Friends Of The Fort Host Churchill March 31

The board of the Friends of the Fort Scott National Historic Site face the camera following the weekly Chamber Coffee Thursday. Front from left is Vonnie Rickerson, Marlene Braker, back from left is Martha Scott, Reed Hartford, and Kelley Collins. Not pictured is Joyce Gobl, Matt Wells, Katie Wells and Shaylynn Clements.

Members of Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site hosted the weekly Chamber Coffee Thursday to highlight their organization.

FFSNHS President Reed Hartford told the coffee attendees that they are a non-profit, separate from the historic site.

The organization can raise funds and spend money on advertising, two actions that the historic site cannot do, Hartford said.

In 2009 the group began to support activities of the site.

Some of their accomplishments are: promoting FSNHS as one of the wonders of Kansas, providing a community Fourth of July ice cream social, providing lunch for new citizens following the naturalization ceremony,  and providing refreshments at the end of candlelight tours.

Since 2010 the FFSNHS group has sponsored a Friends Fest as a fundraiser.

This year it is this Saturday, March 31 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Liberty Theater, 113 S. Main.

Tickets are $35 and can be purchased the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, 231 E. Wall.

The group is bringing reenactor Randy Otto as Sir Winston Churchill.

Randy Otto as Sir Winston Churchill. Churchill was a primary character in many major events of British history in the 20th century.

For more information, contact Martha Scott, 620-224-9924.

The sponsors of the event are City State Bank, Union State Bank, Landmark Bank and Jim and Connie Banwart.

The following is a gallery of coffee attendees interacting prior to the announcement segment of the event.

At each coffee, members give a donation to the Chamber of $1 and tell about an event coming up in the community. The group that hosts the coffee gets extra time to tell about their business or organization.

 

 

Obituary Of Joe Robert Davis

Joe Robert Davis, 78, formerly of Fort Scott, passed away Wednesday evening, March 21, 2018, in Grove, Oklahoma.

He was born April 16, 1939, in Fort Scott, Kansas, the son of John Kenneth and Lucy Margaret (More) Davis. He married Linda Maggard October 29, 1995, in Miami, Oklahoma, and she survives of the home.

In addition to his wife, Joe is survived by his children, Joe Robert Davis, Jr. and wife Debi, of Great Falls, Montana, Kathy Dixon and husband Jim, also of Great Falls, Montana, Debra DeWitt and husband Richard, of Joplin, Missouri, Johnny Ray Davis and wife Terra, of Vaughn, Montana, Lena Cheevers, of Idaho, Mistie Cole and husband Johnny, of Carthage, Missouri, and Travis VanWey and wife Amber, of Grove, Oklahoma; sister, Kay Ballou and husband Larry, brother Kenny Davis, and sister Juanita Sinn, all of Fort Scott; thirteen grandchildren, eight step-grandchildren, several great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, and a step-son, Corey VanWey.

Joe Davis, Jr., will conduct services 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 26, 2018, at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home. Following cremation, interment will be at a later date at the Fort Scott National Cemetery. The family will receive visitors Sunday afternoon, March 25, 2018, from 2:00-3:00 p.m. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.

Tinkergarten Coming To Fort Scott

Maria Whitson plays with her children Asher, Judah, and Malachi in Gunn Park last week.

The thought of a classroom without walls intrigued Maria Whitson.

Whitson, from Garland, first found out about an organization called Tinkergarten when a friend from Kansas City referred her saying she would be a good leader.

“When I went to their website, I lit up,” Whitson said. ” Being outdoors with a group of parents and children.  Playing and educating, growing together, all of it caught my attention.”

Founded in 2012, Tinkergarten is a nationwide play-based, outdoor learning class designed for children ages 18 months to 8 years, and their parents.

According to recent statistics, children’s free play time is declining, and it’s diminishing the chances to develop critical life skills, she said.

Free spring trial classes will be offered at 10 a.m. March 29 and 31 at Gunn Park.

Then classes will be held each Thursday, April 12 through May 31
 from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

In a 5-part class each week Whitson will facilitate an expert-designed play scenario, allowing children of various ages and needs to explore, problem solve, communicate, collaborate, and create together, according to the Tinkergarten.com website. Parents and caregivers learn, too, and share insights into a child’s development.

To register go to Tinkergarten.com.

The cost is $140 per student for 8 sessions. An installment plan is available. There is a 30% discount for each additional sibling.

Some benefits of Tinkergarten provided by Whitson are:

●  Spending time outdoors provides children with a wide range of health benefits including social and emotional well-being. Research shows that time outdoors supports improved relationship skills, and reduces stress, anger, and aggression.

  •  80 percent of brain development occurs before the age of five. Children build foundational skills in their first five years that will affect the rest of their learning and life.
  •  In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, parents need to balance the screen time with outdoor time to raise healthy, well-adjusted kids.

“I’m bringing this incredible early-childhood education program to Fort Scott, to help children develop critical capabilities such as self-reliance, creativity, persistence and problem-solving skills, all proven benefits of play-based, outdoor learning, ” she said.

“I became a leader because I want to get my children outdoors more and be intentional about creating learning experiences with them.  The opportunity for me to lead a Tinkergarten class was exactly the motivation and training that I was looking for.  I am thrilled that I get to not only have that opportunity for my children and myself but also for other families.  I am so excited to be in a classroom without walls.”