This Saturday is the Fort Scott Community College band and choir concert starting at 7 pm in the Ellis Fine Arts Center.
There will be a broad variety of music ranging from such quaint sources as classic TV Christmas specials, like “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” to the more profound and thought-provoking music of classical composers.
Bring your family and friends for an enjoyable and heartwarming hour of fun and beautiful music celebrating the Christmas season!
Fort Scott Community College Students were provided a trip to visit with entrepreneur Warren Buffet in Omaha, Nebraska December 1.
Opportunity of a Lifetime
Submitted by Debra Cummings, Fort Scott Community College Business Instructor
Rick and Shelly Mayhew provided fifteen FSCC students the opportunity of a lifetime, an all-expenses-paid trip to Omaha to meet Warren Buffett.
To learn more about Buffet go online to http://forbes.com/profile/warren-buffet
Rick, an alumnus of FSCC, through his connections with Western Insurance and Warren Buffet, received an invitation to bring students to Omaha, Neb. for a question and answer session with Warren Buffet.
The Mayhews announced in the spring of 2017 their willingness to fund another trip to Omaha. The first trip by FSCC students was in 2006.
Fifteen students made the trip. The Mayhews paid for the lodging, meals, and fuel. FSCC supplied the bus and driver.
Rick Mayhew recognized student’s needs and provided funds to obtain business attire for the session with Buffett.
Other colleges to join the session with Buffett were Columbia, Duke, Harvard, Illinois, London, Michigan, MIT, Notre Dame, NYU/Stern schools of Business. FSCC was the only community college there.
On Nov. 30, the students made the trip to Omaha by bus and met the Mayhews at Warren’s favorite Dairy Queen for lunch.
The FSCC students toured Borsheims Jewelry, drove past the Buffett residence and checked into the Downtown Hilton and Convention Center.
They met with Buffet’s daughter, Susie, and had the opportunity to ask questions about her father and the foundations she runs.
The Mayhews provided dinner and a few of the students took in some ice skating afterward. They also toured Nebraska Furniture Mart.
On Friday, Dec 1, the students attended a two-hour question and answer period with Buffet. Buffet noted the importance of FSCC being there.
Following lunch, there was a group photo with Buffett.
“I could not have asked for a better group of students,” Cummings said.
Students who did the trip were Leslie Damien, Dalton Deshazer, Alex Gilmore, Justin Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Jenna Kakas, Savannah Kratzberg, Kartis Leal, Malorie McCumons, Rebecca Stufflebeam, Franklin Torres, Shaun Tune, Jordan Underwood, Rachel Walker, and Johnna Walls.
“A special thank you to Kartis and Savannah for asking questions for our group,” Cummings said. “Thank you to Charles Howser, our driver, for making the trip with us. And, again, thank you to the Mayhews for making dreams come true.”
Fort Scott Community College also included a link to the Omaha-World Herald Newspaper, dated December 4, 2017, which included a section entitled “Warren Watch” and an article that spoke of Fort Scott:
Fort Scott ties
They’re not from Harvard, Yale or Stanford, but students from Fort Scott Community College in Kansas were in Omaha last week as part of the latest group of business students to meet Buffett, thanks in part to their town’s auto insurance connection with Berkshire.
Rick Mayhew of Fenton, Missouri, a member of the Berkshire fan club known as the Yellow Brk-ers, cited an account in Andy Kilpatrick’s “Of Permanent Value” book of the Buffett-Fort Scott connection. (Fort Scott students also made an Omaha trip in 2006.)
Insurance agent Oscar Rice started Western Insurance Cos. in 1910 in Fort Scott. Ray Duboc was CEO when Buffett invested in the business in the 1950s. Buffett later sold that investment and used the money to invest in Geico, now a big moneymaker for Berkshire.
“Western, in a major way, contributed to the financial success I had,” Buffett once said. “I owe a lot to Ray Duboc, the Western and Fort Scott, Kansas.”
Pictured left to right: Albert Sacbibit, physical therapist; Brenda Bailey, RN; Bob Meredith, physical therapist; Sandy Hayes, administrative assistance; Becky Davied, director; Jo Gauthier, account coordinator ; Alice Helton, RN; LaShawn Noel, social worker and volunteer coordinator; Chris Welch, community relations coordinator; Barbara Endicott, RN; Kathy Stienbarger, RN; Ashley Helton, RN; and Wade Pellett, RN. Not pictured are Hugo Dahlstrom, occupational therapist; Kyli Gates, RN clinical supervisor; and home health aides Cindy Remlinger and Golda Young.
Earning national awards is no easy feat. Add to that, repeatedly making the list and the pursuit is especially rewarding.
Just so happens that Mercy Fort Scott Home Health proudly announces it has been recognized once again on the prestigious list of the nation’s HomeCare Elite™. The list is compiled by OCS HomeCare and Decision Health and names the top 25 percent of home care agencies in the nation. This marks the fifth year Mercy Fort Scott Home Health has received the recognition.
Five domains of performance were analyzed to determine the elite awards – quality of care, quality of improvement and consistency, and experience (HHCAHPS), process measure implementation and financial performance.
The methodology behind the OCS HomeCare Elite™ is derived from publicly available data from Home Health Compare and the CMS Cost Reports to create the HomeCare Elite™ list of agencies.
The quality of care component indexes agency performance in each of the 10 publicly-reported Home Health Compare measures released in July 2017. The process measures implementation index based on agencies’ rates in the 13 process measures included in the July 2017 Home Health Compare release.
“The Mercy Home Health team continually goes over and beyond to exceed expectations, at many times taking on extras that might not always fit in the job role,” said Becky Davied, Mercy Home Health, and Hospice director. “This is a special group of people and I feel privileged to work with them.”
Mercy Home Health, based in Fort Scott, was established in November 1978 and today serves approximately 900 annually in the counties of Linn, Anderson, Allen, Bourbon, Crawford, southern Miami, northern Neosho and northern Cherokee. In July 2012, Mercy Home Health launched hospice services and currently employs nine full-time staff plus multiple volunteers.
For more information about Mercy Home Health services, call 620-223-8090.
Submitted by Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District
K-State Research and Extension is conducting a series of Community Board Leadership workshops designed to provide basic training for members of community-based boards across the state on February 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2018.
“Informed and committed board members are the key to healthy, effective boards and committees in our Kansas communities. K-State Research and Extension’s Board Leadership Series will provide an opportunity for board members to learn the basics of being a good board member,” said Trudy Rice, extension community development specialist. “Whether you are a member of a church board, a township board, a United Way agency board, or a rural water board, this training is appropriate for you.”
The series will kick-off on February 6, with Conducting Effective Meetings. During this session, participants will learn about their roles and responsibilities as a board member, basics of parliamentary procedure, and strategies to make meetings more productive and effective.
On February 13, the topic will be Fundraising, Fund Management, Legalities and Ethics. This session will explore a board’s options for raising and managing money, understanding such things as articles of incorporation, bylaws, and policies.
The February 20, session will cover Understanding Fellow Board Members and Conflict Management. Participants will explore how personalities and generational differences affect the decision-making process, and learn how to manage conflict in a way that is productive, not destructive, to the board.
Strategic Planning will be the final topic on February 27. Participants will learn about establishing a common mission and vision for the board, and how to plan priorities for the future.
All sessions will be conducted from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Workshop participants will meet at host sites throughout the state to take part in web-based instruction and locally facilitated discussion. The Southwind Extension District will be hosting this valuable training at the Alliance Room in Chanute, Kan.
Pre-registration for the event is required by Wednesday, January 10. The $40 registration buys a seat and light lunch for all four sessions. Individuals may choose to attend on their own or boards may buy a seat and send a different board member to each session. Boards sending multiple members may negotiate a group rate. Registrations may be sent to Southwind Extension District or contact Carla Nemecek at 620-365-2242 for more information or to negotiate group rates. Registration includes snacks, lunch, four educational sessions, and Board Basics materials.
Just in time for the holiday season, Mercy Hospital Auxiliary will host a Holiday Bargain Sale on Friday, Dec. 8 from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. in the main lobby of Mercy Hospital Fort Scott.
The one-day fundraising event is a favorite with the public. Typically the Mercy Auxiliary brings the vendor to the hospital twice a year. The sale will feature over 1,000 items perfect for special occasions or stocking stuffers. These include trendy fashion accessories such as jewelry, scarves, seasonal items, gadgets, gifts and much more.
Many items are name brand, top quality products but priced up to 80 percent below retail.
The Mercy Hospital Auxiliary is a volunteer organization that raises money to benefit the hospital and provides scholarships for students.
Over the past 12 years, Mercy Auxiliary has donated nearly $850,000 to Mercy Hospital for equipment upgrades, program support, supplies and scholarships for nursing students. Proceeds from sales in the Mercy Market Place gift shop and other specialty sales support the Auxiliary. Collectively, auxiliary member’s volunteer the equivalent of almost seven full-time co-workers in hours of service each year to the hospital.
Mercy, named one of the top five large U.S. health systems in 2016 by Truven, an IBM company, serves millions annually. Mercy includes 45 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, more than 700 physician practices and outpatient facilities, 40,000 co-workers and more than 2,000 Mercy Clinic physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Mercy also has outreach ministries in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
The cover sheet for the Price Chopper Fort Scott plans.
Citing “unforeseen issues” at the delayed store opening, Dennis Riley, Chief Financial Officer of Price Chopper, said the new grocery store will open at 9 a.m. Wednesday, December 13, not December 6.
“Barring any other unforeseen issues, we will open Dec. 13,” Riley said. “We wish it would have been sooner… Everything will be open and operating and ready for the citizens of Fort Scott .”
“Late August is when demolition began,” Riley said. “It’s been a top to bottom remodel and a relocation of the flow of the store.”
The store is similar to the Price Chopper in Paola, Riley said.
“We have a heavy emphasis on fresh foods,” he said. “We are proud of our meat department and our produce department.”
There will be a cut fruit and salad bar where people can dine in, Riley said.
The Dunkin’ Donuts area has a drive-up window feature.
Price Chopper Fort Scott currently has 120 employees and is located at 2322 S. Main Street on the city’s south side.
The site was formerly Woods Supermarket.
Barry Queen is the owner of the store and has family ties to the Fort Scott area, Riley said.
Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Administrative Assistant Allison Turvey holds Winnie the elf. ” Where is Winnie” is a promotion for local businesses.
Winnie the elf works for the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce.
Her job is to encourage people to shop in Fort Scott.
“Where is Winnie” is the Facebook page where you can learn more about her.
“The goal is to get people to shop local businesses,” Allison Turvey, administrative assistant at the Chamber said.
Turvey “escorts” Winnie to one of the Chamber member’s businesses and places her there.
A photo clue is given on the Chamber Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/196009193830966
Participants can win a chance to enter a drawing for $100 in Chamber Bucks.
There are two ways to win a chance.
The first is to guess where Winnie is at and post the answer on Facebook.
The second way is to shop at the store Winnie visits then take a photo of your receipt and post it to the discussion board of the “Where Is Winnie” Facebook event page.
All receipts must come from shops where Winnie visited and be posted by December 15.
Each is one entry into the drawing for the $100 Chamber Bucks prize. The bucks can be spent at any of the 55 Chamber businesses.
Anyone unable to upload their receipt photos to Facebook may bring their receipts to the Chamber office, 231 E. Wall.
For more information, contact Turvey at 620-223-3566.
Fitness just got easier, or at least the cost of it.
Now through Feb. 28, 2018, Mercy Health for Life fitness center is waiving the new member joining fee. That means members can access all the best cardiovascular equipment, free weights and strength training equipment at Health for Life, plus the services and amenities for the low monthly rate.
Monthly fitness center membership rates are $30 plus tax for a single, $40 plus tax for a family, or $25 for active duty military. SilverSneakers and Silver&Fit memberships are also available for those who qualify.
And at Health for Life members can upgrade to 24-hour access with the purchase a special access card. The cost is only $10 per card. With the card, members can simply swipe the card at the fitness center entrance to enjoy the freedom of exercising at a convenient time, any day of the week. For security and safety, a sophisticated security and camera system will monitor the facility around the clock.
“We take pride in providing an environment that meets all of our member’s needs,” said Kirk Sharp, fitness center manager. “Whether new to exercise or fitness fanatic, we’ve got something for everyone.”
For starters, the fitness center offers new members one, free baseline-fitness assessment and a customized workout plan.
“It just gets better from there,” Sharp added. “We offer dietician consultation, free towel usage, daily locker usage and shower facilities. Members can also purchase personal training packages with one of our two certified personal trainers.”
With the New Year quickly approaching and resolutions to eat healthily and get fit, here’s a chance to make the first move. And, a membership to Health for Life makes a great Holiday gift.
To learn more, call Mercy Health for Life at 620-223-7073 or visit the fitness center in the lower level of Mercy Hospital.
To help meet the Historic Preservation Association of Bourbon County’s goal to save historic buildings in Fort Scott, money has been raised since 1980 in their annual Homes for the Holidays tour. This year in addition to four homes showcased and a shopping event offered, a quilt show was added along with a Christmas tree contest.
This year, the Ed and Christine Lundberg home on Friday evening was the first part of the HPA’s tour, called Moonlight and Mistletoe. The home was built in 1970s contemporary style. Guests were limited to 100 and appetizers were served.
The doorman greets visitors at the Lundberg home on Lees Circle Drive Friday evening.Deb Martin takes a photo of Carl Repp, Dande Lyon Vredenburg, Christine and Ed Lundberg at the Moonlight and Mistletoe Event.Jeff and Vera Norris get a tour of the Ed and Christine Lundberg home.Crystal Mason, Elaine Kirby, and Bernita Hill share a conversation during Moonlight and Mistletoe evening Friday.Piles of food were provided by the Historic Preservation Association of Bourbon County at the Lundberg home.
The Stocking Stuffer shopping event was held Saturday and Sunday at Fort Scott Middle School also as part of Historic Preservation Association of Bourbon County’s fundraising.
Mercy Hospital Auxilary volunteers work a booth at the Stocking Stuffer.Shoppers pick out gifts at a booth during the Stocking Stuffer at Fort Scott Middle School Saturday morning.
Three Homes for the Holiday were decorated for the tour.
The Nate and Bailey Lyons home at 919 Burke was built nearly 100 years ago by Charles Gunn and completed renovated into a contemporary family home by the Lyons.
The completely remodeled kitchen of the Lyons home.The living room, which was completely renovated in the Lyons home.
The Bob and Terri Taylor home at 315 Holbrook was built in the 1880s in the Victorian style.
Visitors admire the front room of the Taylor home Saturday morning during the tour.A hostess tells of the home’s history during the tour.
The Shiney Studio, 2nd Street and National Avenue, is the former St. Andrews Episcopal Church.
DandeLyon Vredenburg greets visitors to the Shiney Studio in costume as Cindy Lou Who.Visitors were given tours of the Shiney Studio which included the private home of DandeLyon Vredenburg along with other businesses.
The Presbyterian Village Christmas Tree Contest was part of the Homes for the Holiday tour for the first time this year. The village is an assisted living facility.
Pictured are some of the trees that were stationed around the assisted living facility at 2401 S. Horton.
A quilt show was a feature of the Homes for the Holidays tour for 2017, which was located in the Beaux Arts Center, north of the Fort Scott Post Office.
Denise Duncan stands before a few of the quilts that were part of the quilt show. The Duncan’s own the Beaux Arts Center.Some of the quilts that were displayed as part of the Homes for the Holidays tour.
A visitor catches the full moon over the fort on his cell phone during the candlelight tour Saturday evening.
Fort Scott National Historic Site celebrated its 175th anniversary by presenting the 36th annual Candlelight Tour Friday and Saturday evenings.
The theme for this year’s candlelight tour: “Happiness Amid Hardship.”
The tour featured five scenes from the 1840s at Fort Scott, the years that it was an active frontier military fort.
Traditionally, the site’s candlelight tour has been “ghosted,” meaning that the reenactors in the scene do not interact with or even recognize the people on the tour.
This year, the staff encouraged some audience participation in most of the scenes, which made the scenes fun and engaging.
The full moon as a backdrop to the tour added to the ambiance of the evening. Temperatures in the 50s added to the enjoyment as well.
Visitors get information from Park Guide Tiffany on the scene that is about to be portrayed on the Fort Scott National Historic Site Candlelight Tour Saturday evening.Visitors are invited to join in dancing at the dragoon barracks in this scene.Enlisted men are treated gruffly in this scene.There is a discussion of reasons why soldiers are going to become Oregon pioneers in this scene at the sutler building.Men enjoy visiting during this scene at the fort’s store.Visitors participated in an evening social at the officers’ quarters, amidst gossiping and matchmaking activities in this scene.There was singing of Christmas carols led by Ralph Carlson and also refreshments offered in the Grand Hall at the end of the tour.
