WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Sam Brownback recently completed his tour of all 105 Kansas counties in Ford County, Kansas.

 

“For the past year, I’ve had the wonderful experience of being able to visit with folks across the state of Kansas,” said Brownback. “It has been a very successful tour, and I’ve been able to hear directly from my fellow Kansans about the issues that most concern them. The tour also confirmed what I’ve always known about the people of my home state – Kansans are great, hard-working people and we are hopeful for the future.”

 

Brownback’s 105 County Tour began on January 9, 2008 at the Topeka Farm Show in Shawnee County and ended in Ford County on December 16 in Dodge City. During his tour, he attended town hall meetings, toured medical facilities, visited with elementary and high school students, and participated in a variety of other activities. Brownback saw celebrations and storm damage, communities in need and businesses thriving. He saw new technologies driving innovation and hard working farmers doing more with less and doing it better than ever before.

 

Brownback continued, “In Coffeyville, I met a man who was being redeployed to Iraq and asked me to attend while his son pinned his service pin on his uniform. In Smith Center, I witness greatness because of goodness when I met with the football team that has had so much success that ESPN and the New York Times have taken notice. The young men on the team told me that the coach was great because he is more interested in them being better men than in winning. In Meade, I had the chance to go through the escape tunnel the Dalton Gang used to get from their house to the creek when they saw trouble coming. In Marysville, I visited with an 80-years-young welder who was still working at the Landoll Corporation. I was asking him for advice on how we can all learn from his infectious energy and vitality. We can all be so lucky.

 

“I enjoyed visiting the new wind farm in Lincoln County, the auto racing museum in Belleville, the African American Museum in Wichita and the Ernest-Spencer Metals in Jefferson County. In Hutchinson I was able to take in the NJCAA Men's National Basketball Championship Tournament organized by the American Legion, which has been a great community event since 1949. I was able to attend the groundbreaking for the Kansas Air National Guard Air Support Operations Squadron facility in Saline County and was glad we could help them fund their ability ‘to train like they fight.’ 

 

“I was incredibly proud of the Greensburg community for their heart and their spirit and attended their high school commencement ceremony along with President Bush. And in McPherson County we visited the nation’s only accredited program to restore classic cars, developing highly skilled craftsman and a passion for history and heritage. The Kansas weather tried to stop us near the end of the tour, but we pressed on and finished strong.”

 

The main topics discussed on the counties tour were focused on energy earlier in the year and the economic downturn more recently. Brownback was reinvigorated by the beauty and strength of Kansas - its people, its communities, its landscapes, its business and industry and institutions. The grit, determination, and creativity of the folks he met throughout the tour were an inspiration.

 

Brownback concluded, “I’d like to thank everyone who helped to make the 105 County Tour so successful. I appreciate all the county, city and chamber of commerce officials across the state that were so welcoming. In many counties I was able to tour local businesses and see some of the great projects currently being developed and efforts across the state to grow the Kansas economy and create jobs. And I’m most appreciative of all of the great people who took time out of their busy day to meet with me and talk about the issues facing them. We congratulate and celebrate their hard work and commitment to the communities in which they live and their tireless focus on creating opportunities for future generations of Kansans.”

 

More information, along with pictures of the Brownback 105 County Tour can be found at: http://brownback.senate.gov/.