News

Contribute during Match Day, Dec. 2

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

Christmas time is nearly here, and while shoppers are looking for the best presents for friends and family, the Western Kansas Community Foundation is reminding area residents to consider a gift to their favorite non-profit agencies as well.

Through Dec. 2, WKCF is hosting its annual Match Day fundraising campaign for area agencies, and this year, Program and Marketing Director Stacie Hahn said 55 agencies are partnering with the event to raise money for their programs and operations through the foundation.

“We have solicited a match pool of funds from some private sponsors and individuals of $150,000,” she said. “For the donations that come in to the non-profits that are participating, we provide that match pool and match those gifts proportionately per each organization to the total amount of donations that come in through the whole event.”

MDH recognized with 2025 leadership award

Meade District Hospital

MEADE – As part of National Rural Health Day, Meade District Hospital has earned a 2025 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in patient perspective.

The Chartis Center for Rural Health’s Performance Leadership Awards program recognizes top quartile performance (i.e. 75th percentile or above) among rural hospitals in quality, outcomes and/or patient perspective.

The Performance Leadership Awards program is basedon the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX, a comprehensive and objective framework for assessing how rural hospitals are performing.

Treasurer’s report sheds light on county’s financial situation

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

Many of the questions centered around the recent adopted budget for Seward County that increased the county’s mill levy more than 14 mills over the Revenue Neutral Rate have focused on how much the county actually has compared to what has been reported by county staff.

Monday, Treasurer Mary Rose answered some of those questions with her annual treasurer’s report to the county commission. She said the year in the treasurer’s runs from January to October, with Oct. 31 marking the end of tax season.

Commissioners unanimously approved the report. Rose said the grand total balance through Oct. 31 is $28,123,026.47, and she emphasized the treasurer’s office has to balance to the penny every day showing that money is in the bank.

“We have to balance, or we don’t move forward for the day,” she said.

GCCC and Burtis Motor Company Fill a Ford Toy Drive set for Dec. 8

Garden City Community College

GARDEN CITY – Garden City Community College’s Collegiate Farm Bureau and Block and Bridle organizations are once again partnering with Burtis Motor Company to spread holiday cheer through the annual Fill a Ford Toy Drive, providing Christmas gifts for children in need this season.

The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8,. A truck from Burtis Motor Company will be parked in the John Collins Vocational Building parking lot (801 Campus Drive) throughout the day to collect donations.

Community members are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped toys and help “Fill a Ford” with gifts that will make the holidays brighter for local families.

For more information about the Fill a Ford Toy Drive, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Middle school bands represent at honor band events

ELLY GRIMM

• Leader & Times

USD 480 has many talented young musicians throughout the buildings’ music programs and recently, many of those young musicians had the chance to audition for upcoming honor band events.

Eisenhower Middle School band director Josiah Smiddy and Seymour Rogers Middle School band director Noel Delgado said they were very proud of the representation from their schools.