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www.theactiveage.com April 2026 Kansas’ Largest Newspaper Printed at Valley Center, KS
Vol 47 No. 5
Riding to the rescue
Ande Armstrong leads equine sanctuary
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By Tammy Allen VALLEY CENTER — Ande Armstrong speaks softly to the frail red mare as she slips a halter over her head, slowly walking her to a trailer. The emaciated horse’s spine and hipbones jut out sharply as she hesitates, then, with Armstrong’s encouragement, steps in for a ride to the vet. The horse — Dolly — has just been brought to Armstrong for care, and it’s the start of another day at Hope In The Valley Equine Rescue and Sanctuary. Armstrong, who founded the operation more than 20 years ago, has been a lifesaver for both humans and horses, donkeys and mules. Born to animal-loving parents, Armstrong describes their home in Valley Center as “the neighborhood Humane Society,” where injured or lost animals were brought for help. On weekends with her grandparents, she insisted on visiting Kiddieland for
pony rides. Finally, on her 13th birthday, her grandparents bought Armstrong her first horse, a Welsh pony. Horses remained part of her life as she earned her paramedic’s license, rode the ambulances with Sedgwick County EMS and graduated with a nursing degree from Butler Community College. Recruited by Wesley Photo by Kelly Benton Medical Center’s air Ande Armstrong walks Stormy, who came to ambulance service, Hope in The Valley so emaciated he could not stand. Today he is healthy, happy and, according LifeWATCH, Armstrong flew with to volunteers, bossy. medical crews in her to step away from LifeWATCH’s fixed-wing planes and helicopters, 24-hour shifts, and she moved into responding to major accidents, medical emergency room and cardiac nursing’s emergencies and other traumas. more stable schedules. She was drawn Adopting two girls convinced See Rescue, page 6
Martial artist carries on legacy
By Joe Stumpe Twirling a long, curved sword in each hand, Grace WuMonnat spins and traces a swift figure eight in the air with the blades. A safe distance away, Pat McCoy tries to follow along with his own pair of broadswords. “They kind of travel together,” WuMonnat tells McCoy, Grace Wu-Monnat leads students in a weapa retired physician ons class at her martial arts school, which she who is her student, opened 40 years ago. adding a quick A few minutes later, Wu-Monnat “Good!” as he comes closer to catching leads three more students through on. a series of quick thrusts and pivots “Okay, something to work on,” See Martial, page 8 McCoy says.
Questions about services?
Central Plains Area Agency on Aging/Sedgwick County Department on Aging: 316-660-7298 or 1-800-367-7298
Park City's new senior center will help anchor the city's new downtown development, Park Centre.
Park City opens new senior center By Joe Stumpe PARK CITY — If there’s such a thing as senior center envy, the new one here is likely to induce it. The $5.7 million, 13,000-squarefeet Park City Senior Center opened in late February at 1811 Stuart Dr., near the intersection of 61st and Hydraulic. It's about three times larger than the city’s previous senior center, which was built in 1997. “It’s a pretty fantastic building,” center director Madison Pfluger said. A large gathering space topped by a mural of a Kansas wheatfield greets visitors. It’s connected to a spacious catering kitchen. There are craft, game and conference rooms; a billiards room with three new regulation-size tables; a fitness studio for group classes and an exercise studio with four new cardio machines; a library and offices for staff. “I’d say everything is an upgrade,” Pfluger said. “We essentially got everything new and improved.” There’s also a large space that can be rented for birthday parties, wedding and other events. It will generate revenue and can be used by the senior center when not reserved. Pfluger and assistant city administrator Dana Walden said a couple of factors came together to make the new senior center a reality. In 2023, Park City voters overwhelming approved a 1-cent sales tax increase. A chief selling point was that much of that tax would be paid by nonresidents patronizing Park City businesses such as the QuickTrip at 61st Street and U.S. 135 — one of the busiest in Kansas — a nearby See Park City, page 12
Butler County: (316) 775-0500 or 1-800-279-3655 Harvey County: (316) 284-6880 or 1-800-279-3655