State: Legislature takes step for tax plan
Sports: Track stars medal at state
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The Weekender Saturday, May 30, 2015
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Changes on horizon for Methodist community
Leaving Iola bittersweet for pastors Churches truly united
By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Two Iola pastors whose tenures will end in June had tribulations associated with their arrivals. Trudy Kenyon Anderson took reins at Wesley United Methodist in 2006. Within a year she dealt with members who were affected by July 2007’s huge flood, then in November a fire ravaged the church. Gene McIntosh, pastor at Calvary Methodist Church, came in July 2007, moving here after a May 4 massive tornado devastated his previous home of Greensburg. Both have found an inviting and refreshing stop on their pastoral journeys in Iola. Kenyon Anderson, and husband Russell Anderson, “enjoyed watching the girls mature and graduate” from Iola
By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Pastors Gene McIntosh and Trudy Kenyon Anderson soon will be leaving Iola, after helping orchestrate a closer working relationship among Iola’s three United Methodist churches. REGISTER/BOB JOHNSON
stops in Denton and Fredonia. The next appointment is Grand Island, Neb., where she
High School, Claire in 2010 and Chelsea in 2008. “In nine years you put down roots,” she said. She has been a pastor since 2001, with previous
See PASTORS | Page A6
Statistical realities — declining membership and increasing expenses — have led to a change for congregants of Iola’s United Methodist churches, Calvary, Wesley and Trinity. Beginning July 1 the churches will be together in a three-point charge under United Methodist organizational protocol, rather than each being a single charge. Then the Rev. Jocelyn Tupper, now in Superior, Neb., will arrive, as will Ed Flener, a lay minister at the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood. Exactly how all will occur still is being decided. Mechanics will be considered and tweaked in the weeks ahead.
The change had it genesis when Calvary and Wesley leaders began to consider collaboration about a year ago, said the Rev. Trudy Kenyon Anderson, Wesley’s pastor since 2006. Talks that involved Wesley and Calvary were somewhat happenstance, although Kenyon Anderson and the Rev. Gene McIntosh, at Calvary since 2007, prefer to call it “a God thing.” Leaders at both churches were discussing stewardship, how to further God’s reach within their churches and the community. In a conversation with Kenyon Anderson, McIntosh said she proposed the two bodies come together for discussions. Talks quickened in March 2014 when the Wesley CounSee CHURCHES | Page A6
New hospital program will aid area senior citizens By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
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etting old can sometimes have a unique set of problems, including loneliness and depression. A new program at Allen County Regional Hospital is designed to address those concerns. Called Senior Life Services, the program will offer mental health counseling services to area seniors. Rhonda McGraw, its director, said the Senior Life Program is the first of its kind in Kansas. Services will start here on June 6. The program offers groupsetting therapy for participants experiencing emotional or behavioral issues, often related to aging. Care is both therapeutic and preventative to deal with such woes associated with, and often a precursor of, depression. Many people are not wont to admit to or
discuss depression, said Harry Satariano, board-certified clinical therapist for ACRH’s program, although it is a common malady. “Our goal is for people to get better,” Satariano said. He is joined by McGraw and Rhonda Seilonen to provide services at ACRH. The program will initially serve 10 people over the course of three to six months, with plans to expand. Satariano said services were unlike those offered by such institutions as Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center in that the approach is more intensive. Enrollees will meet three days a week. Duration will be determined by recovery. Many seniors may be unaware they face problems that can be alleviated by therapy, Satariano said. Symptoms include crying, hopelessness, loneliness, restlessness, See SENIORS | Page A6
Putting together framework for Allen County Regional Hospital’s newest program, Senior Life Services, are, from left, Harry Satariano, clinical therapist, Rhonda Seilonen, certified nurse assistant, Sharon Hughes, SLS community education manager, and Rhonda McGraw, RN, program director. REGISTER/BOB JOHNSON
Admin says good-bye to ANW Summer program to whip up free meals By KAYLA BANZET The Iola Register
As assistant director at ANW Co-op Kathy Robertson sees firsthand the missing links between funding and special education. There are many trails to follow. Most notably, cuts in staff and services to help save districts money because of the state’s budget crisis. Robertson coordinates Chanute and Altoona-Midway school districts for the special education cooperative, which covers Allen, Anderson, Neosho, Wilson and Woodson counties. “I have a lot of empathy for school districts,” she said. “How do you go to a board and ask for more mon-
ey when they are struggling, too?” Robertson said one of the biggest challenges for special education in Kansas is its bank account. Special education gets funded per teacher, not per student, and it doesn’t have any way to raise additional funds like school districts do through property taxes. “When school districts aren’t funded, we aren’t, either,” she said. “I don’t think it’s common knowledge on how we are funded here.” Special education is put into one “big pot” for the state and funding is divided among co-ops or districts. Transportation funds come out first and then the rest is broken up for different ac-
Quote of the day Vol. 117, No. 146
By KAYLA BANZET The Iola Register
Kathy Robertson counts. Special education does get some federal funding but See ROBERTSON | Page A6
Iola’s free summer food program will get cookin’ Monday morning. The program, which runs June 1 to Aug. 7, is organized by Kathy Koehn, USD 257 food service coordinator, and run by volunteers. The USD 257 OPPA! food service team will prepare the meals. All youths ages 1 to 18 years old will eat free. Adults may purchase breakfast for $2.20 and $3.45 for lunch. Everyone is welcome, regardless of where they live. Koehn en-
“Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe. — Voltaire 75 Cents
courages children from other cities to attend as well. “I want this to be a fun thing and I want to get away from the stereotype of ‘it’s just for poor kids,’” Koehn said. Kansas’ summer food program participation is the lowest in the United States. Daily participation for Iola last year was 175 children. Koehn would like that number to rise to 500 a day. In order to increase participation Koehn created multiple food sites around Iola. The three sites will be at the See SUMMER | Page A8
Hi: 69 Lo: 54 Iola, KS