Downtown Fort Scott in a prior Good Ol’ Days Celebration.
The annual Fort Scott event of Good Ol’ Days, the first weekend in June, will not happen this year.
The event is provided by donations from local businesses and individuals, Shawn O’Brien, chairman of the Good Ol’ Days committee, said.
“With everything that has happened (the effects of the pandemic stay-at-home orders), with people losing their jobs and businesses going under, we didn’t feel we could ask for donations,” O’Brien said.
The group met last week, and made the decision then.
Members of the committee are O’Brien; Melissa Wise, treasurer; Cheryl Van Hoecke, treasurer; Tim Van Hoecke, in charge of vendors; Kayla Hall, secretary; Charlotte Thompson, in charge of logistics; Kelsey DeMott and ShayLynn Clements, in charge of kids activities and Janet Braun, “the guiding light,” O’Brien said.
The group meets monthly following the annual event, except July, to plan all the components that make up Good Ol’ Days.
Vendor registration, donations drive, putting entertainment in place, securing a carnival contract, planning kids activities are the tasks that require months of planning.
Next year the organizing committee will facilitate the event on June 4-5, 2021.
The theme, Family, Friends and Fun, will be held for next years Good Ol’ Days celebration.
“It would’ve been 40 years this year, we’ll celebrate the 40 years next year,” O’Brien said.
USD 235 has started teaching its students off-campus, following the closure of the county’s schools due to the pandemic.
The District Continuous Learning Plan officially started on Monday, April 6 and will run through Tuesday, May 19.
“It is not online learning,” Bret Howard, superintendent, said. ” This is a Continuous Learning Plan created as a response to unprecedented times. I think this is a very important distinction to make. Uniontown USD 235 is providing continuous learning opportunities for all students regardless of whether they have the internet or not.”
“We are all in unknown territory and Uniontown USD 235 wants everyone to know that we need to work together and communicate to have a successful conclusion to this school year,” Howard said.
“I am thankful for our teachers who are working extremely hard to meet the needs of our students,” he said.
“This is an amazing opportunity for the Eagle family to grow, support one another, and have compassion for all people.”
“We know this pandemic has caused stress to students, families, and our communities. Uniontown USD 235 will do everything in our power to make this a positive time for children and families.”
“We thank everyone for working to be true partners in education,” Howard said.
Howard answered the following questions via email:
What preparation did the teachers make? How did they decide the curriculum?
“Professional development for the district’s Continuous Learning Plan began the week of March 30 with an introduction, evaluation, and revision of the proposed plan to be presented to the Board of Education. Teachers engaged in a series of activities for the communication platforms they will use. The district’s behavioral health therapist through Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center introduced and provided Social Emotional Learning resources for teachers, students, and families. As grade level and content area teams, teachers identified untaught essential outcomes and planned meaningful and engaging ways to deliver the material to students.”
Do they teach from home or their schoolroom?
“The large majority of our teachers are teaching from home. Our teachers are not required or expected to physically be present at West Bourbon Elementary or Uniontown JH/HS. Some of our teachers have chosen to come to the school and do their Zoom Webinar meetings for their students. Some do so out of convenience and some out of necessity due to internet service and reliability at their homes. Right now we only have roughly 4-5 teachers in our buildings on any given day. We also have some paraprofessionals that work for the Special Education Interlocal coming to our buildings as well. They do so for the same reasons.”
In addition to teaching staff, others are working at the school.
“Several members of our food service staff are working multiple days a week to be able to provide meals for approximately 150 people ages 1 through 18.”
“Our custodial staff is working to clean rooms and areas used by our essential staff and employees who are coming into the buildings.”
“Our technology staff works from the buildings several days per week as well as our administration and administrative assistants.”
“We are very thankful for all of the hard work put in by so many of our employees.”
What about those who didn’t have computers, smartphones,etc?
“Uniontown USD 235 is a 1:1 district for laptops, Chromebooks, and IPads. All HS (Grades 9-12) students already had a laptop computer that they could take home daily. All students in grades 4-8 had Chromebooks they used at school and students in grades PK-3 had IPads. If their parents requested a device through our parent survey, students in grades PK-3 were issued an IPad and students in grades 4-8 were issued a Chromebook. We asked a parent/guardian to sign a technology usage agreement before picking up the device. ”
How will the students be graded? How will this last bit of teaching affect their final grade?
“We have asked our teachers to have patience, flexibility, and grace during these unprecedented times. However, we do expect all of our students to participate in our Continuous Learning Plan either through the use of technology or through enrichment activities delivered to them via packets through US Mail or if they are participating in our food program they can be delivered to them through that avenue as well. If students do not participate in the Continuous Learning Plan, it will have a detrimental impact on their final grade.”
The former Mercy Hospital west entrance parking lot will be the area for the community to gather in their cars this Easter Sunday for a worship service.
Several area pastors get together periodically during the year to fellowship. A few weeks ago they discussed creating a community Easter service with social distancing, because of the pandemic.
The outcome: Easter Drive-in Experience on Sunday, April 12 at 10 a.m. at the west parking lot of the old Mercy Hospital building.
“It’s a family event open to anyone,” Clayton Whitson, communication pastor at Faith Church said.
“You don’t have to be members of these churches,” Pastor Virgil Peck, of Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene said.
The churches involved in the planning are Community Christian Church, Faith Church, Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene, and Parkway Church of God.
With the permission of local and county officials, these four churches will host an Easter celebration while still adhering to social distancing requirements.
Attendees can drive their families to the Community Health Center also known as the old Mercy Hospital entrance off Highway 69. Please don’t come off of the Horton Street side, because of logistics, Peck said. The parking lots of the Professional Building to the north of the CHC will also be utilized for attendees cars.
The Professional Building across from the former Mercy Hospital.
Speakers will be set up on a semi-trailer at the convergence of the three parking lots, Peck said.
Parking attendants will direct each car to a parking space.
Everyone will remain in their vehicle and can access the broadcast audio on local radio channel 103.9 FM, KOMB Radio.
The service will feature live music, communion, and a collaborative message from all four pastors: Peck from the Nazarene Church, Eric Goings from Parkway Church of God, Dusty Drake from Community Christian, and Matthew Hunt from Faith Church.
Parking lots open at 9:30 a.m.
“We are encouraging people to come early, because the logistics,” Peck said.
If people are unable to attend, they can tune into the radio at 103.9.
“We are also trying to work out a live video stream of the event,” Peck said.
“We said, ‘If God is in it, it will happen and it seems to be coming together,” Peck said.
They are partnering together for this event because:
Ellen Kendrick, visual arts teacher at Fort Scott High School for 34 years, is retiring.
When Kendrick was in college, she took a couple of education classes out of curiosity.
“Through these classes, I came to realize that much of my childhood frustration with my own education was with the manner in which it was disseminated,” she said. ” I made a promise to myself that if I ever had the chance, I would invest in my community by being the teacher that I wish I had. I believe I was personally suited to the profession of teaching because I came of age in an era when professions weren’t chosen for the amount of money they made, but for the good that they put back into communities. I believe in the power of education and in the children that I have been given the opportunity to teach throughout my career.”
Several people inspired her to teach.
“My mom taught for 25 years and was passionate about what she did,” Kendrick said. ” I also had an amazing eighth-grade teacher, his name was Paul McClain. He was a caring and compassionate person who came into my life and taught me what a good teacher looks like. I will always be grateful for that year. Not least was Fred Campbell who saw something in me, made this job possible, and hired me to do what I love, which is to teach photography and art. I will always be grateful for the opportunity that he gave me.”
Kendrick said the greatest part of teaching is the students.
The greatest challenge has always been dealing with different personalities and varying levels of support for the things that she thought her students needed, she said.
“I would say, however, the biggest challenge has been the last month, (school closure because of the pandemic),” she said. “It is a strange way to end a career, and I mourn the loss of the last month.”
Kendrick has been involved with her husband, John, in the Echoes of the Trail, a cowboy poetry gathering and also encouraged her students and sons to be involved in the community, she said.
Retiring was a hard decision to make, she said. “Because it is a career where you get to start over fresh every year. For the first time in thirty years, I really like the direction of where things are going, but I could end up being 85 and still teaching. I made the decision, and I’m going to do it.”
Kendrick earned a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in Ceramics from Colorado State University, graduate hours from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY, Master of Arts in Photography from Pittsburg State University.
Her hometown is Kansas City, MO, where she graduated from Winnetonka High School.
The Beacon, a local helping agency, is continuing to serve the community. And although they are currently serving the same number of people, the current medical/financial crisis in America and the world will likely increase the need for free food and financial assistance.
Donations of food and money are welcome at this time, Director Gary Murrell said. Financial donations can be sent to The Beacon, 525 E. Sixth, Fort Scott, 66701. For more information call 620-223-6869.
Paying of Bills Urged
Murrell urges people to continue paying their utility and rent bills, even though the bills may have been deferred because of the crisis.
“If you stop paying your bills, they will be so large at the end of this there is little we can do,” Murrell said.
Changes In Food Items
Murrell said that there have been questions about food received from The Beacon recently.
“If you get food from us, you may not get what we have given in the past. It’s because we don’t have it,” Murrell said. “We don’t have bread and eggs. We are doing the best we can with purchasing.”
New Procedures In Place
As of March 16, The Beacon put a new procedure in place for obtaining food, if one is eligible.
To minimize spread of the virus, the public is not allowed in the building at 525 E. Sixth, until further notice.
Also when picking up items, individuals must call ahead to arrange it.
Eligible individuals are to call the Beacon with their name and when they would like to pick up their food order. The order will then be filled between normal business hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday and will picked up off the back deck of the building.
History of The Beacon
The Beacon organization was established in 1985 to serve Bourbon County residents in need.
It is funded by donations from churches, civic organizations, schools, businesses and individuals.
Also, each year the Beacon applies for various grants to help with food and monetary assistance.
They serve approximately 960 individuals a month and if a person is on food stamps, they are automatically eligible, according to Murrell.
In addition to food packages, The Beacon provides non-food items like blankets, toiletries, laundry powder, and diapers.
To receive assistance, individuals must be willing to share information about their current income levels and proof of Bourbon County residency. Families in crisis are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, 403 Woodland Hills Blvd.
Homemade masks are being advised now for the general public
Robert Poole, Communication and Marketing Director for CHC sent this information directly from National Public Radios’s web page:
The CDC is now recommending people consider wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, because there is increasing evidence that the virus can be spread by presymptomatic and asymptomatic carriers.
To view the way to make homemade face masks from household items, click below:
These new policies come with the vital plea that people don’t use the medical-grade masks that are in short supply in hospitals right now.
On Community Health Center’s Facebook page recently, a patient who was a woodworker donated his n95 respirators to CHC for medical personnel.
Poole also responded to the following questions:
What other occupations would have the medical-grade masks?
Poole said he took the following information directly from National Public Radio’s story on masks from their web page.
Construction businesses and contractors
– Woodworking shops
– Manufacturing plants and factories
– Landscapers
– Auto shops/body shops
– Painters: The masks do not protect against paint fumes, but are used as dust masks during sanding.
– Nail salons: The masks do not protect against chemical vapors, but protect against acrylic powder or dust from filing artificial nails.
– Hardware stores and tool retailers: Harbor Freight is donating its entire supply of personal protective equipment.
– Mold remediation companies
– Cleaning companies: However, many cleaning companies are facing intense demand for sanitation services because of the coronavirus crisis and may need their masks to protect their own vulnerable workers.
Where can people take donations if they have them?
“Any CHC/SEK location will gladly accept donations of N95 masks.”
What about the homemade masks people are making for medical personnel, are they effective?
” In order to reserve our supplies of medical masks, we have instituted the use of homemade masks in non-patient care areas,” Poole said.
Poole provided the following from the NPR wedsite:
Can public face-coverings prevent the spread of the virus?
The primary benefit of covering your nose and mouth is that you protect others. While there is still much to be learned about the novel coronavirus, it appears that many people who are infected are shedding the virus – through coughs, sneezes and other respiratory droplets – for 48 hours before they start feeling sick. And others who have the virus – up to 25%, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield — may never feel symptoms but may still play a role in transmitting it. That’s why wearing a mask even if you don’t feel sick can be a good idea.
If you cough or sneeze, the mask can catch those respiratory droplets so they don’t land on other people or surfaces. “So it’s not going to protect you, but it is going to protect your neighbor,” says Dr. Daniel Griffin at Columbia University, an expert on infectious diseases. “If your neighbor is wearing a mask and the same thing happens, they’re going to protect you. So masks worn properly have the potential to benefit people.”
If I’m wearing a mask and someone sneezes on me, would the mask offer some protection?
Yes. But only if you use the mask properly and don’t touch it with your hands afterward. Those droplets from a cough or sneeze would hit your mask instead of your mouth and nose — good news. But the next step is to take the mask off by the ear bands and either wash or discard it — without touching the front of it. If you touch the front of the mask, whatever that person coughed or sneezed on it is now on your hands.
One other thing: Ideally you would have eye protection, too, to keep that stranger’s sneeze from getting in. Glasses and sunglasses aren’t perfect but can help.
What about homemade masks?
Some research has shown that cotton T-shirt material and tea towels might help block respiratory droplets emitting from sick people — though it’s not clear how much protection they provide.
How often do I need to wash it?
Griffin says to think of a mask as like underwear: It needs to be washed after each use. “You don’t take this dirty mask off, put it in your purse and then stick it back on your face,” he says. “It’s something that once you put on, is potentially either touching your coughs, sneezes or the spray of your speech, or protecting you from the coughs, spray, speech of other people. And now it’s dirty. It needs to basically be either discarded or washed.”
Rachel Pruitt, Fort Scott’s Economic Director, gave a press release that details loans to local businesses who are struggling financially.
The Kansas Department of Commerce CDBG Program has drastically changed the requirements of the Revolving Loan Fund program, according to information provided by Pruitt.
The City of Fort Scott is encouraging immediate use of the Revolving Loan Fund to support the working capital needs of businesses in Fort Scott, she noted.
The City’s CDBG Revolving Loan Fund has up to $260,000 directed towards small businesses with the highest risk of closing and/or laying off workers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The purpose of this program is to retain existing jobs.
There is a maximum of up to $10,000 per business to stimulate job retention.
Employers are asked on the following forms to fill out a job certification form for each employee being retained.
Rayma Ridge joins with dancers in the street of Uniontown on Wednesday evening. Courtesy photo.
Rayma Ridge said she was influenced by scenes of people around the world who started singing from their windows or balconies while being quarantined because of the pandemic.
She works from home and has a disc jockey business (Rayma’s D.J. Services) as an extra job.
“I’m an extrovert,” Ridge said. “This (stay-at-home order in Bourbon County) is hard on me. I’m sure it’s hard on others.”
All of her disc jockey events were canceled for April because of the order to stay home.
So Ridge decided to put her d.j. skills to use for her neighborhood.
“I got permission from the City of Uniontown,” she said. “I had to ask all my direct neighbors if it was fine. All of them were cool with it.”
So Wednesday evening from 6-8 p.m. on Third Street in front of Ridge’s house, she put up her speakers and a sign that said “Quarantine Block Party” and began playing kid-friendly music.
Uniontown people dance in the streets courtesy of Disk Jockey Rayma Ridge.
“I picked an evening that it wasn’t going to rain so people could be outside to enjoy it.”
Soon children and some adults were in the streets dancing, socially distancing of course.
Papa Don’s Serves Uniontown
Brita Bolton and two employees served 25 families at the Uniontown Square who had called in an order to Papa Don’s on Wednesday evening.
Although Ridge did not know it, Papa Don’s Restaurant, Fort Scott, had put out on social media that they would bring orders at 7 p.m. to Uniontown’s square.
Those people also got to enjoy the music from Ridge, who was just down the street.
Brita Bolton, owner of Papa Don’s said they served 25 families at the drive-through in Uniontown on Wednesday.
Protective Masks Being Made
Ridge has also devoted time to making protective masks for area essential businesses and medical personnel.
“I’ve been making masks, there is a Facebook group, Masks For SEK,” she said.
Some of the masks for essential workers and medical personnel that Ridge has made. Courtesy photo.
Community Christian Church, across from Fort Scott Community College on Horton Street. File photo.
Members of Community Christian Church, 1919 S. Horton, will be feeding families in need as a drive-by.
The first meal offering was last night.
“We served 159 people last night,” Gayle Sackett, a member of Community Christian Church said.
Community Christian Church members prepare the to-go boxes for the free meal offered the community on March 30. Submitted photo.
“We will be serving on Monday night from 5 to 6 pm. Everyone is welcome. Enter the church parking lot across from Fort Scott Community College. Drive along the south side of the building then turn left. No need to get out of your car. We will hand your meal through your car window.”
Names will be taken of anyone eating a meal, she said.
Community Christian Church members prepare for the drive-by recipients on March 30. Submitted photo.
The church members believe there is a need for families currently, with many people losing jobs, she said.
“There is a greater need, right now,” Sackett said.
“It’s the same principle as the Feeding Families In His Name,” she said.
Feeding Families In His Name, a ministry of the First Methodist Church has been offering a free meal on Wednesday evenings for nine years, Jean Tucker, coordinator, said.
First United Methodist Church, 301 S. National. File photo.
“When Gayle Sackett called me, the group wanted to go under Feeding Families umbrella,” Tucker said. “I am so excited they are doing this.”
FFIHN is a 501 3c organization that receives food commodities from the Department of Agriculture and goes through the Department of Children and Families.
“CCC is using our commodities, they will augment that with other donations,” Tucker said.
First Methodist Church is located at Third and National Avenue.
Access to the free Wednesday evening meal is behind the church in the alley between Main and National Avenue. That meal is from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
There, individuals and families will be served to-go boxes.
Tucker wanted to thank the volunteers that help.
“We have a very dedicated group of volunteers,” she said. “Just a few come to cook.”
The need for meals is increasing, as evidenced by the number of people who have received free meals in March at the Methodist Church.
“Two weeks ago it was 180 people, last week 210, this week we are planning for 230,” Tucker said.
Craw-Kan Telephone Cooperative, Girard, is giving several area high school students and staff who may not have internet connectivity at home, a place where they can connect for free.
This is an effort to help with aiding students and staff in online school work as physical access to schools has been shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Zach Adams, Craw-Kan Marketing Manager said.
As of March 30, Craw-Kan has hotspots located at LaRoche Baseball Complex in Fort Scott’s Industrial Park, south of the city and the new Fort Scott Central office building, located south of Family Video on National Avenue and in Uniontownon on the north side of the town square.
The Craw-Kan Central Office Building on South National Avenue. Photo courtesy of Craw-Kan.
“We have plans to add additional wifi hotspots to other rural Bourbon county communities this week as wifi equipment becomes available,” he said. “The SSID (name) of the wifi connection that you will see on your device will be ‘Craw-Kan Free WIFI’ .”
The LaRoche Baseball Complex in Fort Scott’s Industrial Park, located just off HWY. 69 south of the city. Photo courtesy of Craw-Kan.
“This map is the go-to,” Adams said. More hot spots will be added.
“Craw-Kan deployed a large number of our staff last week to bring as many wifi hotspots online across our very large service area,” Adams said. “As of March 30, 2020, we had 24 different hotspots available in about 10 or so school districts across Southeast Kansas and a couple in Southwest Missouri.”
The Craw-Kan building on the north side of Uniontown’s square. Photo courtesy of Craw-Kan.
“They are fully open public wifi hotspots and no password is required,” he said.
One has to be near the hot spot to use it.
“While we are using high power outdoor wifi transmitters, you must still be within range to use the internet at one of these hotspots,” Adams said. “The range of these radios differs by locations, however, most reach a 150 – 300 ft radius around the hotspot. Basically they are designed to be drive-up/walk-up access and we do ask that anyone using the hot spot exercises proper caution and maintains social distancing guidelines recommended by the State of Kansas. “
“While we implemented this program to assist in online education, the general public would be allowed to access these wifi hotspots for other uses,” he said. “However, we do reserve the right to block traffic that would be considered abuse at our discretion. This is not designed for people to sit in their cars and watch Tiger King on Netflix or stream all the Star Wars movies on Disney +. We will be monitoring traffic/bandwidth usage and can block usage by service (or individual device) if needed to maintain the integrity of the connection for student educational usage.”
This is part of a series highlighting educators who will retire this school year.
In spite of the world crisis, life goes on, and FortScott.Biz will continue to feature stories of local interest.
Ronda Bailey, 63, has been an educator at Fort Scott Community College for 36 years, teaching English, music and education.
She is retiring this year.
The best part of teaching for Bailey has been being with the students, she said. ” I love the classroom. I love seeing them succeed when they never thought they would; or sharpen their skills. Also, I enjoy watching them discover who they are and what they want to do with their lives.”
” I am heartbroken that I will not get to have the remainder of this year with the students who were in my classes, but I also know that some of them will be in my life after this is over. Many of my former students stay in touch, and I love it. I am excited for the all-school reunion at Uniontown later this year.”
How did you become an educator?
“I remember sitting in my seventh-grade music class in Bronaugh listening to my band teacher Betty Jo Laflen. As I sat there, I realized I wanted to do what she did. I am excited that this fall, I will be substituting for Bronaugh’s current band director while she is on maternity leave. It is exciting for me to go back to the room where my career started.”
Did someone inspire you to teach?
“There were many, but four come to mind. The first was my Aunt, Florence Mason. She taught in many of the one-room schools in Bourbon County. She took me with her to school one day. I believe that was the day I thought teaching could be fun. I already mentioned Betty Jo Laflen. I told her that I wanted to do what she did. She then mentored me. She encouraged me by having me take solos to contest, perform in ensembles at Bronaugh and PSU, and take voice, piano, and clarinet lessons. She continued in that mentor role throughout my career. Sharon Pruitt was the band director at Bronaugh after Mrs. Laflen resigned. Sharon has been a mentor too, and she was piano teacher my senior year. She prepared me for college. All of these women were positive role models that I was fortunate to have in my life. The last person taught me community college teaching, band directing, and recruiting was Robert Estes. He would explain the how and why he directed a composition a certain way, how to organize a music festival and much more. My Aunt Florence died several years ago, but the other three are still very much in my life. I am blessed.”
What have been the greatest challenges?
“Leaving Uniontown School District and leaving Fort Scott Community College.
The Uniontown school district, parents, and children accepted me with open arms. It was a time of great music there. We all worked toward a common goal, and we were successful marching, competing in contest competitions, and learning to love music. It was a wonderful time in my life, and it was so hard to leave..
” Leaving FSCC is a challenge too. FSCC has been in my life for nearly 40 years. I walked on that campus a scared girl from Bronaugh who did not think she could achieve her dream of teaching, but FSCC was the perfect fit. I was in every music ensemble, second runner-up homecoming queen representing Christians on Campus, and student government. I was the Greyhound Express editor, and Bernita Hill, the sponsor, taught me so much about journalism and English. I have taught, in some capacity, at FSCC thirty-six years. Walking out that door for the last time is hard.”
Thoughts on retiring?
“As I said previously, I am going to be a substitute at Bronaugh, Mo. I am excited to have my first summer without teaching summer classes for the first time in fifteen years. I want to read some of the good books that I have not had a chance to read for a while and sew some.
“Hopefully, this pandemic will pass soon and my husband and I will be able to travel some. Until then we will work on our cattle ranch.”
Bailey received an AA from FSCC in 1976, a BSED K-12 instrumental and choral music education from Missouri Southern State University, a master’s in music and also an English certification for 7-12 and Advanced Studies English from Pittsburg State University, in addition, she attended Baker University for Advanced Studies English.
Bailey’s hometown is Bronaugh, Mo. She is married to Roger and they have a daughter, Taylor.
Bailey has been involved in the community in the following ways: Bourbon County Arts Council Member, Bourbon County Fair Fashion Revue Superintendent, Bourbon County Fair Extension Unit Sewing Judge, Progressive Mother’s Club Member, and past president and vice president, Gordon Parks Center Board, member of Community Christian Church and worship accompanist.
