Just for Kicks
Weekly soccer game draws players of all ages and backgrounds
By Carl Williams
Working in Wichita’s aircraft industry during the 1960s, Herb Schnoetzinger met many other immigrants from around the world.
Whatever the cultural and language barriers, they often shared a love of the world’s most popular sport — soccer (actually, “football” to most of the world).
It was through those new friends that Schnoetzinger, a native of Germany, joined the Wichita Soccer Club. But the Soccer Club played competitively, meaning older players
often didn’t get to participate as much as they liked.
So in 1974, Schnoetzinger started a weekly pickup soccer game at Linwood Park in south Wichita. Fifty years later, it’s still going strong.
See Soccer, page 8
One-fourth of Kansas nursing homes ‘problem’ facilities
By Tim Carpenter Kansas Reflector
A national coalition’s report says one-fourth of Kansas’ 300 nursing homes were categorized as problem facilities due to substandard care and persistent compliance issues.
The Long-Term Care Community Coalition’s latest summary, based on the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ five-star quality rating system, showed 24.6% of nursing facilities in the United States were designated “problem facilities”
after receiving a one-star rating. In Kansas, 25.2% of nursing homes had that lowly score based on inspection reports, staffing levels and other quality measures. Nine facilities in the three-county area served by The Active Age currently have one-star ratings.
Dan Goodman, executive director of Kansas Advocates for Better Care, called it a “really bleak picture. “Particularly we’re concerned with the lack of staffing at these facilities.
See Nursing, page 6
With journalists in short supply, Wichita Documenters keep eye on public meetings
By Joe Stumpe
The journalism industry is in crisis, and there aren’t nearly enough reporters around to cover all the public meetings they used to attend.
So what if a small army of citizens could be recruited to attend and make a record of those meetings?
That’s kind of the idea behind Wichita Documenters, a program launched earlier this year. Retired librarian Sharon Ailslieger is one of the Documenters.
“I believe in civic engagement, and I think people should be aware of what’s going on in their government,
especially at the local level,” Ailslieger said.
“At first, the weekly kick-around was meant for players 35 or older,” Schnoetzinger said. “But, over the years, as players faded away due to age, moving away or other reasons, we opened it up to players of any age. The younger players filled spots left by the See Documenters,
Affiliated with the national
Documenters Network, Wichita Documenters is funded by the Wichita Foundation and managed by the Kansas Leadership Center in partnership with members of the Wichita Journalism Collaborative (of which The Active Age is a member). The program’s initial funding is for three years.
The work of Ailslieger and other Documenters can be found online at documenters.org.
Ailslieger spent her career as a librarian for Boeing, Friends University, Garden City and
If you are receiving
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942-5385 or emailing joe@theactiveage.com.
Photos by Carl Williams Javier Miermier controls the ball during the weekly soccer game at Linwood Park.
Herb Schnoetzinger and Jacob Tef are soccer-playing pals from Germany and Ethiopia, respectively.
Linda Shriver, left, and Sharon Ailslieger are Wichita Documenters.
‘The Magnificent Seven’ ride again (and again)
By Joe Stumpe
EL
DORADO
— They called themselves “The Magnificent Seven.”
At least when no one else could hear.
In truth, the group of seven friends from El Dorado High School’s class of '67 weren’t the type to wind up in the headlines or principal’s office.
“We weren’t the wild bunch, and I guess that’s a lot of the reason we started out hanging out together,” Teresa Bachman said.
And still do, at least once a year. Since reconnecting for a shared 50th birthday party, most of the seven — Bachman, Barbara Templin, Diane Trask, Nancy Kendall, Marcia Callaway, Sondy Moreland and Joyce Vietti — have gotten together once a year for reunions in places ranging from Wichita to Colorado and Savannah, Ga.
The friends were in one of the last classes to graduate from the 1930s-era high school on Central Avenue — part of which lives on as the city’s splendidly restored Performing Arts Center — before the current one was built on the north side of town. Some of their mothers had been among the first to graduate from the old school. They were in classes and
extracurricular activities together and coalesced the way groups of friends do.
At a time of famously rebellious teens — well, when aren’t they? — “we were pretty straightlaced, we really were,” Trask said. “But it was fun to ride in Marcia’s Jeep and go out to the lake.”
That would be Bluestem Lake or the original El Dorado Lake, now both incorporated into the current El Dorado Lake constructed in the 1970s. The seven never completely lost track of each other, but like many people, they spent the years after high school focusing on work and family. Three became teachers. One worked for a hospital. Bachman worked for a bank and then the Kansas Oil Museum here. Task was a crime analyst for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Only two still live in El Dorado, although most are within a couple hours’ drive.
Since they started their annual gettogethers, Trask said, “It’s almost like we’re better friends now than we were in high school.”
“We get together, and it just seems like the years fall away,” Bachman said. “None of us thinks we’re as old as we are, of course. Everybody is just about the same gal we went to school with.
Our husbands will say, ‘And you talked for nine hours? What did you say for nine hours?’ Well, you know.”
The seven were recently featured in an alumni spotlight put out by El Dorado schools, with “then and now” photographs that required a little digital trickery for the older photo: Joyce’s image was superimposed onto the hood of the Marcia’s Jeep. But it’s not really misleading. All seven had been on the outing together but they’d had only one camera among them and so had to take two photos to capture everyone. Yes, it was long time before cellphones.
The seven enjoy reminiscing about times like those but are still making new memories, too.
“We just enjoy being together,” Trask said. “We all have other friends that we’re real close to, but this group has really been a blessing.”
Above are friends from El Dorado High School’s class of ’67. Sitting, left to right: Nancy Kendall (Dowell), Joyce Vietti (Haynes), Diane Trask (Higgs); standing left to right: Marcia Callaway (Hill), Sondy Moreland (Jones), Teresa Bachman (Doornbos) and Barbara Templin (Derstein). At top, the seven are pictured during high school. From left to right are Barbara, Diane, Nancy, Marcia, Sondy, Teresa and Joyce.
Briefs
Old time radio back
EL DORADO — The Kansas Oil Museum is reimagining a live radio broadcast of the 1930s with a production called “Oil Town Jamboree!” Written by Ken Spurgeon, the show features music, drama and comedy along with guest stars Orin Friesen and Annie Wilson. The show takes place at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at the museum, 383 E. Central Ave. Tickets are $15, available at the museum and online.
WW II vet feted
Richard Martin, right, was saluted by an honor guard from McConnell Air Force Base plus dozens of family,
friends and fellow veterans on his 100th birthday July 3 at the Park West Plaza senior community. Martin, who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, is shown accepting a membership from American Legion Post No. 4.
Revolution highlighted
The local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter is hosting a traveling exhibition called “The American Revolution Experience” at the Advanced Learning Library Aug. 11-16. The free exhibit, a collaboration of the American Battlefield Trust and national D.A.R., features display panels and interactive kiosks to highlight some of the people, places and principles involved in the nation’s quest for independence. The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence comes in 2026.
Enrichment series on NORTH NEWTON — The 48th year of Bethel College’s Life Enrichment series for people 60 and older is underway. The sessions are held each Wednesday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. in Krehbiel Auditorium on the Bethel campus. The cost is $40 per semester or $4 per week. For more information, visit Bethelks.edu/life-enrichment.
VA Benefits Office moves
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (in red tie above) helped officially open the new VA Regional Benefits Office last month during a ceremony also attended by VA Secretary Denis McDonough, left, Donna MeyerHickel, director of the Wichita VA Regional Office, and VA Deputy Under Secretary for Benefits Mike Frueh. Originally located in the basement of the VA’s Robert J. Dole Medical Center, the new office at 9111 E. Douglas, Suite 200, will give staff more space to serve veterans seeking benefits, Meyer-Hickel said.
Help kids read
The United Way of the Plains is seeking volunteers for its Read to Succeed program. Reading coaches meet weekly with third-grade students to listen to them read and help improve their literacy skills. Free training is provided. Last year, 205 volunteers at 24 local schools participated. Above, volunteer Susan Otterness is shown with Adams Elementary School student Xochitl Hernandez. For more information or to sign up, visit unitedwayplains.org and click on “Get Involved.”
West High reunion
Graduates of Wichita West High School’s class of 1974 are holding their 50th reunion Oct. 18-19. To register, visit https://www. WichitaWestHigh74.com and select “First Time Visitors.”
Thank You Recent Donors!
Honor Roll of Donors
Going paperless?
A free digital copy of The Active Age is now available. The digital copy can be “flipped through” like a regular newspaper, and the type can be enlarged on your phone or computer. To have the digital version emailed to you each month, call (316) 942-5384 or email joe@theactiveage.com
Donate via our QR code This QR code will take you to The Active Age’s secure PayPal donation page.
Donate for chance to win Botanica membership
Donate at least $50 to The Active Age, and you could win a family membership to Botanica. The Active Age holds a drawing for a family membership each month from among people on our Honor Roll list of donors.
Ticket winners
This month's winner is Ron Helten. Donations may be made by calling 316-942-5385; through our website, theactiveage.com; by mail to The Active Age, 125 S. West St., Suite 105, Wichita, KS, 67213; or in person.
Congratulations to the winners of our drawing for tickets to the National Baseball Conference World Series: Brenda Ferguson, David Gordon, Donald Haun, Rosellen Luttrell, Rob Johnson, Marie Stutey, Martin Francis, Jerome Nilles, Dixie LaBrue, Nancy Bettis, Anthony Windholz, Stephen McKedy, Bernald Collins, Daniel Smith, Terryxc Hollinger, David Omudsen, Gary Jones, Steve Benoit, Bob Stuhlsatz and Roberta Trent.
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Published by Active Aging Publishing, Inc.
The Active Age, published the first of each month, is distributed in Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick counties.
To subscribe, call 316-942-5385, write The Active Age or visit theactiveage. com.
Editor: Joe Stumpe joe@theactiveage.com
Advertising Manager: Teresa Schmied teresa@theactiveage.com
Business Manager: Tammara Fogle tammara@theactiveage.com Board of Directors
President: Sharon Van Horn
Vice President: Susan Armstrong • Treasurer: Diana Wolfe
Board Members: Mary Corrigan • Al Higdon • Jennifer Lasley
Tim Marlar • Linda Matney • Patti Sullivan • Tiya Tonn
Nursing
From Page 1
Kansas currently ranks 46th in the nation as far as staffing long-term care facilities compared to other states. The amount of staffing in those facilities directly impacts the overall care that residents receive.”
Goodman said there was an unsettling correlation between low staffing levels and the frequency in use of medications to control nursing home residents. Those drugs could be detrimental to the health and quality of life for elderly people, he said.
He said staffing shortages in longterm care facilities also contributed to failure to deliver routine care, including basics of brushing teeth or using the restroom, and could extend to frequency of dangerous falls as well as premature death.
Federal staffing mandate
There’s disagreement about how to improve nursing homes.
In April, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, also known as CMS, published a rule that would reform long-term nursing care facilities serving 1.2 million residents across the country. The agency order would increase the required staff-toresident ratio, mandate a registered nurse be on site 24 hours per day
and expand regulations related to assessments of the facilities.
The requirements, to be implemented over a three-year period, prioritized safety and health care quality while taking into consideration workforce challenges some facilities may experience, especially those in rural areas. The rules on overall staffing would take effect in 2026 for urban facilities and in 2027 for rural facilities.
U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, has sought to reverse the new long-term care regulations embraced by the administration of President Joe Biden. Marshall, who is a physician, said the regulations were “unnecessary” and would lead to closures of nursing homes in Kansas.
“These overly burdensome rules will be devastating to nursing homes in Kansas, especially those in rural areas,” Marshall said. “The unfunded mandates will further increase operating costs and exacerbate the existing nursing shortage. There is no evidence that these regulations will improve the quality of patient care. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Marshall and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, endorsed a congressional resolution that would, if passed, nullify the nursing home rules adopted by CMS.
Marshall co-sponsored a bill that
AGE RESTRICTED
would prohibit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from implementing the minimum staffing rule in instances where imposition of the order diminished access to care. The bill was endorsed by LeadingAge Kansas, the Kansas Hospital Association and the Kansas Health Care Association/Kansas Center for Assisted Living.
“Our nursing homes are committed to providing the highest quality care in Kansas and stand ready to work on real solutions for the continuing workforce crisis in long term care,” said Rachel Monger, president and CEO of LeadingAge Kansas. “The federal government cannot mandate staff where none exists.”
Inside the numbers
Goodman, of Kansas Advocates for Better Care, said the federal rating system indicated 77 of the 306 nursing homes in Kansas were “problem” facilities. The analysis indicated onethird of for-profit nursing facilities in Kansas had low scores.
A federal government report in November concluded for-profit nursing facilities tended to have lower quality ratings, fewer registered nurses and more safety violations.
nursing homes before making personal decisions, but also consider who owned and operated the nursing homes.
“I think for consumers it’s important not to go just solely based off the five-star metric system,” Hastings said. “I think it’s important to look at your inspections. You should go visit the facilities unannounced.”
‘Problem’ facilities in Butler, Sedgwick and Harvey counties
These facilities received one-star ratings (out of a possible five) from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services:
Advena Living at Fountainview, 601 N. Rose Hill Rd., Rose Hill
Clearwater Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, 620 E. Wood St., Clearwater
Diversicare of Sedgwick, 712 N. Monroe Ave., Sedgwick
Lakepoint Wichita, 1315 N. West St., Wichita
Life Care Center of Andover, 621 W. 21st St., Andover
Medicalodges Goddard, 501 Easy St., Goddard
Meridian Rehabilitation and Heath Care Center, 1555 N. Meridian Orchard Gardens, 1600 S. Woodlawn Blvd., Wichita
Wheat State Manor, 601 S. Main St., Whitewater
However, three of the highestrated nursing homes in the area served by The Active Age — Derby Health & Rehabilitation Center, Life Center of Wichita, and Regent Park Rehabilitation and Healthcare — are for-profit operations. The area’s other five-star rated nursing homes are nonprofits, including Bethel Health Care Center, Caritas Center, Cheney Golden Age Home, Larksfield Place, Mount St. Mary and Schowalter Villa.
Libby Hastings, communications coordinator at Kansas Advocates for Better Care, said families should consult the federal rating system for
Source: medicare.gov
For more information
For a complete list of overall ratings of area nursing homes, visit theactiveage.com. For detailed information about nursing homes, visit medicare.gov and type “nursing homes” in the search bar. From there you can find information about individual nursing facilities and facilities within your area.
The Active Age contributed to this article.
Documenters
From Page 1
McConnell Air Force Base. A friend told her about the Documenter program.
After applying, she attended training at the leadership center. She was already familiar with the operations of many public bodies from her early years as a member of the League of Women Voters, when the organization routinely sent observers to public meetings.
As a Documenter, Ailslieger has attended meetings of the Wichita City Council, Sedgwick County Commission and Metropolitan Area Planning Commission. Many of the items she takes notes on are routine, such as proclamations, reports from staff and approval of expenditures. Occasionally, there’s an item that the news media covers, like the City Council’s decision in July to turn the former Park Elementary School into a homeless shelter and services center.
Documenters list agenda items, summarize discussions in varying degrees of detail and record votes and other official actions.
Like journalists, Documenters try to be accurate and objective. Unlike journalists, Documenters don’t ask follow-up questions, interview
participants or incorporate other sources of information into what they write.
They are given the option of summarizing the three most important takeaways from their notes and listing any unanswered questions they have. Their notes are turned into KLC for editing before being posted online.
While some Documenters use a phone or laptop computer to record meetings, Ailslieger said, “I’m old fashioned. I just sit there and take notes.”
Documenters are encouraged to take photographs and insert “hyperlinks” — which are digital links to other sources of information — into their notes.
“I’ve taken a picture or two,” Ailslieger said. “I’m not as techie maybe as the young (Documenters) are.”
Ailslieger realizes that some might find attending public meetings boring but said she’s the type of person who goes to Topeka just to watch the proceedings of the Kansas Legislature.
“Sometimes it’s interesting,” she said of her work as a Documenter. “Sometimes meetings drag on because they all like to hear themselves talk.”
Either way, Ailslieger said, “I like to know what’s going on.”
Another Documenter, Linda
Shriver, has attended meetings of the city’s District 2 and 4 advisory boards and its Park Commission.
“I have not been that involved in city government, so this has been a crash course for me,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed learning how city government works.”
A retired special education teacher, Shriver compared the work to “taking minutes. I’ve served on a few boards, and it’s very much like taking minutes at a board meeting.”
Shriver said all the participants of the meetings she documented “seemed well versed in what they were talking about,” although there were differences.
“District 4 was a little more laid back and chatty,” Shriver said. “District 2 was pretty businesslike. I don’t think they talked about anything that wasn’t on the agenda."
In her notes for the District 4 meeting, Shriver asked, “Is there a way to encourage more people to take part in these meetings?”
Wichita is one of 18 cities in the Documenters Network. So far, 72 Wichita Documenters have been trained. The program is focusing on the meetings of 15 local boards and commissions for now, said Debbie Haslem, its manager.
“I think our first group (of Documenters) has really been those
people who have gone to meetings before,” Haslem said. “I’m also looking at ways to reach out to other groups, because I’d like the audience to get as broad as possible.”
To find reports by the Wichita Documenters, visit documenters.org. People interested in participating can learn more at kansasleadershipcenter. org/wichita-documenters
Displayed across both printed and digital mediums, the exhibition offers a dynamic peek into the artist’s contemporary practice and focus. Whether highlighting household names or local heroes, these works demonstrate Leibovitz’s discerning vision and desire to celebrate the extraordinary now. With more than five decades of experience photographing some of the most influential names in entertainment, politics, business, and athletics, Leibovitz has established herself as a keen watcher of society. $12 GENERAL ADMISSION
ANNIE LEIBOVITZ / WORK is organized by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas.
Annie Leibovitz, Patti Smith, Electric Lady Studios New York City 2007.
©Annie Leibovitz. ANNIE LEIBOVITZ / WORK is organized by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas.
Annie Leibovitz, Bruce Springsteen on tour Paris, 2016.
©Annie Leibovitz. ANNIE LEIBOVITZ / WORK is organized by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas.
Soccer
From Page 1
ones who no longer took part.”
The games start at 6 p.m. Thursday on a field in the southwest corner of Linwood Park. They are held each year from the start of Daylight Savings Time in the spring to when clocks are set back in the fall.
Regulars at the Linwood Park soccer game and the year they started include Jacob Tef (1998), Javier Miermier (2007), Herb Schnoetzinger (1974), Dick Nott (1987), Farris Jibril (1979), Paco Mayen and Jamal Akra (2005).
Now 84, Schnoetzinger is the oldest player still taking part. He’s proud the game still attracts players. On a typical Thursday, 25 or more players of various ages, nationalities and ethnicities show up to play.
One Thursday regular is Farris Jibril, who moved to America from Syria. “Herb is the backbone of the Thursday evening games,” Jibril said, noting that Schnoetzinger brings hand-built soccer goals each week and organizes the group’s annual picnic. “He’s pretty close to being all the players’ father."
Boeing aeronautical engineer Jacob Tef, who hails from Ethiopia, said
the camaraderie and socializing after games is as important as the actual playing. “Some of us old-timers have become very close over the years. I count some of my best friends among this group,” Tef said.
Lawrence Baldus rarely misses a Thursday soccer kickaround. “I fell in love with soccer when I was teaching at the American International School in Ghana for a few years,” said Baldus. “I met Herb through my father who, like Herb, came to America from Germany as a young man. It’s fun, and I like the friendships I’ve made among
the players from so many different countries and cultures.”
Schnoetzinger said it’s not unusual for former Wichitans to drop by when they’re in town, mentioning Dr. Bill Hill, a native of Australia who came to Wichita with his wife in the late 1960s for a two-year medical internship at what was then St. Francis Hospital. An
accomplished player for the Wichita Soccer Club during its heyday, Hill and his wife still occasionally visit, making it a point to stop by the Linwood Park game.
Schnoetzinger said it’s hard to believe the “Thursday evening kickarounds” have been going on for half a century.
Schnoetzinger glad he took chance on U.S.
Herb Schnoetzinger was born in Germany during World War II and grew up in its aftermath. Although he was a good student, employment opportunities were still very limited by the time he reached his twenties.
“I knew I had a lot of skills — I could fix about anything mechanical — so I decided to take a chance on myself and moved to America in 1960 and joined the U.S. Army,” he said. After the Army, he settled in Wichita.
He calls America “the land of opportunity.”
“In Germany, they just asked for
your credentials. In America, they said, ‘Show me what you can do.’ They hired people for their ability. I never had any problem finding a job.”
Schnoetzinger eventually worked for four major aircraft companies.
He still has very vivid memories of his childhood during the war. When American columns of tanks streamed through his town, Schnoetzinger and his friends ran out to greet them. “I still remember the GIs would throw candy to us. That was the first candy I’d ever had.”
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Jack Daniels story appeals to whiskey fan
“Love & Whiskey: “The Remarkable True Story of Jack Daniel, His Master Distiller Nearest Green, and the Improbable Rise of Uncle Nearest” by Fawn Weaver (Melcher Media, 2024, 355 pages, $28.00)
By Ted Ayres
As a young man, beer was my adult beverage of choice. In the autumn of my life, I am an inveterate whiskey drinker, with Jack Daniel’s as my go-to pour (perhaps the only thing I have in common with Frank Sinatra). So when a friend offered to lend me “Love & Whiskey,” I was immediately on board.
“Love & Whiskey” tells the story
of Jack Daniel and his head distiller, former slave Nearest Green. It’s also the story of author Fawn Weaver. The daughter of a Motown record producer-turned-evangelist, Weaver overcame a troubled adolescence to become a businesswoman.
In 2016, Weaver was traveling when an article in The New York Times international edition changed her life. The article, by Times journalist Clay Risen, was titled “Jack Daniel's Embraces a Hidden Ingredient: Help From a Slave.”
Weaver went to Lynchburg, Tenn., and launched an extensive search into the history of Nearest Green. She talked to family members and other
|
people and found references to Green in old records. Green served as head distiller from Jack Daniel's founding in 1866 until 1884. He was instrumental in developing the distinctive taste of “Old No. 7” (a phrase explained in the book).
I was impressed with the story that Weaver shares. In the early days of Nearest Green and Jack Daniel, Lynchburg appears to have been a place where blacks and whites knew each other as people rather than on the basis of their skin color (and this seems to continue into the present). It also appears that Jack Daniel was a good man in addition to being a skilled businessman.
Weaver is the author of two previous books: “Happy Wives Club: One Woman’s Worldwide Search for the Secrets of a Great Marriage” (2014) and “The Argument-Free Marriage: 28 Days to Creating the
Marriage You’ve Always Wanted with the Spouse You Already Have” (2015).
“Love & Whiskey” can seem a bit self-laudatory as Weaver details her own business efforts, but they are impressive. She and her husband founded Uncle Nearest, Inc., in 2016. Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey holds the title of the fastest-growing American whiskey in U.S. history and is recognized as the top-selling African-American-founded spirit brand ever. As Weaver points out, before she initiated her company, white males represented 30 percent of this country’s population and 100 percent of the available whiskeys.
I can’t wait to sample hers.
Contact Ted Ayres at tdamsa76@ yahoo.com
Bicycle great for exercise — and alibis
Editor’s note: After taking a couple months off, Ted Blankenship reports that he is feeling much better and plans to resume his column on at least an occasional basis.
By Ted Blankenship
The guy in charge of maintenance where we live is a nice guy (he changes light bulbs too high for us to reach), and several times he has mentioned he’d like to buy the old Schwinn bicycle that has been leaning against our garage wall since the day we moved here.
It’s an antique of sorts, with a twospeed hub first available on Schwinns in the early 1950s. I bought it in the 1960s and rode it for exercise. Really!
I didn’t want to sell the Schwinn because I was sure I’d ride again despite my inability to keep the bike upright. It would have needed another
two wheels to make that happen, and that would have made it a wagon.
So when the maintenance guy came by to fix the garage door, I just gave him the bike.
That got me thinking about how I used my bicycle in high school to minimize trouble I got myself into.
For example, a friend had a Model A Ford coupe that he drove around Eureka at one speed — fast. One night he loaded the car with all the guys who otherwise had nothing to do. There were two on each running board, three or so in the rumble seat, three in the car and one sitting on each of the fenders. I was on the right fender, hanging onto a headlight.
In those days, there was a bridge west of town over the Missouri-Pacific Railroad. South of it was a corn field. The highway was much higher than the corn field and there was a road of sorts leading down to the field. It was very steep, nearly vertical. My friend was going about 30 mph on the highway when he decided to swerve off the highway onto the road down to the corn field. Everyone held on but me. The momentum dislodged the headlight, and I went tumbling down the incline next to the wheels of the car.
My new sport coat was torn off along with a good deal of skin on my right cheek, but at least I didn’t get run over.
I got home about midnight and went to the bathroom to wash off the blood. My dad came in and wanted to know what was wrong. Not wanting to admit what I'd done, I said, “I had a bicycle wreck.”
Later, during my junior year, I was dating a freshman girl. A guy out of
school had eyes on the same girl. He enlisted the services of a younger but very big friend of his to harass me.
Eventually the harasser goaded me into a fight at a party. We went outside and, not being a fighter myself, I relied on the movies for the proper etiquette. I assumed I was expected to remove my coat before our battle.
As I was doing that, the antagonist hit me with a right to the face. Blood spurted from my nose and lips and the fight was pretty much over.
I went home and straight to the bathroom to wash away the blood. Again, my dad came in.
“I had a bike accident,” I said.
Recently, a little unsteady on my feet at 95 years old, I fell down near our community’s restaurant. Luckily, some of the women who live near us are former nurses, and one of them patched me up. Still, I had cuts and tears on my skin, and a slash over an eye.
If my dad were still alive, I know what I’d tell him.
Contact Ted at tblankenship218@ gmail.com.
August Theatre 263-0222
By Diana Morton
Kechi Playhouse, 100 E. Kechi Road, Cyrano de Bergerac, a new adaption by Joseph Urick. Too self-conscious to woo the beautiful Roxanne himself, master wordsmith Cyrano helps young Christian nab her heart through love letters. 8 pm Fri–Sat, 2:30 pm Sun, Aug 2-25. Tickets $16-$17. 316-7442152
Mosley Street Melodrama, 234 N. Mosley. The Heart of Rock ‘n’ Roll is Topeka by Carol Hughes, followed by a new musical review, Back to the 80s. Now-August 31. Tickets, dinner, & show $36-40; show only $26-30. 316-
Music Theatre Wichita, Century II
Concert Hall. Matilda, award-winning musical adapted from British author Roald Dahl’s classic children’s novel about a precocious 5-year-old with magical powers.7:30 W & Th, 8 pm Fri & Sat, 7 pm Sun, 2 pm matinee Sat & Sun, July 7-Aug 4. 316-265-3107
Roxy’s Downtown, 412 E. Douglas, cabaret-style theatre. Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. As Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and more venture into the mystical woods, their stories intertwine with humor, wisdom and unexpected consequences. Now-Aug 3; 7 pm Wed-Th, 8 pm Fri-Sat, 2:00 pm
FITTINGS FOR YOU LLC
matinee Sat, July 27 & Aug 3. Tickets
$40. 316-265-4400
Next: The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney animated feature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame tells the story of Quasimodo’s
quest to save the beautiful Esmeralda during the Feast of Fools in fifteenthcentury Paris. Aug 21-Sept 7; 7 pm Wed-Th, 8 pm Fri-Sat, 2 pm matinee Sat. Tickets $40. 316-265-4400
Contact Diana Morton at dianamorton12@sbcglobal.net
www.fittingsforyou.net
3510 W. Central #400 Locally Owned with over 39 Years of Call us for an appointment! 316-945-4722
Fried Okra Salad wins Farmers Market Recipe Contest
For Donna and Arlin Connell, the best day of summer is the first day they find okra at the farmers market. That means it’s time to whip up a batch of Fried Okra Salad.
“We have this for lunch the very next day and never admit to anyone the two of us ate the whole thing in one sitting!” Donna said. Indeed, she said, “We only make it
Fried Okra Salad
1 lb. small, fresh okra, left whole
2 cups buttermilk
1 lb. bacon, chopped
½ cup cornmeal
½ cup four
1¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
¾ teaspoon black pepper, divided use
Directions:
Corn oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
¼ cup corn oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
1 pound leaf lettuce
6 tomatoes, sliced
In a large bowl, combine okra and buttermilk. Let stand for 20 minutes. Drain okra.
Cook chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Reserve ¼ cup bacon drippings.
Combine cornmeal, flour, 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add okra a few pieces at a time, sealing and shaking to coat each batch.
Pour oil into a large, heavy skillet to a depth of ½ inch. Fry okra in batches in hot oil 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain well on paper towels.
In a blender, process the reserved drippings, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper, onion, ¼ cup corn oil, red wine vinegar, honey, mustard and paprika until smooth, stopping once to scrape down the sides. Pour into a 1-cup glass measuring cup; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave dressing on high for 30-45 seconds or until thoroughly heated.
Line a large serving platter with lettuce; arrange tomatoes and okra on top. Sprinkle with bacon, drizzle with warm dressing and serve immediately.
once because it’s so full of calories!”
The Wichita couple are the winners of The Active Age’s Farmers Market Recipe Contest. They will receive a $25 gift certificate donated by
The Spice Merchant. For more great farmers market recipes from our readers, visit theactiveage.com
Donate extra produce to Plant a Row for the Hungry Plant a Row for the Hungry, now in its 24th year in Sedgwick County, is again encouraging gardeners to share surplus produce with those in need.
The program is a cooperative effort between the Sedgwick County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, ICT Food Rescue, and a network of participating businesses that collect produce dropped off at their locations. Donations are then redistributed to local residents who are food insecure or don’t otherwise have access to fresh produce.
In 2023, the program received 6,267 pounds of donated produce. Donations will be accepted at:
·Augusta Ace Home Center – 316 W. 7th Ave, Augusta
·Botanica, The Wichita Gardens – 701 Amidon St.
·Brady Nursery – 11200 W. Kellogg
·Hillside Nursery – 2200 S. Hillside
·Hillside Feed & Seed – 1805 S. Hillside
·Johnson’s Garden Center – East, 6225 E. Shadybrook
·Johnson’s Garden Center – West, 2707 W. 13th St.
·Mr. Mc’s Market – 1901 E. 21st N.
·Valley Feed & Seed – 1903 S. Meridian
·Woodard Mercantile – Andover, 1313 E. US-54
·Woodard Mercantile – Maize, 4160 N. Maize Rd.
Library lends blood pressure monitors, laptops and more
By Polly Basore Wenzl The Beacon
The Wichita Public Library has more than a half-million books but also laptops, telescopes, radon detectors, microscopes and blood pressure monitors. And with nothing more than a library card, you can borrow a book or a piece of equipment under the same terms: check it out for free use for 14 days.
“Public libraries exist to provide information — and now experiences — to people,” said Sean Jones, library communications specialist.
Lending out equipment is part of the growing “Library of Things” program the Wichita Public Library launched in June 2021.
It began when a company — Pure State Services, LLC — donated
radon detectors. The library initially promoted their availability by passing out cards to real estate agents to share with home-buying clients. Within a month, the word was out, and the library saw a steady demand.
The collection grew with additional donated gifts and a newly purchased, grant-funded collection, which now includes 250 Chrome notebook computers and accompanying internet access “hotspots” as well as anatomical models used by medical students, binoculars, toy robots and the previously mentioned items.
Most of these items may be checked out for 14 days. The Chromebooks may be checked out for 28 days.
The Chromebooks have become the most popular nontraditional items
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Specializing in bathroom remodels for those with disabilities or who are “aging in place”
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offered by the library, said Sarah Kittrell, library collections manager. As of last week, Chromebooks had been checked out 2,072 times. An additional 81 people are on a waitlist for them.
“There’s such a need in our community for internet access,” she said.
Kittrell said the library is interested in learning what other things the public would like to check out. Any plans for growing the collection are likely to focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning or health and wellness.
“My dream is that someone will check out these microscopes or this telescope and discover a love of science or math or something that they had maybe not had hands-on experience with before, and that could spur a
lifelong love of whatever subject they may want to pursue,” Kittrell said.
“It means a lot to me to provide things that families may not be able to afford on their own.”
Reprinted by permission of The Beacon. The Active Age contributed to this article.
Correction
A photo caption in our July issue misidentified a building as Wichita’s old City Hall. It was actually the Scottish Rite Temple at 1st and Topeka.
License #7554 & insured. Member of NAHB, WABA, & CGR Certified.
Savvy Senior: How to prevent and treat age-related macular degeneration
Dear Savvy Senior, Is macular degeneration hereditary?
My mother lost much of her vision from it before she died, and now at age 65, I’m concerned I may get it too.
- Brown Eyed Betty
Dear Betty,
Unfortunately, having a parent or sibling with macular degeneration does indeed increase your risk of getting it. Here’s what you should know.
What is AMD?
Macular degeneration, also known as age-related macular degeneration (or AMD) is a progressive eye disease that damages the macula, the part of the eye that allows us to see objects clearly. This affects the ability to read, drive, watch television and do routine daily tasks, but it does not cause total
blindness.
Dry AMD, which affects about 85 to 90 percent of all people who have it, progresses slowly and painlessly over a period of years. Wet AMD is much more aggressive and can cause severe vision loss in a matter of weeks or months.
Factors that can increase your risk of getting AMD include age (60 and older); smoking; excessive exposure to sunlight especially if you have light-colored eyes; certain genetic components; a family history of AMD; high blood pressure; obesity; and being Caucasian.
What You Can Do
It’s a smart idea to get your eyes examined by an ophthalmologist every year. The Amsler grid is also an excellent tool to check your eyes for
Dealing with a serious illness?
We are here for you providing Comfort, Support, and Peace of Mind.
To learn how we can help, visit hynesmemorial.org or call 316-265-9441.
AMD at home. Visit Macular.org, and search “amsler chart” to test your sight.
Dry AMD Treatments
If you get AMD, your doctor may recommend you start taking a daily dose of antioxidant vitamins and minerals known as AREDS or AREDS2. Studies have shown that these supplements can reduce your risk of progression from intermediate to advanced AMD by about 25 percent.
There are also two new medications (Syfovre and Izervay) that were approved by the FDA last year to treat a late-stage form of AMD called geographic atrophy or GA. These treatments, which are given either monthly or every other month in the form of an injection into the eye, can
slow the progression of GA. Wet AMD Treatments
For wet AMD, there are several anti-VEGF medications like Avastin, Lucentis and Eylea that can stop vision loss and may even restore it. These medications, which have been around for more than a decade, are also given by injection into the eye and repeated every month or two.
Get more savvy
For more Savvy Senior tips, visit theactiveage.com. Topics include:
• Do You Need a Digital Will
• How to Hire a Caregiver for InHome Help
• Kitchen Ideas for Aging-in-Place
• How Extreme Heat Affects Seniors: Tips to Stay Safe
August quiz: Test your knowledge of aviation history
By Nancy Wheeler Wichitans
take pride in the city’s aviation heritage. Take this test to see how far and wide your knowledge of aviation extends. The answers appear below.
1. What brothers are best remembered for making the first successful powered airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1903?
2. Who flew the Spirit of St. Louis to all 48 states to show that airplanes could provide a safe and reliable mode of transportation?
3. Who disappeared on July 2, 1937, while attempting to become the
first female pilot to circumnavigate the world?
4. What 804-foot German dirigible burst into flames upon landing in Manchester Township, New Jersey, in 1937?
5. In October 1947, what Brigadier General and flying ace became the first pilot in history to have exceeded the speed of sound in level flight?
6. What American fighter pilot became the leading U.S. World War I flying ace with 26 downed enemy aircraft?
7. What was the name of the first artificial satellite launched into an Earth orbit by the Soviet Union in
1957?
8. What Soviet was the first human to journey into outer space?
9. What two men hold the proud title of the “First Men on the Moon” after their historic moon landing on July 20, 1969?
10. On October 29, 1998, the first American to orbit the Earth made history again when he became the oldest man to fly in space. Who was he?
11. What airplane pilot landed an Airbus A320 in the Hudson River just off Manhattan saving all 155 passengers and crew?
No one ever hopes to become a family caregiver. But it’s a role you and 330,000 others in Kansas play every day. No matter how much you love the person you’re caring for, being a caregiver can be a lot to manage.
AARP Family Caregiving is here to help. We can make it easier for you to get answers, help you connect with and learn from other family caregivers and guide you to useful resources online and close to home.
To learn more, visit aarp.org/caregiving
/aarpks @aarpks
Orville and Wilbur Wright
Charles Lindbergh
Amelia Earhart
Hindenburg
Chuck Yeager
Eddie Rickenbacker
Sputnik
Yuri Gagarin
Neal Armstrong and “Buzz” Aldrin
John Glenn
Chesley Sullenberger
NOTE: The Active Age is printing regularly scheduled senior center activities as space permits. Please email Joe at joe@theactiveage.com to have your center’s activities listed.
Calendar of eventS
SedgwiCk County Senior CenterS
BEL AIRE
7651 E Central Park Ave 744-2700, ext 304 www.belaireks.org
BENTLEY/EAGLE 504 W Sterling, 796-0027
CHENEY 516 Main, 542-3721
CLEARWATER 921 E Janet, 584-2332
DERBY 611 N Mulberry Rd, 788-0223 www.derbyks.com
DOWNTOWN
200 S Walnut, 267-0197 www.seniorservicesofwichita.org
EDGEMOOR 5815 E 9th, 688-9392
ANDOVER
GARDEN PLAIN 1006 N Main, 535-1155
GODDARD 120 N Main, 794-2441
HAYSVILLE 160 E Karla, 529-5903
KECHI Kechi City Building, 744-0217, 744-1271
LA FAMILIA 841 W 21st, 267-1700
LINWOOD 1901 S Kansas, 263-3703
MCADAMS GOLDEN AGE 1329 E 16th, 337-9222
MT HOPE 105 S Ohio, 667-8956
MULVANE 632 E Mulvane, 777-4813
NORTHEAST 212 1 E 21st, 269-4444
OAKLAWN 2937 Oaklawn Dr, 524-7545
ORCHARD PARK 4808 W 9th, 942-2293
PARK CITY 6100 N Hydraulic, 744-1199
VALLY CENTER COMMUNITY CENTER 314 E Clay, 755-7350
Butler County Senior CenterS
410 Lioba Dr, 733-4441 www.andoverks.com
AUGUSTA 640 Osage, 775-1189
BENTON Lion’s Community Bldg, S Main St
CASSODAY Cassoday Senior Center 133 S. Washington, 620-735-4538
DOUGLASS 124 W 4th, 746-3227
EL DORADO 210 E 2nd, 321-0142
LEON
112 S Main, 745-9200 or 742-9905
ROSE HILL 207 E Silknitter, 776-0170
wedneSdayS www.seniorwednesday.org
August 7
10:30 am Wichita Art Museum 1400 W. Museum Blvd., $2 admission. Annie Leibovitz / Work.
1:30 pm Museum of World Treasures 835 E. 1st St. Dr. David Graff
August 14
10 am Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 Zoo Blvd. (316) 266-8213, $4 Elehant in the Room.
1:30 pm Advanced Learning Library, 711 W, 2nd, (316) 261-8500, Free. Hell After Sundown? The Delano District in Myth & History
Derby Sr Center, 611 Mulberry. 3rd Tuesday 7pm-9:30 pm.
El Dorado Jam & Dance, Senior Center, 210 E. 2nd.
Linwood Golden Age, 1901 S Kansas. Every Saturday 7pm-9:30pm. Call Jim 316-945-9451
Minisa Golden Age, 704 W 13th. Info 617-2560. Every Thursday 7pm9:30pm. Call Rita 316-364-1702
Mulvane, 101 E. Main (Pix Community Center Second Tuesday of every month at 7-9 pm. Oaklawn Activity Center, 4904 S. Clifton. Contra Dance1st Saturday of each month. 7pm-9pm. Call Amanda at 316-361-6863.
August 21
10 am Ulrich Museum of Art, 1845 N. Fairmount. Jo Reinert on Curating Fraem Machine.
1:30 pm Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E 29th St N. Kansas Birding Trail
August 28
10 am Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main. "Wichita's Treasure Hunters"
1:30 pm Mid American All-Indian museum. 650 N Seneca (316) 350-3340, $2 + tax admission; free for MAAIM members. Not all Indians live in Tipis
Orchard Park Golden Age, 4808 W 9th. Every Friday 7pm-9:30pm. Call Casey 316-706-7464
Prairie Wind Dancers: Plymouth Congregational Church, 202 N Clifton. Joyce, 683-1122.
Village Steppers Square Dance, Oaklawn Activity Center, 4904 S Clifton. 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month September through May 7:30 - 10:00 pm. Info: Mike Huddleson 316-650-2469
Westside Steppers Square Dance, 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month, 6-8:30 p.m., West Heights United Methodist (entrance "D"), 745 N. Westlink Ave. Info: Sheldon Lawrence (316) 648-7590.
NOTE: AGING PROJECTS, INC. PLANNED TO MAKE FRIENDSHIP MEALS AVAILABLE THROUGH PICKUP AND DELIVERY IF NECESSARY. FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MEAL SITE OR CALL 316-686-0074
Friendship Meals
Aging Projects serves a hot, nutritious meal weekdays for persons 60 and older in Sedgwick, Harvey and Butler counties. Reservations are necessary. For locations and reservations, call 316-686-0074
WEEK OF AUGUST 1
Thu: Calico beef & beans, mixed vegetables, pineapple, corn muffin. Fri: Greek veggie pasta salad, sweet pea & radish salad, apricots, crackers.
WEEK OF AUGUST 5
Mon: BBQ Chicken on bun, coleslaw, flavored applesauce
Tue: Fish Sandwich on bun, tomato & zucchini salad, ambrosia fruit salad.
Wed: Cranberry meatballs, baked potato w/margarine, wheat bread.
Thu: Pork & noodles, steamed broccoli, whole banana, garlic breadstick, chef's choice birthday cake.
Fri: Turkey salad on WG sliders, blackeyed peas salad, pineapple.
WEEK OF AUGUST 12
Mon: Swiss steak, mixed vegetables, pears, wheat bread.
TOWANDA 317 Main, 316-536-8999 Open 10:30 am-5 pm Mon, Wed, Fri
WHITEWATER Legion Hall, 108 E Topeka
Harvey County
BURRTON 124 N Burrton, 620-463-3225
HALSTEAD 523 Poplar, 835-2283
HESSTON Randall & Main, 620-327-5099 www.hesstonseniorcenter.com
NEWTON AREA SENIOR CENTER 122 E 6th, Newton, 283-2222 www.newtonseniorcenter.com
SEDGWICK 107 W. Fifth, 772-0393
tranSportation
Sedgwick County
Sedgwick Co Transportation, 660-5150 or 1-800-367-7298. Information: 8 am-5 pm, Mon-Fri; closed most holidays. www. sedgwickcounty.org/aging.
Butler County Transit
Weekday transportation in El Dorado, Augusta and Andover. Rides to Wichita on Wed, Thu. Information: Augusta, 775-0500; El Dorado, 322-4321; toll free, 1-800-2793655. 48-hr notice required.
Harvey County
Transportation reservations or information: 316-284-6802 or 1-866-6806802. Round-trip: $8 Newton (wheelchair only), $12 Harvey County, $20 outside Harvey County. AVI to Newton: Tue, 12:304:30 pm from Burrton, Sedgwick, Halstead, Hesston, Walton.
Tue: Breaded chicken patty on bun, calico salad, apricots
Wed:BBQ pork riblet, cream corn, cinnamon apples, wheat roll.
Thu: Cheeseburger on bun, baked beans, mixed fruit.
Fri: Egg salad on croissant, cauli-broccrasin salad, pineaple.
WEEK OF AUGUTS 19
Mon: Italian chicken, cream peas & potatoes, peaches, whole grain roll.
Tue: Beef cutlet over rice, easy broccoli salad, tropical fruit.
Wed: Scalloped potatoes & turkey, mixed vegetables, pineapple, whole grain breadstick.
Thu: Taco burger, fiesta coleslaw, sliced apples
Fri: Shrimp pasta salad, garbanzo cucumber salad, fresh orange, crackers
WEEK OF AUGUST 26
Mon: Chicken Cacciatore, parslied carrots, mixed fruit, wheat roll.
Tue: BBQ pork on bun, red potao salad, apricots.
Wed: Goulash, green beans, pears, breadstick.
Thu: Veg breakfast casserole, country hashbrowns, orange juice, buttermilk biscuit
Fri: Beef hot dog on bun, baked beans, apple crisp, potato chips
* Milk is served with all meals. Meals fall within the following ranges: Calories 650-750; protein 25 grams or higher; fat 20 to 30 percent of calories; calcium 400 mg or higher; sodium 1,000 grams or less; fiber 9 grams or higher.
FUNDING MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT, KDADS AND CENTRAL PLAINS AREA AGENCY ON AGING
Classified advertising
F CEMETERY PROPERTY FOR SALE F
2 plots in Resthaven Garden of Prayer, valued at $10,600 sell for $7,000 OBO. Seller pays transfer fee. 316-250-1556 or gina_ lathrom@yahoo.com
Two Lakeview burial plots. Located in Apostles Garden. Two spaces #5&6 w/ 2 eternal rest caskets(deluxe). Sold together $7,000. Call 316-320-0108. Leave Message. Serious inquires only.
3 interment spaces at White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Garden of Christus, Lot 67A (1 and 2); Lot 67B (Lot 4) to sell separately @ $2,500 OBO, or $6,000 OBO for the three. Call 202-577-8018
Beautiful, quiet and mature location in Fairview Cemetery in Kechi,6523 N Hillside. 1 burial plot. Block 13- lot 54 section 1. 16ft *12ft with 4*4 alley way. Cashier or certified check. Price $1,200. Call 316-993-1929.
Resthaven, Garden of Gospel, space 1 lot 57-A. Double depth lawn crypt w/2 preinstalled vaults w/2 name markers. Asking $3,000 OBO. Call 316-524-0085 or 316-6891482 for details.
PRICE DROP: White Chapel Memorial Gardens. 1 burial plot, valued at $1,899 sell for $1,500. 541-840-0783
Resthaven Freedom Garden. Double-depth lawn crypt. $7000.00, transfer fee included Contact Erin at 316-941-3746
Resthaven 2 plots. Garden of prayer. Lot 121 B-1&B-2.
Excellent location for easy access. Seller pays fees. Both $7,000 Call Cathy 316-734-1400 catibaker@gmail.com
Wichita Parks Cemetery. 6 plots. $1,500 each. $1,000 off if all 6 purchased. Buyer pays transfer fee of $295. 904-923-1397
Resthaven Freedom Garden. Double-depth lawn crypt. Asking $7,000, transfer fee included . New plots are $9695. Call/text Erin at 316-209-0397
Resthaven Garden of Freedom double depth lawn crypt vault with marker for 2 . Space 141, B4. Asking $5,000. Call 562-743-0424.
IPK Enterprises Estate Sales. Know your options, you have many. Please call us for a free consultation. 316-806-3435.
FOOT CARE IN YOUR HOME Cheryl Rosine ~ The Foot Lady ICMT RN
$40 : In-home, Sedgwick & surrounding counties • 316-312-2025 • Benjamin Jones ~ CNAICR • 316-932-8524•
Diabetic, thick toe nails, ingrown & callous care
F HOME CARE CONT F
Private Duty Aide with light house keeping. Availability evenings and weekends. References upon request. Cynthia CNA/HHA 316-992-6711
Caregiver 40+ yrs. experience Flexible schedule Can cook, clean, run errands and take to doctors’ appointments. References available upon request Call 316-516-2149
28 YR EXPERIENCED LICENSED HOME HEALTH AIDE
Providing rides to Dr etc. Home Health Care Specializing in Dementia/Diabetes. Ref avail. Kay 316-882-9127
Dave’s Improvements
General Contractor Lic #7904
Roofing, Siding, Doors, Gutters, Windows, Storm damage repair, Senior Discount. 316-312-2177
Steve’s masonry repair No job too small! Brick, Block & Stone *Mailboxes* 316-339-6092
Hair Solutions by Sherry Perms * Cuts * Colors Men, Woman & Children 1 person Salon Time to spiffy up for school! Call for an appointment Sherry Brown 316-207-1760
F HANDYMAN SERVICES F
Handyman RX- We have a remedy for almost all of your “fix-it” jobs! Light carpentry including deck and fence repair, indoor misc. repairs and installations, lawn mowing “LG or SM”, Yard & Garage clean-up, mulching, hauling miscellaneous,hauling dirt, sand, and rock/gravel upto 3.5 tons. What you need done I can probably handle. Call for HELP! Brian 316-217-0882. Free Estimates
Perry’s Lawn Maintenance
Mowing * Weed Eating * Edging FREE ESTIMATES 316-944-2603
Cowboy Construction
Remodeling, siding, decks, fences, windows, doors and more. 20 years locally owned. Free estimates. Senior discounts. Todd Wenzel 316-393-4488
Molina Electric - Wichita Lic #1364 Comm. or Residential wiring. Service calls. New electric service. Troubleshooting. Cell 316-461-2199.
Derby, Haysville, Mulvane, Rose Hill, Wichita
Exterior & Interior. House painting, siding, decks, fences and guttering. Build, repair and stain. Free Estimates. Be Blessed. Thank you KC KIMBALL 316-250-2265
MOBILE GLASS REPAIR
Windows * Patio * Doors
Windows won’t stay up, Crank Outs, Patio Rollers and Lock Latches, Morris Glass & Service, 316-946-0745
ALL AMERICAN CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION
• New Construction
• Room Additions
• Basement Finishing
• Kitchen & Bathrooms
• Siding & Sheetrock
• Int/Ext Painting
• Gutter Cleaning
• Flood & Fire Damage
Licensed & Insured We do all types of renovations Call 316-409-7341
& Delivery
F HAIR STYLING F
Jesus Landscaping Complete lawncare. Spring clean-up * Aeration * Over Seeding Gutter cleaning * Fencing * Landscape install/maintain * Shrub/tree trimming/ removal Call for a free estimate! 316-737-3426 or 316-631-5984
WWW.JESUSLANDSCAPINGKS.COM
Sharp Edges Lawn Care Service • Mowing
Trimming
Edging
Rake Leaves
And MORE Call/Text 316-640-6327
Clean Cut Lawncare
Beard & Son Concrete Construction
Drive ways, sidewalks, patio and landscaping. Dirt work and more.
Skid Loader/Mini Skid Loader Services
Licensed * Bonded * Insured I bid’em to get’em!
Steve 316-259-0629
Dylan 316-734-6134
AGAPE CONSTRUCTION
Total Concrete Services
HAULING HANDYMAN
Trim • Cut • Remove Fence Repairs • Odd jobs NO JOB TOO SMALL Honest & Reasonable. 316-807-4989.
SUMMER IS UPON US
Please call Robert for leaf removal, raking, and garden bed clean up or any other gardening needs. No job too big or too small. 316-932-4225
Henricks Lawn Care Owner/operator 35 yrs. experience. Lawn /tree & shrub care. Spring & Fall cleanup, gutter cleaning. Brush Cutting. Servicing West Wichita, Goddard, Cheney, Colwich areas.
Locally Owned by Pastor Steven Blalock 10% off Senior/Military Discount 807-8650 www.agaperoofingandconstruction.com Landscape, Lawn Clean-Up, Tree Work, Gutters Cleaned, Dirt Work, Positive Drainage, Topsoil & Mulch Delivery
Is The Active Age a bit old-fashioned?
By Joe Stumpe
As you might have noticed, The Active Age is in some ways an old-fashioned newspaper.
For one thing, we still print and distribute many copies each month (about 57,000!) at a time when many publications are going online exclusively.
Another way in which we are traditional is by keeping our editorial and advertising sides separate. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. That is determined solely by what we think readers will enjoy and benefit from.
However — and this is a big however — we do sincerely
From the Editor
appreciate our advertisers. They provide about 70 percent of our operating revenue each year. Generous reader donations and a grant from the Central Plains Area on Aging make up the rest. So, please patronize the advertisers that appear throughout our paper when you can. And, if you’re so inclined, let them know you saw their ad in The Active Age. That may help them decide to keep advertising in The Active Age, which will help us keep bringing you The Active Age. Six years and counting It’s hard for me to believe, but this month marks my sixth anniversary as editor of The Active Age.
Battling ‘booze-controlled culture’
There is tremendous irony in The Active Age for June 2024. On the front page is the Spangles grannies article about the alcohol advertising. It makes it appear that alcohol is a good thing for seniors. On page 8 is the article about Myra Warren (McHenry) and the Kansas temperance movement. I have special interest in the Warren article because I am the last in a long chain of successors to the work of Carry Nation. The last stage in the temperance movement was carried on by Kansans for Addiction Prevention. I was the president of the organization and lobbyist up until we ceased activities at the beginning of 2012.
Letter to Editor
Kansans for Addiction Prevention unsuccessfully pushed back on the alcohol industry until 2012. We were unsuccessful in accomplishing our major goal of getting the Legislature to increase the 1977 tax rates on alcohol and bring them up to inflation levels. We joined with other groups that were successful in getting the taxes on tobacco increased. Increasing cost does decrease consumption of either tobacco or alcohol.
The real irony for a newspaper
No doubt about it
Like they say, time flies when you’re having fun. When I took over from my predecessor, Fran Kentling, I really had no idea how much I would come to enjoy this job.
There are many people to thank for that. First, the other members of our staff: Tammara Fogle, our office manager, keeper of the classified ads and newspaper layout person par excellence; Teresa Schmied, our director of advertising, bank of institutional knowledge and head cheerleader; and Dave Gear, our part-time salesman who brings a wealth of nonprofit experience to the office. I also get to work with many talented freelance writers and photographers as well as colleagues throughout Wichita’s journalism
whose readership is older persons is the light approach to the harm Spangles is doing to we elderly folks. Several recent articles have documented that alcohol is even more harmful to the elderly than for younger drinkers. Are we fanatics because we try to save a few thousand lives and prevent the destruction of families? Carry Nation did it by her will and energy; we cannot seem to make common sense and science have very much impact in our booze-controlled culture.
Garry Winger, Pastor Furley United Methodist Church Valley Center
industry.
There's our board of directors, who volunteer their time, knowledge and encouragement. Another group of volunteers helps us mail out donation requests and thank-you letters, contribute editorial content and otherwise help this small nonprofit stay afloat. I mentioned our advertisers, donors and CPAAA above. They are the three-legged foundation upon which The Active Age stands.
Most of all, I want to thank our readers. The Active Age is your newspaper. In December, it will be 45 years old — still a young whippersnapper, and hopefully one with many more years ahead of it. Contact Joe at joe@theactiveage. com.
Moler’s closes 80-year-old retail side, keeps repairs, video conversions
By Kylie Cameron KMUW
Bob Moler walks around the back rooms of his downtown camera shop on Douglas near Grove.
It’s cluttered with boxes of camera equipment; there’s paper everywhere. It’s a time capsule of photo history — and then video — for most of the past century, from processing black-andwhite film to now working in more digital formats.
“This is the old man’s desk,” Moler said. “I remember that from when I was a kid, when he had his first store downtown. It was an old desk then; it’s even older now.”
Moler’s is one of the last camera shops in Kansas. Bob’s father, Orville, first opened the shop on Broadway in
downtown Wichita in 1946.
“He kept at it for the rest of his life, and mom was a bookkeeper,” Bob Moler said. “Got to keep the expenses down, keep it all in the family. And my older brother worked there for a long time.”
Like many other businesses, Moler’s had to change with the times and the advancement of new technology.
Now Moler said it’s time to close the retail side and focus more on repairs, online sales and video conversions.
“We started doing this almost 30 years ago, and I figured 10 years tops, it’ll all be over, because nobody’s shooting movies anymore; they’re using video sets,” Moler said of converting
Call for an Appointment
Call for an Appointment
with Wichita’s most experienced fitter today. We file insurance!
with Wichita’s most experienced fitter today. We file insurance!
• Fashion & Mastectomy Bras
• Fashion & Mastectomy Bras
• Breast Prosthesis
• Breast Prosthesis
• Swimwear
• Swimwear
UseyourinsurancedeductibleNOWbeforetheendoftheyearwhenitstartsover
UseyourinsurancedeductibleNOWbeforetheendoftheyearwhenitstartsover
536 S. Bluff • Wichita
536 S. Bluff • Wichita
(3 blocks N of Lincoln between Hillside & Oliver) By Appointment Only • 316-260-9608
(3 blocks N of Lincoln between Hillside & Oliver) By Appointment Only • 316-260-9608
old home movies into video.
“It hasn’t slowed down; it just keeps coming in. I don’t know where all of this has been hiding.”
Moler is 82 years old and said he’s debated retiring for years. This time, though, the deaths of close friends and family members made him realize he has other things he’d like to do in life aside from work.
Kylie Cameron/KMUW
Bob Moler's father opened Moler's Camera Store in 1946. Bob is now closing the retail side, leaving behind a nearly 80-year legacy.
“I’ve got three nice old Hudson’s that really need care and some help,” he said of his vintage cars.
Former Wichita Eagle photographer Brian Corn said he started going to Moler’s when he was a student studying photography at Wichita State University in the 1970s.
At that time, Bob’s father was still running the shop.
Corn said he’ll always remember the welcoming environment of the store, especially for someone like him who was still learning how to shoot photos.
“I think the mom-and-pop feel to Moler’s was a big part of their success for young students like myself and just a man on the street who was interested
in … getting photo supplies,” Corn said.
That was years before digital photography came onto the scene, when photos were shot on film and developed by hand.
“Those days, photography to me was real magic,” Corn said.
While the store was a mainstay for photographers in town, closing it is just another change Moler said he’s had to make to adapt to new technology.
“It’s been kind of nice, theoretically, owning my own business,” he said. “Course some people say, ‘Well, the business owns you.’ Well, in that matter of speaking, it does, kind of … I don’t regret it.”
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If so, call Envision for an appointment or schedule an education presentation in your senior living facility.
Wichita ranks No. 1 for home price increases, study says
Thursday, Aug. 15, 3 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 22, 3 p.m.
Enjoy refreshments and meet with our sales team to learn about our new expansion. Bring your curiosity, questions and opinions!
By Lindsay Smith
The Wichita Eagle
Wichita home sale prices experienced the biggest percentage increase out of the largest U.S. metro areas, according to a SmartAsset
Wichita saw a 21.2% price change in the last year, according to the banking company. Wichita’s current average sale price in April was $259,264, while in April of last year it was $213,955.
SmartAsset reports that home sale
prices in Wichita have increased more than 69% since 2019, when the average price was $153,347.
Here are the five metro areas in the United States where home sale prices increased the most from April 2023 to April 2024, according to SmartAsset:
1. Wichita
2. Toledo, Ohio
3. Madison, Wis.
4. San Jose, Calif.
5. New Haven, Conn.
Reprinted with permission of The Wichita Eagle.
Patients in Kansas
Restore First Health now offers a mobile advanced wound care program to the Wichita region! Collaborating with patients, home health, physicians and discharge planners — our
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• One year, unlimited, free admission (excludes after-hours special events)
• Go Wild Attraction Pass
• Annual Sedgwick County Zoo wall calendar
• “Members Only” invitations to sneak previews and grand openings of exhibits
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• 50% off gate admission at more than 150 AZA zoos and aquariums
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• And MORE!
