Greetings!
We’re ready to dive into the holiday season with lots of events! Meet one of our board members and try a new warm recipe!
Happy reading! 🎄⛄
Check out this month’s spotlight events!
Osawatomie’s Christmas Festival
There is a lot to do and see on December 6th!
What to know:
📅 Date: December 6, 2025
📍 Location: Various downtown Osawatomie locations
Here’s a peek at what’s planned:
🎁Vendor Fair: 10 am-2 pm
🎅 Free Photos with Santa: 9:30 am-3:30 pm
🎠 Pony Rides: 10 am-2 pm
But also:
- Free Crafts for Kids: 10 am-4 pm
- Christmas Ornament Painting: 10 am-4 pm
- Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting: 5:30 pm
and so much more…
Christmas Lights Contest & Tour
The famous Miami County Trolley is leading a Lights Tour. Hop on the first trip at 6 pm, or get on the second one at 7:30 pm.
You will get to see the most wonderful Christmas lights that Osawatomie has to offer.
To register to the Christmas Lights contest – and get a chance to win – click here:
 |
A Historic Stop on the Christmas Lights Tour
As our Trolley rolls around, it will make a stop at the historic Adair Cabin in John Brown Memorial Park.
Visitors can step inside an 1855 Christmas, complete with period decorations and a visit from Santa.
📍 Christmas at the Adair Cabin
🕒 December 6th, 7-9 pm
The cabin sits within the John Brown Museum State Historic Site, home to the Battle of Osawatomie and the original Adair family cabin, a key location in Kansas’ free-state history.
🌟 Board Member Highlight – Jessica Finch
 |
I want to introduce you to Jessica Finch, who is our newest Board Member!
Jessica loves “all things floral, creating bouquets, planting outdoors and garden beds.”
She is the owner of In Bloom Floral Design in Louisbourg, where she lives with her husband and two daughters.
While she is new to the board, she believes that “Miami County can utilize the Foundation for so many great things, like supporting scholarships for graduating seniors.”
Jessica is committed to inform high schools and counseling offices on this topic – scholarships are an invaluable support for our students.
It’s true that there is a lot to learn about Miami County and the Foundation, but what I love is her spirit and can-do attitude.
As she says best “If you want to donate a scholarship to a graduating student or organize a walk in memory of a loved one, the Community Foundation is the place to do it.”
We do our best to encourage our community to grow, and I can’t wait to see what Jessica will do with us!
Local Recipe Spotlight
Jacy Sinclair Cheeseburger Soup
This recipe is from Jacy, born-and-raised in Miami County! She is a long-time friend of my oldest son and her husband Chance used to play baseball with him! They all graduated with the Osawatomie High School Class of 2011.
This soup is the perfect dish for chilly holiday evenings. Sharing it with someone is what makes it special.
 |
You can also check out the recipe here: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cheeseburger-soup/#RecipeCard
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 4 Tbsp butter, divided
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 3/4 cup shredded carrots
- 3/4 cup diced celery
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 4 cups peeled, cubed potatoes
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 8–16 oz Velveeta, cubed
- 1 and a half cups whole milk
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Directions
- Brown the beef in a large pot over medium heat. Drain and set aside.
- In the same pot, melt 1 Tbsp butter and cook the onion, carrots, celery, basil, and parsley until soft.
- Add potatoes, broth, and the cooked beef. Simmer for 10–12 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- In a separate pan, melt the remaining butter, stir in the flour, and cook for a few minutes to make a thick paste. Add this to the soup.
- Bring the soup back to a gentle boil, then lower heat. Stir in Velveeta, milk, salt, and pepper until the cheese melts.
- Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Serve warm.
Tag us on Facebook and let me know if you liked it!
| If you don’t know meI am Tammy Booe, Executive Director of MICOCF. You can read about me in this article. I’m so excited to get to know you all better and continue making a difference together! |
 |
| Stay Connected with Me and the MICOCF Family💙I love getting to know more of you and seeing all the ways we can work together to make Miami County even better. Keep following along, sharing our updates, and letting me know what you want to see in future newsletters! We’re in this together, and I’m so grateful to be on this journey with you. Have a local talent or small business you’d like to spotlight? Know a hidden gem in Miami County that everyone should visit? Or maybe you have a fall season tip or fun activity you love to do in the County? Drop us a message, and we might just feature you in our next newsletter or social media! Sending you all the love, Tammy BooeExecutive Director, MICOCF |
| Facebook Linkedin |