During the weekly Chamber Coffee Thursday morning, members of the Chamber of Commerce and the community were able to get a glimpse of art created by participants in the Bad Art by Good People Auction hosted by the Bourbon County Arts Council.

Thursday evening, those pieces of art were auctioned off during the 3^rd annual auction of its kind in Bourbon County, whose name council vice president Danny Magee said is a misnomer since he considered the art “outstanding.”

“They’ve been working on these pieces quite a while,” Magee said, saying participants received coaching in recent months.

During the Chamber Coffee, those present voted on their favorite piece of art and the winning artist received a $50 certificate from the Bourbon County Arts Council.

Magee said the art council has remained active in the community with events throughout the year such as through programs at the high school, the fine arts competition, contests during the Gordon Parks Celebration, events in the downtown area and also by providing scholarships to the middle school students for them to see plays outside of Fort Scott.

Magee said the mission statement of the council, which was founded in 1973, is to “foster, promote and increase the knowledge and appreciation and practice of the arts in Bourbon County.”

Other community announcements included:

• Members of the community can now participate in the adopt-a-child program, buying Christmas presents for one or more of the 150-200 children from low income families participating. Those interested can contact the Beacon.
• The Beacon, partnering with the Young Professionals League and area churches, will hold its Soup Line fundraiser Friday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Kennedy Gym, with meals costing $5.
• The Fort Scott downtown Christmas Parade will be held Dec. 1. Businesses and organizations are encouraged to sign up to participate.
• On Thursday, Dec. 3, Marcel Normand will hold a book-signing event for his biography on Lucile James, a former professor at Fort Scott Community College, at the college, 2-6 p.m.
• Tickets are still for sale for $20 in advance for the trolley fundraiser dinner the Saturday after Thanksgiving at the Beaux Arts Centre.
• The Frozen Five and Dime run will be held at Gunn Park Dec. 12, with participants running 5k, one-mile or 10-mile trails.
• The Fort Scott city commissioners voted to renew the Neighborhood Revitalization Program for five more years, leaving the remaining tax entities to approve of it as well.
• The road and trail of the Marmaton Riverfront Project is complete and those involved in the project are now asking for suggestions for names for the road and trail. The committee will choose in December and the names will be placed on rock signs.