A special perk of an awards banquet is the element of surprise.
And none was caught more off guard Friday night than former Iola Mayor John McRae who was honored with a Lifetime Service Award at Thrive Allen Countys annual banquet.
McRaes duties as mayor for 12 years, president of Rotary, Iolas Chamber of Commerce, Iola Industries, chairman of Tri-Valley Development Services, trustee of the former Iola Bank and Trust, and a founding member of Thrive have all contributed to leading the county in a positive direction and making it a hub of commerce and industry, according to Allie Utley, an Iola High School student with the responsibility of introducing McRae.
It was during McRaes tenure as mayor in the late 1990s that Russell Stover Candies came to Iola, and that 60 new homes were built at the Cedarbrook Addition after the 2007 flood.