Active aging
April 2015 • Vol. 36-No. 5
Hey You January 2004 • Vol. 25-No.2
Informing 112,000 55+ readers Southcentral Kansas Serving 80,000 Readers in in South Central Kansas
May 1 we’re getting a face lift & new name to better serve our readers. Questions About Services? Central Plains Area Agency on Aging (Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick Counties) 1-855-200-2372 or call your county Department on Aging Harvey County 284-6880 1-800-750-7993 Butler County 775-0500 1-800-279-3655 Active Aging: 316-942-5385
ACTIVE AGING PUBLISHING, INC 125 S West St., Suite 105 Wichita, Ks 67213
Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Wichita, KS 67276 Permit 1711
www.activeagingonline.com
Keeping the polls open By David Dinell April 7 – election day – will be a long day for Delores Burris. She is a poll worker, one of hundreds of volunteers who wake up extremely early and go to an assigned polling place to ensure that the process runs smoothly and voters receive assistance. Poll workers arrive at 4:45 a.m. and often work until 8 p.m. They must stay at the polling place all day, which means they have to take food, medicine and anything else they need to make it through the day. They are paid a stipend Delores Burris which works out to about minimum wage. But Burris, like others, does it because she believes in elections. “I’ve al-
ways voted,” said the 72-year-old retiree. A friend got her involved in being a poll worker about five years ago, and she’s been a part of each election since.
Polls Open April 7
Elections for city council, mayor and school board members in Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick County will be held Tuesday, April 7. In Sedgwick County, polls are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you aren’t sure about your polling place, call the Sedgwick County Election Commissioner at 316-660-7100. In Harvey and Butler counties, polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For poll information in Harvey County call 316-284-6840. In Butler County call 316-3224239.
People such as Burris are vital to elections running smoothly, said Sandra Gritz, chief deputy election commissioner for the Sedgwick County Election Office. “Those poll workers are the face of the elections,” she said. “We couldn’t do it without them.” Fortunately, she said, there are many dedicated workers who have a high regard for the voting process and return election after election. Election days go through cycles, Burris said. It can be busy early; there often are people waiting in line at 6 a.m. when the polls open. But there also can be “dead times.” It generally picks up late in the day. Polls stay open to 7 p.m. but anyone in line is allowed to vote, although the doors are closed to those who come even later. People need a photo ID to vote, but they can vote even if they show up at the wrong precinct, she said. There is a supervising
See Polls, page 14
theater volunteers essential By Bob Curtright Jennifer Allen won’t bother to sugarcoat it: No volunteers, no Orpheum Theatre. “We literally could not open our doors, much less keep them open, without our wonderful volunteers,” said Allen, president of the nonprofit group restoring the historically significant 1922 vaudeville house into a performing arts center. “They are absolutely essential. We are deeply indebted to them for their generosity of time,” Allen said. Bailey Vaughn, the Orpheum’s house manager, who coordinates volunteer schedules as well as concessions and supplies, agreed. “These people don’t volunteer to take tickets, usher or work the concessions just to get to see the shows free. They take their job seriously. They are active in the community, and they have an obvious love for the theater,” Vaughn said. “I have a list of about 100 names to draw from, but there are about 40 who can be counted on to work every show if we need them.” For the past decade, the Orpheum has offered a diverse schedule of classic and specialty movies, from Sound of Music sing-a-longs to Oscar-nominated shorts to locally-made premieres; dance programs from exotic belly-dancers to the Moscow Ballet’s Nutcracker; comedian such as Lisa Lampanelli and Craig Ferguson; and concerts from legends such as B.B. King and Glen Campbell to Beatles, Queen and ABBA tribute bands and Kris Kristofferson and Lyle Lovett.
Photo by David Dinell
Larry White, in his bright red coat, is the first person most visitors to See Orpheum, page 12 the Orpheum will meet as he opens the door.