Entertainment, Fort Scott

Second Annual Veterans Day Celebration this Weekend

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The 2nd Annual Veterans Day Celebration is this weekend with lots of activities planned at various venues throughout the City of Fort Scott. This weekend is to celebrate all veterans and active-duty personnel.

The celebration begins Friday night from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm with a welcome reception at VFW Post 1165, 1745 South National Ave., Fort Scott. At the come and go reception, veterans and their spouses can enjoy a free hamburger meal that will be generously provided by the E3 Foundation.

Following the welcome reception, the Missourians Gospel Quartet will be performing at Memorial Hall, 1 E. 3rd St. beginning at 7:00 pm. The concert is hosted by Fort Scott’s First Southern Baptist Church, ticket sales will benefit the construction of the Family Life Center. Tickets are $10 for adults, and $5 for children, and may be purchase at the Fort Scott Visitors Center, 231 E. Wall St., or at the door.

Saturday morning the Friends of the Fort will host dance lessons from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at Memorial Hall, 1 E. 3rd St.

Visit Fort Scott will offer free trolley rides to veterans and their spouses on Saturday from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Free trolley tours will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Tours will leave on the hour, every hour, with the last tour at 1:00 pm.

The Veterans Day Parade begins at 3:00 pm Saturday, following the normal parade route through downtown Fort Scott. Line-up will be along Main Street from 6th Street south to Fort Scott High School. Live Local Bourbon County is the sponsor of this year’s parade.

Everyone is invited to the Boiler Room Brewhaus, 2 S. National Ave. for a Parade Watch Party and Reception from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm.

The Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene and In His Image Photography will honor all veterans by offering a free professional portrait on Saturday afternoon following the parade, from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm. If possible veterans are asked to bring a photo of themselves during their time in the service for their portrait at the Nazarene Church, 1729 Horton St.

At 7:00 pm Saturday, The “Friends” of Fort Scott National Historic Site will hold the 1800’s Grand Ball. Doors will open at 6:00 pm.

Sunday at 9:00 am, and 10:45 am Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene, 1729 Horton Street, will welcome veterans for Church Services.

Sunday at 5:00 pm veterans are invited to a free concert by the premier Elvis impersonator at Memorial Hall, 1 E. 3rd St. Brent Giddens is ELVIS will be free for all veterans, and $1 for others.

Monday morning VFW Post 1165 will host the Veterans Day Ceremony at National Cemetery No. 1, 900 E. National Ave. beginning at 11:00 am. The ceremony will be followed by a free-will donation lunch at the VFW.

At 1:15 pm St. Mary’s Catholic School will honor our veterans and active military with prayers and patriotic songs, performed by the elementary students and staff.  The event will be held at the Veterans Memorial in Skubitz Plaza.

All these events, except for the Missourians Concert, and VFW lunch are free to veterans.

The 2nd Annual Veterans Day Celebration was made possible through funding provided by the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation.

For more information contact the Fort Scott Convention & Visitors Bureau at 620.670.2750 or go online to visitfortscott.com.

 

Contact: Ally Turvey
Phone: (620) 670.2750
Email:[email protected]

Bourbon County, Entertainment, Exercise, Fort Scott

Added Safety and Accessibility Coming to Riverfront Park

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The wayfinder map of Riverfront Park, North National Avenue.

Lights for the Bell Town Walking Trail at Riverfront Park on Fort Scott’s north entrance will soon be installed.

“They are LED downlights to light the trail at dusk for more safety,” Jerry Witt, chairman of the Fort Scott Bourbon County Riverfront Authority, said.

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team is providing funds for the lighting.

The City of Fort Scott Streets Department is pouring concrete for the pedestals for the 27 pole lights which will stand about 12 feet high, similar to the poles in the historic downtown district. The streets crew has also done the trenching for the electrical pipe for the poles.

Fort Scott Maintenance II Employee Kyle Knight, left, and Fort Scott Streets Supervisor Jerry Morgan tell about the pedestals that were poured today for the new LED lighting in Riverfront Park.

“Max Fanning is doing the electrical work labor,” Witt said. “We are paying for that.”

Also slated for a 2019 completion date is paving and striping of the parking area, west of the park pavilion at the entrance. Also, a handicapped accessible wheelchair ramp will be built to the pavilion.

The Riverfront Park Pavillion had its ribbon-cutting in May 2018.

Last week, the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation granted the Riverfront Authority a $2,317 award to purchase metal picnic tables and benches for the pavilion, Witt said.

New Trails

Witt said the Riverfront Authority has applied for a Kansas Department of Transportation Grant to create additional trails on the south side of the Marmaton River, along the River Front Road.

“When we built the road in 2015, the grant was for road and trails,” Witt said. “But the cost of the road construction was higher than expected, so the trails were put on hold.”

Agricultural Engineering, Uniontown, is working with the Riverfront Authority in designing the 2, 953 feet of trails, which will be eight-foot-wide and have an asphalt surface, Witt said.

Overlook Moving

Flooding this past spring moved the recently built wooden overlook off its’ foundation and the Riverfront Authority is planning to move the structure to higher ground, Witt said.

Members

Members of the Riverfront Authority, from left Allen Warren, Arnold Schofield, Danny Magee, Jerry Witt, Dean Mann and Betty Boyko. File photo. Not pictured: Jeff Sweetser, Bob Love, and Penny Barnes.

Members of the Fort Scott Bourbon County Riverfront Authority are Witt,  Allen Warren, Jeff Sweetser, Bob Love, Betty Boyko, Danny Magee, Arnold Schofield, Penny Barnes and Dean Mann.

The organization was created in 2007.

 

Business, Fort Scott

Care Packages to Our Servicemen and Women

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Fort Scott Presbyterian Village
Welcomes you to our mission to send care packages to a Military Unit Deployed during Christmas!
“Adopt a Unit”
Wanting to Donate? Please drop at the Fort Scott Presbyterian Village Located at 2401 S. Horton during normal business hours.
Contact Jennifer Simhiser 620.215.1005 or Ginger Nance 620.223.5550 for more Information.
Adopt a Unit
Our Deployed Military Donation Needs:
Laundry detergents, socks (black or white long), hygiene items, drink packages (for water bottles) Snacks (Jerky, trail mix, granola bars, snack cakes, etc.), candy, Christmas cards, stationary, stamps.
Donations due by: Nov 15th!!!
Please send your support & brighten the lives of those fighting for our freedom from Loved Ones for Christmas!
Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Taco Salad Nov. 5: Rotary Fundraiser

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Come support
Fort Scott Rotary’s
Taco Salad Fundraiser!
Tuesday, November 5th
(Election Day)
$6.00
(includes taco salad w/chips, dessert & drink)
11 am to 6 pm
Bourbon County 4H Building (at the Fairgrounds on S. Horton St.,
across from FSCC)
Tickets available from any Rotarian or the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.
Click here for Rotary’s Facebook page.
Offering Free delivery for orders of 6 or more!
Also,
For to-go orders,
call or text 620.215.2653
Bourbon County, Fort Scott

American Legion Post 25 Scuttlebutt

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American Legion Fort Scott Thompson-Harkey Post 25 is in 1st place in 2nd District membership. Today’s numbers have Post at 74 members or 97.37%.

Our 2020 membership goal is 76. We are currently 2 members short of 100%. Help Post 25 reach 100% by renewing your membership or by recruiting a new member.

If Post 25 reaches 100% by Friday, November 8, we will receive $100 for meeting the Department’s Veterans Day goal of 100% membership. We only need two renewals to receive the $100 membership award.

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!

With the signing of the LEGION Act, any honorably discharged Veteran who served one day of active duty since December 7, 1941, can now join the American Legion.  Many Veterans are not aware they can join the largest Veterans fraternal organization in the world. If you know a Veteran, ask them to join us.

Upcoming Events

November 4. Post 25 meet and greet starts at 630 pm in Memorial Hall.

November 4. Post 25 general membership meeting starts at 7 pm in Memorial Hall.

Veterans Day Weekend: Schedule of Events
Honoring All Veterans since “1842” – Annual Veterans Day Celebration!

FRIDAY –  NOVEMBER 8, 2019

Evening Event – 7pm * Missourians Concert @ Memorial Hall, 1 East 3rd St.

SATURDAY * NOVEMBER 9, 2019

Afternoon:  1pm * Grand Ball Lessons @ Memorial Hall, 1 East 3rd St.

3pm * Veterans Day Parade @ Downtown Fort Scott, Main Street

Evening:    7pm * 1800’s Remembrance Grand Ball @ Memorial Hall, 1 East 3rd St.

SUNDAY * NOVEMBER 10, 2019

Morning:    9am * Veterans Church Service

10:45am * Community Christian Church Service, 1919 Horton St.

Evening:   6pm * Brent Giddens is ELVIS @ Memorial Hall, 1East 3rd St.

MONDAY * NOVEMBER 11, 2019

Mid-Morning Ceremony:  Please join us at The United States Cemetery No. 1

11am * Veterans Day Service * 900 E. National Ave.

Noon: 12pm * Veterans Day Lunch @ VFW Post #1165, 1745 S. National Ave. (Free will Donations)

November 14. American Legion Auxiliary Unit 25 meets at 600 pm in Memorial Hall.

November 14. American Legion Post 25 Color Guard meets at 730 pm in Memorial Hall. All Post 25 Legion family members can join the Post 25 Color Guard. This includes Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion Squadron members.

November 16. Chartering American Legion Riders Chapter 25 at 10 am in Memorial Hall.  To join, you must own a motorcycle of at least 250 cc’s AND be a member of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or the Sons of the American Legion.

We invite Legion family members from other American Legion Posts to join our Riders Chapter. If you have a current Legion membership in any American Legion family organization, we invite you to join us.

January 31 – February 2, 2020. Department of Kansas Midwinter Forum at Fort Scott.

 Informational Items

Additional shuttle drivers are needed. The VA-provided shuttle now transports dialysis patients to Pittsburg on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays plus area Veterans for VA hospital appointments on Mondays and Thursdays. Call or email me for more information on becoming a shuttle driver.

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. A copy of the flyer is attached.

 Attachments

 Fort Scott Veterans Day Activities.

 

American Legion Post 25 and VFW Post 1165 combined Color Guard.

 

Don’t hesitate to contact me with any suggestions or questions you may have about Fort Scott American Legion Post 25.

Carl Jowers. Post 25 Commander.

620-215-1688

[email protected]

Fort Scott, Government

City of Fort Scott Offices Closed For Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11

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The City of Fort Scott offices will be closed on Monday, November 11th, 2019 in observance of Veterans Day. The regular offices will reopen on Tuesday, November 12th, 2019.

The City’s tree and brush dump site located on North Hill will also be closed on Saturday, November 9th, 2019 for the Veteran’s Day holiday. It will be open again on Tuesday, November 12th, 2018 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Jumpstart’s Read for the Record: Fort Scott Public Library

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Join millions of readers worldwide in reading the book Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora as part of Jumpstart’s Read for the Record program on November 7 at 10 a.m. with Miss Val! 
We will take photos of the group to share the event with fellow readers on social media. We will also share in creative play with food and kitchen toys, as well as creating “foods” to go in a play soup or stew using playdough.
Additionally, we will share small portions of soup and crackers, in the spirit of the book.
According to Jumpstart’s website, “ Jumpstart’s Read for the Record® (RFTR) is an annual campaign that was launched over a decade ago to highlight the importance of building early literacy and language skills for EVERY child, so that all children have the opportunity to enter kindergarten prepared to succeed. Each year, millions of children and adults are brought together to read in classrooms, libraries, community centers, and homes across the world. Each year, Jumpstart selects one children’s book as the catalyst for Read for the Record. Since 2006, this 24-hour celebration has mobilized over 20,700,000 people!” Go here to learn more: https://www.jstart.org/read-for-the-record
Obituary

Obituary of William E. Griffths

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William E. Griffiths, age 70, resident of Bronaugh, MO, died Saturday, November 2, 2019, at Medicalodge Nevada, MO.

He was born September 24, 1949, in Wichita, KS, the son of Harold “H.W.” and Betty Jane Wunderly Griffiths. He graduated from Bronaugh high school with the class of 1968.

Bill operated his own trucking company. He was a member of the IH Collectors Chapter #3 and Riverside Cowboy Church. He enjoyed raising cattle.

Survivors include two daughters, Angela Griffiths, Bronaugh, MO, and Melissa McCartney, Carthage, MO; three brothers, Robert Griffiths and wife Shanna, David Griffiths, and Donald Griffiths; two sisters, Carol Claflin and friend Winfred DeMott and Joyce Agee and husband Delbert; and three grandchildren, Dakota McCartney, Eli Griffiths, and Baelie Griffiths.

He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Cassandra Griffiths; and his parents.

Pastor Roger Beach will conduct funeral services at 10:30 AM Tuesday, November 5th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Burial will follow in the Worsley Cemetery, Bronaugh, MO.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 Monday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to either Riverside Cowboy Church or Worsley Cemetery and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Fort Scott, Schools

FSHS Talking Tigers Win 2nd

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FSHS Talking Tigers competed at Parsons, placing 2nd as a team overall.
In the novice division Isaiah Self and Emily Degruson placed 6th with a 4-1 record and Anna Laubenstein and Zoe Newman placed 8th with a 3-2 record.
In the JV division Thade Yates and Landon Doherty placed 3rd with a 3-2 record and Sage Hill and Hannah Vann placed 7th with a 2-3 record.
In the open division Shekhar and Neil Gugnani placed 2nd with a 4-1 record, Jonie Antonio and Khris Patel placed 5th with a 3-2 record, Jessden Kiwan and Cody Dean placed 6th with a 2-3 record, and Madi Toth and Kinsley Davis placed 7th with a 2-3 record.
Congratulations Talking Tigers!

 

Submitted by Angella Curran

Opinion

Colder Weather by Pastor James Collins

1 Comment

Colder Weather

“Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.” Isaiah 38:17

It snowed last week. The forecasters are calling for temperatures in the 60s this week. If you don’t like the weather in Southeast Kansas now, just wait a few minutes.

Before my family and I moved to Fort Scott, we lived in a place known for sunny skies, low humidity, and mild temperatures. We were not used to snow an ice. Our first winter in Kansas was so cold, we pulled everything out of the freezer and huddled inside to warm up.

A couple of winters ago, it snowed for several days straight. So, I bought a snow shovel and learned to clear the sidewalks and driveway. Since I knew it would continue snowing, I thought I would be better off waiting until it stopped and remove all the snow at one time.

When I finally got around to shoveling snow, several inches had piled up. At first, the snow was easy to move – scrape, toss, scrape, toss, scrape, toss, the snow flew. Suddenly, I hit a snag. When I got through the top level of snow, scrape, toss became scrrraaaa…scrrraaaa… the snow shovel would not move. There were three inches of compacted solid ice underneath the top layer of snow. It would not budge. Super glue had nothing on the ice attached to my sidewalk.

I tried chipping away at the ice with the snow shovel. Didn’t work.

I tried chipping away at the ice with a steel digging shovel. Didn’t work.

I tried chipping away at the ice with a crowbar. Didn’t work. It bounced off the ice and hit me in the head.

I got the fifty-pound sledgehammer from the garage. Chip, chip, chip. A little ice gave way. Chip, chip, chip. A bit more came off. Three hours later, my arms ached, I was sweating, and I had made hardly any progress. The ice won. It finally melted in April.

Snow removal is much easier if dealt with before it settles, gets compressed, and turns into unmovable ice.

Unforgiveness can build up like ice and snow on my sidewalk. You can become frozen in unforgiveness by pretending the hurt doesn’t exist, and go on with life, but your heart will turn bitterly cold. The ice of unforgiveness will get a death grip and kill your relationships and your soul. If it happens, it takes work, a lot of work, to chip, chip, chip away at your anger and resentment.

The point is: Deal with the hurt and pain in your life now. Don’t let them settle any longer. Forgive instead of ignoring the pain. Work with God to remove the ice around your heart. Allow God to love you and help you love again.

In Isaiah 38:17, we read, “Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.” In other words, Isaiah is saying, “Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such heartbreak.” God can release you from your unforgiveness and make you into a stronger person. If you let Him, the Lord Jesus Christ can bring you from bitter to better.

There is hope and healing in the name of Jesus. Reach out to Him today.

Don’t wait.

The forecast calls for colder weather.

James Collins is a pastor at First Southern Baptist Church. He can be reached through the website www.thepointis.net or by email at [email protected].

Bourbon County Local News