Freedom’s Frontier NHA will hold its 11th annual awards luncheon and partner meeting on Monday, November 18 at the Carnegie Building in Lawrence, Kansas. Award nominations will be accepted through November 8.

The meeting space opens at 11:30 a.m. The program will begin at noon and end at 1:30 p.m.

A catered lunch will be provided for a $13 fee; attendance is otherwise free. (The parking lot at the northeast corner of 9th and Vermont is free but enforces a two-hour limit.)

Partners may nominate an outstanding 2024 volunteer on the Thank You screen after purchase/rsvp. Nominees will all be recognized at the event, but are required to register for the luncheon. Outstanding volunteer nominations close Tuesday, November 12 at 9 a.m.

Please note: lunch ticket sales will end on Thursday, November 14th at noon.

Presented annually since 2013, FFNHA's Tacha Education Award and Billings MVP Award honor outstanding work and scholarship in the heritage area. They are named after Deanell Tacha and Judy Billings, the organization's founding trustee chair and executive director, respectively. The newly inaugurated Theme Awards recognize partners with a nominated exhibit, program, or project specifically highlighting one of FFNHA’s three themes.

Partner meetings are among FFNHA’s primary means of fulfilling its mission. The events, which include speakers, breakout sessions, and best-practices seminars, encourage communication between the organization, FFNHA partners, and the communities they serve.

Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA) is dedicated to building awareness of the struggles for freedom in western Missouri and eastern Kansas. Its themes are the settlement of the frontier, the Missouri-Kansas Border War and Civil War, and the enduring struggle for freedom. These diverse, interwoven, and nationally important stories grew from a unique physical and cultural landscape. FFNHA inspires respect for multiple perspectives and empowers residents to preserve and share these stories. We achieve our goals through interpretation, preservation, conservation, and education for all residents and visitors.