In 1949, Junction City’s new radio station, KJCK, was located above the Leedy Drug Store. During the programming there was a segment titled “The Good Neighbor Program”. On this show, local residents were recognized for being “good neighbors” and good citizens.
One of the first honored was Mary A. Verbeke. She was recognized for her kind acts of sending encouraging words to people.
Mary Verbeke was born in Belgium. When Mary was eight years old, she immigrated to this country with her mother. During their train trip to Junction City, there was a need to change trains in Kansas City. Mary and her mother witnessed women chewing something at the train station. It was uncommon in Belgium to see women chewing and the only reference was that of men, who chewed tobacco. So, strange as it may have seemed to them, Mary and her mother assumed the women were also chewing tobacco. However, in fact, the women were chewing gum.
(Read more: Junction City Post)