Category Archives: Fort Scott

Fort Scott, Schools

Margaret Marino Awarded a Classroom Grant

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Submitted photo.

 

Manhattan, KS — Ms. Margaret Marino, K-2 Math and Reading Special Education Instructor, Winfield Scott Elementary School, USD 234, Fort Scott, was recently awarded a $500 Classroom Grant by the Kansas Association of American Educators (KANAAE), a non-union professional educators’ association serving Kansas educators.  Ms. Marino will be using the grant to purchase supplies to supplement the Orton Gillingham training she attended this past summer!

 

“KANAAE is thrilled to be able to provide funding to purchase needed materials and supplies for Margaret’s classroom,” said Garry Sigle, KANAAE executive director.  “As a professional association we are committed to helping educator’s purchase items through our scholarship and grant program they may not otherwise be able to obtain.  We know it’s the students who ultimately benefit.”

 

The winners of the KANAAE Teacher Scholarships and Classroom Grants are selected by a committee of their peers from across Kansas.  All educators are encouraged to apply.

 

KANAAE is an affordable, non-union professional education association that provides teacher scholarships and classroom grants exclusively for Kansas educators twice a year.  The grants can help pay for a variety of materials for the classroom and scholarships can be used to cover a wide variety of expenses including tuition, books, conferences, and workshops. The next application deadline is March 1, 2023.  For more information visit www.kanaae.org.

 

Fort Scott, Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, Youth

Lowell Milken Center Participating in the 34th Annual Toybox Campaign

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The Lowell Milken Center is located at the corner of First and Wall Streets.

 

 

The Lowell Milken Center has joined the 34th Annual Toybox campaign which runs through December 13. It is one of the 4-States’ largest toy drives to benefit underprivileged children in Southeast Kansas, Southwest Missouri and Northeast Oklahoma. KOAM News Now, Salvation Army and many other community service organizations and businesses have organized this worthwhile endeavor.

 

In Fort Scott, new, unwrapped toys for children birth through 16 years of age may be dropped off during regular business hours at the Lowell Milken Center at 1 South Main or at Care4All at 2 W. 18th St. (The Lowell Milken Center is open from 10 am–5 pm, M-F, and 10 am–4 pm on Saturdays.) The toys will be distributed through Compassionate Ministries/Salvation Army here in Bourbon County to families who have registered for holiday assistance.

 

Toybox Tuesday Telethons will be conducted during the Noon, 5:00 and 6:00 newscasts on KOAM and its KOAM+ streaming platforms.  Dates for the telethons are November 29, December 6, and December 13. Viewers have the opportunity to make a tax-deductible financial contribution to support Toybox during the telethons. All monies raised are used to purchase new toys and gifts.

 

Additional information can be found at http://koamnewsnow.com/Toybox.

 

Food, Fort Scott

Schwalm Family Continues Thanksgiving Meal to the Community

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Marjory Schwalm has been preparing a Thanksgiving meal for the community for 27 years. She and her some of her family, about 25 people, show up to help her.

Thanksgiving Day all family members help in different ways: some cook, some assemble the foods in take-away containers, some help with the delivery, then there is clean up.

This year they will continue the drive-through or delivery service for their Thanksgiving meals.

There is no charge for the meals, she said.

Most years, she gets enough in free will donations to cover all the supplies.

The family serves out of the Elk’s Club building at 119 W. 19th,  with Elk Club members helping to deliver the meals.

Thanksgiving day, her son, stands at the east side door and partakers line up in their cars inside the orange cones that direct traffic to the pick up site.

“People drive up and tell how many meals are needed,” she said.

They also deliver meals.

“We send a lot to the high rise apartments,” Schwalm said.

“There are a lot of one-to-two people families that can’t cook big turkey dinner…so we provide,” she said. “Some elderly can’t drive so we deliver to anybody that needs it.”

They make about 700-800 meals for the community.

“Everyone has found out that this is a pretty good way to get a Thanksgiving meal without having to do all the work,” she said.

To call Schwalm, 620.224.6769.

The hours of service on Thanksgiving Day are from 11 a.m. to about 1-1:30 p.m.

She starts making to-do lists and lists of items to buy for the meal, months ahead.

Usually she goes to Sam’s Club in Joplin, MO for supplies, but this year, she is so thankful that Sam’s Club delivered to her.

After the meals are delivered or picked up on Thanksgiving Day, the family sits down for a meal together, she said.

“My family always got together for Thanksgiving, but now we fix for anyone that needs a meal,” Schwalm said.

Marjorie and her son, David Schwalm, who is in charge of giving all the delivery drivers their routes. Submitted photos.
Nancy Maze is charge of all desserts.  Submitted photos.
Pictured are Marjorie Schwalm and Diane Lloyd (who is in charge of the delivery meals being correct and accounted for) and Cash Davis in the front with the servers (Schwalm family) and some of the Elk’s Club members that helped deliver meals from last year. Submitted photos.
Aria and Charlee Davis help with desserts and taking meals to the drive-through. Submitted photos.
The serving assembly line – Cindy Stanely Schwalm, Sara Schwalm, Zack Schwalm, Danielle Minor, Daren Lloyd down the left side, and Tanner Schwalm, Dylan Lloyd, Diane Lloyd, Hunter Minor down the right with Lane Minor and Jeremiah Dawson helping transfer plates to the delivery tables.  Submitted photos.
Cindy Ziegler Schwalm, holding the plate, does all of the cooking. Submitted photos.
Food, Fort Scott

Krispy Kreme Doughnut Fundraiser Orders Needed by Nov. 28

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Sending on Behalf of Chamber Member Fort Scott Rotary Club
Fort Scott Rotary
Announces a Krispy Kreme
Doughnuts Fundraiser!
“Doughnuts for Dictionaries”
Place your order by 12pm, November 28th!
You can pay via Venmo as shown on the flyer below or drop off your order/payment to the Chamber by the 28th made out to Fort Scott Rotary.
Pickup will be on Saturday, December 3rd.
Click here for a printable copy of the flyer below!
Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below!
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
Business, Fort Scott, Schools

Shop and Support the FSHS Swim Team at Fall Extravaganza

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A shopper looks over wares of a vendor at a prior Fall Extravaganza. Submitted photo.

The season of craft and small business vendor sales is in full swing.

Monday November 21 from 5-8 p.m. at the Fort Scott Middle School will be the annual Fall Extravaganza, a 40-plus craft/vendor fair.

Fort Scott Middle School, 1105 E. 12th.

Madeline Martin, Fort Scott High School Counselor and swim coach,  is organizing the event this year.

“We took it over from (Fort Scott Middle School Teacher) Stephanie George and the VIP’s (organization) at the middle school,” Martin said. “Stephanie knew that the swim team was looking for more fundraising opportunities so she reached out to us asking we were interested in organizing it for this year.”

“The purpose of this event is to continue the holiday shopping tradition,” Martin said. “This has been a popular event in the community for over 10 years and we want to keep this tradition going. We have 40+ vendors that are joining us this year and we are super excited.”

“The swim team hopes that the funds raised through this event will help us purchase swim parkas for each participant as well as help offset costs for the year,” she said.

The FSHS Swim Team will be selling a pulled pork dinner also as a fundraiser.

The vendors scheduled to set up are:

KNM Clay
One of a Kind Wood Creations
TSM Creations & Decor
Amy Maxwell
Better in Bourbon
Jessee Cox
Maria Whitson
Arbonne- Lindsay Hill
TFI Family Services
Donna Jo Beerbower
Mary Kay- Lauren Hardwick
Mmm Flavor Shop
Our Little Village
Redbud Farms & Nurseries
Desert Bloom
Gentry Warren Art
Twigs & Berries
Anita Moore
Sugar Bakery/Walker’s Bakery
WellSpring Acres Alpaca Farm
SOS Grad Party
Grazing Fort Scott
Perry’s Porkrinds
FSHS Industrial Arts
The Sister’s Oven
FSHS FCCLA
Tin Man Alley
JP Custom Leather
Tiiger Threads
Be-You-tiful Designs
The Lavender Patch Farm
Locust HIll Lamachas
Micki Kraft
Sunshine Boutique
Buckin A’ Ranch
Wilbur Fleming
Funky Junktiques
Paparazzi Jewelry & Norwex- Brenda Hunter
The Purse Lady
Happy Little Candle Factory
Tupperware- Shawn O’Brien
Sassy’s Grandmas Stencils
Bids & Dibs/ Angie Dawns

About the swim team:

The Fort Scott High School boys swim team had their first season in the winter of 2019. The girls swim started the spring of 2020, but their season was cancelled because of the COVID 19 Pandemic.
“This past year we grew as a team and added some members through a cooperative agreement with area schools,” Martin said. “Last year the boys team took 3rd in the league and Bobby Kemmerer went to state where he brought home two medals for the two events he swam. The boys have also sent one other swimmer, Oliver Witt, to state in the past.”
“Girls season last year hit a huge goal of winning the league and Fort Scott sent their first female swimmer, Avery Stewart, to state. Along the way we have had swimmers from Frontenac, Pittsburg, Chanute, Northeast-Arma, Humboldt, and this year we are adding St. Mary’s Colgan and Uniontown to our girls team. I love that Fort Scott is setting a standard of providing kids the opportunity to compete in a sport that they love.”
“This year, for boys season, we have three young men joining us from Pittsburg  and four young men joining us from Frontenac,” she said. “Girls season we have individual swimmers joining us from Arma, Uniontown, Humboldt, and Colgan. We will have a few girls join us from Frontenac and Pittsburg as well.”
They drive each day to the Pittsburg YMCA to practice.
“Our swimmers are very dedicated and our out-of-town kids drive up to an hour just to get to practice each day,” she said. “I am looking forward to another successful season and for Fort Scott to continue to make a big splash in the SEK and in our League.”
Church news, Food, Fort Scott

Meal Fundraiser for Catholic Church Rebuild: Nov. 18

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The Knights of Columbus are continuing their fundraising efforts to help rebuild the Mary Queen of Angels Church.

The church suffered extensive damage on the evening of August 29, 2022 and will be rebuilt.

Mary Queen of Angels Church. November, 2022.

 

“No plans yet,” Mark McCoy, church member said. “We are in the conceptual phase. We are hoping to come to an accepted position on how to rebuild.”

Meanwhile the Knights of Columbus group at the church are having monthly meals in the Kennedy Gym, at 705 S. Holbrook as a fundraiser for the rebuilding of the church.

Founded on the principles of charity, unity and fraternity, the Knights of Columbus was established in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney, in New Haven, Conn., and a group of parishioners, according to https://www.kofc.org/en/who-we-are/our-story/index.html Their intent is to bring financial aid and assistance to the sick, disabled and needy members and their families.

This month, it is Friday, November 18, and the meal is homemade chicken noodle soup and cream of potato soup, with the desserts prepared by the Catholic women of the church.

Tea, coffee or water goes along with the meal, with a suggested free will donation of $7 per meal.

The meal is from 5-7 p.m.

“The community has been so supportive,” McCoy said. “All proceeds will go to the rebuild of the church.”

The Knights of Columbus Fish Fry March 2022. The set up will be the same for all the meal fundraisers. Submitted by Calvin Barr.

 

 

Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Serving Needs: Requesting Help For Salvation Army Bell Ringing 

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A Salvation Army Bell-Ringer in 2020.

Serving a Community in Need

And Requesting Your Help

Times have become more difficult and challenging for many individuals and families in both Fort Scott and throughout Bourbon County. At the forefront of this economic situation stands Fort Scott Compassionate Ministries Outreach Center, where those who are struggling can be assisted with a vast array of services and personal needs.

FSCM is located on the second floor of the Senior Citizens Center at 26 N. Main, where director and chaplain Allen Schellack operates on a volunteer basis. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m to 2 p.m or by appointment, supported in part by local churches, private donations and The Salvation Army bell ringing campaign, which is the largest annual fundraiser.

Schellack extends a heartfelt request for more participation in the bell ringing. “The need has never been greater, and we ask our community to support this fundraiser as much as possible. We need volunteers to operate the Red Kettle Campaign at Wal-Mart, starting November 19th through December 24th. The days and hours are flexible, and it’s critical that we have enough volunteers to make this happen in a big way.”

FSCM is the only designated Salvation Army Disaster Relief and Services Extension Unit for Bourbon County. Community participation and generosity will help provide a variety of disaster relief services, in addition to assistance with rent, utilities, prescriptions, temporary lodging, gasoline for work or doctor appointments, eyeglass help, clothing, school supplies and other needs on a case by case basis. The center also provides personal hygiene items, diapers, formula, bedding, towels, canned food items, fans and space heaters.

It was formerly known as Our Father’s House, operated by Schellack until government funding became unavailable. He created Fort Scott Compassionate Ministries in 2016 to fill the gap in needed services. It works in partnership with several groups, organizations and community partners, relying heavily on individual donations and volunteerism throughout this holiday season.

Director Schellack is hopeful. “Individuals, families and groups are encouraged to sign up for a shift – it’s a fun, easy way to help those less fortunate. All gifts made through the Salvation Army fund raiser will stay in our community.”

Bourbon County businesses are needed to display the Salvation Army mini buckets – where customers can donate their spare change, Schellack said.

During this special time of giving and sharing, please schedule to volunteer by contacting FSCM directly at 620-223-2212.

Submitted by Marti Wells-Smith

 

 

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Entertainment, Fort Scott, Gordon Parks Museum, History

Interactive Technology Added to Gordon Parks Museum

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GORDON PARKS MUSEUM RECEIVES FORT SCOTT AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANT FOR INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGY EXPANSION

 

Fort Scott, Kan. Nov. 17, 2022 – A grant through the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation has enabled the Gordon Parks Museum to further expand interactive technology in the museum. This includes two tablet kiosks with stands and software. The tablets can be used by visitors of any age.

“We are extremely thankful to receive this grant award from the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation. The interactive technology expansion gives us the ability to not only continue to modernize the museum, but to expand digitally,” said Kirk Sharp, executive director of the Gordon Parks Museum.

Funds from the Dr. Pratt and Pauline Irby Endowment Fund Award – courtesy of the adult children of the benefactors (Janet Braun, Bob Irby and Mary Rio) – were also used to help in the purchase of the tablet kiosks with stands and software.

The Fort Scott Area Community Foundation hosts individual charitable funds created by donors who have a passion for giving back to their community. Grants from these funds assist people throughout Fort Scott and Bourbon County. Call the Foundation at (620) 224-6500 with questions about the Community Foundation or go to https://fsacf.com/.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Business, Fort Scott

Chamber Coffee on November 17 at Bartelsmeyer Jewelry

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ANNOUNCING THIS WEEK’S
CHAMBER COFFEE
Join us for Chamber Coffee hosted by
Bartelsmeyer Jewelry!
Thursday, November 17th
8am
22 North Main Street
We hope to see you there!
Click here for their Facebook page.
Click here for their website.
Tell everyone you know!
Bartelsmeyer Jewelry is having their second big week of the Estate Jewelry Sale now! Stop in to see all the gorgeous and unique pieces in their Estate Jewelry Cases – all 25% off with free ring sizing!
Thank you to our Chamber Champion members shown below!
FORT SCOTT AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
620-223-3566
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
Entertainment, Fort Scott

Christmas in Gunn Park: December 10

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Gunn Park, on Fort Scott’s west side,  will be closed the morning of the December 10th in preparation for the annual Christmas in the Park. The event is sponsored by Buck Run Community Center and other donations from the community.

At 5 p.m. the park opens, with parking off site and a shuttle to be provided for park visitors.

At 6 p.m. Santa will arrive at the park to speak with the children who attend. The events will end at 8 p.m.

Included in the park events is a live nativity scene, live music by Bourbon County Revival, the visit with Santa and THE GRINCH, a cookie decorating site for the kids, chili, hot chocolate and popcorn.

The event is free to the public.

The Bourbon County Angels, a local helping organization, will be accepting children’s gifts to distribute to those in need of them.

The purpose of Christmas in the Park is to spread Christmas cheer to the residents of Bourbon County and surrounding areas, according to Josh Jones, one of the organizers.

The planning committee is comprised of: Josh Jones, Suzette Torres, Devin Tally, Craig Campbell, Bailey Lyons, Shannon Johnson.