No. 10 - Feb. 14, 2020
They say every dog has its day, and that was certainly true this year for one lucky pup from Emporia.Â
Buckley, a dog who was adopted from the Emporia Animal Shelter by Jessica Steele-Sanders and her husband, Chris Sanders, stars alongside Harrison Ford in the latest adaptation of the Jack London classic novel âCall of the Wild.â The film opened nationwide on Feb. 21.
A short Facebook video from the Pet Collective titled âThe Pawducerâ tells Buckleyâs story from Emporia to Hollywood.
âIt was just the perfect thing, that he came along when we needed a dog,â Sanders says in the video. âIt was the perfect package that came along at the perfect time.â
The Humane Society of the Flint Hills hosted the beloved tradition Santa Paws Sunday afternoon at Peter Pan Park after weeks of debating to have the event. Together, they raised more than $100 for the Emporia Animal Shelter while planning new events and re-openings to end 2020 and begin 2021.
âWe were not sure if we were going to do an appointment route, if we were going to try and still stagger appointments for folks at L&L,â said HSFC Executive Director Stephanie Achille. âOr, there was this idea, Melissa had about having it outside so we could accommodate more folks, because it is usually a very successful community program.â
Kevin died Monday afternoon, December 7, 2020, at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka, Kansas after losing his weeks-long battle with COVID-19. He was 50 years old. Kevin was born June 18, 1970 to Gary A and Susan Helstrom Thompson in Emporia, Kansas. Survivors include his parents; his brother, Todd W. Thompson; his uncle, Larry B Thompson; and his aunt, Patty Helstrom Douglas and her husband, William G Douglas, all of Emporia. He is also survived by his sister, Lisa Thompson Vela and her husband, Daniel B. Vela; niece, Alyssa M. Vela; and nephew, Jordan K. Vela, all of Overland Park. His grandparents, William E. and Erma Winter Thompson and Kenneth L. and Phyllis Gunkel Helstrom preceded him in death as did his beloved cat, Rocky. He worked for Tyson Foods.