Brandon and Lisa Johnson, Virginia Beach, Va., announce the birth of their son Conner Bruce Johnson, Sept. 10, 2002, at Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Va. He has a sister, Brianna Christine, 7, and a brother, Matthew Lee, 5.

Paternal grandparents are Martin and Janice Johnson, Lawrence, and Jane Asher, Topeka. Maternal grandparents are Wayne and Sharon Rogers, Lawrence. Great-grandparents are Alice DeWeese, Lawrence; Worthy and Ina Rogers, Lawrence; Adolph and Dixie Olson, Lawrence; Norm and Madonna Johnson, Overland Park; Melvin and Marcella Van Zuiden, Lawrence, and Richard and Beverly Cates, Lawrence.

The Lawrence Habitat for Humanity had its 13th annual dinner Sept. 21 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. This year’s event celebrated the contributions of volunteers, board members, homeowners, donors and supporters in building eight decent, affordable houses in the past year.

The Tom Church Award for outstanding volunteer on the construction site was presented to Emily Forsyth and Howard Lubliner, who have been volunteering at Habitat construction projects for the past two years. Forsyth and Lubliner have worked almost every Saturday and have been instrumental in leading other volunteers and creating continuity at the Lawrence Habitat construction sites.

The John Gingerich Award for outstanding overall service to the Lawrence Habitat for Humanity program was presented to Clay Comfort, president of the board of directors. He also serves on the finance committee, church relations committee, construction committee and attends other committee meetings and organizational functions. Comfort received the award because of his dedication to the organization and his diligence in development of sound business practices and systems.

The following officers were elected for 2002-2003: Clay Comfort, president; Sue Nutt, vice president; Jerry Feese, secretary; and Cameron Oury, treasurer. New board members are: Patty Kennedy, Kathy Richardson, Jill Shelley, Dannette Umholtz, Bo March, James Rechs and Kent Tomlison.

A McMillen birthday celebration and open house will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 6 at Ives Chapel United Methodist Church, 1018 Miami, Baldwin.

Those celebrating birthdays: Don McMillen, 90; Dale McMillen, 88; Chet McMillen, 85, and Letha Myers, 82. The family requests no gifts.

The Liberty Memorial High School class of 1952 will celebrate its 50th reunion next weekend.

Class members will meet for a casual evening at 6 p.m. Oct. 4 at the American Legion. Two tours are scheduled for Oct. 5. Members can tour the Watkins Community Museum of History, 1047 Mass., at 10 a.m. and the Helen Foresman Spencer Museum of Art, 1301 Miss., at 11:15 a.m. A social hour and banquet begin at 6 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Lawrence Country Club.

For more information, contact Norma at 843-5442.

A series on diversity in Baker University’s student newspaper, The Baker Orange, that earned a first-place Mark of Excellence Award in a regional Society of Professional Journalists’ competition is one of three entries for a national SPJ reporting award. The series, “Beyond Diversity: Finding Acceptance,” was published in February 2001 and highlighted diversity on Baker’s campus. The writers of the diversity series were Chris Moon, Andrew Woolard and Kristin Callaway.