For a second year, the physical education teachers of USD 234 organized the Tigers on the Move event for members of the school and Fort Scott communities to encourage activity and health for local families.

“It’s all for fun,” Chris Sather, PE teacher at Winfield Scott Elementary School, said of the 3K event. “We’re trying to get the families active together.”

Sather said they considered the event a huge success as the number of participants approximately doubled from the previous year, with about 450 people preregistered for the event held at the Waterfront Park.

Participants of all ages, wearing white shirts, walked and ran the 1.8 mile route that took them past Fort Scott High School and Fort Scott Community College students and athletes as well as city leaders armed with bottles of paint to spray on them.

Funded by a Team Nutrition grant, the event this year included the theme of fruits and vegetables, encouraging participants to eat a variety of colors when they eat their fruit and vegetables.

Sather said they appreciated the support from the city as well as the school district, saying the event was a group effort.

The Fort Scott National Historic Site began placing flags on its parade grounds Thursday afternoon in preparation for its third annual Symbols of Sacrifice event, to be held Sept. 11-17.

About 20 students from Fort Scott Christian Heights came to help place the flags and Uniontown middle school students plan to come Friday to do the same as they place the almost 7,000 flags honoring the men and women killed during the War on Terror.

“It’s nice to have them participate and maybe take something away from it,” park ranger and event organizer Bill Fischer said of those students, some of whom are not much younger than the soldiers killed.

Fischer said the event first began with a group of community members who wanted to honor those killed. One of those involved in the start-up even had the difficult job of being present when family members were informed of a soldier’s death.

“It was driven by community members who really wanted to recognize those men and women,” Fischer said.

Since that time, the national historic site has hosted the event annually, getting the number of deaths from the United States Central Command. This year 6,838 flags will be flown, including flags for those killed in action, those who died in the line of duty such as in vehicle accidents, and American non-combatants who were also killed.

Individual flags are also placed in honor of those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, for United States civilians killed overseas and those killed in other American wars.

“It’s a labor of love,” Fischer said of placing those flags, saying they are looking for volunteers who could give some of their time Friday to help. “It’s not easy to do. It takes a lot of people.”

Fischer said they also need volunteers to participate in reading the names of all those killed, starting at 7 a.m. Saturday morning, over the public announcement system in downtown Fort Scott. The names will be read in 15 minute increments.

“It means a lot to me,” said Fischer, who retired from the United States Air Force in 2003 and has three children who are veterans of the War on Terror, including a son who was injured while overseas and saw fellow soldiers killed.

Fischer said he has heard from others as well who were moved by the event, such as a man who heard the name of a man he served with read over the PA system in a previous year.

This year, the event will feature a concert by the 1^st Infantry Division’s Brass Band out of Fort Riley, starting at 6 p.m. Saturday. The event will also take time to recognize Vietnam veterans in honor of the 50^th anniversary of the Vietnam War.

Throughout the following week, the flags will be kept in place for visitors to see.

The completion date for the new Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes building approaches as final touches are made on the building across the street from the current LMC location on Main Street.

Executive director Norm Conard said they started looking into purchasing another building about two years ago, with the plan of using an already-existing, historical structure. But when that plan fell through because of the cost of refurbishing, they instead looked into constructing their own new building.

“The new building will be an ideal situation for the center,” Conard said. “Thanks to Mr. [Lowell] Milken and his investment in Fort Scott and his belief and vision for our center.”

Work began on that building in the months after a ground-breaking ceremony in Sept. 2014. With just flooring and some other projects remaining, Conard said they expect the building to be done in early October.

Project supervisor Bill Draney of the A.L. Huber contractors said the weather this season slowed their project some with frequent rains earlier in the year, but it has since been on task and is nearing completion.

The new building, with about 6,500 square feet compared to the current building of about 2,500, houses a large exhibit area, conference room and office areas. While they have seven to 10 exhibits in the current location, Conard said they will be able to add more in the new building.

Conard said the center will continue to use the current building, but for workshops and training with teachers from around the world during the summer, for student research, archives, storage, overflow from large tour groups and an area to film projects.

While the building will be complete in approximately a month, Conard said it will likely take four to six months to put all the exhibits in place. Tentatively, they hope to hold a grand-opening in May of 2016.

Next door to the new building will be a city park, increasing the aesthetic nature of the downtown area. Conard said he looks forward to seeing how the city will benefit from that and the new Lowell Milken Center.

“We’re excited about the downtown and what that means for not just Fort Scott but for our region, as far as bringing visitors and guests,” Conard said.

The center first opened its doors in 2007, with the goal of helping educate students as well as honoring historical figures whose stories are not commonly known. It has since reached more than one million students, whose projects each include a film, performance, exhibit and website for those unsung heroes they discovered.

The success of the center has recently spread even internationally with the opening of a similar center in Europe.

With the beginning of the new school year, the Buck Run Community Center has also kicked off some of its fall activities for a range of ages, offering both new and returning activities for membership holders and others interested in getting involved.

Since opening its doors in the 1930s, the community center has seen a variety of changes and improvements over the years until it now houses basketball courts, volleyball courts, exercise equipment room, racquetball courts and other services.

“We have a lot of programs,” said director Tom Robertson, who has been at the community center for about 15 years.

Some changes to the fall activities include the addition of gymnastics for children age 3-14 years old, after having gone a few years without that program since they did not have a certified instructor. That program begins this week, offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The center also has a new trainer to go with the returning instructors of the numerous fitness classes the center offers each week.

Karen Rienbolt, with a master’s degree in physical education, will lead fitness classes every Monday and Wednesday morning and a second class Monday and Wednesday afternoons, beginning Sept. 14, and will continue through December. The 12-week sessions with 24 classes will cost $30 per participant.

Buck Run also offers two PiYo classes, a combination of Pilates and yoga, each week, led by instructor Lynette Westhoff. Alex Horttor will instruct a full-body boot camp two days a week as well. The former starts Wednesday while the eight-week boot camp begins in October.

Senior exercise classes led by Edith Collins are also offered during the week.

Robertson said one of the most popular activities over the past couple years has been the Biggest Loser program, offered in the fall as a team challenge and the spring for individuals. The weigh-in for participating teams of five will be Thursday and then each week after that for 10 weeks.

The cost for a team is $60 and weekly incentives will be awarded with prizes given to the top three teams at the end of the program in November.

Buck Run also hosts community dances a few evenings each semester, the first to be held Sept. 19, with lessons offered just before each dance as well as once a week.

Youth leagues include flag football, micro-soccer, volleyball, and cheer clinics. Adults can participate in volleyball, men’s and women’s pickle ball and co-ed kickball leagues.

The community center also offers activities for students during certain days off school during the semester as well as the occasional dodgeball game, a pumpkin carving contest prior to Halloween, a snow sculpture contest during the winter months and a Tiger Spirit award offered for the best decorated house, yard or individual.

Those interested in learning more about activities can find more information at the Buck Run Community Center.

“We just like to see people get involved,” Robertson said. “Our job is to improve the quality of life in Fort Scott, so that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Submitted by Deb Anderson

The Downtown Art Walk was first introduced by the Chamber in 2013. In 2014 the Bourbon County Arts Council assumed the event. Our goal is to see this become a trademark cultural event in Fort Scott in which we promote established and emerging artists, providing an opportunity for artists to showcase their talents. We are so fortunate to have such a vast array of unique individuals in the community with such creativity and skills in artwork, including paintings, photography, pottery and jewelry.

This is a family friendly event that takes place on the Patio of the Liberty Theatre and Main Street between First and Second Street on Friday, Sept. 11, from 5 to 8 p.m. There is no charge to attend. The Art Walk is an opportunity for both the art enthusiasts and those simply looking for a pleasant evening out to connect with the artists in our community.

We welcome artists to participate in the Art Walk. We are looking for visual art that has been made, no products or services. There is no charge for artists to participate. Anyone interested may call Deb Anderson at 620-223-8650 or email [email protected]. Each Artist is responsible for their setup needs.

The Young Professional League provides an activity for children.

After rain and potential flooding postponed the original dates of the second Marmaton Massacre cycling event, organizer Frank Halsey was not sure how many participants would be involved in the race held at the Gunn Park trails.

“We don’t know the impact on the number of people who will show up,” Halsey said before the event, which was rescheduled to Aug. 15-16.

But Halsey said the delay might have been a blessing in disguise as it likely kept the event from becoming too large for them to handle, after a successful first year brought in several new racers and led to their being the location of the Kansas State Mountain Biking Championship.

“For a first year, that was considered pretty good,” Halsey said of the turnout of about 45 cyclists and the selection for the championship location after the 2014 race. “It was a little overwhelming for us, being as young as we are.”

The second year of the event brought in more than 100 racers from around the state and even neighboring states.

“It was great,” Halsey said of the two-day race, calling it a huge success. “I think it was everything I’d hoped for.”

Halsey said many of those cyclists were new to the trails and were surprised by how well-made they were, including stretches of flat ground as well as more challenging, hilly areas.

“They had no idea we had this quality of trails,” Halsey said, saying several cyclists expressed their interest in coming again in the future while others from out of town have already begun coming weekly to ride the trails. “They just didn’t know what to expect.”

While the event did bring in a slight profit, which Halsey said will be used for the trail work and maintenance, Halsey also said he believes the city of Fort Scott benefitted from the event as well as participants stayed in hotels for the weekend and shopped and ate at local venues.

“I know we brought business to Fort Scott,” Halsey said.

Changes from the first race held in 2014 included the addition of a challenging half-mile to the trail, holding the event on both Saturday and Sunday and a children’s race held Saturday. Those activities as well as live music, vendors, bounce houses and an option for camping provided a more festival atmosphere, Halsey said.

Halsey said the event could not have happened without the team of volunteers and sponsors who participated, and already they are beginning to look at planning a third race for the summer of 2016.

Prior to 2010, the bike trails did not even exist. But Halsey, who had been interested in cycling for some time since a knee injury kept him from jogging, began to look into creating the trails at Gunn Park in 2009, finally receiving permission from the city to do so the following year.

“It’s a labor of love, so to speak,” Halsey said of the slow process.

With one to 10 volunteers helping at a time, working mostly in the winter when there is the least amount of brush to clear, the trails have slowly expanded over the past five years into a seven-mile course, with space for about a mile further before there is no more available ground for the trail.

“It’s my new hobby,” Halsey said of the trails, which he first started working on by himself with a rake and a machete. “It’s become a much bigger project than I anticipated.”

With the approval of the $40.8 million school bond package in November of 2014 and the beginning of summer break, construction equipment has been a common sight around Fort Scott High School.

“It’s messy,” superintendent Bob Beckham said Monday. “But it’s exciting and it’ll all be worth it in the end.”

With school starting for USD 234 on Thursday and with the first scrimmage football game to be held Friday night, some of that mess will disappear as projects around the stadium wrap up in the next few days.

This week, workers will finish installing the artificial turf at the football stadium, sewing on lettering, lines, numbers and a large Tiger paw to be displayed on the center of the field. The field’s new lighting, fence and jumping pit will also be on display in time for a ceremony to be held Friday before the start of the red and white game.

The three-story, junior college wing has also been demolished and is ready for work to begin for the new science lab and administrative offices to be constructed there.

Other work scheduled to begin is the new gymnasium as well as high-wind shelters to be established in each of the schools in the months ahead, whether in the schools’ cafeterias or other buildings.

Fort Scott, KS

Last Thursday, almost 100 city leaders and community members gather at FSCC  Ellis Fine Arts building to observe the National Day of Prayer.

The National Day of Prayer was established in 1952 by Harry S. Truman. Since then, events like Thursday morning’s prayer breakfast has been happening around the nation ever since.

Dona Bauer, President of the Pioneer Kiwanis started the meeting followed by an opening prayer by Pastor Scott Moore, Church of the Nazarene. Sarah Mae Lamar shared special music accompanied by Jeremy Culbertson followed by a short message from Pastor Tim Woodring, Community Christian Church.

This event was generously sponsored by: Cheney Witt Funeral Chapel, FSCC, FS Area Chamber of Commerce, FS Ministerial Alliance and FS Pioneer Kiwanis.