Recap of GreenTown's Anniversary Weekend Events

    photo credit: Anna MacNiven

We are grateful to all who stopped by the Green Visitors Center on Saturday, April 30 for GreenTown's open house. We hosted a steady stream of folks throughout the day, and made a lot of nice connections. People from as far away as Connecticut and California made their way to Greensburg to check out Anniversary Weekend events.

In honor of Arbor Day, members of the Greensburg Tree Board planted a flowering crab tree in the yard of the Silo Eco-Home. Board member Randy Rinker spoke on behalf of the group as he set the tree in its new location. He told the assembled audience about the meaning of Arbor Day and why the Board chose GreenTown to be the recipient of this year's tree. We feel honored to have our property selected. City Councilman Mark Trummel read an Arbor Day proclamation.

The group then moved across the street for the groundbreaking ceremony for GreenTown's second eco-home, Meadowlark House. We used the occasion to acknowledge local residents who rebuilt very green right after the tornado, pioneering the Green Initiative. It felt fitting that Farrell and Debby Allison, Lisa Waters, Judi Kirk, and Scott Eller turned the soil for a house which will be one of the most energy efficient in the country. They were joined by Rob Threlkeld, who was in town from Michigan representing his family's foundation, which is generously providing the seed funding for Meadowlark. Also lending a hand were GreenTown board members Laura Stoltenberg, Janice Adamson, Joan Hayse, and Wylan Fleener. GreenTown staff Joah Bussert and Adam Andrews joined the group, as did former staff Stephanie Peterson, who came to town for the Anniversary celebration.

The folks from Topeka Kite Fliers made a splash at the football field with their beautiful kites. Local people came and went throughout the afternoon to observe, and some brought their own kites to participate as well. Members of the Oz Bicycle Club from Wichita made the trek to Greensburg to participate in a bike ride out to the Greensburg Wind Farm, accompanied by an AmeriCorps team member. We also sponsored a walking tour and a driving tour of the community for interested visitors.

It was a rich full day, and there are a lot of people who helped us make the day's events such a success. Thanks to GreenTown staff and board, the AmeriCorps team (whose last day of work in town is this Thursday), the Greensburg Tree Board, Topeka Kite Fliers, Oz Bicycle Club, volunteer photographer Mitch Paine from Lincoln, Carolyn Simpson from Bee Well Herbs in Pratt (who donated some of our delicious refreshments), Glenda and Ron Nichols, local residents (some of whom gave tours of the Silo Home to their friends and family), John Wickland for providing a bus for touring, and our many visitors. Thanks, too, to Grant Neuhold and Jan West at the Media Center for their great work documenting the activities relating to Meadowlark and beginning what will be a series of educational videos on the project.

 There is a lot to be grateful for, and it is always nice to stop to appreciate and acknowledge everyone's hard work in bringing Greensburg back to life in such an amazing way.