Last Day in Kansas

Kansas – Saturday, November 24

After a big breakfast and final packing up, I left South Dakota and made my way back to Kansas for my last day in that state. Today my donation was a mail-in one to The Kingman/Pratt Area Animal Response Team. This is a “local disaster response network of volunteers dedicated to providing for the safety, survival amd humane care of animals affected by natural or manmade disasters.” Last weekend they had a Paws Festival fundraiser which I thought I was going to, but the computer had listed the wrong location, and I ended up doing a different donation instead. But now this will be my animal-related donation for the week. They offer shelter, food, water, first aid and care until the pets can be reunited with their owners – their motto is “Any Animal. Any Disaster. Anywhere.” Hopefully they don’t get called out very often.

I was lucky to end up in the town of Atchison for the last 7.5 miles of Kansas walking. This town had some of everything to enjoy while walking – a short river trail down by Independence Park, a historic home district, a downtown pedestrian mall, a picturesque college and abbey, and miles of long neighborhood streets with lots of Christmas decorations. Tula and I wandered all over and got in all the miles. Atchison is Amelia Earhart’s hometown, and I walked past her childhood home. And Lewis and Clark also camped near here – during one of the first 4th of Julys west of the Missouri. There’s history everywhere!

So….Kansas is a wrap. Seven donations given (St. Jude’s Give Thanks Walk, Salvation Army, Scott City

Shock Volleyball Team, St. Joseph Food Pantry, Kansas Soldiers Home, New Hope Center Food Pantry, and the Animal Response Team); 56 more miles walked; and even some family time. A wonderful week!

I drove a bit and spent Saturday night in State #12!