals, installed an awning for sun shelter, and out sources animals to other areas that are experiencing shortages of animals.
Christy Davis, Executive Director of the Symphony in the Flint Hills, talked about the planning and work that is required to put on a first class event for which the Symphony in the Flint Hills is known. This year's event will be held on June 11 in Chase County. As Christy explained, there's so much more to this organization than just the Symphony, though.
Greg Jordan and Lisa Soller from the Lyon County History Center provided an update on the remodeling of the new center on Commercial Street. Originally built in 1928, the building is being nicely refurbished with $2 million in funds donated and through a matching grant. It seems to be progressing really nicely. The new center will provide much more space to display the history of our area. There will be eight core areas for display.
Rotarian Jack Atherton, who is a long-time member of the Lyon County Historical Society board, said that Judge W. L. Huggins was the first Rotary Club of Emporia President and was also the President of the Lyon County Historical Society.
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of the athletes who they have. They attract student athletes with good work ethics and accomplish a lot of hard work to excel in the MIAA and in the NCAA Division II, and have high expectations this year. The men's 4x400 relay team earned 6th place in the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships this winter without their best runners participating. 
she is beginning medical research in Emporia as a rural community project to promote high-intensity physical activity as an intervention for people with a high risk for Alzheimer disease. Erin is looking for 25-30 participants over 50 years of age over a period of time of 10 weeks. 
We welcome Clint Stephens as a new member of our Rotary Club. Thanks for joining us, Clint.
part of the solution, talked about how the Humane Society ended up successfully taking over the operation of the Emporia Animal Shelter in April of last year, discontinued routine euthanasia of animals (decreasing from 67 animals in 2014 to only 14 in 2015), changed hours of operation to allow families to visit and choose the right animal, partnered with Kansas State University to periodically host a mobile surgical lab to spay and neuter 222 animals over the past year and reducing the number of unwanted animals, installed an awning for sun shelter, and out sources animals to other areas that are experiencing shortages of animals.
bringing in new members.
Greg Jordan and Lisa Soller from the Lyon County History Center provided an update on the remodeling of the new center on Commercial Street. Originally built in 1928, the building is being nicely refurbished with $2 million in funds donated and through a matching grant. It seems to be progressing really nicely. The new center will provide much more space to display the history of our area. There will be eight core areas for display. 
