spring 2016
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Extreme Makeover: H ome
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Hutchinson Volume 08 / Issue 04
Magazine
dear readers Publisher John Montgomery Advertising Director Jeanny Sharp Marketing Solutions Manager Anita Stuckey For Advertising Rates and Information
(620) 694-5700 ext. 222 sales Executives
Tammy Colladay Kyle Flax Rachel Hixson Tony Mascorro Lacie Nash Kevin Rogg Tom Sullivan ad designers
DeRay Gamble Kim Hoskinson Jessica Price Patrick Sweeley Nate Weaver Photographers
Have any of you played the game (instead of taking notes during class) where one of your friends would start a doodle, and then pass the drawing to you to make a contribution, and then you’d pass it to someone else to add on? It could rotate to five people or the entire classroom; at the end, though, you’d have a multi-artist masterpiece. I was never very good at this, but my art-school-bound friends would pick up my slack. This piece of nostalgia came rushing back to me upon discovering Big Nasty Press, a creative printmaking collective founded by Michele and Scott Brown in Hutchinson. Both visual artists and writers come together to collaborate on limited-edition works—in some instances, passing a block of linoleum along to many artists, each adding a new layer and intent to the previous artist’s work. This collaborative effort perfectly captures the spirit of small-town Kansas. It’s not uncommon to find area residents sharing their hobbies and interests with a larger group. We see this in our quilting feature, “Stitching Together,” where four women tell different stories through their own creations and find solace and sisterhood through sharing a table with other quilters. One group, called Stitching Sisters is donating their collaborative quilt to the Mennonite Central Committee Auction this year. We also see this community collaboration in Pretty Prairie, where neighbors weren’t ready to see a historical barn that held so many memories get demolished. When word reached town that the Collingwood barn on Prairie Hall Farms would be coming down, a group of interested folks came together with arguments to save it. And now it is being transformed into an events venue, so even more beautiful memories will be made in this space. See the legacy of Collingwood barn on page 14. And these aren’t the only joint efforts we’ve detailed in this edition. Even the flowers that seem to sprout overnight when spring hits are the result of shared hard work. But I don’t want to give away the entire spring issue here. Time to get reading!
— nadia, Editor Follow us on twitter @hutchinsonmag find us on facebook: facebook.com/HutchinsonMagazine
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Hutchinson Magazine
Kalene Nisly Kristen Garlow Piper Deborah Walker illustrator
Brady Scott
Contributing Writers
Amy Bickel Amy Conkling Kathy Hanks Cecilia Harris Richard Shank
Production and Editorial Services for Hutchinson Magazine provided by:
Editor Nadia Imafidon Designer Jenni Leiste COPY EDITOR Leslie Andres GENERAL MANAGER Katy Ibsen Publishing Coordinator Jenni Leiste Director of Special Projects Bert Hull Editorial comments (866) 655-4262 Subscriptions
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Send your comments and suggestions to hutchinsonmagazine@sunflowerpub.com
Spring 2016
contents Features 38
The Print Collective
46
Stitching together
Upon finding an old printing press, an artist couple forms a grassroots press and resurrects a technology six centuries old.
Quilting is a popular pastime for area residents to gather, build memories and give back.
departments Lifestyle
08
A Fixer Upper
14
Caring for the Collingwood Barn
Local dog groomer put in 26 years of work, transforming not just one, but two historic homes. Residents band together to transform a dilapidated Pretty Prairie barn—and town legacy—into a beautiful events venue.
Profiles
18
Springing into Action
22
Future Leaders of America
62
There’s nothing childish about the problems presented in the Youth Leadership Program Reno County. But these middle schoolers are up for the challenge.
64
26
New Year, New Leadership
32
hutch illustrated
34
From the Archives
In Every Issue 2 dear readers
the end quote best bets
The Parks and Recreation Department tends to the city’s flowers year-round to make sure we always feel at home.
Meet the new faces of Strataca, the Kansas State Fair and Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. “Take Time” and “Ponder” by Dan Pohl Let’s fly a kite!
Travel
52
Beauty and Blooms in Belle Plaine
The weather is right for breathtaking gardens, barbecue and other springtime festivities.
Hutch Talks spring 2016
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FollowiNg Flowers to
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On the cover: Reduction Rowdy ‘Round “Blame nature”…said Scorpion to Frog.
Six-word story by Frances Johannsen Print by William Sheldon, Brady Scott, Joshua Monaghan
Belle Plaine
Hutchinson Magazine
58 Larry Carver Photographer
60 Alliyah Gray
Boys and Girls Club of Kansas Youth of the Year
departments
8..................................... Lifestyle 18................................... Profiles 52.....................................travel 58............................hutch talks
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Lifestyle
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Hutchinson Magazine
A Fixer
Upper Local dog groomer put in 26 years of work, transforming not just one, but two historic homes
Story by Amy Bickel
Photography by Deborah Walker
The two homes were deserving of the wrecking ball when Sondra Wood found them. One—a once stately Victorian cottage built in 1900 on 10th Avenue—was so dilapidated it soon would be placed on the city’s demolition list. The other—a two-story, old-world style home built on Main Street in 1926—wasn’t in much better condition. The roofs on both homes were so bad that insurance companies wouldn’t write a policy to cover them. But Wood didn’t want the impressive, midtown Hutchinson residences that share a backyard to be history. She looked past the leaky roofs, old wiring and dated floor plans and saw character. With a dream of opening her own dog-grooming business inside one of the houses, she decided to save them. “They were in terrible shape,” Wood says. “All the structures were to the point of fix them up or tear them down, but you have to do something and now. “I’ve been renovating ever since,” she says with a laugh.
Sonda Wood’s eclectic style throughout her home is the result of found furniture and housewares at hundreds of garage sales and antique shops.
Midtown on Main The Main Street home was built in 1926 by a man determined to find a spot in Hutchinson that didn’t flood. Wood bought the house from his daughter, who lived in one of the apartments. “All the floors in this house I refinished on my hands and knees,” Wood says. In the kitchen, she wanted a checkerboard look, but without putting in black-and-white tile. She painted the pattern onto the wood floors by hand. Meanwhile, in one of the home’s large back rooms that she turned into the space for her dog business, Wood ripped up three layers of linoleum to expose the concrete floor. “I soaked them and used a wood chisel and hammer and when I got them up, I was determined not to put anything back on them.”
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Lifestyle
quote
“Through all this stuff, I could see the bones of the house, and it was just lovely.” —Sondra Wood
Saving history To understand Sondra Wood is to understand her eclectic personality. And the homes—both of them—reflect who she is. She tells her story from inside the Main Street house, where she has her doggrooming business, House of Canine. She sits in her office, accented by shelves of books and repurposed furniture she has found around Hutchinson. “It is from a thousand garage sales and junk stores downtown,” she says of her decor. “Every antique dealer in Hutchinson loves me.” She was born in Hutchinson, but like many young people, she left home in search of something different. Wood left Kansas in 1960 and lived in Colorado, New York, Arizona and Vermont before returning home to Hutchinson in 1984. Having sold commercial real estate in New York City, she decided to try selling residential real estate in Hutchinson. “I didn’t like it at all,” Wood says. “I decided what I really wanted to do was work with dogs. I loved dogs. I’d take my dog to a dog groomer and think, ‘I could do that. I could do that better than she is doing it.’”
With a new career path, she went to dog-grooming school in Wichita and became a certified dog groomer. Wood then just needed a location to open her House of Canine. Most—even today—don’t notice the home, she says, adding she just recently put up a sign to direct new customers to her business. “They didn’t know I was there.” The two-story white house with its big front lawn sits back from the street and is surrounded by a tall fence. Yet the home with its spacious lawn and art-deco personality caught her eye. “The bones were all here,” she says. “All the wonderful oak floors, the archways, the big rooms and the natural lighting. Through all this stuff, I could see the bones of the house, and it was just lovely.” The same family owned both homes and offered them up as a package deal. Not many would want to tackle one fixer upper. Wood, however, didn’t hesitate with the thought of renovating two. “I got a great deal on them,” she says. “I bought them very, very right.”
In the kitchen, Wood painted a checkerboard pattern on the wood floors by hand because she wanted the style without tiling.
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A Few Details
Caboose pantry An old 1880s tool chest from a caboose accents the kitchen. “I got it in a junk store downtown,” Sondra Wood says. “It’s just a big old pantry.”
Men’s room doors Two old swinging doors close up a bathroom area and hall off Wood’s shop. The historic men’s bathroom doors were original to Hutchinson’s former Bisonte Hotel.
Four dogs Besides sharing the space with her companion, Roy, Wood has four dogs of her own—Cooper, Stella, Rosie and Ruthie—all dogs she rescued.
Cookbooks Wood turned her back entry into her library den. One wall of bookshelves is dedicated to a few hundred cookbooks. “I just love to cook,” she says. “And I’m only adding to it.”
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Lifestyle Finding the inner beauty Fixing up the homes has been a continuous effort ever since. Since she bought the homes in 1990, she has worked at night and weekends restoring them. In the Main Street house, most of the work was cosmetic. It had been divided into three apartments, so Wood opened the home back up, turning it into one home. She painted the walls with vibrant color, including Hubbard squash yellow in the kitchen. Now she has not only room for her clients’ dogs but also plenty of space to entertain guests. “I just love the location. I love to be midtown,” she says of the location in the center of Hutchinson. “I’m right in the middle of everything.” For now, the Victorian is where she writes, right now working on a sequel to her romance novel, The Remainder Man, which she self-published last year. She and her companion, Roy Blew, also use it as a guesthouse for their children (six collectively) when they come to visit. Deborah Clausen, who operates Carl’s Furniture on south Main Street where Wood purchases furniture, says she remembers the conditions of the Main Street home. At the time Clausen thought Wood might have bitten off more than she could handle. “It was in bad, bad shape,” Clausen says. “She took her time on those houses. She did every room, and I couldn’t believe how good it looked after she got it done. It has character. It’s different. She is just very talented.” Wood might have spent years trying to get away, but nowadays she wouldn’t call home anywhere but here. “I’ve lived a lot of places, but I can’t imagine living anywhere else but Hutch,” she says. “It’s the cleanest, friendliest town. I just feel better when I’m home.”
Clockwise from top left: kitchen area, antique doorknob, den, living room and House of Canine dog-grooming business.
10th Avenue Victorian The 10th Avenue house is no longer on any razing lists, Sondra Wood says, adding she went in front of the city council shortly after she purchased it and agreed to make several changes and upgrades. “I have done hours and hours of sanding on the woodwork,” she says.
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The home had extensive water damage because of its aging roof. A built-on, flat-roofed addition—complete with the home’s kitchen and only bath—was so water damaged she had to remove it. “By the time I got the house, that room was falling off the house,” Wood says. “The roof had just leaked for years.”
She had to do major work to the home’s infrastructure. Wood replaced the ancient knob and tube wiring, put in a new heating and air conditioning unit, as well as updated the plumbing. “This is like a brand new house,” she says. “It’s amazing to look at it now.” “It is definitely a work in process,” she adds. “Fixing it up is just part of my life.”
Chanel Barrett and her daughter Ellie enjoy a family night of bowling at The Alley, along with husband Craig and son Ethan (pictured right).
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Photograph by Kari Heimerman
Lifestyle
Caring for the
Collingwood
Barn
Residents band together to transform a dilapidated Pretty Prairie barn—and town legacy—into a beautiful events venue. Story by Kathy Hanks
Photography by Kristen Garlow Piper
The four cupolas on top of the big old barn are still visible on the horizon above the cottonwood trees west of Pretty Prairie. Ever since Dan and Brenda Pace bought Prairie Hall Farms back in 1986, Brenda has endured a love-hate relationship with the barn. Now more than one hundred years old, the barn was the first thing she fell in love with on the property. But after years of repairs following storms, damaging winds hit again in April 2015—almost bringing about the barn’s demise. A fifth cupola was barely hanging on, wobbling in the Kansas breeze, and the back of the barn was destroyed. Plus, the barn had shifted; people could place their hands through the space created. “I thought we had to tear it down,” says Brenda, who even contacted a salvage company at the time. “I didn’t think it could be fixed.” Building Prairie Hall Farm Everyone in Roscoe Township knows the Collingwood barn. Rancher Mart Collingwood began construction on the barn in 1913, followed by the building of a stately home. According to a write-up in the History of Reno County, Mart was considered one of the most progressive and energetic young
ranchers in the county. He owned 3,860 contiguous acres and was “the proprietor of the fine ranch….” Mart was an only child who grew up in Arizona, and he never knew his father. However, as the grandchild of Mary Collingwood, a Pretty Prairie pioneer, he inherited the land when he was in his late teens. Mary Collingwood was one of the founders of the town. She came to Pretty Prairie after the Civil War with her nine children and opened the only boarding house between Hutchinson and Medicine Lodge. Some of her progeny went on to create Collingwood Grain Co. Others started the local bank. Upon inheriting the land, Mart built the barn and the house and farmed the property. A photo taken of him as a young man shows him dressed like a gentleman, complete with top hat, sitting in his Mercer racecar. Mart and his wife, Mabel, never had children. He died in 1939 in his early 50s. Kenneth and Esther Bentson inherited the farm in 1939 from Mabel, Kenneth’s aunt. In addition to sheep and cattle, Kenneth and Esther raised two sons, Richard and Herbert, who grew up on the farm and built memories around the Collingwood barn.
(Left) Brooke Kaufman Reeves had her wedding at the Collingwood barn in 2011. It was the venue of her dreams since she was a little girl. (Bottom right) Mart Collingwood, young rancher who began construction on the barn in 1913.
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Lifestyle
By April 2016, the Collingwood barn will have a new roof, structural support, siding, windows and more. Coowner Brenda Pace hopes this historic farmhouse will serve as an events venue for many in the future.
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Current owner Brenda Pace recalls Esther telling her about the time Richard and his younger brother, Herbert, climbed a Chinese elm to get up on the top of the barn’s roof. His mother came out to call the boys for lunch when she spotted them. “The way she told me was that she was horrified to see her 5-year-old and 3-year-old on the roof,” Brenda says. But, she didn’t want to panic because that might scare them. So instead she just told them to get down, it was time for lunch. “The view was very good from up there,” Richard says matter-of-factly. Saving the barn Demolishing the barn was unthinkable to Mattie Giefer, owner of GCI Construction in Kingman. Giefer was repairing a barn in Pretty Prairie when he heard the Collingwood barn was going to be torn down. “This is a legacy, a monument to this country,” Giefer says. “You don’t find
Hutchinson Magazine
barns like that anywhere in the state.” He inspected the barn and convinced the Paces that it wasn’t irreparable; he would make the necessary repairs. The building, in the shape of a Maltese cross, has four wings, each 40 feet by 40 feet. Giefer had to lift the building in its center to make the corners square. It was something that couldn’t be done all at once; they had to give the structure a rest after each lifting. But little by little, the barn became square again. By April of this year—one year since the straight-line winds hit—Giefer and his team will have rebuilt the entire west wing, installed a new roof, new floors and joists, which will offer structural support to the building. Giefer will also install new siding, new windows and reproductions of the original doors. “We hope the final results will be worth the investment for those that use and enjoy the barn for their special events,” Brenda says.
quote “I thought we had to tear it down. I didn’t think it could be fixed.” —Brenda Pace
Plans for a future The thought of demolishing the barn almost brought neighbor Brooke Kaufman Reeves to tears. After all, the building figures prominently in her history—she was married in the barn in 2011. “I grew up in the country, and it’s one place I absolutely love,” Brooke says of the barn. Brooke was always intrigued by the structure every time she drove past to check cattle with her dad. Even as a little girl, she thought it would make the perfect setting for a wedding. When she became engaged to Michael Reeves, she talked to Brenda about making her dream a reality. Brenda, meanwhile, could think of 1,001 reasons there shouldn’t be a wedding in her barn. She even told Brooke that once she saw the inside she would change her mind.
“This is a legacy, a monument to this country. You don’t find barns like that anywhere in the state.” —Mattie Giefer
Brooke, however, was determined, and Brenda acquiesced. About 30 of Brooke’s friends and family worked to clean away decades of tumbleweeds, dirt, bird droppings and spider webs. There found a great horned owl living in the hayloft, but they left it alone, only focusing on the ground floor of the barn. Following the barn cleaning, they spent more than a week decorating. They strung Christmas lights and lanterns in between each stall. Her uncle smoked a brisket, and her mother prepared the side dishes and most of the desserts for the reception. On the day of her wedding, about 170 guests danced in the barn. Brooke’s sister-in-law, Amanda Kaufman, will manage the restored Collingwood barn as a venue for special occasions. It will remain a barn, nothing gussied up, Amanda says. There will be no heating or air-conditioning. But she will book and help coordinate weddings, reunions, dances or meetings. “It’s a beautiful place that everybody in the Pretty Prairie area loves,” Brooke says. “I enjoyed having my wedding there. I would love for others to have the wedding of their dreams out there.”
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profile
Sp ringing
int o
action The Parks and Recreation Department tends to the city’s flowers year-round to make sure we always feel at home. Story by Patsy Terrell
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Photography by Kristen Garlow Piper
Jeremy Lindahl tends to plants in the city greenhouse space, overseeing 9,000 plants that go into the ground each year.
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things learned by trowel and error
As soon as the first brightly colored tulips pop up on the corners in downtown Hutchinson, the busy season for Hutchinson’s Parks and Recreation Department begins. Jeremy Lindahl, superintendent of horticulture and forestry, oversees about 9,000 plants going into the ground each year. Most of these are planted downtown between Avenue B and 3rd Street on every corner, but you will also find his colorful blooms at a number of parks, including Avenue A, Fairgrounds, the Hutchinson Zoo, and at crossstreets and roundabouts. Before coming to the city, Lindahl worked in commercial landscaping. Completely removed from public works, he says he offers the city a unique perspective. “I’ve never been in a public department of parks, so I don’t know how it’s supposed to be done,” Lindahl says. As a result, the landscaping in Hutchinson is done on a larger scale than cities with comparable population. The city has more than 3,500 square feet of greenhouse space to prepare plantings for adorning the community while remaining cost effective. Everything is grown in 4-inch pots, with an average cost of $1.50 per pot. They grow about 25 percent of the plants from cuttings and their own seed each year. For the rest of the plants, they order plugs to grow to a size that’s workable for their needs and buy bulbs wholesale for about 30 cents each. They even wash and reuse the plastic pots each year, getting three to four years out of them. “For a city our size, we’re one of the first to do it our way on this scale,” Lindahl says. He loves that some business owners have added their own outdoor pots that give depth to the landscape. Jim Seitnater, downtown development director, says his contemporaries often ask how Hutchinson does it. “I get many phone calls of appreciation by citizens and visitors alike, thanking us for the beautiful flowers downtown,” he says. “The flowers downtown bring life and vibrant colors to our built environment.” Ultimately, Hutchinson has made a commitment to invest in its beautification. City Manager John Deardoff championed for landscaping downtown, making the point that this attention to detail affects how people perceive the community. “Drive through downtown, and it looks like someone is home,” Deardoff says. “We have active merchants, lots of events, new private investments—and we have flowers. Some might think that flowers are a small deal, but the landscape and the well-maintained flowers at all of the corners give people the first impression that someone is home, and they care.”
1) Street lights confuse the plants. One year they tried to leave some perennials in place but only the back side of the plant bloomed. That side was in the street light and became confused about the length of the days because it was getting so much light throughout the day and night. 2) The corner of 1st and Main streets, right in front of the Wiley Building, is a wind tunnel that is hard on the plants. “They get beaten up,” says horticulturist Echo Blubaugh, so they plant hardier varieties on that corner. 3) The plantings can’t be more than 33 inches tall in the downtown area so they don’t obstruct sight lines.
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profile
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Hutchinson Magazine
The parks department certainly does care. In addition to changing out the plantings multiple times over the growing season to keep things fresh, they also work around the clock to keep each area well-groomed, as well as intriguing. Echo Blubaugh is responsible for most of the design. Her signature approach is to make striking combinations. “I’m always worried about if people are going to like it,” says Blubaugh, the department horticulturist.
combinations the next year. “We set the trend,” Lindahl says. Blubaugh says she is always on the hunt for unusual plants. The giant alliums in George Pyle Park a couple of years ago and the orange zinnias last year both netted lots of questions. “I like getting stuff people don’t know about,” she says. She gets started on design work in the fall and has everything ordered by January. “Before I start to design I do a little research on plants and colors,” she says. “If I
“Some might think that flowers are a small deal, but the landscape and the well-maintained flowers at all of the corners give people the first impression that someone is home and they care.” —John Deardoff
Derek Weigel and Echo Blubaugh work together in the 3,500 square feet of greenhouse space used to prepare plants for the city. As the designer, Blubaugh pulls together striking combinations in her concepts.
However, last year’s mixed variety of purple, orange and red plants were a huge hit. They planted tulips called Martian Springs and stuck with the color scheme even after the tulips were gone. Some of these flowers included orange zinnias called Zahara Fire, purple flowers such as Angelonia Angelface Blue and Verbena Lanai Twister Amethyst, red flowers such as Celosia Fresh Look Red and one of Blubaugh’s favorites—Perilla Mageila. She used a lime-green coleus called Wasabi as a filler to brighten the beds up. “I liked matching that with the orange zinnias and adding Purple Heart to the mix,” she says. They are always looking to see if residents use similar
find a plant I really like I start with it. I also try to do different color schemes each year.” This year she’s using burgundy, lavender, yellow, pink and silver. “It’s hard to stay away from the pink and purple color combo. You will continue to see some of the same plants throughout the years,” Blubaugh says, naming the Wasabi coleus, Angelonia, Perilla, and Purple Hearts as some of the staples. They go for bold, solid, mass plantings with “in your face color,” Lindahl says. “It draws people in.” And with years of education and practical experience between Lindahl and Blubaugh, Lindahl says the ultimate mission is clear. “My job is to make the city prettier.”
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profile
Future Leaders of
America
There’s nothing childish about the problems presented in the Youth Leadership Program Reno County. But these middle schoolers are up for the challenge. Story by Amy Conkling
Photography by Deborah Walker
For the common good. Four simple words to live by—at least in theory. Middle-school students in Reno County, however, are finding out that these four words aren’t, well, simple, especially in the midst of a busy life. Almost 10 years ago, a group of community members involved in youth services came together with a goal of forming Youth Leadership Reno County. They wanted to take concepts that were being taught in the successful Leadership Reno County program for adults and bring it to a middle-school audience, says Sandy Woodson, one of the first facilitators of the youth program. It was trial-by-fire, but school officials immediately jumped in with support. The program would include four students from each middle school in the county, all of whom would participate in seven
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leadership sessions throughout the school year. Sessions would meet at different locations across the county to give students a glimpse of the host community through field trips, visitor panels and tours. Since 2010, the program has followed a unique curriculum provided by the Kansas Leadership Center—the same curriculum offered in the adult program. “This leadership program believes that anyone can lead anytime, anywhere,” says Phil Auxier, who facilitates both the youth and adult leadership programs. “We sell this generation way too short when they are capable of engaging in acts of leadership.” This program offers students real-world challenges to address. See for yourself … these are last semester’s projects presented at a graduation ceremony in February.
Pretty Prairie Leaders:
April Colton, Cole Blew, Ciara Keeler and Adrian Payne
Big hairy problem:
Ugly, abandoned, and dilapidated buildings line the rural town’s main street, and these student leaders cringe when talking about them. A storm swept through the area about two years ago, damaging some buildings while completely destroying others. Some building owners have been hesitant to clean up or restore their buildings, creating an eyesore for residents and visitors alike.
Road blocks:
“My dad looked into buying one of those buildings, but the owner didn’t want to sell it,” Ciara Keeler says. “That’s a problem because the building will just sit there empty now.”
Common purpose:
To keep money and people in Pretty Prairie. At just 13 and 14 years old, these leaders are concerned about the town’s future sustainability. Currently there’s no gas station, no grocery store, nowhere to purchase basic necessities. “We have to drive miles into a bigger town just to buy milk,” says April Colton. “It would be great if one of these buildings could be fixed up and be made into a place that would provide our town with more resources and basic essentials.”
At stake:
City Council, building owners, people who don’t care, people who don’t like how the buildings look
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Central
Christian
Leaders:
Jennifer Hagen, Krysten Bartlett, Collin Oswalt and Ivy Mead
“There really aren’t any solutions…there are experiments to try. Big problems don’t come with solutions by and large. We make progress on a small portion and then act again, get more data and intervene again.” –Phil Auxier
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At stake:
Administration, teachers, students, school board members, those community members overseeing or concerned about the school budget.
Big hairy problem:
Being a smaller school, students aren’t able to choose their “elective” classes. Most of their peers feel forced to take electives they have no interest in. They would like a choice in the actual elective classes.
Common purpose:
To make school more enjoyable for everyone and where student learning excels. “We want to get more out of our education,” says Ivy Meade. As a result, the group says they want to go to their counselor for input and then speak with the school administration to brainstorm ways all stakeholders can benefit.
The Lingo Students dive right into leadership concepts and throughout their sessions together, learn and work on the four civic leadership principles of the Kansas Leadership Center: Diagnose Situation, Manage Self, Energize Others, and Intervene Skillfully.
Fairfield
Leaders:
Eva Schwertfeger, Bailey Basye, Zachary Fischer and Hailey Richardson
Big hairy problem:
The lack of enforcement of the school’s dress code policy. The group says the problem involves a mixture of issues— from inappropriate attire to clothes that are too revealing. “We have a lot of little kids in our school who want to do what the older kids do,” says Bailey Basye. “It doesn’t look good when we have students coming to school showing too much or looking sloppy. It’s frustrating.”
At stake:
Students, visitors from other schools or the community, staff (teachers and coaches), administration, younger students.
Common purpose:
To represent school and the community well. “We want to be proud of our school and want other students to be proud of it, too,” Basye says.
“The beauty of this program is that challenges and opportunities are presented in a way that shows the youth they don’t have to wait to contribute,” says Amanda Cebula, director of project development with the Kansas Leadership Center. “They can already start having an impact—from their own unique vantage point—to influence the change they hope to see for the place they call home.” But with the curriculum comes the lingo. Here’s a cheat sheet for common leadership lingo tossed around in the students’ sessions together: Big hairy problems: “Sticky” challenges that take adaptive work. “Think about a tangled mess of hair that would take the time to work out, would involve a lot of people, and may require learning,” Phil Auxier says. Faction mapping: An activity where facilitators and students take a “big hairy problem” and map it out. Front and center is the problem. Surrounding the problem are the factors/factions that are brought into play. Common purpose: A shared goal or purpose that all stakeholders can agree on. www.kansasleadershipcenter.org
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New Year,
New Leadership Meet the new faces of Strataca, the Kansas State Fair and Hutchinson Regional Medical Center Story by Richard Shank
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Hutchinson Magazine
Photograph by Deborah Walker
MARY GRACE CLEMENTS
“Strataca is vastly different from any adventure museum I’ve ever visited.”
STRATACA
–Mary Grace Clements
Mary Grace Clements has traveled far from her roots as the daughter of an upstate New York dairy farmer. As a child, Clements developed a love of travel and adventure—and an unwillingness to settle, it seems. While managing a photo lab in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, she quickly switched gears to entrepreneur and established a floor-cleaning business. She soon found herself negotiating a contract to clean the floors of 100 Eckerd Drug Stores on the nation’s East Coast. Soon thereafter she sold the business to embark on a 20-year journey in the airline industry, her most recent position as vice president of customer operations with Allegiant Travel Co. in Las Vegas, Nevada. During those days, she wore many hats in a half-dozen departments, working in everything from the ticket counter to crew scheduling and contract negotiations. After retiring in 2014, she relocated to Hutchinson to join some family members in the area. On a tour of Strataca in July 2015, she saw a call for volunteers, but before offering her services, Clements saw a newspaper ad seeking a new director for the attraction. “Strataca is vastly different from any adventure museum I’ve ever visited,” she says. “It offers many diverse events, such as the Tour de Salt, 5K Run, and Murder in the Mine, just to name a few. And considering these unique functions happen 650 feet below ground, it is an opportunity I can’t pass up.” On January 6, she hit the ground running as Strataca’s new leader, bringing to the job words of wisdom from those who paved her way. “One [former] boss challenged employees to bring him no problems without offering a solution and to, at all times, think outside the box.”
Being a leader in Hutchinson means …
networking to promote continued growth, not only for Strataca or the Reno County Museum, but for our community.
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SUSAN SANKEY KANSAS STATE FAIR
“My focus is to stay true to our mission and values and to best serve the changing needs of the people of Kansas, while honoring our traditions.” –Susan Sankey
Susan Sankey grew up on a farm near Cheapside, Texas, a town so small that it no longer appears on most Texas road maps. As a young farm girl, Sankey loved everything agriculture and was frequently a participant at livestock shows and fairs. She had no idea that one day she would manage the largest event of this type in Kansas. “Growing up as the youngest child on a diverse farming operation with my family in a tight-knit community provided the values, determination and work ethic to make me who I am today, and for that I am grateful,” Sankey says. After graduating from Texas A&M University with a degree in agriculture education, she spent eight years with Cargill in the company’s pork division. Before moving to Kansas, she spent two years spearheading efforts to open a new Seaboard Farms plant in Guymon, Oklahoma. Sankey’s connection to the Sunflower State is through her husband, Lee, who grew up on a ranch in Kansas. Lee and Susan left the corporate world in 1996 and relocated to his grandparents’ farmstead on the outskirts of Sterling. While working for Sterling College and the Rice Community Healthcare Foundation, Sankey made annual trips to the Kansas State Fair. In 2014, she was appointed a position running the competitive exhibits department at the fair. Almost two years later, Sankey took a leap of faith and applied for the position as the general manager at the Kansas State Fair—and last November she learned that she would be the first woman to hold the position. Sankey is determined to stay true to the mission of the state fair: the promotion of Kansas agriculture, industry, culture and commercial activity, and “provide an educational experience that is the pride of all Kansans.” “I look forward to working with a great team—staff, board, volunteers, sponsors, loyal fairgoers—who are the heart of the Fair and its legacy to Kansans.”
Being a leader in Hutchinson means …
being part of something greater than ourselves. The Kansas State Fair celebrates a long history, and I’m excited to be a part of its future. Being part of the Fair is a great way to give back to the community of Kansas by celebrating our deep heritage and the future of agriculture, industry and culture.
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profile
“It was much like coming home where my professional career began.” –Ken Johnson
Being a leader in Hutchinson means …
Being an involved participant within our community to further the strong sense of community pride and accomplishment that exists in Hutchinson. A leader in Hutchinson sees the potential for growth and positive change in Hutchinson and works diligently toward that end.
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KEN JOHNSON HUTCHINSON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER With a degree in accounting from Kansas State University in 1983, Ken Johnson first worked in Hutchinson as an internal auditor at Hutchinson Hospital. In the six years that followed, Johnson experienced a long list of “firsts.” He married his college sweetheart, joined a church, developed lifelong friendships, bought a home and saw the birth of the first of his two sons. Career advancements took Johnson from Hutchinson in 1989 to positions at St. Francis Regional Medical Center and Via Christi Regional Medical Center, both in Wichita, and later to medical centers in Alabama. But he never lost sight of the healthcare facility that gave him his professional start.
Twenty-two years later, he received a call from a colleague regarding an opening at Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System. He was offered a position as the system’s chief financial officer. “It was much like coming home where my professional career began,” Johnson says. Soon he would be promoted to chief operating officer and then interim president and CEO on June 15, 2015. Last November, “interim” was removed from his title, and at a news conference held at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, employees voiced their approval with a standing ovation. “There is no shortage of challenges, but at HRHS, we are facing these times from a position of strength,” Johnson says. “As we
deal with challenges we find a realization that there are unlimited possibilities.” “Each day, we strive to live our values, which will define our culture,” Johnson continues. “I am proud to work with employees and physicians who carry out our mission.” He talks about the reward that comes with being the leader of Reno County’s largest employer. “It is most gratifying to read letters and respond to phone calls from patients and families who talk of exemplary care they received at HRHS, sometimes under incredible circumstances. That is what we are all about at Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System.”
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hutch illustrated Illustration by Brady Scott www.bradyscott.weebly.com
Take Time Take time to sit on A bench in a park Near water, a pensive place Leave agendas to dig toes Into earth to recharge yourself From her energy and focus on Good moments, then carry them Join in life’s moving creation Be the young on blankets Sunning themselves after a picnic Or snooze the day or Play the dog, throw Frisbees Into air, sticks in water Master, loving canine, eyes glow Waiting for the next throw To jump and snatch it All day; take time
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Ponder With sunset and night’s dark coming Two brown horses shed their saddles They have not seen a fence in miles As their two riders prepare campfire Coffee in cups come from its giving Darkness from desolation held back Pastures of prairie hills welcome them Where growling ghosts refuse to hover Unbroken remains the land’s thought Two riders stare into the flame’s flicker They see twirling ladies dance as stars Pop out, hypnotic under a Kansas night They talk of the only sign of cattle, about Bones discovered earlier during the day And to join them in fellowship, a sound A call of coyote howls from the distance
Author’s Bio Dan Pohl lives in Moundridge, Kansas, and instructs English Composition at Hutchinson Community College. He won the Kansas Author’s Club Nelson Poetry Book Award for 2014 for his book Autochthonous: Found in Place, illustrated with his daughter Jessie, book illustrator and the Bethel College Thresher Award winning artist (Woodley Memorial Press, 2014).
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from the
Archives Text by Ashley Maready Images courtesy Reno County Historical Society and Reno County Museum
(Left) Wait ’Til the Sun Shines, Nellie is a Fox drama from 1952 that was filmed in Castleton, Reno County. This photo is an aerial view of the 100 block of North Main Street, on May 14, 1952, during a parade held in honor of the premiere of the movie. The movie premiered at Hutchinson’s own Fox Theatre, with the cast in attendance to celebrate. In the photo, the crowd (including rooftop spectators!) watches a high school marching band move south past several extinct downtown Hutchinson businesses, including Roberts Sporting Goods and Kinney Shoes. (Above) In the 2,500 years since their invention in China, kites have been used to communicate, measure distance, and aid the military. But they are also just plain fun. Windy Kansas was the perfect place for the kite-making contest held at Allen School in 1932. This photo shows the second-prize winners of that contest. The children pictured are Ernest Hesler, Richard Hedrick, Bobby Wolff and Kathryn Weyler. Perhaps they were the predecessors of today’s young scientists at Allen Elementary School, which is now a magnet school that specializes in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.
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features
38.............................the print collective 46.............................. stitching together
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the pr nt collect big nasty press
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big nasty press
ive
Upon finding an old printing press, an artist couple forms a grassroots press and resurrects a technology six centuries old.
Story by Amy Bickel | Photography by Deborah Walker
Scott and Michele Brown (pictured right) have walked hundreds of miles along the banks of the Arkansas River, searching for discarded finds to turn into mosaics and other works of art. But their cherished discovery wasn’t buried in the sand along the river’s edge. Their home is full of their art, from colorful mobiles and paintings to mosaics and ceramic collections. But down in the basement sits an old printing press—for some, a relic of a bygone era. For the Browns, it is their latest medium to express themselves. “We found a press a few years ago, a little sign press,” says Scott, who is an art instructor by day. It was deep in the back of a second-hand shop, Michele says. “My first thought was ‘What is that?’” she says. But, Scott, who has done print work, knew exactly what it was. “Up until that point, I was a printmaker without a press,” Scott says with a chuckle. “When I first saw it, it was like, ‘wow, I want one of those.’”
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relic of another era The old Line-O-Scribe printing press was once used by downtown Hutchinson business Long’s Department Store to create advertisements, but the dynamic nature of technology left the press in its wake. The couple, however, saw an opportunity for the revival of an art form—the craft and trade of artisan printing. They purchased the press for just a few hundred dollars and got the idea to form the “Big Nasty Press”—a small grassroots press named after Scott’s dog, Hank, whom Scott always called “Big Nasty.” The press, collaborating with local artists and writers, focuses on the production of limited-edition works that mesh visual art with language. The group grew, and every year they would meet to begin discussing an idea for the next portfolio. “It’s real collaborative,” Scott says, noting the effort started small with just close friends. “Then we started reaching out to see if we could grab artists from around the area.” This is more than creating art, Scott says. It’s a yearning to resurrect a technology first invented more than six centuries ago. It’s about quality. It’s about the process of carving artwork into linoleum block and then watching it come alive with the rolling of ink onto paper. “For artists who get a chance to play with it, that is one of the things that is appealing to them,” Scott says of the process. “It’s a little bit of a mix between sculpture on some levels and drawing on others ... It’s intriguing for a lot of people.”
the artful couple
The Browns have collections of tabletop mobiles constructed from block printed materials and found milk-glass jars recovered from the Arkansas River. They have also crafted a number of rugs (pictured top left). Both make different mosaic pieces from their Arkansas River finds, which includes crafting together colorful shards of plates and glass found in old dump sites along the river’s edge. On their coffee table, brown and green shards of ceramic make up a large tree situated on a prairiescape and a blue-sky backdrop. Repurposing is Michele’s favorite art form. “I don’t like to see stuff go to waste,” she says. “We spend a lot of time on the river looking for artifacts, arrowheads and things like that. We don’t find a lot of stuff like that, but we do find tile, bottles and things like that, and I bring it home ...” She’s a purist, however, never “nipping” or altering the pieces so they form together better. Scott, however, she says with a smile, is a nipper.
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“Introduction”
The 2013 trade portfolio contains 11 original artworks paired with a short message from the artists introducing themselves. For instance, artist Lacey Schechter carved into the linoleum a Swiss Army knife. She printed alongside the image, “What do you need me to be.”
“50/50”
This trade portfolio features the collaborative efforts of 11 area artists and 12 regional writers, all published, including former Kansas poet laureates Denise Low, Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg and Wyatt Townley. “We thought it would be fun to do a piece 50/50—half writers, half artists,” Scott says. Writers had to follow the rules; five lines with five syllables in each line. “Then we passed the poems to the artists and they composed around the type.” Washburn University’s Mabee Library acquired one of the portfolio copies.
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“Muppet” by Scott Brown
For the 2015 collection, an artist started by carving into the linoleum the work’s first color, and printed that image. Then they would pass the block to the next person to make a further embellishment—and so on, until completion. The final image was submitted to a writer who composed a sixword story for the print.
piecemeal collaboration Even more than the playfulness of this art form, it is about the social aspect centered around the press, Scott says. Unlike the culture of most commercial businesses, the Browns foster an atmosphere of like-minded artists who come together to help forge the revival of the letterpress. The process begins with the artists sketching designs on paper. They use tracing paper to transfer the designs onto the linoleum block. The work is then carved away, at first cutting away the white areas of the image. Eventually the block is inked and put through the press. For last year’s portfolio, invitations to participate were sent out in January 2015. Ideas were tossed around until they came up with the concept “Reduction Rowdy ’Round.” Production continued throughout the summer. All participants received a small piece of linoleum. With this particular portfolio, an artist would start the picture, carving into the linoleum the work’s first color. After it was printed, the artist would pass the block to the next person on the team for further embellishment. The final image was submitted to one of six writers who then composed six-word stories for each print. “It’s a long, protracted process to bring these things to fruition,” says Scott, adding the entire project was completed in August. “We allot four, maybe five months, depending on the project.” Some contributors are full-time artists and writers. A few enjoy art as a hobby. Some teach art or writing at a college. There have even been
a few well-known Kansans who have contributed, including former Kansas poet laureates Denise Low, Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg and Wyatt Townley. Nationally honored poet Albert Goldbarth wrote a few verses for the 2015 project. Goldbarth is a distinguished professor at Wichita State University who has published more than 25 collections of poetry. Bill Sheldon, who teaches English, creative writing and literature at Hutchinson Community College, was part of the core group that started working on the press. Sheldon helped solicit the wide range of writers and did the editing for each portfolio. But Sheldon says he brushed off his dusty college art skills to contribute. “It has been helpful having Scott push me along the way, but also watching Scott and Michele create. I am learning from the experience. I feel like I am going to school again but not having to write papers.” Still, it is a tedious undertaking to pull together talented artists and writers and keep them to a deadline, Michele says. Scott’s time to work on the portfolios is often at night, weekends and during any time off. Thus, the creators must adhere to a schedule. “It’s labor intensive,” Scott says. “The printing of the actual portfolio usually takes a couple of weeks and many hours of labor to produce, but in the end, it represents only a small fraction of the time, effort and energy invested in these projects.”
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At an event called Blocks & Brews, several Big Nasty Press contributors got together at Don Fullmer’s studio on January 30 for an evening of conversation, collaboration, a few beers and some rapid-fire print production. Top right artists, from left: David Murano, Bill Sheldon, Debra Ringler, Darren Morawitz, Randy Oberle and Scott Brown.
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cooperative enterprise
For the artists, it’s a chance to collaborate, says David Murano, a local sculptor. “It is exciting to have the opportunity with the other local artists and friends, and seeing what we may come up with,” Murano says. “We all have a different style and approach to what we draw. It’s always interesting to see what images we make.” Murano says he goes over to the Browns’ home at least once a month to play around with the press. “When you think about what other people are doing with digital and technology, this is like a pencil compared to a tablet,” he says. Sheldon, too, likes the camaraderie. It has been interesting, he says, to see how
“lucky accidents” happen through the art process, formed from the creative collaboration. Just being around that many creative people is fuel for the fire. “I know it is a bit clichéd, but it is a hidden gem,” Sheldon says of the press. “The portfolios that have come out have been really striking.” In the 2015 portfolio, “Each piece was touched by three different artists with a six-word short story that had been added. Each piece had four different people that had a hand in it, and I think that is really interesting having that kind of collaboration.” Right now they are planning the next portfolio, Michele says. “I like having everyone over, bouncing
ideas off each other, talking about what we have done and we want to do. It’s a group effort.” For Scott, it’s also a mission of educating others about printmaking. “It is a lost art,” he says, adding that a friend asked him why they’d do something so “anachronistic.” “But there is just something about it …. It’s not pixels on a screen. It’s tangible physical things, and when you print with this stuff, it bites into the paper. It is physically changing the paper. You want to touch it. “That’s our mission, man,” he adds. “To educate those folks.”
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Stitching together stiching together
Quilting is a popular pastime for area residents to gather, build memories and give back Story by Kathy Hanks | Photography by Kalene Nisly
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For some people, quilts are simply functional padded blankets used to keep warm. For others, they are a work of art proudly displayed in their homes, a source of fellowship or a reminder of loved ones. With the amount of careful detail and many hours that go into stitching a quilt, many cherish most the bonding moments leading up to the final product. Meet several quilters in our community who hand stitch functional works of art for their families, community and even the world.
stiching together
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Yoder Vera
Vera Yoder began working on her first quilt in second grade. “We didn’t have things to do outside in the winter, so mom made me a quilt block to embroider,” says Yoder, 71. “By the time I was 16, I had made enough quilt blocks it was finished.” Yoder still has that first quilt and has gone on to make others over the years—some were gifts, a few she sold. “I enjoy the piecing more than the quilting,” she says as she modestly displays the Bargello quilt top she created for a granddaughter. Bargello quilts are strips of fabric stitched together to create the impression of motion. Winter is Yoder’s time to quilt because she spends her summers gardening. She swaps cross-stitching flowers on quilt tops to growing giant red cannas in her front yard. Her three daughters don’t share her hobby. They did, however, embroider the squares on quilts Yoder made each of them. Yoder is now busy stitching quilts for her 10 grandchildren. Yoder joins other members of her Old Order Amish Church to make a quilt to donate to the Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale. Seated around a frame at one of their homes for quilting bees, the women discuss the local happenings and how their gardens are growing. But, her best work, she admits, is done alone. “I like elbow room,” she says. Thankful for the craft she learned as a child, quilting has even brought her solace after her husband died 10 years ago. “It was a mood lifter,” she explains.
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[Editor’s note: Vera Yoder is not pictured because, as part of the Amish community, she does not allow photos of her to be published.]
Esau Julie
The quilt pattern was named “Safe Haven.” Made up of 12 blocks, it was completed over such a long period of time that Julie Esau jokingly refers to it as the “odyssey quilt.” She would work on a square whenever she and her mother, Marguerite Moore, attended their annual quilting retreat. For more than a decade, during the retreat, they would work side-by-side. Cloistered away with about 30 other devoted quilters for a weekend, Julie describes the retreat as heaven, having uninterrupted time to just be together and quilt. While Julie was drawn to quilting because of the myriad colored fabrics and the art of piecing it all together, quilting also stitched her tightly to her family. When she was 14, her grandmother, Blanche Enns, helped her tie together a comforter for a room-improvement project in 4-H. She won grand champion for the project. But neither Julie nor her mother worked on a stitched quilt until Julie got engaged in 1986. “I told my mother I wanted a wedding quilt,” Julie says. “It was the first one we attempted.” She picked out a Dresden plate pattern from Good Housekeeping, and then bravely began tackling the project. “I cut out the fabrics,” Julie says. “But I had no idea about bias and the grain, so the fabric wouldn’t stretch.” Plans for the wedding put the unfinished quilt on hold and in storage. But three years ago Julie’s mother presented her with the completed project, with a note attached, “… It’s a little late for advice. It was a 27-year project ... I will always love you, Marguerite Moore.” Marguerite died suddenly this January. Reading the message pinned on the back of the quilt was difficult for Julie. Through tears, Julie says she knew she was holding something tangible that could bring her comfort. Her children all have quilts from their grandmother. “The value of those quilts has just gone up,” Julie says. In the end, the “Safe Haven” quilt became just that for Marguerite. She was wrapped in the quilt she and her daughter had toiled over for years as her loved ones said their final goodbyes at the funeral.
S erious S titching S isterhood Julie Esau joined a quilting group at First Mennonite Church back in the 1990s. But the older women didn’t want any imperfect stitches on the finished product, so one
member of the group set up another frame where the young women could perfect their stitches. “Hand quilting is a dying art,” Esau says.
The group has evolved into the Stitching Sisters. The weekly quilting session is just as much about creating something beautiful, Esau says, as it is a social time for mothers
with young children or widows living alone. They have been working on a quilt they will donate to this year’s Mennonite Central Committee auction.
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Parading Patterns This will be the second year Vera Yoder has had a quilt for sale at the annual Parade of Quilts. Throughout the month of March about 75 quilts are displayed in businesses around the small town of Yoder. In its 16th year, the event was started by started by Dawnita Miller, with Carriage Crossing, a Yoder restaurant. The event brings in quilts on consignment. There are two requirements for entering a quilt—all quilts must be hand quilted and made in the U.S. During the Parade of Quilts people come to Yoder, pick up a parade route map at one of the local businesses and then follow it to view the quilts. Quilts arrive from other states; co-organizer Linda Miller says quilters from all over the country learn about the event through word of mouth. Quilters set the price of the quilt and then the business adds its commission. During March, people can buy a $1 raffle ticket at any business for a drawing of a quilt. The proceeds go the Yoder Charter School.
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Boggs Jennalee
After retiring from teaching middle school in 2009, Jennalee Boggs connected with the Stitching Sisters, a group of quilters with Hutchinson’s First Mennonite Church. She joined to perfect the skills she’d learned from her mother-in-law, Mae, 91, who had won awards for her quilts at the Kansas State Fair. When Jennalee was just beginning to quilt in 2007, she was stricken with leukemia. At the time, she had been preparing her first quilt from T-shirts she had collected from her son Derek’s years in middle school through
junior college. But as she started six months of chemotherapy, she didn’t feel up to the project. It was her mother-in-law who encouraged her to keep working on it. “She knew how much I wanted to do it, and I needed the push,” Jennalee says. “She gave me a pattern, and that was incentive, and she challenged me to get it done.” Jennalee was still teaching English at the time, and upon Mae’s suggestion, she’d come home from school and grade her papers first. Then she’d get hard to work on the quilt to take her mind off other things. “She said if I found I enjoyed quilting I wouldn’t want to stop,” Jennalee says. “She was right. It was a way for me to relax and a release from stress.” Jennalee presented her son with the quilt for Christmas in 2008. “He was stunned,” Jennalee says. “He had no idea I had saved all of those T-shirts. I made it for him to use on his bed. But he thought it was too nice for the bed. He wanted it as a souvenir quilt.” So instead covering the bed, it now hangs on his wall.
Esther Regier became interested in quilting while doing volunteer work for her church in California. For years Esther, 76, had done handiwork such as embroidery. But, nothing captured her imagination as quilting did. While volunteering for Ten Thousand Villages, she became a regular in the quilt shop at the back of the store. There was a quilt set up just for those to learn. She began stitching and suddenly found more room to experiment in this craft than she’d ever known. “Embroidery was kind of boring compared to quilting,” Esther says. “Quilting is an outlet for my creative side.” When she returned to Hutchinson from volunteer service she joined the Stitching Sisters. Her enthusiasm only
Regier Esther
grew, as did her talent. When she decided to make her grandson Jakob a quilt, they went together to pick out the pattern and colors for the material. He selected a worldmap pattern surrounded by pale blue-green material and a red border. It’s trimmed with striped fabric, which has all the colors of the quilt. Esther finished the quilt for his eighth birthday. “He uses the quilt every day,” Esther says. Her next family project will be for her granddaughter Holland, 4. Though she has already made her a baby quilt, it is time for something larger, she says. And just like with Jakob they will pick out the pattern and material. But this time they may do some of the stitches together, as Esther creates another work of art.
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travel
Beauty and Blooms in
Belle Pl aine The weather is right for breathtaking gardens, barbecue and other springtime festivities Story by Cecilia Harris
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Photos by John D. Morrison
www.prairievistas.com
More than 40,000 brightly colored tulips sway in the breeze as you walk down winding paths underneath a canopy of century-old trees at Bartlett Arboretum in Belle Plaine, 75 miles southeast of Hutchinson. While the beauty of this unique botanical garden—established in 1910 by Dr. Walter E. Bartlett—is a pleasurable way to celebrate spring’s arrival, you can double your fun by visiting during “Art at the Arb” that coincides with Belle Plaine’s Tulip Time Festival the second weekend in April. Musical entertainment, handmade art and culinary creations fill the arboretum’s grounds that include formal flower gardens and some of the largest trees in Kansas. “The great thing about Art at the Arb is the tulips and the trees are the backdrop, but art is the feature,” says Robin Macy, the arboretum’s owner. “Our message is to slow down and enjoy the things that matter most, things made with heart, soil and soul.” Just a few blocks away on the streets of downtown Belle Plaine is the fun-filled Tulip Time Festival, from April 8 through 10. Annette Simpson, festival committee chair, says the most popular of the 20-plus activities are the parade, car show, carnival and food court. “We like to keep Tulip Time fresh,” Simpson says, adding that a barbecue cook-off, bingo, fireworks and a golf tournament are among the new offerings this year. “The best part of Tulip Time is the spirit of a community celebration—people enjoying the sunshine and spending time with family and friends.” Arrive on Saturday, April 9, and you’ll be able to enjoy many activities of both the Tulip Time Festival and Art at the Arb with this suggested itinerary. Don’t forget to shop local.
bartlettarboretum.com belleplainechamber.com
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APRIL 9 Nature Lover’s Paradise/10 a.m. Enter Art at the Arb ($5 fee) at the Bartlett Arboretum. Before exploring on your own, take note of the scheduled garden tours and tree walks. You’ll want to tag along to learn about the arboretum’s history, its flower gardens, and the many distinctive trees, 10 of which are State Champions (the largest of their kind in Kansas) and others rare in our state, such as Dawn Redwood and Southern Magnolia.
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Sights and Sounds/10:30 a.m. Start at the arboretum’s 1871 refurbished train depot and browse artists’ booths of handmade items like twig alphabet letters, mosaics made from broken ceramics, and unique birdhouses. Rest a spell while listening to live music by regional musicians. “The music will change all day, so there will be various performers on the stage,” Macy says.
Lunch Break/11:30 a.m. While at Art in the Arb, satisfy your hunger with Tuscan cuisine at the food booth operated by Luciano’s Restaurant in nearby Mulvane, and other vendor offerings. Macy says, “The food is handmade and made from the heart.”
Everyone Loves a Parade/Noon Leave the arboretum and head downtown for the Tulip Time Festival’s parade of floats, bands, antique vehicles and clowns. Although there’s no charge for the festival, consider purchasing a $3 festival button from the tram operator (or chamber booth at 6th and Merchant streets) for free rides to the arboretum, the festival and the parking lots. The button offers additional perks like prizes, entry to bingo, and is required to participate in competitions like the Scavenger Hunt and the Sidewalk Chalk Contest.
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Can’t make the festival? The Bartlett Arboretum offers a number of other activities throughout the year. Mother’s Day in May: “Who We Were and What We Wore: A Century of Gardens, Music and Fashion” features a runway fashion show marking off the decades since the arboretum’s founding in 1910, accompanied by a live band playing music from each era. Father’s Day in June: Get into barbecue and blues, a combination perfect for dad’s celebration. Off the Grid EcoFestival in October: Learn from experts about leaving a smaller environmental footprint, and alternative energies like a bicycle-powered PA system. Kids can enjoy eco-crafts, art and music. TreeFest in November: Arborists, foresters and nursery specialists gather to discuss the economic and environmental benefits that trees provide.
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Shop Until You Drop/1 p.m. Listen to the live entertainment on the downtown stage near Sixth and Merchant streets, the center of most Tulip Time activities. Wander through booths featuring unique items like repurposed furniture, antiques, and handmade metal garden décor, inside and outside of the community center and the elementary school gym. Auto enthusiasts will enjoy more than 100 vintage automobiles in the car show. Fly High/3 p.m. Spin with the kids on the carnival rides, climb the rock wall, or take a ride in the sky. “Not many festivals have helicopter rides,” Simpson says. Tickets for the helicopter are $40 each. Bring your camera to capture breathtaking scenery as you soar over Belle Plaine. Swing Around/4 p.m. Head back to the arboretum just a few blocks away to catch the Senseney Aerotones playing songs from the Big-Band era. “It’s the music of the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s,” Macy says. “The vintage music goes with the vintage gardenscape.”
Dinner and a Show/5 p.m. Sample contending entries at Tulip Time’s new barbecue competition at 5th and Logan streets. Or feast on the festival’s food court offerings of rib-eye-steak sandwiches, turkey legs, Cajun boudin (sausage) balls or alligator on a stick. “We have Hillbilly Hash, which is smoked, shredded pork, cheese and potatoes, and it’s very yummy,” Simpson says. Watch the Talent Show starting at 6 p.m. on the downtown stage; if you’d like to participate, sign up prior to the festival at belleplainechamber.com. Party On/8:30 p.m. Dance in the street to the music of Piper Leigh and the Smokin’ Section set up on the downtown stage; the band plays blues, rock, reggae, soul and bluegrass. And keep your eye on the sky for the fireworks display, a new addition this year.
Live music will fill the century-old forest canopy throughout the day during Art at the Arb at Bartlett Arboretum.
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hutch talks
larry carver
Ph o t o g r a p h e r
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Hutchinson Magazine
Sometimes you stumble upon your greatest talents when you’re forced out of your comfort zone. For Larry Carver, going abroad in college led him to photography. “I spent a semester studying in Hong Kong, and a friend bought me a Kodak Instamatic camera,” he says. “I fell in love with trying to capture the feel of Hong Kong rather than the usual tourist sights.” It was just the beginning of continued exploration. Carver, who moved to Hutchinson in 2004, then bought his first 35mm film camera when his daughter was born while the family was living in Alexandria, Virginia. Historical buildings caught his eye, and he started shooting scenes around Northern Virginia. “I just expanded from that point to landscape, travel and nature photography.”
When you’re exploring, what does your eye catch? When I look at a scene I realize that what my eye sees is not what my brain processes as a beautiful image. In other words, there is a difference between the way something actually looks and what I remember. The brain overlooks the paper in the street or the trash container on the corner, and what you remember is a beautiful, uncluttered image. You might say that the brain Photoshops the image.
How does that translate into a photo? When I shoot a scene I try to see what is there and what I can remove in postproduction (using Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop) to create what I remember in my mind and not what I actually saw at the time. I have also found myself drawn to photographing churches and cathedrals, rivers and canals, and streets in some of the cities of Europe. There is a beauty and history not found in American cities. In all fairness, our cities are only a couple hundred years old where European cities date back much further. We want to go to a picturesque place to catch the spring sun here in Hutch. Where do you suggest? Carey Park is a great location. It’s got trees, water and some open grassy areas. There’s a beautiful stone bridge over a little stream that has great character. I have shot some wonderful images in the late afternoon sun in Carey Park.
We know you work in digital. But do you miss film? I don’t miss film at all. I know that some photographers, the purists, still love using film and spending time in the darkroom. But for me I can create what I like with a memory card and computer. I enjoyed my time in the darkroom, but the photography I do now does not depend on the type of film I use as much as the applications I use on my computer. I don’t think that people look at my work and wonder how it would look if I had used Agfa or Fuji or Kodak film any more than they wonder if I used a Lexar or SanDisk or Kingston memory card.
To me, a picture is … An image that provokes a memory or emotion and that transports the viewer to another place or time. It’s a visual doorway for the viewer to pass through and relive a place or find a comforting fantasy of what they could be doing.
What would be your dream to photograph? My dream would be to photograph the interior of Westminster Cathedral in London before it opened to visitors and the crowds filled the place. It is one location that I really wanted to photograph but photographs were not allowed.
Anything else you want us to know? I have also been an Episcopal minister since 1972, serving churches in Michigan and Kansas. Interview conducted by Nadia Imafidon Photography by Deborah Walker
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hutch talks
alliyah gray
Boys and Girls Club of K a n sas Y o u th o f th e Y e ar
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Hutchinson Magazine
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Kansas Youth of the Year award recognizes young people who show good character—and Alliyah Gray couldn’t be more perfect for the title. Since she joined the Boys & Girls Club at 5 years old, she has spent almost every weekday there. What she has taken away from the experience is immeasurable energy that she—no doubt—inspires in others. “I understand that I must use my resources in front of me; I cannot be bitter or resentful for the obstacles, but I can make the most of every gift and tool that I have in my presence to build bridges to reach greatness,” Gray says. The first Hutchinson winner of Kansas Youth of the Year, Gray won $40,000 in scholarships last June. She now attends Sterling College.
We’re sure you’re asked this all the time (in essays), but describe your personal brand—in three words. Editor’s note: One of the words should be “rebel” because she broke the rules. Resilient, determined and innovative … I know that you said three words, but I feel like maybe a little explanation is needed! I believe that I am resilient, never accepting anything but the best for myself and others. I am also determined, while understanding that all things that are important to us come with some level of sacrifice, but the desire to succeed outweighs the opportunities to slack. I strive to be innovative and realize that there are multiple paths to achieve our goals, and our greatest gift is the memories and lessons we learn along the way.
Not to harp on how young you are, but what’s the first CD you ever owned? Oh geez … that is a tough one. I had two favorite CDs when I was younger. Home by the Dixie Chicks and Hot Shot by Shaggy. We had a pretty diverse collection of music.
First concert? Corbin Bleu at the Kansas State Fair. I am currently tracking the Hall & Oates tour; hopefully a gig of theirs is in my future! Best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten? My favorite quote is “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will,” by Karim Seddiki. I actually have this quote hung up in my dorm room. We doubt ourselves so much sometimes. To the point that we don’t even give ourselves a chance. Take a chance and who knows where it could lead you! Also, a crucial piece of advice: “If you wouldn’t say/do it front of your grandma then you shouldn’t do it.” When my siblings and were younger, our mom constantly said that. To this day, I think “What would Gramma say about that?”
Who is your biggest role model? My biggest role model is my mother, without a doubt. I have yet to meet someone as selfless, giving, courageous and caring as my mom. I’m not just saying this because she’s my mom. She’s a cancer survivor. I’ve never seen someone at such a low point at life smile so much. If she’s not at school teaching, she’s helping a family, or volunteering, or at one of her students’ events. She’s basically a real-life superwoman. Name an actress, singer, book character or TV personality you feel you relate to most closely. Penny Proud from The Proud Family. I believe that she represents me best because of her leadership abilities, kind heart, and logical thinking. I am also rather ornery and spunky like Penny. She is always trying to balance her school, athletics, friends and family, which can be a little tough at times.
Okay, time to dream big. If you could be and do anything, what would you be doing in 10 years? I would teach art at an inner-city high school by day. In the evenings I would go to the nearest children’s hospital to hangout in the chemotherapy ward and bring some smiles and conversation to those rooms. A lot of the time, it’s super quiet and nurses are the only people talking. Being able to go in and visit with those who feel up to it would mean the world to me! Interview conducted by Nadia Imafidon Photography by Deborah Walker Spring 2016
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the
end
quote
“I’ve lived a lot of pl aces, but I can’t imagine living anywhere else but Hutch.”
12 number of contributors in this issue
— Sondra Wood
“At the time, it was unreal. Almost a ‘pinch me, am I dreaming?’ kind of moment!” —Alliyah Gray, on being named Kansas Youth of the Year
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Hutchinson Magazine
“I look forward to working with a great team—staff, board, volunteers, sponsors, loyal Fairgoers—who are the heart of the Fair and its legacy to Kansans.” —Susan Sankey
Kansas poet laureates mentioned in this issue:
Denise Low, Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg & Wyatt Townley
9,000
number of plants that go into the city grounds every year
Burgundy, “It lavender, is a yellow, lost pink and silver art.” —Scott Brown, on printmaking
= this year’s color scheme for the city’s flowers
thomas flooring
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best bets
Enjoy a self-guided tour through the town of Yoder to see many quilts on display at participating merchants. Soak in the quilting tradition of this Amish community. No admission fee. See our story about a few local quilters on page 46! www.yoderkansas.com
March
14–19 NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament Six days of exciting games in this singleelimination tournament, featuring the best junior college men’s basketball in the nation. Reserved and game day tickets available at www. njcaabbtrny.org.
March 26
Annual Pleasantville Spring Celebration Come celebrate spring with the Pleasantview Merchants at their annual Spring Celebration. Enjoy door prizes, refreshments and games and take some time to explore and shop local. Pleasantview is located five miles west of Hutchinson on Highway 50. www.pleasantviewkansas.com
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David Garibaldi
The Dillon Lecture Series welcomes David Garibaldi, an American performance painter. His specialty is his “Rhythm and Hue” stage act in which he rapidly creates paintings of notable rock musicians. Tickets are $10 at the door. Begins at 10:30 a.m. www.hutchcc.edu
48th Annual Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale Visit the Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale, a family event with food, crafts, general and quilt auctions. Held at the Kansas State Fair Grounds, the sale benefits relief, development, and peace programs of Mennonite Central Committee. Admission is free. For more information, call (620) 665-7406.
April 28 Popovich Comedy Pet Theater Circus performer Gregory Popovich has rescued these animals from shelters all over the country and transformed them into superstars. Featuring an amazing cast of house cats, dogs, parrots, geese and even mice, the show has been described as a unique mix of comedy, world-champion juggling and the extraordinary talents of more that 30 performing pets. www.hutchinsonfox.com
All dates and times are subject to change
April 29
16th Annual Parade of Quilts
4/4
Lesser Known Lovelies Plant Sale If you’re looking for something a little different to liven up your home, this is the plant sale for you. Thousands of plants will be available to purchase, with proceeds benefitting the Dillon Nature Center. Public sale opens Saturday at 8 a.m. until sold out.
May 7 Hutchinson Art Fair More than 90 artists from the state will display their work on Saturday, May 7th, as part of the 54th Annual Hutchinson Art Association Art Fair. It is an event for the whole family and also features children’s activities and great food. www.hutchinsonartcenter.net
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April 8, 9
March
spring 2016
Reno County’s Farmers’ Market
First day of the Farmers’ Market 2016! It’s time to scour for fresh fruit and vegetables sold by gardeners who live right in the community. The Farmers’ Market is located at the corner of 2nd Avenue and Washington Street in Historic Downtown Hutchinson. The market hours are 7:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. on Saturdays beginning May 14, and 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. on Wednesdays beginning mid-June. www.renocountyfarmersmarket.com
May 29 Sand Plum Classic Bicycle Ride The Sand Plum Bicycle Classic offers 13mile, 28-mile or 53-mile routes through Reno County, Kansas. This is not a race, but a fun ride for all to enjoy, with a 5-mile family route available. www.hutchrec.com