Sunflower Foundation is proud to have been a partner in the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks successful efforts to secure the $24.8 million federal RAISE grant that will be used to complete the final stretch of the 118-mile Flint Hills Trail.
Elizabeth Burger, Vice President of Healthy Communities and coordinator of the Sunflower Trails program, attended Saturday’s Flint Hills Trail State Park Awards Celebration, which celebrated the grant, recognized the project’s partners and contributors, and concluded with a public bike ride from Osawatomie to Ottawa and back to Osawatomie.
Partners and contributors were recognized with Environmental Excellence Awards. In addition to Sunflower Foundation, those honored with plaques included: KDWP; Kansas Department of Transportation; Kanza Rail Trails Conservancy; CFS Engineers; RDG Planning & Design; and the Osawatomie Trail Task Force.
The following contributors received certificates: City of Osawatomie, KS, City of Ottawa Kansas Municipal Government, City of Osage City, City of Admire, City of Council Grove, City of Herington, Kansas – Municipal Government, and Ottawa Kansas Area Chamber of Commerce.
The project, “Flint Hills Trail: Connecting Communities, Cultures, and Landscapes,” will improve 40 miles of the Flint Hills Trail from Council Grove to Herington. When complete, the trail will offer an alternative to driving, as well as opportunities for outdoor recreation and tourism.