Alumni celebrate 123 years

More than 142 people attended Florence’s 123rd annual alumni banquet Saturday in the Florence gymnasium. Alumni from nine states, including California, Florida, and South Carolina took part, with alumni from as long ago as 1945 to present.

The alumni banquet, which first met in 1896, is thought by the alumni committee to be the oldest in Kansas. Marion High School graduate Emmy Hess was chosen as the recipient for Florence Alumni Association’s $1,000 scholarship.

Free stretching classes planned

Free classes in gentle upper-body stretching and rocking, designed to reduce stress and improve circulation, breathing, and alertness, will be offered starting next week in both Marion and Hillsboro.

Students will learn 18 shibashi forms from tai chi, a Chinese martial art, during a month of classes at 8 a.m. each Tuesday at the Central Park basketball court in Marion or 8 a.m. each Thursday at Hillsboro’s Memorial Park Scout House patio.

Gayla Ratzlaff, director of the county department on aging, will teach the classes.