Community members gathered at Memorial Hall on Wednesday, March 18, for a special reception honoring Laura Wallace and DeLacy Mitchell as the 2025 “Community Members of the Year.”
Both women became eligible for the annual honor after first being nominated and selected as Community Members of the Month during 2025.
Wallace, who received the monthly honor in August, was recognized for spreading kindness through the “Kind Like Kenlee Memorial.” She played a key role in organizing the group’s annual Breakfast with the Easter Bunny event, coordinating Kindness Awards at Marshall Elementary, and supporting other community- focused efforts.
Mitchell, a December honoree, was recognized for her ongoing support of others and her dedication to organizing fundraisers on their behalf. She is known for consistently seeking ways to assist individuals and families through various fundraising initiatives.
During the annual voting process, community members cast ballots for the individual they felt most deserving of the honor. Wallace and Mitchell finished in a tie, prompting a special tie-breaker ballot. The second round also resulted in a tie, with both receiving 122 votes (the highest number of votes cast since the inception of the honor).
Additional Community Members of the Month recognized in 2025 included Connie Mitchell, Larry and Jo Evans, Christine Mouer, and Michele Seeley.
Wallace and Mitchell become the fifth recipients of the annual honor, joining previous winners Dolores Ball (2021), Barbara “Barbie” Schlotterbeck (2022), Miranda Colangelo (2023), and Isaac Boone (2024).
The Community Member of the Month committee plans to continue both the monthly and annual recognition programs in 2026. Nomination forms are available at The Eureka Herald, Lo-Mar Drive-In, and the City of Eureka water office. Nominations may also be mailed to The Eureka Herald, PO Box 590, Eureka, KS 67045, emailed to news@eurekaherald. com, or submitted online at http://bit.ly/3PS9P5A To learn how you can participate, contact Robin Wunderlich at 620-7500714. Other committee members include Daniel and Desiree McVey and Dolores Ball.
