From the hardships on the frontier to the economic recovery the state has undergone since 2001, Kansans have repeatedly triumphed over daunting circumstances.
Recently on a trip to Labette County I learned first hand how the citizens of Parsons truly embody this spirit.
Seven years ago, an F3 tornado ripped through the community of 12,000, damaging 800 homes, destroying almost 150 more and causing nearly $10 million in damage to the business district alone. In addition, a dozen or more businesses were completely wiped out, including Olson's Ace Hardware store, a community institution for the past 50 years.
Faced with such devastation, it would have been easy for many businesses and residents to make the decision to move. But the citizens of Parsons did not retreat, they rebuilt.
Seven years after experiencing such widespread damage, the city's downtown area is thriving once again. Homes were repaired, businesses recuperated and even the hardware store reopened its doors shortly after the storm.
This hasn't gone unnoticed, and Parsons received five awards from the Kansas Main Street conference this past October.
Now, Parsons is facing a new challenge. The Department of Defense is closing the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant, which has been a major regional employer for many years.
Rather than focusing on the negations of this new challenge, the people of Parsons have rallied together to find the opportunities hidden within it.
Leaders from the community are working to transform the former plant into an industrial complex that will bring more jobs than were initially lost. Although this will take much hard work, after meeting with those community leaders I have no doubt they will accomplish their goal.
We should look to Parsons as a perfect example of the effort it takes to overcome the obstacles life sometimes hands us. Challenges are often opportunities. That's the way of thinking that has and will continue to make this a great state.