SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

 

7 May 2008

 

            Ken Buchele is a tireless public servant and the local Bar Association properly honored him for his lifetime of service last week with their annual Liberty Bell Award.

 

            The Bar Association unintentionally created a diversion by having new Kansas Attorney General Stephen Six as their guest speaker at their Law Day Dinner where they also presented to the Liberty Bell Award.

 

            Consequently, Buchele and the Liberty Bell Award had to share the spotlight with Attorney General Six.

 

            Here at KVOE we gave them both attention, but the newspaper, who has the unique ability to really tell the Buchele story in detail, barely mentioned the award in the last paragraph of the story about the Attorney General.

            Ken Buchele is an Emporia icon. His name is synonymous is volunteerism!

 

            After graduating from Kansas State in 1967, Buchele worked for Cargill before going to Brazil with the Peace Corp. On May 1, of 1972 he started his banking career in Emporia at Citizens National Bank. After retiring from Bank of America and working for 11 months for Birch Telecom he joined ESB Financial in 1999 where he toils today.

 

            Ken and wife Marilyn have lived on 22nd Avenue for many years and count as one of their greatest skills making incredible homemade ice cream. They have given their ice cream to so many charity auctions it has become a staple.

 

            Ken’s volunteer efforts include all of the normal stops – Emporia Chamber, past Chairman, United Way president and Drive Chair, Newman Hospital Board Chairman for 2 years, Friends of the Zoo, Emporia Enterprises, Currently president of the Emporia Community Foundation and Treasurer of the Mental Health Center.

 

            What you may not know about Buchele are the projects he works on, but doesn’t lead. He doesn’t require a title to help.

            Consider these jobs he’s held. Member and past Treasurer of the Flint Hills Girl Scout Council since 1975, Lyon County Fair Board 1977-85, Emporia Camera Club since 1988, Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission for 5 years, ESU Community Drive Co-Chair in 1991, Kansas Calvary, Retirement Living, Inc., Emporia Presbyterian Manner Advisory Board 1983-88, Broadview Towers, Inc. Board and past president, Newman Hospital Foundation past president, Hetlinger Sheltered Workshop Board and past president, East Kansas Economic Development Company Board and past president and he recently started singing in the church choir. And don’t forget he’s served as a Division Chair for 6 different United Way drives.

 

The lawyers have done a good service for our community with their Liberty Bell Award over the years and they hit gold again this time with Ken Buchele’s selection. We congratulate the lawyers and Ken for jobs well done.

 

            I’m Steve Sauder and there’s something to think about.

 

 

       Steve Sauder is president of Emporia's Radio Stations, Inc. the owners of KVOE-AM, FM and Mix 104.9. Steve has been in a leadership position with ERS, Inc., since 1987.