CONVENTION NEWS June 12, 2007 The highway slices right through the center of the tiny Kansas town of Liebenthal. Blink your eyes and you are through it. Still, a convention tour came to Liebenthal, to showcase beautiful St. Joseph¹s Catholic Church and rectory. This was the first settlement of our German Russian ancestors and showcased the sacrifices they made to build a fitting and impressively huge church and priest¹s residence. Also the tour encased the cemetery and a town business: Pat¹s Beef Jerky. Many people were impressed that this small town operation produced and marketed the beef jerky. Tuesday was a day filled with business meetings for the various Society Boards and day two of new registration, as well as two full day tours. Tour #2 was the Hays Museums Tour, which included the Ellis County Historical Society Museum, which is solely devoted to Ellis County¹s entire rich and colorful heritage, from the days of Indians, forts and saloons on through pioneer German-Volga settlements, tools and customs. The on to the Stone Gallery and an opportunity to meet the artist, Pete Felten, know for numerous statues and carving made form native limestone rocks quarried locally. Bob Pfeifer, Liebenthal, recalls a time Pete was quarrying rocks, blocking the road he was trying to get a combine through. The tour¹s last stop was historic Fort Hays, which still boasts some of the original buildings and artifacts. The tour included a luncheon buffet featuring some local German ethnic favorites, wedding roast beef and chicken and noodles. Back to our Church tour which also included St. Anthony¹s Catholic Church in Schoenchen, just four miles from Liebenthal ­ as well as St. Francis Catholic Church and cemetery in Munjor, Kansas. Vendors were in full swing now and the Country Store and Book Store are humming with activity. This second day wound down with a fun evening at Whiskey Creek Restaurant. Leonard Schoenberger, local convention chair, welcomed the large number of volunteers, guests and friends as he began the evening with an opening prayer remembering those who strive to keep alive our heritage and beloved customs. My dinner partners were all strangers at first but delightful for dinner conversation. Norma and Larry Schenkel from Lincoln, Nebraska and locals Joseph and Agnes Werth, Francis and Velma Giebler. After our meal, we were entertained with humor and music. Celly Schumacher told a few hilarious jokes and Galen Schmidtberger wowed the crowed with accordion and clarinet as he played patriotic and favorite Germans songs. All in all it was a great day and left all with anticipation of what is yet to come. Judy Hoffman Sunflower Chapter Secretary Hays, Ks. WATCH THE CONVENTION WEB SITE FOR CONVENTION PICTURES www.volgagerman.net -- Kevin Rupp 2301 Canal Blvd Hays, Ks. 67601 krupp@ruraltel.net www.volgagerman.net volgagerman@ruraltel.net