Flint Hills Spring Heritage Conference Press Release

Flint Hills News
Flint Hills Tourism Coalition and the Flint Hills Heritage Task Force

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

Contact: Dennis Toll, Manhattan CVB
Address: 501 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502
Phone: (785) 776-8829
Fax: (785) 776-0679
e-mail: dennis@manhattan.org
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Flint Hills Heritage Conference set for April 18

MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Building on the success of the first Flint Hills Heritage Conference in October in Cottonwood Falls, the Flint Hills Tourism Coalition recently announced it will hold its second heritage conference on Friday, April 18 at the Rock Springs 4-H Center.

The conference, organized by the Flint Hills Heritage Task Force, seeks to bring together residents of the Flint Hills to discuss issues relating to the unique culture, history, and landscape of the famed Kansas Flint Hills. The conference aims to focus on the need to
understand, preserve, and share the story of the Flint Hills.

"Our Heritage Task Force has hand-selected speakers who can answer your questions," said Linda Craghead, executive director of the Flint Hills Coalition. "We hope to answer questions like: What is a Heritage Area? Why should we want to become a National Heritage Area? Who should be involved? How will it affect you? We would like to encourage participation by farmers, ranchers, historians, teachers, members of the tourism industry, chamber of commerce members, elected officials, and anyone else interested in the success of the Kansas Flint Hills Region. This is going to be a great workshop!"

Speakers at the upcoming conference will focus on the role National Heritage Areas have played in promoting local stories around the country. The list of speakers at the conference includes John Cosgrove,president of the Alliance of National Heritage Areas; Sue Pridemore, heritage area partnerships coordinator for the National Park Service's Midwest regional office; Judy Billings, director of the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau and an instrumental leader in the effort to establish the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area; Linda Craghead, director of the Flint Hills Tourism Coalition; and Jim Hoy, noted author of Flint Hills cowboy stories and professor of English at Emporia State University.

Cost of registration for the one-day conference is $45 per person, which includes morning and afternoon refreshments and lunch at the Rock Springs 4-H Center. For the latest information or to download a registration form, visit the Flint Hills tourism Web site at
www.KansasFlintHills.travel.

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See You at the Spring Heritage Conference!! ;-)

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