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Category Archives: Clothing
ViCon Creations, A Three Generations Business
Connie McKee and her daughter, Vicki Waldron started a business together in 1996 called ViCon Creations LLC, and have done a variety of handiwork.
“We started with alterations (making clothes fit, that don’t fit), then moved into interior decorations…awnings, horse stuff,” Waldron said. “A lady asked us to manufacture bra liners for Pam’s Bra’s. We worked about 10 years on that.”
They still do alterations, as noted on their Facebook page, which is a valuable service during prom and wedding season.
She does work for J & W Sports and Twister Trailers as well.
For the last seven years, Waldron has worked at Common Ground Coffee Shop in Fort Scott.
“I decided I’m done standing on my feet,” she said. “I decided to expand my sewing business.”
In August 2022 she started to revamp her sewing business.
She creates purses, women’s fishing vests, and does machine quilting.
“Most people will make quilt tops, but need them quilted,” she said.
This year her granddaughter Erin Camp started making t-shirt quilts.
“She is paying off her college tuition (Northwest Missouri State) by making quilts. She makes the quilt tops and I bind and quilt it,” Waldron said.
Another granddaughter, Lauren Schalk, makes jewelry: Western style earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Schalk is attending Oklahoma State University. She is working with her grandmother for this business venture.
These two granddaughters are her information technology help, she said.
Her mother, Connie McKee makes toddler girl’s clothing.
“Mom comes in when she wants to work,” she said. McKee is retired.
What ever they make, they put online at www.viconcreations.com
A grandson, Devlin Cole, has shown an interest in creating leather items, she said
On the horizon for ViCon Creations is building a new work building to replace the remodeled chicken house the current business is located in.
She would like to teach sewing to young girls in the future, and “how to cook good meals,” she said.
“If young women come out here and learn to sew, I’ll give them a job,” she said.
Contact Waldron at 417.214.2599.
Chamber Coffee, Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting at Varia
Chamber Coffee, Grand Opening, & Ribbon Cutting hosted by Varia Quality Resale Clothing & Accessories
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee, Grand Re-Opening, & Ribbon Cutting hosted by Varia Quality Resale Clothing & Accessories, Thursday, September 15th at 8 a.m. at 114 E. 23rd St. Coffee, juice, and light refreshments will be served, and attendees may register to win a special drawing. Ribbon cutting will immediately follow.
Varia just moved to a new and expanded location and has over 4,000 items in stock! They are open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm.
Chamber members and guests are invited to Chamber Coffee events each Thursday at 8 a.m. to network, make announcements, hear about happenings in the community as well as learn about the host business or organization.
Contact the Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566 for more information. Visit the Events Calendar and category of Chamber Coffees on fortscott.com for upcoming locations.
Today’s Christian Heights Country Store Provides Needs of the School
Today is the annual big fundraiser for Christian Heights School, 1101 S. Barbee that helps provide necessities for the small Christian school.
“We’ve done Country Store for 56 years,” Principal Larry Davolt said. “It helps us with special projects for the school. In the past a new roof, a new floor, computers, you name it. It goes beyond our little budget for operations.”
This year is it today, May 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is comprised of a flea market/ rummage sale, bakery, plant sale and a silent auction of donated items. And food: homemade ice cream, taco salads, hamburgers, malts, shakes, sodas, home made desserts and then the Chicken Annie’s Fried Chicken dinner at 4 p.m.
The dinner time lasts from 4 -6 p.m. and one can also order BBQ beef, salad, rolls and homemade pies for $6 for adults and $3 for children.
At 6 p.m. is a auction for merchandise supplied by area merchants and individuals.
The event is sponsored by the Fort Scott Christian Heights Parent-Teacher Fellowship.
About the school
Christian Heights is a pre-school through 12th grade Christian school.
“We’ve been here since 1947,” DaVolt said. “My motto is ‘We provide quality education in a Christian environment.'”
The school has 75 students and a staff of 10. DaVolt also teaches science classes in addition to being principal.
The pre-school is three days a week and all other school grades are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Bourbon County Angels Group Rents Building to House Donations
Bourbon County Angels started because some local women saw that there are local families having a difficult financial time in their lives.
“We have seen a severe need in our community when we were doing Christmas (lists) for (area) children and a lot of them had clothing items on their wish list that was sent to us,” Lisa Thurston, Fort Scott, one of the three organizers, said. “We want to be able to provide the clothing items and household items and even food to those that are having a hard time.”
“We have clothing, hygiene items, household items, and food,” she said. “It is hard to say exactly what we have as it changes with every donation we receive.”
The group recently attained a building at 111 W. Third, Fort Scott, to house all the donations and allow for people to come and choose what they need.
“Mayor Kevin Allen gave it to us to use monthly, he is donating the building until grant money comes in,” Thurston said. “We have Melissa Guns writing grants for us.”
“We started the actual building adventure this January, but the ‘angels’ actually started just for Christmas two years ago,” she said.
The other organizers are Sara Roufs, Redfield and Erin Thurston, Lisa’s daughter, Fort Scott.
“Sara started Bourbon County Angels to provide Christmas presents for children,” she said. “People started volunteering so we started getting lists from about 75 families…this year we got 121 families. On their lists the kids were asking for shoes or coats or blankets. That’s when we decided to open a building and offer them all year long. So children could ask for toys instead of everyday items.”
“Living in a small town, we see a lot and we knew that there was a major need for people to be able to come get the items that we use in our everyday lives without having the worry of, (for example) if they got new shoes, how they could pay a bill or feed their families, and we want to be able to help with that. No one should have to stress over being able to get the stuff that they need. With everything going on right now, a lot of people have been left without jobs or just don’t make enough to be able to provide everything that is needed in our everyday lives.”
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the group received calls from people saying they needed food to make it through a few days.
“We would gather meals and deliver to their doorstep,” Thurston said. “We probably did 20 families when COVID was rough in our town. We have also been providing food for a homeless gentleman in our town.”
The group is planning several upcoming events:
Saturday, April 2 at the facility at 111 W. Third, the Easter Bunny will be there to hand out candy and have pictures taken with children, for free, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday, April 9 at Lake Fort Scott’s handicapped dock, there will be a fishing tournament, sponsored by Backroads Bait. The fundraiser starts at 5:45 a.m. with a check-in and has a 2 p.m. weigh in. Proceeds will help the Bourbon County Angels with rent.
For more information contact Thurston at 620.644.8291.
See the latest information on the groups Facebook page.
Hours the facility is open are Wednesdays from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.
Saturdays are a donation exchange, she said. “Say kids clothes don’t fit anymore, you can leave those and take what you need. But some people just leave donations and some people just take what they need.”