Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Dakota Helvie | Vehicles from the Kansas Division of Emergency Management and Kansas Highway Patrol...... read more read more
Emporia’s frontline workers received a special thank you from the air and the ground during a parade dedicated to their contributions and efforts during the COVID-19 response in Emporia, May 19. The celebration, Operation Kansas Strong, served to show support for the hard work done by local health care providers and first responders across Kansas.
The Kansas Air National Guard’s 190th Air Refueling Wing conducted a flyover featuring a KC-135 Stratotanker over downtown Emporia and Newman Regional Health. Col. Lee Norman, state surgeon for the Kansas Army National Guard and secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, was on board and was able to communicate via radio to those in attendance on the ground.
“We wanted to recognize the first responders, the healthcare providers and everyone who supports that mission,” said Norman. “What they’ve been doing is terrifically important to Kansas.”
“The flyover was awesome, I had never seen one that close up before,” said Bob Wright, Newman Regional Health chief executive officer. “The parade was an unexpected event, it all came together really fantastic.”
On the ground, the parade continued for hospital staff, law enforcement, firefighters and emergency medical service personnel. Sirens and lights from the emergency vehicle signaled the start of the parade.
The American Legion Post 5 Riders took a couple passes in front of Newman Regional Health. With flags blowing in the wind from behind the motorcycles down 12th Avenue it set the stage for the first line responders in the parade.
“This was a great opportunity to support our health care professionals and our first responders when they are working so hard for us, serving us the public and our county,” said retired U.S. Air Force Col. Clay Childs, American Legion Riders director. “To see us all come together as Americans, realizing that we are all in this together.”
American flags lined 12th Avenue, the path of the parade, placed by the American Legion Post 5 Riders. Kansas Guardsmen and U.S. Army Reservists from across Kansas joined hospital staff and residents of Emporia to show their support to the workers by holding signs and cheering for the passing vehicles.
“I would just like to thank all the frontline workers for doing their jobs in such a professional way,” said Childs. “For those of us that are military and military associated organizations to be able to come out and support our communities the same way the communities support us when we come back from our deployments, is really fantastic.”
In a community of almost 25,000, the nostalgia of a parade brought out those who wanted to show their support and willingness to serve others while still practicing social distancing. The message of “in this together’ and “thank you” were significant in the theme of the events.
“I am just so proud to be living in Emporia, the community really comes together,” said Wright. “This is just another sign of how much they appreciate the hospital and how much we appreciate our first responders here in Lyon County.”
| Date Taken: | 05.19.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 05.22.2020 13:38 |
| Story ID: | 370661 |
| Location: | TOPEKA, US |
| Web Views: | 22 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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