By Roger McKinney

rmckinney@joplinglobe.com

Kansans, and those outside the state for that matter, may help determine the eight wonders of Kansas.

The Kansas Sampler Foundation, on the Web at www.kansassampler.org, is seeking nominations.

Marci Penner, foundation director, said there are several purposes for the campaign.

“One is to get Kansans talking about their state and talking about what they have,” Penner said. “We want to get people stirred up about Kansas.”

The foundation is seeking public nominations, plus a selection committee may also make recommendations. The nominations would cease at midnight on May 6, Penner said, and the selection committee would narrow the nominations to 24. Those 24 would be posted on the Web by June 1 so the voting can begin. The online voting would end Dec. 31.

Internet voting alone would determine the eight wonders, Penner said. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is scheduled to announce the winners Kansas Day on Jan. 29, 2008.

Though the wonders must be in Kansas, Penner said, those nominating them or voting on the choices do not have to be in the state.

The foundation’s Web site contains many ideas for what can be nominated. They include Big Brutus, the giant, electric coal shovel near West Mineral.

Betty Becker, manager of Big Brutus, said Friday she was unaware of the campaign, but she’s confident the board would be interested in being considered.

Becker said she thinks Big Brutus would have a good chance at being one of the eight wonders of the state.

Penner said Cherokee County has other wondrous things that should be considered, including the 13 miles of Route 66 and the Rainbow arch bridge and Eisler Brothers Old Riverton Store along the route. The Baxter Springs massacre and Schermerhorn Park in Galena also may be worthy of nominating.

The nominations are being sought in the areas of customs, geography, history, cuisine, commerce, art and architecture. The Web site places Big Brutus in the commerce category.

Other possibilities in Southeast Kansas include Fort Scott National Historic Site; Chicken Mary’s and Chicken Annie’s restaurants near Pittsburg; and the Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum in Chanute.