Photo gallery: Friends & Neighbors for May 2012

Trent Kasson is pictured with Kansas first baseman Jake Marasco at Junior Jayhawk Day at Hoglund Ballpark on April 15. KU defeated Texas A&M, 5-3. Trent is the son of Adam and Carolyn Kasson, of McLouth. Adam submitted the photo.

Secret valentines were revealed at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor on Feb. 14. Pictured, from left, are Katie Cox, Pattie Hawkins, staff nurse, Maggie Carttar and Audrey Mortensen. Mortensen submitted the photo, which was taken by Beverly Burrows.

James Keeney and wife Becky visited New York in 2000 for the 52nd reunion of the 63rd Infantry Division Association. This picture was taken Aug. 16, 2000, from Ellis Island. Becky died on Feb 28, 2009. Keeney, of De Soto, submitted the photo.

The University Women’s Club scholarship committee presented awards on April 5 to four recipients, front row from left, Laura Dean Abby Campbell, Larissa Beckman and Heather Aldersey. This was the club’s 97th year of awarding scholarships. Committee members pictured, back row from left, are Faith Greenwood, chairwoman, Susan Ralston, Kay Henry, Marie Meyen and Jannie Barron. Janis Hutchinson submitted the photo.

“The Search for Kennyboy,” a feature-length film written and directed by former Lawrence resident Justin Wood, premiered at the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival in Buffalo, N.Y., on April 15. Wood is a 1997 graduate of Lawrence High School and the son of Keith and Barbara Wood, of Lawrence. Wood filmed “The Search for Kennyboy” in Seattle, where he now lives. The film follows the efforts of two bounty hunters to track down Kenneth Lay, the deceased Enron CEO. Their attempt to unravel the truth about Lay’s death leads them into space as they expose a conspiracy involving mysterious government agents, tobacco executives, the military and possibly even foreign powers. The film was also accepted for the Seattle True Independent Film Festival this month. Keith Wood submitted the photo.

On April 14, more than 400 Scouts, leaders and adults in Lawrence, including those pictured, and more than 150 in Eudora helped collect donations during the 25th annual Scouting for Food drive. More than 5,500 items were collected in Lawrence to be donated to The Salvation Army and five other food pantries, and more than 2,600 items collected in Eudora will go to the Eudora Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry, which is at St. Paul’s Church of Christ. John Scott, Pelathe District 2012 Scouting for Food coordinator, submitted the photo.

Focused on their game, three members of a foursome playing in a Hallmark Cards tournament at Eagle Bend Golf Course on April 21 line up for a birdie putt. Pictured, from front, are Alan Garcia, Kim Gouge and Tim Schneider. Not pictured from the foursome is Steve Nelson. Yvonne Garcia, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Girl Scout Troop 7112 of Lawrence took a tour of the Kansas University Police Department on April 5. Pictured, from left, are Vivian Hill, Olive Harrington, Natalie Kennedy, Hailey Young and Jolie McWirt. Jodi Kennedy, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Katelyn Hammer received the first-place award for sixth-graders in the Kansas Foundation for Agriculture statewide poster competition. Katelyn attends Veritas Christian School. She and her parents, Gary and Julie Hammer of Lawrence, at far left, met Gov. Sam Brownback, state Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence, center, and state Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence, when Katelyn received her award. Julie submitted the photo.

The Veritas Christian School boys varsity basketball team placed third in the KSHAA state tournament in February. Pictured, back row from left, are Gary Hammer, head coach, Caleb Holland, Peter Shin, Brody Robinson, Nick Bennett, Thomas Bachert, Elijah Penny, Andrew Currier, Caleb Bond, and Ryan Brittingham, assistant coach; and front row from left, Eric Shin, Alex Currier, Micah Edmondson and Sawyer Zook. Julie Hammer, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Pictured at left is Lawrence residents Clint and Bobbie Bostick’s great-granddaughter Autumn Cutaia, who at age 2 had dressed herself and was ready to play. She now lives in Boulder, Colo., with her daughter Quinella, 2, pictured at right. Bobbie, who submitted the photo, said the photograph at left was her favorite grandchild picture until Autumn re-created it with her daughter.

Pre-kindergartners at Kids First Preschool at the First United Methodist Church showed their support of the Kansas basketball team as the Jayhawks advanced to the national championship game April 2. Teachers Julie Hafenstine, left, and Stephanie Struble submitted the photo.

Spc. Chris Luman sent a long-distance Mother’s Day card from Afghanistan to his mom, Debbie Luman of Lawrence, who submitted the photo.

From left, Andrew, 14, Matthew, 13, and Abby Solcher, 10, are pictured at the Familia Sagrada in Barcelona, Spain, on March 21 during spring break. Andrew and Matthew attend Southwest Middle School and Abby attends Quail Run School. Scott Solcher submitted the photo.

As members of the Epilepsy Foundation Youth Council, Grace Dooley, 21, left, of Lawrence, Julia Guthrie, 18, second from left, of Lawrence, and Sarah Salzman, 26, far right, of Kansas City, Mo., participated in the fifth annual Nichols-Parucker Walk for Epilepsy on April 22 in Overland Park. The Walk for Epilepsy is a fundraiser benefiting the Epilepsy Foundation of Missouri and Kansas. Danielle Walk, 25, second from right, of Kansas City, Mo., is program director with the Epilepsy Foundation.

Lawrence Master John Spurgeon, left, earned the green Caddy Stacks Book Jacket at the Lawrence Public Library Foundation’s adult VIP mini-golf party April 28. Spurgeon won the final playoff round with a score of 2. Harry Herington, event host, presented him with the special prize. Kathleen Morgan, executive director of the foundation, submitted the photo, which was taken by Scott Boyd.

John Rehder, 6, and JT Rehder, 7, both of Lenexa, watch a Kansas University football game in September of 2011, dreaming of someday being able to play on the field. Sheila Rehder submitted the photo.

On April 26, Gov. Sam Brownback signed Substitute Senate Bill 397 into law. The bill, also known as “Rosa’s law,” eliminates the words “mentally retarded” and “mental retardation” from Kansas statute, replacing them with “people with intellectual disabilities.” This legislation is considered a major victory in the recognition of the dignity of Kansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Present at the signing were three Lawrence residents, Hal Schultz, second row, third from left, Tim Wood, second row, fourth from left, and Kathy Lobb, second row, second from right. Craig Knutson, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Kylee Moore, of the Lawrence Pilot Club, left, presents a $500 check to Becky, Larry and Sheryl Saathoff, of Douglas County Special Olympics, on April 4 at Conroy’s Pub. Lareeda Hickey, secretary of the Lawrence Pilot Club, submitted the photo.

Lilli M. Stires, of Eudora, celebrated her 10th birthday May 4. She requested no presents from her friends, instead asking for canned goods to donate to the Eudora Food Pantry. Heather Stires submitted the photo.

June Louise Gridley, who will turn 2 in June, enjoys a kite festival at Longview Community College in Lee’s Summit, Mo., on April 20. June is the daughter of Mark Gridley and Lynn Murphy, of Lawrence, and the granddaughter of Marilyn Gridley, of Lawrence, who submitted the photo.

Pictured with Mickey in Disney World over spring break are, from left, Scott Coon, Hailey Coon, 10, Summer Snell, 7, Deb Snell, and Jon Snell, 17, all of Lawrence. Scott’s mother, Sue Coon of Baldwin City, submitted the photo.

From left, Braden Robert Burd, 6, Maddie Rudkin Burd, 12, Kendall Catherine Nicodemus, 4, and Brett Charles Nicodemus, 6, all of Iowa, are pictured at the home of their grandmother Carolyn Wrightsman Burd, who is formerly of Lawrence and now Living in Ankeny, Iowa. They are the great-grandchildren of Myrtle Wrightsman, of southern Douglas County, who now lives at Vintage Park in Baldwin City. Robert Burd, of Ankeny, Iowa, submitted the photo.

Sharon Bohm, second from right, and Sydney Nemecek, far right, celebrated their birthdays with other longtime friends on a recent weekend trip to Woody’s Hunting Lodge in Garnett. Pictured, from left, are Sue Neustifter, Mary Ann Stewart, Dee Jerome, and Bohm, all of Eudora, and Nemecek, of Lawrence. Jerome submitted the photo.

KU Alternative Weekend Breaks student volunteers are shown helping to dismantle and recycle old mammal study enclosures at the Kansas University Field Station on April 21. Pictured from left, are students Kelsie Schuman, Chris Rice, Aaron Pope, Samantha Johnson and Autumn Smith. Scott Campbell, Lawrence, submitted the photo.

1970s Watkins Scholarship Hall residents reunited at the Watkins Hall Annual Tea on April 16. Pictured, from left, are Sarah Wohlrabe Shortall, Gayle Chiles Burger, Michelle Lowenstein, Susan Harshaw Kissinger, Patricia Jolly Putnam, Norma Decker Hoagland, and Elizabeth Ervin Boman. Putnam, of Perry, submitted the photo.

Bob Kipp, a 1956 Kansas University graduate, was honored April 21 with the Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award from the KU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. A program was held in his honor at the KU Edwards campus, featuring, from left, William A. Hall, president of the Hall Family Foundation; Jewel Scott, executive director of the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City; Danny Anderson, dean of KU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Kipp, with his award; John Nalbandian, professor in KU’s School of Public Affairs and Administration; Irv Hockaday, former president and CEO of Hallmark Cards; and U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II. Kristi Henderson, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Ruth Cooper and Corrine Cluff pose with a Jayhawk in the lobby of Lawrence Presbyterian Manor on St. Patrick’s Day. Cooper’s daughter, Patty Hill of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

KC Core West U10 Girls, a Lawrence-based girls premier soccer team, took home the 6 v. 6 Girls Blue Championship at the 2012 Nutmeg Tournament, held May 12-13 in Kansas City, Mo. Pictured with their first-place tropy and medals are, front row from left, Ainsley Stallworth, Alexandria Bellavia, Kenzie Rorabaugh, and Kiara Jadlow; and back row, Rileigh Schmidt, Coach Riny de Boer, I’yawa Brewer, Regan Turpin, Harper Sandefur, and Abigail Stallworth. Pam MacDonald, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Second-grade Brownie Troop 229 from Quail Run School celebrated the last meeting of the year at Hidden Valley Camp in Lawrence on May 14. The girls made Sit-Upons (thanks to Krings for donating carpet padding for the project) to take on their upcoming first-ever camping trip. Pictured, front row from left, are Anna Egan, Elizabeth Newman, Graci Nobo, Vivian Podrebarac, Ashley Edwinson, Emma Day, Ella Marshall, and Lilly Kidd; and back row, Rorie Sturgeon, Anna Hayden, Rachel Klingler, Kyla Johnson, Odesa Robinson, Audrey Cornell, Stella Grove, Emily Fischer, Mackenzie Alexander, and Sarah McArthur. Troop Leader Susan Marshall submitted the photo.

Kevan Vick retrieves his ball May 3 after getting a hole in one on hole No. 11 at Lawrence Country Club. Gail Vick, of Lawrence, submitted the photo.