Chamber of Commerce Awards for 2023

Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Lindsay Madison, left, and Emily Matkin Clayton, Communications & Events Coordinator,  at the Chamber dinner on April 20, 2023. Taken from the chamber’s Facebook page.

The 2023 AWARD RECIPIENTS were presented by
THE FORT SCOTT AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE at the annual awards dinner on April 20, at the River Room Event Center.

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce would like to say a special THANK YOU to everyone who was involved in the Chamber Annual Dinner 2023, according to its Facebook page.
Al Niece, Owner, Niece Products of Kansas & The River Room
River Room Events Center Staff, Pat & Cathy Bishop
Brickstreet BBQ , Alex & Carissa Bowman
Fort Scott High School Orchestra, Musicians
Businesses Providing Table Decorations
Live & Silent Auction Donors
Mark Mccoy, Master of Ceremonies
Lance Anderson, Auctioneer
Chamber Board of Directors for their dedication &
time contributed to this event!
Special Congratulations to our Award Winners!

The results are as follows:

Top Decorated Table

State Farm Kale Nelson

 

2022 Outgoing Chairman of the Board

Katie Casper

 

Young Professional of the Year

Rachel French
Given to a professional 45 years old or younger who personifies
the traits desired in a “great” business person.

 

Agri-Business of the Year

The Lavender Patch Farm
Given to the agri-business that has contributed to the overall economy and benefits the Fort Scott area community.

 

New Business of the Year

The Artificers
Given to a business at least 3 years new to the community which exemplifies the business practices for which all businesses strive.

 

Business Person of the Year

Destry Brown
Given to a professional who personifies all the traits desired in a “great” business person: a dedication to their business, their community, and their family and friends.

 

Small Business of the Year

Perry’s Pork Rinds

Given to the business with 25 or less employees and $3 million or less in annual revenues that continually expands, improves and benefits the Fort Scott area through its achievements and accomplishments.

 

Large Business of the Year

Mid-Continental Restoration Co., Inc.

Given to the business that continually expands, improves, and benefits the Fort Scott area through its achievements and accomplishments.

 

Keystone Award

Craig Campbell
Honors a person/couple who has continually been a source of support to his or her community. The keystone is that wedge-shaped piece at the crown of an arch that locks the other pieces into place. Said another way; it is something on which associated things depend for support.  This is the true meaning of giving of one’s talents and time at the highest level to make our community a better place.

 

 

Gordon Parks Museum Receives Humanities Kansas Grant

Gordon Parks Museum is located on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.


TOPEKA Humanities Kansas recently awarded $6,979 to the Gordon Parks Museum in Fort Scott to support Langston Hughes and Gordon Parks Exhibit Display, a moveable exhibit that explores the works and friendship between two cultural giants who had roots in Kansas. Kirk Sharp serves as project director.


This project will produce exhibit panel displays with a theme that highlights both Langston’s and Gordon’s lives and careers. The displays will target the history, journey, friendship, collaborations and connection of these two pioneers in the field of arts.


The panel displays will include graphics, photos and text information and follow both of their journeys as a poet and photographer, respectively and their impact on the arts. These panels will be portable, so they could easily be moved and displayed at different universities, libraries, and organizations across the state
of Kansas.


The project will also feature the launch of the exhibit display and speakers’ presentation on Langston Hughes and Gordon Parks, during the 20th annual Gordon Parks Celebration at the Gordon Parks Museum in Fort Scott, Kansas on October 57, 2023.

During the celebration, there will also be a digital
interactive display on Langston Hughes and Gordon Parks. “The exhibit displays creates a great opportunity in helping to keep both of the legacies and triumphs of Langston Hughes and Gordon Parks
alive.” said Kirk Sharp, Gordon Parks Museum Executive Director.


Humanities Kansas believes that Kansans are energized by people engaging with history, said Julie Mulvihill, Humanities Kansas Executive Director. “This traveling exhibit project will connect people with their past and strengthen a sense of community and pride of place.”


About Humanities Kansas
Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit spearheading a movement of ideas to empower the people of Kansas to strengthen their communities and our democracy.

Since 1972, HK’s pioneering programming, grants, and partnerships have documented and shared stories to spark conversations and
generate insights.

Together with statewide partners and supporters, HK inspires all Kansans to draw on diverse histories, literatures, and cultures to enrich their lives and to serve the communities and state we all proudly call home. Visit humanitieskansas.org.

Kirk Sharp is the director of the Gordon Parks Museum on the campus of Fort Scott Community College. Submitted photo

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
 Local Project Director Kirk Sharp
Executive Director Gordon Parks Museum

2108 S. Horton St

Fort Scott, KS 66701 6202232700, ext. 5850,

kirks@ fortscott.edu


###

Locara: Local Products/Services Listed on Internet Platform Courtesy of HBCAT

Submitted graphic of Locara’s home page.
 Locara Inc. is a new business partner with Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, HBCAT.
“Locara is a platform that supports small businesses by expanding their local customer base beyond word of mouth channels,” according to Tylor Hunn cofounder. “We offer a cost-effective and user-friendly e-commerce solution for these business owners to connect with local buyers.”
HBCAT has paid for up to 80 local businesses to have their products and services listed on the Locara platform for a year, which is a value of $60 per business, Hunn said.
Tylor Hunn. Submitted photo.
They launched their website on April 5,  https://www.locara.us  in partnership with HBCAT and their Dare to Dream event.
“Through our partnership with HBCAT, we are piloting our startup in the Fort Scott area, helping local businesses display their products and services and expand their reach,” Hunn said. “We believe that this partnership is a great opportunity to support the growth and success of small businesses in the community.”
Hunn is chief executive officer of the business and Ali Zia is his technical partner.
They are registered in a small town in upstate New York, Chittenango.

They have been in business for two months and have five employees.

“Locara provides a location-based platform for small businesses to list and showcase their products and services online,” he said. “This means that these businesses can create a digital storefront where they can display pictures, descriptions, and pricing of their products or services, just like in a physical store.”

“We realized that small, local businesses face a range of difficulties including limited resources, limited visibility, and challenges competing with larger corporations,” Hunn said. “We have also noticed a large movement towards people wanting to support local, but very few actually do because there is no easy way to discover all the businesses around them, but more specifically, discover what they are selling.”

Locara’s internet platform  centralizes all the small businesses in a community into a single storefront where local buyers can more easily find and purchase what they need, Hunn said.

Locara search results graphic, submitted.

“For example, imagine a local mother who makes and sells crafts from home but, from her experience sewing her kid’s clothes back together, she also wants to offer clothing repair services,” he said. “This woman can list each of the crafts and services she wants to sell. The community is then able to visit our website and browse through this mother’s products and services like they would be browsing on Amazon or Walmart’s website with the exception that everything listed on the website is from a local business. Our goal is to create an easier experience not only for small, local businesses to showcase what they sell, but also for buyers to find and make purchases from local businesses.”

 

Contact info:

 

Obituary of Elouise S. Young

Elouise S. Young, born May 20, 1938, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, went home to be with the Lord April 1, 2023.

Elouise graduated from North Division High School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Elouise met and married Junior L. Young on the 17th Day of October 1963. Together and with help from their parents, they raised the fearsome foursome, Shirley, (Cookie), Willie, David, and Terri. Four dynamic children who have made positive contributions to the community and raised beautiful families. Elouise and Junior were blessed with a lot of grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

 

In addition to raising her children Elouise entered the workforce. She worked for her father in his dry cleaning business for a period of time. She later became a nurse’s assistant at Milwaukee County Mental Health Hospital, where she would retire after 30 years of what she considered to be a much needed service to her community.

Upon retirement, Elouise focused on surrounding herself with her family and friends. She and her husband (Junior), moved back to Ft. Scott, Kansas. Later Elouise would move to Pittsburg, Kansas and later to Dover, Delaware.

She enjoyed traveling. She loved spending time with her road buddy Myrtle (Myrt) before Myrt moved to California. Later, Elouise would travel up and down the Kansas highways with Louise. Driving was her favorite source of transportation. Give her a cup of ice and a full tank and she would drive until she reached her destination. She would travel from Kansas to Wisconsin to spend time with family and friends and on to Texas to be with family and later to Delaware (where she finally retired those car keys).

Elouise especially loved attending and serving in her church United Missionary Baptist Church. She served her community, picking up food from the food pantry with her friend and delivering to those in need. Elouise served on several community boards. She was a strong woman with a strong will to live. She endured hardness as a good soldier. Elouise fought the good fight of faith and has finished the race and kept the faith.

Elouise lived life to the fullest extent. She left earth on an empty tank. Elouise poured out all she had. She left with no regrets. Her relationship with the LORD Jesus Christ was sealed and she was prepared and ready to go. Leaving peacefully in her sleep after hearing the loving voices of family and friends on the phone, just hours before leaving the earth.

Elouise was preceded in death by her husband Junior L. Young, her father and mother Dwight and Virginia Ayers; sister Rose, son, David, brothers; Peach, Ronnie and Dennis.

Elouise was a mom, grandmother, “grannie”, auntie, sister and friend. She loved her family dearly. Nothing gave her greater joy than to spend time with her family, eat chinese food, and laugh.

Elouise leaves behind daughter, Shirley (Cookie), one son Willie (Beth), daughter Terri; grandchildren; Larry (Caronda), Willie, Tami’ca, Brandin, Quincy, Eleana and Dalisa, great grandchildren; Deriyel, Lazzarus, Larriontae, Omunique, La’Zerious, Zavion, Za’Laya, Quincy Jr, Cameron, Mikyla, Princess, Israel, Braylie, Nikkita, Yaylan, Isabella; great-great grandchildren;

Nia’Loni, Harlym, Mila, Ka’leyan ; brother Delbert Ayers; two special ladies in her life Myrtle Anne Colum and Louise Nelson.

 

Memorial Service: United Missionary Baptist Church

Saturday, May 6, 2023 1:00 PM

16 North Ransom Street,

Ft Scott, Kansas 66701

(620) 223-5267

Date: May 5, 2023 Time: 11:00

Burial Site: West Plains Cemetery, Ft. Scott, Kansas

Burial Site Services by: Cheney Witt Chapel

Repass: United Missionary Baptist Church

Time: 1:30

Southeast Kansas Library Monthly Newsletter

The SEKnFind Newsletter
April 2023

We hope you enjoy this newsletter sent as a courtesy to adult patrons of a southeast Kansas library using the SEKnFind catalog.
This selection of titles are NEW at a SEKnFind library and available for a hold.
Need assistance? Your local librarian can show you how!
Happy Reading!

New Fiction

Hang the moon : a novel
by Jeannette Walls

After encouraging her younger step-brother to participate in daredevil activities leads to an accident, Sallie Kincaid is cast out of her family, in the new novel from the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Glass Castle.

Dirty laundry : a novel
by Disha Bose

A clique of mothers in a small Irish village react to the murder of their queen bee, whose picture-perfect life made easy money on Instagram and whose death provided each of them something to gain.

Girl forgotten
by April Henry

Starting a podcast to investigate the unsolved murder of Layla Trello, true-crime fan Piper Gray begins receiving anonymous threats warning her off the case, leading her to believe the killer is still out there?—?and is coming for her next. 50,000 first printing.

The great reclamation
by Rachel Heng

With the future of their fishing village in jeopardy after the Japanese army invades Singapore, Ah Boon, gifted with the unique ability to locate bountiful, movable islands that no one else can find, and Siok Mei, the spirited girl he has come to love, must decide who they want to be.

Silver alert
by Lee Smith

Rather than give up his independence, Herb, a stubborn elderly man, heads off on one last joy ride to Key West in his Porsche along with Dee Dee, his new young friend, setting off a Silver Alert. 40,000 first printing.

Romantic comedy : a novel
by Curtis Sittenfeld

A sketch writer for a late-night comedy show, Sally Milz pokes fun at the phenomenon of talented but average men who’ve gotten romantically involved with beautiful women and how the reverse never happens until she meets a pop music sensation who flips the script on all her assumptions. Original.

The haunting of Alejandra
by V. Castro

Struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her, Alejandra discovers she, like the women in her family before her, is being haunted by La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican Legend, and must summon everything she’s inherited from her foremothers to banish this demon forever.

Some desperate glory
by Emily Tesh

One of the best warriors of her generation, Kyr, when Command relegates her to Nursery to bear sons until she dies trying, takes humanity’s revenge into her own hands, escaping into a universe far more complicated than she was taught and far more wondrous than she could have imagined. 125,000 first printing.

Weyward : a novel
by Emilia Hart

Told over five centuries through three connected women, this riveting novel follows Kate, in 2019, as she seeks refuge in Weyward Cottage; Altha, in 1619, as she uses her powers to maintain her freedom; and Violet, in 1942, as she searches for the truth about her mother’s death. 250,000 first printing.

The house is on fire
by Rachel Beanland

Told from the perspectives of four people whose actions changed the course of history, this masterful work of historical fiction takes readers back to 1811 Richmond, Virginia, where, on the night after Christmas, the city’s only theater burned to the ground, tearing apart a community.

Wolf trap : a thriller
by Connor Sullivan

A former Ground Branch paramilitary officer, Brian Rhome, thinking his time with this elite group of shadow operatives was over, instead finds himself in the midst of a deadly conspiracy that threatens the highest levels of American democracy.

Grizzly moon
by Patrick Dearen

“For nineteen years, Wash Baker has been haunted by the memory of a cattle drive and firing into the night at what he thought was a grizzly, only to kill his young son and narrowly miss a second boy, Trey. Now, in 1899, confirmed tracks of grizzly-a species of bear unknown in Texas-have been found at a Davis Mountains camp meeting attended by Wash and his daughter, Grace. This novel is based on the actual 1899 hunt for the only documented grizzly ever found in Texas”

New Audiobooks

The perfumist of Paris / : Library Edition
by Alka Joshi

After being tasked with her first major project for the master perfumer, Radha travels to India, enlisting the help of her sisters and the courtesans of Agra, but discovers that the son she gave up years earlier is heading to locate her in Paris–threatening her marriage and carefully managed world

Never Sleep : Library Edition
by Fred Van Lente

The year is 1861, the eve of Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration. For Kate Warn, the first female private detective in American history, the only assignment tougher than exposing a conspiracy to assassinate the new president is training her new mentee, Hattie MacLaughlin, in the art of detection. The two women’s mission to save the president takes them from the granges of rural Maryland to the heart of secessionist high society, and sets them on a collision course that could alter the course of history. When Kate’s cover is blown, Hattie must choose between saving her new friend, and her country. Based on a true story.

Every man a king
by Walter Mosley

NYPD investigator Joe King Oliver is tested when asked by his billionaire friend to defend a White nationalist who has been accused of murder, in the sequel to the Edgar Award-winning Down the River Unto the Sea. 100,000 first printing.

New Nonfiction

A fever in the heartland : the Ku Klux Klan’s plot to take over America, and the woman who stopped them
by Timothy Egan

A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist traces the Ku Klux Klan’s rise to power in the 1920s, driven by the con man D.C. Stephenson, and how a seemingly powerless woman named Madge Oberholtzer brought them to their knees. Illustrations.

Your brain on art : how the arts transform us
by Susan Magsamen

Combining breakthrough research, insights from multidisciplinary pioneers and real-life stories, this authoritative guide to the new science of neuroaesthetics shows how the arts, from painting and dancing to expressive writing, architecture and more, are essential for improving physical and mental health. Illustrations.

Swipe : The Science Behind Why We Don’t Finish What We Start
by Tracy Maylett

“The key to escaping the cycle of failure, disengagement, and regret. Every day we wake up determined to engage with life — to overcome work challenges, finish that novel, reach fitness goals, or repair a strained relationship. Despite our best intentions, we fall short. Why is it so hard to finish what we start? Are we doomed to a lifetime of regret? Reaching goals after repeated frustration starts with understanding the impulse known as the Swipe, a side effect of our high-tech culture. Based on a massive research database, and drawing on disciplines from neurobiology to business, Tracy Maylett and Tim Vandehey reveal a powerful psychological process that makes us disengage from what (or who) we care about most — often when we’re heartbreakingly close to real breakthroughs. In Swipe, readers will learn how this mechanism works and recognize when they’re caught on the ‘Hamster Wheel.’ They’ll discover how to short-circuit the Swipe, reengage, and finally finish what they start”

Weathering : the extraordinary stress of ordinary life in an unjust society
by Arline T. Geronimus

“Fusing science and social justice, renowned public health researcher Dr. Arline T. Geronimus offers an urgent book exploring the ways in which systemic injustice erodes the health of marginalized people”

Still life with bones : genocide, forensics, and what remains
by Alexa Hagerty

An anthropologist, working with forensic teams and victims’ families to investigate crimes against humanity in Latin America, comes to see how cutting-edge science also acts as a way of caring for the dead with symbolic force that can repair societies torn apart by violence.

Built to move : the ten essential habits to help you move freely and live fully
by Kelly Starrett

Written for both exercisers and non-exercisers, offers ten tests and ten physical practices to help the human body function well and feel great in the new mobility guide from the innovators behind Becoming a Supple Leopard. Illustrations.

Sweet enough / : A Dessert Cookbook
by Alison Roman

Presenting dessert recipes that feel special and approachable, impressive and doable, a New York-based cook and New York Times bestselling author shows how to make simple yet sublime sweets that are a perfect finish to any dinner. Illustrations.

Obituary of Hazel Dickerson

Hazel Maxine Dickerson, age 92, resident of Bronson, KS, died Friday, April 21, 2023, at St. Luke’s East Hospital in Lee’s Summit, MO.  She was born June 14, 1930, in Fort Scott, KS the daughter of Ray Fred Stewart and Nellie Hazel Robinson Stewart.  She attended South Fairview elementary school and graduated from Moran, KS high school in 1948.  She lived in Kansas City and attended business school.  Maxine married Marvin Gene Dickerson on December 31, 1950, in Bronson.  After Gene’s service in the Army in Alaska, they resided near Anchorage for 19 years homesteading their land and building their home.  Maxine was employed at Elmendorf Air Force Base for several years before staying home full time to provide foster care for 3 native Eskimo children.  In 1969, Maxine and Gene, along with their son Joe, moved back to Kansas to the family farm north of Bronson.  They farmed and had a hog farrowing operation until retirement.  Maxine loved being outdoors and working on the farm with Gene.  Their recreation was the bowling league team for several years and traveling to participate in tournaments throughout the U.S. Maxine was very community minded and was involved in local clubs and committees.  She served on the Bronson Library Board for several years.  She was a member of the Bronson Ruritan and Bronson Methodist Church.  She was chosen as a co-grand Marshal in 2017 to lead the Bronson Day Parade in a convertible car.  Maxine enjoyed her cats, making quilts, playing cards, jigsaw puzzles, and was an avid reader.  She loved spending time with her grandchildren.

 

Survivors include her son Joe Dickerson and wife Paula, Bronson, KS; a brother, Buford Stewart and wife Bea, Bronson, KS; a sister, Vera Scifers and husband Reid, Fort Scott, KS; grandson, Tristan Dickerson; and numerous nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her husband Gene, and granddaughter Jordan Bailey Dickerson.

 

There was cremation.  Memorial services will be held at 10:00 AM Tuesday, May 2nd, at the Bronson United Methodist Church.  Burial will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery at 1:30 PM.  Memorials are suggested to the Bronson Library and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

One Foot in Front of the Other by Carolyn Tucker

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

 

 

Many years ago I played and sang for a funeral in Pleasanton. I specifically remember that the family had requested, “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Prior to the service, I was sitting at the piano and arranging my music when the minister approached me. He asked me about the song because he was unfamiliar with it and wanted to make sure it was appropriate for the occasion. I smiled and responded, “Yes, it’s a fine song,” and to really drive it on home I added, “Elvis recorded it.”

 

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand” (Psalm 37:23,24 NLT). Every step Christ followers take in obedience toward spiritual renewal and wholeness matters. God’s children are to have the faith to believe and trust where their final destination will be at the end of this earthly life. However, the exact twists and turns are known only to Him as He  gently whispers to us the best route (if we care to pay attention). Not paying attention to God’s leading is one of our biggest hindrances. We need to fine-tune our ears and spirit to His voice so we’ll know how and where to walk.

 

Sometimes believers are tempted to try to walk in someone else’s footsteps. Getting our eyes off of Jesus and onto another human being is unwise and discouraging. When someone retires or dies, you might hear these words: “Yes, he left some really big shoes to fill.“ Truthfully, we aren’t supposed to fill anyone else’s shoes, we’re supposed to fill our own. Trying to walk in someone’s shoes is simply too hard because they don’t fit. God has designed an individual pathway system for every person on planet earth.

 

God’s Word tells Christians to hold firmly to what we believe. “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16 NLT). We aren’t supposed to come to God with a spiritual-inferiority complex. We can confidently approach our loving heavenly Father to receive what we need when the chips are down.

 

Since God is faithful, we can rely on Him to show us our next steps. Life is too complicated and we’re too goofy to walk it out on our own. “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:14,16 NLT). God wants His children (believers) to utilize the privileges of who we are in Christ. And we’re either righteous or we’re not —  there‘s no gray area. “For it is not from man that we draw our life but from God as we are being joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. And now He is our God-given wisdom, our virtue, our holiness, and our redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30 TPT).

 

My grown and married kids don’t knock on my door — they just walk in. They understand who they are in relationship to me and they understand their privileges. They don’t timidly ask if they may have a glass of tea or a cookie. They know they have the right to access whatever I have because they are mine and I love them. Believers need to tap into what belongs to us because of who we are in relationship to our heavenly Father.  He delights in giving generously to His kids.

 

The Key: Be still, listen for God’s voice, and keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Input Needed on Access to Child Care in Bourbon County

 

Tara Soloman-Smith, Family and Wellness Agent, Sunflower District of Kansas State University’s Extension Office. Submitted photo.

K-State researchers are looking for respondents to a brief survey (less than 10 minutes) to help understand the need for access to quality, affordable child care in Bourbon County. If you are looking for care, have care, provide child care, or are simply a resident of Bourbon County, we want to hear from you!  To participate, simply go to https://bit.ly/BBCOkids!  For questions about the survey, please contact Holly Connell at [email protected] / 319-538-4761.  For questions about the child care coalition in your county, please contact Rachel Carpenter at [email protected] / 620-215-2562

 

# # #

Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director of K-State Research and Extension, Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts.

 

Bourbon County Commission Agenda for April 24

Bourbon County Courthouse

210 S. National Ave Fort Scott, KS 66701 Phone: 620-223-3800

Fax: 620-223-5832

Bourbon County, Kansas

Nelson Blythe

1st District Commissioner

Jim Harris, Chairman

2nd District Commissioner

Clifton Beth

3rd District Commissioner

Bourbon County Commission Agenda 1st Floor County Courthouse

210 S National Avenue

April 24, 2023, 5:30 PM

  1. Call Meeting to Order
  2. Flag Salute and Prayer
  • Consent Agenda
    1. Approval of Minutes from 4/20/2023
  1. Department Updates
    1. Eric Bailey, Public Works Director
  2. Sheriff Bill Martin-Retiring of K-9
  3. Public Comments
  • Commission Comments
  • Meeting Adjourn

Executive Session Justifications:

 

KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy.

KSA 75-4319 (b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the

attorney-client relationship.

KSA 75-4319 (b)(3) to discuss matters relating to employer/employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the

representative(s) of               the body or agency.

KSA 75-4319 (b)(4) to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust and individual     proprietorships

KSA 75-4319 (b)(6) for the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property.

KSA 75-4319 (b)(12) to discuss matters relating to the security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting

would jeopardize such security measures.

 

Practice Mindfulness During Stress Awareness Month

 

Clara Wicoff. Submitted photo 2023

By Clara Wicoff

Southwind Extension District

 

April is Stress Awareness Month! Did you know that stress can affect your physical health? According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, chronic stress can lead to a risk of health problems such as digestive issues, elevated blood pressure, headaches, insomnia, and more.

 

So, what can you do to combat stress throughout the rest of April and beyond? One practice you can consider adopting is mindfulness. What exactly is this? Mindfulness expert Jon Kabat-Zinn defines the term as “awareness, cultivated by paying attention in a sustained and particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”

 

While this should not be considered a “cure-all,” research suggests that practicing mindfulness can reduce chronic stress. Consider starting simply by committing to an uninterrupted time each day to focus on your breathing and practice a mindful meditation. This is a busy time of year for many people, so know that you can start by doing this for as little as five minutes (although you may benefit from increasing the time to 20 minutes or longer). Once you’ve committed to this time, find a quiet place away from technology. Find a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down. Then, focus on your breathing and let negative thoughts float away like clouds. There are resources online which can help lead you through a guided mindful meditation if desired.

 

For more information, please contact me at [email protected] or 620-365-2242. If you or someone you know needs immediate assistance, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or chatting online at 988lifeline.org.

 

Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.