Inspire Issue 2: 2026

Issue 2 — 2026

HUTCHINSON

Want to inspire Hutchinson? We’d love your contribution!

Please contact Loribeth Reynolds, Marketing Manager at lreynolds@hutchrec.com

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Community, Culture, and Lifestyle in Hutchinson

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Contents

TABLE OF

Artist Move

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Artist On The Move

by Jacelyn Chambers

CHALK’D a Colorful Community Movement

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The Best Lessons Happen Outside

by Amy Conkling

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A Place that Belived in Me

by Sue Wray

Dillon Nature Center’s

Catfish Charlie

Legend has it Catfish Charlie has called the Dillon Nature Center pond home since 1971.

• The tale was created in 1980 by former Camp Director and master storyteller John Brown.

• For generations of Summer Adventure Camp campers, Charlie’s story has been a beloved tradition told beneath the meadow trees.

• During the pond dredging project, Charlie supposedly vacationed at Kanopolis Reservoir.

• No one has ever caught Charlie, so his true size remains one of DNC’s greatest mysteries.

The Super Glue Guy: Taylor Martin By: Loribeth Reynolds Marketing Manager When it comes to recreation, no two days are ever the same — and that’s exactly what drew our new Sport Coordinator, Taylor Martin, to Hutch Rec. As Sports Coordinator, Martin will help shape youth and adult sports experiences throughout our community.

His responsibilities include developing sports programs, leading staff and volunteers, managing game and practice schedules, and creating positive environments where athletes, families, and teams can thrive.

Martin joins Hutch Rec with a bachelor’s degree in Human and Health Performance and Exercise Science from Fort Hays State University.

He’ll bring both knowledge and a passion

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for serving others through recreation.

It didn’t take long for him to prove he’s a perfect fit.

During an 8U Summer Baseball game, a young player’s cleat suddenly came apart.

As the player’s mom searched frantically for something to hold it together, Taylor mentioned he had a bulk pack of super glue in his truck. Minutes later, the shoe was repaired, the player was back on the field, and Taylor insisted she keep the glue for the next unexpected emergency.

It’s a simple story, but one that says a lot.

Great recreation professionals do more than organize leagues and schedules.

They solve problems, notice when someone needs help, and step in to make the day a little better. Sometimes that means coordinating an entire sports season. Other times, it means having

By: Jacelyn Chambers Arts & Culture Coordinator

Kara Vaughn’s Chalk the Town community event experience is growing!

After her chalk art was targeted with negativity by her landlord’s family in 2023, Kara shared the story on TikTok – and that story quickly went viral to millions of viewers.

Fueled by a desire to see more chalk art in Hutchinson and to spread positive messages throughout her in-person and online communities, Kara soon began to develop plans for a new nonprofit, Chalk’d.

The team behind Chalk’d has plans to spread awareness for chalk art and its powers to improve a city in small but impactful ways.

The group also plans to tackle topics such as bullying and mental health through an outreach and programmatic lens.

July 16th, 2026, marks the fourth annual Chalk the Town event and takes place in Downtown Hutchinson during Third Thursday: Arts & Eats.

Each year, Chalk the Town transforms downtown Hutchinson

Above: Members of the Chalk’d team gather during May’s Third Thursday to promote Chalk the Town, returning July 16 for its fourth year. The annual sidewalk chalk event inspired the creation of the Chalk’d nonprofit, which uses art to encourage kindness, creativity and community connection.

Photo by: Loribeth Reynolds

into a colorful outdoor gallery as artists of all ages fill the sidewalks with original works of art.

During this year’s Third Thursday: Arts & Eats celebration, visitors can watch the creations come to life, vote for their favorite artists, and food vendors, and experience an

evening that celebrates creativity, community, and the power of art to bring people together — one sidewalk square at a time.

Join us in supporting Kara and friends as she uses art and creativity to promote a healthier, happier community in Hutchinson, KS.

June 18, 2026 Taylor Martin, Hutch Rec Sport Coordinator

super glue in your truck at exactly the right moment.

We’re excited to welcome Taylor to the Hutch Rec team — and we’re confident he’s prepared for whatever comes next.

Built Different: THIRD THURSDAY Car Show Winners

Rex Rosenberg Kids Choice

Nate Peters Best Back Story

Chelsea Lovett Anthony Brawner Most Photogenic Unique Fabrication

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The Best

Issue 2 — 2026

LESSONS happen outside

Left: A young Lil Hitters T-Ball player races toward first base as teammates cheer from the dugout and a parent volunteer clears the bat from home plate.

Through every swing, miss, and milestone, children build confidence one play at a time.

Middle: With guidance from a Salt City Splash lifeguard, a young swimmer practices kicking during community swim lessons. Each lesson helps children develop water safety skills while building confidence through encouragement and practice.

Bottom: A Stay To Play camper races toward a bucket during a relay game as fellow campers cheer her on. Whether through games, teamwork, or friendly competition, recreation programs create opportunities for children to learn, grow, and discover what they’re capable of.

Photos by: Loribeth Reynolds

By: Amy Conkling

Assistant Executive Director

One of the best parts of our jobs in recreation is to watch children and young adults figure out life right before our eyes, day in and day out as they participate in our summer programs.

On a recent trip to Dillon Nature Center’s Adventure Camp, I watched as two campers navigated their way across the pond in their canoe.

The two girls reached a point in their paddling where they had to turn around.

The catch: No one was hovering over them and telling them step-

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by-step on how to figure out it; they were left to themselves to problem solve. The two girls communicated with one another, and through some trial and error, figured out who needed to paddle, when to pivot the boat, and start heading in the opposite direction.

They were given a space to freely and safely “fail” as they problemsolved in rowing back to the shoreline.

On a visit to youth t-ball – also lovingly known as “herding cats” in our industry – my heart soared as an aspiring baseball player gleefully hit the ball off of the tee after multiple attempts of missing.

He shocked himself – so much

that he started chasing the ball that he had just hit, only to be welcomed by an equally excited coach who led him to first base.

Again, he was given that space to freely and safely “fail” and multiple times to try again.

These moments seem ordinary in our adult daily lives, yet they’re crucial to the development of our youth.

So many of their lessons are learned while participating in recreation programs, whether it’s on playgrounds, in nature centers, on sports fields, in swimming pools – places and programs where kids are given the freedom to explore, create, and discover.

More than half of campers said spending time outdoors helps them stay active.

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Issue 2 — 2026

A Place That Believed In Me

By: Sue Wray Executive Director, Bright House

Growing up, going to the Hutch Rec Summer sessions at Lakeview Elementary in Careyville was a great part of summer.

The grade school was the center of my summer excitement, because that’s also where the BookMobile was and I was the kind of kid who was very excited by the BookMobile.

I decided to read How Joe the Bear and Sam the Mouse Got Together and Miss Suzy, my two absolute favorite kids books.

I was excited and nervous for the first story time, but I went into the girl’s bathroom, pulled my lovely dress on over my shorts and t-shirt. I tied on my hat, grabbed my crook and sheep and went down the hall with my books.

There were only 6 little kids there, but they were excited and they took turns cuddling the toy lamb. I read both my books, with voices and sound effects and they asked me to read to them again.

I was so excited – I realized I was good at something! Even if it was reading, which no one had been much impressed with before. In later weeks read Rudyard Kipling’s “Just So Stories” and some other books I got from the BookMobile.

It was the first taste of leadership I had ever felt, and it was because the people at Hutch Rec were so kind and observant.

I may not have been the best coach for sports, but I was a fine reader, and they thought that was terrific. Later, I helped out with the overnight campers at Dillon Nature Center, telling stories to the littles before they went to sleep.

That’s what Hutch Rec is – a place where you find out what you are good at and have fun with it. Even with my always crooked glasses and messy pigtails, there were people outside my family who looked forward to seeing me, and they let me know it.

Everyone of us should have a place like that, and I really appreciate Hutchinson Recreation for giving me a first taste of it.

My little brother and I made some very handsome potholders and beaded key fobs at Hutch Rec. When I was about 11 the very cool teenager counselors decided since I loved to read, I should put together a story time for the youngest kids.

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I could wear a costume and read my favorite books from when I was little, and I was all in.

Everyone of us should have , t a h t e k i l e c a l p a -Sue Wray

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”

My grandmother took me “junkin” on South Main to help me find the right pieces to be Little Bo Peep.

We found a pale blue chiffon dress that had little white flowers embroidered all over it. It was gorgeous.

My granny let me borrow one of her straw gardening hats to tie under my chin with a wide white ribbon, and she and I made a shepherd’s crook with an old cane and a bamboo stick, taped together and covered with more ribbon.

I already had a much loved stuffed sheep I could bring along.

Above: A snippet from the Hutchinson Recreation Newsletter and annual report from March of 1975, gives details about the Summer Playground program and how many youth it served.

Right: Another snippet from the same publication & date, details Hutch Rec programs from tennis to the allnew Rice Park Pool.

Hutch Rec Archive

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