Community Happenings

The Kansas Wheat Festival began in 1900 to celebrate an especially successful harvest. The tradition of honoring that heritage continues with a number of agricultural exhibits in Sellers Park.

Before Memorial Day in 1922, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) conducted their first red poppy distribution as a memorial for those lost in service. By 1923, assembling these memorial flowers became a way for disabled veterans and those in need to earn financial assistance. The next year, a factory was set up in Pittsburgh, and the VFW officially named the flower the “Buddy Poppy.”

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In accordance with the United States Flag Code, adopted on June 14, 1923, Wellington’s Dan C. Matson VFW Post #881 and American Legion Post #90 recent; y conducted a flag retirement ceremony.

I’m really excited to invite everyone to attend the Wheat Capital Quilt Society quilt show which is coming up during the Kansas Wheat Festival, July 12-13, 2024, at the Wellington Middle School auxiliary gym. The Society hosts a quilt show every other year, and this year we have over 120 quits entered.

The Wellington Public Library recently hosted a special “Zoo To You” presentation from the Tanganyika Wildlife Park at the Raymond Frye Complex. Guests had the opportunity to meet Chewy, their lovable two-toed sloth, Vera, the Uromastyx (a spiny-tailed lizard), Creeper, the Bearded Dragon, and Lieutenant Dan, the aptly named legless lizard.

The recent Camp HYPE program was hosted by the Youth Employment Project (YEP), WorkForce Alliance, and Sumner Economic Development on the Sumner Campus of Cowley College. The fourday summer camp was sponsored by local businesses eager to connect with potential employees.

The 2024 Kansas Wheat Festival, July 9th - 14th, will be here before you know it and there are lots of fun ways for you and your family to get involved. Taking part in some of the events not only helps build community pride - it’s fun!

Most of us think of the honey bee when it comes to concern for pollinators. However, Pollinator Week was established to help raise awareness for all pollinators and how to protect them. Pollinators play a vital role in ecosystems, economies, and agriculture. The 2024 celebration encouraged everyone to envision a future where pollinators not only survive but thrive.

As the celebration of Indepence Day approaches on July 4th, for the health and safety of the community, fireworks cannot be discharged in city streets, at the Wellington Lake or in any city parks. By city ordinance, discharge hours for fireworks are: July 1st - July 3rd, 10am to 11pm July 4th, 10am to midnight Retail sale hours are: 10am to 10pm, July 1st - July 4th Bottle rockets and M80s are illegal in Kansas.