By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
It's important to remember those who came before. This week, staff at Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility paid tribute to former employees who died during their employment with the facility, with a new wishing well located on the campus grounds. Policy and Information Coordinator Penny Riedel said five former employees were honored during the ceremony.
"We actually had a really large gathering of staff to kind of remember our folks," she said. "We've been open for a while, so some of these went back to some of our first employees. Some of our longer-term employees, it was interesting because some of them were able to share some stories about the earlier employees that maybe the rest of us didn't know."
The wishing well was created by Maintenance Supervisor Brian Prescott, and memorial plaques were designed by Danny Bentley. The well is all welded metal but has been painted to look like bricks. The first five names enshrined on the well are Anita Titus, Samuel Byer, Rick Perez, Stephen Schrepel, and Shala Smith.
Riedel said the facility hopes to turn the area around the wishing well, located between the administration building and central unit, into a break area for employees. Another memorial bench was recently moved to that area, and more benches are planned. Flowers and shrubs will be added in the spring.