9 August 2005

Governor Sebelius invites Kansans to Quarter launch celebration
Kids get their own newly minted Kansas quarter at State Fair on special day

HUTCHINSON, Kan – Governor Kathleen Sebelius’ annual visit to the Kansas State Fair has a special twist this year. The Governor will lead the celebration for the official launch of the Kansas Quarter into distribution. The event will be held at 9:30 a.m., Sept. 9, at the Grandstand, State Fairgrounds, Hutchinson. Admission to the event and the Fairgrounds will be free until 11 a.m. for this special day. The public is invited to attend and the Grandstand Gates will open at 8:30 a.m.

“Many people worked together to come up with a design for our Kansas quarter that we can all be proud of,” Governor Sebelius said. “I invite Kansas kids and adults to join me in this celebration of the quarter that will represent our state across the nation,” she continued.

The event will feature music by the Prairie Rose Wranglers, a horse-riding demonstration by Wild Women of the Frontier and a salute to the 150th anniversary of the Kansas National Guard. Guests include Bill Kurtis, PBS host and native Kansan; Dennis Rogers, Native American dancer and storyteller; David Lebryk, United States Mint Acting Director; and a live North American Buffalo.

Immediately following the program all school children (ages 18 and under) will receive a newly minted Kansas State Quarter, compliments of the United States Mint. After the program, attendees can obtain a roll of 40 newly minted Kansas Quarters in exchange for $10 (cash only), or purchase the limited edition Kansas Commemorative Quarter Sets for $5 on the landing to the right of the stage. Central Bank and Trust Co., Hutchinson, will be the sponsoring state bank for the event and will host the coin exchange.

Teachers are encouraged to arrange field trips to this educational event. The Department of Education in cooperation with the US Mint has developed helpful classroom materials that may be picked up at the launch. Teachers who want to bring their students to this event are encouraged to make reservations online through the Department of Education.

The chosen design for the commemorative quarter, “Buffalo and Sunflowers,” features a buffalo, the state animal, and a sunflower, the state flower. The buffalo is celebrating its 50th year as the state animal, chosen in 1955, while the sunflower has been the state flower for over 100 years. These symbols are emblematic of the heartland’s rich history, natural beauty and bright future.

In June of 2003, Governor Sebelius, in cooperation with the Kansas Legislature, announced the creation of the Kansas Commemorative Coin Commission to narrow the search for Kansas’ quarter design to four finalists. These four designs were submitted to the state’s high school students to vote on the design which best represents the State of Kansas.

More information about the launch is available on the Governor's Web site at www.ksgovernor.org.