Submitted by Marie Jensen, April 15

On Thursday, April 14, 2016, Fort Scott’s newest assisted living residence, Country Place Senior Living, began construction. Weather permitting, Country Place Senior Living is expected to be complete in late 2016 or early 2017.

Each of the 26 suites in the Country Place Senior Living assisted living residence will be equipped with a fully accessible private bathroom, large sitting and sleeping areas and a hospitality kitchen. In addition to the private living suites, the residence will included a large dining area, indoor and outdoor social areas, a respite care suite, library, commercial kitchen facilities, an interior concrete reinforced storm shelter and countless other amenities.

The general contractor for the project is Loyd Builders, Ottowa, Kan. Loyd Builders has previously partnered with Neighborhood Senior Living, LLC, the developers of Country Place residences, on Country Place Memory Care of Fort Scott, Country Place Senior Living of Chanute and Country Place Memory Care of Chanute.

To learn more about Country Place Memory Care or Country Place Senior Living, please call Marie Jensen, Marketing Coordinator at 913-638-0377, visit us online at www.countryplaceliving.com or on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/countryplacefortscott.

After providing car services from a mobile unit for the past few years, Leroy Walker and others with CarHelp Mobile Mechanic, LLC, celebrated the opening of their new location at 1114 S. Clark Street Saturday with a ribbon-cutting event and open house.

Walker said he first started his business with a pickup and a toolbox, but has since expanded to include two mobile trailer units as well as “The Shop” that opened in the past couple months. And Walker said he did so without credit.

“It’s already booming,” Walker said of their business, which has already begun turning a profit. “Fort Scott has been absolutely wonderful.”

Walker said Fort Scott has already become like a family for him as he provides services to the community through car repair and maintenance, whether at the customers home or at “The Shop,” and even helps inspect used vehicles someone might be considering purchasing.

“We’re so excited,” Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsay Madison said before the ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday, congratulating Walker. “Thank you for everything you’ve done to be involved n the chamber and the community.”

Saturday’s open house also included lunch provided by 5 Corners, numerous drawing prizes and KOMB radio on site.

Despite changes over the years because of health restraints for the owner as well as a change in location, Sunshine Boutique continues to sell a variety of items and provide a number of services to their visitors.

“This is a family affair,” owner Georgia Brown said during the weekly Chamber Coffee Thursday, explaining she and her granddaughter Kinede Houdashelt run the business. “We’ve always been a family-oriented business.”

The boutique is open limited hours each week because of other employment responsibilities, with the doors open 3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, but faithfully provides a wide selection of greeting cards, gift items, therapy products and more than 40 flavors of gourmet coffees as well as about 20 chai tea flavors and a number of dip and soup mixes.

With high school proms and Mother’s Day approaching, Brown also pointed out that the Sunshine Boutique provides tuxedo and suit rentals, fresh and silk floral arrangements and a number of ideal gifts for mothers.

“I think we’ve really got some neat stuff right now,” Brown said, saying she enjoys meeting people at her place of business and finding out what they are interested in.

The boutique, located in the oldest building in downtown Fort Scott, also rents out upstairs apartments, which Brown says are currently filled.

“We’re so lucky to have them,” Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsay Madison said of Sunshine Boutique, adding they would like to see more businesses join them in the downtown area.

Other announcements concerning upcoming events in Fort Scott included:

• CarHelp Mobile Mechanic’s ribbon-cutting and grand opening open house will be held Saturday, with the ribbon-cutting at 10:45 a.m. and activities and food to follow, including drawings held throughout the event. The open house will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1114 S. Clark Street.
• The Good Neighbor Action Team will hold one of their first organizational meetings of the season Tuesday at 5 p.m., at City Hall unless informed otherwise. Anyone interested in becoming involved is encouraged to attend the meeting.
• Mercy Convenient Care will host a DEA drug take-back event Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mercy, in conjunction with the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office and the Fort Scott Police Department, will accept expired prescriptions and other medications and drugs without question to properly dispose of them.
• The Southwind Extension District will host the second annual barbecue 101 workshop April 30, in Iola. The day-long event costs $50 per individual or $80 a couple and includes an apron and cookbook as well as the information on cuts of meat and how to prepare it.
• The Farmer’s Market will kick off the first weekend of May and will include plants as well as food items for sale.
• The Townwide Garage Sale will be held May 13-14. Participants are encouraged to sign up their garage sales.

With just a month before the grand opening of its new building on May 24, work continues to install exhibits and other features at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes.

Employees of Exhibit Associates, Inc., of Kansas City—which is responsible for exhibits at a number of museums, corporations and trade shows in multiple states—continue to work to install the exhibits at the new center, including interactive exhibits using sound, video and other technology.

“We’re excited about doing it,” Exhibit Associates President Don Jalbert said.

When approached about the project by Lowell Milken Center Director Norm Conard, Jalbert said one of his first responses was to ask why choose Fort Scott as a location. But when he learned more about the center and its beginnings with a project created by local high school students, Jalbert said he was blown away by the concept and eager to participate.

Megan Felt, program director and one of the founders of the original Unsung Hero project, said the center is preparing for not just visitors from the community for the grand opening, but from across the world, with commitments from the Kansas governor, founder Lowell Milken and project creators and subjects from around the nation and even internationally.

During the week of the grand opening, students who participated in Unsung Hero projects, which feature individuals who made a positive and lasting impact but are often unrecognized for their efforts, will give presentations of their projects, created in the form of documentary film, performance or website.

Four subjects of some of those projects will also speak about their experiences and accomplishments that led to their becoming an Unsung Hero at the Lowell Milken Center.

Felt said the team at the center is excited about the completion of the building located across from the original building on Main Street as well as the festivities that will occur during the week of the grand opening.

Anyone interested in attending the festivities occurring Monday and Tuesday, May 23-24, should contact the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes as space is limited. Fort Scott residents should also be aware that portions of the downtown area will be closed off for the events.

During the weekly Chamber Coffee, the Fort Scott Presbyterian Village gave information on their place of residence as well as current and upcoming events being hosted by the assisted living facility.

Executive Director Ginger Nance explained the Presbyterian Village is an independent and assisted living facility that focuses on serving their tenants’ needs and keeping them involved through events in the community as much as they are willing and able.

The facility is three levels and has three apartment sizes with other features including a pond and services such as massage therapy and beauticians.

“Every dollar that is spent here stays here to make this a nice place for our seniors to retire to and to be in the community involved,” Nance said of the Christian-based, not-for-profit organization. “They want to be involved.”

Nance said they are always looking for ways to contribute in the community such as at businesses or organizations who their tenants could volunteer for. They also welcome services from other businesses who could bless the seniors who have greatly influenced the community throughout their lives, but now need assistance.

Currently, the Village is hosting the Art is Ageless Exhibit, including photographs, paintings, quilts, woodwork, pottery, jewelry and other items completed by artists often in their 70s or even late 80s. The exhibit also serves as a contest between the manors, with the winning pieces being featured in next year’s calendar created by the Village.

The exhibit will be available to the public through April 20, with a reception held that final day at 3 p.m.

On May 5, the Village will also host a speaker from Kansas City on the topic of the Holocaust while on May 11, they will hold a fundraising dinner to support the non-profit’s Good Samaritan program, which helps provide for the tenants who might need financial assistance for the care they need. That event will include a Chicken Annie’s dinner, an auction and a 50/50 drawing that will provide half the donations to the winner. Donations to the Good Samaritan program are accepted throughout the year and are tax deductible.

Other upcoming events include:

• Mercy Home Health and Hospice will host the National Healthcare Decision Day Expo at the Ellis Fine Arts center at Fort Scott Community College Friday, 3-6 p.m.
• The Young Professionals League will hold their monthly social at Nate’s Place Friday evening starting at 5:30 p.m.
• Mercy Hospital will host a Legislative Coffee Saturday morning, 9-10:30 a.m., at their café. Four state senators and representatives will be on hand to answer questions and share information.
• Fort Scott National Historic Site will hold their annual, free Civil War Encampment event Saturday and Sunday, featuring a large number of volunteers dressed in period clothing and participating in demonstrations including baking, fashion and weapons firing.
• A blood drive will be held at the Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene Monday, 1-7 p.m., and Tuesday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• The Friends of the Fort will hold their annual Friends Fest gala at Liberty Theater Tuesday evening, including dinner and a program featuring President Teddy Roosevelt. Tickets must be purchased in advance and soon.
• On April 23, FSCC will hold a fundraiser dinner, Greyhounds Go Gourmet, on behalf of the football team to raise money for scholarships and other needs. Dinner of steak or chicken will be served by the coaches at Nate’s Place at 5 and 7 p.m., with tickets for the three-course meal costing $30 each. Reservations are requested by Monday.
• Medicalodges is participating in raising funds for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s with a taco salad and dessert fundraiser on Friday, April 23, at $5 a meal.
• Fort Scott’s Townwide Garage Sale will be held May 13-14. Those interested in participating can sign up with the Chamber of Commerce and also place advertisements in the flyers.
• Landmark National Bank locations are accepting canned goods or other non-perishable food items over the next week to donate to the Beacon.
• Starting this week, athletes from the FSCC football team will begin selling posters featuring the team schedule for $10 each.