Final tabulation from the Blue Rapids Museum shows visitors from 51 Kansas towns of which 8 are inside Marshall County, visitors from 17 other states and 92 Valley Height’s students. Texas leads out-of-state visitors with eleven towns represented followed by Missouri with ten towns and Colorado with seven.

“Our Blue Rapids High School Alumni are good about visiting,” said President Pat Osborne, “and our every-90-day change of exhibits means something completely new can be seen at least 4 times a year. We also enjoy hosting club meetings which brings in more visitors.”

Corwin, who has worked for the conservation of endangered species and ecosystems around the world since he was a teenager, will give a presentation titled “100 Heartbeats” at 7 p.m. April 9 in the gymnasium at Southeast community College’s Lincoln Campus, 8800 O St. The hour-long presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session and the signing of his latest book, “100 Heartbeats: The Race to Save Earth’s Most Endangered Species.”

Tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for children 12 and under. Early ticket purchases are recommended. Call (402) 437-2700 for tickets. They can be purchased at the door.

“We are very excited to be able to bring Jeff Corwin to Lincoln,” said Nancy Holman, a director in SCC’s Continuing Education Division. “He has a powerful message that says we have the responsibility to save endangered species. His love for animals will be very apparent during his presentation.”

Animal Planet audiences best know Corwin as host of “The Jeff Corwin Experience,” one of the most popular shows on cable television. The series reaches more than 13 million viewers in the United States and is viewed in more than 70 countries worldwide.

Since 2000, Corwin has partnered with Animal Planet and Discovery Communications as host and executive producer of “The Jeff Corwin Experience.” He also serves as the executive producer of the new series titled “Corwin’s Quest.” His first book, “Living on the Edge: Amazing Relationships in the Natural World” from Rodale Publishing, is now in paperback.

Rep. Sharon Schwartz (R-Washington) introduced the legislation after receiving strong support from those who knew Mike.

“I am pleased my fellow legislators recognized the significance of this legislation to those I represent here in Topeka and worked quickly to get it through the process. This is our community’s opportunity to recognize and to honor Mike and others who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice,” Rep. Schwartz said.

The son of Merle and Blondie Breeding, Mike completed all of his schooling in Blue Rapids and then finished Officer Candidate School training with the U.S. Marine Corps while a student at KU. After college graduation in 1967, he went on active duty with the Marines and trained to be a fighter pilot. Mike’s plane was shot down near the Quang Tri Providence in Vietnam on February 12, 1970. His body was never recovered.

The bill requires that before the state will put the designation signs, funding must be provided to cover the cost of the signs and help defray future maintenance or replacement costs of the signs. Mike’s brother, Pat Breeding, is heading up the effort to collect the required $2,490.

Rep. Schwartz offered her appreciation to those who helped get the bill passed.

“I want to thank Patricia Osborne, President of the Blue Rapids Historical Society and Museum; Margaret Blaske, family friend and Blue Rapids Mayor John Nowak for providing written testimony to show the strong community support behind this bill,” Schwartz said. “And thank you to Don Kotophish and Lee Borck for bringing this opportunity to honor a man who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we might live in a free country to my attention.”