We have finally made it through another summer season. This one was not a typical Kansas summer in my most humble opinion. I remember a few rumbling thunderstorms and a tornado watch or two. There were a couple of weeks of temperatures high enough to suck the breath out of you when you stepped outside, but overall, I think we have had a mild summer. We even had some great rainfall and things look lush in our area.
It is time for daylight hours to get shorter. Temperatures overnight are cool and in a few weeks, it will be time to bundle up when you head to a football game. By the end of September, I will be arguing with myself about whether or not to fire up the furnace.
Just to help you keep up with what is going on around us as we move from summer to winter, here is a little update:
Keep track of fall school events on the calendar our district sent to every business and household. There are many opportunities to see what our children, from pre-schoolers to high school seniors are doing. Most of their activities are either free to the public or available for participation or viewing at a nominal cost.
Community events will include citywide cleanup from Sept. 19 to 26. It is a great time to take advantage of free curbside pickup for most unwanted belongings. Some restrictions apply, so watch for additional details in this newspaper.
Hillsboro Arts and Crafts Fair and Marion’s Art in the Park will take place the third Saturday in September. People come from all over to participate or shop at these two daylong events — and here we are within just a few miles of each. You might enjoy taking in one or both. There is always a lot to see and the food is usually top-notch.
Peabody will host Peabody Cruise the fourth Sundays of September and October. If your group is looking for a way to raise funds or promote a project, set up a display downtown for the cruise. There is no charge and it is a great chance to meet people as well as to make a few dollars or raise awareness for your group.
An all-new event, the Scarecrow Festival, will debut in October. Organizers will be spreading the word about how to participate. A chili crawl on Oct. 17 will pit chili cooks against one another at the HUB. Keep an eye open for more news of these events.
Peabody Main Street will sponsor Halloween Trunk or Treat downtown again. You and your children or grandchildren should come down for treats, spooks, and a night of fright.
I think it will be easy to stay busy right here in Marion County until the snow flies. Get out and enjoy.
—SUSAN MARSHALL