Thirty people from across the state met at The Barn Bed and Breakfast Inn near Valley Falls as part of the Kansas Sampler Foundation's 24th annual Retreat for Rural Leaders. Sally Fuller from Liberal Convention and Visitors Bureau was one of the participants. The retreat is designed to provide community leaders and rural advocates a positive environment of support, idea-sharing, solution-making, and networking in order to re-energize for the work back home and the year ahead.  One of the goals was to begin forming the plan about what would replace the Kansas Sampler Festival in 2018. Foundation director Marci Penner said, "I think you could say that we're all excited about the next iteration of promoting Kansas. We have a little more work to do before sharing the ideas but people should be confident that it's going to be exciting." The group brainstormed a new way to recognize community volunteers and doers and also helped think about possible solutions for individual's issues. The group spent several hours exploring downtown Holton before visiting the five-million dollar health and fitness facility in Netawaka. A trip to the Banner Creek Observatory and Science Center was the final stop. "This retreat is an energizing way to start the year brainstorming with a very positive group of individuals who love their communities and the state of Kansas," Fuller said. "I always come back full of ideas and renewed enthusiasm for promoting Liberal." The next event staged by the Kansas Sampler Foundation will be the March 7 Big Rural Brainstorm which will feature civic engagement.