Thanksgiving cookies will be for sale at the Creative Sugarplum Shop. Submitted photos.
Local crafts people will have a place to sell their wares at a newly created holiday pop-up shop.
The Creative Sugarplums Pop-up Holiday Shop will be open at the former Factory Connections storefront weekends from November 20 to December 26 along with the weekdays the week of Thanksgiving and Christmas. The store is located on South Main (aka Hwy. 69) next door to Tractor Supply.
“Due to Covid-19 many individuals who create gifts out of their homes are not able to attend their usual events,” owner Emilia Whiteaker said. “This is my way of helping them.”
There will be community vendors and vendors from neighboring towns, she said.
” We have many great vendors, Locust Hill Lamanchas Goat Milk products, Sew Special Creations, Simply Blessed, Tom’s Benches, 2 Southern Ladies, CR Rustic Creations, RustnStuf and more.”
“We will also have Bijou Confectionary from Humboldt and Sweet Designs Cakery from Pittsburg creating sweet treats to go along with our old fashion candy.”
Samples of candy. Submitted photos.
“Customers can also Adopt a Grandparent by purchasing an ornament and we will deliver them to all the residents at Fort Scott residential care facilities,” she said.
Submitted photos.
“Momentum Youth Development Foundation will have a photo where, for a donation, families can take their Christmas photos.”
The family photo area at the Creative Sugarplum Holiday Shop. Submitted photos.
There are also youth crafters involved.
“The youth vendors have handmade soaps, crocheted items and more,” she said.
Submitted photos. A youth vendor booth at the pop-up shop.
“Visitors can also view the Christmas displays featuring vintage toys, ” she said.
Vintage toys will be on display. Submitted photos.
There is still space available for both youth and adult vendors.
Contact Whiteaker through e-mail [email protected] for more information.
Submitted by MaKayla Stroud
Southwind Extension District
4-H Program Assistant
Cooking as a Family
Wash your hands, put on an apron, and gather your family into the heart of your home to create delicious dishes and more!
Whether it comes from a box mix or completely from scratch, spending time as a family in the kitchen has many benefits such as establishing culinary skills, making yummy food, and creating lifelong memories.
The first benefit of a family unit cooking together is building and improving culinary skills.
The kitchen is a great teaching environment to help your kids build lifelong skills that will help them nurture themselves and others.
Depending on the ages of children and their abilities, what can of recipes you can tackle together. You can even make it competitive by splitting into teams to see who can make the best meal or dish.
Obviously, the main reason to work with ingredients is to make yummy food. Studies show when the adults within a household help prepare and cook food with their children, better nutrition practices can be established earlier and continued throughout their lives.
Youth who are involved in the kitchen are educated about their food supply therefore making them informed consumers.
Another reward for working together with food is creating lifelong memories. When children grow up, they may not remember the exact dessert or meal you prepared with them however they will remember the laughs, stories, and fun they had with their family.
Yes, it might take longer to prepare & cook your dish, however you are completing a daily task while writing another story within your book of memories.
So, go ahead and grab a family favorite from your recipe box or cookbook and get together soon so you can make a delicious meal while improving your cooking skills and creating a lifetime of memories.
If you are interested in other family fun ideas, go to our Facebook page or YouTube channel named Southwind District 4-H or visit southwind.ksu.edu for more youth development resources.
Kiwanis Pioneers Host Drive Through Chili Feed Fundraiser
The Kiwanis Club of Fort Scott Pioneers will hold their 32nd annual Chili Feed on Thursday, November 12 at the United Methodist Church at 301 South National in Fort Scott. “There will be a few changes to this year’s fundraiser,” said President Millie Karleskint. “In addition to a new location, the Chili Feed will be a drive-through only event. Also, we will be having cinnamon rolls for our dessert this year “.
A meal of the Pioneers’ signature chili and a homemade cinnamon roll will be served from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. for a free-will donation (suggested minimum $5.00 donation per meal) to be collected at the door. Pick-ups will be available under the canopy on the National Avenue side of the church.
This is the Kiwanis Pioneers’ major fundraiser for the year. In keeping with the Kiwanis motto of “Changing the world one child and one community at a time”, the Pioneers support more than 40 projects including Scholarships, CASA, the Backpack food program, FSHS Key Club, the Beacon, United Way, Foster Kids, Feeding Families in his Name, Care to Share, and school reading and arts programs. “All of the funds raised stay in Bourbon County” stated Karleskint.
Deliveries will be available for orders of ten or more by calling 620-224-0563 during serving hours.
2020 GORDON PARKS PHOTO CONTEST Sponsored by Merl Humphrey. The Theme “Social Justice, Diversity and Equity” for any amateur photographer. Deadline EXTENDED to 10/26/2020, send submission to [email protected].
GUIDED TOURS OF THE FORT DAILY, 10AM &1PMThe Fort Scott National Historic Site is open daily 8am-5pm for touring on your own, but arrive at 10am or 1pm on any day and take advantage of a guided tour with a park ranger! Guided tour lasts approx. 1 hour.
10/23-10/29 –FORT CINEMA The Nightmare Before Christmas, Honest Thief, The War with Grandpa
10/23 & 10/24 – CLARK STREET LIGHTS, HALLOWEEN THEME & SCREAM!
10/23 – FORT SCOTT FARMERS’ MARKET– At Skubitz Plaza in front of the Fort, 8am to noon. American Legion serving Breakfast on the Bricks starting at 8am.
10/24 –OPEN HOUSE FORT SCOTT EXPLORATORIUM! ~ 10 am – 5 pm. Sample Exhibits, Take home & build projects, Shop custom homemade crafts. Run through the Halloween themed maze! Much more! Visit:
10/24 -BACKYARD BAIT CHILI COOKOFF AT GUNN PARK! Hosting to raise money for the FSHS students. Raffles, Top 3 winners, Free-will donation. Gunn Park 1010 Park Ave. 3-6 pm
10/25 – BOILER ROOM BREWHAUS! Brings back Trivia night for teams of 2 to 6 people, $5 entry
The Fort Scott Chamber announces the Annual Downtown Trick-or-Treat Parade!
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes & appreciates the support of this event from the sponsors below!
Saturday, October 31, 2020 @ 11:00 AM
9:30-10:45am:Walgreen’s will be taking pictures with a Halloween Backdrop & providing a free 4 x 6 print. The backdrop will also be available throughout the event for pictures with your own camera.
11am: Parade will start at La Hacienda, down the west side of Main Street to 2nd, then back down the east side of Main Street to Skubitz Plaza.
Following parade: Hotdog, chips & drink will be served to the kids in costume provided through the generous donation of local businesses!
__________
***Businesses along Main Street will be handing out candy during the parade, and businesses not on Main Street as well as any community organizations are welcome to set up a table along Main to pass out candy, coupons, promo items, etc.
Please emailthe Chamber if your business or organization will be passing out candy so we
Organizations & Retailers planning to pass out candy are encouraged to display the flyer below the day of the Halloween Parade. Let us know if you need us to print a color copy for you!
Enjoy these additional activities taking place Halloween Day in Fort Scott:
Click here for a printable copy of the flyer below.
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
2020 GORDON PARKS PHOTO CONTEST Sponsored by Merl Humphrey. The Theme “Social Justice, Diversity and Equity” for any amateur photographer. Deadline EXTENDED to 10/26/2020, send submission to [email protected].
GUIDED TOURS OF THE FORT DAILY, 10AM &1PMThe Fort Scott National Historic Site is open daily 8am-5pm for touring on your own, but arrive at 10am or 1pm on any day and take advantage of a guided tour with a park ranger! Guided tour lasts approx. 1 hour.
10/16-10/22 –FORT CINEMA Heaven, Nightmare Before Christmas, Honest Thief,
10/16 – The FSHS Tigers Football game on the Big Screen! Free – Reserve your seats to watch the game!
10/16 & 10/17 – CLARK STREET LIGHTS, HALLOWEEN THEME & SCREAM!
$1 entry from 7 pm -10 pm
10/16 –BOILER ROOM BREWHAUS! – Come in and drink and sing Karaoke night!
10/16 – FORT SCOTT FARMERS’ MARKET– At Skubitz Plaza in front of the Fort, 8am to noon. American Legion serving Breakfast on the Bricks starting at 8am.
10/16, 17 & 18th – KANSAS ROCKS WEEKEND Our C-19 Camp -N- Crawl a 3-day event. One price for the entire weekend, Collecting toys for the Christmas Season.
10/17 –CRUISE NIGHT – Cruise night for the season! 6 pm -10 pm, route of 6th St. to 18th!
10/17 –FSCC – HEAD BASKETBALL COACH “COOK’S CLINIC” – Open Sat. from 10 am – 1 pm., Arnold Arena. Coach Cook and other area coaches will present various drills and areas on emphasis. $20 per person .620.223.2700 # 7280
10/17- BOILER ROOM BREWHAUS!Live Music featuring Damaris hosted by the Boiler Room Brewhaus! 7:30 – 9:30 PM
10/17- FIRST SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH ~”America in the End Times’ with Gary Kah, 6-8 pm. 1818 S. Main St.
10/18 – BOILER ROOM BREWHAUS! Brings back Trivia night for teams of 2 to 6 people, $5 entry
per team, 5-7 pm
SAVE THE DATE!
10/21 ~BOILER ROOM BREWHAUS! Brings in the Ghetto Taco Truck from 4 pm – 8 pm. Authentic Street Tacos, Come in for a Drink!
10/21 ~WARD KRAFT JOB FAIR ~ Hiring Office, Sales and Production Members. Apply from 10 am -2 pm and again from 4 to 6 pm. Hall, Meet & Greet at 5:30 pm, and Forum starts at 6 pm
David Gillen, right, accepts a donation for the Beacon from the Elks organization. Submitted photos.
The Beacon Board of Directors made a decision to close the building on March 16 after receiving notice from the Feeding America, (a food bank) state, and local health authorities in response to the COVID-19 virus.
The Beacon is a local helping agency, whose main focus is food to those in need.
At the time of the building closure, a new procedure for obtaining The Beacon Food Box was initiated.
Clients were asked to call during normal business hours and arrangements were made to pick up the food off the dock at the rear of the building, Director David Gillen said.
“We felt this was our best approach for our staff and our clients to maintain social distancing,” Gillen said. “We also asked our clients in need of financial assistance or guidance to please call in and ask to speak with the director.”
After having been employed for four years by the Beacon, David Gillen became the director in June 2020. Patty Mowen became the assistant director, at this time.
“The Beacon will open its doors by appointment only starting Oct 13th thru Oct 31st for our clients to apply for their 2021 Beacon Cards,” he said. “At this time we will also be doing the sign-up for the 2020 Adopt A Child Program / Elks Christmas Baskets.”
Work On The Building
In recent weeks there have been some physical changes to the Beacon building at 525 E. Sixth. Some for esthetics and some for protection in the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“The front entrance of the Beacon has been given a new facelift, with paint and new flooring, Gillen said in an email interview.
The waiting area for clients. Submitted photo.
In addition, new racks have been built for food storage, the main priority of the ministry.
“These improvements could not have been accomplished without the help of Wib Mowen, Patty Mowen’s husband, volunteering,” Gillen said.
A new sign for the back dock of the Beacon which states they will only receive food donations. Wib Mowen is on the left, Joe Lee on the right. Submitted photos.Dave Gillen’s office at the Beacon. Submitted photos.
Personal protective sneeze guards have been placed on desks in the building.
“Plastic face shields will be used for our protection and the clients when they are allowed in the building, and our clients must wear masks,” Gillen said.
Patty Mowen’s office at the Beacon. Submitted photos.
Also going on at this time has been the entering of all the Beacon clients information into a computer, allowing accurate records to be kept, he said.
Beacon Food Distribution
“The Beacon Food Distribution is for all Bourbon County residents who qualify for a Beacon Food Card.,” Gillen said. “Their cards can be used immediately after they are qualified. Cards can be used two times a month.”
“Emergency food requests are granted for anyone in the county who has lost their job, illness as caused them from being able to work, house fire, or any other extraneous circumstance as it is our goal to help those in need.”
“The food we distribute comes from a monthly budget and grants we have received,” he said. “We make purchases from the Kansas Food Bank, GW Foods and Walmart. We also receive generous donations from local food drives, churches, civic organizations, businesses, schools and the local post office. We also receive donated items of meat, bakery and produce items from Walmart three times a week as part of their supporting the Feed America Program.”
Clients receive eggs, butter, fresh meat, bread, canned goods, peanut butter, beans, rice, soups, potatoes, mac and cheese, spaghetti with sauce, cereal and pastry,
“Baskets vary in size according to family size,” Gillen said. “We also offer fresh fruit and vegetables when available.”
“The Beacon is so blessed to exist in a community that so many people help us to help others,” he said.
The Beacon has a new mural done by Joe Lee. Submitted photos.
Retired professional sign painter Joe Lee, a personal friend of Patty and Wib Mowen, painted a mural of a lighthouse for display in the Beacon.
“Joe volunteered his time and supplies,” Gillen said. “The Beacon is so thankful for this wonderful gift…Joe also painted our sign by the back deck…which was made by Wib Mowen.”
The back porch has been extended to allow more free items to be left out, Gillen said.
“Thank you Ralph Carlson and Don Tucker for volunteering and the material you provided,” he said.
Fort Scott American Legion Auxiliary Unit 25 will be hosting Breakfast on the Bricks at Skubitz Plaza Saturday morning, October 3 starting at 8 am.
Stop by for a cup of coffee or snack and meet other Legion family members. Bring a prospective member. I’ll be there helping and always have the time to recruit a new Legion family member.
Dave Lipe submitted these photos of the Sharky’s Pub and Grub, 16 N. National Avenue. On the left is the before, on the right is the after of the facelift given the restaurant.
David and Tina Lipe, owners of Sparky’s Pub and Grub, 16 N. National, have invested time and money to give their restaurant a facelift.
The project started with Mid Continental Restoration, Inc. doing some joint repair and brick replacement on the front of building, David Lipe said.
“Peerless (Products, Inc.) did all of the tear-out and installation of all windows and front doors of the building,” Lipe said. “The project started on August 17th and was completed on August 26th. ” There is still a little bit of floor replacement to be done, hopefully, this will be completed by August 31st.”
“We have been working on this project with Peerless for two years,” Lipe said. ” The building was extremely inefficient, windows were broken, (it) needed a facelift. We wanted to create an open-air type storefront.”
The facelift did not add any seating, Lipe said. “But possibly some outside seating.”
“No grant monies were used on this project,” Lipe said. “We have applied for a building improvement grant through the City of Fort Scott. I was told today that all funds are on hold due to COVID. We have also applied for some funding help through BEDCO (Bourbon County Economic Development Council), (we) have not received anything at this point.”
Sharky’s Pub & Grub phone number is 620-223-4777
The restaurant’s hours are: open at 11 am Monday through Sunday,
close at midnight Monday through Wednesday, close at 2 am Thursday through Saturday, and close at 7 pm Sunday.
Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at the Fort Scott Middle School Commons on Monday, August 24, for a special board meeting at 5:30 p.m.
President David Stewart opened the meeting. Board members approved the following items:
· Revised 2020-21 school calendar
· Memorandum of Understanding between USD 234 Board of Education and Fort Scott Kansas National Education Association
· Employee COVID-19 Policy
· Addition of high school and middle school Choral Clubs to the supplemental schedule for the 2020-21 school year
Superintendent Hessong shared updated information regarding the Return-to-School
Plan. Gina Shelton, Business Manager, shared Mask Campaign information.
Board members went into executive session to discuss personnel matters and returned to open meeting. The board approved the following employment matters:
A. Resignation of Audra Young, Winfield Scott paraprofessional, effective August 10, 2020
B. Resignation of Jacy Walker, high school paraprofessional, effective immediately
C. Resignation of Russ Hughes, central office custodian, effective at the end of the 2019-20 school year
D. Resignation of Libby Stumfoll, van driver, effective September 3, 2020
E. Transfer of Brent Cavin, Eugene Ware fifth grade teacher, to middle school 8th grade social studies teacher for the 2020-21 school year
F. Transfer of Jennifer Stafford, Winfield Scott paraprofessional, to high school teacher aide for the 2020-21 school year
G. Transfer of Dee Peters, Eugene Ware paraprofessional, to Winfield Scott paraprofessional for the 2020-21 school year
H. Leave of absence for Sabrina Keating, Eugene Ware fourth grade teacher
I. Work agreement adjustment for Angela Mix, Winfield Scott paraprofessional, from 7.5 hours to 4 hours per day for the 2020-21 school year
J. Employment of Brendon Blackburn as a one-year middle school elective teacher for the 2020-21 school year
K. Employment of Cindy O’Rear as a high school paraprofessional for the 2020-21 school year
L. Employment of Kourtney Harper as a high school paraprofessional for the 2020-21 school year
M. Employment of Mary Cole as a high school paraprofessional for the 2020-21 school year
N. Employment of Julie Carpenter as a high school paraprofessional for the 2020-21 school year
O. Employment of Jannah Farrington as the middle school Choral Club sponsor for the 2020-21 school year
P. Employment of Brenda Hill as Eugene Ware 5th Grade Team Leader for the 2020-21 school year
Q. Employment of Randy Phillips as a regular route bus driver for the 2020-21 school year
R. Resignation of Taylor McDermed, Eugene Ware paraprofessional, effective August 24, 2020
S. Leave of absence for Brenda Hathaway, high school ticket clerk
T. Employment of Maggie Johnston as a high school paraprofessional for the 2020-21 school year
