Nov 19, 2022

Russell named 2022 Kansas PRIDE 'community of excellence'

Posted Nov 19, 2022 5:00 PM

Four Kansas towns honored for efforts to preserve, create, improve 

K-State Research and Extension news service 

MANHATTAN — Four Kansas towns have been named "Communities of Excellence" by Kansas PRIDE, a program that has helped the state’s communities grow and prosper for 52 years. 

The awards are given by Kansas PRIDE — a partnership of K-State Research and Extension — the Kansas Department of Commerce, Kansas Masons and Kansas PRIDE Inc.  

Jamie Menon, co-coordinator of Kansas PRIDE, said the Community of Excellence award is for those communities that have completed a community assessment, address opportunities for community improvement and continuously work to identify and meet needs of their community. 

The winners for the 2022 Community of Excellence Awards Designation are: 

• Delia
• Highland
• Russell
• Vermillion

Communities of Excellence are designated for a three-year period in which they can apply for multiple grants from Kansas PRIDE to address community needs. 

Menon said the communities were recognized for their efforts to identify what they want to preserve, create or improve for the future. 

She notes local PRIDE volunteers work with K-State Research and Extension and the Kansas Department of Commerce to accomplish the community’s goals. â€śThere are some communities that go above and beyond with their workload, and the Kansas PRIDE office would like to give them recognition,” she said. 

“PRIDE groups work hard to make their community a better place to live and work,” Menon said. “They all deserve recognition for the benefits their projects bring to their communities.” 

More information about Kansas PRIDE is available at www.kansasprideprogram.ksu.edu.