This weekend Kansans will vie for top honors in a variety of sports. The Sunflower State Games, a midsummer tradition, attracts thousands of Kansans to Topeka from across the state. 

The multi-sport event will kick off the games on Friday, July 13 with the Hy-Vee Athlete Festival at Hummer Sports Park. The festival begins at 6:00 p.m. and includes a complimentary picnic for the first 500 registered athletes and volunteers, the Lighting of the Torch Ceremony and the 5k/10k Governor's Cup Race. The following weekend will be filled with a variety of games and sports.

This year, Sunflower State Game participants chose from a record number of sports (48) including: 

• Basketball, 
• Cross Country, Cycling, 
• Horse Shoes, 
• Martial Arts and even 
• "Beat Jake Lebahn Decathlon." 

The 23rd Annual Sunflower Sports Games will continue until the end of July with different event each weekend. 

For more information on the Sunflower State Games, visit sunflowergames.com 

Fiesta Mexicana Celebrates 79 Years

Fiesta began Friday, July 6 with the Parade and Street Party. The following day, the 5k Run/Walk, Golf Tournament and the Coronation Ball took place. 

King Edwin Martinez and Queen Michelle Garcia-Hubbard were crowned Saturday evening at the Ag Hall during the Ball. The King and Queen candidates raised $133,323.04 which will benefit Holy Family School. 

Opening ceremonies for the Fiesta were held on Tuesday, July 10. Food sales and the carnival will continue through Saturday, July 14. The carnival and food sales are located off Atchison & Lake. 

For a full list of events and entertainment, visit www.olg-parish.org

Community Volunteers Recognized

On June 26, United Way of Greater Topeka recognized the hard work of community volunteers at the 12th annual Volunteer Awards Luncheon (VAL Awards). 

The VAL Awards honored 36 nominees for their 2011 contributions. Twelve of the nominees were selected to as winners by a panel of volunteers from United Way's Young Leaders Society. 

The nominees and organization(s) volunteered for:

* Denotes Winner

• Bobbie Anderson, Laubach Way & Topeka Literacy Council*
• Elena Blum, Kansas Children's Discovery Center*
• Jim Brewer, Women Empowerment, Inc.
• Henry Brown, American Red Cross Kansas Capital Area Chapter
• Joella Brown, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library*
• Sue Buckley, Topeka Chamber of Commerce
• David Chenlo, Harvesters
• Dr. Forrest Craig, TDC Learning Centers
• Claude Dain, Kansas Children's Discovery Center*
• Sharon Dodd, Capitol Federal & Topeka Civitan Club
• Milley Echeverria, United Way of Greater Topeka*
• Lori Edwards, Women Empowerment, Inc.
• Georgia Gore, Boys and Girls Clubs of Topeka
• Mike & Tamara Hampton, TDC Learning Center*
• Mary Haubold, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Topeka*
• Susan Harlan, Kansas Children's Discovery Center
• Earl & Emmi Homman, Stormont-Vail HealthCare*
• Jan Howard, Topeka Civic Theatre & Academy
• John Hunter, North Topeka Arts District*
• Christina Kellim, American Red Cross Capital Area Chapter*
• Robin & Allison Kempf, TARC
• Connie Kessler, ChildCare Aware of Northeast North Central Kansas
• Johnny Lemon, The Villages
• Ed Lohmann, Sisters of Charity Health Systems*
• Gary Mason, American Red Cross Kansas Capital Area Chapter
• Roger McCauley, Topeka Civic Theatre
• JoEllen McGranahan, Helping Hands Humane Society
• Dwight Moore, Emergency Serivices & American Red Cross Kansas Capital Area Chapter
• Heather Mosqueda, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. & United Way of Greater Topeka
• Vicki Peoples, Highland Park High School, Topeka Public Schools USD 501
• Mary Peterson, TARC
• Donna Robbins, TARC
• Brenda Stahl, Hill's Caring Hearts, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.
• Jodi Sturgeon, Emergency Services Showcase*
• Dr. Scott Teeter, On behalf of HealthAccess
• Rebecca Wessel, Helping Hands Humane Society

 For more information about the VAL Awards visit: unitedwaytopeka.org

SHRMinar to Help Area Employers 

The Society for Human Resource Management's Topeka Chapter will hold their first full day event, the SHRMinar. 

The conference will be on August, 22 at the Prairie Band Casino & Resort, 12901 150th Road, Mayetta, Ks.

Registration begins at 8:00 followed by the morning session (8:30 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.) lunch on your own and an afternoon session (12:15 to 3:30 p.m.). 

The goal of the SHRMinar is to help local business owners gain a better understanding of issues that may arise in the work place. With an ability to understand and handle issues appropriately, making the work place better for both employees and employers. 

This year the SHRMinar will focus on three topics:

• Unemployment -- Tax, Benefits and Claims;
• Transgender in the Work Place and
• Responding to Drama in the Workplace.

For more information or to register for the SHRMinar visit shrmtopeka.org

2012 Inter-City Visit Scheduled

Fort Collins, Colorado has been selected for the 2012 Chamber Inter-City visit. For 10 years, the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce has sponsored a yearly tip for community members to travel to other communities and learn what they do that keeps them dynamic. 

Previous visits  have been to: Des Moines, Iowa; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Greenville, South Carolina and the Quad Cities. Last year X amount of people went to