Manhattan Magazine Winter 2011 by Sunflower Publishing

Winter 2011

manhattan magazine

Betti O: stage presence The power of adoption Ryan cottage retreat 100 years of the Wareham Opera House

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Vol. 111 | No. IV

Inevitably the new year is a time to reflect on the previous 12 months and look ahead to see what we might accomplish in the next 12. In my experience, the best place to start for inspiration is to look around. What family, friends, organizations, even businesses are realizing big, great or fun ideas? We gathered a few this winter to get you started and hope your 2011 will prosper with many things— especially big ideas. Harry P. Wareham is a prime example of determined Manhattanites. When he renovated the Wareham Opera House in 1910, did he have any idea that his vision for the stage would one day host Manhattan Metalfest X? Probably not. But the iconic space has reveled in its decades of performances and continues to draw an audience. Darrell Hills II, current proprietor, is equally determined to take the opera house into many more years of being the perfect backdrop. Retired Colonel Gary LaGrange has built a legacy for Manhattan. After serving in the military and continuing to connect with today’s soldiers, LaGrange learned of the need for educational supplies in Afghanistan. What came next was Help Us Learn … Give Us Hope. To date, the program fulfills about 1,900 weekly requests for items to help children in kindergarten through 12th grade. As a result of this big idea, LaGrange received the 2010 National Spirit of Service Award and helped thousands of children.

Winter 2011

anhattan agazine

editor’s note I predict that 2011 will be the year of big ideas.

Managing Editor Katy Ibsen

Bev Valentine’s big idea has resulted in the delicious Miss Bev’s Kick-Ass Butt Rub. As a woman who likes to grill, she wanted to make a better, healthier meat rub. Today, she and her partner, Jack McKee, travel a 14-state region marketing the popular rub. The product has also received recognition under Simply Kansas. With passion and a desire to revive a keepsake, Jack Ryan turned his family cottage near Tuttle Creek Lake into his big idea. Instead of bulldozing the diminished home, he built it back up to honor the Ryan family. The exquisite property with beautiful décor has become a retreat for many to enjoy. Gina Scroggs has a lot of big ideas; it’s just a matter of getting them off the ground. The executive director of Downtown Manhattan chats with Manhattan Magazine about the shopping and residential district, as well as her visions to make it flourish. Betti O is really the one to sing praises for Manhattan—and big ideas. The songstress, performer and magical personality is proving to show business that Kansas is just as good as Hollywood. Having performed all over the word, Betti O is a diva who also has been cast in many regional theater performances and films. She’s best known for her voice, which continues to carry her (and her big ideas) to a star-studded place. Is that enough inspiration for 2011? Whatever you decide, make it great and be sure to keep Manhattan Magazine in the loop! Katy, Editor

Copy Editor Susie Fagan Designer/Art Director Shelly Bryant Advertising Account Executive Mike Mores (785) 537-5151 Chief Photographer Jason Dailey Contributing Photographers Virginia Hagin Alan Honey Cathy Mores Tim Sigle Contributing Writers Abigail Crouse Robin Farrell Edmunds Donna F. Ekart Gloria Gale Mark Janssen Kristin Kemerling Olivia Blanco Mullins Jacie Noel Lou Ann Thomas Linda A. Thompson Dennis Toll General Manager Bert Hull Publishing Coordinator Faryle Scott Subscriptions $22 (tax included) for a one-year subscription to Manhattan Magazine. For subscription information, please contact: Christopher J. Bell 609 New Hampshire St., P.O. Box 888 Lawrence, KS 66044 (800) 578-8748 | Fax (785) 843-1922 Or e-mail comments to manhattanmagazine@sunflowerpub.com Manhattan Magazine is a publication of Sunflower Publishing, a division of The World Company. www.sunflowerpub.com find us on facebook facebook.com/ManhattanMagazine Follow us on twitter @manhattanmag

manhattan magazine

t.o.c.

3 | Editor's note 47 | Q & A

Winter 2011

62 | Calendar of events

manhattan living

6 | Building a home The Sears Modern Home lives to see modern day 10 | Home is where the hearth is Unique fireplaces are hot spots during winter’s chill

manhattan businesses

20| A kick in the pants Miss Bev’s Kick-Ass Butt Rub is taking meat to a new, healthier level

local profiles

30 | Vintage lessons Wine lovers unite to share their delicious passion with others

14 health & fitness

Features

48 | Getting healthy Wamego residents join in the competition to get fit

14 | The vacation home, nearby Jack Ryan salvages an area cottage for the perfect retreat

34 | The bakery, on display A delicious history is shown at the American Museum of Baking

50 | Brain boosters Pilot International clubs offer assistance for a distinctive cause

24 | A grand performance The Wareham Opera House stands the test of time

38 | Manhattan’s diva: Betti O This international songstress is hitting the high notes

for the family

42 | Learning opens door to a new world Manhattan’s Help us Learn … Give us Hope fosters new opportunities

52 | Little Apple Mommies Moms create a support system to make the job a little easier 54 | Building a family Adoption opens a world of new traditions for parents and children

get away

58 | Beacon on the Ridge Asheville’s happy populace connects with creativity in this lively North Carolina mountain town with an offbeat attitude

On the cover Betti Olivia Jones, aka Betti O. Photography by Tim Sigle

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| Story by Lou Ann Thomas

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Building a home The Sears Modern Home lives to see modern day

hen Ron and Jan Janasek moved into the spacious two-story bungalow on Denison Avenue in September 1969, they had no idea they were moving into a piece of history. It wasn’t until a neighbor told them the house was a Sears Modern Home, commonly known to many as a “kit house,” that the Janaseks knew their home had significance. “We had no idea. We just loved the house,” says Jan. But Jan began to research these kit homes and found a photograph of their house, known as model No. 145, The Arlington, in the book Houses by Mail: A Guide to Houses from Sears, Roebuck and Company. The Janasek house is actually a mirror image of The Arlington shown in the book. Sears would allow people to order plans that reversed the layout shown in the catalogs.

Piece by piece The Arlington was available in the Modern Home Catalog from 1913 to 1922 at a basic list price of $2,330. That was for everything needed to build the eight-room “Colonial with bungalow effect” house, as displayed in the 1918 catalog.

Ron and Jan Janasek’s Sears Modern Home is one of fewer than 5,000 kit homes identified today.

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LEFT Most of the home’s original layout remains, as the Janaseks are only the third owners. BELOW Ron and Jan confidently share that they’ve looked at other homes over the years, but this one just feels like “home.” BELOW LEFT The Janaseks identified their home in the book, Houses by Mail: A Guide to Houses from Sears, Roebuck and Company, after a neighbor hinted at the home’s history.

Kits were shipped by rail and often delivered to the building site by truck. Each kit typically included 30,000 pieces, including 750 pounds of nails, 27 gallons of paint and a 75-page instruction book. Each piece of lumber was numbered for ease of constructing the house once delivered. More than 75,000 Sears Kit Homes were built in the United States between 1908 and 1940, but fewer than 5,000 of these homes have been conclusively identified. One of those is the Janaseks’ house, built in 1917, which still has the tell-tale numbers stamped on some of the lumber in the unfinished portion of the basement and in the attic.

History preserved The Janaseks are only the third owners of the house. “The people who built it only lived here for one year, and then they sold it to Hilmer and Edna Laude. We bought it from them,” Jan says. “Which means the woodwork wasn’t ever painted,” Ron says. The solid oak woodwork remains in mint condition, as do the oak doors and trim throughout. The house features 38 windows and has 9-foot ceilings on the first floor and 8-foot, 6-inch ceilings on the second floor. The living room flows into the dining room through a large oak-trimmed opening. The dining

room has solid oak beams on the ceiling and an alcove window that allows light to pour into the antique-filled room. Above the dining room table, which is solid oak and belonged to Ron’s great-grandparents, hangs the original brass pendulum light. “It has a nice, open floor plan with big rooms, and those are things that drew us to this house,” Ron says. “With the large, open dining room off the living room, it works great for entertaining.” The kitchen cabinets are also the original tongue-and-groove pine. There are many built-in shelves and cabinets, which continue into the short hallway leading into the dining room and create a half-wall that separates the kitchen from the front of the house. Most of the house is original, except for a large family room on the first floor, a spacious second-floor master bedroom and a full bath, which the Janaseks added in 1993. The house also originally had a “maid’s quarters” off the kitchen. That room now opens into a computer room and leads to the new family room, but the original French doors and built-in cabinets remain. “When we added the extra space, we were mindful of the history of this house and matched the deep floor baseboards as perfectly as we could. We wanted to maintain the integrity of the house wherever possible,” Jan says. They also reused items when possible. The windows that were originally at the back of the kitchen, which is now a doorway to the addition, were used in the southwest corner of the new family room. The Janaseks appreciate history—in their house and in their family. The home is peppered with family photos and pieces of antique furniture that are also family heirlooms. An antique photographer’s chair sits next to the original brick fireplace in the living

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manhattan living | cu Stom-ma De – ma De aff o rDaBl e .

“It has a nice, open floor plan with big rooms, and those are things that drew us to this house.” – Ron Janasek

The dining room best exhibits the oak and pendant light from the original Sears home kit.

c r e at i n g d r e a m k i t c h e n s in all sizes and styles room. The piece came from Jennings Photo Studio in Republic County, where Ron and Jan grew up. Above the chair, resting on the edge of the mantel, is a photo of Ron’s mother and his uncle as children, his mother seated on that very chair.

Space and light The Arlington was known for the size of its three upstairs bedrooms; the largest measures 12 feet by 16 feet. “And every bedroom has big closets and plenty of light because of the windows,” Jan says. The Sears Modern Home Catalog that featured The Arlington mentions a special amenity of the kit house: “A feature of the second floor which will commend itself to the housewife is the linen closet, 7-feet-3-inches by 4-feet-6-inches.” And indeed, Jan is quick to point out this large storage area in the upstairs hallway, as well as the space where the original secondfloor sleeping porch used to be. It has been transformed into an office area, which now leads to the new master suite.

Just home The Janaseks, who will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in June, raised two sons, Jeff, 45, and Mitch, 40, in this house and now welcome visits from four grandchildren. “Through the years we’ve gone out looking at other houses, but always decide to stay in this one,” Jan says. “None of the others have ever matched up,” says Ron. “That’s because this is not just a house, it has always been our home,” Jan says.

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Home is where the hearth is

t Unique fireplaces are hot spots during winter’s chill

Warming the home and the soul, hearths are a favorite part of any space. The hearth at Phyllis and Ben Pease’s home is enjoyed by pup Otis.

| Photography by Tim Sigle

manhattan magazine

here are few things as comforting as sitting by the fire on a cold evening with its crackling sounds, vibrant colors and soothing movements. A fire allows us to forgo modern entertainment, giving way to the simple joys of a good book or, even better, a good conversation. Get cozy and enjoy this look at some of our neighbors’ great hearths.

Phyllis and Ben Pease Local artist Phyllis Pease, her husband Ben, an earnose-throat doctor, and their three children enjoy fires in their 1913 pink granite fireplace during the winter. The Mission-style hearth was built as part of the cabin originally owned by Dr. E.J. Moffit, whose main residence was in town. (At that time the Leavenworth Street hill, where the house is built, was not considered inside the city limits.) The hearth reflects the architectural style of bringing outdoor elements inside. Functional additions, such as the simple reddish-brown protective tile on the floor around the fireplace, reflect that the home was built as a second residence.

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| manhattan living BELOW The fire pit at Colbert Hills exudes warmth. RIGHT John and Sydney Carlin enjoy their grand hearth. OPPOSITE PAGE The beautiful limestone outdoor fireplace adds beauty to the Kansas State University School of Leadership Studies building.

a portion of the opening, install a flue and cap it to prevent birds from making nests inside. The family burns a fire in the hearth almost every weekday during the winter. They roast marshmallows to make s’mores and set up the Christmas tree near it every year.

John and Sydney Carlin

“It was unexpected,” Phyllis says of seeing the hearth for the first time. “I had never seen a pink granite fireplace. You see them in lodges [built] with river rock.” Native to Frankfort, a small Kansas town north of Manhattan, the pink granite is left from the receding glaciers that gave way to this and other unusual rocks. A couple of river rocks also can be seen in the hearth, as well as a piece of pyrite—fool’s gold—in the middle of the structure. Phyllis points to marks in the wood floor around the protective tile. She thinks it is possible that the builders included a decorative trim. However, close to 100 years after the hearth was built, the trim is no longer there. Other details include a couple of niches on the side of the hearth, an arch with a built-in ledge and a small center niche that, as seen in old pictures, was decorated with hunting trophies. Phyllis says the house “was kind of a cabin. This was appropriate for what it was.” Through the years the house belonged to two families. In the early ’20s, it was turned into a fraternity house and remained so until the Peases bought it in 1999. The house needed a lot of cleaning and renovation. Around the fireplace, the stone was covered in soot that hid the granite’s varying colors. “It was a full day of cleaning, scrubbing with a wire brush. … The colors of the rock started to appear,” says Phyllis. Phyllis used an acid wash to remove the dust from decades of careless burning in a fireplace that was designed with an opening that was too wide. The only renovations the fireplace needed were to close

The Carlins’ home comes alive in the living room. Their 21-foot Tennessee River rock fireplace was built in 2002 when the couple renovated their house, transforming a four-season sunroom into the living area. It took the stonemason three weeks to create the structure, cutting and fitting each piece one by one and finishing it with a limestone base. It is a magnificent structure that brings warmth to the glass-walled room and has witnessed family reunions for the Carlins’ four children and 10 grandchildren. During the Christmas season, Sydney hangs 20 of her hand-knit stockings from the cherry wood ledge she had installed five years ago. “I grew up in a home heated with a fireplace,” she says. “It finishes making [a house] a home.” The modern-day fireplace burns wood or can be used with the gas starter, allowing them to use it on a regular basis. “It is very nice when it is burning. The grandkids like to roast marshmallows in winter, summer or anytime,” says Sydney. But this is not the only hearth in the home. On the other side of the living room, a double-sided fireplace replaced a one-sided version built in the original home. On the living room side, the same Tennessee River rocks compose the hearth, while on the dining room side the fireplace has a marble frame that Sydney bought at an antiques store in Kansas City. The solid marble structure is set over a custom-made Carrara marble frame. The gas fireplace is the one the couple rely on to quickly warm up the rooms, as it is conveniently lit up with a remote control.

Fire Pit at Colbert Hills With a view of the golf course, the fire pit on the southwest corner of the Colbert Hills Golf Course clubhouse is one of the best places to watch the sunset. The round fire pit has a limestone frame and glass lava beads where the gas-powered fire burns when the weather is chilly. “When lit, the flames appear to be dancing across the fireplace, a very spectacular effect,” says David Gourlay, general manager and COO.

Cozy on campus Tucked in the middle of the Kansas State University campus, the new School of Leadership Studies building has four fireplaces where anyone can enjoy a bit of warmth on the coldest days.

manhattan magazine

manhattan living | Built into the locally quarried cottonwood limestone structure, two fireplaces face the south and west sides of campus respectively with a small sitting area around them. Another indoor hearth opposite Radina’s Café and Roastery offers living-room style seating. The fourth fireplace is near the second-floor offices and in one classroom. After close to 10 years occupying rented homes, the School of Leadership Studies moved into its new building in January 2010. Students shared requests for a hearth room, which had been a detail many cherished in previous locations. “The fireplace was not used, but students said it [gave] a feeling of walking into grandmother’s house,” director Mary Hale Tolar says of the old hearths. The new exterior chimney is decorated with six word stones that represent key elements of the program’s mission statement: caring, knowledge, ethical, diverse, inclusive and changing. Anyone can sit by the fireplace, and Tolar says the community is already enjoying it. The hearths “have become gathering spaces, and not just for students,” she says. “People are drawn to them.”

In an ice storm, function meets form On December 11, 2007, Manhattan was hit with a historic ice storm. Thousands were left without power for days, many others for weeks. Some were lucky enough to have a wood-burning fireplace to keep them warm during those cold days.

“We cooked over the fire when we were out of power. I had some chili in the fridge, and we heated it up over the bricks in the fireplace.” – Sydney Carlin “During the ice storm of 2007, we closed off the [living] room. [The fireplace] kept us pretty warm.” – Phyllis Pease

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The vacation home, n • e • a • r • b • y

Jack Ryan salvages an area cottage for the perfect retreat

Jack Ryan revived this cottage with artistic details.

Some artists use paint and brushes or stone and chisels to create their masterpiece. Jack Ryan uses a comfortable cottage tucked away under abundant oak and maple trees as his canvas.

Jack began creating this retreat northeast of Manhattan three years ago. He started with rugged materials: a boarded-up house, caved-in ceilings and 160 acres of untamed land, which his family owned. “The house was falling down, and I had to choose between bulldozing it and bringing it back to life,” says Jack. “The idea of creating a weekend escape so close to town was too attractive to me to let it go.” So he chose life and took the old structure down to its bare walls and basement floor. From there, Jack began to create a restful retreat that he and his wife, Jenney, an art teacher, enjoy using as a studio and space to share with friends and family.

Creative by nature Creating something from a little more than basic materials is not new to Jack. He is a trained artist with a fine arts degree from Kansas State University. But instead of pursuing a career as an artist, he joined the family business, Ryan and Sons Realtors.

ABOVE CLOCKWISE from left Various pictures and mementos of the Ryan family find a home in the restored cottage. Located near Tuttle Creek Lake, the cottage was falling down before Jack decided to give it new life. Jack has a knack for decorating and has used the cottage to celebrate this passion. OPPOSITE PAGE Beautiful rugs and other décor accents create a welcoming feel in the cottage where the Ryans occasionally entertain.

“The house was falling down, and I had to choose between bulldozing it and bringing it back to life.” – Jack Ryan

“I have always found joy in decorating, so using my art background to bring this place back to life was great fun.” – Jack Ryan

“I have always found joy in decorating, so using my art background to bring this place back to life was great fun,” Jack says. The natural stone on the exterior of the house is original. But just about everything else—from the khaki-colored wood siding with white trim to the paned windows and large patio at the back of the cottage—is new. A rustic red door with a metal dragonfly sculpture welcomes visitors, who are greeted inside by a sun-splashed art studio. The tile floors are partially covered with a Navajo-inspired handwoven rug under the tongue-andgroove ceiling. The sunroom-studio is decorated with books, all of them relating to architecture and art—favorite topics of the couple. Two large wicker chairs and a window seat afford views of the stately oak trees outside, and a large, paned window looks through to the living area, opening the house to even more natural light.

An art-filled space Jack describes the style of the two-bedroom, one-bath retreat as eclectic. It reflects the couple’s interests and passions, which blend to create interesting motifs, like the two Asian-style chairs bookending a gold-framed piece of Japanese calligraphy that perfectly complements the Persian rugs in the living room. Like the other rooms in the retreat, the living room is meant for relaxing. Two leather overstuffed easy chairs with matching ottomans are invitations to sit for a while and read, visit, watch television on the flat-screen TV or drift away with your own thoughts. Family photographs and artifacts mix with framed covers of FORTUNE magazine on the walls. Downstairs, where the two bedrooms are located, are two framed letters to Jack’s father

Jim from dear friend and author James Michener (the two were roommates in the Navy). On the opposite wall are two large photographs of New York City by local Manhattan photographer Rod Mikinski. “Jenney and I collect art, since we’re both artists, and we wanted art in the house. I think it gives the house character,” Jack says. He admits he enjoys putting different objects together, like an old black desk phone with a modern lamp and a stack of books, to create an artful corner or tabletop. This ability to create extraordinary displays from rather ordinary objects has been a part of Jack since childhood. As a kid, he would rescue old bottles, light bulbs and other objects from the trash to make something new out of them. “I never needed fancy toys as a kid. I was happy creating things from whatever I could find,” he says. What he has found in this house is an outlet for his lifelong love of decorating. “I love to create. I just love it. It’s pure joy for me,” Jack says. “It’s like I had to do this. I had to create this getaway.”

A world away From the native stone sidewalk and steps, which blend into the original stone on the house, to the cherry and oak trim, Jack and Jenney have taken a house ready for razing and turned it into a restful retreat waiting to welcome family and friends. The Ryans visit the retreat just about every weekend, and Jack sometimes makes the short, five-mile drive from downtown out to the house during the week to clear his mind and reconnect with nature. But his favorite times at the retreat are those when friends come out to share the peace and quiet. “This is a place where art, books and friendship are important,” Jack says. “Those are the things I love most, and this is the place where they all come together.”

OPPOSITE TOP Jack finds the cottage a prime place to be inspired when tapping into his creative side. OPPOSITE BOTTOM The bedrooms test many techniques in interior design, combining colors, textures and art.

The

details

| manhattan businesses

| Story by Robin Farrell Edmunds

| Photography by Virginia Hagin

A kick in the pants Miss Bev’s Kick-Ass Butt Rub is taking meat to a new, healthier level

ack McKee and Bev Valentine love to cook outside, grill and entertain. So it wasn’t unusual that Bev’s son gave the couple a new grill last Christmas. What happened next was unusual: The couple started a business born on the grill. When Jack and Bev would prepare meat for grilling, they’d season it with a store-bought spice rub. But Bev says, the rubs were too salty and expensive for her taste. “I think I can make a better one,” Bev told Jack, and that’s just what happened. Miss Bev’s Kick-Ass Butt Rub is the result of their desire for a less salty but healthier, tastier seasoning for grilled meats. “She’s the formulator and creator, and I’m the peddler man,” says Jack, who has worked to get their rub on the shelves of numerous local businesses as well as HyVee grocery stores in Manhattan, Topeka, Lawrence and the Kansas City area. Bev, originally from Hastings, Nebraska, moved to Manhattan 30 years ago to raise her family. Jack has strong roots in the Clay Center area and worked 30 years in the food service industry. They’ve known each other for 25 years and have been a couple for the last eight. About a year ago, Bev put together a blend of 17 spices—because that’s her lucky number—and the couple tried it on different cuts of meat, including ribs. They invited more than a dozen of their neighbors, on a firstcome, first-served basis, to taste-test the rub. Response to the homemade flavoring was overwhelmingly positive. The rub’s ingredients include brown sugar, salt, garlic, chili pepper and paprika. “It has a little kick to it,” says Bev. The seasoning is also tasty when added to popcorn, sweet corn, grilled pineapple or stir-fry veggies.

Miss Bev’s Kick-Ass Butt Rub

www.missbevskick-assbuttrub.com Miss Bev’s Kick-Ass Butt Rub—bearing its motto, “A little butt rub makes everything better”— can be found at these Manhattan locations:

Westside Market

Kansas Kollection and Kitchen Kapers

People’s Grocery Co-op

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521 Richards Drive 523 S. 17th St.

Eastside Market

219 E. Poyntz Ave.

Bev Valentine is the foodie behind Miss Bev’s Kick-Ass Butt Rub.

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both at Manhattan Town Center Mall 528 Pillsbury Drive

Hy-Vee

601 Third Place

| manhattan businesses

The homemade spice rub has been a hit among grillers and can be found in and around Manhattan.

“There isn’t anything unpronounceable in Last summer they approached meat department personnel at the local [it],” Jack says. Miss Bev’s Rub doesn’t contain Hy-Vee about selling Miss Bev’s. Jack and Bev held a demonstration for cusany monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor tomers, using the rub on some of the store’s meat and grilling it. enhancer that some think can cause health prob“It was very favorable,” says Mark Reamer, acting meat department lems. “It’s a good family product,” he says. manager. The store agreed to sell Miss Bev’s. Bottles of both sizes sit on a When the couple were deciding on a name for cupboard tucked between two large meat display cases. the concoction, Jack’s eyes lit on a casserole dish in the cupboard. It was a present from Jack’s daughter and had the words “Bev’s Kickasserole” printed on it. Because they do a lot of their grilling using – Jack McKee the part of the pig’s shoulder known as the butt portion, where the arm “butts” into the shoulder, it only made sense to call it a “butt rub.” The rub has received a solid response, says Reamer. “It’s holding its Thanks to Jack’s business connections and own against name brands. The artwork adds a lot toward its appeal.” experience, he contacted a spice-blending company The rub was selected to be distributed by the Midwestern supplier in Overland Park as the next step of the process. This for Traeger Grills, which has 800 dealers in a 14-state region. Jack and included eventually getting a 100 percent duplicate Bev are now traveling in their RV and calling on those dealers, trying to match from the lab to Miss Bev’s formula. “Which sell them on Miss Bev’s. tickled everybody,” says Jack. On the back of the couple’s RV, where most people hang bikes, A local graphic artist, Bob Davis, was hired to draw they’ve hung a grill nicknamed “Little Tex.” “Big Tex” sits at home on the eye-catching label, which captures an old-fashioned their deck. farmwoman in mid-kick. Her target: the rump of a pink “As the weather gets colder, we’ll work our way down South,” pig with a doubtful look on its face. Bev points out that says Jack. there’s a small red heart on the oinker’s band-aid. Bev almost can’t believe everything that’s happened in the last Miss Bev’s Butt Rub had its national debut in late year. “I’m surprised it’s going over as well as it is. Without Jack’s June when the couple set up a spot at the well-known knowledge, it wouldn’t have happened,” she says. Country Stampede music show at Tuttle Creek State Park. Up next is another product called Rooster Rub, which was set “It was a good way to introduce ourselves,” says Bev. for release early this year. It’s more of an herb-based rub, according The couple have promoted their product—which to Bev. comes in two sizes, 6.2 ounces and 12.25 ounces—at local This retired couple are having the time of their lives with their events such as Wamego’s OZtoberFest and on their website, new enterprise. which also includes a couple of Bev’s recipes. The rub is also “She’s the love of my life,” says Jack. distinguished as a Simply Kansas product. This trademark Bev’s response, “He had to say that or he knew he wouldn’t get program, developed through the Department of Commerce, any supper!” promotes agricultural products made in the state.

“She’s the formulator and creator, and I’m the peddler man.”

manhattan magazine

Story by Dennis Toll

Photography by Virginia Hagin and Courtesy of the Riley County Historical Society

grand performance the

Wareham

Opera House stands the test of time

The Wareham Opera House is versatile for various setups inside the historical space.

If the Wareham Opera House is any indication, history does repeat itself. Because what worked once for this century-old icon is working again. Businessman Darrell Hills II is following in the footsteps of the community’s celebrated entrepreneur Harry P. Wareham as he breathes new life into downtown Manhattan’s most recognizable location. Perhaps no image better represents Manhattan and Poyntz Avenue than the towering marquee on the Wareham, as the opera house and theater is commonly known. “I can’t tell you the love I have for this place,” says Darrell, who has owned the establishment for five years. To make the venue successful as an event center, Darrell has a simple business plan: find more Saturdays. When he purchased the building from the Wareham family and Jim McCullough, of McCullough Development, he learned immediately the biggest challenge would be introducing new events. Darrell says with a laugh, “When I asked how it was going, [Jim] said, ‘Well, if we just had four more weekends a month, we’d be doing all right.’ So we knew that coming in.” Because the Wareham is popular as an event center for reunions, receptions and parties, Darrell found it easy to fill the popular weekend night. In addition, a new church known as The Well uses the Wareham for its Sunday morning worship. Harry P. Wareham purchased the 1884-built Coliseum and renamed it the Wareham Opera House in 1893.

Enter Brett Foltz, who had been working in the athletic department at Kansas State University. He came to the Wareham just more than a year ago with a desire to promote live music events. “That’s what we’ve always talked about,” Brett says. “Our Saturday events were the cornerstone of the business, but we were trying to find more events to do on a Thursday or Friday.” With Brett’s connections among the K-State crowd, the Wareham attracted more small concerts and comedy shows. Darrell and Brett also added events, like special movie showings or K-State watch parties for Wildcat road games. The venue, with theatrical seating for 400 or standing room capacity of 600, offers an intimate stage setting and, more importantly, a touch of something intangible. “The Wareham brings the scale of an event to a whole new level,” says Evan Tuttle, who is executive director of the Aggieville Business Association and works closely with local musicians through the Manhattan Music Coalition. Evan recently brought

“The Wareham brings the scale of an event to a whole new level.” – Evan Tuttle

Manhattan Metalfest X to the Wareham after nine years at smaller venues. “It gives a level of legitimacy and relevance to have an event in a place as classy and historic as the Wareham.” Brian Berry, owner of the KatHouse Lounge in Aggieville, also brings concerts to the Wareham. “The place has such a great feel to it,” he says. “When you go into the Wareham, you can just feel the history.” Darrell wants to be a steward of history and preserve the historic feel that permeates the walls and exterior. When the famous marquee caught fire two years ago (a pigeon nest erupted in flames after making contact with old wiring, all while a wedding reception was occurring inside), Darrell didn’t replace the famous landmark; he had it restored. The Wareham’s history began well more than 100 years ago. Manhattan businessman H.S. Moore built a wood and stone theater on the site in 1884 and named it The Coliseum. In 1893, Harry P. Wareham purchased the building, installed electricity and renamed it the Wareham Opera House. In 1910, the structure was enlarged and remodeled with the current facade. Harry P. was known for innovations, having created his own telephone company, a sewer plant, hotel and many other businesses. Like Darrell today, Harry P. was looking for new ways to fill seats in his theater, so he promoted concerts and plays. In 1911 a screen was installed in front of the stage and the Wareham became the second theater in Kansas to show movies. In 1938, the Wareham saw another renovation and the addition of the marquee as it became primarily a movie theater. Harry’s nephew, Harry K. Wareham, managed the theater. The Wareham remained one of Manhattan’s main movie theaters until 1986. A new model for doing business was created in 1988, when the permanent seating was removed and the slanted theater floor flattened into different levels. It became an event center through the work of the Wareham family and McCullough Development under their partnership. It was up to Darrell, however, with the help of Brett, to raise the level of events and once again make the Wareham a hub for downtown activity—all by creating more Saturdays.

Wareham

Opera House Timeline 1884

H.S. Moore builds The Coliseum, a wood and stone structure with a 30- by 45foot stage and seating for 900.

1893 Harry P. Wareham buys The Coliseum for $10,000, installs electricity and renames it the Wareham Opera House.

1910

The Wareham Opera House is renovated and enlarged. The new structure features the current facade.

1911 A screen is installed and the Wareham becomes the second theater in Kansas to show movies.

1915

H.P. Wareham spends $12,000 on further renovations.

1938

The theater undergoes extensive remodeling and reopens as a movie theater. The current marquee is installed. Nephew to H.P., Harry K. Wareham, is the manager and the theater becomes a part of Commonwealth Amusement Company.

1939 H.P. Wareham dies. 1986 The Wareham Theater closes. 1988

The Wareham reopens after more renovation. The floor is leveled and permanent seating removed. The property is controlled by a joint venture between McCullough Development and the Wareham family trusts. Jim McCullough is the new property manager.

2005

Darrell Hills II purchases the theater and begins restoration and remodeling projects.

Courtesy of the Riley County Historical Society

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| Story by Donna F. Ekart

Vintage lessons Wine lovers unite to share their delicious passion with others All ages enjoy the wine tastings at della Voce.

ansas may not be on anyone’s map of famous wine regions, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of local activities focused on wine. Novices wanting to learn, groups of friends expanding their horizons, experts with a penchant for sharing their favorites—you can find all these and more in the Manhattan area. The 20 or so participants at a recent Harry’s Wine 101 course settle in amid lively chatter. Some are regulars; some are here for the first time. As one person says, “You know if there’s wine, there’s us.” It’s evident that attendees are interested in expanding their knowledge of wine and having fun while they do it.

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| Photography by Alan Honey

Ian Hulon, who leads the night’s festivities, has been on the staff at Harry’s in downtown Manhattan for about four years. Alongside Evan Grier, Harry’s co-owner, Hulon has completed the first level toward certification by the Court of Master Sommeliers. This certification will assure they are trained, knowledgeable wine professionals able to help customers with all aspects of wine education, including food and pairings. “Right now, though, I just have to hope you believe me about the wine,” says Hulon. The Wine 101 class at Harry’s—simultaneously informative and lighthearted—focuses on a variety of regional wines. As server Jessa Myer pours a 2007 Villa di Campobello Chianti, Hulon describes what makes a Chianti a Chianti and how the wine has evolved from more humble beginnings. “I don’t think we can stick a candle in this bottle like the old days,” he says with a smile, evoking the restaurant cliché of wicker-basket Chianti bottles used as candleholders. The 90-minute classes are offered weekly in the early evenings. The goal, according to Hulon, is to “try some things you might not otherwise try. We feature

| local profiles BELOW LEFT Wine tastings fit the bill from an educational class to a girls’ night out. OPPOSITE PAGE Matthew J. David from Handcrafted Wines of Kansas was a guest lecturer at one of della Voce’s tastings.

Wine Education Opportunities in Manhattan: UFM featuring Harry’s 418 Poyntz Ave.

(785) 537-1300 www.tryufm.org

Wine 101: February 22, March 1, March 8, March 15 Champagne and Dessert: March 29 Wine 101: June 7, June 14, June 21, June 28

della Voce 405 Poyntz Ave.

(785) 532-9000 www.dellavoce.com

Wine Club meets on the third Wednesday of each month

Chad Lohman for Nespor’s Wine & Spirits 1338 Westloop Place

(785) 539-9441

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some wines from Harry’s menu, and the rest are available locally. We aim for affordability, with maybe one or two special wines at the end.” This spring, Harry’s Wine 101 series will partner with UFM Community Learning Center in Manhattan. The two organizations had offered similar classes and decided to join forces. Beginning in January 2011, UFM will list Harry’s courses in its catalog and offer registration for classes taught by Harry’s staff. “Participants have the opportunity to learn more about wines that are available locally, and business owners are able to share their expertise about these topics with community members,” says Marcia Hornung, UFM’s education coordinator. Wine classes are among those most requested by Manhattan community members, she says. “We have offered a variety of wine classes in the past, ranging from learning about wines from different regions to a multiple-class format talking about terminology, types of wines, the winemaking process and what to look for when tasting wine,” says Hornung. Chad Lohman, Kansas State University graduate and Nespor’s Wine and Spirit owner, is more than familiar with UFM’s wine classes, because he used to teach them. After nearly five years with UFM, he had met a wide circle of Manhattan residents eager to benefit from his knowledge of wine. He began to receive requests for in-home wine classes. “The first one was a little more than 12 years ago—it’s really long-lived for that kind of group,” says Lohman. “I have seven groups now. Some are affiliated with the K-State Social Club, but the others are just groups of friends.”

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Vino for Homecare & Hospice Plenty of events throughout the year help support nonprofit agencies in Manhattan, but one in particular has made a mark with two distinct wine celebrations. For a number of years, Homecare & Hospice has hosted The Flint Hills Festival of Wines in the spring and Promenade on Poyntz in the fall. “We are fortunate to have some wonderful annual fundraising events,” says Christina Nolte, director of development. “This year was the sixth annual Promenade, and in March we will celebrate the Festival’s 12th year.” Nolte offers some inside information about these lasting events that wine connoisseurs are sure enjoy.

When did Homecare & Hospice decide these wine events would be a hit?

Many of Chad’s groups have themed nights for regions or varietals a few times a year and are mostly informal, potluck-style gatherings of wine enthusiasts and friends in members’ homes. New groups can get started anytime by contacting Chad at Nespor’s. Lohman, a level two certified sommelier, purchased Nespor’s in 2000. He sees his wine groups as less of a selling platform and more of an educational opportunity. “It’s a real mix of affordable and highend wines, depending on what the groups want,” he says. “It’s nice to be able to taste two of the same wines at different price points and talk about what makes the expensive one expensive,” he says. Wine Club at della Voce began just more than two years ago. From a start of eight to 10 regulars, it quickly grew to around 40 attendees. Noah Reagan, owner of della Voce, says his goal was twofold. “I wanted something fun, not overbearing, and a way to showcase handcrafted wines,” he says. A typical Wine Club night at the downtown restaurant features four wines and a variety of food pairings. “We’ve learned about grape varieties and cultivation, and how weather conditions from one year to the next have a far greater effect on taste than one might think. Overall, it’s fun, tasty and informative!” says Carolyn Arand, a Wine Club regular. Wine Club theme nights have focused on food pairings and specific wine-producing regions, like Argentina. It’s typically offered on the third Wednesday of each month. Reagan stresses it’s not the kind of club that requires membership. “Come for one or come every month—whatever works for you,” he says. It’s exactly that kind of warm and open casual feel to local wine classes that makes them accessible to novices and aficionados alike. It’s been said that good friends and good wine make life a pleasure. In Manhattan, it’s easy to have both in abundance.

Our founding sponsor, Standard Beverage Corporation out of Wichita, chose the Homecare & Hospice Foundation to be the beneficiary of their belief of the importance of giving back to the community and specifically to charities whose missions affect the health and well-being of Kansas communities at large. The first Flint Hills Festival of Wines was held in 1999 and was met with an overwhelming positive response. … The inaugural Promenade was a huge success, with all 200 tickets selling out in four days. The event has always been a hit. We’ve increased tickets sales to 250 to meet demand, and the event has completely sold out five of the six years it has been held.

What has been the response?

The Flint Hills Festival of Wines is not only a very popular event for the community, but it is also the largest fundraiser of the year for the Homecare & Hospice Foundation.

Have the events been fruitful for the agency?

All of the Promenade and Festival events combined have resulted in a net income of over $502,000 for the Homecare & Hospice Foundation. Those fundraising dollars are used to support the Homecare & Hospice Agency and the quality and compassionate health care and support services they provide to the community. Homecare & Hospice is a nonprofit organization that provides care to individuals regardless of their ability to pay, so donations to the foundation are truly vital to the sustainment of Homecare & Hospice.

Why do donors and patrons continue to come? I believe the reason our Promenade and Festival events are so popular is because they offer our participants the chance to sample some new wines and some delicious food all while knowing that they are benefiting a wonderful organization with such a worthy mission. … Each year we get to celebrate with old friends and introduce a whole new group of participants to these events and to the organization they’re supporting.

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| Story by Linda A. Thompson | Photography by Virginia Hagin

The bakery, on display A delicious history is shown at the American Museum of Baking The Harold M. Freund American Museum of Baking has one of the most extensive collections of books on baking.

isitors to the Harold M. Freund American Museum of Baking in Manhattan not only experience centuries of baking history, but they are treated to the smell of freshbaked bread and other treats made in AIB International’s industrial training ovens. Together the sights and scents enhance the experience and may just inspire their inner Betty Crocker. “We don’t even notice the smell anymore,” says library supervisor Tammy Popejoy. The museum is inside AIB International, which was established in 1919 to serve the wholesale and retail baking industries as well as other food processing, distribution, food service and retail companies worldwide. The organization provides audit services,

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food safety education, research and technical services, and a school of baking. AIB moved from Chicago to Manhattan in 1978. The AIB complex holds two hallways that serve as the museum dedicated to Harold M. Freund, heir to the Freund Baking Company, which was established in St. Louis by his great-grandfather in 1856. Freund sold his interests in the company in 1960 and moved to California. “He got called out of retirement by Ray Kroc to develop a hamburger bun for McDonald’s,” Popejoy says. “So he began a new baking company in California.” Freund graduated from AIB in 1936 and became a lifelong supporter and member of its board of trustees. In 1982, he donated his personal collection of bakery figurines—the world’s largest—and funds to start a museum for the figurine collection and other historical baking items. “Freund was a longtime supporter of AIB and its programs. He generously supported AIB over the years with contributions to the relocation fund for the move from Chicago to Manhattan, plus a scholarship fund and fellowship fund for students and researchers,” says Paul Klover, vice president of administration for AIB.

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“Freund was a longtime supporter of AIB and its programs. He generously supported AIB over the years with contributions to the relocation fund for the move from Chicago to Manhattan.”

– Paul Klover

Freund was responsible for more than half of the collection and had a vital part in obtaining donations to expand it. “When [Freund] donated his collection of baking figurines to start the museum, he donated 91 figurines from various countries that he acquired during his travels,” says Popejoy. Since Freund’s death in 1996, the museum has acquired a number of artifacts through donations and purchase. Included are examples of Egyptian bread and cake that are almost 4,000 years old, bread and grain from Roman colonies in North Africa and bread stamps from the sixth and seventh centuries. Many pieces depict the history of commercial baking, such as cake pans for confections delivered door-to-door that would stamp the name of the bakery on the cake. The Nippon Flour Mills in Japan donated a flower arrangement with flowers actually made from flour. The fragile and delicate arrangement arrived in a large wooden crate. “If I remember correctly, it arrived and we didn’t know that it was coming,” Popejoy says. Nostalgic items include large baking pans, tools, advertising signs, ingredient tins, a Betty Crocker lapel pin from the 2002 Winter

The museum boasts a large collection of baker figurines. OPPOSITE PAGE A flower arrangement, made of flour from Nippon Flour Mills in Japan, is on display at the museum.

Harold M. Freund American Museum of Baking 1213 Bakers Way

(785) 537-4750 https://museum.aibonline.org/

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Olympics in Salt Lake City and what Klover says is “probably the most complete and comprehensive baking library in the world.” The Ruth M. Emerson Library has more than 9,500 items, including 450 journal titles available in Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, German, French and Dutch. One eye-catching item is a large dough trough from a family bakery in Illinois. At night, the bread dough was placed inside and covered with a wooden lid. “Dad would sleep on top. He knew it was time to bake the bread when he fell on the floor,” Popejoy says. “There was so much dough inside, it was strong enough to lift the lid with a person on top.” The museum is surrounded by the school’s three baking labs—bread, cookie and cracker, and sweet goods (cakes, pies, donuts, and other pastries). Many large international companies, such as Bimbo Bakeries and Hostess Brands, send managerial candidates to the 16-week AIB course. Each lab houses industrial-grade equipment so students can learn to judge when a product is made correctly. What does the future hold for the Freund Museum? “AIB is constantly looking for ways to promote the museum. One of the ways has been the relationship with the Bundy Baking Museum in Urbana, Ohio, which has on display several items on loan from the Freund Baking Museum, including a beaten biscuit roller, bread slicer and several patent models,” Klover says. Klover understands the limitations created by keeping the collection in the hallway. “Our goal is to continue its existence and, over time, find a permanent location. We also don’t charge a fee to view the collection, and we want to continue to be able to share the museum with the public for free,” he says.

Visitors

to the museum are welcome during AIB’s regular business hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Enter the main lobby and check in at the front desk. On the way to the collection, visitors pass the American Society of Baking’s Hall of Fame featured on the lobby walls, as well as two large concrete statues cast in 1920 to decorate the entrance to the Rushton Bakery in Kansas City. There is no entrance fee. Due to space restrictions, large tours cannot be accommodated.

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Manhattan’s diva: Betti O This international songstress is hitting the high notes Entertainer extraordinaire, Betti O of Manhattan, performs in Smokey Joe’s Café with the Music Theatre of Wichita in 2010. Image courtesy of SquidInkCreative

| Photography by Tim Sigle

“I love it here. No matter how crazy and intense my projects get, I can come back home, relax and just be Betti O,” she says.

The beginning

etti O has something to prove. The singer and actress wants to show that talent in the entertainment industry isn’t just in Hollywood or the Big Apple. Some of it resides much closer to home— right here in the Little Apple. Betti O, aka Betti Olivia Jones, has appeared on stage with Sally Struthers, Ben Vereen and Sandy Duncan. In 2008, she opened for Hillary Rodham Clinton at a political rally in Iowa. Betti O has recorded a hit dance single in Germany and was the lead in the Asian tour of Ain’t Misbehavin’. And while she appears onstage from New York to Japan and lends her soulful voice to music projects all over the world, Betti O calls Manhattan home.

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Betti O was born in St. Louis, but her mother died four days later and her grandparents raised her. Her grandfather was the choir director for their church and her grandmother sang in the choir, often taking Betti O along to sit next to her. At the age of 3, Betti O made her unofficial debut as soloist with the choir. That Sunday, when the choir sat down, Betti O stood up and proudly belted out Shop Around (by The Miracles), much to the consternation of everyone in church that day. “My family still kids me about that, but I loved it. I loved singing,” Betti O says. Nevertheless, Betti O was shy as a child. Because her first solo performance caused such a stir, she didn’t sing again, at least not on a stage, until she was an adult. That’s when she began auditioning for parts in community theater and her career in the entertainment industry started to unfold.

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| local profiles BELOW Betti O has traveled around the world performing but chooses to call Manhattan home. Bottom In The Drowsy Chaperone, at the Music Theatre of Wichita 2009, Betti O played Trix, the Aviatrix. Image courtesy of SquidInkCreative

“All great black entertainers go through the Apollo, so I was going to do it. I’m not afraid to swim with sharks.” – Betti O Highs and lows Betti O met her husband, Richard Jones Sr., while they were both in the military stationed at Fort Meade in Maryland. They’ve lived in Denver, Georgia, Washington state, Hawaii, Europe and finally, in 1993, moved to Manhattan. The couple have a grown son, Richard Jr. But life, even for someone as buoyant and feisty as Betti O, can have some nearly unbearable lows. The couple’s daughter, Raina, died in 1998 at the age of 16. “It was from natural causes. She went to sleep one night and didn’t wake up,” Betti O says, then pauses to compose herself before continuing. “But I still feel her unconditional love around me.” Like many successful actors, Betti O draws on her life experiences for onstage roles. When she appeared in Big River during the Music Theatre of Wichita summer season, she played the part of a slave woman whose daughter was taken away. “People came up to me after and asked how I had been able to play that part so convincingly. I could do it because I had lived it,” Betti O says.

It’s showtime In 1995, Betti O had an opportunity to perform at the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem. Showtime was broadcasting a weekly television show that had the audience rate amateur performers.

Those receiving the loudest audience response were asked back for the final round. “Everyone in my family told me not to do it. They said that the Apollo audiences tear people up, and it wasn’t a good idea for me to do it. But all great black entertainers go through the Apollo, so I was going to do it. I’m not afraid to swim with sharks,” she says. And swim she did. Betti O sang Aretha Franklin’s Think and brought down the house. She made it to the finals, where she repeated the performance. At the end of the final show, the crowd enthusiastically declared Betti O the winner of Amateur Night on Showtime at the Apollo.

At home on stage Betti O is most confident and comfortable when she’s onstage. “I still feel like that shy little girl when I’m offstage. Once the performance is over, I feel uncertain,” she says. But onstage, Betti O shines. That’s why independent filmmaker Steve Balderson has

See video of Betti O’s Clinton rally performance on Facebook www.facebook.com/manhattanmagazine.com

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cast her in several of his films, most recently as the evil warden in Stuck. “I’ve known Betti O for about 15 years, and it’s such a delight to work with her. She’s supertalented and has a cult following now. When our movies have screened at festivals, audiences go wild over her, and it’s easy to see why. She’s a natural,” Balderson says. Even Hillary Clinton went a little wild for Betti O after a rousing rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow at the election rally. The thenpresidential candidate came on stage and said, “From one diva to another, Betti O, I’m so happy to see you.” What’s next for Betti O? In February she will perform at the A Dress the Heart Gala for the Mercy Community Health Foundation in Manhattan. Beyond that, she would love to form a band for a European tour someday. But for now she’s happy to continue acting, singing and entertaining audiences wherever she can. “I’m having the best time of my life right now,” she says.

ABOVE Betti O performs with Josh Sassanella and Darcie Roberts in Smokey Joe’s Café. RIGHT Betti O as the Sour Kangaroo in Suessical, at the Music Theatre of Wichita 2005. Images courtesy of SquidInkCreative

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| Story by Mark Janssen

Learning opens door to a new world Manhattan’s Help us Learn … Give us Hope fosters new opportunities Colonel Gary LaGrange is the driving force behind Help us Learn … Give us Hope.

hile Captain Brian McCall was stationed in Iraq, he spent time working in a seven-school area, coordinating up to 2,500 students with few if any supplies to enhance learning. McCall often wrote in his journal about this experience, and it was this notion that spurred an Army retiree who lives in Manhattan to launch Help us Learn … Give us Hope Inc. Colonel Gary LaGrange learned of McCall’s writing and experience from the McCall family, of Manhattan. This sent him into a flashback from his days in Vietnam during the late 1960s.

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“It was like nothing had changed in 42 years,” says LaGrange, who commanded Fort Riley during Desert Storm before retiring from active duty in 1991. “A Vietnam village chief told me one day, ‘Help my children and you will help our people. It is the best way to win our trust.’ We opened seven schools, and all of a sudden people looked at us as compassionate people and not just tactical robots.” Back then, LaGrange went to work locating supplies from churches in the United States that would be sent to the area where he was serving. His unit members even dipped into their own pockets and supplied $12 to hire one of the first teachers; seven were hired in all. Fast-forward 42 years to Afghanistan, where a young girl told a member of the 101st Airborne, “If you would help us learn, you would give us hope.” LaGrange marvels at the story. “Here, this little girl from one of the most poverty-stricken country wasn’t asking for money or toys or food, but she was asking for an education,” he says. Moved by the thought, LaGrange began his project, Help us Learn … Give us Hope.

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“Here, this little girl from one of the most poverty-stricken country wasn’t asking for money or toys or food, but she was asking for an education.” – Gary LaGrange Now into its third year, the project has processed 1,900 requests and sent weekly supplies to 64 military units. Men and women in uniform ship pencils, sharpeners, crayons, pens, rulers, glue, paper, scissors, paste, chalk and small toys to up to 1,200 children in kindergarten through 12th grade per week. The mission statement is threefold: Provide basic school supplies to children, enable soldiers to win hearts and minds by focusing on children and directly engage U.S. citizens in the process of assisting children and soldiers. This all culminates in the goal of helping children in difficult places, according to LaGrange. “We found that our kids in this country are like kids in Iraq and Africa,” says LaGrange. “Kids are terribly important to their parents, and they want an education for their children. It is a tremendous opportunity to win hearts and minds.” The efforts of LaGrange have gained notice. He remembers an e-mail from a teacher in Pakistan: “I cannot believe the gifts you have sent. From one backpack, we have two pencils for each child. This is something we have never had, and it is the best way to earn our trust.” LaGrange says 60 percent of Afghanistan’s population is of school age, but only one out of 10 people in the country can read and write. “Without education being a part of the equation, ignorance and illiteracy will continue to cause problems in all of these countries,” he says. Supplies come from publishing companies, private donors, churches or school organizations. On the final day of school last spring, boxes were placed at the doors of Manhattan schools. Kids were encouraged to fill these boxes with a variety of items, such as half-used tablets or partially used pencils that could be sent to children in poverty areas. In one day students donated 3,400 pounds of supplies, which is enough to support 2,000 children. As LaGrange says, “Here, they were throwaway items. But to children of Iraq and Afghanistan, they were gold.”

Many volunteers help pack flat-rate boxes full of school supplies, new and used, for children in Afghanistan.

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LaGrange estimates that nearly 430,000 children have been reached with more than 600,000 pounds of donated supplies through the program. That includes 560,000 books—from textbooks to basic reading books— provided primarily by schools under the Kansas Department of Education and publishers. The items have since been sent to youngsters attending cinderblock schools, some with only dirt floors, in Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Africa. Working hand-in-hand with LaGrange are his wife, Jan, and Lori Bishop, executive director of RSVP of the Flint Hills. RSVP is in the process of organizing packing programs in 12 to 15 Kansas-based armories. The next step is to establish similar programs in every state. Area schools and individuals from retirement communities such as Meadowlark Hills and Via Christi Village are active in the packing efforts. “It’s nice for us to take pencils and crayons to our homebound individuals and allow them to feel like they are doing something worthwhile,” says Bishop. “It’s great for our Alzheimer volunteers, as it helps with their hand-eye coordination of putting 12 or 15 pencils together and wrapping a rubber band around them. It really does make for a feeling of importance.” Bishop and the Manhattan RSVP program nominated LaGrange for the 2010 National Spirit of Service Award, given by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Help us Learn … Give us Hope and LaGrange received the honor last spring. “He was the lone RSVP winner in the country for going above and beyond the call of volunteerism, which made all of us very proud that the award came to the community of Manhattan,” says Bishop. “It’s been a great opportunity to help the goodwill relations between countries.”

Earl Baugher of the RSVP of the Flint Hills program and Leah Loredo of Wakefield help stuff boxes.

Help us Learn … Give us Hope Supplies can be sent to the Manhattan National Guard Armory. Financial gifts are also accepted, as the cost to ship a supply box is $12.50. www.helpuslearngiveushope.org For donations, information or presentations about the program, contact Gary LaGrange at (785) 537-7493.

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q&a

Gina Scroggs, executive director of Downtown Manhattan, knows a thing or two about the community regardless of the fact that she took a hiatus to a beach town in Southern California. “I am a transplant to Manhattan … and darn proud to say that my roots are firmly planted in Manhattan,” says Scroggs. This Manhattanite is a proud, dedicated mom who has found a unique investment here in community—among other things. “I am interested in all levels of politics and community volunteerism, I am an avid reader and I appreciate the culinary arts, although I struggle to just boil water,” she says. Scroggs’ wit and dedication to Downtown Manhattan have helped spearhead an effort to revitalize the area. “Not everyone is fortunate enough to go to work every day feeling like they have made a contribution for the betterment of the community,” she says. “The bonus for me is that our downtown is filled with entrepreneurs doing what they love to do.”

with

Gina Scroggs Executive Director, Downtown Manhattan

How did you find yourself serving Downtown Manhattan? I have a background in public relations and marketing, a strong sense of community and the belief that small business is the driving force of a healthy local economy. When the directorship became available, I jumped at the opportunity to sell myself as a great resource. I am so blessed to have a job that I love and really believe in. Why do you think downtown is an important district for a community? With the national trend to move away from the center, many downtowns have either died off or have struggled to exist. In the past, Downtown Manhattan has certainly had its share of rough times. It is my sole goal, my mission in fact, to bring a quality life back to downtown. It is the place where small businesses can, and do, thrive and work together to create a strong economy. A healthy, vibrant downtown is important to our community because it is the heart of Manhattan. Strong heart, strong community.

Interview conducted, condensed and edited by Katy Ibsen. Photograph by Tim Sigle.

What’s on the agenda for Downtown Manhattan? Downtown Manhattan has so many fantastic things happening today and exciting things to come in

the near future. Over the next couple of years, we are embarking on a multimillion-dollar beautification project that will enhance the “walkability” of our district, draw retail and dining, inspire owners and architects to restore historic buildings for loft space living, create space for events, open sidewalks for outdoor dining and draw the newly developed areas to our north and south. In your opinion, what makes downtown click? Downtown clicks because passionate business owners, volunteers, city staff and city commissioners are actively involved in shaping, growing and improving our district. We have had over a dozen unique businesses open in the last year. Our events cater to not only local folks but pull from the surrounding regions as well. Our shops and restaurants regularly receive local, state and national attention for their one-of-a-kind offerings. It’s simply a fantastic place to spend your time. What are some of the challenges? Raising funds is always a challenge, especially in these times. We are fortunate in Manhattan to have created a climate throughout the years that promotes small-business development. We have a city

administration that understands the importance of contributing financially to districts where small business takes root. While our resources are limited and we are always looking for ways to streamline, our members often generously donate their time, money and skills to programs and services. To you, what makes Manhattan a unique community? Manhattan is unique because the people who live and work here are active in the community. I know that sounds cliché, but it is true. Men’s Journal named Manhattan one of the 50 best places to live in the United States. Kansas State University alumni often return to Manhattan to work and raise their families, and it’s one of the top 10 places in the nation to retire young, according to CNNmoney.com. Fort Riley is a big factor in the health and prosperity of Manhattan as well. Three wishes—what would they be for downtown? High-end retail shops, loft space living, coffee shop with WiFi, neighborhood bar and grill, an ethnic restaurant, more parking—oh, you said THREE wishes! As long as we are wishing, might as well dream big.

| health & fitness

| Story by Abigail Crouse | Photography courtesy of Get Fit Wamego

Among the holiday parties and feasts, many people find it a little harder to squeeze into their jeans by the time the new year rolls around. Wamego residents, however, now have an incentive to meet their health and fitness goals all year long. The Wamego City Hospital has created different fitness initiatives for several years to help staff lose those holiday pounds. In 2010, the program helped not only staff members get fit but also helped about 100 people in the community. “The hospital always has programs to help employees,” says Angie Barber, coordinator of the Get Fit Wamego program. “Our original goal was to help employees

run a 5K race. The idea kept growing and growing until we came up with Get Fit Wamego, open to not just employees, but anyone in the area.” The first program ran from May 1 to August 7 with nearly 100 participants, who signed up individually or in teams of five. For participants 18 or older, an initial health screening was required to gather information about blood pressure, total cholesterol, weight and body composition. During the 15-week program, individuals and teams accumulated points by exercising, eating three servings of vegetables and fruits a day, drinking water and participating in educational and

recreational sessions. Participants kept track of their progress online; prizes were awarded to the top three individuals and teams at the end of the challenge. Melissa Francis, a 27-yearold office manager who lives in Wamego, was looking for something closer to home when she heard about the program. “I had just finished several months of a boot camp in Manhattan but wanted to find something local. This was perfect,” she says. Francis, who participated with a team, liked the accountability of tracking her water consumption and fruit and vegetable intake. She appreciated the group support and the opportunity to explore fitness activities. “There were lots of different things to try,” says Barber. “We did everything from water aerobics, tennis, walking and even dodgeball. We really wanted people to know there are all kinds of things to do to stay active.” Francis’ biggest results showed in her blood work, where she saw better levels of HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol). She wasn’t alone, as many participants reported improved cholesterol levels and weight loss at the end of the program. Des Prockish, 52, entered the program with a small fitness background. “I was looking for a challenge. It helped motivate me to get out and exercise,” she says. Prockish, who works for the Kansas Department of Transportation, participated with a team and enjoyed the group activi-

Getting healthy Wamego residents join in the competition to get fit 48

manhattan magazine

ABOVE LEFT DeAnn Campbell stretches during a workout with Get Fit Wamego participants. ABOVE RIGHT Glenna Machin practices basketball during a session with Get Fit Wamego teams.

health & fitness |

ties. “It was a lot of fun to try different things with new people. We always had a good time and laughed a lot,” she says. In addition to the group recreational activities, the program provided educational sessions about all things fitness. “We learned about stretching, warm up and cool down, first aid for fitness and how to stay motivated,” says Barber. “Every other week there was something different.” Prockish saw results after the 15 weeks. “I lost 10 pounds, lowered my cholesterol, triglyceride and blood pressure,” says Prockish. “My energy level went up a lot. I’m still exercising now because the program helped me to get more active and keep going.” Barber hopes that participants like Prockish use the program as the start of a lifestyle change. “One of the main pieces other than fitness is to drink more water and eat more fruits and vegetables,” Barber says. “We hope that after the program, when they go to grab something unhealthy to eat, they stop and think, ‘Should I really eat this? Or should I be eating a vegetable right now?’” Prockish and Francis say the program was great fun and hope to participate again. Barber hopes to kick off the 2011 program in the spring and is working on a grant to reduce the $30 entry fee. “We are really hoping to make the next Get Fit session free,” she says. “We want everyone in the area who wants to get fit.”

BELOW Participants pushed their physical fitness, and diets, in an effort to better take care of themselves.

by the numbers: 97 individuals registered 88 attended initial screening

(lab, weight/BMI, blood pressure, total cholesterol, glucose)

30 participated in online tracking through week 15 34 completed the second screening 22 lost weight (most lost was 20.4 pounds) 14 lowered cholesterol manhattan magazine

| health & fitness

While its name may sound like a highflying venture, Pilot International puts its focus on something more personal. Members of three Pilot International clubs in Manhattan work to promote awareness of brain-related disorders and support related service projects in the community. Each club meets once or twice a month at the Manhattan Country Club. Members of the three clubs— Sunflower Pilot Club, Pilot Club of Manhattan and Little Apple Pilot Club—range in age from 20 to 80. While the target membership is made up of women, men are welcome to join.

| Story by Kristin Kemerling

| Photography by Alan Honey

Working in clubs and as a collective force, these women and men are committed to helping individuals and families with projects promoting brain health awareness. “Pilot has a long-term commitment to helping all with protecting and preserving the brain,” says Nancy Grieshaber, Sunflower Pilot Club member.

Brain Gym Twice a week, members of the Sunflower Pilot Club go to “Brain Gym” with 10 to 20 residents of Meadowlark Hills Retirement Community. They gather to exercise their brains and play the Nintendo Wii,

board games such as Rummikub and Scrabble or dominoes, cards or computer games. “This project was developed to help the older population keep their brain active,” says Grieshaber. The project was created when the Sunflower Pilot Club received a $5,000 grant from Pilot International and a matching grant from the William T. Kemper Foundation through Commerce Bank. With the grant money, club members purchased the Wii game systems and projectors and computers for Meadowlark Hills. “Our residents gain new learning, flexible thinking and logical thinking,” says Jeanne Copeland, who works at Meadowlark Hills. “Plus, they like the social interaction and the opportunity to feel like they’re doing something good to maintain their brain function.” Copeland adds that the residents look forward to the Brain Gym afternoons and benefit from the activities.

“Pilot has a longterm commitment to helping all with protecting and preserving the brain.”

– Nancy Grieshaber

Brain boosters Pilot International clubs offer assistance for a distinctive cause 50

manhattan magazine

John Ulrich plays a game of Wii Bowling as part of Brain Gym at Meadowlark Hills, hosted by the Sunflower Pilot Club.

health & fitness | Ann Pearce, right, supervises the Assistive Technology Center for the Manhattan Public Library. The center was created with funds donated by the Little Apple Pilot Club.

In addition to the annual workshop, Pilot Club of Manhattan has aided in the building of the school district’s Autism Spectrum Disorders Library. The library offers books about autism and children’s books to help explain the disorder to siblings or peers. The library also houses videos, DVDs and software to help teach autistic students. “Having these resources right here in Manhattan has been incredibly valuable,” says Miller. “Whether it be through the workshops, where the Pilot Club has drawn together a variety of speakers to share a wide range of information on autism spectrum disorders, or through books and other resources, families and educators are learning how to best help students grow to reach their full potential.”

Assistive Technology Center

Autism workshop and lending library The Pilot Club of Manhattan focuses on projects that help people with autism and their parents and caregivers. For the past five years, the club has hosted a workshop featuring speakers who touch on autism. “There are workshops in Kansas City and Wichita. But for parents with kids, especially autistic kids, we found it was too far for them to travel,” says Karen Schroeder, Pilot Club of Manhattan member. According to Helen Miller, autism coordinator for Manhattan-Ogden USD 383, there are about 120 autistic children in the school district. The Pilot Club workshops allow families to learn more about the characteristics of autism and strategies that can help their children. “Families have an opportunity to network with other families,” says Miller. “They are able to share concerns and successes and learn more about the resources available to children and families in this community.”

The Little Apple Pilot Club has cast a wider net by supporting patrons of the Manhattan Public Library. New furniture and technology were provided as a result of a grant from the Little Apple Pilot Club and Pilot International. “We were able to donate $10,000 to the Manhattan library, for their Assistive Technology Center, to purchase new equipment and upgraded software for use by the patrons with brain-related disorders,” says Deloris Berland, member of Little Apple Pilot Club. “The adjustable tables can move up and down to allow wheelchair access.” The club purchased three new computers—two Dell PCs and a 27-inch iMac—plus a flatbed Epson scanner, upgraded software, ADAcompliant workstations and four task chairs. Ann Pearce, who supervises the Assistive Technology Center for the Manhattan Public Library, says there is a real need for this type of technology. “People shop, check weather, pay their taxes, take classes and communicate using technology,” she says. “If a person has a barrier that makes it difficult or impossible to use technology, then they cannot participate in the modern world.” The library offers several software solutions for patrons. The iMac is equipped with Zoom, a screen magnification program, and VoiceOver, a screen reader. It also offers OpenBook, which is a scanand-read program that converts text to speech. “The grant has made a huge difference in our ability to provide this service to the residents of Manhattan and surrounding areas,” says Pearce.

Interested in joining a Pilot Club?

Margie Yeager

Pilot Club is a professional service organization. Manhattan has three clubs: Little Apple Pilot Club, Pilot Club of Manhattan and Sunflower Pilot Club. “The only criteria to join is your willingness to be of service to the community,” says Deloris Berland, member of Little Apple Pilot Club. To help fund their service projects, the clubs have various fundraisers. “We welcome anyone who would like to join,” says Nancy Grieshaber, Sunflower Pilot Club member. “We really enjoy each other, whether it be at meetings or working on one of our fundraising endeavors or projects.”

manhattan magazine

Little Apple Pilot Club Shirley DeLano (785) 776-4845 Pilot Club of Manhattan Karen Schroeder (785) 485-5526 Sunflower Pilot Club Nancy Grieshaber (785) 776-8141

| for the family

| Story by Jacie Noel

Little Apple Mommies

s moms know all too well, finding activities for their children can sometimes be a challenge. Never fear, the Little Apple Mommies are here. This local group has helped moms overcome the activity challenge by providing activities for their children—as well as themselves. The group was launched in October 2008 by a military mom who was in a similar group before moving to Manhattan. Sarah Green, the current organizer, came across the group when she began looking for playgroups. She says she needed friends who also had kids, so she looked online and found Little Apple Mommies on the Meetup.com website. Meetup.com helps people create groups and meet friends who have similar interests. Members of the Little Apple Mommies group are able to connect online and schedule events. “There may be other social networking groups, but this gets you face to face. That’s the whole point of Meetup. com,” says Valerie Whiteley, assistant organizer for the group.

Local feel There are close to 90 members in the group, which includes moms from Manhattan, Junction City and surrounding areas. Once a mom requests to join the Little Apple Mommies, current members will arrange a meeting for new members in a public place. This lets current members and new members know that everyone is there for the same reason and provides a safe atmosphere. After becoming a member, moms can start posting events to the group’s calendar, which lets

Moms create a support system to make the job a little easier

TOP Jackson Green plays while mom Sarah Green gets some downtime with others at Little Apple Mommies. CENTER The group was created to offer moms more opportunities for playdates and interaction in Manhattan. BOTTOM Allie Kohuas takes care of her dolly.

manhattan magazine

| Photography by Cathy Mores

for the family |

Little Apple Mommies www.meetup.com/ Little-Apple-Mommies-of-Manhattan everyone know what events and playgroups are happening monthly. Members also have access to a message board and a place to upload photos of their activities. “The biggest part of our group is the calendar and to have events almost every day,” says Green. “We’ve had almost 500 events in the past two years.” Events can include playgroups at a member’s house, playdates at the park or community happenings such as story time at the Manhattan Public Library. “I find out things through the website, like Sing-A-Long with Mr. Steve, that I have never heard of before,” says Melendra Sanders, who joined the group in August. “There ends up being a lot of word-ofmouth advertising.” Other events include a summer kickoff barbecue, fall potluck and holiday party. The group also can be a great resource for families new to the area. They can find out about the group or information on neighborhoods, schools and doctors. “A lot of people are moving to our community for different reasons,” Green says. “[The group] works in Manhattan because of the transient nature of the population.”

Support system Families are able to stay up-to-date on community activities as well. “Without being in the group, I wouldn’t have known all the other stuff that goes on in the library or around town,” says Christine Guenther, co-organizer for the group. “We want our calendar to be a clearinghouse of family events going on in the area,” Green says. “It’s good for people to have somewhere to go and know what’s going on for kids in town.” The main focus of the group is to give moms and their children something to do, rather than serve as a parenting resource. “Part of being in a moms group in general is getting advice,” Whiteley says. “You don’t have anyone telling you what to do. But if you need advice or support, it’s always there.” The group also tries to have a Mom’s Night Out once a month, when the women go out to dinner without their children.

All encompassing All kinds of families are encouraged to join—even fathers. “We have all kinds of moms in the group: full-time working moms, parttime working moms, military families or students at K-State,” Green says. “I feel like it’s a good reflection of our community.” Whiteley says the group allows members to schedule and participate in events at times that work best for them. “If you’re not available until 3 p.m. every day, you can suggest meeting at the park at 3,” she says. “Members have the freedom to do that.” Green says Little Apple Mommies provides opportunities for moms and their families to get out and do things. “If I didn’t have this resource, I really don’t know what I would have done when I had a kid,” she says. “It’s so convenient to get online and be like, ‘Wow, here’s a group for me.’”

manhattan magazine

| for the family

| Story by Donna F. Ekart

| Photography by Cathy Mores

Building a family

he picture shows a dark-eyed baby, smiling broadly. “That’s me, from Guatemala,” says 4-year-old Macie Ellner with a big smile. The photo has come out after a parade of Guatemalan toys that Macie has received as birthday gifts, including a brightly painted truck that her younger brother Miles wheels across the coffee table. Her parents, Mark and Jill Ellner, purchased a stockpile of Guatemalan items for Macie and her 7-year-old adoptive brother Marcus. “We try to keep that culture a part of their lives as much as possible,” says Jill, a dentist and Manhattan native. Each year the children receive a gift from their birth country. Manhattan has a community of families who have adopted children from Guatemala, including two in Macie’s preschool class. The Ellners have hosted several events for the families, usually around September 15, which is Guatemalan Independence Day. The couple began the event the year they brought Marcus home and later expanded it to include any adoptive family, not just those with Guatemalan ties. “There’s a quick connection,” says Mark, a former teacher and current stay-at-

Adoption opens a world of new traditions for parents and children

TOP Authentic Guatemalan toys. center The Ellner family from left, Marcus, Jill, Miles, Mark and Macie, reads a book together. All three children are adopted. Bottom Macie and Marcus were adopted from Guatemala.

manhattan magazine

for the family |

Adoption links Local: TFI Family Services Inc. 116 S. Fourth St., Suite 1, Manhattan www.tfifamilyservices.org Catholic Charities 323 Poyntz Ave, Suite 102, Manhattan www.manhattancatholiccharities.org Kansas Children’s Service League (877) 530-5275 www.kcsl.org International: Christian World Adoption www.cwa.org Children’s Hope International www.childrenshopeint.org home dad. “You just get their stories right away, because they’re so familiar. It’s definitely a passion for us.” For the Ellners, that passion meant never questioning whether they would adopt. Mark’s extended family includes several adopted children, many through the Christian World Adoption agency that Mark and Jill used to find Marcus and Macie. “International adoptions have so many opportunities for things to go wrong, and you have no control whatsoever,” says Mark. Jill adds: “Because of that, we really needed the reassurance of going with an organization we knew was trustworthy.” International adoptions can be chaotic affairs with ever-shifting requirements for documentation and signatures. “English, Spanish, notarized, not notarized—it’s a stack of papers like this,” says Jill, holding one hand about 6 inches over the other. “And it changes every day. They knew us at UPS by name.” Adoptive parents must be willing and able to travel on a moment’s notice. While the Ellners were able to visit only Marcus in Guatemala prior to the final adoptions, the trips to bring them home were anything but leisurely, particularly with Macie. They received a call on a Wednesday in January 2007 saying they’d need to be there to get her Saturday. The Ellners arrived at 3 p.m. and were with Macie by 3:30. Their flight to Guatemala and their hotel were filled with other adoptive parents. Even with Macie in their arms, though, there was no relaxing. “You’re not in control until you’re back in the U.S. and driving away in your own car,” says Mark. Not every international adoption moves quickly. The process can be agonizingly slow at times, as Amy and Dennis Brox know. “It was two years from the time we turned in our application to Children’s Hope to the time we first held Anthony at his orphanage in Vietnam,” says Amy, strategic process assistant for Capstone3D in Manhattan. “The last seven months of that wait were very hard. We received our

manhattan magazine

TOP The Brox children, Anthony and Lydia. Image Courtesy of A. Sterling Photography ABOVE Amy and Dennis Brox adopted Anthony from Vietnam in 2008. Image Courtesy of A. Sterling Photography

| for the family

“Each day when I look at our children, I am overcome with such thankfulness that I am able to be their mother.”

– Amy Brox

Lydia and Anthony Brox run with their cousins on the Kansas State University campus.

first photos of Anthony in November 2007, and didn’t get to hold him until May 28, 2008, when he was 9½ months old.” Dennis, the manufacturing engineering manager for Auth-Florence, and Amy chose Children’s Hope International for their adoption, citing many of the same reasons as the Ellners. “They are a reputable agency with great recommendations, who we could trust,” Amy says. “They had social workers in the city where we lived that provided wonderful personal counseling. They also facilitated monthly adoption training meetings to help prepare us for adoption and connect us with other families.” The Broxes, who have lived in Manhattan for two years, also have a biological daughter, Lydia, who is 7. But difficulties with pregnancy led them to adoption in order to expand their family. International adoptions aren’t the only option for local families. The Ellners’ youngest child, Miles, was born here in Kansas. They worked with the Kansas

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Children’s Service League and were one of the earliest families to adopt with the infant program. In contrast to Marcus and Macie, who were brought home at 4 and 8 months old, 2-year-old Miles has lived with the Ellners his entire life; the pair were even the first to hold him in the hospital. “It’s a little different experience from an attachment perspective,” says Mark. “And because Miles looks like he could be our biological child, people just assume he’s not adopted.” Regardless of the circumstance, though, one thing is certain—these families are full of love. In the Ellner house, amid a swirl of kids, toys, dogs and conversations that superficially might seem frenzied, there is real peace, warmth and joy that even a stranger can’t miss. They’re not alone in that. Echoing the sentiments of parents everywhere, Amy says, “Each day when I look at our children, I am overcome with such thankfulness that I am able to be their mother.”

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| get away

| Story by Gloria Gale

| Photography courtesy of Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau

Asheville’s happy populace connects with creativity in this lively North Carolina mountain town with an offbeat attitude

Beacon on the Ridge

osey around Asheville, North Carolina, a while and you’re likely to see bumper stickers flaunting “Keep Asheville Weird.” The irreverence sums up what many residents treasure: Asheville is downright unconventional. At any moment, a spontaneous sidewalk sideshow may erupt with dancing, rapping, drumming—even a poetry reading. Performances featuring music, art or theater abound, as it seems there’s something always perking in this mountain town of 70,000.

Blessed with bliss There’s a lot to crow about in Asheville, which routinely ranks in the top 50 globally and top 10 nationally for authenticity, stewardship and integrity of place, according to National Geographic Traveler. Stunningly situated on a crest of the nation’s most popular scenic highway, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville is where more

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motorists jump on and off the 470-mile route than any other point. Many folks linger, smitten with the area’s natural beauty and strong sense of community, and some end up staying. It’s a tradition that started in the late 1800s when the railroad carried fresh and hopeful passengers from the East Coast in search of sweet mountain air and warm Southern charm. Asheville attracted people with money, power and a taste for affluence who formed a cohesive, convivial community. These dynamic elements haven’t waned and continue to propel this town. Asheville’s rich literary tradition once nurtured prolific literary figures O. Henry, F. Scott Fitzgerald and favorite son Thomas Wolfe. Today, the town continues to attract authors who find its Southern charm irresistible. “It certainly drew me in,” says former Kansas Citian Linda Kavanaugh, now an Asheville resident. “I figured it was a small town in a pretty setting. That’s true. … It is in a very pretty setting, but the attitude is anything but small town. There’s a sense that people matter here. Keeping Asheville weird, and I mean that in a good way, is a happy byproduct of a thriving arts and vibrant music scene, an established local farm-to-table movement plus an abundance of activities 24/7.”

Base Camp A primary lure is Asheville’s spectacular mountain setting. The Great Smoky Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian Trail are all within a stone’s throw, ripe for day treks, white water rafting, kayaking and cycling. Two local favorites, hiking to the summit of Max Patch Bald and cycling in the Pisgah National Forest, offer invigorating day trips. It’s not just the lush geography that tempts. “You won’t want to miss our downtown,” says Kavanaugh, expounding on Pack Square, the city’s historic centerpiece that recently was transformed into a park featuring a sculptural fountain and green space that hosts dozens of civic events.

Pumped for discovery A dynamic renaissance is evident downtown. Catch the trolley, ride a Segway or simply stroll past the public art galleries and studios and soak in the Art Deco architecture. Options at the city’s 200-plus eateries are plentiful and imaginative. Dine at the historic Grove Arcade, The Market Place, French

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“I figured it was a small town in a pretty setting. That’s true. … It is in a very pretty setting, but the attitude is anything but small town.”

– Linda Kavanaugh

Broad Chocolate Lounge, Lexington Avenue Brewery or Tupelo Honey Cafe. Or grab fresh produce and goods straight from the farm at one of the city’s many tailgates or farmer’s markets. Cap off an evening at The Orange Peel Social Aid & Pleasure Club, voted by Rolling Stone magazine as one of America’s top five rock clubs. Not far from downtown lies the River Arts District, a thriving hub of warehouses brimming with traditional and cutting-edge studios, boutiques and cafes. Thousands of artists and craftspeople open their studios routinely with signs announcing “It’s OK To Touch,” perpetuating Asheville’s fun and friendly reputation. In contrast to Asheville’s compact urban core, George Vanderbilt’s 16th century French masterpiece, the Biltmore estate, is an enduring legacy to extravagance. The 250-room mansion, only minutes from downtown, is the largest private residence in North America. Tour the lavish home and surrounding 8,000 acres of gardens, winery and sustainable River Bend Farm. But if split rail fences, tobacco barns and covered bridges are more to your liking, head to the nearest hill and enjoy these iconic structures. Asheville leaves a progressive yet genuine impression. “If you stay here long enough, you’ll never be bored. There’s always a festival, a seasonal menu brewing and over a million acres of the country’s most scenic, undisturbed wilderness to stimulate the senses,” says Kavanaugh.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail www.appalachiantrail.org Blue Ridge Parkway www.Blueridgeparkway75.org Grove Arcade www.grovearcade.com Biltmore www.biltmore.com Downtown Asheville www.ashevilledowntown.org River Arts District www.riverartsdistrict.com

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Jan-March ’11

e v e n t s

January 8

Tuttle Creek Lake Eagle Day Start at the

January 27

Manhattan Fire Station for two presentations featuring live birds of prey, then migrate to Tuttle Creek via bus to catch a glimpse of the bald eagles nesting near the lake. 9 a.m.-noon (785) 539-8511, ext. 3167.

January 8 February 19

Tar Creek Project Gallery Exhibit Photographer Vaughn Wascovich shares his images from the Tar Creek Superfund Site in Oklahoma, one of the most polluted areas in the United States, at the Manhattan Arts Center. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. MondayFriday and 1-4 p.m. Saturday (785) 537-4420. www.manhattanarts.org

January 14

Hale Library Concert Series Mezzo-soprano

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Patricia Thompson will sing Schumann’s “Frauenliebe und leben” and Argento’s “From The Diary of Virginia Woolf” in the Hemisphere Room. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for students. 7:30 p.m. (785) 5377656. www.lib.k-state. edu/friends/

Why Materials Matter Lecture by

“Material Evidence” exhibition curator Gerry Craig at the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art. “Material Evidence” focuses on the work of eight international artists. Exhibit is open through February 6. 4:30 p.m. (785) 532-7718. http:// beach.k-state.edu/

February 3-6, 9-12 Humble Boy

A comedy about broken vows, failed hopes and the joys of beekeeping presented by Kansas State Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Nichols Theatre. (785) 532-6878. http://cstd.kstate.edu/Theatre/index. html

February 25-27, March 3-6 Drinking Alone

The Manhattan Arts Center presents a romantic comedy set amid a dysfunctional family reunion. 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. (785) 537-4420. www. manhattanarts.org

February 26-27 Flint Hills Home Show Get innovative

ideas to build new or update your existing home at the Flint Hills Home Show. Displays will feature home decorating products that can help you save money and upgrade what you have. Events begin at 9 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday. Manhattan National Guard Armory. (785) 532-9080. www. flinthillsbuilders.com/

March 4-5

Flint Hills Festival of Wines Friday night

will feature a wine dinner and live auction at the Manhattan Country Club. Tickets are $105 each. Saturday’s events at the Clarion Hotel feature a tasting and a silent and live auction. Tickets for Saturday are $50 each. Proceeds benefit Homecare & Hospice. (785) 537-0688. www.flinthillswinefest. com

March 4-6

Manhattan Public Library Annual Book Sale sponsored by the Manhattan Library Association Proceeds benefit library programming and services. Sale starts at 5:30 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. www. manhattan.lib.ks.us

March 14

Gaelic Storm After a near sold-out show during the 2008-2009 season, Gaelic Storm returns to McCain Auditorium. This group of talented musicians was thrust into stardom 10 years ago as the steerage band in the movie Titanic. Tickets start at $20. (785) 5326428. www.k-state.edu/ mccain

Drapery World and Blinds 317 B Poyntz • Manhattan, Kansas 66502

All events are subject to change. E-mail your upcoming events for the calendar to manhattanmagazine@sunflowerpub.com