Earle Core, Lawrence, will celebrate his 75th birthday with a gathering from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday at Unity Church of Lawrence, Ninth Street and Madeline Lane. No presents, please.

¢A lunch and play day for adoptive families is planned for 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Family Life Center at Lawrence Free Methodist Church, 3001 Lawrence Ave.

The event is open to anyone touched by adoption or interested in adoption. Bring your family and a dish or two to share for fun and fellowship.

For more information, call Cherri at (785) 542-1154.

¢Kaj and Christie Willis, Kansas City, Mo., announce the birth of their daughter, Aftyn Ann Marie Willis, born Oct. 17, 2007, at St. Luke’s Northland Hospital in Kansas City, Mo.

Aftyn’s maternal grandparents are Rodney and Cathy Gilges, Baldwin City. Paternal grandparents are Dick and Debbie Willis, Augusta, Ga.

Great-grandmothers are Pat Gilges, Baldwin City; Mary Hasting, Farmington, Mo.; and Mary Savner, Fountain Hills, Ariz.

Her great-great-grandmother is Mary Spencer, Baldwin City.

¢Daiyna Vann, Lawrence, was a winner in the “Reading Gets You There” contest at the 22nd annual Black Leadership Symposium, conducted Oct. 18 at Kansas University. Vann, a junior at Free State High School, won a $100 prize for her reading analysis and writing skills.

The symposium also offered workshops and dialogues promoting leadership. This year’s theme was “Empowering Youth: Implementing Diversity.”

Other Lawrence students attending included:

l Free State High School: Sebastian Bonner, Mariah Finley, Margaret Gathunguri, Ruaa Hassaballa, Nadia Imafidon, Ashley Jimerson, Brittany Jimerson, Leah Newman, Chloe Porter, Michelle Simon, Myette Simpson, Leyonna Smith, Taurean Smith and Tiana Tubbs.

l Lawrence High School: Courtney Barber, Valeria Boggs, Emmanuel Cable, Jazmine Coleman, Janae Colter, Brianna Dean, Baba Diallo, James Easter, Olivia Ewert, Melissa Flaming, Dorian Green, Erika Green, Courtney Griffin,

Shante Hardin, Keith Hill, Samantha Hughes, Louisa Hussein, Nicole Ingram, Sarah Jackson, Tania Jackson, Amanda Jones, DeJanelle Lockett, Leona Lyles, April Miller, Adrienne Njoroge, Murphy Ray, Kendall Riley, Angelena Ross, Quintin Rucker, Reina Salcido, Kiera Shorter, Malcolm Sims, Malika Smiley, Jarelle Taylor, Wanona Thomas, Carly Tucker, Amilee Turner, Brittany Venzen, Jamaal Washington and Vincent Williams.

l Central Junior High: Nathaniel Davis, Chloe Sheridan, Nyamukandawiri Simpson-Banda and Eric Watson.

l South Junior High: Alia Bermudez, Zach Losey, Brittany Ray, Deja Stephenson, Asia Thomas-Kimball and Martin Williams.

l Southwest Junior High: Devante Green, Alex Henriquez, Ashley Kennedy, Evan Manning, Stephen Obiefule, Enoch Quaye and Paige Robinson.

l West Junior High: Tawney Carter, Bethany Cobbs, Tiana Daniels, Tiara Dillon, Charity Ekpo, Cora Garland, Rachael Hodison, Danny Lee, Fiona Muniu, Donta Tanner, Kianti Vann and Maya Windle.