Fort Scott Public Library Youth Librarian Valetta Cannon interacts with storytime children as they help present an action poem about mermaids. The children pictured, left to right, are Blakely Graham, Amelia Chaplin, Marlie Seaver, and Deacon Davied. Photo by Jamie Graham.
Storytime at the Fort Scott Public Library is offered two times a week.
“Storytime offers families early literacy skill-building, group interaction, and more through identical, themed weekly story hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m,” Valetta Cannon, youth librarian, said.
During a typical storytime, Miss Val reads two to three stories, sings and shares fingerplays with the children, and guides them through creative play, a craft project, and a snack.
Children are able to request favorite themes for future storytimes as well.
A thank you to all Post 25 members who renewed this year or joined as new members and helped Post 25 achieve the Department of Kansas ‘Early Bird” award. Only a handful of the more than 300 Kansas Legion Posts met this milestone achievement of having 75% or higher membership by September 15th. Fort Scott Post 25 and Moran Post 385 were the only two 2nd District Posts to be earn this award.
Our next goal is to reach 100% membership. We are close to this goal and only need 14 members to renew to reach 100%. Let’s be the 1st Legion Post in our District to reach 100%.
You can easily renew online at www.legion.org. It’s safe and secure and takes less than five minutes
You can also mail in your $40.00 renewal to the Post 25 Finance Officer.
Darrell Spencer
1183 185TH ST
Fort Scott, Ks, 66701.
I can also arrange to meet with you to pick up your renewal. I’m retired so I can easily work around your schedule to meet you, but no 3 AM meetings please!
You can also pay your 2020 dues at our next general membership meeting on October 7th.
LEGION Act
Any Veteran who has served one day on active duty since December 7, 1941 and was honorably discharged can join the Legion. This is due to the LEGION Act recently passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump. If you know of a local Veteran who meets this new, expanded membership requirement, invite them to a Post 25 meeting or contact me about a membership form. There are probably several hundred Bourbon County Veterans who are not aware of the LEGION Act and they can now join the American Legion.
If you know of one, invite them to join the American Legion. We are a community of Veterans “Still Serving” and should encourage like minded veterans to join us.
Upcoming Events
October 1. National Commander Bill Oxford will at Moran Post 385 at 12:45 PM.
October 7. American Legion Post 25 meet and greet at Memorial Hall starts at 6:30 pm.
October 7. American Legion Post 25 general membership meeting at Memorial Hall starts at 7:00 pm.
October 10. American Legion Auxiliary Unit 25 general membership meeting at Memorial Hall starts at 6:00 pm.
October 10. American Legion Post 25 Color Guard meets at Memorial Hall starts at 7:00 pm.
October 12, 2019. EISENHOWER PILGRIMAGE in Abilene starts at 9:30 am. See enewsletter for more information.
November 2, 2019. Fort Scott American Legion Post 25 Vintage Toy/Comic Books/Sports Cards Show from 9 am – 3 pm. See attached flyer for more information.
Informational Items
National Commander Bill Oxford will be at the Moran Legion Post on October 1 at 12:45 pm. Lunch will be served and will be followed by remarks by the National Commander.
This is a rare opportunity to meet and greet the American Legion National Commander. All area Legionnaires are encouraged to meet the National Commander. I plan on going and can take five members with me. Let me know if you’d like to ride with me.
Auxiliary Unit 25’s first outreach program is to provide support to Veteran mothers of newborn babies at the Topeka VA Medical Center. They are currently collecting needed items for newborns and all donations are greatly appreciated. Diapers, body wash and shampoos, blankets and clothing are among the items requested. Call Unit 25 Vice President Marilyn Gilmore at 785.214.5618 for more information or to donate items.
Our Taurus G2C raffle is almost sold out. It is hoped we can have the drawing for the winning ticket at our October 7th membership meeting. The winner will be contacted, and information provided on picking up their new pistol.
The Post 25 fundraising collectibles show on November 2 is taking shape. All proceeds will go towards our scholarships for Boys and Girls State, Cadet Law and other Post sponsored programs. Volunteers will be sought to contribute a few hours to make this 1st ever collectibles show a success.
If you are interested in purchasing a ticket, please reply to this email. Less than 10 tickets are left.
Don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have.
In last week’s article I shared that the people in the Florida subdivision where Dave and I are living aren’t very friendly. That’s not all bad. Most of the time Dave isn’t at the ballpark we are together, finding new ways in which our differences complement each other. That’s a good thing.
Actually, it’s how God designed the spousal relationship, as described in the book of Genesis. Adam and Eve’s partnership balanced independence and interdependence as they worked in tandem in the Garden of Eden. Only when the enemy enticed Eve, telling her that she could be like God, that it all went to pot. Our Creator’s best is that we are a team…which brings me back to Dave and me having fun together.
One way is crossword puzzles. I start them, get as far as I can and then hand them over to Dave because he knows a lot about categories in which I am inept: geography, history, sports, old movies and vehicles, all of which, in my opinion, require way more crossword knowledge than I care to know. As for the blanks remaining after Hubby corrects my mistakes and fills in his answers, we turn to Google.
We now have progressed from 1,000 to 2,000-piece jigsaw puzzles. Dave thought it challenging to buy ones in which nine-tenths of the pieces are the same color, and since I rely on color and Hubby relies on shape, for every 100 pieces he finds, I find two, and yes, I admit, in my frustration I have squeezed some into places in which they don’t belong. Dave does not think that brings us closer together… but it does give us something to talk about.
My husband has introduced me to TBN, the network with old movies and no commercials. We watch two or three a week. I have tried to introduce him to the fact that there are better actors than John Wayne, but sometimes we just have to “agree to disagree.” Because of me, Dave now watches America’s Got Talent, and then we discuss who should win. When there is confusion, like last night when we watched a “Transformer” movie and I couldn’t tell the good guys from the bad, Dave explains what’s going on. (Seriously, you’ve seen one robot, you’ve seen them all.)
I have learned to help Dave chart (using codes) the daily activities for the pitchers he is rehabilitating. He is patient with my questions: “What is PTP?” “What is “PFP?” “What is TF?” “What is FG?” “What is sock?”
Answers, respectively, in case you are interested: pitcher’s throwing practice; pitcher’s fielding practice; touch and feel; flat ground; sock.
I press for more information. “What does S.O.C.K. stand for?”
“Sock.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“The pitcher throws a sock.”
“A sock? Like a sock you wear? Well, if that isn’t the silliest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Patty, I just need you to code, not comment.”
“Okay, but I still think it’s silly.”
When Dave is at the ballpark, I am writing my book or an article. For most (ahem!) of the things I write about him, I ask his opinion. This past week, he deleted an entire article when I tried to give him credit for saving a pitcher’s career. Daily we discuss our family, that we need to give up potato chips, how President Trump should stop Tweeting, our frustration with politics and prayer requests.
Interesting, isn’t it? All that time I spent wondering why it was so hard to make friends here in Jupiter, and the best one I ever could have was sitting right beside me!
Fort Scott Rotary Members sing the Rotary anthem before the meeting on Sept. 18.
Rotary is a service organization of approximately 47 people, Rhonda Dunn president of the Fort Scott Club, said.
“We share a dedication to the ideal of service above self,” she said. To this end, Rotary has been at the forefront of fighting against a disease.
“Rotary International has helped eradicate polio worldwide, the most in third-world countries,” Dunn said.
Dunn hams it up while singing the Rotary Club song.
Locally they support numerous clubs and organizations and also award a local high school student with a scholarship.
Every Wednesday they gather in the basement of the Presbyterian Church, Third and Crawford street, for a lunch meeting from noon to 1 p.m.
Greetings, songs, and announcements begin the meeting, followed by an invited speaker sharing information of local interest.
On Sept. 18, a little less than 20 of their 47 members were present.
This month there is a cup on the table to be passed around for a donation to the Fort Scott High School Pantry, which provides food and clothing for students at the high school.
Every two months a different organization is benefitted from this type of donation including the Riverfront Festival, the Beacon, Care to Share, Good Ol’ Days and the Presbyterian Good Samaritan Fund.
“Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project” is TODAY, September 19th at 3:30pm
The Lowell Milken Center
For Unsung Heroes
invites you to a book signing event celebrating the 20th Anniversary of
“Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project”
on Thursday, September 19th from
3:30-5:30 p.m.
Author of the book “Mommy, Who Was Irena Sendler?” Cathy Werling, along with characters from the book Megan & Blair Felt, will be there to sign autographs. The book will be available for purchase and refreshments will be served.
Cathy Werling is a retired Fort Scott elementary teacher and author of:
Why Did Grandpa Cry?
Why Did Sergeant Stubby Go To War?
Mommy, Who Was Irena Sendler?
What If Higgins Had Given Up?
For more information, call
The Lowell Milken Center at
620-223-1312, or visit the website by clicking HERE
The Fort Scott Writing Festival and Author Fair will be held October 19, 2019 at the Lowell Milken Center. The festival is co-sponsored by the Bourbon County Arts Council, Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, Lowell Milken Center, Books and Grannies and Hedgehog.INK!
The morning session will include workshops by published authors for adults, college and high school students.
There will be six offerings with each participant able to attend three 50-minute sessions.
The cost of the morning activities is $35 with pre-registration due by October 15.
Late registration is $45.
College students and high school students are free with school identification.
Registration includes morning and afternoon snacks, and coupons that can be used at either of the sponsoring bookstores.
Workshop presentations include:
The Writing Plan – R.J. Thesman
Self-Publishing – Sally Freeman Jadlow
Writing for Children – Cathy Werling
On-Line Writing – Kathryn Salsbury
Writing the Poetic Image – Laura Lee Washburn
Know Your Sources – Ronda Hassig
Registration is due by October 15, 2019 – $35. Late Registration $45.
Fill out the attached form and return to Jan Hedges at Hedgehog.INK! 16 S. Main, Fort Scott, KS ([email protected]) or the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce (fortscott.com/events). Checks may be made payable to Hedgehog.INK! or online @ fortscott.com/events.
Name _____________________________________________________________
Employer Luncheon to Educate and Celebrate Bourbon County as a WorkReady Community
What: The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces invites local employers to a Luncheon on WorkKeys and Bourbon County becoming a WorkReady Community this coming Tuesday, September 24th from 11:30am to 1pm at FSCC in Burris Hall. Lunch will be complimentary, provided by Fort Scott Community College.
RSVP’s are requested for the luncheon by noon Monday 9/23 by clicking here.
Who: This luncheon and WorkReady initiative are applicable to employers of any size and any type of business!
Why: The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce has been leading Bourbon County to become a WorkReady Community, as one strategy to close the gap on workforce needs of local employers and align those needs with students and traditional job seekers. This effort is in partnership with local employers, school districts, FSCC, Bourbon County and others who recently supported a local team to attend the required WorkReady Boot Camp as part of the certification process. The timing is now for us to become WorkReady as Kansas state-wide passed last year for for all high school juniors to take the WorkKeys test and earn a WorkReady Certificate. Part of our mission is now to educate employers on what the certificate and scoring means and how employers can implement recognizing the WorkReady Certificate into their hiring practices. Adults may also take the WorkKeys test and we want to increase awareness of the availability of that testing to the benefit of employers.
Where: The luncheon will be held at FSCC, 2108 S. Horton in Burris Hall, on the back side of the campus just north of Arnold Arena.
How: What is the plan to educate employers on the initiative? A team of 9 from FS/BB County attended the Boot Camp in August to become educated on the program. At the luncheon on Tuesday, remarks will be made by USD-234, FSCC, KANSASWORKS and the Chamber. Attendees are encouraged to bring a laptop, if available, in case they would like to access any of the WorkReady information during the luncheon.
Now that Bourbon County’s application has been approved and a team has attended the required Boot Camp, this event will also be the “Go Public, Get Lit” event to officially be reflected as a WorkReady Community on the WorkReady website and for our county dashboard to become live. There is a plethora of information and resources about the program on that website, including recorded podcasts by clicking here.
Please RSVP for the luncheon, we hope to see you there! If you are not able to attend and another representative of your company would like to,
please forward this information to them or invite them to come with you.
The Chamber would like to recognize and thank the following businesses/organizations who sponsored the WorkReady Boot Camp:
Bourbon County
Fort Scott Community College
Niece Products
Peerless Products
Ward/Kraft, Inc.
USD-234
USD-235
Special thanks to Fort Scott Community College for sponsoring this Employer Luncheon!
WorkReady Boot Camp Attendees pictured below include (L to R):
Front: Dawn Parker (Dairy Queen), Lindsay Madison (Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce), Cathy Bishop (Niece Products), Jody Hoener (Bourbon County)
Back: Ralph Beacham (FSCC), Frank Adamson (Courtland Hotel & Spa), Josh Messer (FSHS Counselor), Sara Lancaster (Cobalt MedPlans), Ted Hessong (FSHS Superintendent)
The Fort Scott Writing Festival and Author Fair will be held October 19, 2019 at the Lowell Milken Center. The festival is co-sponsored by the following: Bourbon County Arts Council, Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, Lowell Milken Center, Books and Grannies and Hedgehog.INK!
Morning Workshops session (8:50-12:00) – includes workshops by published authors for adults, college and high school students. The cost of the morning activities is $35 with pre-registration due by October 14. Late registration is $45. College students and high school students are free with school identification.
Afternoon Author’s Fair (1:30-3:30) – is free to the public. Authors may sign up for a space to promote their published works. The cost for each table is $10*. The author is responsible for bringing their own books, collecting money and paying taxes as required by the state of Kansas or use the event tax id#. Authors need to bring their own table (card table size) and folding chair. Authors may set-up during the lunch break from 12:00-1:30.
Author space will be available on a first-come basis. Please fill out the attached form and return to Jan Hedges at Hedgehog.INK! 16 S. Main Fort Scott, KS 66701 (hedgesbookstore.com) to reserve your spot. Please include the following information:
Name _____________________________________________________________
Jane Njeri Lifer smiles following the naturalization ceremony in 2017. In her hand is the certificate of naturalization. Lifer is a Fort Scott resident.
What has become an annual Fort Scott event since 2011 each September is a chance to see people from all parts of the globe become citizens of the United States.
The Naturalization Ceremony, as it’s called, will be at 10:30 a.m. on the grounds of the Fort Scott National Historic Site, just off the north end of Main Street.
Fort Scott National Historic Site
The naturalization ceremony involves a judge introducing the group of new citizens and a ceremony where they swear allegiance to their new country. The full program and words to that allegiance are at the bottom of this story.
” Last year we had 95 new citizens from 35 countries,” Carl Brenner from the Fort Scott National Historic Site said. “This year we are expecting about 120 new citizens.”
It is also a time of reflection, music, documents handed out, registering to vote for the new citizens, followed by a communal meal at the Fort for them and their families.
A bird’s eye view of voter registration following the naturalization ceremony. The League of Women Voters, Johnson County, provided the resources for the registration.
The United States District Court for the District of Kansas is the official government office holding the event.
The Honorable Teresa J. James, United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Kansas, will preside over the ceremony.
Fort Scott High School musicians play patriotic music.All the citizens are introduced to the audience, one by one.
This year, the speaker is Dr. Leo Oliva.
Dr. Oliva is a Kansas Historian, author and former professor of history at Fort Hays State University, Betty Boyko, Superintendent of FSNHS, said.
The event is open to the public.
In case of rain or other inclement weather, the ceremony will be held at Fort Scott Memorial Hall.
FSNHS Superintendent Betty Boyko welcomes the crowd to the fort grounds in this 2016 photo.The PSU ROTC presents the flags of America and Kansas during the ceremony in 2015.
The program:
There will be music provided by the Fort Scott High School Orchestra.
Then a welcome by Betty Boyko, Fort Scott National Historic Site and Dave Martin, City of Fort Scott.
The official court proceeding will be opened by U.S. District Court Deputy Carol Kuhl.
Followed by the presentation of the Colors by Pittsburg State University Army ROTC.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” will be played by the FSHS Orchestra.
The new citizens will be welcomed by Judge James.
“America: Sweet Land of Liberty” arranged by Michael Story will be played by the FSHS Orchestra.
The new citizens will be introduced by John King, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, then led in the recitation of the Oath of Citizenship by Carol Kuhl, Courtroom Deputy.
“America the Beautiful” will be performed by the FSHS Orchestra and Choir, followed by remarks by James.
The group will then hear from Leo E. Oliva, who is a Kansas historian.
The Pledge of Allegiance will be led by the FSHS Choir.
Closing remarks will be by Judge James.
The new citizens and their families will be offered a complimentary lunch in the Grand Hall provided by the Friends of Fort Scott NHS, Inc.
The following is the oath that the new citizens take:
United States of America Oath of Allegiance
I, _________________________ hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.
Help us celebrate 20 years of “Life in a Jar: the Irena Sendler Project”. Irena Sendler was a Polish Catholic social worker who risked her own life to rescue a significant number of Jewish children during WWII. Her story was unknown for 60 years until high school students from Uniontown, Kansas uncovered its details in September of 1999, and shared Irena’s story with the world. The students wrote a performance that has now been presented more than 375 times across the United States, Canada and Poland. Their goal to bring Irena Sendler’s story to the world continues.
Chamber members and guests are encouraged to attend for networking, community announcements, and to learn about the hosting business or organization.
Members may pay $1 to make an announcement about an upcoming event, special/sale/discount, or news of any kind.
Upcoming Coffees:
September 26 – Diehl Banwart Bolton CPA’s P.A. (70th Anniversary)
October 3 – Gordon Parks Museum (16th Annual Gordon Parks Celebration, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of “The Learning Tree”)
