Supper Club Winter 2023
INSIDE
Raising the bar on fine dining
Flower Power
Gospel Threads
Boom Town
A couple’s dream takes root
Teen’s clothing line links faith and fashion
Small town; big changes
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TABLE OF 24 CONTENTS 7
Welcome to Emporia Living
10
All in the family
Local family finds joy through student exchange program
36
24
Flower Power A couple’s dream takes root
36
Community Supper Club Raising the bar on fine dining
50
50
Gospel Threads
Teen’s clothing line links faith and fashion
56
Boom Town:
Small town; big changes On the Cover: Community Supper Club where fine dining meets philanthropy. Photo by Dan Hughes
4 | Emporia Living
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EDITOR’S NOTE Welcome to the newest edition of Emporia Living Magazine. It’s hard to believe that with this edition we have just started our second decade of producing Emporia Living. Eleven years ago we had a dream of producing a high-quality, glossy magazine that shared Emporia’s best stories with the community. And here we are, in 2023, and there are still amazing people doing some incredible things here in town that we get the honor of writing about and showcasing in the following pages. You will notice that most of the people featured this year also had a dream of their own at one time or another. Whether it’s sharing a special dining experience for “foodies” in town or creating clothing with a higher purpose, we hope our readers are inspired by what some Emporians are doing to make their dreams a reality—and making our town a better place to live at the same time. Inside look for stories about: • Kevin Mendez, a senior at Emporia High School who has designed his own line of clothing that speaks to his faith in God. • The little town of Madison that has some big things happening. Learn more about Madison’s history and what the town is doing to make sure it has a thriving future. • Amy and Lucas Moody, a local couple whose love of food has grown into an annual affair that not only raises the bar on fine cuisine, but raises funds for local organizations. • Farah and Jim Ferguson, whose Hartford roots have literally grown into a bountiful farming and flower business. Those are just a taste of a few of the stories you will find inside. Welcome to the newest edition of Emporia Living. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it.
Chris Walker Editor and Publisher
Ashley Walker Editor
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10 | Emporia Living
The Keosybounheuang may be a family of four biologically, but if you ask any of them they are quick to say their family is much bigger than that. In fact, since 2018 their family has grown by one every single year. As of 2024
the Keosybounheung’s family now includes six more members – teenage daughters – from around the world: Sheba (Sweden), Greta (Italy), Hannah (Denmark), Natalia (Spain), Lotte and Irene (both from the Netherlands). WINTER 2023 | 11
In addition to their own children, Kalia (14) and Zander (18), John and Sunnin Keosybounheuang (aka. Keos) have welcomed international exchange students into their home from various countries in Europe and now they are as much a “Keos” as their own children. While the exchange students came to the United States to experience life in America for the span of a school year, the benefits and blessings of their time here extended well into the host family itself, providing the Keoses not only new cultures to experience but lasting and meaningful relationships that have transcended borders. Gazing at their fireplace mantel, neatly hung with ten stockings this Christmas, all Sunnin could say was, “I just love our humongous family!”
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The Journey Begins
This “humungous” family started in 2018 when Sunnin saw a post on Facebook from the International Cultural Exchange Services with a brief description of a student from Sweden –Saba (Sheba) Alemayehu. She sent John a screenshot of the post and asked for his thoughts. “Yeah, sure,” he said jokingly. Until he received a message from the coordinator and suddenly it became real. Saba’s stay was for 10 months. She quickly became an integral part of their family as they fell in love with their new addition and saw her as one of their own. “She was wonderful and kind,” Sunnin said. She reminisced about Saba’s interests while she was here, which included soccer and theater. Their children, Zander and Kalia, were on board with the decision and welcomed their new “sister” with open arms and open hearts. Zander, being the only boy in the family, said having more than one sister has its ups and downs. Having sisters has taught him a valuable lesson. “When it comes to living with sisters, you have to find a middle ground because you’re never gonna be right,” Zander said. A successful experience encouraged them to continue welcoming more people to America and to their home.
The Global Impact
After Saba, the family hosted Greta Torella from Italy in 2019. Sadly, Greta’s time with
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the Keosybounheuangs was cut short due to the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, leaving them devastated at the thought of sending her back to Milan, a COVID-19 hotspot at the time. Despite her shortened stay, Greta left an indelible mark on the family and introduced them to as much of her culture as she could. “She’d make a lot of bread,” Zander said. He added that it didn’t always taste good, but this helped them gain more insight into who she was and build a connection with her that would last a lifetime. From 2020-2021, the family hosted Hannah Boa from Denmark. She was an incredible
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athlete and was a natural at anything she tried. Sunnin said that Hannah is the type of person that gives it her all and will try anything and everything so she can say she at least had the experience of trying something new. “She was taking full advantage,” Sunnin said. Natalia Perez from Spain came to stay with the Keosybounheuang family from 2021-2022. She was someone that jumped in to try new things as well. Natalia and Kalia became each other’s person. “My daughter’s been to Spain twice to see her, that
was her girl,” Sunnin said. They shared the type of friendship that only takes one look to know what the other was thinking and they would laugh. Lotte Spaans from the Netherlands had the opportunity to experience prom with Zander during her stay from 2022-2023. The experience was a memorable one as she was on crutches at the time as a result of an injury she suffered. “That was pretty fun.” Zander said. “I was making fun of her, but we still danced the ‘Cha Cha Slide.’” They were able to make light of a less than ideal situation and create a memory they can both look back on with fondness and love.
Irene Moreno: Seizing Endless Possibilites
Today, the family has welcomed Irene Moreno, their second student from Spain. She’s been living with the family for the past two months and watching she and John interact makes it seem as if she’s been a part of the family for a lifetime. They poke fun at each other and take selfies together, a distinct habit of Irene’s. “We leave our phones anywhere and there’s gonna be some pictures,” Sunnin said. The possibilities about being in Emporia with the Keosybounheuang family seem endless to Irene; she feels that she can do anything here and not be limited by restrictions at home.
“Being someone new in a different country and in high school, it makes you feel like you can do more things than you thought you could,” Irene said. She believes that it makes someone stronger.
Serving empor ia an d th e su rro und ing ar ea sin ce
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The Challenge of Goodbyes
Each student has their own unique personality and brought their cultural background with them. Their positive impact on the community is still felt as the friendships they forged still persist. These bonds extend beyond their time together in the U.S. They attend each others’ weddings and make plans to go abroad for one another just to celebrate birthdays. The friends they made here even continue to visit the family just to feel close to their friends. There are pictures of the students around the house, official portraits, riding Harleys with John, and their friends on the refrigerator. Their presence is felt in the Keosybounheuang household. May comes around and that’s when the big challenge occurs - saying goodbye. The familial bond they made makes it hard to say goodbye and the inevitable heartbreak of knowing a piece is missing sets in. “They’re all my family now,” John said. His way of coping is by looking at his
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tattoos as he has tattoos of each student to commemorate their meaning to him, something he doesn’t notify the students of until they figure it out so they don’t feel an unnecessary pressure to earn their place. It’s a silent testament to the love and acceptance given to the students. Emporia, with its warm hospitality and small-town charm, is shining example of how genuine hospitality can unite the world one friendship at a time. Open hearts make the world a smaller, connected place.
WINTER 2023 | 17
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Flower POWER
Less than a mile outside of Hartford, Kansas, lies a thriving oasis of agriculture, community and dedication known as Ferguson Farm and Flowers. It’s a place where dreams take root and blossom into reality. Where a friendly shelter dog named Buddy comes to greet you at your car, as you walk to the store building. Farah Ferguson
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BY RYA N N B R O O K S Photos by Jason Dailey
WINTER 2023 | 25
And it’s here that Farah and Jim Ferguson have cultivated a haven that embodies the essence of rural living. “I have lived in Hartford my whole life,” Farah Ferguson said. “We’ve lived in this location for 13 years, and we’re never going to leave it.” Jim Ferguson is also a Kansas native, growing up in Salina. He enjoys the quiet — and full — life they have created in small town Lyon County.
And the Fergusons are a dynamic duo. In addition to their farming venture, they also own another business, Made in the Shade Blinds, which specializes in custom window treatments. This unique combination of skills gives them the flexibility to pursue their passion for farming and agriculture. Their journey into agriculture began with a simple idea — to open a greenhouse.
Jim and Farah Ferguson
“We’re getting closer to retirement,” Farah mused. “So, we just thought this would be a fun job — just to walk across the yard and go to work.” However, she added with a laugh, “Of course, we don’t do anything small.” The couple began construction on the greenhouse, located just steps away from their home, in 2022. By February, they started ordering plants and embarked on the ambitious task of growing thousands of tomato plants from seeds.
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“We opened the nursery part on April 15 of this year, and this was definitely our learning year,” Farah recalled. “We’ve had about 250 hanging baskets and all kinds of bedding plants, flowers, and vegetables. By the end of May,
all of that was winding down, and then we really went into our farm part.” Longtime friend Maria Wilson said she wasn’t at all surprised by the success of the Fergusons. She’s known Farah for more than 40 years. “Anything she ever tries to do is always a success,” Wilson said. “She’s really good at anything that she wants to try, so it didn’t surprise me at all. … They don’t know how to rest. Every time I go over there, there’s something new or different.”
The Fergusons’ farm boasts an impressive variety of produce, including tomatoes, lettuces, carrots, onions, cucumbers and potatoes. “We had a really huge market garden,” Farah said. “We raised chickens — meat chickens — on pasture,” Jim added. “No antibiotics, you know. That went over really well.” In fact, their pastured poultry became a hit, with nearly 200 chickens processed in the spring alone. The demand was so high that they’re already planning to expand their chicken production for the coming year. Wilson said she helped Farah set up the inside of the store using some of the items that she has procured from her own resale side business. It’s been fun, she said, working with her longtime friend as Farah builds her dream from the ground up. “You know, I was surprised at how quickly it all came together,” Wilson admitted. “She started a lot of her plants from seeds. I’d be over there one day and then I’d be over there a week later and she’d go, ‘Tomatoes are ready.’ It was amazing how fast it all came together and how well things grew for her. But again, not surprised.” But the innovations don’t stop there, with the Fergusons planning to add pork to their offerings in 2024. “Next year, we’re raising a breed called Kune Kune,” Farah said. “It’s a delicacy back east, and they’re smaller pigs, not like the big 500- or 600-pound pigs. Their meat is very, very pink.” The pigs, she said, are docile. Friendly, even. So much so that her grandchildren — and visitors
28 | Emporia Living
to the farm — enjoy coming out to see them. “We have a lot of customers that come out and they do the whole farm experience,” Farah said. “They feed the chickens and pet the pigs.” The Fergusons are already looking forward to their next season. “Next year, we’re going to have blackberries,” Farah said. “We have 300 blackberry bushes planted out there.” They’re also planning to introduce strawberries to their farm. Despite the challenges they faced in their inaugural year, Farah looks back with satisfaction. “This definitely exceeded our expectations,” she admits. “When I was placing my first order for seeds and all of that, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I hope I sell all this.’” Jim, assured her that they could.
WINTER 2023 | 29
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And they did. “Our joke was always, ‘If we can’t sell it all, we’re going to have the prettiest yard in Lyon County,’” Farah recalled with a laugh. That humor and resilience have been their driving force. As Ferguson Farm and Flowers heads into its second year, Farah and Jim have big plans. “We are going to be building a lot more hanging baskets,” Farah disclosed. “We found that there is high demand for them.” They’re already exploring new pots and supplies for gardeners, and are eager to expand their offerings. While they learn from experience, Farah acknowledges the importance of catering to their customers’ preferences. “We want to hear from our customers,” she said. “Their feedback is invaluable to us.” The farm’s proximity to Hartford makes it a beloved
spot for both locals and visitors from nearby towns. Families come to pick their own fruits and vegetables, children play amidst the rows of vibrant flowers, and couples stroll hand in hand through the lush greenery. Ferguson Farm and Flowers is more than just a place to shop; it’s a destination filled with experiences. In their commitment to growing the Hartford community, Farah and Jim are continually expanding their offerings to complement other local businesses. The everpopular Early Bird Farm Stand — featured in the Fall 2022 edition of Emporia Living — is just a few miles down the road. “We try to complement what they do,” Farah explained. “They sell their beef, so we decided to sell pork.” The symbiotic relationship between businesses in Hartford is a testament to the strong sense of community in the area. Ferguson Farm and Flowers,
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Early Bird Farm Stand, The She Shed and Tool Shed, The Liquor Hut, and the Amish-owned DKH Bulk Foods, distribute fliers to customers letting them know about the other offerings in the area. “We’re just having fun,” Farah said. “We love what we’re doing. The best part is, when you love what you’re doing, it’s not work.”
In the end, it’s not just about the produce or the flowers; it’s about the people, the relationships, and the joy that comes from working the land together. The Fergusons have sown the seeds of success, and as they look ahead, they see a future brimming with possibilities, new crops, and the promise of continued growth. Whether you’re seeking the freshest vegetables, the most vibrant flowers, or simply a place to connect with nature and friendly faces, Ferguson Farm and Flowers welcomes you to share in their journey. “Come visit us, experience our farm, and be a part of our growing story,” Farah said.
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Community Supper Club at Gufler Mansion – Where Fine Dining Meets Philanthropy In the heart of Emporia, Kansas, a culinary revolution is taking place, blending the art of fine dining with a heartfelt mission to address local needs. Lucas and Amy Moody, partnering with Gufler Mansion owners Brad and Susan Cochennet, have started a gastronomic movement known as the Supper Club. The club, which began in 2021, brings talented chefs to Emporia for an evening that promises not only exquisite dining, but also to foster friendships that extend beyond the dining table. “We are members of a small supper club here in town,” Lucas Moody explained. “It’s four couples. We get together usually once a quarter and a different person hosts, and it kind of started with this elaborate food and probably more wine than any person should drink in an evening.”
Lucas and Amy Moody
WINTER 2023 | 37
The club has evolved, and has become just as much about connecting with friends as it is about the food. “Some nights it’s just complaining about all the things we’re running around doing or some nights it’s big hugs and, ‘I don’t get to see you enough,’ and, ‘How have you been?’ and getting caught up,” he said. “The concept and idea really came around that, but we knew that we wanted to have this ‘give back’ aspect where we found food insecurities or
38 | Emporia Living
places that work with people on an intimate level of life, not just as a helping thing, but those basic core things that we need the shelter, the food, the health care and give back to it.” Picture this: a grand mansion with perfectly manicured lawns, tables full of diverse groups of individuals gathering for an evening of culinary delights. In the kitchen? Award-winning, accomplished chefs preparing multiple courses for the evening, as the Cochennets help arrange plates and silverware.
A grand mansion with perfectly manicured lawns, tables full of diverse groups of individuals gathering for an evening of culinary delights.
WINTER 2023 | 39
The Moodys met the Cochennets almost six years ago when the foodie couple got married at the Gufler. The theme of their wedding reception was, unsurprisingly, food—where different culinary stations were set up for sampling throughout the evening. ”We had kind of talked a little bit about and had known for a while that we wanted to do something food-wise,” Lucas said. “We didn’t really know Brad and Susan until we hosted our whole family here in this wedding and really got to know Brad and Susan really well and became friends through this process. With them
40 | Emporia Living
turning the Gufler into this community place and space for people, it just really kind of collaboratively came together that they had been talking about. It’d be great to see some more food events and some things going on here.” The idea of hosting a fine dining experience at the Gufler was certainly appealing to the Cochennets, who purchased the historic mansion in 2016. The mansion was originally constructed between 1915 and 1917 by Albert Gufler, a wholesale grocer who moved to Emporia from Lawrence with his wife, Mary. The 10,000-square-foot home was built in the neo-classical
style, though the inside boasts more of a craftsman style. Three living areas, two sunrooms, three kitchens, two dens, a laundry room and multiple bedrooms are spread out over three floors and a fully-finished basement. A swimming pool was converted into a sunken garden. The Cochennets often open up the home to nonprofit organizations for fundraisers, when it’s not rented out for private wedding parties and events. It just made sense to open it up more for a fine dining experience. “I’ve lived here since I moved here in 2001 and I drove by
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this house all the time and it was always that big old house on the corner, but it never was something that was accessible to you,” Amy Moody said. “Brad and Susan took it and they turned it into this accessible community place, and it’s just neat to know that this Supper Club vision that we kind of had
42 | Emporia Living
been building didn’t really ever have that foundation until we met Brad and Susan.” “The food part of it is probably more selfishly a curiosity for us because we felt like the mansion deserved to have an elegant food presentation,” Brad explained. “We have accumulated sets of China, silver and stemware, and every wedding we do, we try to promote an elegant dinner. We probably get one or two out of 10.” Most people, he thinks, prefer to use disposable dishes because they think the handwashing is “too much.” “And that’s OK. We let people choose how they want
to enjoy the mansion, but we still envision that there’s a way that the mansion can still be an elegant place for people to have events and encourage that,” he said. “And so these guys know how to do that and they know how to pick artists for the food preparation and make it all happen and they do things that we haven’t thought of to present it.”
In 2021, the Moodys took the opportunity to host the first Supper Club. Their guest chef was James Oseland, an accomplished writer, editor and television personality that many may recognize as a judge on shows like Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef America and Celebrity Apprentice. Oseland was preparing for the release of his book, “World
Food: Mexico City,” and the Moodys’ Supper Club served as his official book tour launch. The day before, he would host an interactive cooking class at Flint Hills Technical College. From his home in Mexico City, Oseland said he remembered his fall trip to Emporia fondly two years later. “Publishing a book — that’s more amorphous. For me, that event was real,” he said. “There it was, with all those wonderful people that showed up to experience that memorable and fun event, and it actually brought the hard years of work I spent creating those volumes into clear focus.” Oseland has participated in a number of events like the Moodys’ Supper Club. What made the Emporia event stand apart from the others, however, was the community in which it was based.
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44 | Emporia Living
Chef Celina Tio of The Belfry in Kansas City, Missouri, was the guest chef for this year’s event.
“It was a blast and it was a reminder for how much I love that part of America and how it frequently gets overlooked,” he said. “For me, that’s a complete head-scratcher.” Oseland fondly remembered shopping for Mexican ingredients in Emporia with the Moodys, and recalled being impressed not only with the number of local options for shoppers looking for Hispanic foods, but also the quality of the ingredients. He also was impressed by the locallysourced ingredients brought to the table by Lucas, through his connections with local farmers and ranchers. “It just changes your relationship to what ends up on the plate,” he said. He credits the tender pork roast, cooked in a sauce made from three different types of dried chilis, six or seven aromatic spices and beer, to the local sourcing, too. “That pork was divine,” Oseland said. “The sauce was a nice complement, but at the end of the day, it was the pork.” In 2022, the Moodys brought Chef Adam VanDonge
of the White Linen in Topeka to Emporia. VanDonge was a semifinalist in the James Beard Awards for Best Chef in the Midwest in 2023. Chef Celina Tio of The Belfry in Kansas City, Missouri, was the guest chef for this year’s event. Tio won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Midwest in 2007. Oseland, who’s familiar with both Tio and VanDonge, said he was impressed with what the Moodys have continued to build with their annual Supper Club. It’s evident that both Amy and Lucas have a real love for their community, he said, which attracts big talents to the Gufler’s kitchen. “What I sensed right away was that Lucas and Amy saw great opportunity for their place, because they loved it,” Oseland said. “What a great combination is that for a community to have citizens that care that much?” The Moodys are welltraveled, self-described foodies who choose a lot of destinations based on where they want to eat.
“We spend a lot of time connecting with restaurants, and then when we’re there, we try to meet chefs and steal menus so that we can look at them and take them home with us for memorabilia,” Lucas said. The Moodys and the Cochennets are not shy in expressing their joy in witnessing not only the gastronomic delights but also the spontaneous collaborations sparked during these gatherings. For Lucas, one of the most satisfying aspects of the event each year is crafting the seating arrangements. He
wants to make sure people have a chance to connect with each other in meaningful ways. “I will play with it in my mind and play with it on paper for weeks before the event,” he said. “Who doesn’t know each other? Who do I know that has a commonality with somebody else?” And, they try to bring in people who are doing big things in the community. “One of the things we’ve always tried to do when we do the invite list is, for lack of better words, I always try to say that it is the doers, the
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The food’s been fun, but the food has really just been the vessel to get everybody together to see those other things that happened the other 364 days of the year. people in our community who have been the staple of projects and campaigns and funding opportunities for our community to grow,” Lucas said. “And then this new and upcoming younger population of people that are kind of waiting to fill their spot, looking for those shoes to step into, whether it’s creating art projects all around our town. I’m really excited for where that generation helped guide us so that they can blend some of those opportunities together has kind of always been the exciting part for me.” And, that’s why the Moodys use the club as a way to give back. The first year, the dinner was a fundraiser for CrossWinds Counseling & Wellness and Flint Hills Technical College. In 2022, funds went to Corky’s Cupboard at Emporia State University. This year, United Way of the Flint Hills was the beneficiary. It’s important, Lucas said, that people get together to see what’s happening in the community. And come together to support a good cause. “The food’s been fun, but the food has really just been the vessel to get everybody together to see those other things that happened the
other 364 days of the year,” he said. “We want to open those doors of conversation and communication and friendships. That’s been the fun part for me on that side of it.” It’s clear that the Supper Club is not just a series of dinners; it’s a labor of love, a celebration of community, and a testament to the power of good food in bringing people together. The founders look ahead to future editions, dreaming of expanding their culinary adventures, bringing in chefs from far and wide, and continuing to create a legacy of community and collaboration in the heart of Kansas. In Emporia, the Supper Club isn’t just a culinary event; it’s a movement that proves that the power of a good meal extends far beyond the table, creating ripples of positive change in the community.
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spotlight | Liberty MD
E
mporia’s first direct primary care practice continues to break the mold when it comes to health care, by offering a number of premium health services to the community. Opened by Dr. Aaron Watters and his wife and practice manager Wendy in 2022, Liberty MD offers personalized health care for the whole family without the middleman. The office moved to its present location, 708 Commercial St., over the summer. Dr. Watters has been a family practice doctor for more than 25 years, starting as an EMT when he was just 16. Today, he’s offering a wide array of premium health care services from his practice — many of which just aren’t available in the Emporia-area. These services include EmpowerRF Women’s Wellness Platform, Morpheus8 and Morpheus8 skin tightening/ body contouring, O3UV Ozone ultraviolet therapy, Biote, nutritional IV therapies and regenerative medicine including PRP (platelet rich plasma) treatments. “Everything really has to make sense and has to work from a biochemistry standpoint,” Watters said. “Everything that we’re doing are things I really believe in. We’re doing things that are natural. That’s important to me.” EmpowerRF Women’s Wellness Platform is the latest addition to Watters’ healthcare offerings, and it’s already changing women’s lives right here in Emporia. From blood circulation, pain relief, stress, urge and mixed urinary incontinence, and pelvic floor weakness, women are embracing EmpowerRF and living life to the fullest.. These non-invasive and FDA approved procedures use a combination of EMS (electronic muscle stimulation) to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and radio frequency to promote tightening and collagen production in the vaginal canal both internally and externally. It also addresses dryness and incontinence. Patients can see improvement even after just one treatment, and their issues can be resolved in as little as 6 weeks. Our staff nurse, Denise Mendoza is the go-to person for EmpowerRF at LibertyMD. According to Wendy, Dr. Watters does all of the initial exams and then works with Mendoza to set up an individual treatment plan. Morpheus8 is a fractional skin treatment that stimulates collagen production of the underlying layers of the dermis. Watters said that by targeting the deeper layers of the skin, tissues of the face and body can be “remodeled” to reveal a more radiant, tightened and youthful appearance. “It’s a revolutionary skin-tightening and fatremodeling system that builds collagen naturally,” he said. Watters said anyone who wants tighter, youngerlooking skin is a good candidate for treatments, which have a short healing time of just one or two days. O3UV Ozone treatments combine the components of both ozone and ultraviolet therapies to work together. Watters said the use of ozone in the blood increases oxygenation, which causes the body to heal
and energize the mitochondria. UV light then adds antibacterial and antiviral powers to the patient’s red blood cells, which may promote further healing. Simply put, Ozone is thought to promote healing from the inside out. “Ozone is probably our, outside of the direct primary care, it is our biggest sleeper,” said Wendy Watters. “We don’t advertise it. We don’t push it on social media. It is word of mouth and the results speak for themselves, and because of that, our patients share it with their friends.” Dr. Watters said he started researching Ozone as a way to possibly help people who are suffering from long-COVID. “Just some of those things that are impossible to treat,” he said. “I started reading more and more about it and I got to understand the biochemistry behind it. … It takes an oxygen molecule — which is O2 — and makes it into O3. The O3 attaches to the hemoglobin molecule and we get people’s nitrous oxide levels naturally elevated and improve the antioxidants in their blood.” Watters said he sees people’s energy levels increasing, blood counts increasing and seeing improvements to immunity overall. “We’ve had phenomenal success with it,” he added. Biote is a bioidentical hormone replacement system that helps replenish what a person’s body is naturally lacking. “Biote is probably the best of the HRTs out there,” Watters said. “There’s a lot of options for hormone
replacement therapy. I pharmacy, wholesale labs, started with a totally different and a slew of other benefits system, but it wasn’t working and preferential pricing for the way we needed it to be MRIs, CT scans and more. working. Biote is the perfect It also allows members hormone replacement, and it discounted pricing on their works.” premium services, which Watters said Biote include EmpowerRF, consults with some of the Morpheus8 (skin tightening/ top endocrinologists in collagen building), O3UV the country. When he has Ozone treatments, IV questions, he can send an nutrition, hormone email and get a response replacement therapy, and right away. alternative treatment options “Our patients here in PHOTOS BY DAN FERRELL for joints and athletic Emporia don’t have to travel performance. to South Carolina or Dallas or wherever the experts are,” he said. As part of their monthly membership fee, patients get unlimited Another exciting option is Platelet Rich Plasma — or PRP — visits each month and there is never a co-pay. Members only have to therapies. Watters said the treatments take your own blood, spin it pay for wholesale medications and labs if they need them. They also down and then collect the PRP to use your own healing cells to help have direct access to Dr. Watters, 24/7, with same day or next day repair and rebuild your joints and tendons naturally. Areas where appointments. PRP might be beneficial are — hips, knees, ankles, shoulders, etc. Small businesses are also finding this to be a cost-effective solution There are additional options that might also improve results that can for their employees by adding value and helping with employee be discussed during the patient’s consultation. retention, but also drastically reducing medical expenses and “This is better than cortisone and I’ve done thousands of steroid absenteeism. shots in knees, shoulders, hips, whatever,” Dr. Watters said. Dr. Watters said Liberty MD won’t be the right fit to everyone — “People would get dependent on it and you can only give them two and that’s OK. But for those interested in learning more, go online to a year. Every six months they were coming back without long term www.libertymdemporia.com. If you want to know more, please send LibertyMD a private DM or improvement. PRP is totally different. It’s your own body fixing itself.” schedule a free consultation by calling their office at 620-263-3777. Liberty MD members also gain access to their wholesale in-house
Gospel Th Kevin Mendez uses artistic talent and clothing line to express his faith and changed life.
Story by Shayla Gaulding Photos by Jason Dailey
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hreads Sporting a cream-colored hoodie emblazoned with the letters “GT” over his heart, 17-year-old Kevin Gael Mendez lights up as he shows off a piece of his clothing line. Turning around, Kevin reveals an angel protecting his back, overlaying the word “Gospel,” repeating like a mantra. Scrawled across the bottom of the hoodie is Philippians 4:13, to remind him of the reason he began a clothing line: “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” WINTER 2023 | 51
The Emporia native and high school senior is the entrepreneur behind the Emporia-founded Christian clothing company, Gospel Threads. Kevin said the clothing —which currently ranges from hoodies to T-shirts to hats—is a way to spread his newfound faith. After a brief stint in Orlando, Florida, Kevin and his family moved back to Emporia this summer. Kevin, however,
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came back a different person, having found a deep faith in God while in Florida. “It’s just how I wanted to represent God through my actions. The clothes make it stand out more to people, so they know what I am about,” he said. “I really had clothing in my mind, that I wanted to do it. When I really started connecting with God, it really clicked. That’s when I started to think, ‘I’m going to put God and the clothing brand together and see how it goes.’” Kevin’s clothing line began while he still lived in Florida, then called Self Made Club. As Kevin began to focus on the intersection between faith and fashion, the clothing line changed with him, rebranding to Gospel Threads after Kevin and his family returned to Emporia this summer. The son of Casa Ramos partners Hugo Mendez and Laura Martinez, Kevin drew inspiration from his parents’ work ethic, starting his company at only 16 years old. “I was surprised,” Hugo Mendez said about seeing Kevin start his own business so young. “He is a really good guy. I’m proud of him for wanting to start his own business. He’s going down a good path. I try to help with anything he needs and try to help to push him to be in the right spot.” According to Kevin, that push is already paying off as he draws inspiration from how hard his father works for his dreams. “Just how hard he works and whenever I don’t want to do something, I think about my dad and how hard he works all the
“It’s just how I wanted to represent God through my actions. The clothes make it stand out more to people, so they know what I am about.” time,” Kevin said. “Sometimes he doesn’t want to but he has to do it. That’s what I think all the time.” So far, Kevin said he mainly produces hoodies and T-shirts, though he is looking to expand into basketball shorts and a new winter line shortly. Each piece of clothing is designed by Kevin on Kittl, an online graphic design program, and features a verse of scripture printed on the back of his creations. The designs are then sent in bulk to a manufacturing company to print before they become available for purchase on the Gospel Threads Instagram page. “I was just at my desk, trying to put something together, trying to make something look cool. It came together and at the same time, the designs go with what the scripture is saying. I really just spent a lot of time working on the designs and trying to make it look cool as well, so people would buy it.”
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Since moving back to Emporia this summer, Kevin has sold more than 50 items, keeping his stock low as the business takes off. His clientele has ranged from classmates to family and friends to people from Orlando still supporting Kevin in his endeavors to help spread his faith. “It was just trying to help other people and trying to spread the word of God,” he said. “When I was over there, that’s when I really started following God. I really wanted to do something with it and since I knew a lot about it, I just made a clothing brand to try to inspire and help others.” Kevin juggles Gospel Threads in addition to his commitment as a senior at EHS, where he also plays on the soccer and basketball teams. Kevin said the business has been more than a valuable lesson in entrepreneurship; it’s also been a lesson in balancing work and life. “It was hard, because I had practices and all that stuff. But I got my family to help me out, like on Instagram since I’m not able to be on it all the time. It’s been pretty hard sometimes, but I still get it through so it’s good,” he said. “My parents have really helped me a lot. They help me sell to their friends and just help me get out there. They wear it, too, so it helps a lot. It was hard at first, learning how to handle the money and reinvest it back into the business. Because I’m young, I want to go buy stuff and I want to have fun,” Kevin added
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Kevin said the business has been more than a valuable lesson in entrepreneurship; it’s also been a lesson in balancing work and life.
with a laugh. “But I learned not to spend so much on things I don’t need and to save it and reinvest it.” Kevin said he hopes that reinvestment pays off in the long term. After high school, he wants to take Gospel Threads even further. “It’s been going good,” Kevin said. “I’m trying to market it better, make it bigger around here. I hope to make it big one day with the clothing and inspire a lot of people.” “I want to take it far. I want to take it big and sponsor people. Make really big moves.”
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Boom Town: Madison community comes together to put small town back on the map
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BY SHAYLA GAULDING | PHOTOS BY JASON DAILEY
Jason and Amy McClelland remember when Madison was a booming oil town. Downtown was always aglow with the lights of thriving businesses and alive with patrons milling around, shopping, dining and enjoying their boisterous town. Today, the McClellands say they barely recognize their hometown. Walking along the downtown streets, vacant storefronts and empty parking spaces stretch as far as the eye can see. Businesses that once welcomed a steady stream of customers have shuttered their doors and families have sold and
moved out of their homes, leaving them to deteriorate. But, thanks to a few local residents, that reality is slowly changing.
A new beginning In September 2022, Jason and Amy welcomed an eager group of local residents, city council members, school administrators and board members, county commissioners, businesses owners and even a Kansas senator to the patio of
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their downtown home, where they began a city-wide meeting to brainstorm the future of Madison. Months before, Madison alumni Andy Massoth had called the McClellands with a proposition — to put a destination restaurant in Madison. As investors in the community, the McClellands already had a building in mind, and soon, Boomtown Cafe was conceived. The only issue? The former Pope Drug store building that would become the town’s new restaurant is only able to seat 42 people. “If we are really going to try to make something more than just for the community, we are going to have to have overflow,” Jason said. So, the McClellands renovated the ground floor of their downtown home into what is now newly-opened
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Harry C’s Gasoline Alley, a pub environment serving up appetizing shareable plates for patrons to enjoy a drink and wait in comfort for a table at the cafe. Now, the two locations operate in lockstep, with Harry C’s offering drinks and shareable plates in a pub setting since late May and Boomtown — which opened in August — offering a full menu of Cajun, Creole and American favorites. While the restaurants are new, the McClellands found it
Harry C’s Before and After (below)
Pope Drugs Before
Pope Drugs After
important to incorporate pieces of Madison from the days past, including Harry C’s namesake, Harry Colton, and the Madison oil boom that first bolstered its population — inspiring the name Boomtown. “When we first started thinking about this and our partner Andy, he was thinking of Gasoline Alley, kind of some of the history,” Amy said. “So, I went back and there was a picture of the first car in Madison and it was Harry Colton. I was like, I’m gonna research him.” Amy dove head first into the research, digging up the history of the automobile in Madison and how Harry Colton helped to put the town on the map. “He was a blacksmith, him and his brother, and they had a wrecked car that came in,” Amy said. “They fixed it up and they were able to flip it. They got that bug and they saw the future of the automobile even though there were really no roads. Even from Emporia to
Madison, there was still just a gravel road, but they really propelled the auto industry, the Gasoline Alley. And then, of course, we had the oil boom. We were really, for the size of Madison, we had a lot of industry and a lot of things going on 100 years ago.” In Harry C’s, patrons can enjoy a cocktail on the same counter that pharmacists sold medication at the former Pope Drug Company. Local signage, vintage photos of Madison residents and the once thriving town, a full-size Sinclair dinosaur — and the McClelland’s furry mascot Virgil — help bring the Gasoline Alley look to life. With Massoth’s restaurant expertise, and a talented main cook, Cliff Kinney, who moved to Madison from Des Moines — the two restaurants were able to hit the ground running, now pulling in patrons from all over the state. “Cliff has been with Andy for 23 years, and he’s opened up seven or eight restaurants. He
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Harry C’s
knows his kitchens unbelievably well,” Jason said. Massoth and the McClellands are also ramping up marketing campaigns for bands, singers, open mic nights, prime rib Saturdays, and more, to try to pull visitors to Madison. “I think people are realizing that it can be done,” Jason said. “Nobody would have ever said a year ago that if we did all this you would draw anybody in. But on a Friday or Saturday night, I would say 65-70% of
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everybody that comes in here is from out of town.” The McClellands have since bought more buildings around town, replacing roofs, making repairs and improving the facades to help clean up the town. Now, they want people interested in investing in the community to bring new ideas for businesses in town to fill up the buildings — and are even willing to help. “We will go as far as no rent if we have to. We just want to run them at neutral,” Jason said.
Other residents have already taken up the call.
More business, more community Jessica McMaster and her parents, Wes and Andra Miller, grew up in the Madison area, attending school in Olpe. After seeing local farmers struggle with large corporations taking over the local co-op, the family decided to purchase the Madison Coop, now known as Western’s Coop. Soon, the family
acquired Western’s Whiskey on the east end of the Coop and slowly became more acquainted with the Madison community. “As we began to mingle in the community more and after being in Madison every day working, we noticed that options for food and a place for the public to gather were limited, so when the opportunity arose to buy the old Sauder furniture building that was once home to the main bar in town, we jumped at the opportunity,” Jessica said.
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Now co-owners of The Ranch along with Jessica’s husband Dawson McMaster, the McMasters and Millers operate the combination bar and Airbnb, which invites local residents, seasonal hunters and travelers to enjoy a peaceful stay or a night out in downtown Madison. “I remember Madison booming, and now many of the business buildings are vacant or people have turned them into homes. It’s good to see them come back to life and see people
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back in town doing business locally,” Jessica said. “It has been exciting to help bring life back to the town and see how much it has all changed. We are also planning to open a self-service fueling station in the co-op to help bring some competitive fueling options to town.” Madison Library Director Christine Inman said the library has been ramping up programming for kids and adults. Today, the library offers crafts, yoga, book club discussions, holiday themed
activities, after school story time and STEM activities, movie nights, crafts and educational programs at the senior center and more. The increased outreach has also opened the door for collaboration with local businesses, including partnering with Harry C’s to put on an open mic night fundraiser concert for the library. “I feel like I have seen an increase in engagement, as well as an increase in feedback and ideas for more programs to try. I feel that there is a trust in the library and an appreciation and understanding of the
Gulf Station Before and After
services we provide. People are seeing that libraries are so much more than books now and that is exactly what a 21st century library should be,” Inman said. “It truly gives me so much pride to be a part of this community. I love that it’s not just one group, or one business, it is quite literally the entire community coming together. The different organizations are collaborating on events and supporting one another. Everyone is promoting the new things that are happening. It just feels like the town is coming alive again, and it’s such a cool thing to witness and be a part of.”
An exciting future Longtime mayor of Madison Paul Dean was born and raised in Madison before he moved away to earn his law degree. But for Dean, returning was never a question, even as he watched the town he grew up in slowly fade away. “When I was growing up in Madison, the movie theater was still in operation, we still had an old Tasco store, there were four gas stations still in operation, we even still had the Zenith Appliance store,” Dean said. As a city leader, Dean and his fellow legislators are excited by the progress, with the city joining in to fix up the facades and structural damage of some downtown buildings and working to secure HEAL
grants to keep the historic town in one piece. “We decided back then we didn’t need any more parking lots where buildings used to be,” Dean said. “It’s really been fun and exciting to see. The city is trying to do anything that we can to encourage it through neighborhood revitalization programs, to assist with tax rebates on improvements and just any assistance we can come up with. We’re willing to move forward and to help in any way we can.” Financial help has also come from local businesses and families, and Dean said the community is always welcoming to new residents who see the potential in Madison.
“We do have some funds you can designate — anyone who wants to give a donation — that can go to the Verdigris Valley Foundation in regards to the downtown restoration,” Dean said. “If you’ve got a particular project you want to earmark that for, you can. We’re trying to look to build a fund to maintain the store fronts in the future and help restore some that still need to be, as well as recreate some of the old historical signage.” The McClellands said the work of local residents - from donations from Madison
families like MT Networks and the DeWitt family, the Schankie family and more, to putting in the work to fix up buildings or open businesses like the Millers and McMasters — is a blessing. “The momentum is amazing right now and we hope to keep it going,” Amy said. “That’s kind of where we’re at right now. We have a lot of future dreams or plans for different things that we haven’t gotten to yet, but I think we’re at a point now where we can kind of say, ‘Yeah, this is going to work out.’”
Jones Success + Premier Scholarships The Jones Foundation is offering two new scholarships for high school seniors graduating in May and entering Emporia State University directly after high school! High school students currently living in Coffey, Lyon or Osage counties are eligible through the Jones Success + Premier Scholarships at ESU. Visit emporia.edu/jones for more information.
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