All posts by Loretta George

Home Clean Home Adds More Employees

Casey Bradbury, owner of Home Clean Home. Submitted photos.

Casey Bradbury, founder/owner of Home Clean Home, started her cleaning business  over five years ago

“For the first few years family and friends would step in and help me when needed,” Bradbury said.

Last year she started adding more employees.

“Chelsea Davied has been with me for a year now. Kiley Foster and Jessica Colopy started about 2 months ago,” Bradbury said.
Home Clean Home offers both residential and commercial cleaning.

The business services all of Bourbon County as well as Nevada, Missouri, and surrounding areas.

Cleaning services are also provided to the southern suburbs of Kansas City upon availability.

“The best thing about my job is knowing that we can impact families’ lives in a positive manner,” she said. “Our goal is to provide extra peace of mind at the end of your day!”
“One challenge I face, that I like to view as more of a positive, is potential scheduling conflicts,” she said. “We work hard to build trusting relationships with our clients to better navigate these scenarios when they arise.”

 

Chelsea David and family. Submitted photo
Kiley Foster and family. Submitted photo.
Jessica Colopy and family. Submitted photo.

The business can be found on Facebook at HomeCleanHomeBB, Instagram at homecleanhome_cleaningservice, and her number is 620.644.2534.

“Please contact us with any inquiries that you may have,” she said.

Casey Bradbury and her family. 2023

New Methodist Church Administrative Executive: Kristin Bishop

Submitted photo. Kristin Bishop

Kristin Bishop, 43, is the new First United Methodist Church Administrative Executive.

“My new role is a combination things – covering duties typical of office manager, treasurer, membership, and volunteer coordination – a little bit of everything to help the congregation live out our mission to know, grow in, serve, and share Christ,” she said.

First United Methodist Church at Third Street and National Avenue,

Bishop is a 1998 Graduate of Fort Scott High School, a 2000 graduate of Fort Scott Community College, and a 2003 Pittsburg State University graduate with a bachelor’s of science in Family and Consumer Sciences.

She has worked at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, New Generation Child Care and Preschool, BIDS & DIBS, USD 234, USD 235, and Big Sugar Lumber.

Her new job is a joy.

“I enjoy working in this environment,” she said.  “The church, the sermons, and interacting with church members and community volunteers. It is a peaceful and productive place to be.”

“It is a blessing to work in this beautiful church building,” Bishop said. “I love the way the light shines through the stained glass windows and the intricate details that went into the design of this church a century and a half ago.”

“I find Pastor Christopher’s Sunday morning sermons to be engaging and thought-provoking,” she said. “There is always a takeaway from the sermon and a melody from the beautiful music to begin each week. I also enjoy working with members of the church and community volunteers alike. They walk into the church with kindness in their hearts and a mission in mind. They selflessly share their gifts, talents, and time. It’s inspiring!”

Kristin is married to Will Bishop, and they have two sons Winston (7) and Linden (6).

She enjoys reading, road trips, good coffee, and conversation in her spare time.

About The Church

 Christopher Eshelman is the pastor of First United Methodist Church, Pat Harry is the organist and choir director, Sara Schnichels is the nursery coordinator, and Robert Wilson is the custodian.
Sunday school groups meet at 9:30 a.m. and Worship is at 10:30 a.m.
The church’s annual  Christmas Candlelight Service will feature communion and real candles again this year, at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

 

Outreach ministries of First United Methodist:
  •  Feeding Families in His Name is a free weekly meal that averages about 500 served a week, with help from other churches.
  • They provide water bottles available for homeless folks, supplied by a resident.
  • There is a Shepherd’s Center program to help encourage friendship and lifelong learning among older adults that features a variety of speakers: The 2024 schedule is coming soon!
  • Community events such as the Chuck Crain concert coming up on October 8th at 6 pm.
  • Trunk or Treat for Halloween
  • First Annual Nativity Festival, with displays of Nativities and Creche from around the world on Dec 1st and 2nd,
  • The church hosts community meetings for K-State Extension, Pioneer Kiwanis, various sewing groups, a support group for Grieving Mothers starting later this month, and CORE Community beginning in November.
  • Beginning the last Friday of October, the church will offer a soup lunch for freewill donations as a fundraiser.
For more information view its Facebook page or website www.firstumcfortscott.org!

Contact Information: info@firstumc.fortscott.org

Blessing Closet Open at Uniontown Baptist Church

First Missionary Baptist Church of Uniontown is located at the intersection of Maple Road and Hwy. 3 at 100 Fifth Street.
The Uniontown First Missionary Baptist Church (FMBC)has started a new service to their community.
“FMBC is a generous supporter of missions and we strive to
find opportunities to assist those in our community and beyond,” said Mission Board Chairwoman Marci Williams. “Hebrews 13:16 says ‘And do not forget to do good and share  with others, for which sacrifices God is pleased.’ The  current food pantry (was) located inside the church and (was) open one evening per month and by appointment.”
The church realized this was not convenient for everyone.
Beginning on September 15, the outside pantry, named the Blessing Closet, is available to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

 

The Blessing Closet is located in the alley on the east side of the church at 100 Fifth Street, Uniontown, behind this white door.
“This will be located on the east side of the church in the alley and can be accessed from an outside entrance anytime night or day.  We are hopeful this will benefit our community and increase our outreach efforts,” Williams said.
The church is located at 100 Fifth Street (also known as Maple Road in the county) at the intersection with Hwy. 3 on the town’s west side.
Food products such as canned goods, and boxed mixes (cake, Hamburger and Tuna Helper, etc.) will be in the closet.
In addition, the church believes there is a need to put personal care items in the Blessing Closet.
The contents of the Blessing Closet.
Personal care items such as deodorant, feminine hygiene products, shampoo, brushes, toilet paper, paper towels, soap, washcloths, and some laundry products.
“Motion lights will be located both inside and outside the closet for those who visit after dark,” she said.
The Blessing Closet is funded by our church through monthly offerings,” she said. “Many in our church have brought this project to completion.”
“Anyone in the area is welcome to utilize the Blessing Closet,” she said. “If  additional assistance is needed, please contact FMBC at 620-224-7438.”
The banner can be seen on Maple Road on the north side of the church.

New Play Equipment Installed at Third Street Park

Third Street Park is just east of Hwy. 69 past the railroad overpass on the south side of the street. This is a view from Wilson Street looking up the hill, taken in May 2022.

A park on Third Street is in the process of new playground equipment being installed and stairs have been completed for better access.

A Building Up Our Neighborhoods Placemaking project has already repaired the bathrooms and existing structures, including the basketball goal. Last week stairs were made from the upper level of the park to the lower level.

Rachel Carpenter. Submitted photo. 2023

This week additional playground structures will be installed and mulched, Rachel Carpenter, director, of the Healthy Bourbon Action Team (HBCAT), who is spearheading the project,  said.

Bales of mulch await the final installations of playground equipment at Third Street Park on Sept. 15.

A project that was identified by the community through public forums, surveys, and a steering committee is making enhancements to Third Street Park, located just east of the train tracks on Third Street, according to  Carpenter.

“The community members were able to develop priorities that they wanted to see happen at the park, Carpenter said in a press release. Those priorities are:

  • Fixing the bathrooms
  • Fixing the existing structures
  • Fixing the basketball goal
  • Adding additional playground structures
  • Adding stairs

“Fort Scott Pioneer Kiwanis provided volunteers to fix the existing structures, the basketball goals, and paint the bathrooms,” she said. “The City of Fort Scott provided an additional $10,000 that will go towards fixing up the bathrooms, fixing the pavilion floor, and surfacing for the existing structures.”

“This week Playscapes will be installing the new playground structures and putting down the rubber mulch surfacing,” she said. “The playground structures include a Temple Trolley, a Swizzler, and two bouncers.”

Mitch Welch, of Playscapes, Yates Center, puts up caution tape on Friday afternoon, Sept. 15, to keep people off the equipment that is being installed.

Marbery Concrete just constructed the concrete stairs that will allow community members to access the playground easier from the ballpark down the hill from the play area.

Tyler Sharp, Marbery Construction, Fort Scott, lays straw to prevent erosion following the building of the concrete stairs from the upper-level playground to the lower-level ball field at Third Street Park on Sept. 15.

“The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT) is addressing the Social Determinants of Health by building up Neighborhoods and Environment,” Carpenter said. “One tool to increase community vitality is through creative placemaking projects.”

“Through funding from Patterson Family Foundation and Blue Cross and Blue Shield Pathways to a Healthy Kansas, HBCAT started the Stronger Together: Building Up Our Neighborhoods placemaking projects.”

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team office phone number: is 620-215-2562 and is located at 104 N. National, Fort Scott.

 

 

 

New U234 Board Clerk: Candace Jobe

Candace Jobe. Submitted photo.

Candace Jobe, 37, has been the new MIS Clerk, Special Education Assistant, and U234 Board Clerk, since July 17.

“MIS and Special Education Assistant are the same thing,” she said. “I will be taking care of Paras and tracking training hours for them and helping our Special Education Teachers with various duties. Also, working in our Special Education Reporting Systems as well as assisting our Director, Tonya Barnes (she’s AMAZING) with any other tasks she has.”

USD 234 Board of Education Building, 424 S. Main

“For Board Clerk I will be attending all board meetings, working with the Superintendent and Board President, recording minutes from board meetings, acting as custodian of records, and other duties as assigned to the clerk,” she said.

She grew up in Uniontown, school K-12, and graduated in 2005. “Being a part of a school has been my whole life with my Mom, Rolene Lowry, being West Bourbon Elementary School Secretary for 31 years and my Dad, Leon Lowry, as a Bus Driver/Custodian for 38 years,” she said.  “I had the best of both worlds, working parents and stay-at-home parents. My brother also worked for the school district for over 10 years.”

After high school, she attended college in Oklahoma City and worked at the Bank of Oklahoma as a teller and then later in bond trading.

“We moved back closer to family and I worked at West Bourbon Elementary for the past nine years,” she said.

She and her husband, Joel, have two dogs, one of whom, Molly, gets to come to work with her every day.

“We are working towards her certification as a therapy dog and will be in the middle/high school to assist students and staff in any way needed,” she said.
“Being able to combine two things that I am VERY passionate about (kids and dogs) is something I can’t believe I get to do every day!”

“I am so thankful for the opportunity to work for USD 234,” she said. “Everyone has made me feel so welcomed and appreciated already. I don’t think any of the staff will ever know how much that has meant to me.”

New Presbyterian Village Director: Marla Heckman

Marla Heckman. Submitted photo.

Marla Heckman, 52, is the new Fort Scott Presbyterian Village Executive Director.

Heckman is new to Fort Scott.

“My husband, John,  was born in Fort Scott,” she said. ” We were planning on retiring and moving here someday.  There was some property that was going up for sale close to our family, so we decided to change our plans and move back sooner.”

Heckman started on September 5, 2023, as the   Executive Director, “overseeing this wonderful community.  I am so excited to work with the amazing TEAM here,” she said.

She received her education from the University of Oklahoma and is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator.

Heckman has 36 years in Healthcare-Independent Living, Assisted Living, Residential Care, Skilled Nursing, and Long-term Care.

“I served on the board for Care Providers Oklahoma, as well as, the Oklahoma State Department of Health Informal Dispute Resolution panel,” she said.

In her spare time she  “loves spending time with family and friends.”

“I have never lived anywhere but Oklahoma, so I am excited to start some new hobbies, maybe gardening and having some chickens,” she said. “I look forward to being involved in the community and helping whenever possible.”

She has four children and 13 grandchildren.

 

Presbyterian Village, 2401 S. Horton, Fort Scott.

Heckman replaces Ginger Nance as the executive director.

 

Post visit from the American Legion National Commander Daniel J. Seehafer

 

 

Who: Thompson-Harkey American Legion Post #25

When: September 20th, 2023, at 9:15 a.m. There will be a Reception for the Commander. Refreshments and light snacks will be available.

Where: Memorial Hall, 1 East Third Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701.

The General Public is encouraged to attend.

Daniel J. Seehafer was elected national commander of The American Legion on Aug. 31, 2023, in Charlotte, N.C., during the 104th national convention. Seehafer likes to say, “It’s personal,” when it comes to The American Legion’s mission of serving veterans and their families. He is continuing the theme of “Be the One,” to prevent veteran suicide.

An ordained minister from Wisconsin, he earned his American Legion eligibility through service in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve, where he served as a military chaplain. A member of American Legion Post 157 in Horicon, Wis., Seehafer served in a number of American Legion offices at every level, including national chaplain and commander of the Department of Wisconsin.

Born and raised in Merrill, Wis., he lettered in cross-country track while in high school and later received a bachelor’s degree in pastoral ministry from Concordia University and a Master of Divinity at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Seehafer was installed as assistant pastor of St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Horicon in 1997 and continues to serve as administrative pastor of the church and its school. His American Legion post was recognized for “100 percent” and “All-Time High” in membership during his terms as commander and adjutant. Other honors include District Commander’s New Post Achievement Award, Silver Brigade, and Post 157 Legionnaire of the Year.

In 2023, Seehafer earned an Outstanding Heroism Award for administering the Heimlich maneuver to a choking victim at an American Legion dinner.

National Commander Seehafer and his wife, Stacey, who is a member of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 157, live in Beaver Dam, Wis. Dan’s son, Jacob, and daughter, Emma, are also members of the Post 157 family. Dan is the son of the late Lester Seehafer and Jean Sabatke.

Media Contact: Jessica Allison, Commander, American Legion Post #25. 620-224-4733, [email protected]

 

Fort Scott’s New Community Development Director: Mary Wyatt

Mary Wyatt, 37, is the new Fort Scott Community Development Director, with an office located at City Hall.

City Manager Brad Matkin said that the city had a community development director four years ago and believes the position is important.

Fort Scott City Hall.

In her job, she will involved in projects for community venues such as the golf course, airport, Memorial Hall, Buck Run Community Center, Lake Fort Scott, LaRoche Stadium, and the Heathly Bourbon County Actions Team’s Downtown Arch Project.

Additionally, she will be working with Bourbon County Regional Economic Development and representing Fort Scott in Topeka, City Manager  Matkin said.

“I sit on some event planning committee boards and volunteer for community events like the Gordon Parks Festival, and will be the facilitator for the city meetings of several advisory boards,” she said. “I research and apply for grant funding to make improvements to our community, I also assist our City Manager  and Tourism Department on projects.”

“Her personality will be a great fit for not only our staff but with the citizens of Fort Scott,” Matkin said. “She is from Fort Scott and knows what the citizens want and need. She has goals set for herself and is a self-starter and that is very important in a position like this.”

She graduated from Fort Scott High School and Missouri State University with a bachelor’s in Health and Human Services

I worked over a decade of my career at Medplans/Firstsource here in Fort Scott as a Claims Analyst, then promoted to Quality Analyst, four years of my career at Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott and Olathe Health as an Insurance Specialist, then promoted to Patient Access Supervisor,” she said.  “Most recently my husband and I started our own business in June of 2022, Wyatt’s HVAC & Home Solutions, LLC.”

“Going back to school to get my college degree was where I found my passion and niche in public health and safety,” she said.

“My husband David and I have two children, ” she said. “Our son Daxton just turned 15 and is a freshman at Fort Scott High School, he plays soccer for the Fort Scott Tigers. Our daughter Alayna is 12 years old and is in 7th grade at Fort Scott Middle School and plays volleyball there.”

My birthday is on Halloween, so I’m into all things spooky… Halloween, fall candles, scary movies, fall festivals, pumpkin patches, and Halloween costumes of course!” she said.  “I’m also signing up to volunteer to help the Chamber of Commerce out with our Fall Festival here in town. I love to cook and bake, and I love crafting as well.”

Matkin said Wyatt stood out from the other candidates because she has dealt with the public, has been in management, and has experience working on saving time, money, and resources.

I have a very strong and innate sense of empathy and compassion for all people of all backgrounds who are struggling, misunderstood, marginalized, and underrepresented,” she said.

She has lived in Fort Scott most of her life.

“That helps me to connect to and understand the needs of many different groups of people here,” she said. “This job entails a lot of meetings, research, number crunching, data, financial analysis, etc. that’s necessary to get the job done, but what gets me out of bed every day is my love and empathy for our community.”

“I also bring determination and perseverance to this position with the city and I’m not afraid of digging into hard work to get things accomplished. I come from a long line of blue-collar, salt of the earth, came up from nothing, earn-every-penny-we’ve-ever-had type of a family.”

“I have been on my own and working full-time since I was 17 years old, she said. “I haven’t had an easy life, I’ve had to work hard, fail, try again, fail, get up, and keep trying to accomplish my goals, but one thing about me, I never give up. I will never stop working towards making the City of Fort Scott a better place to live for our citizens. I will never throw in the towel, I will always get up every time I’m knocked down, and I will contribute everything I have in me in my time here with the city, to work towards a healthier and happier future for our community.”

Matkin decided not to fill the FS Human Resource Director position, instead spreading that out throughout the staff, “so the money from that position will fund the Community Development Director position. I will continue doing some of the delicate HR functions as well as my City Manager functions.”

The salary for the Fort Scott Community Development position is $52,500 – $70,000 range, he said.

 

 

 

Former Mercy Building Now SEK Mental Health and Ashley Clinic

Sites B and C are now for the SEKMHC.

Yesterday, September 11, a mental health and medical care clinic opened in the former Mercy Hospital building.

“All services with Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center will now be offered at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd.,” said Dawne Burchett, SEKMHC Manager of Prevention and Promotion. “We are very excited!”

The center will be serving from Suites B and C and hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Contact: 620.223.5030.

Crisis services are available 24/7 at 1-866-973-2241.

The Ashley Clinic is providing clinic service in Suite A.

The Ashley Clinic has had two doctors seeing patients in Suite A since the summer.

Dr. Jason Robinson, a urologist, has been seeing patients in Fort Scott since 2016. Starting in August, he has seen patients on the first Wednesday and the second Friday of each month.

Dr. Yi Ying Law, a general surgeon,  started seeing patients in July in Fort Scott in the afternoon on the second and fourth Monday of each month.

Contact information for them is: 620-431-2500

Partners in Health Care

Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center (SEKMHC) and Ashley Clinic joined to create a more accessible, efficient, and effective model of care for the citizens of Kansas, according to a previous press release.  The focus: leading integrated, whole-person care and breaking down barriers for patients.

One of the most challenging aspects of whole-person wellness is that individuals often see providers for their physical and mental health in different locations with different systems of care, according to a prior press release. With this partnership,  there can be continuity of care where all providers can work as a team to help people achieve better health outcomes.

In the ever-changing healthcare environment, SEKMHC and Ashley Clinic are committed to providing resources to their employees and becoming a preferred employer in the community, according to the release.

Ashley Clinic

Ashley Clinic, founded by Dr. Samuel Ashley and his son Dr. George “Ed” Ashley in 1938, has a long-standing history of making quality healthcare accessible in Southeast Kansas. Services provided include e-visits, convenient care clinics, laboratory services, imaging services, immunizations, diabetes education, specialty clinics, sneak peek 3D/4D sonograms, and a pharmacy with locations in Chanute and Humboldt.

SEKMHC

Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center, established in 1961 as a non-profit organization, employs evidence-based practices and a whole-person approach to provide individualized treatment to clients for better overall health. They offer services and programs in the following counties: Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Linn, Neosho, and Woodson. SEKMHC has offices in seven southeast Kansas communities: Iola, Chanute, Humboldt, Fort Scott, Pleasanton, Garnett, and Yates Center.

Core services include outpatient psychiatry, therapy, consultation, chemical abuse counseling, addiction counseling, case management, educational and skill-building groups, specialty training, physical healthcare coordination, and 24/7 crisis intervention services.

SEKMHC became a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) in 2022. Find more information at sekmhc.org

 

 

New WBE Part-Time Principal: Anita Lightcap

Anita Lightcap is the new part-time West Bourbon Elementary School Principal in Uniontown.

“I started at WBE the first week of August,” she said. “I work Thursday and Friday and every other Wednesday. Mr. Tracy Smith works Monday and Tuesday and every other Wednesday.”

West Bourbon Elementary School, Uniontown, KS

She retired in July 2021 from Tahlequah Public Schools in Tahlequah, Oklahoma as the Executive Director of Elementary Education. Tahlequah is a 6A school district and home to the Cherokee Nation.

Lightcap received her bachelor’s degree from St. Mary of the Plains in Dodge City and a master’s from Arkansas State University.

She taught school in Dodge City USD 443 at the high school level and the elementary level before returning to her hometown of Tahlequah to finish her career.

“I believe the best thing about a career in education is knowing that you are helping educate the leaders of tomorrow,” she said. “Few things in life compare to seeing a child’s eyes light up in that moment that they understand a concept that’s being taught.”

Another great thing is “helping students see themselves as learners and having a growth mindset, believing that they can improve through effort and persistence,” she said.

The greatest challenge in education is meeting the needs of all students with the available resources, she said.

Lightcap lives just outside Kincaid.

New Bo Co Undersheriff: Kevin Davidson

Kevin Davidson, 50, will step into new duties officially as the Bourbon County Undersheriff on September 18.

As the next in line, under Bourbon County Sheriff Bill Martin, Davidson’s duties are monitoring the day-to-day activities of the sheriff’s office, along with scheduling of personnel.

“Generally, keeping the train on the track,” he said.

There are currently 19 employees in the sheriff’s office.

Davidson enjoys “getting to make a difference in the community, bringing a positive attitude in law enforcement. Trying to make the community a safe place for our kids.”

He became a narcotics detective in October 2021.

He says he works with some good colleagues, and they “have been able to eliminate a lot of narcotics in the community. Recently they helped take out 10,000 fentanyl pills in Crawford County that had connections to coming back to Bourbon County.”

Davidson’s office is at the Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center, 293 E. 20th, Fort Scott. The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office phone number is 620 223-1440.

The jail is known as the Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center, Fort Scott.

He graduated from Pleasanton High School, attended Highland Junior College where he played football, and attended Pittsburg State University for a period.

Davidson has been in law enforcement since June 2014 at the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office, then the Fort Scott Police Department, then returned to the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office.

He has five children.

Davidson is replacing Ben Cole as the undersheriff.

 

 

 

 

Nance Shifts Careers as of Sept. 15

Ginger Nance. 2023. Submitted photo.

Ginger Nance has been the Executive Director at the Fort Scott Presbyterian Village for 20 years.

“My last working day at the Village is scheduled for Sept 15th as I will be retiring… and shifting my focus to care for others in a new, different career way,” she said.

Presbyterian Village, 2401 S. Horton, Fort Scott.

The executive director’s job entailed leading and directing all operations of the site: budgeting, marketing, fundraising, staffing, resident care, dining and environmental services, policy and regulations, and “extending a helping hand to anyone in need,” she said.

“The very best thing about the job, hands down, is that it gives me the ability to make lasting, meaningful, relationships with people from all walks of life,” she said.  “Getting the chance to meet new people and rekindle relationships with others whom I’ve known since childhood is wonderful!”

A challenge for Nance was the pandemic.

“As with any occupation, there are always challenges,” Nance said.  “One of the biggest challenges during my career was managing all the issues surrounding the COVID pandemic in senior living.  Probably my best and my worst attribute, at the same time, is that I care so much about our seniors and the families that we serve.”

During these years of COVID, the state and federal governments set many extreme restrictions to protect the resident’s lives.

“For a long period during the pandemic, senior living organizations were mandated to not allow people to enter the building for any reason,” she said. “This was heartbreaking to all!  We worked as a team and included the families in trying to come up with solutions so they could still be involved and active in their loved ones’ lives.”

” For the first time in senior living, we learned to use Facetime…and sent out weekly communication updates to family members.”

“We created visiting areas with glass separations that were heated using amplified microphones for the hearing impaired. We set up the spaces so they could enjoy a meal together, a cup of hot chocolate, or whatever they desired to do during their visits.”

“I have never been more challenged, yet so very proud, of the amazing team that we have at the Presbyterian Village!” Nance said. Before the pandemic, during the pandemic, and every day since it ended, I am reminded of how fortunate Fort Scott is to have the Presbyterian Village in our community, as I watch the team at the Village care for our seniors. Their care and commitment go far beyond receiving a paycheck. I’m so very thankful that I could be part of such a great team for so many years.”

New Career

Nance feels the time is now to step out in faith in a new career to help people differently.

She has had conversations with senior citizens living in their homes, isolated, feeling helpless, because their physical condition wouldn’t allow them to get outside or even move about easily in their own homes.

“Often the senior would express… that one of the biggest barriers to the idea of making a move to downsize and either move to a smaller, more manageable home, or an assisted living was the idea that they didn’t even know where to begin,” she said.

They didn’t know how to go about downsizing their belongings and/or selling their home, which would stop them, due to fear or physical inability, she said.

“I understand their fears and their concerns and I would like to be available to help people through this process in a kind, patient, understanding way, always keeping them in the driver’s seat every step of the way,” she said.

“For this reason, I am currently offering my services as a ‘Rightsizing Specialist,’ to help seniors and other adults with these types of issues they are facing,” she said.

Services she will offer the community is downsizing, upsizing, or simply “right-sizing” to find a home that meets the current needs of their life.

“We all know that one shoe doesn’t fit all and my goal is to offer my assistance on an individualized basis for each person,” she said.  “The options: live auction, estate/tag sales, private sales to individuals,  charity donations, assistance with packing, boxing, and the moving process, as well as assistance with buying and selling your home, if desired.”

She is licensed in both Kansas and Missouri and recently joined the Stutesman’s Action Realty team, with offices located in Fort Scott, Nevada, and Lamar, Missouri.

“I very much want to remain active in my hometown, where my family roots are, and I want to continue to build lasting relationships with people from all walks of life,” she said. “The passion I have to help others is the fuel that continues to drive me as I work to build a new business line to offer to our community.  If you know someone who could benefit from my help, please give me a call, and let’s talk (620) 224-6173.”