After years of changes at the Woodland Hills Golf Course, from ownership to appearance, members of the Chamber of Commerce and the community celebrated another accomplishment with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the recently completed clubhouse.

“This is what a community can do when they set their sights to work together to make something nice and better in Fort Scott,” City Manager Dave Martin said of the clubhouse as well as the entire golf course project.

Martin said he first heard suggestions when he entered his position in 2010 that the city should purchase the golf course to keep it from going to waste or getting in worse shape. Others advised the city not get involved, but when no one else stepped up, Martin said the community should raise money if they agreed the city should become the owners. Members of the community responded by raising about $350,000.

Martin and Fort Scott Director of Finance Jon Garrison expressed appreciation to a number of people who played key roles in raising that funding and making the golf course improvements and changes a reality.

With the funding available, the city made the purchase and then a variety of improvements were made as the city worked to improve the appearance of the course as well as its marketing, adding PGA Tour professional Shannon O’Neill as the clubhouse manager in the last month.

“I’m very happy to be here,” O’Neill said, saying he looks forward to adding even more services to the golf course such as through a driving range and giving lessons.

Already, O’Neill said they have started taking steps to create a new scramble league that could meet Tuesday nights starting in May. A scramble event will also be held over the Memorial Day weekend. Over the next couple months, other businesses and organizations in Fort Scott will also hold fundraising tournaments at the course.

“The product is good,” O’Neill said of Woodland Hills. “It’s a good golf course…There’s something worthwhile here to sell.”

The new clubhouse is another accomplishment that adds to that product, as it offers a place even for non-golfers to spend time and purchase drinks. The old clubhouse was demolished in the past month with just rubble remaining.

“Congratulations to the city and the entire community for the wonderful facility,” Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsay Madison said. “Get out and enjoy it.”

What was once Vette’s at 605 S. National Ave., has seen changes in recent weeks as Chuck and Connie Harper purchased the business, made changes and have now reopened it for customers as CJ’s Closet.

Connie said her friend and former school mate had owned Vette’s and let her know when they decided to sell the business. Even though Connie had not even considered running her own business, she decided she could not turn down the offer.

“It really wasn’t something I was looking for,” said Connie, who is from Fort Scott and has spent years in nursing as well as with foster care. “We thought it’d be an interesting adventure.”

Unlike Vette’s, CJ’s Closet is a consignment shop as well as a thrift store that will sell men’s, women’s and children’s clothing and accessories and may expand to include some furniture in the future.

“I thought it was a good idea,” Connie said. “Not everybody likes to garage sale.”

CJ’s Closet opened to customers Saturday and Connie said business has already been pretty good since then.

Store hours are Monday – Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The store will remain closed on Sundays. Donations of clothing are welcomed.

Submitted by Marie Jensen, April 15

On Thursday, April 14, 2016, Fort Scott’s newest assisted living residence, Country Place Senior Living, began construction. Weather permitting, Country Place Senior Living is expected to be complete in late 2016 or early 2017.

Each of the 26 suites in the Country Place Senior Living assisted living residence will be equipped with a fully accessible private bathroom, large sitting and sleeping areas and a hospitality kitchen. In addition to the private living suites, the residence will included a large dining area, indoor and outdoor social areas, a respite care suite, library, commercial kitchen facilities, an interior concrete reinforced storm shelter and countless other amenities.

The general contractor for the project is Loyd Builders, Ottowa, Kan. Loyd Builders has previously partnered with Neighborhood Senior Living, LLC, the developers of Country Place residences, on Country Place Memory Care of Fort Scott, Country Place Senior Living of Chanute and Country Place Memory Care of Chanute.

To learn more about Country Place Memory Care or Country Place Senior Living, please call Marie Jensen, Marketing Coordinator at 913-638-0377, visit us online at www.countryplaceliving.com or on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/countryplacefortscott.

After providing car services from a mobile unit for the past few years, Leroy Walker and others with CarHelp Mobile Mechanic, LLC, celebrated the opening of their new location at 1114 S. Clark Street Saturday with a ribbon-cutting event and open house.

Walker said he first started his business with a pickup and a toolbox, but has since expanded to include two mobile trailer units as well as “The Shop” that opened in the past couple months. And Walker said he did so without credit.

“It’s already booming,” Walker said of their business, which has already begun turning a profit. “Fort Scott has been absolutely wonderful.”

Walker said Fort Scott has already become like a family for him as he provides services to the community through car repair and maintenance, whether at the customers home or at “The Shop,” and even helps inspect used vehicles someone might be considering purchasing.

“We’re so excited,” Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsay Madison said before the ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday, congratulating Walker. “Thank you for everything you’ve done to be involved n the chamber and the community.”

Saturday’s open house also included lunch provided by 5 Corners, numerous drawing prizes and KOMB radio on site.

Despite changes over the years because of health restraints for the owner as well as a change in location, Sunshine Boutique continues to sell a variety of items and provide a number of services to their visitors.

“This is a family affair,” owner Georgia Brown said during the weekly Chamber Coffee Thursday, explaining she and her granddaughter Kinede Houdashelt run the business. “We’ve always been a family-oriented business.”

The boutique is open limited hours each week because of other employment responsibilities, with the doors open 3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, but faithfully provides a wide selection of greeting cards, gift items, therapy products and more than 40 flavors of gourmet coffees as well as about 20 chai tea flavors and a number of dip and soup mixes.

With high school proms and Mother’s Day approaching, Brown also pointed out that the Sunshine Boutique provides tuxedo and suit rentals, fresh and silk floral arrangements and a number of ideal gifts for mothers.

“I think we’ve really got some neat stuff right now,” Brown said, saying she enjoys meeting people at her place of business and finding out what they are interested in.

The boutique, located in the oldest building in downtown Fort Scott, also rents out upstairs apartments, which Brown says are currently filled.

“We’re so lucky to have them,” Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsay Madison said of Sunshine Boutique, adding they would like to see more businesses join them in the downtown area.

Other announcements concerning upcoming events in Fort Scott included:

• CarHelp Mobile Mechanic’s ribbon-cutting and grand opening open house will be held Saturday, with the ribbon-cutting at 10:45 a.m. and activities and food to follow, including drawings held throughout the event. The open house will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1114 S. Clark Street.
• The Good Neighbor Action Team will hold one of their first organizational meetings of the season Tuesday at 5 p.m., at City Hall unless informed otherwise. Anyone interested in becoming involved is encouraged to attend the meeting.
• Mercy Convenient Care will host a DEA drug take-back event Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mercy, in conjunction with the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office and the Fort Scott Police Department, will accept expired prescriptions and other medications and drugs without question to properly dispose of them.
• The Southwind Extension District will host the second annual barbecue 101 workshop April 30, in Iola. The day-long event costs $50 per individual or $80 a couple and includes an apron and cookbook as well as the information on cuts of meat and how to prepare it.
• The Farmer’s Market will kick off the first weekend of May and will include plants as well as food items for sale.
• The Townwide Garage Sale will be held May 13-14. Participants are encouraged to sign up their garage sales.

With just a month before the grand opening of its new building on May 24, work continues to install exhibits and other features at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes.

Employees of Exhibit Associates, Inc., of Kansas City—which is responsible for exhibits at a number of museums, corporations and trade shows in multiple states—continue to work to install the exhibits at the new center, including interactive exhibits using sound, video and other technology.

“We’re excited about doing it,” Exhibit Associates President Don Jalbert said.

When approached about the project by Lowell Milken Center Director Norm Conard, Jalbert said one of his first responses was to ask why choose Fort Scott as a location. But when he learned more about the center and its beginnings with a project created by local high school students, Jalbert said he was blown away by the concept and eager to participate.

Megan Felt, program director and one of the founders of the original Unsung Hero project, said the center is preparing for not just visitors from the community for the grand opening, but from across the world, with commitments from the Kansas governor, founder Lowell Milken and project creators and subjects from around the nation and even internationally.

During the week of the grand opening, students who participated in Unsung Hero projects, which feature individuals who made a positive and lasting impact but are often unrecognized for their efforts, will give presentations of their projects, created in the form of documentary film, performance or website.

Four subjects of some of those projects will also speak about their experiences and accomplishments that led to their becoming an Unsung Hero at the Lowell Milken Center.

Felt said the team at the center is excited about the completion of the building located across from the original building on Main Street as well as the festivities that will occur during the week of the grand opening.

Anyone interested in attending the festivities occurring Monday and Tuesday, May 23-24, should contact the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes as space is limited. Fort Scott residents should also be aware that portions of the downtown area will be closed off for the events.