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THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
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Thursday, June 4, 2015
Relay For Life
Humboldt Civil War Days recall ‘Mighty Scourge’ By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Luminaries will be a part of this weekend’s fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society. REGISTER/KAYLA BANZET
Overnight fundraiser kicks off Friday By KAYLA BANZET The Iola Register
Glowing paper bags in memory or honor of cancer patients will illuminate the Iola square Friday night during the annual Allen County Relay for Life. Relay for Life is celebrating 19 years this weekend
from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday. Relay for Life got its start in 1980 and is celebrating its 35th anniversary. The Relay raises funds for cancer research and awareness of the disease. The event is themed around the decade that the Relay got its start, “Party Like It’s 1980 — Don’t Stop
Children’s Summer Theater Workshop opens Monday By KAYLA BANZET The Iola Register
Young actors will experience a heap of drama at the annual Children’s Summer Theater Workshop. The workshop will begin Monday and run to June 19 at the Iola Community Theatre Warehouse, 203 S. Jefferson. The students will perform for the public at 9:30 a.m. June 20 at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center. John Higginbotham is the director for the workshop this year. Higginbotham grew up participating in the workshop and helped direct
Jim Smith hopes to introduce a forgotten part of yesteryear in these parts — rail travel — back to Iola. Smith has converted three second-floor rooms of the old Globe building, 2 S. Washington Ave., into a rail museum. He’ll have the museum open this evening during the weekly Allen County Farmers’ Market on the square, and each Saturday afternoon
See RELAY | Page A5
Friday
Dance, 7:30 p.m., at old high school gymnasium
Saturday
Re-enactments, all day at Camp Hunter Park
Sunday
Humboldt Historical Society Museum opens, 1 p.m. Bus tours, 2 p.m.
square, an incursion that didn’t sit well with all Humboldt residents. Some feared the new event would interfere with the town’s signature Biblesta, a celebration based on the Bible and including a parade that draws spectators literally from hundreds of miles around. To avoid controversy the Civil War event was trotted about a mile south to a large vacant area west of Monarch Cement, owned by the company and its owner, conveniently See HUMBOLDT | Page A5
REACHING NEW HEIGHTS AT VBS
the young actors last year with Susan Raines. Higginbotham is the Bowlus’ assistant technical director. There are separate classes during the workshop. Children going into third through fifth grade will meet from 8 to 10 a.m. and students going into sixth through eighth grade will meet from 10 to noon. Students will learn the basics of theater. Higginbotham would like to introduce stage tech to the students as well. “I was a kid who didn’t See CSTW | Page A5
Iola man’s museum opens window to rail history By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Believing.” Survivor registration runs from 5 to 6 p.m. Pre-entertainment will be provided by the Old Time Fiddlers and Pickers and tickets for inflatable games can be purchased for $2 each or $10 for unlimited access.
HUMBOLDT — This town will be alive with blue and gray uniforms and other vestiges of the Civil War this weekend for the 12th Humboldt Civil War Days. The event recognizes Humboldt’s part in the bloodiest war ever fought by American forces — Union and Confederate — and also will bring to life broader views of the war, which ended 150 years ago Tuesday. Eileen Robertson, who had an integral role in the historic celebration’s beginning and still is much involved, is a fount of information about Humboldt and its history. She returned to Humboldt, her birthplace and home while growing up as Eileen Wulf, in 1985 from California. She immediately immersed herself in the town and its doings. Weaving her duties as a freshmen English teacher at Chanute’s Royster Junior High School around civic involvement, Robertson proposed and promoted the first Civil War Days in 1994. Then, it was on the downtown
Iola’s First Christian Church is hosting 30 youngsters for Vacation Bible School this week. The theme is “Camp Kilimanjaro: An Epic Expedition Through Proverbs.” Above, group leaders Audrey Powe, left, and Allyson Hobbs lead a lesson. At lower left, Evan Powe and Henry Kramer sing and dance during the closing ceremonies. Below at right, Connor Powe and Brayden Griffeth create crafts. REGISTER/KAYLA BANZET
from 1 to 3. “I’m really hoping to get kids to come visit,” Smith said. “A lot of people don’t know a lot about passenger trains.” A lifelong railroad enthusiast, Smith has collected model trains through the years — he started his third full-fledged collection about 12 years ago — to go with scores of books, photos and even films about rail travel. See RAILROAD | Page A5
Quote of the day Vol. 117, No. 149
“Open your eyes, look within. Are you happy with the life you’re living? — Bob Marley, musician 75 Cents
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