The Complexity of Simplicity by Patty LaRoche
Dave and I were visiting our son Andy where he coaches and lives in Arkansas during the baseball season. The team has a day off every Monday, and when they are home, the staff get together at the rented home of Nellie, one of the coaches. Last Monday, we were invited.
The photo shows what greeted us when we arrived. All of these rudimentary gadgets had a purpose to put on a spread that rivals any barbecue restaurant we have ever visited. Nellie cooked enough ribs, port roast, chicken wings and brats to feed the entire team, each meat with his secret spices and perfectly timed attention. He smiled the entire time and told me that he loves, loves, loves grilling.
No one was in a hurry, and because the grill was so small, the food was spread out over several hours. Occasionally the score of the Royals’ game was checked, or a phone call from home needed answered, but mostly, we just visited. The young staff loved talking to Dave about his time in baseball 100 years ago and how things have changed.
At the same time, my granddaughter Mo was in Guatemala with her church group. They had gone there to help with a pastor’s convention, but she fell in love with the Shead family who are missionaries there. The eight children are home-schooled and then come up with ideas to create activities.
“I think I’m going to build a tree fort,” said the eleven-year-old girl. “Want to help?” For the rest of the afternoon, Mo and her new friend built another fort. (They already had two.) The children hang together outside and are joined occasionally by the school children on recess who come to their yard to play. There are no cell phones or iPad or Xboxes. The kids are encouraged to use their imagination. They have learned Spanish as well as English and look forward to their Bible study time with their parents. Mo told me that she loved hanging with this family who didn’t need “things” to make them happy.
In both Nellie and Mo’s cases, simplicity was key. A dying art. In today’s culture, too many of us aren’t blessed; we are stressed. We forget what it is like to do without. Instead, we busy our time being frustrated about what we aren’t getting done. Proverbs 14:30 (NIV) says this: “A heart at peace gives life to the body.” Pastor/author John Ortberg adds to that proverb. “Sometimes, the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap.”
If you’ve ever stressed about stress, you and I have that in common. In the noisy clamor of life, we flit from one thing to another and don’t give ourselves permission to just do nothing. Some of us are too busy to pray, the one thing we need to do that offers peace. Maybe we crave things we neither need nor enjoy, and we buy things just to “keep up with the Jones’s.” Of course, the Jones’s are doing the same, so we and the Jones’s all spend our days spinning on our competitive hamster wheels, getting nowhere.
It’s no wonder God made his message a simple one. We are all sinners. Christ died and was resurrected for our sins. If we make him our Lord and Savior, we spend eternity in Heaven. If simplicity is good enough for God, it should be good enough for us.
Ribbon Cutting For Uniontown Pickleball Court
Uniontown held a Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting for the Uniontown Community Pickleball Court on September 1. Pictured are Councilwoman Danea Esslinger, Levi Ervin (cutting the ribbon), son of Councilman Jess Ervin, Councilwoman Mary Pemberton, and City Clerk Sally Johnson.
The court was completed with the help of the entire community, Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Blue Cross/Blue Shield Pathways to a Healthy Kansas, Uniontown City Council, and Uniontown Ruritan Club. A grant facilitated by Healthy Bourbon County Action Team from Blue Cross/Blue Shield Pathways to a Healthy Kansas contributed to the cost of the court; the equipment and benches were donated by community members; and Uniontown Ruritan Club is donating fencing for the north and south ends. The City of Uniontown wishes to thank all those involved with this project. The court is being used daily by the community.
Obituary of Thomas Johnson
Thomas Clark Johnson, age 90, a lifelong resident of rural Bronson, Kansas, passed away Friday, August 23, 2024, at the Allen County Regional Medical Center in Iola, Kansas.
He was born January 30, 1934, in Bronson, Kansas, the son of Thomas Johnson and Myra Warden Johnson. Tom graduated from the Bronson High School. He served in Korea with the United States Army from 1956 to 1957. Tom had worked for many years on the road crew for Bourbon County.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret.
There was cremation. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, September 7th at the Bronson Baptist Church.
Private burial will take place at a later date in the Bronson Cemetery.
Art Walk This Friday in Downtown Fort Scott
The Bourbon County Arts Council 10th Annual Art Walk is this Friday, Sept. 6 at Crooner’s Restaurant from 5-8 p.m.
The purpose of the event is for local artists to showcase their work to the public and sell their art.
“The Art Walk is an event the BCAC loves to hold. It is a free relaxing evening the community can share with family and friends while viewing the outstanding Artwork in our area. You don’t have to travel a hundred miles to get quality pieces,” said Deb Anderson, spokeswoman for the group.
“They work so hard to develop this art,” Anderson said. “We also want to expose the public to the outstanding artists we have in our area. This is also the public’s opportunity to perhaps purchase items for themselves or to give as gifts for family and friends, connect art with a story. Christmas is just around the corner!”
All the displayed art will be for sale, and the art walk is free to the public.
The artists this year are:
Lucy Gladbach & Marcy Haskell, Deerfield, Mo – Acrylic Paintings, Tie-Dye Clothing, Jewelry
Bobbi Kemna, Fort Scott – Pottery
Myrna Minnia, Leawood, Ks – Whimsical Witches
Carlee Shatto, Stilwell, Ks – Glass, Soaps
Daria Claiborne, Joplin, Mo – Pottery, Watercolor Cards, Totes with vintage accents
Kadra Nevitt, Fort Scott – Pastel
Brenda Hayes, Joplin, Mo – Mixed Media (Paintings, Fiber, Journals)
Dianne Miller, Joplin, Mo – Stained Glass and Fused Glass
Jim Miller, Joplin, Mo – Woodturning
The board of the organization:
Deb Halsey, Deb Anderson, Sheryl Bloomfield, Elaine Buerge, Terri Floyd, Steve Floyd, Trent Freeman, Lucy Gladbach, Kelly Nelson, Robin Whitlock
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports September 5
FS City Manager Announces Cape Seal Program Starting September 9
Fort Scot City Manager sent the following:
On Monday 9/9/2024 Harbour Construction from the Kansas City area will be in Fort Scott to start the 2024 Cape Seal Program. Below are the roads that will be getting Cape Sealed this year. I will try and have a better idea of the order of work by Monday, but they will be moving at a fast pace so it may be hard to give out proper notification of what streets they will doing on a particular day. They are saying it will take less than two weeks to complete all work. Harbour Construction will be doing traffic control and will do their best to limit commute issues but please be careful and patient during the next week or two. They will also be putting door hangers on doors to let citizens know they are going to be in a certain area. Any questions please email me at [email protected]. Thank you
Chamber Coffee at Walmart Sept. 5
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Obituary of Mary Mefford
Mary Lou Mefford, age 89, resident of Fort Scott, KS died Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at Pleasant Hill Health and Rehab Center, Pleasant Hill, MO. She was born August 19, 1935, in Drumright, OK, the daughter of Perry and Ethel Mae Coffman Johnson. Mary graduated from Moran High School with the class of 1953. She married William “Ike” Mefford on September 29, 1967, in Fort Scott. He preceded her in death. Mary worked most of her career as a claim supervisor for several insurance companies. She was a member of Eastern Star and St. John’s Global Methodist Church.
Survivors include a stepson, Don Mefford (Linda), Mound City, KS; 3 grandsons, Mike Mefford (Rochelle) and their daughter Aleigh, Lee’s Summit, MO, Shon Mefford (Dana), Joplin, MO, and Jason Mefford (Cindy), Mapleton, KS; a sister, Jean Decker, Bronson, KS; a brother, Terry Joe Johnson (Karen), Iola, KS; and several nieces and nephews.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Clara Kay Griffin-Clark; 4 brothers, Ralph, Gilbert, Perry, and Paul Johnson; 3 sisters, Betty Clayton, Shirley Bolan, and Pat Dawson; and 2 stepsons, Richard and Bill Mefford.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Monday, September 9th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Burial will follow in the Bronson Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 PM Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Care to Share and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.
Beginning Support Group For Parents of Special Needs Children
Cherri Walrod, K-State Research and Extension Office Community
Health Worker, is providing an opportunity for parents of special needs children.
“I am a mom to special needs kids myself…being a parent to a special needs child can be a special kind of isolation and hurt.”
She said another mom asked her to start a support group for parents of special needs kids.
“Throughout the spring of this year, I hosted a few meetings for special needs parents in the area, just as a personal service to the community,” Walrod said.
Walrod began a new job as a community health worker for K-State Research and Extension Southwind District on August 1.
The Community Health Worker project has received funding and support from K-State 105, Kansas State University’s economic growth and advancement initiative for all 105 counties in Kansas. Learn more at k-state.edu/105.
“Since I am part of the community of parents of special needs children myself and support groups fit in the role of a CHW, the timing was perfect to form this group officially.”
The first meeting will be September 13 from 5-7 p.m. at the Splash Pad and Gathering Pavilion at North National Avenue and Old Fort Blvd. on Fort Scott’s north end. It is a come-and-go event opportunity to connect with other parents of special needs children.
Bring your kids, lawn chairs, snacks, and water to drink, she said.
“This first meeting is just a meet and greet time for area parents of special needs kids to come together for some fellowship time,” she said.” I hope to gather enough names and contact info of families interested and then try to determine which day and time might work for families to gather on a regular basis. All of the logistics for future meetings are to be determined based on the feedback from the parents in attendance. I hope to talk to enough parents to get an introductory idea of what they may need in the way of support. “
“Based on what I’ve heard so far, many parents of special needs kids feel very isolated, alone, overwhelmed, defeated and just surviving from one day to the next. Many feel judged by their parent peers due to some of the behaviors of their children.”
“This first meet and greet is just that. A chance to meet other parents in an environment of non-judgment so that we can begin to make plans to help support each other in the future.”
“I will be the lead facilitator for the time being and responsible for the majority of the logistics planning right now. Eventually, as we form a more organized group, we may have more involvement from the parents themselves and also invite community partners to join us to address special topics, needs or to provide educational or training opportunities.”
This is for parents who have wished to get together with others who are in the same situation and understand some of the stresses.
Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director of K-State Research and Extension, Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts.
Pete Allen: Rocks Tell Stories
Site Maps
This is a (stone) map left to me by Native Americans from as long ago as 2,000 to 4,000 years ago, when they inhabited Bourbon County. It is a petroglyph hand-carved stone modified by an application of a Cementous substance and carved with stone hammers, chisels and drills. This is one of many artifacts I have found by digging in my yard following the 1896 newspaper article describing a “structure” found while building Crawford Street. That description fits the description of a primitive rock smelter like the one in Gunn Park we have always known as a “Bear Den”. The one described in the article was in my front yard and was written off as “an old Indian grave”.
Shown on the map is a carved-out area depicting Gunn Park with the Bear Den marked with a hole and a “smelter symbol”. Also marked on the stone is the smelter that was in my front yard, smelters that were located at 6th and Main and 9th and Main and other smelters that were in Gunn Park and some farther south in the community college area. I can see about 10 such locations, and there were more around the county. The complete area shown on the stone was being mined, with the melted materials being shipped off to other countries or nations. Those materials may have been gold, silver, copper, or steel…. I have another map that depicts various materials being mined at various locations. How far back in history this story goes, I do not know, but this find is a starting point.
Here is a stone hammer and chisel I found…
