By: Cady Tucker
I live in the small agricultural community of Kiowa Ks with a population of about 900 people. It is located 1 mile north of the Oklahoma border in S. Central Kansas. This area raises crops of wheat, soybeans, sunflowers, canola, and cotton. It also produces beef and some goats. Horses and sheep are also found in this area.
With such a small community we are a tight-knit group of people, willing to help and support each other. Many families settled here in the Land Run of 1893 and have farmed their land for over 5 generations. So the history of the area is a very important commonwealth asset. It is considered so important that the Historical Society opened a second museum location last year. And the building was bought for just 1 dollar. These museums are run by volunteers and local donations. These volunteers are considered the town historians.
Another fundraising committee that has had phenomenal success is the Friends of the Kiowa District Hospital and Manor. This group is going strong in the healthcare of this community. They have received grants and donations to fund a new hospital facility and new medical equipment for the diagnostics laboratory. They also have built a physical therapy building in the last 3 years with 4 staff members. And just this summer the hospital opened a daycare facility for employees. It has a staff of 8 and room for 40 children. This fills a vital need for the employees of the hospital.
These are just a couple of examples of the local people coming together to support the growth of the city of Kiowa Kansas.
