Tag Archives: featured

New Uniontown Jr/Sr High Principal: Robert Onelio

Robert Onelio. Submitted photo.

Robert Onelio, 42, is the new junior/senior high principal at USD 235.

Uniontown High School.

“I’ve always felt it was a calling to work in education” Onelio said. “It’s rewarding to see kids grow and learn but also over the years it’s even more rewarding to see former students succeed as adults!”

A challenge as an educator is ” nothing stays the same and you must find a balance between the tried and true and the new trends that come into education. All the while keeping in mind what is best for kids.”

He is married to Abby Onelio who is  going to be working at Uniontown Junior/Senior High School as a Spanish Teacher. They have four children.

They will be commuting from their farm in Crawford County.

“As a family we are active in our church, 4H, and sports,” Onelio said. “Also, we enjoy traveling, camping, riding dirt bikes, and taking care of cows!”

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Pittsburg State University in 2004, and a Master of Science in School Leadership from Baker University in 2011.

Onelio has 18 years total in the field of education in Arkansas City Public Schools: six years as a World History teacher, five years as an assistant high school principal, five years as a head elementary principal and two years as head middle school principal.

 

Connie Billionis Retires From U234

Connie Billionis. Submitted photo.
Connie Billionis is retiring from USD 234 School District after 42 years.
USD 234 Board of Education Building, 424 S. Main
“I worked as a secretary at Fort Scott Middle School for 13 years,” Billionis said. “I then transferred to the USD 234 Board of Education (office) as Deputy Clerk and Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent for the remainder of my career for a total of 42 years.”
There have been many changes since she started over four decades ago.
“Changes in technology made a huge difference in how I performed my job,” she said.  “I started out typing student schedules on an electric typewriter. Attendance was recorded by collecting absentee slips every hour at the middle school and recording the information by marking boxes by hand in large leather books.  And now, everything is completed on laptops, using two or more screens.  All state reports, documents, board policy, board of education agendas, etc. are accomplished using the internet through multiple programs.”
The best aspect of her job has been co-workers, teachers, and students.
“I have made life-long friendships and memories with lots of laughter and a few tears along the way,” she said.  “I loved seeing students grow and change before they moved on to the high school. It was great when teachers would come into the office to share a student’s essay or a student’s success.  At the board office, I truly enjoyed keeping track of calendar events, preparing board agendas for monthly and special meetings, and assisting teachers with their professional learning opportunities.  It has been an honor to serve the students, faculty, and staff at USD 234.”
As with all of life, there have been challenges.
“One of the biggest challenges has been the changes with each administration,” Billionis said.  “I was fortunate to work with eight different superintendents, and each one made a change in the working environment.”
She does have plans for retirement.
“I’m looking forward to spending more time with my husband, Gary.  I love to be with my grandkids, and I have a great time outside in the garden,” she said.  “Just having an opportunity to relax and enjoy God’s beautiful world will be a blessing.  The hardest part of retirement will be missing the day-to-day interaction with my office friends.”
The retirement reception for Billionis is on Monday, July 17, at 4:30 p.m. at the Board of Education office.

Donation to U234 of Science Cabinets from Robert and Kim Coon

Robert and Kim Coon own A1 Towing. Submitted photo.
Robert and Kim Coon are the owners of A1 Towing Service and often that business leads to buying salvage lots and liquidations.
“Any time there is a semi (tractor/trailer) accident that one of our three locations work, we will bid on the cargo,” Coon said. “Often the cargo is undamaged and we can sell the items at a discount price in our community.”
He gave an example.
“In 2022 we sold 25 new  residential heat and air-conditioning  systems and insulation for a 30% of the value, to locals,” Coon said.
At the beginning of this year, Coon, worked a wreck that had some science lab cabinets that were unharmed.

“Opportunity came for us to acquire these bio cabinets, Kimberly (his wife) called and spoke with Gina Shelton (USD234 Board Clerk and Finance Director) about donating them if the school district could use them. Gina was instrumental in the process. I believe they are going to be used in two different science classes.”

“These bio cabinets couldn’t have a better home than USD 234 science labs,” Coon said. “Kim and I have six proud  Fort Scott Tigers.”

Coon initially contacted the school district at the end of January, Destry Brown, USD 234 Superintendent said.
Destry Brown. Submitted photo.
“We then polled both principals and they felt they could use the cabinets in classrooms,” Brown said. ” In March, connections were made between Mr. Coon and the district to coordinate delivery.  The cabinets were delivered on April 6, but the spaces they are to go in are either under construction with the heating, ventilation , air-conditioning energy projects, being used for summer programming, or being deep cleaned as we do in the summer months.”
Photo of the science cabinet. Submitted photo.
They intend to place them in the appropriate classrooms as soon as those spaces are ready, Brown said.
“We did not want to unpackage them before moving them to avoid damage,” Brown said. “Right now they are being stored at the district offices to protect them.”
The estimated value of the two science lab cabinets is $34,280 ($17,140 each) based upon estimates of comparable property, Brown said.
Usage will be to secure storage materials in classrooms.
“The middle school is adding programming related to a paint booth and this would allow for secured storage of that,” Brown said.

“They will be placed at the middle school and/or high school,” Brown said.  “This will be determined after the principals return to contract for the 2023-24 school year.”

FS Quarterly Downtown Meeting: Events, Projects, Updates

Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsey Madison opens the FS Downtown Meet and Greet.

There are several community projects happening in Fort Scott.

At the Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greeton July 11, facilitated by the Chamber of Commerce, leaders of several  of the projects gave updates. The event was hosted by Lyons Realty Group office.

Lindsey Madison, Chamber Executive Director, gave a summary of the upcoming events and promotions:

  •  July 15: Christmas in July Sidewalk Sale
  •  July 18: Patty LaRoche will present a book talk at Hedgehog.INK! from 7 to 8:30 p.m. LaRoche’s new book, A Little Faith Lift…Finding Joy Beyond Rejection  will be featured.
  • August 4-6: Sales Tax Holiday Weekend, where participating businesses give customers a 9.4 percent discount on purchases.
  • Sept. 8-9: Town-wide Garage Sale
  • Sept. 9: Art Crawl by the Bourbon County Arts Council, the Artificers and more, from 2-6 p.m.
  • Sept. 16: Author Miranda Collins, Chanute, writer of Action Detective Mystery will be at Hedgehog.INK! at 2 p.m.
  • Sept. 21: Downtown Fall Fest, stores open until 8 p.m. for fall food snacks and shopping.
  • Oct. 28: Halloween Parade. Festivities start at 10 a.m., children’s downtown parade on Main Street at 11 a.m.
  • Nov. 9-11: Holiday Open House, kick off on Thursday from 5-8 p.m. with continued open house on Friday and Saturday.
  • Nov. 25: Shop Small Friday/Saturday in Fort Scott.
  • Nov. 30 Candy land Christmas with parade and festivities downtown.
  • Bailey Lyons gave an update on the splash pad project: Concrete is being poured this Thursday on the big splash pad. On July 15-16 volunteers are needed to help with landscaping projects: bring gloves and tools. The group has raised approximately $325,000 for the project nearing completion.
  • The new historic mural that will be created on Skubitz Plaza will be unveiled in coordination with the Gordon Parks Celebration on Oct. 6. The mural was approved by the city’s design review board this week, Jerry Witt, owner of the mural site building  said.
  • The multi-purpose pavilion to be on Skubitz Plaza is in the works, Madison said. The Farmers Market group will use the facility “and anyone else.”
  • The welcome arch to the city is being worked on by the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team and will go to the city’s design review board.
  • The Chamber Golf Classic is this Friday July 14 at Woodland Hills Golf Course. They are still accepting raffle items.
  • The Special Olympic Golf Tournament is July 29 at the same course.
  • The mountain bike race, the Marmaton Massacre Festival, will be Sept. 16 in Gunn Park.
  • The annual Naturalization Ceremony at the Fort Scott National Historic Site will be on a  Friday in September to be announced.
  • Grants available to businesses: E-Community at http://www.networkkansas.com and Grow KS.

Updates from attendees:

Bourbon County Commission Chairman Jim Harris said it is asphalt laying season in the county, “please be cautious of workers.”

“Since 2019 we’ve lowered the mill levy by 9.6%…I will not vote for a mill levy increase,” he said.

There is a new format for speaking at the commission meetings, he said: People must sign up and they get 5 minutes each to speak. “We want peoples input,” he said. “It’s OK to disagree but be professional.”

Harris said there is a request for proposals for the overpass project on the south side of Fort Scott. The commission will be applying for state and federal funds for the project.

Rob Harrington, Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Director, said they have been working on a Star Bond and TIF project south of town, and it will be “huge to the community.” His office is at the former Mercy Hospital building,  now owned by Legacy Health Foundation.

Kari West, Lead Customer Solutions Manager at Evergy, said the utility company hasn’t had an increase in five years and they are requesting one. Evergy purchased property north and west of their current location on Skubitz Plaza with plans to move to that site.

The Fort Scott Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet at Lyons Realty Group,, 8 E. Wall, on July 11.

Special Olympics Benefit on Woodland Hills Golf Course July 29

Woodland Hills Golf Course, 2414 S. Horton, Fort Scott.

The 6th Annual Bourbon County Special Olympics Golf Scramble is July 29.

Amy Bockerstette, a Special Olympian from Phoenix, AZ. Submitted photo.

“To date we have raised over $115,00 for Special Olympics Kansas,” Steve Anthony, tournament director said. “Because last year was such a huge hit for us we are bringing back former Major Leaguer Otis Nixon to our event.”

“Otis will be bringing with him Harlem Globetrotter Hollywood Brown, Golf Trick Shot Artist Rocky Shipe, and Olympic Medalist Arthur Culbreath,” he said.

They have a full field of sixty-two teams with 264 players coming from seven different states.

Tee times will start on Saturday July 29 at 7a.m. with the first wave of teams. The second wave will take off at approx 1:15 p.m.

“I want to thank Andrew Defebaugh and Chase Halsey for all of their help to make this tournament a success,” Anthony said. “The community is invited to come out starting at 7 a.m. to purchase raffle tickets for $1 each.”

Time Judy, Ben Cole, Steve Anthony and Nick Rule at the Special Olympics event three years ago. Submitted photo.

“We also have a golf cart we will be giving away that day to the lucky winner of one of our many raffle prizes we will have available,” Anthony said. “I can’t thank the community enough for always stepping up to raise funds for such a great cause.”

For more information please contact him at 620-215-2392.

New Coffee Bean Roasting Business Starts In Fort Scott

Submitted photo.

A local couple has started a new coffee bean roasting business.

Crooked Cactus Coffee Co. owners Randy and Tanya Glessner
started their new venture on July 3, 2023.
“We sell small farm, single origin coffee beans from around the world and roast them locally here in Fort Scott, with love,” Randy Glessner said.
Randy and Tanya Glessner. Submitted photo.
They have a Facebook page where the current coffee menu is posted at the top, he said.
“Menu selections vary by season,” Randy Glessner said.
The current coffee menu is:
light-Mexican
medium- Nicaraguan
dark-Sumatran
decaf-Medium Timor
The business is  located at 408 Jefferson Street on Fort Scott’s east side,  inside of Upper Cut Salon, a beauty shop operated by Tanya.
“We both have a passion for coffee and wanted a way to enjoy it in the freshest, purest way possible,” he said. “So we started looking into the best coffee beans and wanted to support small coffee bean farms around the world. After that,  we started mastering our coffee roasts and knew this was something we had to share with others! “
The coffee costs $15 for a 12 ounce bag. When ordering, please specify whether whole beans or ground beans are desired.
They accept cash, credit/debit card or cashapp.
Orders can be placed by calling or texting 620-224-6704.
Submitted graphic.
Tanya is an ordained minister.
“She doesn’t work for any church,” he said. “She volunteers her own time and money to help women in prison and recovering addicts.
Ten percent of all proceeds goes to the prison ministry/mentoring and local community mentoring for recovering addicts.”

Young Entrepreneur: Katy Shead

This is part of a series featuring young entrepreneurs.

To recommend a youth under 18 years-of-age for a feature, send contact info to [email protected]

Katy Shead. Submitted photo.

Katy Shead, 16, is providing tutoring services for school children for a business.

She attends a virtual school.

“I provide online tutoring services for people in my online school,” Katy said. “I mainly tutor math but I helped one student with basic Latin last school year.”

Her  academic advisor and  teachers recommend her to families.

“Also, people have made posts requesting tutors on my school’s Facebook page,” she said. “I have also started doing free sessions to advertise.”

Katy started tutoring as a business during the 2021-2022 school year.

“My academic advisor asked me if I would like to tutor a girl in Saxon Math 5/6,” she said.” I had always enjoyed helping my brother, cousins, and classmates with school, and I was excited to try to help this girl.”

She seems to be a natural teacher.

“I enjoyed the creative challenge of finding engaging ways to present the material to her,” she said. “She was very sweet and we had a lot of fun. This past year I got to tutor her again and her sister as well!”

“It’s sometimes difficult to tutor online – especially with a subject where showing work is mandatory,” she. “I use WebEx to video conference with my students and we work on the whiteboard.”

Katy practicing constructions for the Geometry review. Submitted photo.

“I sent a document camera to one of my families with two students so that I could see both their work and their faces at the same time to pinpoint confusion as soon as possible,” she said.

She has tutored 5th and 6th grade, Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II.

“One of my students in Algebra II lives in Cambodia,” she said. “It was so interesting to hear her stories and perspectives.”

This coming year, she is taking on greater challenges.

“I hope to tutor more upper-level math such as Pre-calculus and Calculus I, as I am going to be taking Calculus II next year,” she said. “I also hope to tutor higher levels of Latin if there is an opportunity.”

A recent geometry final review she held, had 35 students.

 

Katy Shead with her geometry class. Submitted photo.

She is the daughter of Mark and Haley Shead, rural Fort Scott.

 

 

Young Entrepreneurs Series Spawns An Anonymous Benefactor

Judah Whitson at the cash register at Fort Scott Farmers Market.
Judah Whitson mans the cash register at his family’s booth at the Fort Scott Farmers Market. He makes and sells mini-donuts at five-years-old, with help from his family.

A subscriber who has been reading the Young Entrepreneur Series on fortscott.biz was touched and wanted to support each business with a $50 grant.

The benefactor wishes to remain anonymous.

This is what he wrote:

“I always stop at the local kids’ lemonade stands. When I was growing up in Fort Scott, I remember the postman buying a cup of lemonade from me. For some reason that stayed with me.

“Selling Grit Magazine door to door, making birdhouses and selling them door to door, having a Tribune newspaper route back when you paid for your batch of papers up front, delivered them, and then collected monthly. If anyone stiffed you, you were out the dough. All of those things were great life lessons for me growing up in Fort Scott. That’s why I really like your program of highlighting young entrepreneurs”

If your child has been highlighted in our Young Entrepreneur Series, please contact [email protected] for the grant money.

The Young Entrepreneur Series is featuring youth under 18 years old who have a business in product or services.

To recommend a young entrepreneur in our community, please send contact info, email or phone number to [email protected]

 

Taco Azul Food Truck Moves to The Twin Mansions

Taco Azul Food Truck has turned the gazebo on the grounds of the Twin Mansions into place to eat their Mexican food. Submitted photo.

The Taco Azul Food Truck has moved to a new site with more seating and shade for their customers.

The menu. Submitted photo.

“We’re excited about this move because there’s more seating, more shade, more room for kids to move around, and altogether a great atmosphere,” Erin Macik said. “Seb set up a really neat outside dining area, and it will be a lovely gathering place for the folks of Fort Scott.”

“Our only regret is that everyone at the Washateria was very accommodating and pleasant to work with, and we’re sad to leave them,” she said.

The reason for the move: technical reasons.

“The generator for the trailer has a carbon monoxide detector and automatically shuts off when levels get high,” she said. “Unfortunately, it was shutting off about every 20 minutes, so we needed to find a place with a plug-in. We were able to install one easily at the mansions, and Seb is starting there today!”

“After a year of planning and setting up, we opened at the Good Ol’ Days festival this year,” Erin said.

Taco Azul at Good Ol Days Festival 2023. Submitted photo.

Seb Macik spent some time teaching in Mexico City before he and Erin were married, and discovered Mexican street tacos during that time.

“Ever since then, he’s been working to make the perfect street taco, and the result is Taco Azul: real-deal Mexico City tacos in Fort Scott, KS,” she said.

Street tacos made by Seb Macik. Submitted photo.

The Twin Mansions are located at 742 National Ave., Fort Scott, they are in the parking lot behind

.
Regular hours are Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

“We post the week’s schedule on Facebook every week, and there are slight changes occasionally, but in general, those are the hours we’ll be open,” Erin said.

 

 

Taco Azul Food Truck has moved to the Twin Mansions property on National Avenue. Submitted photo. This is the dining area set up at the gazebo on the property.

 

Spectacular Display and Other Fun Is Planned for July 3 in Fort Scott

A fireworks display. Photo provided by Shawn Pytlowany.

The annual community fireworks display will be July 3 at Fort Scott Community College, 2108 Horton Street. Cars will be lined up on Horton for viewing the display.

Shaunn Pytlowany, lead pyrotechnician with Premier Pyrotechnics will be once again be orchestrating the fireworks display for Fort Scott.

“This is our second year of a multi-year contract,” Pytlowany said.

The display will be shorter this year, but more spectacular.

“We have been asked to provide a 15 minute show, to shorten it, so there will be more going off at any one time,” Pytlowany said. “Which will make it more spectacular.”

Fireworks set up for a display. Photo submitted by Shawn Pytlowany.

KMDO, KOMB, 103.9 radio station will be broadcasting music to listen to while watching the display.

There will be 512 aerials exploded with display heights of between 275 to 600 feet, depending on wind speed and humidity, he said.

Pytlowany and his crew will start setting up the display at 7 a.m. on July 3 and under normal circumstances set up will be complete between 8:30 and 9 p.m.

He has provided displays for local football and soccer games, cities, weddings, family reunions, and at the LaRoche Baseball Complex for the Wounded Warrior Project. The Premier Pyrotechnics company has provided displays for the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs, he said.

He has worked at Premier Pyrotechnics, based in Richland, MO for nine years, but has been fascinated by them for 40 years, he said.

“I was always interested in the design, manufacturing process and of course the explosion,” he said.

Sponsors

Advance Bourbon County, a local non-profit, took over the organizing and paying for the display from the Elks Club this year.

This year the cost of the event is $12,000.

Helping to sponsor the fireworks event is Fort Scott Gun and Pawn Shop, the City of Fort Scott, Tall Grass Building System, the American Legion, the Elks Club, Brian Bowman Construction, Engstrom Construction, the Kiwanis Club and A-1 Towing.

 

Prelude Fun and Food

There will be local vendors selling food and drinks: Juan Some Grub, Fort Scott High School Swim Team-lemonade tent, Valley Flavor, Tiger Ice Sno Cones, Doggone Dogs, and Los Tres Pollitos, Aaron Judy, one of the organizers said.

Additionally, there will be corn hole and other yard games for people to use, he said.

These will be set up in the area between the FSCC John Deere Department (the old armory) and the 4-H Building on the Bourbon County Fairgrounds.

 

Fort Scott’s Rules For Fireworks

During the event, there can be no fireworks discharged from 18th Street and Horton Street to 23rd and Horton, according to Fort Scott Police Department  Chief Jason Pickert.

“They cannot be discharged on the community college campus or on the Bourbon County Fairgrounds,” he said.

Fireworks can be purchased until July 4.

Until July 2 they can be discharged from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. On July 3 and July 4 they can be discharged from 7 a.m. until midnight.

 

 

New Historic Fort Scott Mural Artist: Cbabi Bayoc

Cbabi Bayoc. Submitted photo.
Cbabi Bayoc, St. Louis, MO,  was selected to paint the latest  downtown Fort Scott mural.
He was selected through a process, established by the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Downtown Division, to seek the best artist for the mural to highlight the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry historic significance in the Civil War.
The mural will be facing the Fort Scott National Historic Site, which is where this infantry unit was organized for  the Civil War.
This mural will be replaced with a new one depicting African-American troops who served in the American Civil War. The mural wall faces Fort Scott National Historic Site.
Bayoc, 50,  has been creating murals since 2017.
“I have about 25-30 murals in schools and businesses around the St. Louis region and several in outside locations, like the United Church of Christ corporate office in Ohio, the 1619 Freedom School in Iowa and the Family Reunification center in North Carolina,” he said in an interview with fortscott.biz.
“I have never done a military-inspired mural but have always been interested in the Civil War and Reconstruction,” he said.” I am also an Air Force brat, so this is special to me.”
“The only must-haves for (this) mural were three soldiers and their batallion flag,” Bayoc said. “So I designed a mural with a soldier in arms with the American flag, a soldier aiming his rifle across the design and the batallion flag as a backdrop.”
Bayoc will be in Fort Scott the second week of August for approximately a week for working on the mural, he said. At the beginning of the project he will have one or two people helping him.
About the 1st Colored Infantry
“Kansas was the first Northern state to recruit, train, and send Black soldiers into combat during the Civil War,” according to https://www.nps.gov/fosc/learn/historyculture/firsttoserve.htm. “Fort Scott served as the home base for both the 1st and 2nd Kansas Colored Infantry, with both regiments being mustered into federal service on Fort Scott’s former parade ground. The Emancipation Proclamation officially authorized the recruitment of African American soldiers for federal service (although the 1st Kansas Colored had earlier been recruited as a state unit in August 1862). This meant it was now legal for free Blacks and former slaves to fight back against the institution of slavery and seek to abolish it through armed resistance. As virtually every Southern slave code prohibited Blacks from carrying guns, the proclamation had a profound psychological impact across the region.”
Captain William Mathews –a free Black, a businessman and station master on the Underground Railroad –recruited former slaves into the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry Regiment at Fort Scott. He lost his rank when the unit was federalized but later served as an artillery officer.
Taken from the  Fort Scott National Historic Site, courtesy of the Kansas State Historical Society

To keep up to date on the mural creation:

https://www.facebook.com/muralsoffortscott

The mural will be dedicated during the Gordon Parks Celebration on the first Friday in October,  said Rachel French, a member of the Chamber Downtown Committee and project coordinator for the mural.

The $5,250 Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity grant awarded for the mural is a matching grant.

“We are fundraising for the match,” French said. “We need to do signage and there will be recognition of donors.”

To donate:

https://muralsoffortscott.wixsite.com/home

Construction of Downtown Splash Pad Is Moving Forward

Submitted photo of work on the splash pad.

The splash pad project is moving ahead with plans for a summer opening, according to Bailey Lyons, one of the committee members spearheading the project.

The project is located on North National Avenue, across from Brick Street BBQ Restaurant on Skubitz Plaza.

“You may have noticed there has been a lot of recent action at the site of the Splashpad and Sensory Park,” according to a press release from Lyons. “With Playscapes Recreation leading the charge, and the Splashpad and Sensory Park committee heavily involved, much progress has been made in the last few weeks.”
Looking west towards National Avenue, one can see the recent work at the splash pad site. Submitted photo.
The Splashpad and Sensory Park Committee is comprised of Kelly Barr, Katie Hueston, Josh Jones, Lyons, and Meredith Tucker.
They have been actively working on this project for the past year, and have raised over $300,000 in funds and in-kind donations.
From the Fort Scott Splash Pad and Sensory Park Facebook page.

The committee’s mission is to build the first all-inclusive, fully accessible park in Fort Scott, according to the press release.

The full press release is as follows:

“This sensory playground and splash pad will offer children and their families a fun, safe, barrier-free space to play, laugh, interact, and feel like they belong – regardless of their abilities. This project is about community, education, engagement, advocacy, and inclusion.”

“This playground has been intentionally designed with sensory stimulation in mind to maximize play and support the development of all children. The park will include a variety of equipment and activities made to engage as many senses as possible, and appeal to a broad range of ages and ability levels.”

“While the Splashpad and Sensory Park will provide a new, unique, and fun option for able-bodied children to play, it will be the first and only option for many kids in our community who have disabilities and cannot enjoy our other parks. These special kids and their families will no longer be left out or displaced when it comes to enjoying recreational amenities, something that many take for granted.”

The committee has plans to open the splash pad this summer and “is almost to the finish line….through grants, monetary donations and in-kind donations,” according to the press release. “As work quickly progresses towards a grand opening (date to be announced), there are notable changes occuring at the site regularly.”

Here is a list of what has been done:
  •  the pad has been leveled and brought up to grade,
  • elevations have been set,
  • water and electric have been laid to the site,
  • drain lines have been laid,
  • feature footings have been set,
  • piping from the features has been laid,
  • and the vault has been set to house the manifold which will soon be placed.
“Once all of this is wrapped up, concrete will be poured, and the features will be installed after the pads have cured. The committee is still actively working to complete the park with the final piece – an ADA accessible restroom – which they hope will be added in the very near future.”
A portion of the concrete for the splash pad is being poured today, June 27. Submitted photo.
The committee is planning two work days and is  inviting the public to help on-site with the project
In the coming weeks, clean up and landscaping will take place on  Sunday July 9, and/or Saturday July 15.
Those who would like to help, please contact Lyons at (620)224-7795 so that jobs and tools/materials can be coordinated for the work.
Robert Coon, A-1 Towing, donated his company’s personnel and truck to put a concrete vault in place on June 22 for the upcoming splash pad project. The concrete will house the plumbing for the splash pad. Submitted photo.
“The Splashpad and Sensory Park Committee would like to sincerely thank all of the generous donors who have contributed thus far, both monetary and in-kind donations,” according to the press release. “Donors who have given $500 and above are listed below, and will be featured on permanent signage at the park:
FOUNDERS
Timken Foundation of Canton
Walmart
BENEFACTORS ($10,000+)
Contributors to YAT/Parks Advisory Board
Alta Davis
Evergy
No Limits Rehabilitation/Brad & Meredith Tucker
City of Fort Scott
ADVOCATES ($5,000-9,999)
Advanced Bourbon County
Aetna – Better Health of Kansas
Bourbon County REDI
Bourbon County, KS
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas
Forrest & Julia Sewell
Fort Scott Area Community Foundation
Healthy Bourbon County Action Team
Key Charitable Trust
Lyons Realty Group
Niece Products of Kansas
Steven & Jessica Tucker
SPONSORS ($2,500-4,999)
Bloomfield Foundation In Memory of Tim Bloomfield & His Grandaughter Olivia Bloomfield
Hammerson Ready Mix
Jayhawk Wind
In Honor & Memory of Lillian Rose Kraft
Modern Woodman Fraternal Financial
O’Brien Ready Mix
Joshua & Terra Tecchio-Baseley
Sheridan Nash
Skitch’s Hauling & Excavation
DONORS ($1,000-2,499)
A1 Towing & Recovery
Advantage Metals Recycling
Big Sugar Lumber
Bourbon County Cars
Bourbon County Garden Club
Cheney Witt Funeral Chapel
DelBrenna Jewelry by Megan Neil & Sebastian Ghezzi
Dreamscape Innovations, Inc.
Fort Scott Recreation Department
Highway 3
In Loving Memory of Marsha Lancaster, Longtime Owner of Marsha’s Deli
In Memory of Angelo-Sondra Dellantonia
Janet Braun
Jeff Allen Electric
Landmark National Bank
Lee Sewell-Painter
Legacy Health
Mid-Continental Restoration
Mitch Welch
Pearson Towing
Pete’s of Erie, Inc.
RII Concrete Construction
Sleep Inn
Sonic
Thomas Concrete & Construction
Valu Merchandisers Co.
W/K Holdings
FRIENDS ($500-999)
Bowman’s NuGrille
Budgetel Inn & Suites – Aaradhya Piyush Mistry
Clifton Chiropractic
Davis & Associates Tax + Consulting
FSHS FFA & Construction Trades
Greyhound Football Legacy Center
The Gugnani Family
The Horton House
John Crain – In Memory of Don & Connie Crain
JW & Diana Endicott
Konantz – Cheney Funeral Home
Labconco
Liberty Savings Association, FSA
Lyons & Lyons
The Meeks Family
Scott and Melissa Meyers
Museum of Creativity
{Re:freshed} Spa
The Reynolds Law Firm
Riggs Chiropractic of Fort Scott
Stewart Realty
Union State Bank

The donors listed above have contributed $500+, according to Lyons. “In addition to these, there have been numerous donors below the $500 level, and their generosity and support is also much appreciated!”

 

An artist’s rendition of the splash pad from the Fort Scott Splash Pad and Sensory Facebook page.

The City of Fort Scott is supplying the water to the splash pad.

“The city’s part is to get the splash pad the water supply,” Fort Scott’s Water Distribution Supervisor Bill Lemke said.