From left: Blair Felt, Cathy Werling, and Megan Felt sign Mommy Who Was Irena Sendler? books Sept. 19.
Irena Sendler’s story is so inspiring and yet so very sad.
The Polish social worker smuggled Jewish children to safe places as the Jews were being annihilated by the Nazis in World War II.
The story was discovered by three Uniontown High School students 20 years ago and changed the lives of all involved.
Sept. 19 the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, one of the outshoots of that discovery of Sendler’s story, hosted a book signing.
The book is entitled Mommy Who Was Irena Sendler? by local children’s author Cathy Werling. It is a book that explains the story in a way children can understand.
The book depicts Megan Felt, who was one of the students who discovered Sendler, telling the heartbreaking story one woman’s courage, to her daughter Blair.
“I try to spark conversations,” Werling said. “My books are ones that parents read to their children and answer some of the questions.”
Mommy Who Was Irena Sendler? is the third children’s book in her series about humble heroes.
Werling believes that by sharing these stories, it helps children understand the power of one person to make a positive difference in the world around them.
A panel in the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes tells how Sendler smuggled out the children.A panel in the Lowell Milken Center tells how the center came about.To preserve Sendler’s legacy several books have been written, a Hallmark movie was made and her story is still being depicted in a short play performed around the world.Kellye Barrows and Becky Tourtillot wait in line Sept. 19 to purchase the book Mommy Who Was Irena Sendler? Once purchased, books were then signed by the author, Cathy Werling and the characters depicted in the book, Megan Felt and her daughter, Blair.
The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes is located in downtown Fort Scott, Kansas at the corner of Wall and Main Street.
For more information:
620-223-1312, or view its Facebook page or the website
Doug Guns, Woodland Hill Golf Course Superintendent started his job Sept. 16, 2019.
Woodland Hills Golf Course Superintendent Doug Guns is 42 years old and has been in the golf business since he was 19.
“So that’s 23 years,” Guns said. “I was going to college and needed a summer job. A local golf club needed help at the clubhouse. I learned all about the maintenance of the greens.”
He attended West Virginia University at Parkersburg and Pennsylvania State University.
“I started as an art major and when I got into golf, I switched majors to plant-soil sciences,” Guns said. “The last two courses have been business management classes online from Penn State.”
He started as Woodland Hills Golf Course Superintendent on Sept. 16, after being at Girard’s golf course for four seasons.
Doug Guns sits in one of the 30 golf carts available for rent to the public.
His duties include equipment maintenance, irrigation maintenance, supervising personnel, public relations and “Keeping the greens healthy,” he said.
“It’s like an ecosystem, each part of the course has different soil qualities,” Guns said.
Jon Kindlesparger, the current superintendent, is staying on until the end of the year to help the transition, he will then retire.
“It’s nice having his knowledge and experience here,” Guns said.
Guns lives in Girard.
The bulletin board at the Woodland Hills Club House lists the costs of playing golf at the club.
Golf carts that can be rented are lined up near the entrance to the Woodland Hills Golf Clubhouse.
Busy Season at Woodland Hills
The next few weeks are busy on the course:
The Kruger Golf Classic is Sept. 21, with registration at 7 a.m. It is a four-person scramble. Contact James Wood, 224-9687 or Les Russell, 215-3199.
The Special Olympics of Kansas Benefit Golf Scramble is Sept. 28. The cost is $50 person and is a four-person scramble, sponsored by the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office. Contact Steve Anthony at 215-2392 or Ben Cole at 223-1440.
The Elks Lodge Benefit Tournament is Oct. 5 with an 11 a.m. registration. This is to benefit the Christmas baskets the lodge distributes each year. Cost is $60 per person. Contact the lodge at 223-5821.
The Fort Scott High School, Uniontown High School, and Fort Scott Community College golf teams use the course daily, Shannon O’Neil, clubhouse manager said.
On Oct. 14-15, regional high school tournaments will be held at the course, with the outcome deciding who goes to state in golf, he said.
O’Neil offers lessons in an annual junior golf camp in June and July.
He also does private lessons for both adults and children.
There have been two major updates at Woodland Hills in the last few years: a new clubhouse was built in 2015-16, and a new golf cart barn built in 2018.
Fort Scott Public Library Youth Librarian Valetta Cannon interacts with storytime children as they help present an action poem about mermaids. The children pictured, left to right, are Blakely Graham, Amelia Chaplin, Marlie Seaver, and Deacon Davied. Photo by Jamie Graham.
Storytime at the Fort Scott Public Library is offered two times a week.
“Storytime offers families early literacy skill-building, group interaction, and more through identical, themed weekly story hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m,” Valetta Cannon, youth librarian, said.
During a typical storytime, Miss Val reads two to three stories, sings and shares fingerplays with the children, and guides them through creative play, a craft project, and a snack.
Children are able to request favorite themes for future storytimes as well.
Fort Scott Rotary Members sing the Rotary anthem before the meeting on Sept. 18.
Rotary is a service organization of approximately 47 people, Rhonda Dunn president of the Fort Scott Club, said.
“We share a dedication to the ideal of service above self,” she said. To this end, Rotary has been at the forefront of fighting against a disease.
“Rotary International has helped eradicate polio worldwide, the most in third-world countries,” Dunn said.
Dunn hams it up while singing the Rotary Club song.
Locally they support numerous clubs and organizations and also award a local high school student with a scholarship.
Every Wednesday they gather in the basement of the Presbyterian Church, Third and Crawford street, for a lunch meeting from noon to 1 p.m.
Greetings, songs, and announcements begin the meeting, followed by an invited speaker sharing information of local interest.
On Sept. 18, a little less than 20 of their 47 members were present.
This month there is a cup on the table to be passed around for a donation to the Fort Scott High School Pantry, which provides food and clothing for students at the high school.
Every two months a different organization is benefitted from this type of donation including the Riverfront Festival, the Beacon, Care to Share, Good Ol’ Days and the Presbyterian Good Samaritan Fund.
Jane Njeri Lifer smiles following the naturalization ceremony in 2017. In her hand is the certificate of naturalization. Lifer is a Fort Scott resident.
What has become an annual Fort Scott event since 2011 each September is a chance to see people from all parts of the globe become citizens of the United States.
The Naturalization Ceremony, as it’s called, will be at 10:30 a.m. on the grounds of the Fort Scott National Historic Site, just off the north end of Main Street.
Fort Scott National Historic Site
The naturalization ceremony involves a judge introducing the group of new citizens and a ceremony where they swear allegiance to their new country. The full program and words to that allegiance are at the bottom of this story.
” Last year we had 95 new citizens from 35 countries,” Carl Brenner from the Fort Scott National Historic Site said. “This year we are expecting about 120 new citizens.”
It is also a time of reflection, music, documents handed out, registering to vote for the new citizens, followed by a communal meal at the Fort for them and their families.
A bird’s eye view of voter registration following the naturalization ceremony. The League of Women Voters, Johnson County, provided the resources for the registration.
The United States District Court for the District of Kansas is the official government office holding the event.
The Honorable Teresa J. James, United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Kansas, will preside over the ceremony.
Fort Scott High School musicians play patriotic music.All the citizens are introduced to the audience, one by one.
This year, the speaker is Dr. Leo Oliva.
Dr. Oliva is a Kansas Historian, author and former professor of history at Fort Hays State University, Betty Boyko, Superintendent of FSNHS, said.
The event is open to the public.
In case of rain or other inclement weather, the ceremony will be held at Fort Scott Memorial Hall.
FSNHS Superintendent Betty Boyko welcomes the crowd to the fort grounds in this 2016 photo.The PSU ROTC presents the flags of America and Kansas during the ceremony in 2015.
The program:
There will be music provided by the Fort Scott High School Orchestra.
Then a welcome by Betty Boyko, Fort Scott National Historic Site and Dave Martin, City of Fort Scott.
The official court proceeding will be opened by U.S. District Court Deputy Carol Kuhl.
Followed by the presentation of the Colors by Pittsburg State University Army ROTC.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” will be played by the FSHS Orchestra.
The new citizens will be welcomed by Judge James.
“America: Sweet Land of Liberty” arranged by Michael Story will be played by the FSHS Orchestra.
The new citizens will be introduced by John King, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, then led in the recitation of the Oath of Citizenship by Carol Kuhl, Courtroom Deputy.
“America the Beautiful” will be performed by the FSHS Orchestra and Choir, followed by remarks by James.
The group will then hear from Leo E. Oliva, who is a Kansas historian.
The Pledge of Allegiance will be led by the FSHS Choir.
Closing remarks will be by Judge James.
The new citizens and their families will be offered a complimentary lunch in the Grand Hall provided by the Friends of Fort Scott NHS, Inc.
The following is the oath that the new citizens take:
United States of America Oath of Allegiance
I, _________________________ hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.
For people who want to improve flexibility and strength fitness, Up Dog Yoga begins classes at 12B North Main (just north of Country Cupboard) on Oct. 1.
Regina Casner stands in front of her new fitness center site, 12B North Main Street, north of the Country Cupboard store. Casner has a degree in fitness management and is a certified yoga teacher.
Regina Casner of Mound City has started yoga classes and cardio classes in Fort Scott.
The name Up Dog Yoga comes from “a yoga pose where your heart is open,” Casner said. “It’s a fun name, yoga should be fun.”
Up Dog Yoga offers both yoga and cardio workout classes every day except Friday and Sunday each week.
Classes cost $45 per month for unlimited classes, until Oct. 1, then it will go to $55 per month.
“You can get a class package or membership,” she said.
Classes offered are:
B Strong
“In B Strong, every class begins slowly, awakening all the major muscle groups while focusing on breath awareness,” she said. “You will move through a series of sweat-producing cardio and strength intervals timed to music. As your heart rate rises and falls you will surpass your physical and mental limits, revealing a new and empowered mind-body connection. Modifications are given so this is an all levels (of fitness) class.”
Power Basics
“Everyone needs to start somewhere,” she said. ” Whether you are new to yoga or just need some time to ease back into your practice, this class is for you!”
Power Stretch
“This class is for all runners, cyclers, all-day sitters, cross-fitters and never-quitters,” Casner said. “Whether you are training for a big event or sit behind a desk all-day this class if for you! These classes emphasize floor postures to stretch, open and release the major muscle groups of the entire body. Benefits of this style of classes include fewer injuries, improved sleep, and reduced aches and pains.”
Journey to Power
“Baptiste Power Vinyasa: Sweat. Flow. Transform. A dynamic practice that is the perfect blend of sweat, strength and power.”
Fitness Class Teaching for Over 25 Years
Casner has a bachelors in science degree from Pittsburg State University, majoring in recreation therapy and fitness management.
“I started teaching fitness classes my junior year in college, so around 1994,” Casner said.
“I am a Registered Yoga Teacher, certified Baptiste Power Yoga Teacher, certified American Council on Exercise Group Exercise, and Spin certification,” she said.
She just completed a tenure at Kansas University’s Recreation and Fitness Center as the Fitness and Wellness Coordinator.
“Yoga is an amazing tool that improves your strength, your flexibility and the way you move and feel in your body,” she said. “Yoga also can be a tool to help you experience more calm and focus. I am passionate about sharing yoga with others and Fort Scott is close to home and full of amazing people—so why not start classes?”
Currently, she is meeting at I Am Rehab but is moving to the new space on Oct. 1.
Casner also offers faith-based health coaching online for an 8-week course called “Journey into Balance.”
“We cover eight health habits to restore health and hormones to help balance hormones, sleep better, decrease negative stress and get rid of cravings,” Casner said.
Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park to Open October 12
Topeka, KS – The wait is finally over. The Nature Conservancy and Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks & Tourism (KDWPT) announce the much-anticipated Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park will open on Saturday, October 12. Located in southern Logan County, Little Jerusalem is easily accessed from Interstate 70 and U.S. Highway 83. A grand opening celebration with speeches and a ribbon cutting will take place at 10:00 a.m. The two permanent trails will open after the ceremony and close at sundown, approximately 7:00 p.m. Free snacks and water will be available.
Grand opening activities include free, guided tours departing from the parking lot on Saturday at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. Space for the guided tours is limited and advance registration at nature.org/littlejerusalem is required. All visitors may hike the two permanent trails at Little Jerusalem at their own pace. The Overlook Trail extends one-quarter mile along a crushed rock surface to a scenic viewpoint. The Life on the Rocks Trail winds 1.5 miles along the rim of the formations from which visitors can enjoy a variety of views and two scenic overlooks. Visitors are not allowed off-trail unless accompanied by park staff on a guided tour.
The 332-acre area encompasses 220 acres of dramatic chalk rock formations and is owned by The Nature Conservancy, a global non-profit conservation organization. Beyond the impressive scenic views, the area serves as nesting habitat for ferruginous hawks and is home to rare plants. Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park was established by the Kansas Legislature in 2018 after The Nature Conservancy partnered with KDWPT to have the area designated as a state park. Together, the organizations developed two trails, parking and additional infrastructure at the park. A long-term agreement allows KDWPT to manage outdoor recreational activities in a manner that protects the fragile rocks while The Nature Conservancy continues to own the land and manage the natural resources.
“The Nature Conservancy’s chief purposes for Little Jerusalem are, first, to protect the pristine natural features and, second, to provide opportunities for people to enjoy the natural beauty of the area,” said Conservancy director Rob Manes. “Striking that balance took time and we are confident that the partnership between The Nature Conservancy and KDWPT provides the public with the best possible experience. We can’t wait to share Little Jerusalem with everyone next month.”
“From the start, we’ve envisioned this property as a special kind of state park, where natural resource conservation is the highest priority,” agrees Linda Lanterman, KDWPT state parks director. “That means that public interaction with the landscape will necessarily be limited to only activities that have the least impact. We’ve struck a great balance with the trails that allow visitors to experience a diversity of views.”
After the grand opening, Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park will be open to visitors from sunrise to sunset daily, all year round. Visitors will be required to purchase a daily vehicle permit, currently $5, at the park or have an annual Kansas state parks vehicle pass. Guided tours provided by KDWPT staff will be available by appointment.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in 72 countries, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org or follow @nature_press on Twitter. In Kansas, the Conservancy has protected 140,000 acres of the state’s most ecologically important lands and waters. To learn more, visit www.nature.org/kansas.
The mission of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) is to conserve and enhance Kansas’ natural heritage, its wildlife and its habitats to assure future generations the benefits of the state’s diverse, living resources. The Department also strives to provide opportunities to use and appreciate the state’s natural resources. The Department provides opportunities to promote diverse communities, natural assets, and the State of Kansas as a tourism destination. It is a cabinet-level agency with a Secretary appointed by the Governor of Kansas. A seven-member, bipartisan commission, also appointed by the Governor, advises the Secretary and approves regulations governing outdoor recreation and fish and wildlife resources in Kansas. Visit KSOutdoors.com or TravelKS.com for more information.
Aaron Judy began his business, H2 Painting LLC, earlier this year.
“I started working in 8th grade at Max’s Way Station (Restaurant) washing dishes, and I’ve had a job ever since,” Judy said. ” I’ve spent my whole adult life working for someone. After five years at Timken (Company), my family and I decided that Friday was my last day of making money for someone else and putting my own business to the side… I decided to finally take the leap and become fully self-employed! I look forward to embracing it and working just as hard as I was for customers!”
“I began painting in the last few years, but officially began my business as H2 Painting in early 2019,” Judy said.
“I saw a need for painting in this area, and an opportunity for me to go ahead and start my business officially,” he said. “It’s fulfilling to see people enjoy their home or business again, or maybe more than they ever have after they see it repainted.”
“I provide interior and exterior painting in residential or commercial settings,” Judy said.
Aaron Judy paints a sign in Fort Scott
He also provides metal building or barn painting, power washing and soft washing services, along with parking lot lining.
“I have done quite a few residential and commercial repaints,” he said. “I am currently getting more involved in new construction and commercial painting job settings and expanding our range and business rapidly.”
“I try to provide a quality job with an affordable price for my customers,” he said.
Judy is the owner and operator, who hires part-time time employees when necessary, depending on the job.
It all began 20 years ago, when an assignment from a local high school history teacher changed the lives of many people, including an unsung hero.
Irena Sendler was a Polish Catholic social worker, who risked her own life to rescue a significant number of Jewish children during WWII.
Her story was unknown to the public for 60 years until three high school students from Uniontown, Kansas uncovered its details in September of 1999 and shared Irena’s story with the world, according to a press release from the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes.
Sendler died in 2008 but not before meeting the teacher and three students who discovered her story.
Twenty years ago this week, Life in a Jar: the Irena Sendler Project was started by Uniontown High School students Elizabeth Cambers Hutton, Sabrina Coons Murphy, and Megan Stewart Felt in Norm
Conard’s high school history class, according to the press release.
Megan Felt has gone on to become the program director of the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, while the former history teacher, Norm Conard, has become the executive director.
“The Life in a Jar Project and Irena Sendler’s story has completely changed my life,” Felt said. “I have learned a powerful history, met wonderful people, received scholarships and support to complete both of my college degrees, and changed my career path so I can help others have the special experiences I have had.”
“Those who have been involved in the project over the last 20 years realize we all have a responsibility to make a positive difference in the world around us,” she said. “I am so grateful for that day in 1999 when we started this incredible journey of bringing Irena’s story to the world.”
Throughout the last 20 years, the play has been performed more than 375 times with more than 50 students involved in the project.
The performances have been all across the United States, Canada, and Poland.
The www.irenasendler.org website that the students created has had more than 50 million hits, according to the press release.
The center continues the encouragement of searching for unsung heroes.
A Celebration
The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes is pleased to announce the 20th Anniversary Commemoration of Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project.
On September 19 from 3:30 –5:30 p.m. at the Lowell Milken Center, 1 South Main Street in Fort Scott, there will be a special book
signing for Mommy, Who Was Irena Sendler?
Even after the story became known, that emotional connection of Irena’s story continues to reach across generations, according to the press release.
Megan’s daughter, Blair, also learned a life-changing lesson from both the courage of Irena Sendler’s selfless acts and those of
her own mother’s determination to share Irena’s story, according to the press release.
The Lowell Milken Center is located at the corner of First and Wall Streets.
The book, available in paperback for $9.95, can be purchased and signed by the author and two of the characters featured in the story, Felt and her 9-year-old daughter, Blair.
Megan Felt and her daughter, Blair, help tell the story of Irena Sendler’s courage in a new book written by Cathy Werling. Submitted photo.
Their goal of making Irena Sendler’s story known to the world continues.
Life in a Jar: the Irena Sendler Project by Jack Mayer is also available during the book signing. This is the story of the students’ discovery of Irena Sendler and her efforts to save the Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto.
Cathy Werling is a local children’s book author at the Lowell Milken Center For Unsung Heroes in Fort Scott.
Cathy Werling, the author of Mommy, Who Was Irena Sendler? is an award-winning elementary educator from Fort Scott. Her passion for helping students develop positive character traits and seek out worthy role models led to her part-time work at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes.
Through her series of books, four so far, about these humble heroes, Cathy hopes to inspire elementary children to realize that they, too,
have the power every day to make a difference in the lives of those around them.
About the Lowell Milken Center
The Lowell Milken Center is a non-profit 501 c (3) that works with students and educators within a range of diverse academic disciplines, to develop projects focused on unsung heroes. Once their projects are finished, the center advocates for the student’s unsung heroes by sharing them in its’ Hall of Unsung Heroes or the center’s website so people all over the world discover their individual influence and obligation to take actions that improve the lives of others.
The Hall of Unsung Heroes is located in Southeast Kansas and showcases some of the top projects developed in collaboration with the center.
