$10,000 donated to Sesquicentennial Point

A well-known Lawrence benefactor has donated $10,000 to the plaza commemorating the city’s 150th birthday.

The gift from Hortense “Tensie” Oldfather brings the total raised for Sesquicentennial Point to $185,000. The fund-raising goal is $300,000.

Oldfather was honored last year as the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year. Her previous philanthropy included the preservation and restoration of Liberty Hall; establishment of Oldfather Studios, the Kansas University film-making center; a scholarship program for KU music students; establishing the Haskell Museum and Cultural Center at Haskell Indian Nations University; and funding for the new Kansas Public Radio building at KU.

When completed, Sesquicentennial Point will provide a community gathering spot near Clinton Lake. The site will include stones representing businesses, individuals and organizations important to Lawrence’s history.

Tours of the site are being given from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. every Sunday through June.

Community

East Lawrence group cleans up neighborhood

Sidewalks overgrown with grass and covered with dirt were targeted by the East Lawrence Neighborhood Assn. Sunday during its annual spring cleanup.

Throughout the afternoon more than a dozen association members either fanned out to pick up trash over several blocks east of downtown or clear a sidewalk in the 700 block of Connecticut Street.

Clearing the sidewalks makes it easier and safer for the elderly to walk on them, association members noted, and it will be an ongoing association task.

Above, East Lawrence Neighborhood residents, from left to right, K.T. Walsh, Joe Bickford and Janet Good, president of the association, clean up a sidewalk in the 700 block of Connecticut Street.

The association has been conducting spring cleanup sessions for about 30 years, Good said. Picnic food items were donated by some local businesses so members could relax and enjoy themselves after the work at Hobbs Park.

Eudora

Kindergarten roundup to start at Nottingham

Nottingham Elementary School in Eudora will have a meeting for parents to schedule appointment times and gather information for its kindergarten roundup at 7 p.m. today at the school.

The roundup will be Thursday and Friday at the school, 1428 Elm St., by appointment only.

For more information, call the school at 542-4920.

Blood drive planned

A blood drive will be conducted Thursday by the Douglas County Chapter of the American Red Cross.

The drive will take place from noon to 6 p.m. at the First Christian Church, 1000 Ky. No appointment is necessary.

Red Cross officials said some blood donor criteria had changed in an effort to allow more people to donate. Those changes concern travel outside the United States, heart-related conditions, tattoos, corneal transplants and more. To find out more, call the Red Cross at 843-3550.

Agencies may apply for United Way funding

United Way of Douglas County is currently accepting applications from agencies wishing to receive United Way funding.

The applications are available by calling 843-6626 or by stopping by the office at 2518 Ridge Court. Preliminary applications are due by 5 p.m. Wednesday.

To qualify, an organization must be have 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and have provided services in Douglas County for at least two years. Other criteria evaluated include how the organization meets needs not currently being met and how it measures its effectiveness of services.