Barton County Historical Society Receives $5,000 Sharing Success Grant

Great Bend, Kan. – Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Inc. (WEC) announced today that the Barton County Historical Society (BCHS) has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the WEC Sharing Success Fund to support lighting and electrical improvements for the Golden Belt Express train and the restoration of several classic Christmas Fantasy Village displays.

BCHS preserves and shares the rich heritage of the Golden Belt through its museum, pioneer village, library, and interactive educational experiences. Beyond preserving artifacts and stories, the organization strives to keep local history alive by creating experiences that connect generations. For decades, Christmas Fantasy Village created lasting holiday memories for thousands of families across central Kansas. Through projects like this, BCHS is preserving a cherished piece of Great Bend's holiday heritage while inviting a new generation to experience the wonder that made Christmas Fantasy Village so magical.

The Sharing Success grant will help provide the lighting and electrical improvements needed to bring these displays back to life, allowing BCHS to share this holiday experience with visitors as part of Great Bend's Holiday Trail of Lights. Featured among the restored displays will be "The Lineman," an animated display originally created by the late Bob Martin, and the large pole-mounted Christmas tree—two iconic features of the former Christmas Fantasy Village. Together with the return of the Golden Belt Express, these improvements will help recreate the holiday experience that so many families fondly remember.

While the Sharing Success grant will fund the lighting and electrical improvements needed to restore these holiday displays, it will also help ensure that families throughout central Kansas can once again experience a holiday tradition that bridges generations.

The Scott Community Foundation began formally accepting applications for grants from the WEC Sharing Success Fund from community-based organizations on December 1, 2012. Since then, the application process has been moved internally and is currently handled directly by WEC. This year, WEC and CoBank have once again each contributed $10,000 to the fund. The program will continue to run until the funds are exhausted. Since 2012, WEC’s Sharing Success Fund has made $225,000 available to community-based organizations and projects across their service territory.

Community based organizations interested in receiving funding from the WEC Sharing Success Fund can apply online. Questions should be referred to Alli Conine, director of member services and corporate communications, at 620-874-4563 or aconine@weci.net.