Monthly Archives: June 2024

Area News, Bourbon County

Heartland Rural Electric Coop Provides Grants for Capital Improvement Projects Available Now

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Applications for Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative’s Concern for Community program, which provides grants of up to $5,000 for capital improvement projects throughout the Heartland service area, will be accepted June 1—July 31.
To qualify for a grant, a project must fit within one of the following categories:
  • County fairs: Projects related to county fairs in the Heartland service area, with a focus on infrastructure projects and other projects that are not supported by normal fair sponsorships.
  • Schools: Schools within the cooperative’s service area that have capital campaigns for facilities that would positively impact Heartland members.
  • Non-profit organizations: Non-profit organizations undergoing capital campaigns with facilities that focus on education, environment, culture and the arts, and civic and community development that would positively impact Heartland members.
  • Other: Other projects that better the communities in or surrounding the cooperative’s service area, as authorized by the board.
In keeping with Heartland’s goal of encouraging sustainable development, preference will be given to collaborative projects receiving support from other sources. Awardees will be selected by the Heartland Board of Directors in August, and funds will be distributed in September.
Funds for Heartland’s Concern for Community Grants come from the cooperative’s unclaimed capital credit retirement checks. Because that money was intended to support the local community, Heartland’s Board of Directors has decided to use those funds for community grants.
Grant money does not come from cooperative revenues and the issuing of grants will not impact future rates or capital credit allocations.
More information and a link to the online application form can be found online at https://www.heartland-rec.com/community/concern-for-community-grants/. Questions may be directed to Doug Graham, Communication Specialist, at (620) 724-5526.
Food, Fort Scott

Taco Azul Will Be At Woodland Hills Golf Course June 5

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Sending on behalf of Chamber Member
Diane Striler – Par Tee Girls…

Come join us for good food, drinks, and community fellowship! Taco Azul will be serving food while the club house will be serving the drinks!

Wednesday, June 5th

5:30-9:00pm

Street Taco – $3

Costra – $5

Street Corn – $3

3 Street Tacos and Street Corn – $11

2 Costras and Street Corn – $12

************************CASH ONLY**************************

Carry out available
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US
Bourbon County, Elections

Bo Co Democrats Meet on June 9

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Bourbon County Democrats will hold a working meeting on Sunday June 9th from 2 – 4 p.m.
We will meet in Zimmerman Hall of the First Presbyterian Church in Fort Scott. Please enter using the south doors.
The meeting will consist of an overview of the field plan for this election year as well as the assignment of voter lists and preparation of mailings. Please come ready to work–and to have fun.  We have enough of both for all of you!
For information, contact chair Carol MacArthur by text or phone call at 620 215 1505.

Opinion

In the Same Boat by Carolyn Tucker

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Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

 

 

I was praying early one morning while it was still dark outside. I was talking to God and sharing the desire of my heart to know Him better, climb up higher in my spiritual walk, and to lean on His grace to beat down occasional anxiety. The Lord reminded me that I don’t have to be perfect and always have it all together in order to help and encourage others. My personal experience with struggles and triumphs enables me to gently empathize and pray fervently for others who are in the same boat. This concept rings true for any follower of Christ.

 

I have walked barefoot through rocky places of loss and sorrow, but I’ve also experienced the supernatural grace and peace that comes from my heavenly Father. God carried me with unseen arms through the gut-wrenching journey of grief. God’s Word communicates to us that Jesus experienced everything we experience in our lives. “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet He did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15 NIV). This passage gives us hope to not drop anchor, but to set our sails for a perfect docking when our journey is completed.

 

As long as mankind resides on planet earth, we will have both rough and smooth sailing  experiences. Heaven is perfect; earth is not. When Jesus was with the Father in heaven, everything was perfect for Him. But when He came to earth as a babe and grew to be a man, His life changed dramatically. “He [Jesus] was despised and rejected — a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care” (Isaiah 53:3 NLT).

 

Perhaps believers should ask ourselves if we’re guilty of turning and looking the other way when we are aware that someone is going through stormy winds. I know many of us have good intentions to reach out and make the call, send the card, or drop by for a quick visit. Many roads are paved with good intentions. Sadly, I’ve been guilty of  procrastination and it was disappointing for both parties. Learning the hard way is a hard way to learn. Learning to practice prompt obedience to God’s leading is the better way.

 

Jesus was in the same boat with His disciples when a raging storm hit the lake. They  called out for help, so Jesus rebuked the storm and it instantly became calm. If Jesus has ever calmed your personal storm, you can “pay it forward.” “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of sympathy (pity and mercy) and the God (Who is the Source of every comfort, consolation and encouragement) Who comforts (consoles and encourages) me in every trouble (calamity and affliction) so that I may also be able to comfort those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, with the comfort with which I myself am comforted by God“ (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 AMP). In becoming more like Christ, believers will naturally turn our attention to the needs of others. May our  empathy run deep so we can weep with hurting people and gently guide them back to their place of joy and trust in God.

 

The Key: Let’s carry loved ones (in the same boat with us) until they find their sea legs.

Entertainment, Fort Scott, Fort Scott National Historic Site, History

Dance, Song and Storytelling: The Oklahoma Fancy Dancers At The Fort

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Carl Brenner, Fort Scott National Historic Site, introduces the Oklahoma Fancy Dancers to the audience on the fort’s grounds on June 1. To the right is the singer/drummer for the troupe.

As part of the Good Ol’ Days event, Native American dancers entertained the audience on the grounds of the Fort Scott National Historic Site.

The Oklahoma Fancy Dancers, a professional Native American dance troupe from Norman, displayed song, dance, and storytelling on June 1 at the site.
A young audience member converses during the dance troupe performance.

The Oklahoma Fancy Dancers are a group of powwow champions that formed a professional Native American dance troupe. All the dancers are enrolled tribal members, most full-blood, representing various tribes. The dance regalia worn by each dancer is brilliantly colorful, traditional, and representative of the dancer’s tribe and dance performed, according to:  https://www.arts.ok.gov/Oklahoma_Performing_Artists/Oklahoma_Fancy_Dancers.html?

The audience is asked to join the dance troupe in a social dance.

The dance show was educational, informational, and entertaining, showcasing various traditional American Indian tribal dances and storytelling.

The Oklahoma Fancy Dancers in their dance regalia.

 

The day also included an artillery demonstration/discussion, some ranger-guided site tours, the Windy Hollow Folk Music group, and the dancers.

Fort Scott National Historic Site, of the National Park Service, has exhibit areas and a visitor center currently open Friday through Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Park grounds are open daily from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset. To learn more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please get in touch with the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc. 

 
K-State Extension

Southwind Extension – Your Source for All Things Horticulture

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Extension has been helping people for over 100 years. A lot has changed since the Extension service was created in 1914, but the one thing that remains the same is the mission of Extension. Extension means “reaching out.” Extension agents reach out and extend their knowledge and resources to the public. Extension is for everyone to use!

The Extension philosophy is to help people help themselves by taking university knowledge to where people live, work and play. We strive to be very attentive to the needs of the people and provide quality information and problem-solving tactics for everyday concerns.

In recent years with literally everything being on the internet, people might say we don’t need Extension anymore because I can get all the information I need on the internet. Although you can find tons of information on the internet, it is often difficult to determine what is true and what is not. Many times we get calls from people that have found information on-line, tried it and it actually made things worse. The growing environment in southeast Kansas is much different than is in say Ohio, but your internet search isn’t going to know that. It’s kind of like searching symptoms of bodily pains. If you search long enough, you will be convinced you are dying because your big toe hurts! We offer that human interaction that you just can’t get with a computer.

Anyone that has a lawn or landscape can benefit from the local Extension office. The weeds you try to keep from growing in your lawn, or the tree that has holes in the trunk, or the spots on your tomato leaves, are all areas Extension offers advice.

Your local Extension office is here to help you with problem solving tactics specific to your needs and to give you the tools to improve the situation. On the horticulture side, you can obtain information on trees, turf, flowers, insects, gardens, soils and other related topics. The office can assist you with any specific plant or insect problem you may have encountered. Home evaluations are even offered when necessary to gather additional information about a specific horticulture problem.

Many times when I take a call, the person on the other ends starts the conversation by saying “I have a dumb question.” My response is always this – “There are never any dumb questions when you call the Extension office.” My job is to help the public with whatever question or issue they may have and to try to educate them. I may not always have the answer they are looking for immediately, but 99% of the time I can find an answer.

We often hear that Extension is the best kept secret. Many folks don’t know what we do or what we have to offer. I want you to know that we are your source for all things horticulture! You can always reach me by e-mailing [email protected] or call 620-244-3826.

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Horticulture agent assigned to Southwind District. 

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