This Saturday is the Fort Scott Community College band and choir concert starting at 7 pm in the Ellis Fine Arts Center.
There will be a broad variety of music ranging from such quaint sources as classic TV Christmas specials, like “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” to the more profound and thought-provoking music of classical composers.
Bring your family and friends for an enjoyable and heartwarming hour of fun and beautiful music celebrating the Christmas season!
Every day, thousands of people cross the border between the United States and Mexico with no problema. Passports are checked, a few questions are asked, and sometimes the driver is told to open his/her trunk. Within minutes, cars are leaving one country and entering another.
My husband Dave and I understood the protocol.
Sort of. Entering Mexico for an extended stay, drivers register their vehicle at the border, pay $600 for a windshield sticker and drive south, where they then may legally drive in Mexico. When they leave Mexico for the final time, they turn in the sticker for a refund. Easy enough.
Unless their names are Dave and Patty.
First, some background. This past summer while in the U.S., we sold the stickered mini-van. Dave removed the sticker so we could turn it in, register a different vehicle and enter Mexico. Once in the Customs’ office, we waited 30 minutes in the car registration line before explaining to the young gal what we were doing. She made no attempt to understand my Spanish. Or my Charades. Fortunately, a bi-lingual man came forward to interpret. The news wasn’t all that bad. We needed to drive around to the other side of Customs to a small guard shack where we would turn in our sticker.
Which is what we did. Which is where that guard said we needed the sticker AND the mini-van (something about the VIN number). Dave explained that we sold it. “You have to have it to re-register.” “But we sold it.” “You have to have it to re-register.” “But we sold it.” The agent sent us back to Customs. We now found ourselves in the miles-long, bottle-neck of Thanksgiving traffic heading into the U.S. We could see ahead to the cross-road we needed—the empty cross-road—but had at least an hour’s wait to get to it.
My typically-patient husband’s next question shocked me. “What do you think would happen if I drove over the grassy field to get back to where we started?” I told him the guards with the assault rifles would probably blow out our tires. Or our brains.
No problema. Putting the car into gear, Dave took off across the field. We were Bonnie and Clyde, had they lived another forty years. Fortunately, the guards were tending to more important things, like emptying out pick-up beds looking for illegal Americans. Or perhaps they were simply amused at two old fogeys bouncing along the moguled terrain.
Back at the car registration window, we waited in line, found someone who spoke English, and asked him to interpret to the cranky young gal. She didn’t care. No mini-van? No car registration. It finally was determined that we could register this car in my name but Dave could never, ever register a vehicle in his name until he presented the mini-van at the border. Ever!
I think this is a problema.
Sometimes there are systems in place with which we might not agree. Telling the Customs’ agents that we are really nice guys, listing our works in ministry, even showing gifts we are taking to the orphans would do no good. The protocol is in place, whether we like it or not. We should have figured out ahead of time what those rules are because now it’s too late.
Isn’t that the same with our eternal lives? The Bible makes it clear there is a protocol for getting into Heaven, and it has nothing to do with being really good guys or doing missionary work. It’s black and white and has no loopholes, no matter what I might think, no matter how much I might protest or try to explain why I didn’t spend some time on earth figuring this out.
In John 14:6-7a, Jesus explains this to his disciple Thomas. I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. There will be a time when it will be too late. And that, as we all know, is a problema none of us want to face. Thanks to God and His mercy, getting into Heaven is a lot easier than getting into Mexico.
Fort Scott Community College Students were provided a trip to visit with entrepreneur Warren Buffet in Omaha, Nebraska December 1.
Opportunity of a Lifetime
Submitted by Debra Cummings, Fort Scott Community College Business Instructor
Rick and Shelly Mayhew provided fifteen FSCC students the opportunity of a lifetime, an all-expenses-paid trip to Omaha to meet Warren Buffett.
To learn more about Buffet go online to http://forbes.com/profile/warren-buffet
Rick, an alumnus of FSCC, through his connections with Western Insurance and Warren Buffet, received an invitation to bring students to Omaha, Neb. for a question and answer session with Warren Buffet.
The Mayhews announced in the spring of 2017 their willingness to fund another trip to Omaha. The first trip by FSCC students was in 2006.
Fifteen students made the trip. The Mayhews paid for the lodging, meals, and fuel. FSCC supplied the bus and driver.
Rick Mayhew recognized student’s needs and provided funds to obtain business attire for the session with Buffett.
Other colleges to join the session with Buffett were Columbia, Duke, Harvard, Illinois, London, Michigan, MIT, Notre Dame, NYU/Stern schools of Business. FSCC was the only community college there.
On Nov. 30, the students made the trip to Omaha by bus and met the Mayhews at Warren’s favorite Dairy Queen for lunch.
The FSCC students toured Borsheims Jewelry, drove past the Buffett residence and checked into the Downtown Hilton and Convention Center.
They met with Buffet’s daughter, Susie, and had the opportunity to ask questions about her father and the foundations she runs.
The Mayhews provided dinner and a few of the students took in some ice skating afterward. They also toured Nebraska Furniture Mart.
On Friday, Dec 1, the students attended a two-hour question and answer period with Buffet. Buffet noted the importance of FSCC being there.
Following lunch, there was a group photo with Buffett.
“I could not have asked for a better group of students,” Cummings said.
Students who did the trip were Leslie Damien, Dalton Deshazer, Alex Gilmore, Justin Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Jenna Kakas, Savannah Kratzberg, Kartis Leal, Malorie McCumons, Rebecca Stufflebeam, Franklin Torres, Shaun Tune, Jordan Underwood, Rachel Walker, and Johnna Walls.
“A special thank you to Kartis and Savannah for asking questions for our group,” Cummings said. “Thank you to Charles Howser, our driver, for making the trip with us. And, again, thank you to the Mayhews for making dreams come true.”
Fort Scott Community College also included a link to the Omaha-World Herald Newspaper, dated December 4, 2017, which included a section entitled “Warren Watch” and an article that spoke of Fort Scott:
Fort Scott ties
They’re not from Harvard, Yale or Stanford, but students from Fort Scott Community College in Kansas were in Omaha last week as part of the latest group of business students to meet Buffett, thanks in part to their town’s auto insurance connection with Berkshire.
Rick Mayhew of Fenton, Missouri, a member of the Berkshire fan club known as the Yellow Brk-ers, cited an account in Andy Kilpatrick’s “Of Permanent Value” book of the Buffett-Fort Scott connection. (Fort Scott students also made an Omaha trip in 2006.)
Insurance agent Oscar Rice started Western Insurance Cos. in 1910 in Fort Scott. Ray Duboc was CEO when Buffett invested in the business in the 1950s. Buffett later sold that investment and used the money to invest in Geico, now a big moneymaker for Berkshire.
“Western, in a major way, contributed to the financial success I had,” Buffett once said. “I owe a lot to Ray Duboc, the Western and Fort Scott, Kansas.”
Pictured left to right: Albert Sacbibit, physical therapist; Brenda Bailey, RN; Bob Meredith, physical therapist; Sandy Hayes, administrative assistance; Becky Davied, director; Jo Gauthier, account coordinator ; Alice Helton, RN; LaShawn Noel, social worker and volunteer coordinator; Chris Welch, community relations coordinator; Barbara Endicott, RN; Kathy Stienbarger, RN; Ashley Helton, RN; and Wade Pellett, RN. Not pictured are Hugo Dahlstrom, occupational therapist; Kyli Gates, RN clinical supervisor; and home health aides Cindy Remlinger and Golda Young.
Earning national awards is no easy feat. Add to that, repeatedly making the list and the pursuit is especially rewarding.
Just so happens that Mercy Fort Scott Home Health proudly announces it has been recognized once again on the prestigious list of the nation’s HomeCare Elite™. The list is compiled by OCS HomeCare and Decision Health and names the top 25 percent of home care agencies in the nation. This marks the fifth year Mercy Fort Scott Home Health has received the recognition.
Five domains of performance were analyzed to determine the elite awards – quality of care, quality of improvement and consistency, and experience (HHCAHPS), process measure implementation and financial performance.
The methodology behind the OCS HomeCare Elite™ is derived from publicly available data from Home Health Compare and the CMS Cost Reports to create the HomeCare Elite™ list of agencies.
The quality of care component indexes agency performance in each of the 10 publicly-reported Home Health Compare measures released in July 2017. The process measures implementation index based on agencies’ rates in the 13 process measures included in the July 2017 Home Health Compare release.
“The Mercy Home Health team continually goes over and beyond to exceed expectations, at many times taking on extras that might not always fit in the job role,” said Becky Davied, Mercy Home Health, and Hospice director. “This is a special group of people and I feel privileged to work with them.”
Mercy Home Health, based in Fort Scott, was established in November 1978 and today serves approximately 900 annually in the counties of Linn, Anderson, Allen, Bourbon, Crawford, southern Miami, northern Neosho and northern Cherokee. In July 2012, Mercy Home Health launched hospice services and currently employs nine full-time staff plus multiple volunteers.
For more information about Mercy Home Health services, call 620-223-8090.
Submitted by Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District
K-State Research and Extension is conducting a series of Community Board Leadership workshops designed to provide basic training for members of community-based boards across the state on February 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2018.
“Informed and committed board members are the key to healthy, effective boards and committees in our Kansas communities. K-State Research and Extension’s Board Leadership Series will provide an opportunity for board members to learn the basics of being a good board member,” said Trudy Rice, extension community development specialist. “Whether you are a member of a church board, a township board, a United Way agency board, or a rural water board, this training is appropriate for you.”
The series will kick-off on February 6, with Conducting Effective Meetings. During this session, participants will learn about their roles and responsibilities as a board member, basics of parliamentary procedure, and strategies to make meetings more productive and effective.
On February 13, the topic will be Fundraising, Fund Management, Legalities and Ethics. This session will explore a board’s options for raising and managing money, understanding such things as articles of incorporation, bylaws, and policies.
The February 20, session will cover Understanding Fellow Board Members and Conflict Management. Participants will explore how personalities and generational differences affect the decision-making process, and learn how to manage conflict in a way that is productive, not destructive, to the board.
Strategic Planning will be the final topic on February 27. Participants will learn about establishing a common mission and vision for the board, and how to plan priorities for the future.
All sessions will be conducted from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Workshop participants will meet at host sites throughout the state to take part in web-based instruction and locally facilitated discussion. The Southwind Extension District will be hosting this valuable training at the Alliance Room in Chanute, Kan.
Pre-registration for the event is required by Wednesday, January 10. The $40 registration buys a seat and light lunch for all four sessions. Individuals may choose to attend on their own or boards may buy a seat and send a different board member to each session. Boards sending multiple members may negotiate a group rate. Registrations may be sent to Southwind Extension District or contact Carla Nemecek at 620-365-2242 for more information or to negotiate group rates. Registration includes snacks, lunch, four educational sessions, and Board Basics materials.
Fort Scott Parks and Recreation Department served free hot cocoa and cookies to parade attendees Tuesday night.
About 50 parade entries and a large crowd braved temperatures in the 30s Tuesday evening to enjoy the 2017 Fort Scott Christmas Parade. The event was sponsored by Briggs Automall and hosted by the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce.
The theme was “Christmas Vacation” and new this year was a decorated golf cart category.
Mayor Jolynne Mitchell waits with Santa before the lighting of the Mayor’s Christmas Tree following the end of the parade.Children could make craft items while waiting for Santa at Papa Don’s Restaurant, with the help of Fort Scott High School Pride students.Santa was available to listen to children’s wishes at Papa Don’s Restaurant, with a free photo provided by Walgreens. A book was given to each child courtesy of USD 234.Brita Rygmyr, manager of Papa Don’s Restaurant; Lindsay Madison, executive director of the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, and Santa Claus share a moment before names were drawn for the lucky-draw.
Just in time for the holiday season, Mercy Hospital Auxiliary will host a Holiday Bargain Sale on Friday, Dec. 8 from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. in the main lobby of Mercy Hospital Fort Scott.
The one-day fundraising event is a favorite with the public. Typically the Mercy Auxiliary brings the vendor to the hospital twice a year. The sale will feature over 1,000 items perfect for special occasions or stocking stuffers. These include trendy fashion accessories such as jewelry, scarves, seasonal items, gadgets, gifts and much more.
Many items are name brand, top quality products but priced up to 80 percent below retail.
The Mercy Hospital Auxiliary is a volunteer organization that raises money to benefit the hospital and provides scholarships for students.
Over the past 12 years, Mercy Auxiliary has donated nearly $850,000 to Mercy Hospital for equipment upgrades, program support, supplies and scholarships for nursing students. Proceeds from sales in the Mercy Market Place gift shop and other specialty sales support the Auxiliary. Collectively, auxiliary member’s volunteer the equivalent of almost seven full-time co-workers in hours of service each year to the hospital.
Mercy, named one of the top five large U.S. health systems in 2016 by Truven, an IBM company, serves millions annually. Mercy includes 45 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, more than 700 physician practices and outpatient facilities, 40,000 co-workers and more than 2,000 Mercy Clinic physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Mercy also has outreach ministries in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
The cover sheet for the Price Chopper Fort Scott plans.
Citing “unforeseen issues” at the delayed store opening, Dennis Riley, Chief Financial Officer of Price Chopper, said the new grocery store will open at 9 a.m. Wednesday, December 13, not December 6.
“Barring any other unforeseen issues, we will open Dec. 13,” Riley said. “We wish it would have been sooner… Everything will be open and operating and ready for the citizens of Fort Scott .”
“Late August is when demolition began,” Riley said. “It’s been a top to bottom remodel and a relocation of the flow of the store.”
The store is similar to the Price Chopper in Paola, Riley said.
“We have a heavy emphasis on fresh foods,” he said. “We are proud of our meat department and our produce department.”
There will be a cut fruit and salad bar where people can dine in, Riley said.
The Dunkin’ Donuts area has a drive-up window feature.
Price Chopper Fort Scott currently has 120 employees and is located at 2322 S. Main Street on the city’s south side.
The site was formerly Woods Supermarket.
Barry Queen is the owner of the store and has family ties to the Fort Scott area, Riley said.
Lucy Ann Taylor, age 67, former resident of Fort Scott, died Sunday, October 19, 2017, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Mo.
She was born October 29, 1950, in Fort Scott, to John Cates and Ruth Harper Garrison. She married Richard Eugene Taylor, Sr., on June 8, 1965, in Nevada, Mo.; he preceded her in death on January 15, 1995. Lucy loved to collect Elvis Presley and Indian memorabilia. She enjoyed listing to Elvis and Crystal Gale’s music, and was an avid NASCAR fan, especial Dale Earnhardt and his son Dale, Jr. She cherished her time spent with family, and loved her time with the grandkids.
Lucy is survived by two sons, Richard Eugene Taylor, Jr., and wife Jeckie, of Wheatland, Mo., and William Allen Taylor, of Fort Scott; two sisters, Marilyn Gerhert, of Wyandot, Okla., and Rosa Buras, of Fort Scott; six grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter. She was preceded in death by a son, Jeffery Ray Taylor; and three brothers, Bill, Melvin and Roy Garrison; a sister, Alta Mae Creamer.
There was cremation. Rev. Chuck Russell conducted graveside services at 11 a.m. Friday, December 1, 2017, at the U.S. National Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Mercy Health Foundation of Springfield and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S Main, PO Box 347, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guest book at cheneywitt.com.
Charlene Esther Simpson, age 89, a resident of rural Garland, Kan., passed away Monday, November 27, 2017, at the Country Place Assisted Living in Fort Scott, Kan.
She was born January 14, 1928, the second daughter of Charles Mason and Esther Eleanor Cheever Mason. She grew up in the Hammond-West Liberty area and attended school at Union Center, a rural one-room school. She was a graduate of Fort Scott High School with the Class of 1945, and a 1947 graduate of Fort Scott Junior College. On December 22, 1954, she married Donald Dale Simpson in Fort Scott. The Simpsons have lived at their rural Garland home for their marriage of 62 years. Charlene had been employed by Western Insurance Company, Montgomery Ward Store and retired in 1983, from the Fort Scott Tribune after 18 years of employment. She was baptized a Methodist and had been a past member of the Order of Eastern Star, receiving a 25-year membership pin from the Violet Chapter at Fulton, Kan. She was also active in 4-H, and had served as a foods leader for the Drywood 4-H Club for 10 years.
Survivors include her husband, Don, of the home; her three sons, Mason (Paula), Scott (Becky), Brady (Patty), all of Fort Scott; and her daughter, Lisa Ireland (Lanny), of Stewartsville, Mo.; 10 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two nieces, Sally Hinderrager and Sue Williams, both of Montana. She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Eva Taylor and a nephew, Wilbur Taylor.
Pastor Lela Simpson conducted graveside services at 1:30 p.m. Thursday November 30, at the U.S. National Cemetery. Family and friends met at the Cheney Witt Chapel prior to leaving for the cemetery at 1:15 p.m. Memorials are suggested to Mercy Hospice or the charity of the donor’s choice and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
Barbara Sue McDaniel, age 79, a resident of rural Fort Scott, Kan., passed away Thursday, November 30, 2017, at her home.
She was born on January 16, 1938 in Illinois, the daughter of Floyd and Rose Burcham Russell. She married Edward McDaniel on June 3, 1956 in Hunt City, Ill. Barbara worked as a CNA and volunteer for Mercy Hospital and as a commercial truck driver with her husband for C.F.I. She was a member of the Hiattville United Methodist Church, enjoyed gardening, taking drives in her convertible and parasailing.
Barbara is survived by her husband Ed of the home, a son Edward F. McDaniel of Effingham,
Ill., a daughter, Cindy Remlinger of Fort Scott, a brother, Carl Russell of Decatur, Ill., two sisters, Janet Neidigh of Oblong, Ill., and Judy Newlin of Bradenton, Fla.; seven grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, and a sister Joyce Scherer.
A visitation was held from 1 to 3 p.m. Monday, December 4, 2017, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will be held a later date in the Brockville Cemetery, Newton, Ill. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guest book at cheneywitt.com.
