The first US census was taken in 1790, one that has been required every ten years by our constitution. According to Rotarian Steve Hale, a Senior Partnership Specialist for Kansas for the US Census who addressed our group, the results of each census determines the representation of each state in the US House of Representatives. It also determines the amount of Federal programs for which different geographical areas qualify. Kansas received $6 billion from the top five Federal programs as determined by the census. Lyon County gains (or loses) $48,500 in Federal funding for every 2.5 people counted (or not counted) in the 2020 census. The objective of the US census is to count every person living in this country on Census Day (April 1, 2020). For the 2020 census, each person is encouraged to complete the census form online...if not online, then by phone...and if not by phone, then by mail. Those hardest to count are children under five years old and people over 65 years old. Homeless people have also proven to be a challenge to get an accurate count. Kids attending college are counted where they live in college as of April 1. Those living in group quarters, like college dorms, are usually done with the cooperation of the administrative body in charge of each group quarters, and is usually taken using the records maintained by the administrative body. Steve shared a website that anyone can use to monitor the census process: www.census.gov/roam.