Bring lawn chairs; watch barn logo being painted; explore Dexter area!

The place to be on October 18 at 1 p.m. is Shannon and Grady Martin's barn located 1/2 mile north of Dexter on K-15.

But there will be much going on in Dexter and area that whole day. It's a bit complicated to explain so I'll tell about different aspects below but know they will all mesh seamlessly together for a great day!

"BRING YOUR OWN LAWN CHAIR" (B.Y.O.L.C.) is a rural awareness series of the Kansas Sampler Foundation. Dexter is the fourth and last of our 2008 communities to feature. Our purpose is to invite the public to bring their lawn chairs and hear directly from community members about their issues and opportunities. This official conversation of the B.Y.O.L.C. will start at 1 p.m. beside the stone barn that you see above.

SESQUICENTENNIAL BARN LOGO is a project of the Kansas Barn Alliance. To bring attention to barns and to honor Kansas's 150th birthday in 2011, the plan is to encourage each county in the state to choose one barn on which to paint the official logo (sunflower and dates 1861-2011). Shannon and Grady Martin and Augusta artist Kerry Unrein have decided to add a Kansas version of Mt. Rushmore and include portraits of four famous Kansans (as you see above in a drawing). The four are Dwight Eisenhower, Amelia Earhart, Bob Dole, and Governor Robert Docking who lived and worked in nearby Arkansas City. On October 18, Kerry will finish this painting on the barn. The Kansas Barn Alliance folks will also be on hand to explain the project. The picture you see above is artist Unrein prepping the barn roof for painting.

Dexter is in Cowley County and has much to offer Kansas Explorers Club members and explorer types on October 18. At the Stone Barn Mercantile is shopping, corn maze and pumpkins starting on Friday night and all day Saturday. There are agri-tourism open houses throughout eastern Cowley County that day. The Gathering Place restaurant is open in Dexter as are Creek Water Wool Works and Henry's Candies. Make sure you see Helium Park off Main Street, too.

RECOMMENDATION: Just get to Dexter as soon as you can on Saturday morning and maybe start at The Gathering Place. They'll have all the information you need for the day. Be at the stone barn north of Dexter on K-15 at 1 p.m. with your lawn chair so you can join in on the official Explorer B.Y.O.L.C. discussion! It'll be great!

Get Kansas! Kansas Explorer #2 Marci Penner