Emporia’s Eastside Community Group is receiving the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce Community Impact Award.
Eastside Community Group will be recognized Friday as part of the Chamber’s 125th Annual Meeting, along with Business of the Year Coffelt Signs, Volunteer of the Year Missy Floyd and Lifetime Achievement Award winner Jim Kessler. The Volunteer of the Year will be announced soon.
The Eastside Community Group was founded in 1998, beginning with a Memorial Day celebration at East Street Park, and developing into repeated updates to what’s now known as Eastside Park — including a playground, sidewalk, off-street parking, a shelter house, obelisk and basketball court. An anonymous donor purchased two lots back in 2004 and the group obtained a grant that started the renovation and addition process.
Group members have expressed a desire to connect Eastside Park to Lakeview Park immediately to the east and develop a nature area as part of the overall layout.
