Pastor Dusty Drake leads the attendees of Monday’s Community Christian Church Christmas luncheon in applause in recognition of Fort Scott High School Music Teacher Meredith Reid at the conclusion of the student’s performance.
Fort Scott High School Select Ensemble entertained guests of Community Christian Church’s annual Christmas luncheon December 11.
The ensemble is under the direction of Meredith Reid, music instructor at FSHS, and is accompanied on piano by Pat Harry, a retired music teacher.
“Mrs. Harry is the former FSHS choir director who built up the choir to immense proportion,” Reid said.
Eighteen students from sophomore to seniors were selected for this group of 18 members
The performance at the church is leading up to the music department’s big fundraiser for the year this Sunday at 3 p.m. at the high school. Money raised goes to purchase music, outfits, travel, and clinicians, Reid said.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students k-12 grade, and there will be refreshments following.
The school auditorium will be decorated by Ellen Kendrick’s art students.
Reid’s dad, Dan Duling, will be performing also during the fundraiser Sunday afternoon. He is in a band called Stone Country that includes Shana Lynette Stone, Rick Duling, Jason Richison and Jeff Culver.
“My dad’s band is doing this for free,” Reid said.
Reid said the student singers love to perform and she sees going out to the public as a way to give back to the community.
In addition, “The kids love getting out of class and today they get to eat,” Reid said with a smile.
The church provided a lunch of soups, sandwiches, appetizers, desserts, and drinks to the students and members of their congregation and invited guests.
The church sanctuary was transformed into the dining area for the annual Christmas luncheon provided by the staff.
A Christmas luncheon is an annual event where the church staff provides food for the congregation.
Members of the staff are Pastor Dusty Drake, Children’s Minister Paul Martin, Youth Pastor Ian Johnson, Pastoral Care and Women’s Minister Marcy Reynolds, and church secretaries Jamie Beckham and Jennifer Addington.
Facing camera: Luke Martin, Gunnar Brown, Aaron Emery, Tyson Bolden, and Micah Self singing “Mary Sat A-Rockin'” by Greg Gilpin, under the direction of music instructor Meredith Reid.Morgan Rohr and Micah Self singing “Baby It’s Cold Outside”.Marissa Allen, Katie Button, Missie Woolsey, Miriam Mix, and Aztreia Milton singing “Frosty the Snowman”, under the direction of Meredith Reid.Marissa Allen, Katie Button, Aztreia Milton, Miriam Mix, Missie Woolsey, Morgan Rohr, Addy Labbe, Lane Bohlken, and Sam Racy singing “Let It Snow.”Sam Racy and Lane Bohlken singing “Mary Did You Know” arranged by Pat Harry.Pastor Dusty Drake, center left, speaks to the attendees of the annual church open house Monday prior to the ensemble performance. From left: Levi Bin, Luke Martin, John Gauthier, Greg Lorenz, Gunnar Brown, Aaron Emery, Tyson Bolden, Micah Self and Meredith Reid, the ensemble director.John Gauthier, Levi Bin, and Greg Lorenz singing “We Three Kings” arranged by Pat Harry.Levi Bin, Luke Martin, John Gauthier, Greg Lorenz, Gunnar Brown, Aaron Emery, Tyson Bolden, and Micah Self singing “The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy” arranged by Pat Harry, under the direction of music instructor Meredith Reid.From left (back row) Miriam Mix, Aztreia Milton, Morgan Rohr, Addy Labbe (front row) Marissa Allen, Lane Bohlken, Sam Racy (boys L to R) Levi Bin, Luke Martin, Greg Lorenz, Aaron Emery, Tyson Bolden, and Micah Self singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” arranged by Mac Huff, under the direction of music instructor Meredith Reid.Students and teacher watch fellow ensemble members perform from the side of the stage at Community Christian Church.The Fort Scott High School Select Ensemble entertain Community Christian Church members and guests.
Cathy Werling reads the story of unsung hero Ken Reinhardt Saturday at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes.
Cathy Werling read her story entitled “Why Did Grandpa Cry” to an audience of children and adults December 9 at the Lowell Milken Center.
The public reading and signing of books was an event to showcase the first in a series of children’s books that Werling will write, highlighting unsung heroes in history.
Werling said the first story is about black students who tried to go to a white school and were treated badly, except by two white students.
The story is told through the eyes of the granddaughter of one of the white students, decades later.
Following the reading by Werling, she signed books for those who purchased them and a drawing for prizes took place.
Cathy Werling signs Macie Stephan’s copy of “Why Did Grandpa Cry?”
Werling’s book tells the story of Ken Reinhardt, during the U.S. Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s on a level that children can understand.
Reinhardt is an unsung hero whose story is featured at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes in downtown Fort Scott.
Pictured are, from left Mayla, Davina, Ansley, and Tabor Foster, the children of David Foster. They are standing in front of the display of the unfolding story of unsung hero Reinhardt at the Lowell Milken Center. David Foster is the farthest right in the upper photo.
Attending the event were the children of David Foster, one of the Uniontown High School history students who discovered the story of Reinhardt for a class project. They sat quietly, intently listening to Werling tell the story.
“Why Did Grandpa Cry” is the first of 12 children’s books about unsung heroes that will come through the Lowell Milken Center.
“The next story is about a dog named Stubby,” Werling told the audience. “A soldier took care of Stubby, then Stubby became a hero.”
Area children from kindergarten through eighth grade, under the tutelage of Fort Scott High School Thespians, entertained the audience at the high school auditorium Saturday afternoon, Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.From left: Cindy Lou Who is portrayed by Gianna Gorman, the Grinch portrayed by Remy Witt and Max, the dog is portrayed by Matthew Eaton.The Fort Scott High School Auditorium filled up Saturday afternoon prior to the first showing of How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
Fort Scott High School Thespians along with local children from kindergarten to eighth grade provided an enjoyable rendition of “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” Saturday and Sunday in the high school auditorium.
Forty-four children and youth presented the play to a large crowd on Saturday afternoon.
There were nine scenes and three songs performed under the direction of Angie Bin.
Student directors were Darrick Green, Kaitlyn Hanks, and Hunter Adamson. Acting coaches were Ivy Bailey, Katie Button, Alex Gorman, Karina Kentilal, Grant Coffman and Mackenzie Peoples.
Music directors were Mary Gladbach and Katie Button.
Choreographers were Addy Labbe and Mesa Jones.
The set designer was Mary Gladbach.
Lighting director was Alyx Brooks, lighting assistant was Lexi Bailey.
Sound designer was Dominic Cannon, the sound tech was Levi Bin.
Costume, make-up and hair designers were Ally Heenan and Haley Dugan.
Costume, make-up and hair crew was Carlee Studyvin.
The Grinch logo designer was Grant Coffman.
The Grinch was portrayed by Remy Witt; Max, the dog-Matthew Eaton; Cindy Lou Who-Gianna Gorman; Lou Who-Zachary Cox; Betty Lou Who-Lillian Collins; Mayor of Whoville-Jericho Jones; Assistant to Mayor Raywho Rose-Bareigh Farr; Clerk Vanessa Raywho-Tina Rameriz; Shopper Zoe Spagawiggle-Zoe Newman; Sue Who-Annabelle Gorman; Drew Who-Payton Bowling; Policeman-Casey Gomez.
The story was narrated by Harley Button-Emma Bin, Claywho Winkle-Connor Davenport, Kinsley Button-Kinsley Davis, Piper Schmockendocker-Piper Fulton, Abigail Winkle- Tuesday Glessner, Mook Jazzleberry-Courtney Shelton, Jenna Schmockendocker-Cadence Tuck, Emmersyn Jazzbleberry-Lydia Witt, Jessica Winkle-Berkley Wood.
The Whos were portrayed by Toni Jazzleberry-Maddison Buckman, Tanny Jazzleberry-Raidan Buckman, Zaria Spagawiggle-Zaria Byrd, Brynn Winkle-Brynn Casper, Ella Winkle-Kodi Casper, Melissa Boo Button-Mesa Casper, Lucas Button-Kaiden Clary, Pettywigsnatcher Winkle-Megan Connor, Gaby Winkle-Macey Conner, Lily Button,-Breena Cox, Paisley Schmockendocker-Bryn Crisler, Window Schmockendocker-Peighton Head, Willow Schmockendocker- Lexi Hill, Annabelle Schmockendocker-Anna Laugenstein, Sammy Jazzleberry-Kaitlyn Leavell, Abi Winkle-Avery Marsh, Christy Spagawiggle-Chrislen Newman, Mila Spagawiggle-Mila Newman, Ajax Schmockendocker-Khris Patel, Mary-o-berry Button-Allie Thomas.
Submitted photo. Aaron and Lindsey Watts, owners of Smallville Crossfit Fort Scott.
Aaron and Lindsey Watts are Superman “nerds”.
That’s why they named their business Smallville Crossfit Fort Scott.
“Smallville is a small town in Kansas, where Superman grew up,” Lindsey said. Aaron was called Clark Kent/Superman while serving in the army, she said. Lindsey was from Fort Scott, Aaron lived in Fort Scott for a while when younger.
In December 2016, Aaron was honorably discharged from the army, following seven years of military service. He was stationed at Ft. Bragg, N.C. and also Fort Campbell, Kentucky and served in Kuwait, Iraq, and Jordan.
“At Fort Campbell, we found Crossfit,” Lindsey said.
Lindsey had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia in the seventh grade.
“Doctors told me all the activities you weren’t supposed to do,” she said. “I was taking 5 to 10 pills, two to three times a day. Nothing was helping.”
“I would sleep all the time.”
When Aaron and Lindsey got married eight years ago, they started “putting on weight,” she said. Aaron then started fitness training and together they started doing bodybuilding-type workouts.
“I found when I put stress on my body I felt better, less pain, less fatigue,” she said. “That intrigued Aaron. He learned about things to do in fitness. We’d go to the gym four to five times a week.”
Lindsey’s health improved.
That inspired Aaron to be a fitness coach in thinking about a job following his army career.
Lindsay always wanted to own a business, someday.
On June 1, 2017, they purchased the fitness business at 13 S. National Avenue. Lindsey is the business manager, Aaron writes the fitness programs and is the gym manager, with both husband and wife coaching the Crossfit members.
There are over 100 members currently.
CrossFit packages are $90 for unlimited contracts, $80 for student unlimited and a 10 class punch card for children for $80.
Two beginners classes will be offered in January. A beginner class is $50 for a one week class.
“We go over nine foundational movements and diagnose our athletes and find restrictions and teach them the movements they are capable of,” Lindsey said.
New hours for the business as of December 1: Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes start at 5 a.m. with the last class at 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday have fewer classes offered. Saturday is open gym from 8 to 11 a.m. most Saturdays. Fit Kids is offered Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Aaron writes programming and training for the volleyball and baseball teams at Fort Scott Community College, as well.
For more information contact the Watts at 620-719-9602 or check them out on their Facebook page Smallville Crossfit.
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.
Fort Scott Parks and Recreation Department served free hot cocoa and cookies to parade attendees Tuesday night.
About 50 parade entries and a large crowd braved temperatures in the 30s Tuesday evening to enjoy the 2017 Fort Scott Christmas Parade. The event was sponsored by Briggs Automall and hosted by the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce.
The theme was “Christmas Vacation” and new this year was a decorated golf cart category.
Mayor Jolynne Mitchell waits with Santa before the lighting of the Mayor’s Christmas Tree following the end of the parade.Children could make craft items while waiting for Santa at Papa Don’s Restaurant, with the help of Fort Scott High School Pride students.Santa was available to listen to children’s wishes at Papa Don’s Restaurant, with a free photo provided by Walgreens. A book was given to each child courtesy of USD 234.Brita Rygmyr, manager of Papa Don’s Restaurant; Lindsay Madison, executive director of the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, and Santa Claus share a moment before names were drawn for the lucky-draw.
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 High School Thespians presents their children’s theatre production of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” at 2 and 7 p.m. on Dec. 9, and at 2 p.m. on Dec. 10, in the high school auditorium.
The cast includes 44 local children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Some featured roles include second grader Gianna Gorman as Cindy Lou Who, fifth grader Remy Witt as the Grinch, and sixth grader Jericho Jones as the Mayor of Whoville. Other members of the Who family include Lou and Betty Lou played by seventh graders Zachary Cox and Lillian Collins, Drew played by fourth grader Payton Bowling, and Sue played by fifth grader Annabelle Gorman. The Grinch’s dog, Max, is played by fourth grader Matthew Eaton.
Tickets are $5 and currently on sale at the FSHS Office, 1005 S. Main, and at Common Ground, 116 S. Main. Seating is limited and doors will open 30 minutes before showtime.
FSHS Thespian Director Angie Bin is producing the show with leadership from FSHS Thespians including juniors Hunter Adamson and Darrick Green and sophomore Kaitlyn Hanks as assistant directors; junior Mary Gladbach and senior Katie Button as vocal directors; and sophomores Mesa Jones and Addy Labbe as choreographers. The show serves as the major fundraiser for students attending the International Thespian Festival next summer in Lincoln, Neb.
Additional information can be found on the “Fort Scott High School Thespians” facebook page.
