The Iola Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated some of the community’s biggest champions Thursday, the centerpiece of its annual awards dinner. Six awards were handed out during the evening, the most prominent of which —…

A pinwheel coloring contest was held Thursday, sponsored by Hope Unlimited and CASA of the 31st District. Students from 18 schools in grades K-3 participated. Pinwheels, a symbol for the child abuse prevention movement, have…

Those who may consider Iola a dead town, or one where no one ever does anything, should have been at Monday’s Iola City Council meeting. Council members themselves didn’t do a whole lot. Instead, the…

A line of shirts, jeans and other garments will soon hang outside Hope Unlimited, each one telling a story of survival.  In recognition of April as  Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Hope Unlimited is hosting a…

News of layoffs at Iola’s Gates Corporation plant hit hard last week. After learning that 80 employees will soon lose their jobs, local leaders immediately went to work attempting to turn crisis into opportunity. Within…

Child abuse often isn’t easily detectable.  Which doesn’t make it any less damaging.  In recognition of April as Child Abuse Awareness Month in Allen County, representatives from Hope Unlimited and Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) visited…

In a show of support, commissioners Tuesday proclaimed April as Child Abuse Awareness Month. Donita Garner, Child Advocacy Center Coordinator for Hope Unlimited, led a group of representatives from several agencies in making a presentation…

A longstanding club at Allen Community College is getting a much needed boost in awareness. During Monday evening’s Iola Council meeting, council member Josiah D’Albini spoke about the Scarlet & Black Club. D’Albini, who also…

On Friday, Feb. 28, Russell Stover Chocolates of Iola presented a check to Hope Unlimited in the amount of $3,092.53. Employees raised these funds via their annual Pie in the Face event at the plant.…

“I know I can walk into a classroom and see someone who has been affected,” said Kayla Knavel, Hope Unlimited’s children services specialist. She’s talking about teen dating violence, and the statistics bear her out.…