Fort Scott, Kan. September. 27, 2024 – Kokayi Ampah, Art Evans and Fred Watkins will be the recipients of the “Gordon Parks Choice of Weapons Award” at the annual celebration on October 3rd -5th, 2024 in Fort Scott, Kansas. The celebration is in honor Fort Scott native Gordon Parks, noted photographer, writer, musician, and filmmaker.
The Choice of Weapons Award was established in Parks’ honor to be given annually at the celebration.
This event is for everyone and open to the public. Please reserve tickets early by Wed, Oct 2, 2024 for all the reserved events. The 21st Annual Gordon Parks Celebration this year will have a wide range of great events and activities for all to enjoy. The Celebration kicks off on Thursday, Oct 3 with a chamber coffee at the Gordon Parks Museum and ends with a Tribute Celebration Dinner at The River Room in Fort Scott, Kansas on Saturday, Oct 5, 2024.
For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the museum by phone at (620) 223-2700, ext. 5850, or by email at [email protected]..
Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College, Host Screening of Tall Grass Film Festival- Selected Documentary, I Needed Paris
Fort Scott, Kan. September. 27, 2024 – The documentary I Needed Paris will make its premier screening on Friday, October 4, 2024 at 11:00am to 12:00pm at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center. This film is an official selection for the 2024 TallGrass Film Festival in Wichita, Kansas. The screening is free admission and open to the community to the attend. This screening is part of the 21st Annual Gordon Parks Celebration.
We are very fortunate to have this film make its debut here in Fort Scott.
“We are very fortunate and excited to host this film and having the film’s premiere debut here in Fort Scott.,” said Gordon Parks Museum Executive Director, Kirk Sharp. “This is a great opportunity for our everyone community to have a chance to see this film that has been officially selected for the 2024 TallGrass Film Festival for free. We encourage everyone in the community to attend.”
This film follows the journey of a small group of photography students from the Gordon Parks Academy in Wichita, KS, through Paris, France, in late May 2024, traversing the same streets and neighborhoods as Gordon Parks when he worked in the Paris bureau of Life magazine in the early 1950s. These students along with other photographers will take a deep dive into Gordon’s world of fashions, portraits, street photography, music and poetry. They will also incorporate some fashion images using the same type of camera Gordon used – twin lens reflex film cameras. The screening is free and open to the community to attend.
Produced and directed by Michael Cheers. Associate Professor, Photojournalism, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, San Jose State University. Cinematographer/Editor, B. Kameron Lawson.
For more information about the film or the Gordon Parks Celebration visit us at
Patty LaRoche. 2023. Author: A Little Faith Lift…Finding Joy Beyond Rejection www.alittlefaithlift.com AWSA (Advanced Writers & Speakers Assoc.)
Just a few years ago, health was not an issue. There were few doctor’s visits, long walks on the beach, morning tennis matches and drives around Mazatlán. No longer. Some of us have sold our Mexican condominiums and moved back to the states, and some still spend a few weeks there each year. All of us, however, are slowing down.
Last week, nine of us met in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for a reunion. Twenty-one originally committed to come, but most dropped out as “things” prevented them from joining the group: grandbabies being born; the failing health of a spouse; home repair issues. For those of us who made the trip, we knew that it might be our last.
Bruce and Sharon drove from Oregon. Bruce, a former basketball player and (now) coach, was relying on half of his lung capacity after being diagnosed with lung cancer. Geoff and Sherrie came from Colorado Springs, Geoff in the middle of several doctor’s appointments with no answer as to why his legs were ceasing to function. And then there were Howard and Joyce. Oh, my!
Howard turns 90 next month, and Joyce is 88. When they told us that they were flying into Denver and renting a car to drive the three hours into the mountains, we all had our concerns. When Joyce texted that they were on the edge of Steamboat, we were relieved. They were about a mile away on Lincoln Avenue, the street where our rented condominium was located. They couldn’t find us, even though Shelley and I were standing on the corner, waiting for them to spot us.
Every time Joyce told me where they were, they had passed us. “I see you,” exclaimed Joyce. “Shelley has on a white hat.” No, Shelley didn’t. After circling our block twice, Howard zoomed right past our intersection. Joyce spotted us (the real “us,” not the lady in the hat). We watched Howard make a U-turn in the middle of four lanes of traffic, zip into the handicap parking spot where we were standing, and get out of the car, without putting the car into park or turning it off. This was going to be an adventure!
I reminded everyone to drink tons of water because of the altitude. Joyce said that she didn’t like water. I told her that it didn’t matter. Altitude sickness was very real and no fun. On our first day of girl-shopping, Joyce bent over to adjust her shoe and face-planted into a pile of clothes. From that time on, she drank water.
Even though we began making plans for our next reunion, good-byes were hard. We had been blessed with a sweet connection-time that might not happen again. And here’s the saddest part: six of our friends are not Christians. They are wonderful people, but they have no desire to know Jesus. When I tell them that I will pray for them, they nod or say “thank you,” but our conversation ends there. I don’t get it.
The ultimate reunion lies ahead for all of us who believe that Jesus lived and died for our sins. 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 (MSG) should get us all excited about what lies ahead. “There will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words.” How is God so easily dismissed? Even though this Steamboat group understands how precious our time together was (and can’t wait for our next get together), even though they accept Dave and my faith, they reject the reunion that happens after we die…this heavenly banquet where the entire family of God gathers to celebrate the end of Death. Aging. Mourning. Sickness. Pain. A broken relationship. Even altitude sickness.
Bourbon County Community Theatre is still holding auditions for Voices from the Grave, an original production based on stories from Bourbon County’s history.
An open audition will take place October 2nd from 5:30 to 6:30 PM at the Fort Scott high School Auditorium.Those who audition must be age 14 or over and rehearsal times will be scheduled in small groups with the Director, Regen Wells.
Voices from the Grave is from 6-9 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Riverfront Park in Fort Scott, KS. Guests will enjoy a guided walking tour of short acting vignettes centering around stories of murder and mayhem in Fort Scott. Scenes were written by the students in the Advanced Drama class at Fort Scott High School and are based off of stories from local author Brian Allen’s books about Fort Scott.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students and are available from bcct.ludus.com in Fort Scott. Tour times must be pre-scheduled and run every 15 minutes. Parents must accompany children under the age of 14.
More information can be found on the Bourbon County Community Theatre Facebook page or by contacting Wells at 620-215-3510.
The September meeting of the Starlite FCE was held at the Presbyterian meeting room. President Glenda Miller called the meeting to order and Vice President Joyce Allen led the club in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the club collect. Ten members and one guest were in attendance. The members reported that they had volunteered 40 hours and had recycled 490 pounds of paper and cardboard.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Karen Peery reported that the Fall Follies will be held at the United Methodist Church in Humboldt on October 22nd at 6:00. Eight members are planning on attending. Doris Ericson presented the Treasurers report and passed out membership papers for renewal. Karen also announced that cookies for the State Meeting can be left at the Extension Office.
Glenda recognized Letha Johnson as our September birthday. She also read a Thank you letter from Macie Hueston and presented our Citizenship minute.
Old business consisted of the State FCE Meeting. Karen Peery, Doris Ericson and Deb Lust will be attending. Glenda also reminded us that our Operation Christmas Child boxes will need to be brought to our October meeting. Karen presented the time line to turn boxes in at First Baptist Church in Mound City and presented several Dollar Tree items that would go well with the boxes.
Karen presented a quilt that she had purchased for Bourbon County’s basket for the State meeting, Deb Lust moved that we donate $25 for the quilt, Joyce Allen seconded the motion, motion carried.
New Business was talking about the next year’s program books, Doris Ericson will be getting them for the club.
After the meeting the member enjoyed a presentation by Tara Solomon on “Pathway to a Healthy Kansas”.
Refreshment were of pumpkin roll, nuts and water were provided by Claudia Wheeler and Ida Ford and enjoyed by all.
Diane Striler and her husband Dean at last year’s Christmas on the Bricks. Submitted photo.
There will be an added event coming to the 2nd Annual Christmas on the Bricks event, ice skating!
The rink will be a daw to Fort Scott and help with local commerce, according to Diane Striler, who is spearheading the rink project.
The rink will be in the new Gathering Place Pavilion on North National Avenue of the Fort Scott Downtown Historic District.
Striler has been talking to people since the first of 2024 about the project, an ice skating rink with no ice (it is a synthetic surface) that is not dependent on cold weather since the surface does not need to be frozen.
An anonymous couple is donating approximately $18,000 of the $37,000 total for the rink which includes the skating surface, railing, 60 skates of various sizes, and a sharpener for the skates. Additional donors have totaled approximately $3,500, and she has applied for a Fort Scott Area Community Foundation Grant.
In addition to those for the rink, other funds will need to be raised to purchase materials to build a storage facility. Striler has talked to a group that is willing to build the facility. It will be used to house the skates and provide a place for skaters to check in, sign their waivers, make payments, and access the rink.
“The whole project will be funded by private donations and grants, there are no tax dollars involved,” she said.
To bring the rink to Fort Scott, Striler had to get approval from the City of Fort Scott Commission and have a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the City and the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which is overseeing operations.
The kick-off for the opening of the rink will be the weekend of Christmas on the Bricks, Dec 6-8th. The plan is for the rink to be open that weekend and the following Thursday and Friday evenings, Saturdays, and part-day Sundays through January 5th. The cost to skate is $5 per person.
“We have talked to an individual who may help run the rink and oversee individuals involved,” she said. “We would like to allow different organizations to help staff the rink and receive part of the proceeds for their groups.”
In addition, Striler has been talking with Fort Scott Physical Therapist Meredith Tucker about creating some aids to use at the rink to make it more accessible for children with disabilities.
The rink can be reused for up to 15 years if cared for, she said.
First Fundraiser For the Project
To add to the needed ice skating rink funds, the first fundraiser is 6 p.m. on October 9 at the Liberty Theatre, 113 S. Main, Fort Scott.
It is called a Puzzle, Pizza & Pub Challenge!
The first team of 4 people to complete a 300-piece puzzle, a large pizza, AND a bucket of beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) wins!
The cost is $100 per team ($25/person)
The event is Wednesday, October 9th, at 6 p.m.
at the Liberty Theatre in downtown Fort Scott.
Register a team by calling or stopping by the Chamber at 620-223-3566 or online here! Limited to 20 teams!
If you can’t attend and still want to donate to the rink: click here to make a payment to the Fort Scott Area Chamber Foundation, 501c3, via PayPal or Venmo @fschamberfoundation, please note the Rink in the notes! Checks may also be made payable to the FS Area Chamber Foundation and mailed or dropped off at the Chamber, 231 E. Wall St with Rink in the memo.
Submitted graphic of a similar skating rink being purchased from Kwik-Rink, Maple Grove, Minnesota.
The next meeting of the Bourbon County Coalition will be October 2, 1:00 p.m. in the Conference room at the Scottview Apartments, 315 S. Scott. The agenda is attached.
After 24-plus years of working with the Bourbon County Coalition, Billie Jo Drake is stepping down as a leader.
Travis Wilcoxen and Nick Johnson will be taking over as Co-Chairmen of the Coalition beginning with the October meeting.
Drake will remain on the board for one more year to ensure a smooth transition.
Nick Johson be chairing the General Membership meetings and will let members know at the October meeting which email you will need to use when you need to contact the Coalition.
“I have enjoyed my work with the Coalition and am confident that Travis and Nick will do a great job,” Drake said.
Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition
General Membership Meeting Agenda
October 2, 2024
Welcome:
Member Introductions and Announcements:
Program: Dustin Emmett, Retain Outreach Coordinator for SEKANSASWORKS.
Open Forum:
Adjournment: The next General Membership meeting will be November 6, 2024.
