While visiting memorials around Lincoln County on Memorial Day, the public is invited to visit the Vesper Community Center and enjoy a free will by donation luncheon meal on Monday May 30th from 11:30am until 2:00pm. A tradition for many years, the menu will include sloppy joes, cheesy potatoes with ham, macaroni salad, chicken noodle soup, dessert, coffee, tea and bottled water. Thank you cards for veterans made by local children will be on display during the event. If you would like to donate a dessert or volunteer for the event, please call 785 524 2466 or use the form at https://vespercc.org/memorial-day-luncheon/
Visitors will notice that the old gym floor has been replaced. A brand new bright “slate stone” style floor is being installed this month by a concrete grinding and coatings contractor and is expected to be completed ahead of the event. The Vesper Community Center was donated by the Vesper school district more than 50 years ago. The original basketball vinyl tile floor reached its end of life and was falling apart.
In 2019, fundraising began to replace it with a more attractive, easier to maintain floor surface. After thousands of dollars were raised through individual donations, $30,000 in philanthropic grants were received making it possible to move forward with the project.
Several hundred volunteered hours went into removal of the old floor. Upwards of 5000 square feet of tile was removed. After the tiles were removed, residual adhesive had to be treated, squeegied up and bagged. The bare concrete then had to be steam cleaned. After the concrete was exposed, flooring vendors visited the facility, offered proposals and bid on the project. A contractor was selected and is performing the work later this month.
The concrete grinding and new floor coating is being paid for with grants from Dane G Hansen and the Post Rock Community Foundation, along with individual donations from over a hundred individuals and families. Very generous donations from the Danny Huehl, Paul Kuchera, McNight, Meyer, Seimsen, and Sorenson families were also made. Local business sponsors and donors included Strategic Farm Solutions, S&S Auto service and towing, Bennington State Bank, World Pest Control, Kansas Midwest Homes and Movers, Pioneer Hi-Bred Seed of Sylvan Grove, Seirer’s Clothing, Citizens State Bank & Trust, the Hungry Hunter restaurant, Meyer Tire and Lube, the Bank of Tescott.
This year’s Memorial day luncheon will be an especially important fundraising event for the center. The facility had to be closed since the beginning of March for the renovations and is having the grand re-opening on Memorial day. Due to the size and complexity of the project, there has been no bingo since February and the facility has not been available for party or wedding rentals while the work continued. Donations are epecially needed to catch up for lost revenue.
Bingo will resume on June 4th, and will be held the first Saturday of each month throughout the year. The facility will be available for rentals, and the weekly Farmers Markets will begin on June 16th. Participation in the farmers and crafts markets is free but vendors are encouraged to sign up at https://vespercc.org/farmers-markets/ so their offerings can be publicized ahead of each event.
