The 17th annual Speedy PD Race for Parkinson’s Disease is Saturday, Aug. 23, at Tuttle Creek State Park. The race features a Half-Mile Walk/Run, Don Rasmussen 5K, and a 10K race. This year, we are excited to announce a partnership with Manhattan Running Company, providing race directing, logistics, and timing services. A full list of sponsors can be found on the Speedy PD webpage at www.runspeedypd.org.

As a veteran 4-Her (Franklin County, Kan. Rambling Ranchers!), I am thoroughly enjoying watching the skills, fun, and magic develop for my own children. Fair week is a highlight of the 4-H year - one we prepare for in the months leading up to it. This year was no different and the 2024 Riley County Fair was an exciting and successful event for my two oldest daughters! Murphy, age 10, and Eilish, age 7, showcased their hard work during fair week.

It’s time to revive a Messenger column that has been out of print since late 2017: Ask Sarah!

I trust this Meadowlark Blog entry finds you all in good spirits and surrounded by the warmth of our vibrant community. This week's inspiration for our musings on patience and organization comes from a source close to my heart – my nine-year-old daughter, Murphy.

In the early 2000s, Meadowlark was in phase two of a three-phase growth and evolution as a community. As a part of this expansion, Meadowlark planned to add a neighborhood of cottages known as Meadowlark Circle. However, there was a hurdle: a small family cemetery dating from the mid-1800s to 1900. The original cemetery had a least four formal headstones, all of which had been removed by early in the twentieth century.

Meadowlark hosted a housewarming event Wednesday, Sept. 27, for its new 24-unit independent living apartment building located on the main campus. The new building is called The Monarch and is located on the southeast corner of Meadowlark Road and Meadowlark Circle.  

The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s for Manhattan, Kan., will be at Manhattan City Park on Saturday, Sept. 30.

Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. This inspiriting event calls on participants of all ages and abilities to join the fight against the disease.

Meadowlark, a place people have called home since 1980, has a rich history. Margaret Wheat, a registered nurse, joined the Meadowlark board in 1976 and was an integral part of Meadowlark Hills for nearly half her life. In fact, it was Margaret who dreamed up what would become the official name of the community, following a multitude of suggestions that included Kanza Heights, Prairie View, and Hilltop House. Nothing quite fit … until inspiration struck her “like a beam of light” when she remembered the board’s first visit to the property.

In the early 2000s, Meadowlark was in phase two of a three-phase growth and evolution as a community. As a part of this expansion, Meadowlark added its first duplexes on Meadowlark Circle. However, there was a hurdle: a small family cemetery dating from the mid-1800s to 1900. The original cemetery had a least four formal headstones, all of which had been removed by early in the twentieth century. Thus, by the early twenty-first century, almost nothing was known about this cemetery other than its location.

Ascension Via Christi Hospital and Meadowlark invite all Manhattan-area healthcare professionals and their families to a free concert in the park on Saturday, Aug. 13. The concert will run from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Larry Norvell Band Shell in Manhattan City Park.

Healthcare workers can enjoy rock-and-roll music by Crosswind. The band was first organized in 1978 and will be inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame in July 2022.