Manhattan, KS — Ms. Margaret Marino, K-2 Math and Reading Special Education Instructor, Winfield Scott Elementary School, USD 234, Fort Scott, was recently awarded a $500 Classroom Grant by the Kansas Association of American Educators (KANAAE), a non-union professional educators’ association serving Kansas educators. Ms. Marino will be using the grant to purchase supplies to supplement the Orton Gillingham training she attended this past summer!
“KANAAE is thrilled to be able to provide funding to purchase needed materials and supplies for Margaret’s classroom,” said Garry Sigle, KANAAE executive director. “As a professional association we are committed to helping educator’s purchase items through our scholarship and grant program they may not otherwise be able to obtain. We know it’s the students who ultimately benefit.”
The winners of the KANAAE Teacher Scholarships and Classroom Grants are selected by a committee of their peers from across Kansas. All educators are encouraged to apply.
KANAAE is an affordable, non-union professional education association that provides teacher scholarships and classroom grants exclusively for Kansas educators twice a year. The grants can help pay for a variety of materials for the classroom and scholarships can be used to cover a wide variety of expenses including tuition, books, conferences, and workshops. The next application deadline is March 1, 2023. For more information visit www.kanaae.org.
Dr. Richard L. “Dick” Spencer, DDS, age 77, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at the Medicalodge in Ft. Scott.
He was born August 3, 1945, in Topeka, Kansas, the son of Virgil W. Spencer and Dorothy Lee Spencer. He graduated from the Ft. Scott High School and from Pittsburg State University. He then went on to complete dental school at the University of Missouri at Kansas City.
He married Karlene K. Murn on October 12, 1971.
Dr. Spencer owned and operated his own dental practice in Ft. Scott for several years. He later worked in the dental office of Dr. Max Patterson. Dick will be remembered as a devoted husband and a loving father as he faithfully cared for his wife, Karlene and their son, Jonathan.
He was the last of his family. Dick was preceded in death by his wife, Karlene on July 2, 2019, and his son, Jonathan, on November 7, 2000. He was also preceded in death by his parents, Virgil and Dorothy Spencer and his in-laws, Bill, and Becky Murn.
Private burial will take place at the Evergreen Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
Linda Minor-Hammond Community Center Board Member, Doug Graham-Heartland Communication Specialist -, and Alice Helton-Hammond Community Center Board Member.. Submitted photo.
Linda Minor wrote a grant that was awarded for the Hammond Community Center$2,000 from Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative for roof and HVAC repairs.
“I am a Hammond Community Center board member,” Minor said. “The building has been struggling financially with upkeep.”
The Hammond Community Center, 2275 Soldier Road, rural Fort Scott, is about 30 years old.
“Hammond Community Center is the only community center left in the Osage Township of Bourbon County,” she said. “The facility has been serving the Hammond area since the closing of the Hammond School. The center is often used for birthday parties, reunions, and wedding receptions along with the monthly meetings of the Northeast Scott 4H Club.”
The Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative’s Concern for Community Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for capital improvement projects throughout the cooperative’s service area, according to a Heartland press release. Applications are accepted during a defined application period each year.
The Hammond project was one of 10 selected to receive a funding boost through Heartland’s Concern for Community grant program, according to a Heartland press release.
“I often say that we’re not in the business of selling electricity, we’re in the business of powering rural lifestyles,” said Mark Scheibe, Heartland CEO. “Part of that is supporting the communities our consumer-members live in and around. This grant program is a great way to do just that.”
The Concern for Community program provides grants of up to $5,000 for capital improvement projects throughout the Heartland service area, which covers parts of 12 counties in eastern Kansas. Capital improvement projects are those that involve investment in structures or equipment that will last for many years.
As a non-profit, member-owned cooperative, Heartland issues capital credits to members each year, but sometimes those capital credits go unclaimed. Because those monies were intended to be returned to the communities from which they came, Heartland’s Board of Directors decided to use those unclaimed funds for community grants and started the Concern for Community program in 2019.
This year, 10 applications out of 26 received were approved for funding by the Heartland board. Heartland distributed a total of $37,000 in Concern for Community grants this year.
Other Heartland REC projects selected for funding are as follows:
Cato Historical Preservation Association, Inc. was awarded $2,500 for painting at the Cato Christian Church between Fort Scott and Pittsburg.
Crawford County Fair Association was awarded $5,000 for new lights and wiring at the fairgrounds outside Girard.
Crawford County Fire District # 4 was awarded $5,000 to help purchase a virtual fire extinguisher training system to be shared with area fire departments and businesses.
Fairview Chapel outside Moran was awarded $2,500 for new bathrooms.
Hammond Community Center in rural Fort Scott was awarded $2,000 for roof and HVAC repairs.
Jayhawk USD 346 was awarded $2,500 for new curtains for the auditorium.
Linn County Fair Association was awarded $5,000 for new animal pens at the fairgrounds in Mound City.
Moran-Marmaton/Osage Fire Department was awarded $2,500 for new hoses and nozzles.
Mound City Historical Society, Inc. was awarded $5,000 for roof repairs on historical buildings.
Woodson County Fair Association was awarded $5,000 for renovations to the swine barn at the fairgrounds in Yates Center.
Applications were accepted in the month of September and selected by the Heartland Board of Directors in October. Heartland plans to reopen applications in summer 2023 for the next round of funding.
About Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. powers rural lifestyles throughout more than 11,000 locations in eastern Kansas. Heartland’s service area includes consumer-members in 12 counties, including Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Labette, Linn, Miami, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson.
Heartland REC traces its roots back to three original rural electric cooperatives: Cooperative Electric Power & Light Company, Sugar Valley Electric Cooperative Association, and Sekan Electric Cooperative Association. Cooperative Electric Power & Light Company joined with Sugar Valley in 1975 to form United Electric Cooperative; United Electric Cooperative joined with Sekan Electric Cooperative Association in 1996 to form Heartland.
A work session with the county and city commissioners will be held at noon today at the Empress Event Center. Multiple topics will be discussed but no action will be taken. This meeting is open to the public.
The Starlite FCE held there November meeting at the Yeager building on the Bourbon County Fairgrounds. 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. Eleven members were in attendance and reported that they had volunteered for sixty-six hours and had recycled 70 pounds.
Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Doris Ericson presented the treasurer’s report.
Old business consisted of a report that treats had been delivered to the VFW, American Legion and the assisted living facilities in honor of Veterans Day. Goodie bags were also delivered to the Tri-Valley clients. Glenda Miller announced that Betty Johnson had been selected as the Southeast Kansas representative for the Heart of FCE award for 2022 at the Parsons Fall Training. It was also reported that three members had helped out with the poppy distribution and that Deb Lust had assisted in placing the Flag out for Veterans Day.
New Business for the month was planning the Christmas party. Doris Ericson moved that everyone bring money to be donated to Preferred Living, Deb Lust seconded the motion, motion carried. It was decided that the Christmas Potluck Dinner would be held on December 16th at 11:00. Before the dinner the members will be putting together gift bags for the Tri-Valley clients, which will consist of socks, gloves, hot chocolate mixes, popcorn, mugs filled with Chex mix and candy. We will also be having a white elephant exchange at the dinner. Other new business was assigning the lessons for the coming year and picking hostesses.
Before the meeting the members folded two hundred Christmas messages and stuff envelops to be delivered to the VA hospital.
Letha Johnson moved the meeting be adjourned, Joyce Allen seconded the motion, meeting adjourned. After the meeting the members enjoyed refreshments of vegetable pizza, cinnamon roll twists, nuts, chocolate, V8 and water provided by Claudia Wheeler and Letha Johnson.
Joyce Lea Anthony, age 85, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away early Monday, November 21, 2022, at the Mercy Hospital in Joplin, Missouri.
She was born November 28, 1936, in Ft. Scott, the daughter of Thomas E. Phillips and Lucy A. King. From an early age, Joyce was raised by her mother and step-father, Sherman Love. Joyce graduated from the Ft. Scott High School with the Class of 1954. She married Bill Anthony on May 24, 1963, at Ft. Scott.
When her daughter, Leota, was growing up, Joyce supported her musical endeavors. She was also active with the Girl Scouts and helped with the PTA. Music was always an important part of Joyce’s life. For many years she managed the Ernie Williamson’s Music Store located on North Main Street in Ft. Scott. She also enjoyed listening to Leota’s music students work on their lessons.
Joyce loved to make blankets and quilts. Many a child has been the recipient of one of Joyce’s baby blankets or hair bows.
She was a member of the Community of Christ Church.
Survivors include her daughter, Leota Lucy Anthony, of Ft. Scott and numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews and great-great-nieces.
Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, on January 11, 2004. She was also preceded in death by a son, Billy Jay Anthony; her parents; a sister, Clara May Hawkins and two brothers, Robert Love and Johnny Love, Sr.
Robert and Cathy Clark will conduct funeral services at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, November 26th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Burial will follow in the Maple Grove Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Community of Christ Church 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.
The Lowell Milken Center is located at the corner of First and Wall Streets.
The Lowell Milken Center has joined the 34th Annual Toybox campaign which runs through December 13. It is one of the 4-States’ largest toy drives to benefit underprivileged children in Southeast Kansas, Southwest Missouri and Northeast Oklahoma. KOAM News Now, Salvation Army and many other community service organizations and businesses have organized this worthwhile endeavor.
In Fort Scott, new, unwrapped toys for children birth through 16 years of age may be dropped off during regular business hours at the Lowell Milken Center at 1 South Main or at Care4All at 2 W. 18th St. (The Lowell Milken Center is open from 10 am–5 pm, M-F, and 10 am–4 pm on Saturdays.) The toys will be distributed through Compassionate Ministries/Salvation Army here in Bourbon County to families who have registered for holiday assistance.
Toybox Tuesday Telethons will be conducted during the Noon, 5:00 and 6:00 newscasts on KOAM and its KOAM+ streaming platforms. Dates for the telethons are November 29, December 6, and December 13. Viewers have the opportunity to make a tax-deductible financial contribution to support Toybox during the telethons. All monies raised are used to purchase new toys and gifts.
Kevin Lee Darling, age 64, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Friday, November 18, 2022, at his home. He was born November 20, 1957, in Ft. Scott, the son of Wallace Linden and Winona Cecile Frigo Darling. He graduated from FSHS with the class of 1976. Kevin worked for BNSF Railroad for 33 years until his retirement. Through the years he also worked with his father at Darling, Inc. Kevin enjoyed hunting, fishing, and golfing. He was a big fan of KU basketball, Chiefs football, and Royals baseball. He loved spending time with his family. He was a friend of many. Keving was a member of Elks Lodge, Knights of Columbus, and Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church.
Survivors include his siblings, Rhonda Ross (David), Topeka, KS; Janice Darling, Blue Springs, MO; Wallace “Lindy” Darling, Belton, MO; and Susan Darling (Dewayne), Ft. Scott, KS; a stepson, Jeff Dean, Fayetteville, AR; nieces and nephews Allison Confer, Laura Hodson, Mitch Ross, Zack Cannon, Hunter Darling, Hannah Darling, Philip Moran, Michele Moran, and Jarrod Flanagan; an uncle, Rodell Darling, Ft. Scott; and numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Wednesday, November 30th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM until service time Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Elks Lodge and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
Marjory Schwalm has been preparing a Thanksgiving meal for the community for 27 years. She and her some of her family, about 25 people, show up to help her.
Thanksgiving Day all family members help in different ways: some cook, some assemble the foods in take-away containers, some help with the delivery, then there is clean up.
This year they will continue the drive-through or delivery service for their Thanksgiving meals.
There is no charge for the meals, she said.
Most years, she gets enough in free will donations to cover all the supplies.
The family serves out of the Elk’s Club building at 119 W. 19th, with Elk Club members helping to deliver the meals.
Thanksgiving day, her son, stands at the east side door and partakers line up in their cars inside the orange cones that direct traffic to the pick up site.
“People drive up and tell how many meals are needed,” she said.
They also deliver meals.
“We send a lot to the high rise apartments,” Schwalm said.
“There are a lot of one-to-two people families that can’t cook big turkey dinner…so we provide,” she said. “Some elderly can’t drive so we deliver to anybody that needs it.”
They make about 700-800 meals for the community.
“Everyone has found out that this is a pretty good way to get a Thanksgiving meal without having to do all the work,” she said.
To call Schwalm, 620.224.6769.
The hours of service on Thanksgiving Day are from 11 a.m. to about 1-1:30 p.m.
She starts making to-do lists and lists of items to buy for the meal, months ahead.
Usually she goes to Sam’s Club in Joplin, MO for supplies, but this year, she is so thankful that Sam’s Club delivered to her.
After the meals are delivered or picked up on Thanksgiving Day, the family sits down for a meal together, she said.
“My family always got together for Thanksgiving, but now we fix for anyone that needs a meal,” Schwalm said.
Marjorie and her son, David Schwalm, who is in charge of giving all the delivery drivers their routes. Submitted photos.
Nancy Maze is charge of all desserts. Submitted photos.
Pictured are Marjorie Schwalm and Diane Lloyd (who is in charge of the delivery meals being correct and accounted for) and Cash Davis in the front with the servers (Schwalm family) and some of the Elk’s Club members that helped deliver meals from last year. Submitted photos.Aria and Charlee Davis help with desserts and taking meals to the drive-through. Submitted photos.
The serving assembly line – Cindy Stanely Schwalm, Sara Schwalm, Zack Schwalm, Danielle Minor, Daren Lloyd down the left side, and Tanner Schwalm, Dylan Lloyd, Diane Lloyd, Hunter Minor down the right with Lane Minor and Jeremiah Dawson helping transfer plates to the delivery tables. Submitted photos.Cindy Ziegler Schwalm, holding the plate, does all of the cooking. Submitted photos.
