Category Archives: Fort Scott

Art Festival Closes By Encouraging Artists

Jared Witt, coordinator for the 2nd Story Festival of Arts and Ideas speaks to attendees of the finale event at Nate’s Place at the Lyons Twin Mansions Saturday evening.

Jared Witt spoke to a group of young artists and community members Saturday evening of the importance of doing and trying artistic activities, “not just doing it in your head.”

This describes the concept of the 2nd Story  Festival of Art and Ideas which took place in venues in Fort Scott Friday through Sunday afternoon.

The evening finale included hors-d’oeuvres, drinks and an art display of the Young Visual Artists Art Show.

Art vendors were invited to sell their art as well.

Witt, who was the coordinator for the festival, addressed the group and thanked the contributors

The festival was to support creative endeavors in the community, Witt said.

The festival event was hosted by the Bourbon County Arts Council with grant funding provided by the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation.

Encompassing the weekend were art, comedy improvisation and literary workshops plus crafted beer tastings.

Marc Willson, a retail strategist from Virginia who focuses on small to medium size towns, spoke at two sessions on Saturday. One topic was Art As A Business and the other Creative Placemaking: Building the Artist Community in Fort Scott.

Sponsors of the weekend event: Boiler Room Brewhaus, Bourbon County Arts Council, Charles and Martha Jane Gentry, The City of Fort Scott, Common Ground Coffee Co., The Empress Event Center, Kate and Jeff Sweetser, First Presbyterian Church, Fort Scott Public Library, Fort Scott Area Community Foundation, Lowell Milken Center of Unsung Heroes, Nate’s Place at the Lyons Twin Mansions and Sleep Inn and Suites Hotel.

“Our mission is to promote Fort Scott as a regional hub for arts and innovation, as well as an attractive place for artists, creators, and innovators to live,” Witt said.

The annual festival is part of an initiative to improve the appeal of Fort Scott to those considering relocating and to improve the quality of life for those who live in Southeast Kansas. Fort Scott has resources in the areas of arts and innovation. The festival aims to inspire and encourage entrepreneurship in the region.


For more information:    www.2ndstoryartfestival.com

Laura Agee and Bre Martin,  recognize each of the young artists who participated in the Young Visual Artist Art Show Saturday evening at Nate’s Place at the Lyons Twin Mansions.

Young artists were encouraged this year by a grant funded by the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation.

Coordinators for the Young Visual Artists Art Show were Laura Agee and Bre Martin.

“There were 60 participants with 80 pieces of art submitted from six area schools,” Martin said.

The top winners of the art show attended the finale with their parents at Nate’s Place of the Lyons Twin Mansions.

Each winner received a $5 gift certificate from Common Grounds Coffee Co. and each school that participated received $25 for their art program.

Jacey Bowen, an art student of Chris Woods at Uniontown High School, received first place in three categories and took home $175.

The Uniontown High School Art Program received $100 as a result of the win of Bowen in three categories.

“We will buy something for the students that we haven’t tried before,” Woods said following the presentation.

Additionally, there were three workshops on Saturday for children offered in mediums of clay, metal, and fabric.

Martin said approximately 23 children combined, participated in the three workshops.

 

Elias Baker won $50 for his Winner’s Choice submission to the Young Artists Visual Art Show as part of the 2nd Story Festival of Arts and Ideas, Saturday. He is from Bryan Elementary School, Nevado, Mo.
Emilea Leonard, 8 years old, was one of the young artists recognized at the 2nd Story Festival of Arts and Ideas Saturday. She is from Benton Elementary School, Nevada, Mo.
Anna Fisher, a 2nd-grade student from Benton Elementary School, Nevada, Mo. stands in from of her submission to the art show, a weaving. She was one of the artists recognized Saturday at the 2nd Story Festival of Arts and Ideas finale.
Jacey Bowan, Uniontown, won the most money for her entries into the Young Visual Artists Art Show. She is pictured with two of her three submissions. Bowen won $175 for herself and $100 for her school Uniontown High School. Each school that sent artists to the contest received $25. The art was on display at the finale event of the art festival at Nate’s Place, a local eatery.

Pictured below are some of the first and second place winners who were honored at the art show.

Breann Martin places names of artists on the artwork for viewing at Nate’s Place during the finale of the 2nd Story Festival of Arts and Ideas.
Attendees of the finale of the art festival look over the young visual artist’s work on display at Nate’s Place Saturday evening.
Lindsay Madison, Kate and Jeff Sweetser and Rhonda Dunn enjoy the warm evening with hors-d’oeuvres and drinks on the porch of Nate’s Place Saturday at the fundraiser and art show.
Local artist Kenzie Curran, Farlington, was an art vendor with art for sale at the finale of the festival weekend.
Art festival finale attendees converse during the fundraiser at Nate’s Place eatery Saturday evening. From left: Larry Nuss, Lindsay Madison, Brian Bowen, Beth Nuss, Chris Woods and Bre Martin.

 

 

 

Rummage Sale To Benefit Animal Shelter April 28

Lee’s Paws and Claws Animal Shelter Rummage Sale is Saturday, April 28 starting at 8 a.m. at the 4-H Building at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds on South Horton Street.

The non-profit animal shelter was the recipient of a publishing and printing company inventory sale in Missouri, Kate Sweetser, a board member told the Chamber of Commerce coffee Thursday morning.

“There are office supplies, equipment, and office furniture, ” that will be sold to benefit the shelter, Sweetser said.

The City of Fort Scott will be available to provide dog tag renewal during the rummage sale from 8 a.m. to noon. The cost per dog is $3 for neutered animals and $5 for un-neutered animals.

Proof of rabies shots is required.

Animals can be microchipped for $20.

Cats need to be brought in in a crate, dogs must be on a leash.

There will be a concession stand for breakfast and lunch.

Sweetser said only dogs and cats are taken into the shelter, and when they are adopted out the animals have all their shots, have flea treatment,  have been de-wormed and have been spayed or neutered.

Adoption fees range from $10 to $100, depending on the animal, with the average between $60-80.

She said the Shirley Yeager Animal Friends Foundation has received two generous bequeaths from Yeager and also Lee Weast but interest only is available to use for the budget.

“That’s not enough to meet our yearly budget,” Sweetser said.

In addition to donations, volunteers are needed at the animal shelter, she said.

“Volunteers are needed to help with the animals, for socialization,” Sweetser said. “Some come once a week, some come as a project such as a scout troop.”

The shelter is located at 721 240th Street and the phone number is 620-223-2888.

Lee’s Paws and Claws is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shelter manager is Kiersten Poole, and there are four part-time employees.

Members of the shelter board are Jim Adams, Randy Shannon, Cathy Dancer, Rhonda Dunn, Mary Ann Crain, Barb Ritter, Sweetser, Rob Shaw, Bob Taylor and Matt Messer.

“We are trying to create a board of members who love animals but have a strong background in organization, marketing, and business,” Sweetser said. “To create a sustainable business model that will ensure the future of the organization.”

 

 

 

 

Boots and Bling Gala April 28 To Benefit Catholic School

 See the flyer below:
Click HERE to Print

Sprucing Up Downtown

City workers prepare for spring plantings.

Todd Farrell and Mike Durossette, Fort Scott Parks Department, prepare the hanging planters on Main Street.  The new potting soil is in preparation for the Bourbon County Garden Club, who will be planting flowers next week, weather permitting, Farrell said.

Free Smoke Alarms May 6: Volunteers Needed To Help Install

 Sound the Alarm

The American Red Cross and the Fort Scott Fire Department are partnering to provide free smoke alarms in a program called Sound the Alarm, Dave Bruner Assistant Fire Chief and Fire Marshall told the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce coffee attendees Thursday morning.

The Red Cross is holding a Sound the Alarm home fire safety and smoke alarm installation event on Sunday, May 6 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Buck Run Community Center.

To view the Red Cross flyer click below, then click on the image to enlarge:

STA – Request Flyer – ftscott 18

Red Cross volunteers and local partners will be canvassing neighborhoods, installing free smoke alarms, and helping families create fire escape plans.

Bruner told the coffee attendees that volunteers are needed to help the fire department in installing the smoke detectors.

To request a free smoke alarm or signing up to volunteer https://bit.ly/savealifefortscott or by calling 316-219-4048.

 

Fort Scott Comes Out To Honor Combat Vets

City of Fort Scott Water Distribution Department employees Brady Coffman and Kyle Adams ready a flag in their truck Wednesday on Wall Street to welcome the veterans to town.

In spite of the rain, the people of Fort Scott lined the route from the airport through downtown Fort Scott, then east to the Adam and Jennifer LaRoche ranch Wednesday afternoon.

The route and patriotic welcome were for the combat veterans that the LaRoche’s will be hosting a turkey hunt in the next few days.

E3 Foundation, founded by Adam and Jennifer LaRoche, is partnering with Combat Warriors Inc. to host the turkey hunt for the military heroes.

The LaRoche’s asked the town to rally behind the entry into Fort Scott of the veterans,  to honor them.

On  Wednesday, April 25 at approximately 1:30 p.m. the veterans landed at Fort Scott Airport then headed to the LaRoche Ranch.

Cloudy skies and light rain prevailed, and some bystanders were downtown on the route by 1 p.m.  Temperatures were in the 50s.

Just before the convoy arrived downtown, the rain steadily increased.

That did not stop the bystanders from waiting to show their support for the veterans.

The Fort Scott Tourism Center and additionally, Stewart Realty had handed out American flags, while Captured Images Photography handed out patriotic posters to the community to hold in welcome to the veterans.

All of these added to the color to the welcome, in spite of the cloudy skies.

If you have a great photo you’d like to share of the convoy, please add it with a description of what is happening in the photo on the FortScott.Biz Facebook page.

Angela McKenney, Hilary Berry, Amari Berry, Roland Mills and little Jaeston Grant wait in the rain at Wall and Main streets to honor the veterans.
Julie Wright, Cathy Wuerdeman, Megan Felt, Bailey Lyons and the Shane Walker family line Wall Street to welcome the vets to town.
Rhuey Eden and her mom, Rachel Eden wait patiently for the veterans convoy to drive down Wall Street.
These Fort Scott Civil War re-enactors donned uniforms and horses to welcome the veterans to town Wednesday. From left Wyatt Keyes, Brett Dawson and Aaron Phillips.
Fort Scott National Historic Site employees wait for the veterans convoy to pass by on Wall Street. From left: Paul Goodman, Barry Geersten, Summer Porter,  Betty Boyko and Tiffany Durham. Behind them are the re-enactors on horses.
Fort Scott Police and Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office personnel signaled with flashing lights the beginning of the convoy.

The end of the convoy heads east on Wall Street to the E3 Ranch.