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Southeast Kansas Library Newsletter June 2024
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Category Archives: Area News
NRMC Community Events
NRMC Community Events
July, 2024
Thank you for sharing these events with our community!
Farmers Market
Enjoy fresh produce, baked goods, local honey and more! Vendors set up in the grass lot just north of the Primary Care Clinic each Tuesday afternoon.
3:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Tuesdays
Birth and Beyond: Saturday Class
A class which covers childbirth, breastfeeding and infant care for women in their last trimester.
Includes a tour of the NRMC OB when available. Meets in the NRMC Mezzanine Conference Room. $15 registration fee. Fee may be waived if cost is prohibitive.
8:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M. • Saturday, July 13th – NRMC Mezzanine REGISTER ONLINE HERE You may also register by calling 417-448-3710
Community Blood Drive at NRMC
Join us for our community-wide blood drive in the Mezzanine Conference Room. Blood collected through our hospital drives remains in our local area to assist patients in need. To register for a specific appointment time, just visit nrmchealth.com and click on the donate blood button. Walk-ins are also welcome!
12:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Thursday, July 25th – Hospital Mezzanine
Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas Grant Applications Are Being Accepted Until June 30
This is a story about one of the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas grantees from last year’s General Funds Grant cycle.
This year’s General Funds application is open until June 30th.
CFSEK Grantee Story Series:
Cherry Street Youth Center, the “Hidden Gem” of Chanute
The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas (CFSEK) is excited to continue our series of articles highlighting the great work done by some of our grantees in Southeast Kansas communities. Our next grantee to highlight is Cherry Street Youth Center in Chanute.
In a time when childcare at an affordable cost is, in a word, lacking, it might be strange to hear of an after-school program that cares for 125 children daily and is completely free. Cherry Street Youth Center in Chanute, Kansas, is a Christian outreach ministry where children are encouraged to learn about gardening, cooperation, and 3D printing while growing closer to God. Founded in 1995 out of a small house, Cherry Street has expanded operations to three locations in Chanute, where different ministries take place for children from kindergarten to middle school.
“Our goal as a Christian ministry is to help bring children closer to God,” said Jennifer Shields, executive director, “but we also want to help our kiddos be the best versions of themselves!”
Cherry Street is not a daycare, but rather a place for students to go after school and continue their education in a fun environment.
“We like to say that we are the ‘best kept secret’ in SEK,” Shields said. “We are so unique in what we do, and our goal is always to provide this free service to our community. We can’t do what we do without our community and their support! Grants and donations are how we make purchases for our classes and programming. We bought 3D printers so our kids could learn about programming and design! That would not be possible without donations and grants from the Community Foundation!”
Shields told the story of a little girl who came to the playground at Cherry Street one day to play with her friends during program hours. She was not a student of Cherry Street, due to policies and safety guidelines, only registered children can be on campus during program hours. Shields had to ask the girl to return home until 5:30, when the program ended. Before sending the girl off, Shields asked her if she was interested in becoming a part of Cherry Street, and the little girl responded that her parents could not afford to send her there. “My heart broke, but I was so excited to tell her, ‘Sweetie, we are absolutely free! Let me send you home with some paperwork!’ She is now in 4th grade, and I see her almost daily,” Shields said.
Cherry Street serves not just as a place for fun but also as a place to encourage academic success for all children. Realizing many of the children attending the after-school program were not reading on grade level, Shields reached out to the elementary school principal to see how best to help. Cherry Street received site word lists for every grade level from the elementary school to practice with the children. “We are all about our community, both in Chanute and Southeast Kansas as a whole! We just want people to know what we do and the positive impact we are making.”
The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas is proud to have supported Cherry Street Youth Center as a 2023 General Funds Grant recipient for their 3D printer project. Through granting, CFSEK has also supported other projects at Cherry Street over the past five years. If you wish to donate to Cherry Street, you can visit https://cherrystreet.org/donate/.
The 2024 General Funds Grant applications are available until June 30th at midnight. Applications are available at SoutheastKansas.org/Grant-App.
The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas awarded over $2 million in grants from all foundation funds in 2023 and has facilitated over $23 million in total granting to Southeast Kansas since its inception in 2001. CFSEK serves the region by providing donors with various charitable interests and encouraging charitable giving, which addresses present and future needs in our area. More information about CFSEK is available at SoutheastKansas.org.
Conference For the Aging and Their Caregivers
2024 CFSEK General Funds Grant Applications Now Available!
The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas (CFSEK) is pleased to announce that the CFSEK General Funds Grant Cycle is now open!
Every year in the summer, the Community Foundation’s Grant Review Committee funds programs focusing on Basic Human Needs, Youth Activities, and Arts & Culture. Since 2004, the funds directly managed by the Community Foundation have provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to many Southeast Kansas nonprofit projects. General funds grant applications are typically available during June.
In 2023, the Community Foundation awarded $160,000 to 43 recipients in its General Funds grant cycle. These organizations represented 29 Southeast Kansas communities and 15 counties.
Learn more about the General Funds Grant history with CFSEK here.
Contact Kara Mishmash at SoutheastKansas.org/contact/
Free Family/Caregiver Support Services
New K-State Extension Agent: Lonnie Mengarelli
Lonnie Mengarelli, 35, is the new Kansas State University Southwind District Crops and Natural Resources Agent.
His office is in Fort Scott, but the district covers Allen, Bourbon, Neosho, and Woodson counties.
He replaced Chad Guthrie and began his duties on May 13, 2024.
Mengarelli is a 2008 Girard High School graduate, who earned a Bachelor of Science from K-State in 2013, majoring in Agricultural Technology Management with two minors: agronomy and animal science.
His background: from November 2021- May 2024 he was an agronomist for Producer Cooperative Association in Girard, making herbicide and fertilizer recommendations for producers.
From June 2013 to November 2021 he worked for K-State at the Southeast Research and Extension Center in Parsons, doing small plot row crop research, in charge of crop variety trials (corn, soybean, grain sorghum, wheat, and oil seed sunflower), and the field lead for the crop production studies under Dr. Gretchen Sassenrath researching soil health and cover crop studies.
He grew up on farm northeast of Girard raising Angus influence cattle.
“I put up hay all summer long including alfalfa, fescue, sedan grass, and prairie hay,” he said. “My father was the fourth agent in Crawford County so I was heavily involved in county fair preparations and extension events.”
His duties for this position: “Being the first person-to-person contact for all row crop production, rangeland, and wildlife questions. I will help with weed identification and control, crop pest control, and consulting on management practices to help improve ag production. I will also be heavily involved in the Bourbon County Fair assisting with the 4-h shows and projects.”
He lives in Hepler, Kansas with his wife Hannah (high school sweethearts) and four kids: Heidi (10), Avery (8), Emery (8), and Heston (6).
‘We’ve been happily married 12 years and own our 160-acre Charolais-influenced cow/calf operation,” he said.
Outside of work, he has many hobbies.
“They include working on my antique trucks and tractors and going to support my kids in all their activities. When not at work I enjoy helping family on their farms from operating equipment to turning wrenches and working with livestock. I am the Fire Chief for the Hepler Rural Fire Department. Also, I am an active member of the Hepler Ruritan Club. I serve as beef project leader for the Bone Creek 4H club in Crawford County. In the spring I volunteer to run field events such as shot put and discus at Girard High/Middle School track meets. “
Mengarelli can be reached at
Office: 1-620-223-3720
Cell: 1-620-238-0532
Bourbon County Still in A Drought Watch
Governor Kelly Updates Declaration of Drought Emergency, Warnings, and Watches for Kansas Counties
TOPEKA — Governor Laura Kelly has approved updated drought declarations for Kansas counties through proclamation.
“While drought conditions have improved in some areas of the state, many counties continue to be negatively impacted by the decline in water supply or strains on water resources,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “I strongly encourage all Kansans to continue to conserve water over the summer months.”
The drought declaration placed four counties into emergency status, 35 into warning status, and 66 into watch status. This action was recommended by Connie Owen, Director of the Kansas Water Office and Chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team. While Eastern Kansas has seen significant relief from drought since March, central and western Kansas has declined rapidly into Severe and, in a few counties, Extreme Drought.
“The counties in a watch status are experiencing conditions that indicate the probability of a water shortage is rising. It is important to monitor these conditions and be mindful of water usage in these counties,” said Owen. “Summer has arrived, and with it, higher temperatures and a decrease in precipitation. The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to monitor the drought conditions across Kansas and make recommendations to Governor Kelly as conditions change.”
Through an interagency agreement between the Kansas Water Office, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, counties in the emergency stage are eligible for emergency water use from certain state fishing lakes and some federal reservoirs.
Individuals and communities must contact the Kansas Water Office for a water supply request before any withdrawals from lakes. These requests will, in turn, be referred to the appropriate office to obtain necessary permits to withdraw the requested water.
This proclamation shall remain in effect for those counties identified until rescinded by a proclamation ending the declaration or revising the drought stage status of the affected counties.
Effective immediately, the proclamation:
- Declares a Drought Emergency, Warning, or Watch for the counties as identified below;
- Authorizes and directs all agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor to implement the appropriate watch, warning, or emergency-level drought response actions assigned in the Operations Plan of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.
The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to watch the situation closely and work to minimize the negative drought-induced effects on Kansans.
For more detailed information about current conditions, visit the Climate and Drought webpage on the Kansas Water Office website at kwo.ks.gov.
County Drought Stage Declarations:
Drought Emergency: Hodgeman, Ness, Pawnee, Rush.
Drought Warning: Barber, Barton, Clark,
Comanche, Edwards, Ellis, Ellsworth, Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Lane, McPherson, Meade, Morton, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Russell, Scott, Sedgwick, Seward, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, Wichita.
Drought Watch: Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Bourbon, Brown, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Cowley, Crawford, Decatur, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Elk, Franklin, Geary, Gove, Graham, Greenwood, Jackson, Jefferson, Jewell, Johnson, Labette, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Miami, Mitchell, Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Norton, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Rawlins, Republic, Riley, Rooks, Saline, Shawnee, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Thomas, Trego, Wabaunsee, Wallace, Washington, Wilson, Woodson, Wyandotte.
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As the state’s water office, the Kansas Water Office conducts water planning, policy coordination and water marketing as well as facilitates public input throughout the state.
The agency prepares the KANSAS WATER PLAN, a plan for water resources conservation, management and development.
Heartland Rural Electric Coop Provides Grants for Capital Improvement Projects Available Now
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.
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Schools: Schools within the cooperative’s service area that have capital campaigns for facilities that would positively impact Heartland members.
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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/
Catholic Church Reno Update: Help Needed To Fund Artifacts Restoration
The Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church has risen from the ashes of the devasting fire that destroyed the church in August 2022.
To view the story of the fire: Fire at Fort Scott’s Catholic Church Causes Extensive Damage
People are working on the inside and the outside of the building at 705 S. Holbrook, with a target date for the church dedication of November 23, 2024, a week before Thanksgiving.
“The bricks are completed on the east (front) side,” Mark McCoy, a building committee member, said.
“It’s a lot of intricate work, not just plain bricks,” he said. “The circle in the front will be where the stained glass window from the former church will be.”
“Over the next few weeks, subcontractors will be working inside placing drywall, and completing HVAC runs,” McCoy said. “Masonry will continue brickwork on the west side then move to the north and south.”
“Father Yancy’s house is completed,” McCoy said.
Meanwhile in Wichita, the restoration of the religious artifacts that were damaged is continuing.
The Restoration of the Artifacts
When Robert Elliot, a Catholic from Wichita, heard of the fire at Mary Queen of Angels Church in Fort Scott, he contacted Fr. Yansey Bergis to offer help and assistance in any way he could.
Elliot is a seasoned restorer with over two decades of experience, he said.
“It was apparent that I would be of the most help in rebuilding, restoring, and refurbishing all of the damaged and destroyed Stations of the Cross and all of the Statuary of the church,” Elliott said. “The fire, water, and smoke damage was enormous. I knew this would be a long and arduous process estimating at least one year to complete.”
“Four stations were damaged beyond repair (so one might think) as they lay in pieces on the ground,” Elliot said. “The rest were out of view and we had no idea as to their condition. The insurance company needed a price to do the repairs. Without seeing all of the stations, I provided a modest calculation of what the cost would be. It was my desire to assist the church in its time of need.”
“He wasn’t able to analyze all the depth of restoration or the artifacts at that time,” McCoy said. “We are so appreciative of the work he has taken on.”
When all of the stations and statues arrived at his studio, they were able to assess their condition and begin to comprehend the immense task they had undertaken, Elliot said.
“Over the year we used all of the money allocated to the project to cover the cost of labor, materials, studio rent, insurance, and labor,” he said.
“I have been using funds from my personal retirement account to pay the workers and the expenses for this project since the first of the year,” he said. “We have made great progress on the project since we started a year ago, but we have a long way to go. At the very least, four to six months more.”
“It is impossible to illustrate the amount of time and detailed labor involved in bringing each of the twenty-one religious artifacts back to life so to speak. At present we have generated a little over $6,000 of the $65,000 we need. The deficit, I will have to bear alone,” Elliott said.
A GoFundMe account is set up: https://gofund.me/15feea23
“Our goal is to generate the additional monies needed to complete this important work to a high degree of excellence and craftsmanship it deserves,” Elliot said.
Here are the artisans currently working on the project:
Mary Francis Skinner, Kathy Faulkner, Dan Ochs, Michael and Hector Ibarra, Gabe and Matan Umbarger, John Suffield, Jane Clark, Ian Snyder and Eliot who is the coordinator, logistics, art director, restoration and repair, quality control, recasting the destroyed frames, and painting the statues and stations.
“We are always interested in finding skilled persons willing to offer their services,” he said.
ARCADIA, KANSAS HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI BANQUET
ARCADIA, KANSAS HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI BANQUET
“HUGE SUCCESS”
Submitted by Marilyn Flagg
Even though Arcadia High School closed its doors at the end of the “1965” school year, the annual alumni banquet is still being held on memorial week-end every year in Pittsburg, Kansas. The membership also includes the Junior, Sophomore, and Freshman Class of 1965. The banquet was held at the Lamplighter Inn on Saturday afternoon, May 25th and was catered by Gebhardts and served by the Stansbury
brothers of Arcadia, Ks. Open Door Mission Church Youth.
Enclosed with the invitation to the banquet this year was the 2023 Financial Report prepared by Shirley Landon, Treasurer. The 2023
Minutes were enclosed also prepared by Virginia Smith, Secretary.
These were included in the mailing to provide more time for visiting.
Social hour was 1:00-3:00 p.m. followed by lunch and business meeting. President Pat Morris of Arcadia welcomed the 42 Alumni and 25 guests. The Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag was led by Merle Engle. The invocation was by Larry Shead
At the opening of the business meeting, Pat introduced alumni officers Vice President, Tom Watt; Secretary, Virginia Smith; Treasurer, Shirley Landon; and Marilyn Flagg, Historian.
There were no objections or corrections to the 2023 Minutes or the 2023 Treasurer’s report. They stand approved as presented.
Larry Shead made a motion to move next year’s banquet to the Community Center in Arcadia. Helen Nichols and Merle Engle
seconded and motion passed. This action was taken because our attendance is getting smaller every year, cost involved, and other reasons.
Michael Sheffield led the nominations and election of officers. There were no nominations from the floor and the following officers will remain for 2025: Pat Morris, President; Tom Watt, Vice President; Shirley Landon, Treasurer; Virginia Smith, Secretary; and Marilyn Flagg as Historian.
Special recognition was given to members of the 60th (1964);
70th (1954); and 80th (1944) this year.
Those attending from the 60th class were the following: Virginia
Harris Smith; Ronnie Kellogg and guest Barbara Kellogg; Terry
Kunstel; Steve Morris and guest Raymond Kalm; Peggy O’Dell Worsley
and guest Paul Worsley; Ronnie Portwood and guest Mary Portwood; Pat Smith Morris; and Sherry Swafford Page.
Attending from the 70th. were as follows: Esther (Engle) Cousins
and guest Janice Crooks; Yvonne (Garrett) Beck and guest Susie
Arvidson; Gary Peterson and guest Patricia Peterson.
Marilyn Flagg spoke in behalf of her Aunt Mary Coonrod Bournonville who resides in Hurst, Texas with her daughter and husband. If
Mary had been able to attend, it would have been her 80th.
Fred Dixon was recognized as being a teacher in the Arcadia Grade School. Jan Steele was recognized as being the daughter of former Arcadia High School music teacher, Dick Steele.
All 25 guests were asked to stand and be recognized.
Pat Morris, chairman of the Scholarship Committee, announced the winner of the 2024 A.F. Bowlus/Betty Kirksey Scholarships as Trenton
Siemens. Trenton and his father attended and Trenton gave a speech expressing his appreciation for the scholarship. He is the grandson of Tom Watt. Trenton received $1,000. Andrew Bossung was awarded an additional “AHS” scholarship in the amount of $500. Andrew is the youngest grandson of William and Louise (Opitz) Hughes. Because this day was Andrew’s graduation, Andrew was unable to attend. His Uncle David Hughes spoke in Andrew’s behalf. David talked of Andrew’s accomplishments and how worthy that he was to receive a scholarship from Arcadia High School. David also talked of his late mother’s passing, Louise Opitz Hughes, and how the Arcadia alumni banquet was her greatest event to attend every year. Louise’s 80th was last year and she was so looking forward to the 2024 banquet.
Pat Morris introduced the officers who served on the scholarship committee. They were Shirley Landon, Marilyn Flagg, Virginia Smith and herself. There was also help from 3 other individuals from outside of our alumni. One is presently a teacher, another was a retired teacher, and the third one was a highly respected individual.
Any child, grandchild, or great grandchild of Arcadia High School Alumni may apply for a scholarship.
Marilyn Flagg led the memorial service for alumni deceased since the last meeting. Those remembered were: Lorraine (Bean) Starks; Louise (Opitz) Hughes; Marie (Hoover) Marshall; Robert W. Hamilton; Lavon (O’Dell) Rons; Joe Morris; Dr. Retha (Hoover) (Kilpatrick) (Gries); Richard Coonrod; John A. Swezey; Pauline (Coonrod) Hart; Mary (Panizzi) Granon; Gary Cambers; Carol (Morris) Davis; Merle Mayfield; Melvin Nichols; Orville Allen Darnaby; Mary Lou (Davidson) Peace; Charles Morris; and Lynda Lou DeNeve (Teacher).
Jerry Skidmore (Class of 1949) was given an award for being the “Oldest” alumni. Esther (Engle) Cousins (Class of 1954) was awarded for traveling the “Most Distance”.
The school song was led by Mary Lee Payne.
The Benediction was led by Ralph Shead.
The roll call which consisted of the following and the 1944, 1954, and 1964 classes listed above was done by Tom Watt.
1949 – Jerry Skidmore
1950 – Betty (Clarkson) Skidmore
1951 – Bertha (McClendon) Hencey and guest Dickie Hadley
1952 – Don Kauble and guest Cynthia Kauble Kreisel
1953 – Bobby Harris and guest Alisha Harris
1955 – Mary Lee (Eggen) Payne
1956 – Shirley (McKinstry) Landon
1957 – Merle Engle
Francis M. Jones and guest Karen Kay Tripp
Lilly (Turner) Sheffield
1958 – Fred Dixon
Sandra Sue Stelle
1959 – William Page
Michael Sheffield
Beverly (Swafford) Silvers and guest Vern Silvers
1960 – Hilda Cockman Page
Jerry Coonrod and guest Jan Steele
Joyce (Page) Wilson and guest Sheila (Page) Hale
1962 – Marilyn (Coonrod) Flagg
Barbara (Dawson) Swearingen
Joyce (Elliott) Maycumber
Helen (Morris) Nichols
Ronnie Smith
1963 – Richard Page
1965 – Betty (Jack) DeLoach
1966 – Jerry Morris
Larry Smith
1968 – Don Schaub
Larry Shead and guest Ralph Shead
Sherry Sisney
Tom Watt and guest Phyllis Watt
Other guests were David Hughes and Ardis Jefferies; Trenton Siemens;
and Austin Siemens.
The servers were the
Stansbury Brothers (Camryn, Sammy, Wyatt, and Timothy), of Arcadia, Kansas Open Door Mission Church Youth and Judy Stansbury.
Southeast Kansas Library System May Newsletter
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