Photo gallery: Friends & Neighbors for June 2012

Volunteers of Four Winds Native Center, along with members of Four Winds’ Indigenous Youth Dance Troupe, accept the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission’s Community Arts Grant at City Hall on May 15. The dance troupe studies traditional dances and exhibits them in the regalia of their tribes. Bonnie Cherry, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Girl Scout Troop 3326, pictured May 1 at a troop meeting, collected 632 pounds of aluminum cans during April for Cans for the Community as part of their work to earn a Bronze Award. Their partners in the collection effort included Prairie Park School, local offices and neighborhoods, members of two other Girl Scout troops, Henderson Engineers, and Wal-Mart. Linda Klinker, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Kansas University Professor Emeritus Ken Armitage is pictured on top of the main pyramid at the Mexican archaeological site of Tula, Hidalgo, in March. Andrea Norris, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Dalma Daniela Olvera, an eighth-grader this year at West Middle School, is a state finalist in the National American Miss Kansas Pageant in Wichita, set for July 20-22. Dalma will participate in the junior teen division, one of five age divisions in the pageant. The winner will receive $1,000 and will compete in the national pageant in California.

Matthew Gelvin, son of Ralph and Joann Gelvin of Lawrence, graduated from North Dakota State University on May 12 with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural economics. He now works as a logistics manager at Plain, Grains & Agronomy in Enderlin, N.D.

Boy Scout Troop 61 of Lawrence is pictured on their annual canoe trip May 12, playing baseball on a sandbar, where they also camped that evening. James Taylor submitted the photo.

Skylar Stewart, daughter of J. Stewart, and her friend Coleman Dondlinger, both of Lecompton, create some art during Art in the Park on May 6 in Lawrence. Christine Stewart submitted the photo.

Gabrielle, 3, takes a break during the NCAA championship game April 2 between Kansas and Kentucky. Gabrielle is the daughter of Kara and Chris Deiter, of Lawrence. Kara submitted the photo.

Leslie Anne Short Wolfe was awarded her doctorate degree from Yale University in molecular biophysics and biochemistry on May 21. She is a 2002 graduate of Lawrence High School and the daughter of Rick and Bonnie Short, formerly of Lawrence. Wolfe graduated from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., in 2006. She is employed as a biochemist for KBI Biopharma in Durham, N.C. Bonnie Short, of Hendersonville, N.C., submitted the photo.

From left, Maria McKee, 16, Camas Buerger, 16, Isaih Villagran, 10, and Tara Sacerdote,15, relax after picking up trash along Stairstep Road, north of Lawrence, in observance of Earth Day 2012. Shannon Buerger, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Maya Morris, 9, Lawrence, recently completed her black belt. Her instructor is Ben Morris of UMA Tae Kwon Do in Eudora. Maya’s mother, Amy Swan, submitted the photo.

Bill and Betty Bunce, Linwood, celebrate with pride the 2012 graduation of their granddaughters, Amber Heiserman Rowland, left, and Kaitlin Butler, from the School of Education at Kansas University. Butler graduated with a Master of Science in counseling psychology, and Rowland graduated with honors with a Doctor of Philosophy in curriculum and instruction, minoring in special education. Lynn Heiserman, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Unitarian youths decorate the grave site of Charles and Sarah Robinson in Oak Hill Cemetery for Memorial Day. Charles was a founder of Lawrence and was the first governor of Kansas. The first Robinson Gymnasium at Kansas University, named for the Robinsons, was built on land Charles originally owned, according to KU’s website. Pictured from left are Connor Harmon, 10, Valerie VanLandingham, 16 months, Amara Harmon, 7, Isaac Caudill, 5, Henry Boulton, 7, and Isaiah Caudill, 7, all of Lawrence. Graham Kreicker submitted the photo, which was taken by Shannon VanLandingham.

Girl Scout Troop 7660 conducted a memorial service for Alfred Bromelsick at Oak Hill Cemetery on May 26. The girls wore period uniforms in celebration of Girls Scouts’ 100th anniversary. Pictured from left are Hayley Finstead, Ashley Finstead, Sara Ward, Evondi Weston (1943), Annie Olsen (1948), Aubin Murphy (1963), Abby Percich 1963), Nora Birchfield (1963) and Natalie Myers (1973). Alex Weston, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Kaylea Beiter, 12 weeks old, is astonished to see such beauty up close! Christine Neibarger of Lawrence, Kaylea's grandmother, submitted the photo.

Goalkeeper Mia Romano, 12, plays in the 2012 Kansas City Invitational Tournament, held May 25-28 at the Overland Park Soccer Complex. Mia plays in the Kaw Valley Soccer Association’s U12 Girls Premier League in Lawrence for coach Brad Williams. Pete Romano of Lawrence, Mia’s father, submitted the photo.

Neighborhood friends enjoyed taking a cargo trike for a spin. Pictured from left are Hamund Christensen 10, Porter Nowlin 11, Olivia Kouloukis 10, Harper Sandefur 10, and Isaih Villagran, 10. Shannon Buerger of Lawrence submitted the photo.

The 2012 Lawrence Owls team in the 12-and-under American League of the Douglas County Amateur Baseball Association is pictured on May 31. From left, back row, are coach Jerry Chandler, coach Kirk Redmond, Logan Grose, 11, Cole Phillips, 11, Connor Dow, 12, Brayden LiaKos, 11, and coach Mike Grose; and front row, Kenzi Dowdell, 11, Levi Hawkins, 11, Nicholas Mickel-Guerrero, 11, Mason Kehoe, 12, Carson Redmond, 11, Ethan Rorabaugh, 11, and coach Dale Rorabaugh. Not pictured are Drew Deutsch, 11, coach Mike Engel, and coach Cimmy Redmond, who submitted the photo.

Pictured at a May board meeting are the University Women’s Club 2012-2013 board members. Back row, from left, are Carolyn Schroeder, Mary Remus, Mary Newell, Ann Eversole, Carladyne Conyers, Muff Kelly, Cathy Ebmeier, Judy Carpenter, Jerree Catlin and Janis Hutchison; front row: Gwen Dobson, Marilyn Hall, Mary Elizabeth Debicki, and Nancy Hale-Martinko; and Sally Brandt, seated. Dobson submitted the photo.

Cheyenne Patton, a 2012 graduate of Free State High School, was among 56 students from the East Central District FFA who received the State FFA Degree on June 1 at the 84th Kansas FFA State Convention in Manhattan. The award is the highest honor that Kansas FFA Association members can receive.

The Big League Chew Summer Tournament U8 Class A Baseball Champions, the Lawrence Diamondbacks, are pictured June 3 at the 3 and 2 Baseball fields in Shawnee. Back row, from left, are coaches John Bannister, Troy Gregory and Jim Moore; and front row, from left, are Alex Moore, Braden Hoffman, Maddox Burkitt, Jacob Shenouda, Jet Dineen, Jacob Bartholomew, Spencer Meyer, Jackson McMillan, Evan Bannister, Grant Gregory, Tyler Gourley and Keyan Crawford. Not pictured is Tyler Verdi. Allison Moore, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Chuck and Dee Blaser celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary June 10 wearing their personalized St. Louis Cardinals jerseys. Grandson Chase Blaser, 4, son of Chip and Karen Blaser of Lawrence, is pictured with them at left. Karen Blaser submitted the photo.

Linus Trimble Redmond, 2, peruses the Journal-World at Free State Brewery on June 9 during lunch with his parents, Cimmy and Kirk Redmond of Lawrence. Cimmy submitted the photo.

Pioneer Ridge nursing staff members participate in Red Dog’s Dog Days. Pictured from left are Youngmi Byum, Emily Hicks, Monica Davis, Erin McInroy, Kaycee Hendricks and Katie Howard. Robin Albertson, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Mary Green, of Lawrence, is pictured with her 2012 Kansas University graduate grandchildren, who are four of her 27 grandchildren. From left are Patrick Green, Madison Bertrand, Mary Green, Jessica Green and Daniel Green. Jessica’s grandfather Don Orlowski, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Madelyn Dean shows off her medal after completing the IronKids Triathalon on June 9 in Lawrence. Jeff Dean, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Pictured, from left, are the nieces and nephew of Kassie Edwards, of Lawrence, and grandchildren of Pat Kells, of Lawrence. Back row are Kyle Edwards, Sarah Edwards, both grandchildren of the late Virginia Boyd of Lawrence, and Molly Keltner; and front row, Tatum Kells, Ava Kells and Sloane Kells. Family members gathered May 12 in Fayetteville, Ark., to celebrate Molly’s graduation from University of Arkansas and Sarah’s December graduation from Kansas State University. Kassie Edwards submitted the photo, which was taken by Jill Kells.

Betsy Smoot, 14, left, and Sarah Smoot, 16, both of Lawrence, enjoyed their time at the 2012 Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Ga., in April. Brad Smoot submitted the photo.

Pierce Saturday, 11, of Lawrence, visited the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Fla., to deliver a donation, which he had collected from cash gifts from his birthday and Christmas. He also had a raffle and a booth at a local pet store where he collected donations. The Turtle Hospital is a rescue and rehabilitation facility for various endangered sea turtles. Just before giving Pierce a tour of the facility, Turtle Hospital founder Richie Moretti, left, and manager Bette Zirkelbach accepted Pierce’s donation. Pierce’s grandfather Chuck Thomsen, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Douglas County 4-Hers display the blankets and support pillows that they sewed for the Stormont-Vail HealthCare NICU in Topeka as part of a community service project day. Ryal Mitchell, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.