Wichita’s previous participation in AARP’s age-friendly network led to the creation of Grandparents Park under the leadership of thenMayor Carl Brewer (seen above at far left).
Wichita rejoins AARP’s age-friendly network
By Joe Stumpe
After a lull of a decade, Wichita is once again participating in AARP’s age-friendly community program. It’s unclear what, if any, changes residents can expect to see as a result, but supporters are hopeful.
“For me, our community should be the best place to live, work and raise a family,” Mayor Lily Wu said. “When I say raise, I mean from birth to being a grandparent.”
The city’s previous collaboration with AARP led to the creation
of Grandparents Park off Kellogg in central Wichita but little else, according to some familiar with the history.
The City Council voted unanimously last month to rejoin the AARP network of age-friendly communities. Wu said she was approached by AARP a couple months ago about the idea. About 700 cities, counties and states across the United States take part.
Wichita became the first city in Kansas to join the age-friendly network in 2013, under the leadership of then-Mayor Carl Brewer and City Council member Lavonta Williams. Later that same year, the city and AARP developed Grandparents Park.
However, after Brewer’s second term ended in 2014, the next mayor, Jeff Longwell, ended the city’s participation, according to Andrea Bozarth, associate state director for outreach and advocacy. Participation requires support from a community’s top elected official.
See Age-friendly, page 7
Wichitan wins ‘The Golden Bachelorette.’ What’s next?
Wichita businessman Chock
Chapple ended his journey on the reality dating show “The Golden Bachelorette” engaged to the show’s lead, Joan Vassos.
Chapple is a longtime Wichita insurance executive who grew up in Garden Plain. Over the course of the ABC television show, he beat out 23 other men — ranging in age from 57 to 69 — vying for Vassos’ heart.
The season was the second time the Bachelor franchise featured older contestants after more than two
Win a Diamond Necklace
Bonny Patrick looks for an opening during a roller derby match. By Amy Geiszler-Jones
Jamming and blocking her way around a roller derby rink, Bonny Patrick looks every bit the part of her nickname — the Sweet Assassin.
Surprisingly, she didn’t take up skating until 14 years ago, when she turned 49 and was looking for a new hobby.
“It was that or ride a motorcycle … and road rash didn’t seem very attractive to me,” Patrick, known as Bon to her friends, said.
Instead, she took up a fast-paced, full-contact sport.
She started by finding a local roller-skating club.
“I literally went from hugging the wall to skating in 10 weeks,” she said. At the end of that time, she passed a minimum skills test for roller derby that required skating 25 laps in five minutes or less.
A cool-sounding moniker is part of the roller derby appeal. Patrick
See Golden, page 6
See Roller derby, page 6
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942-5385 or emailing joe@theactiveage.com.
Photo by Jacque Waite
Photo by Christopher Willard/Disney Chock Chapple successfully wooed Joan Vassos on "The Golden Bachelorette."
Rose Conlon KMUW
Singing Quakers hit the century mark
The Singing Quakers of Friends University celebrated their 100th anniversary last month with a reunion and pair of concerts.
“It was a great occasion and certainly a unique occasion,” said Cecil Riney, who directed the group from 1960 to 2005. “We had over 300 former Singing Quakers back for that.”
The concerts featured performances by the current choir and alumni choir, finishing with a rousing version of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” that former members in the audience joined in.
The Singing Quakers formed when the school’s men’s and women’s
glee clubs were combined. According to the Friends website, highlights from its early years included the group raising money for Friends through performances during the Great Depression. In the 1940s it staged several operas complete with costumes and sets. During World War II, it became almost an all-female outfit as men joined the war effort. In 1958, it performed at a campaign rally in Wichita for Vice President Richard Nixon, a devout Quaker who later invited the group to perform at the White House. The choir has toured Australia, Canada and Europe.
Tiny trees grew into big collection
By Amy Geiszler-Jones
Beginning in the 1970s, Wichitan Sylvia Jackson started collecting vintage miniature Christmas trees that she decorated with small ornaments and other tiny, often handcrafted, items in themed vignettes.
In 1991, she loaned her collection to the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, which usually exhibits select trees from the collection around the Christmas holiday.
Occasionally, like this year, it will exhibit the entire collection of 22 trees.
Considering the collection involves several thousand pieces, it’s no small feat to display the trees, which range in height from 12 inches to 24 inches, said Eric Cale, the museum’s executive director.
The 12-inch tree that started the collection gets special treatment, displayed under a glass dome in a glass-and-wood display case in a second-floor exhibition space. An accompanying display card indicates the tree has 210 ornaments.
Jackson, now 90, recalled how she’d spotted the bare vintage tree in an antique store on South Broadway in Wichita. “I thought it was so cute, so I bought it,” she said.
Purchased in an antique store on South Broadway during the 1970s, this miniature tree marked the beginning of Syliva Jackson's collection.
She decorated the tree with tiny Victorian-themed and old-fashioned ornaments, hoping her two young sons would enjoy the addition of a miniature Christmas decoration in their home.
As she added trees throughout the years, she started displaying the collection at the First Church of the Nazarene, which her family attended. She added more trees after loaning the collection to the museum.
“I guess I was always looking, and I did lots of checking in antique stores,” Jackson said.
Some of the trees have themes that reflect Jackson’s interests and her family.
Two trees, one called Silver Nostalgia and the other Golden Memories, display family photos in the charms and lockets hanging on the branches and in miniature frames around the bases of the trees.
Miniature stringed instruments with cases, handcrafted by professional violin makers, are displayed with the Sound of Christmas tree that is decorated with tiny pieces of sheet music and miniature instruments. Jackson, who earned a music education degree from Wichita State, played string bass for 15 years with the Wichita Symphony and later served on the symphony’s board.
Other themes include a Time Will Tell vignette, where heirloom watches are displayed on an old German-made tree, and a Sentiments of the Season tree decorated with antique calling
cards, roses and Victorian-inspired cornucopias.
One of the largest vignettes features 75 miniature packages and gifts under a tree loaded with 600 ornaments.
The tree collection is one of Jackson’s two holiday celebration legacies.
As a board member for the Wichita Art Association, now known as Mark Arts, Jackson was one of the founders of the annual Holiday Tables exhibition. The 57th Holiday Tables, where guest hosts and businesses create tablescapes, was held in early November.
Jackson said her health has prevented her from visiting the museum to see her collection, but former director Robert Plunkett created two scrapbooks of pictures of the collection that she occasionally looks through.
“I’m just amazed the museum still displays them,” Jackson said.
The miniature tree collection on loan from Wichitan Sylvia Jackson will be exhibited through the end of December at the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main. Museum hours are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 1-5 p.m. weekends.
Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for children ages 6-12, and free for children under 6. The museum is free to visit on Sundays.
Qualified Charitable Deduction a tax-smart way to help The Active Age
By Steve Criser
Your gift to The Active Age, a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization, is normally tax deductible as an itemized deduction on your tax return.
With the higher federal standard deduction, it may be difficult to achieve the desired tax benefit from your charitable donation. For older taxpayers, consider:
If you are 70 ½, plan to make the Qualified Charitable Deduction gift from your traditional Individual Retirement Account (IRA) in 2024 or 2025.
Federal law allows people age 70½ or older to make direct transfers up to $100,000 per year per person
to charitable organizations from their Individual Retirement Account (IRA), without the withdrawal being treated as taxable income. The payment from your Traditional IRA must be made directly by the IRA Trustee. You cannot personally touch the money.
The withdrawal can also be counted toward your Required Minimum Distribution.
The advantages are that many of us cannot take advantage of charitable deductions. This is because of the high standard deduction ($33,100 for seniors filing jointly). Paying the donation directly out of your IRA lets you take advantage of this tax deduction by instead reducing your adjusted
gross income by the amount donated. Reducing Adjusted Gross Income has other potential tax benefits as well. Please visit with your tax accoun-
tant to see if this would help you. Steve Criser is a member of The Active Age board of directors. He can be reached at steve@cgp.llc
Steve Criser
Thank You Recent Donors!
Honor Roll of Donors
These readers recently contributed $50 or more to the 2024 donation campaign.
postage costs, we have increased our goal for 2024 to $125,000.
Donate via our QR code This QR code will take you to The Active Age’s secure PayPal donation page.
Diamonds are forever, and The Active Age is 45!
By Joe Stumpe
The folks who started The Active Age were a forward-thinking bunch. Knowing from demographic studies that the number of seniors in the United States was growing, they reasoned that seniors here could use an information source dedicated to their needs and interests.
The first issue came out 45 years ago this month. I like to think it’s still going strong today.
In fact, I was thinking back to a conference of nonprofit news organizations that I attended last year in Washington, D.C. There were representatives of about 100 such organizations at the conference, from all over the United States.
When we were asked to introduce ourselves and say a little about our publications (or in many cases, websites), the people in attendance were fairly amazed that 1.) A newspaper for senior citizens in Wichita, Kan. had 53,000 subscribers, and 2.) Those subscribers had donated more than $100,000 to The Active Age’s operations during the previous year.
From the Editor
Both numbers put us in the top tier of conference attendees. I couldn’t help but be a little proud of that fact — and thankful to all the readers, writers, advertisers, volunteers and everybody else who make The Active Age possible.
Diamond drawing
To mark our latest birthday — and hopefully raise a little money toward future operations — we are holding a drawing for a diamond necklace generously donated by Mike Selzer Jewelers. Everybody who donates at least $25 between now and Jan. 31
will be entered in the drawing. Each $25 donation gets you another chance at the necklace. You can find all the details in the advertisement on page 3 of this month’s issue.
Lastly, please join me in thanking two long-time members of The Active Age board of directors who are stepping down: Mary Corrigan and Diana Breit Wolfe. Mary is an
To subscribe, call 316-942-5385, write The Active Age or visit theactiveage. com.
educator and expert in the field of gerontology who’s served on the board off and on since the 1990s, including a stint as president, so she has definitely put in her time. Diana, a retired accountant, has been our treasurer for the last decade, keeping a close eye on our finances and even managing to teach a journalist how to read a balance sheet. She’s promised to keep writing columns from time to time, which I know readers will enjoy.
Two other board members, Tiya Tonn and Linda Matney, have also left the board in recent months after serving shorter but still valuable terms. Our current board member and staff wish all four of them the best.
Contact Joe at joe@theactiveage.com.
Vice President: Susan Armstrong • Treasurer: Diana Wolfe Board Members: Mary Corrigan • Steve Criser • Al Higdon • Darnell Holopirek Tim Marlar • Jamee Ross • Patti Sullivan • Tiya Tonn The Active Age, published the first of each month, is distributed in Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick counties.
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
Diana Breit Wolfe
Mary Corrigan
Linda Matney Tiya Tonn
Roller derby
From Page 1
worked with IT systems for 23 years for Sedgwick County, first for the sheriff’s department and then the district attorney’s office. She credits a local attorney with suggesting Sweet Assassin, a name that juxtaposes Patrick’s outgoing, fun demeanor with her drive.
Her teammates often just call her Sweet. To complete the persona, her jersey number is 187, the penal code for murder.
About six years ago, Patrick ramped up her roller derby game and started participating on regional teams such as the Usual Suspects — a Kansas City-based team she joined last year — and TBD, which stands for Team Bad Derby. The Usual Suspects claimed a championship in Kansas City last month.
Her retirement last year freed up time to join more teams, including
Golden
From Page 1
decades focusing on bachelors and bachelorettes in their 20s and 30s. Both Chapple and Vassos are 61.
In an interview with KMUW from Los Angeles, Chapple said he didn’t even know the show existed until his daughter nominated him to be a contestant. Now, he feels honored to be able to represent his hometown on national television.
“One of the first things I said out there is, ‘What’s this Kansas farm boy doing here on TV?’ ” said Chapple, who started his current company, Insurance Services Group, in 2020. “To represent Kansas, I was very proud to do it.”
In the season finale that aired last month, Chapple proposed in a picturesque setting in Bora Bora.
Vassos accepted Chapple’s proposal.
“I’ve been waiting forever to do this,” he said before getting down on one knee. “Joan, will you marry me?”
“Of course, I’ll marry you,” Vassos replied.
Both Chapple and Vassos lost their previous partners to cancer. Vassos’ former husband, John Vassos, died of pancreatic cancer in 2021. Chapple’s former fiancée, Katherine White Goree, died of brain cancer in 2022.
Chapple said he’s glad to be part of a show that’s helping to encourage more people to search for love later in life.
“I’ve told people, you’re never too old to fall in love — 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s,” he said. “If you want to live your life
out-of-state and ones where she can find more diversity and inclusion as a woman of color.
“I go wherever I can skate just because I love the sport. It’s very fun.”
In roller derby, each team puts four blockers and one jammer on the track. The jammer, who wears a star on her helmet, has to pass the other team’s blockers and make a full lap to score points. The blockers play defense and try to keep the other team’s jammer from scoring. Patrick has played both positions but tends to play the jammer more often.
Patrick estimates she’s participated in more than 400 games. Her favorite league is USA Roller Sports.
“It’s faster and it feels more competitive,” Patrick said. Plus, she likes the fact that USARS is open to all ages and has mixed-gender teams.
She spends a lot of time on skates,
with someone, you’ve got to open up. And that’s what I did.”
Filming for the show took place over the summer. Chapple seemed to be a clear frontrunner from the second episode, when Vassos chose him to go on the coveted first one-on-one date of the season.
That date, Vassos would later say, was the first time she was able to picture her future with anyone besides her late husband.
Their romance looked briefly uncertain when Chapple temporarily left the competition because of a tragedy in his own life. His mother, forensic pathologist Jill Cobb, died after a battle with cancer, and he flew back to Wichita. He returned to the Bachelor Mansion in Los Angeles before the end of the episode.
Kansas was featured on the show when Chapple brought Vassos to Wichita for a “hometown date.” The pair didn’t spend much on-screen time in Wichita itself, instead visiting a ranch dotted with hay bales owned by Chapple’s friend, car dealer Roger Scholfield.
Chapple and his family planted a tree to honor Cobb’s memory.
Chapple said he’s aware of some criticism by Wichitans on social media over the countrified depiction of the city. He would’ve liked to visit the city itself, he said, but it ended up being too difficult to accommodate the 30 friends and family members who attended the gathering.
“It turned into a great opportunity, a memorial for my mother,” he said, “which was just a blessing.”
with nightly practices Tuesday through Thursday, two sessions on Saturdays and one on Sunday at the Roller City rink near 32nd Street and South Meridian. The roller derby season runs from January through October.
She also skates between 126 to 175 trail miles a month, which means she’s clocking miles outdoors. A board member of the National Association for Justice Information Systems, Patrick skated the famed Las Vegas Boulevard when she attended the recent NAJIC conference in Sin City.
A former runner, she didn’t count on roller derby being a mentally intense sport. It requires fast thinking while zipping around in circles to prevent or score on opponents.
It’s also physically challenging.
“At 63, I never thought that I would choose a sport where I would be bent down and hunched over like I was sitting on a toilet. But it’s a workout, and I really do like it.”
And she’s not ready to hang up her competitive skates anytime soon, as she
contestants on the last group date. A few men complained that Chapple was monopolizing time with Vassos.
Chapple said one of the other bachelors, Jonathan Rone, helped him understand why they might have reacted negatively.
“There were some guys that really had feelings for Joan,” Chapple said. “To see us really at that next level of the relationship — I can’t speak for them, but I think that’s what bothered them.”
By the time Chapple proposed, he was the only suitor left in the running. Vassos let the show’s runner-up, Guy Gansert, go before what would have been the pair’s final date.
The pair don’t have a wedding date set, and they haven’t committed yet to televising the event when it does happen, like “Golden Bachelor” Gerry Turner and winner Theresa Nist did
plans on “giving it another two years,” at least.
Patrick said she’s always been active. At the 45th reunion of her Wichita South High School graduating class, a former classmate remarked that she didn’t remember Patrick as being athletic. The next day, Patrick showed up in her high school letter jacket.
Recently, she’s taken up inline skating and plans to compete in her first inline competition with the Team United speed team in February. Inline skates have their wheels arranged in a single row, while the quad skates used in roller derby have two front and two rear wheels.
Patrick likes the challenge that speed skating presents since it requires her to push herself to keep bettering her time and distance, she said.
“I’m hoping to conquer the inlines. I like competing against myself.”
Contact Amy Geiszler-Jones at algj64@sbcglobal.net
earlier this year. The pair divorced three months later.
For now, Chapple said, he’s looking forward to spending more time with Vassos. They’re trying to navigate how to split their time between Wichita, Vassos’ home in Maryland, and New York City, where they’re planning to buy an apartment.
“What we’re kind of talking about is if there’s something kind of fun to do back in Wichita, she’ll come in,” he said. “We’ve got some parties coming up for the holidays. I’ll go see her family for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“After that, we’re really going to have to kind of strategize — because to facilitate all three (places) is going to take some effort.”
Rose Conlin is a reporter based at KMUW in Wichita, where this story originally aired.
The season didn’t have a clear villain, but Chapple did irritate some
Bonny Patrick
Age-friendly
From Page 1
“He said he wanted to be known not as an age-friendly city but as a youth-friendly city,” Bozarth said. “He had a hard time grasping that agefriendly meant friendly for all ages.”
Wichita also did not participate under Longwell’s successor, Brandon Whipple, who served until Wu defeated him last year.
The Sedgwick County Department on Aging and Central Plains Area Agency on Aging, which operates out of that department, is collaborating with the city on the age-friendly initiative.
“We’re excited for this to happen,” said Annette Graham, executive director of CPAAA.
Being part of the network gives the city access to technical assistance from livability experts and support from AARP in developing an action plan.
According to AARP’s website, the city is now expected to:
• Establish a way to include older residents in all stages of the agefriendly process
• Conduct a community needs assessment
• Develop an action and evaluation plan based on the assessment results and submit to AARP for review
• Implement the plan and submit progress reports
• Assess the impact of the plan
• Share solutions, successes and best practices across the age-friendly network
Bozarth called the process a “fiveyear cycle.”
“The assessment is generally done in first year. The second year, they develop an action plan on what they’ll work on. In years three through five, they implement the plan and track progress.
“In year five, there’s an assessing process. Once that happens, they start over and do another community assessment and develop an action plan around that.”
AARP offers communities a 15page needs assessment survey they can use or adapt, available in English, Spanish, printed and digital versions. The survey is specifically geared toward finding out what older residents think about their community.
Wu, however, said the city may use the community survey it currently utilizes, which is sent to 5,000 randomly selected households and is designed to capture residents’ feelings about the city’s economy, safety, utilities and seven other areas.
Wu and Graham both said they’d like to see the results of the AARP community assessment survey done when Wichita previously belonged to the age-friendly network. However, Bozarth said the city withdrew from the network before that survey was completed.
The confusion may stem from the fact that the city, CPAAA and AARP also worked together on a
neighborhood walkability assessment, bringing livability expert Dan Burden to town. That led to Grandparents Park being built to serve the Schweiter and Sunnyside neighborhoods. The half-acre park, located where the city had been maintaining two vacant lots, features an exercise station for seniors and a playground for children, walking trail and park benches. AARP Kansas paid for most of the $21,850 cost of the park.
In 2019, AARP released results of a livability survey of Wichita, reporting that well-maintained hospitals and healthcare facilities, safe streets and sidewalks, affordable transportation and neighborhood parks ranked high in that survey. It appears that about 140 people responded to that survey.
According to AARP, many agefriendly communities use a framework called “8 Domains of Livability” in developing an action plan, typically focusing on a few at a time. The “domains” are outdoor spaces and buildings; transportation; housing; social participation; respect and social inclusion; work and civic engagement; communication and information; and community and health services.
After consulting with other City Council members and the city’s Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights Advisory Board, Wu said Wichita would focus on housing, social participation and communication and information.
Topeka is the only other Kansas city active in the age-friendly network, joining in May. AARP’s website shows that most of the age-friendly
communities are concentrated on the coasts and upper Midwest. On its website, AARP said most age-friendly communities had achieved changes in public policy, attracted public and private investments and improved livability for older residents through the initiative.
There is no cost to cities participating in the age-friendly network, and Wu said she did not anticipate the city spending more on senior-related services as a result. “It’s not necessarily adding more, it’s how you allocate the current dollars you have.”
Maddy Campbell, supervisor of the city’s office of community services, has been assigned to work on the project.
The city provides few seniorrelated services, instead relying on Sedgwick County, which this year collected about $2.7 million in property taxes for that purpose but primarily pays for services with state and federal funds. The county commission has set the aging department’s budget for 2025 at $20.6 million, down 8 percent from this year’s budget.
In 2022, Wichita State University joined the Age-Friendly University Network. Earlier this year, the Kansas Health Institute, a Topeka-based nonprofit, started Age-Friendly Kansas to develop a healthy aging action plan for the state. While not connected to AARP’s network, Graham said they “are kind of interrelated.”
“I think it’s a good time for the city to be doing this.”
2009 report could offer starting points for age-friendly plan
As Wichita officials consider ways to make the city more age-friendly, they might consider the last major effort in that direction. A 2009 report, titled “Revitalizing Communities for All Generations: Visioning a Livable Wichita Region,” is full of intriguing ideas that have never been pursued.
The report emerged from a workshop at Wichita State University attended by more than 100 community member and experts on aging. The workshop concentrated on what could be done to help seniors age in their homes as long as possible — the overriding preference of a majority — and how intergenerational experiences might contribute to that.
"More and more older adults live or socialize in age-isolated facilities, essentially cut off from the greater community," the report stated. "With families as spread out as they are, assisted living facilities and nursing homes have become the de facto solution for older adults who might need only a minimal level of care. Yet,
these 'solutions' are anything but. They are financially burdensome and leave older adults at risk of social isolation and other psychological and physical health problems."
Areas the report highlighted included:
Transportation. The report noted that seniors who no longer drive may be intimidated by public transportation. One option mentioned was for Wichita to bring a branch of the Independent Transportation Network of America here. ITN, which has affiliates across the country, uses volunteers to provide free or lowcost rides for those who can’t drive themselves.
Housing. Two challenges were noted in the report: many older adults live in homes that were not designed or built with their needs in mind, and many adults also have trouble keeping up with yard work and home repairs. The report cited Rebuilding Together, a nonprofit with affiliates across the country that modifies and repairs
the homes of low-income and older residents.
Zoning. The report suggested that seniors would benefit if local governments allowed Accessory Dwelling Units. ADUs are selfcontained housing units that are either in or adjacent to a single-family home. Seniors could supplement their income by renting out ADUs in their homes, or rent an ADU in somebody else’s home as an alternative to going into a senior-only facility. Santa Cruz, Calif., was cited as a leader in this area.
Intergenerational Living/
Activities. The report detailed several examples of intergenerational communities and programs, including Hope Meadows, an Illinois community in which the families of adopted foster children live alongside older adults, who volunteer as “honorary grandparents” in exchange for discounted rent. In one small Massachusetts town, advocates of a new high school and new senior center decided to put them in the same building, with each age group learning and benefiting from the other.
Mayor Lily Wu
What I learned from writing three Kansas books in three years:culture, controversy and courage
By Roxie Yonkey Kansas Reflector
I wrote three books about Kansas in three years. During my travels, I heard that James Bond is buried in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Pittsburg. I couldn’t find 007. Instead, I found multiple languages carved on tombstones and the Mishmash family graves. A mish-mash is a jumble of objects. It’s also a Bulgarian dish akin to a breakfast skillet.
That cemetery in the state’s Little Balkans is a statewide metaphor. Far from flat, bland and boring, the state has stood at the forefront of controversy since its inception. The Sunflower State’s goulash of geography extends from the Ozark Plateau in the southeast to the Arikaree Breaks in the northwest. The hope of a better life and the state’s Free State reputation attracted many immigrants, who provided a cornucopia of culture and cuisine.
In the 1870s, Kansas attracted Exodusters, formerly enslaved people fleeing segregation. However, Kansas still allowed some segregation. Because of this, Kansas became a leader in civil rights cases. The Webb vs. District No. 90 dispute began when the Merriam school board forbade black students to attend a new grade school. Instead, they were shunted to the decrepit Madam C.J. Walker School.
Helen Swan explained the situation to her white employer, Esther Brown. Swan, Brown, Alfonso and Mary Webb and others joined the NAACP. With NAACP support, they hired teachers for their children and filed a lawsuit. In response, Brown’s father-in-law fired her husband, and the FBI investigated her.
Eventually, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled in their favor, allowing the children to start school in September 1949. Five years later, Brown assisted with Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, overturning educational segregation nationwide.
Not all immigrants arrived voluntarily. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 forcibly pushed many Indigenous nations out of Indiana into present-day
Kansas. (Ironically, “Indiana” means “Land of Indians.”)
Leavenworth’s streets bear the exiled nations’ names.
The government promised housing for the Potawatomi Nation’s Mission Band at the end of their 660mile Trail of Death. Instead, only desolation greeted them near presentday Osawatomie in November 1837. The Prairie Band invited them to their home at St. Mary’s Mission near present-day Centerville. St. Rose Philippine Duchesne ministered at the mission, the only Catholic saint to live in Kansas.
However, immigration was catastrophic for Indigenous nations already in the state. Before the Civil War, they suffered from displaced Eastern Indigenous nations moving past the “Permanent Indian Frontier.” Life worsened after the war. The Homestead and Pacific Railway Acts of 1862 assigned Indigenous land to railroads and settlers. War ensued.
Fresh from Civil War glory, Winfield Scott Hancock’s heavyhanded tactics failed, forcing him to
Guest Column
meet Indigenous leaders at Medicine Lodge Creek in 1867. The resulting treaties brought no peace. Congress was too busy impeaching President Andrew Johnson in 1868 to appropriate the promised peacekeeping payments. Therefore, raiding resumed. Gen. Philip Sheridan repeated the total war tactics he had applied in Civil War Virginia. Slaughtering bison proved an effective way to force Indigenous peoples onto reservations.
Medicine Lodge also housed two of the state’s most intriguing characters, Carry Nation and Sockless Jerry Simpson. Originally Carrie Nation, she eventually changed her name to Carry in order to “Carry A. Nation to Prohibition.” She started her saloon-smashing career in 1900 while living in Medicine Lodge. She threw rocks at saloons in nearby Kiowa. The trademark hatchet came later in Wichita.
Ten years earlier, Simpson ran for Congress as a Populist during a drought and national economic crisis. His opponent, Wichita’s James Reed Hallowell, wore silk stockings. Hallowell derided Simpson for his socklessness. Simpson accepted the “Sockless Jerry” title and won the
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election.
Kansas stepped up again during World War II. When Army Air Corps General Henry “Hap” Arnold demanded an impossible bomber production schedule, Kansas delivered. The state became a series of pilot training airfields and aircraft factories. Wichita was already the Air Capital of the World, but its World War II performance cemented the title.
John James Ingalls devised a better state motto, “Ad Astra per Aspera,” than he perhaps realized. Kansas has reached toward the stars through plenty of “aspera,” from war to locust plagues. We own a resilient heritage. The stars await.
Roxie Yonkey of Goodland is the author of “100 Things to Do in Kansas Before You Die,” “Secret Kansas” and “Historic Kansas Roadsides,” all published by Reedy Press. Follow her at roxieontheroad.com.
Roxie Yonkey
Photos by Roxie Yonkley
The former Madam C.J. Walker School now serves as a church.
The Mishmash family grave plot is located in Pittsburg.
Young Wichitan won glory, paid with his life at Battle of the Bulge
By Bob Rives
Eighty years ago this month, a desperate Adolf Hitler caught the western allies off guard by launching one of the largest attacks in military history — what came to be called the Battle of the Bulge.
And a young Wichitan’s desperate fighting helped the allies stave off defeat.
Richard Eller Cowan was born in Lincoln, Neb., but grew up in Wichita, attending North High and then Friends University near the family’s home on North Glenn. Cowan eventually transferred to Oberlin College in Ohio, where his grandfather, father and uncles had graduated.
In mid-December 1944, he was a 22-year-old private first class and heavy machine gunner serving in the forests of Belgium.
According to the official record, German tank fire killed or wounded all but three men in Cowan’s section. Cowan “maintained his position, holding off the Germans until the rest of the shattered force had set up a new line along a firebreak. Then, unaided, he moved his machine gun and ammunition to the second position.
At the approach of a Royal Tiger tank, he held his fire until about 80 enemy infantrymen supporting the tank appeared at a distance of about 150 yards. His first burst killed or wounded about half of those infantrymen. His position was rocked by an 88-mm shell when the tank opened fire, but he continued to man his gun, pouring deadly fire into the Germans when they again advanced.”
Richard Cowan
Cowan covered the withdrawal of his comrades. He was killed by enemy fire the next day and awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor, posthumously.
Cowan’s body was returned to Kansas in 1947 and is buried at Wichita Park Cemetery. After a member of American Legion Post No. 4 found the gravesite overgrown in 2021, the post adopted the site and has held a wreath-laying ceremony there every Memorial Day. The Military Order of the Purple Heart 558 is also named in his honor.
Contact Bob Rives at bprives@gmail. com
Sing in holidays at school museum
The McCormick School Museum holds several holiday events this month. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 6, the annual holiday open houses will feature more than 300 students singing — a different group each half-hour — and the historic school building will be open for tours. The open house continues from 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 7 and 8, and a carol singing around the tree is scheduled from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Dec. 12. The museum is again selling Christmas ornaments for $20 and tinker bells for $10. The museum is located at 855 S. Martinson. For more information, visit mccormickschoolmuseuminc.com or call (316) 708-0676.
Find your place.
Don’t miss your chance to become a Priority Member!
Learn more at one of these events:
Jan. 9, 3 p.m.
Jan. 16, 3 p.m.
Jan. 23, 3 p.m.
Larksfield Place is expanding, and we want you to join our Life Plan Community. This is your last chance to sign up for Priority Membership, which gives you access to exclusive benefits. Secure your future home with the first choice of our newly expanded apartments, complete with personalized finishes to suit your taste.
Scan me
With modern living spaces and countless places for gathering, discover a community built for spending time together. Find your place at Larksfield Place.
Stay informed about upcoming events and expansion updates by scanning the QR code, or call 316-202-4147
December Theatre
By Diana Morton
Forum Theatre, at the Wilke Center, 1st United Methodist Church, 330 N. Broadway. Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Based on the beloved movie, this musical revolves around two World War II buddies who decide to help their former commanding general save his struggling Vermont inn. Dec 5-22. 8pm; Tickets $34 – $44 each; 10% military discount and 1/2 price student tickets with a valid student ID. 316618-0444
Mosley Street Melodrama, 234 N. Mosley. Die Hard Candy Christmas by Ryan Schafer and Steve Hitchcock. A send-up of the classic action-packed Christmas movie — with a sweet twist. Followed by the “Definitely Christmas” musical comedy revue. Now – Dec 22. Tickets, dinner, and show $36-40; show only $26-30. 316-263-0222
Prairie Pines Murder Mystery Theatre, Catch That Falling Star. When the star of the televised extravaganza is
killed off by a falling stage light, it’s up to the beautiful detective to solve the mystery and sing a few Christmas songs along the way. Now – Dec 23. Tickets are available at prairiepinesplayhouse.com or call 316-303-2037
Roxy’s Downtown, 412 E. Douglas, cabaret-style theatre. Golden Girls. Now in its eighth go-round at Roxy’s, join the zany crew for an all-new episode. Doors open at 6:30pm; Show begins at 8:00pm. Now – Dec 29. Tickets $40. 316-265-4400
Wichita Community Theatre, 258 N. Fountain. A Christmas Carol, by Joe Landry. The Charles Dickens story comes to life as a live 1940s radio broadcast complete with vintage commercials, live sound effects and musical underscoring. Performances are at 8 pm Thursday through Saturday with a 2 pm Sunday matinee, Dec 5-15. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for military/ seniors/students. 316-686-1282
Contact Diana Morton at dianamorton12@sbcglobal.net
Even Santa needs
Language no barrier when it came to this friendship
By Ted Blankenship
When our son Tedd was at Wichita State, he worked for a roofing company in the summer. Next to him most of the time was a 26-year-old from Bangkok,Thailand.
Prasan Powthong was a WSU student too, but one with a degree in mechanical engineering from Bangkok University International. His parents, owners of a banana plantation, sent him to Wichita to learn English, to better serve his country when he came home.
Tedd and Prasan became close friends and decided the young engineer should become a member of our household, which consisted of Dorothy and me, our two daughters and Tedd.
We moved the girls into one room and Prasan took the third one. He quickly became a member of the family.
His English was coming along,
but his Thai often returned with a vengeance. For example, once he and Dorothy were on our flat-roofed house with a gallon of bright yellow paint. No one remembers what needed to be painted yellow, but one of them dumped a gallon of it on the roof.
Prasan came down two rungs at a time, shouting all the way in Thai.
Once, we took him fishing with my uncle in Cottonwood Falls. Riding in the bow of the boat, he was unimpressed and wondered why we would waste all that time dragging a tiny lure through the water when there were nets that would catch bigger fish faster. And other methods as well.
“At home,” he said, “we just drop a couple of electric wires in the water and load the fish in the boat.”
Resource Guide arrives
The Active Age's new 2024-2025 Resource Guide is now available. The FREE publication lists hundreds of organizations and businesses that serve seniors. View the guide online at www.theactiveage.com or pick up the guide at The Active Age office, 125 S. West St, Ste. 105, local senior centers, libraries and 80 locations around Wichita. Call the office at 316-942-5385 to find a location near you.
One of Prasan’s traits that would have outweighed any problems he might have caused was his cooking. His mother was a fantastic cook who taught all her recipes to Prasan, who sometimes cooked at home while other family members tended the bananas. Prasan cooked for us while he was with us and later became a chef at a Wichita country club. His specialty
was stir fry, made with a Thai hot sauce hotter than any found in Central America.
Prasan couldn’t live without rice, and often visited a Vietnamese family to get a fix. Recently, I was thinking about him, looked him up on the internet and sadly, found his obituary. Wherever he is, I hope they have a good supply of rice and hot sauce.
Contact Ted at tblankenship218@ gmail.com.
200
KS 67206 Phone: 316-708-8848
316-684-4272
316-684-5212
December quiz: Pondering Christmases past and present
By Nancy Wheeler
Our Christmas quiz comes but once a year. See how much you know about this the holiday. The answers appear below.
1. What much-maligned traditional Christmas bread was placed in the great pyramids and later carried by Roman soldiers for nourishment?
2. In what country did Parliament make Christmas celebrations illegal from 1647 to 1660?
3. What Christmas drink began
as a posset, a drink made in 14th century England, with hot milk that was curdled with ale or wine?
4. What plant has been associated with love and kisses ever since it was used in Greek and Roman marriage ceremonies?
5. What musical tradition, originally known as wassailing, was strongly influenced by St. Francis of Assisi in the 13th century?
6. In the 15th century Netherlands, what would poor
children place by the fireplace or outside the door so that the Sinterklass would fill them?
7. The song “Silent Night” was first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818 in Oberndorf, a village in the Black Forest of what country?
8. What minister’s 1822 Christmas poem was used by political cartoonist Thomas Nast to produce the first modern image of Santa Claus?
9. The tradition of lighting a colossal Christmas tree in this New York City location dates back to 1931 when workers pooled their money to buy a 20-foot balsam fir?
10. What ninth reindeer was added to the original eight when a 1939 Robert May story was set to music and recorded by Gene Autry?
11. In the UK, what name is given to the day after Christmas when the money was traditionally distributed to the poor?
12. People from what country line up to purchase Kentucky Fried Chicken for their Christmas celebrations?
Answers:
Fruitcake
England
Eggnog
Mistletoe
Christmas caroling
Wooden shoes
Germany
Clement Moore 9. Rockefeller Center 10. Rudolph
Boxing Day
Japan
Robert Peterson Somewhere in America is organized by the Wichita Art Museum.
How to write a living will
Dear Savvy Senior,
What’s the best way to go about writing a living will? I’m approaching age 73 and in poor health and would like to get this done without spending a lot of money.
Need Help
Dear Need,
Preparing a living will now is a smart decision that gives you say in how you want to be treated at the end of your life. Here’s what you should know, along with some resources to help you write one.
What to Prepare
To adequately spell out your wishes regarding your end-of-life medical treatment you need two legal documents: A “living will” which tells your doctor what kind of care you want to receive if you become incapacitated, and a “health care power of attorney” (or health care proxy), which names a person you authorize to make medical decisions on your behalf if you become unable to.
These two documents are known as an “advance directive,” and will only be utilized if you are too ill to make medical decisions yourself. You can
also change or update it whenever you please.
It isn’t necessary to hire a lawyer to prepare an advance directive. There are a number of free or low-cost doit-yourself resources available today to help you create one, and it takes only a few minutes from start to finish. Some top options include:
CaringInfo.org: This is a program created by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization that provides free state-specific living will forms that you can download, print and fill out. Or you can call 800-6588898 and they will mail them to you and answer any questions you may have.
MyDirectives.com: If you’d rather create a digital (online only) advance directive, MyDirectives is an online tool and mobile app that will help you create, store and share a detailed, customized digital advance directive.
FiveWishes.org: This is another top-rated resource for creating a comprehensive paper or digital advance directive. They charge $5 for the paper form and $15 for the digital version,
which is stored on the website that you or your family can access anytime.
VA Advance Directive: If you’re a veteran, the VA also provides a free advance directive form specifically for you at VA.gov/find-forms/aboutform-10-0137
Other Options
If you’re interested in making an entire estate plan that will include your will and/or trust, power of attorney and advance directive, there are many doit-yourself online services that typically run between $100 and $250. Some top services include Quicken WillMaker & Trust software (WillMaker.com), Trust & Will (TrustandWill.com), and Legal Zoom (LegalZoom.com), which also makes basic living wills for only $39.
Or, if you’d rather have a professional do it for you, contact an estate planning attorney. See NAELA.org or NAEPC.org to help you locate someone in your area. Costs will vary depending on where you live, but you can expect to pay somewhere between $500 and $2,000 for a basic estate plan.
Add-ons
You should also consider getting a do-not-resuscitate order (DNR) as part of your advance directive, since advanced directives do little to protect you from unwanted emergency care like CPR. To create a DNR, ask your doctor to fill out a state appropriate form and sign it.
Another tool you should know about that will complement your
advance directive is the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, or POLST (sometimes called Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, or MOLST). A POLST form translates your end-of-life wishes into medical orders to be honored by your doctors. To learn more about your state’s program or set one up, see POLST.org.
Tell Your Family
To ensure your final wishes are followed, make sure to tell your family members, health care proxy and doctors so they all know what you want. You should also provide them copies of your advance directive or if you create a digital version, make sure you share it electronically.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
Get More Savvy
Find more tips from Savvy Senior at theactiveage.com. Topics this month include:
* Best Pill Boxes and Medication Management Tools
* How to Know if You’re Getting Osteoporosis
* How to Choose a Memory Care Unit for a Loved One with Dementia
•
NOTE: The Active Age prints information about events as space permits. To submit information email Joe at joe@theactiveage.com or call 316-942-5385.
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 122 N Main, 785-398-1255
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
December 4
10:30 am Wichita Art Museum 1400 W. Museum Blvd., $2 admission. Holiday Party
1:30 pm Museum of World Treasures 835 E. 1st St. Info not available.
December 11
10 am Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 Zoo Blvd. (316) 266-8213, $4 No Program.
1:30 pm Advanced Learning Library, 711 W, 2nd, (316) 2618500, Free. Info not available.
Derby Sr Center, 611 Mulberry. 3rd Tuesday 7pm-9:30 pm. El Dorado Jam & Dance, Senior Center, 210 E. 2nd.
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
December 18
10 am Ulrich Museum of Art, 1845 N. Fairmount. Info not available.
1:30 pm Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E 29th St N. Info not available.
December 25
10 am Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main. Info not available.
1:30 pm Mid American All-Indian museum. 650 N Seneca (316) 3503340, $2 + tax admission; free for MAAIM members. Info not available.
Dances
Prairie Wind Dancers: Plymouth Congregational Church, 202 N Clifton. Joyce, 683-1122.
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 Oaklawn Activity Center, 4904 S. Clifton. Contra Dance1st Saturday of each month. 7pm-9pm. Call Amanda at 316-361-6863. Orchard Park Golden Age, 4808 W 9th. Every Friday 7pm-9:30pm. Call Casey 316-706-7464
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 DECEMBER 2
Mon: Speghetti w/meat sauce, garden salad, peaches, garlic bread stick.
Tue: New England Stew, broccoli, cauliflower and carrot salad, mixed fruit, whole wheat muffin.
Wed: Creamed chicken over biscuit, herbed green beans, pears diced.
Thu: Beef chili, mixed vegetables, spiced apples, cinnamon roll.
Fri: Beef cutlet w/ spanish sauce, spanish rice, corn o'brien, pineapple.
WEEK OF DECEMBER 9
Mon: Salmon noodle cass w/ peas, harvard beets, peaches.
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: Cheese pizza, garden salad, apricots.
Wed: Meat loaf, baked potato, creamed peas, banana, wheat roll.
Thu: BBQ chicken, roasted garlic mashed potato, green beans, applesauce.
Fri: Shepherds pie w/ mashed potato, 3 bean salad, pineapple.
WEEK OF DECEMBER 16
Mon: Mexican Lasagna, refired beans, hominy, mandarian oranges.
Tue: Fish sticks, cole slaw, orange, wheat roll.
Wed: Liver & onions OR beef cutlet w/ beef gravy, corn, mixed fruit, wheat bread.
Thu: Chicken fried steak, mashed potato w/ gravy, carrots, peaches, wheat roll. Fri: Pork chop, mashed potato w/gravy, seasoned green beans, pears, wheat roll.
WEEK OF DECEMBER 23
Mon: Taco Burger, potato wedges, brocoli, mixed fruit.
Tue: HOLIDAY.
Wed: HOLIDAY.
Thu: Beef & Cabbage over mashed potatoes, parsley carrots, fresh orange. Fri: Cranberry Meatballs, baked potato, winter mix, apricots.
WEEK OF DECEMBER 30
Mon: Beef chili, cole slaw, banana, cinnamon roll.
Tue: Scalloped Potaotes & Ham, mixed vegetables, mixed fruit.
* 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
White Chapel, Memorial Gardens, Garden of Nativity, Section 288D, spaces 2, 3 and 4. Value $6,000. Sell $3,500. Seller pays transfer fee. 785-259-2224
White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Garden of Nativity. Single plot. $1,000, buyer pays transfer fees. 316-838-5611
Old Mission, Acacia Garden. 2 adjoining lots, section C row F graves 30&31. $975 each OBO. Email campgill@gmail.com or call 971-222-4115.
2 plots at Resthaven. Garden of Freedom. Lot 126 C, spaces 3&4. Call 316-207-5999.
Like New Lazy Boy Recliner. $550. Cost $924 new. Purchased April 2024. Call 316-272-5499.
OxyGoFit portable oxygen concentrator, 1-3 LPM. Newer column assembly, 2 batteries, case. Excellent condition, used infrequently. $1200 negotiable. Chuck 316-655-5289, Dee 316-213-3483.
STAIR CHAIR LIFT—Staying Home Corp, Legacy Stairlift; 13’5”w/2 remotes; good condition; purchased 10/2015; $800 OBO. 316-708-2088
Used Jazzy Power chair. $75. Bob 316-641-7499
20" Chrome wheels. Fits 2011-2013 SRX Cadillac $150. One donut spare rim fits same model $75. Call 316-648-0336.
Folding Scooter and wheelchair. 48" long 27 3/4 wide 3" deep. Mounts to a 2" hitch with folding ramp. 71lbs. Holds up to 500lbs. $100. Call Newton316-734-9708
Shower buddy wheel chair(wheel into shower). Brand new/never used. $1,300. Call Karrie 316-200-6934
Dachshund/Spaniel mix looking for good home with someone or family who will give him attention and love. He is 9yrs old, 25lbs, very friendly, likes children, and does not like traveling in a vehicle. He has no health issues and is current on vaccinations. He is house trained and does not wander far when off leash. I would propose a 2 week trial to see if he fits well in your life. If we decide that it's not a good fit then I would seek another adoption. CallTerry 316 200 7987
Kittens looking for new home. 2 black and 2 gray. Call 316-205-3109
Private Duty Aide with light house keeping. Availability evenings and weekends. References upon request. Cynthia CNA/HHA 316-992-6711
29 YR EXPERIENCED LICENSED HOME HEALTH AIDE
Providing rides to Dr etc. Home Health Care Specializing in Dementia/Diabetes/Hospice. Ref avail. Kay 316-882-9127
Lady CNA/HHA
With years of experience. Excellent references. Can work weekends only Minimum eight hour shifts. Call 316-516-2149
HAIR STYLING F
IPK Enterprises Estate Sales. Know your options, you have many. Please call us for a free consultation. 316-806-3435.
Dave’s Improvements General Contractor Lic #7904 Roofing, Siding, Doors, Gutters, Windows, Storm damage repair, Senior Discount. 316-312-2177
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
Cowboy Construction Remodeling, siding, decks, fences, windows, doors and more. 20 years locally owned.
BRICK & STONE WORK OF ANY KIND Tuck-pointing, foundation & chimney repair. Insured. Free Estimates. CALL DAN 316-516-3949
F FREE PETS F
F HOME CARE F
operated FREE ESTIMATES
All types of roofing, siding, handyman work, hauling, clean-ups & other exterior projects 316-640-3155
Licensed & Insured
Bravo Brothers ICT Services
Michelle has a special needs child and recently had difficulty finding a daycare provider that could accommodate the child’s needs. Michelle had to miss several days at work because of the daycare situation. Unfortunately, this led to her eventually losing her job.
Immediately, Michelle began to look for a new job but got behind on her utility bills while still trying to pay for all the necessities. Before long, she was able to secure a new job that allowed her to do home health care while her child was at school. Since she was driving regularly to her patients’ homes, she needed reliable transportation. Her car needed some
SHARE THE SEASON
repairs to get it fully operational for the additional driving her job required.
Bringing comfort and support to families in their time of need this holiday season
the Season for assistance. Because of generous donations made to Share the Season, the program was able to provide the necessary repairs and new tires for her car. Michelle could now securely and safely get to all her patients to provide their needed care. Share the Season also helped to get her utilities caught up. The extra assistance helped provide Michelle the needed
Beware fraud in health insurance marketplace
TOPEKA – The Health Insurance Marketplace is experiencing an increase in the number of potential cases of agent and broker misconduct. Consumers should be on alert and verify changes and enrollments in their health insurance.
“Be very cautious when giving authorization for changes in your health insurance enrollments,” said Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt. “If you suspect unauthorized activity, report it immediately.”
The Kansas Department of Insurance and the Health Insurance Marketplace offer some tips for consumers on how to identify fraud and avoid becoming a victim of unauthorized changes or enrollment in insurance plans:
Confirm permission: Agents and brokers must gain your permission to sign up or make changes to your insurance plan. An agent or broker who is not already associated with your enrollment must take additional steps to update your consumer Marketplace
Heel
enrollment.
Avoid red flags: If you come across a health insurance ad that offers you cash, gifts or other bonuses, this could be a scam. Avoid giving out personal information that may be used without your consent.
Only trust official sources: Make sure to only use trusted, official sources to find help with researching, selecting and enrolling in insurance plans. Review and compare plans carefully.
Share the Season helps mother get to needed job
You can also mail a check with your donation to Share The Season, PO Box 485, Wichita, KS, 67201Visit
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.
This month's winner is Mickey Sheaks.
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.
Agents and brokers not associated with your enrollment will be required to conduct a three-way call with the consumer and the Marketplace Call Center or direct you to submit the change yourself through “Find local help” on HealthCare.gov. Consumers who think they may be a victim of unauthorized agent or broker activity should call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596. For any questions regarding unauthorized agent or broker activity, visit the Department online at insurance. kansas.gov.
Letters to the Editor
Inspiring story
Thank you for the front-page article about Neal Baaker. It was so encouraging to learn of his journey to the United States, trials, hard work and ultimate success as a businessman. I decided to visit his nursery which resulted in a phone call. While his Wichita Greenhouse is closed for the season, I told him I enjoyed reading
the article about him in The Active Age newspaper, and his gratefulness with the statements, “But I am proud to be an American. This is the best country in the world.”
His reply was, “I meant that with all my heart.”
May many of us be inspired by his gratefulness, hard work and positive attitude. His statements “I would like to see people be proud to be an American. Many people feel like the U.S. owes them something, but it doesn’t.
You have to work to be successful,” should be inspirational to all of us.
I plan to visit his business when it opens in the spring!
Gretchen Fox, Valley Center
One-room memories
We always enjoy reading the variety of articles in The Active Age newspaper. I especially enjoyed your story on one-room schoolhouses. I attended a one-room school, Cooper School in Harper County, in 1942 when I
entered first grade. I went there for three years before it was closed for lack of students. The last year it was open we only had 6 students total in all eight grades. We were then transferred to a two-room school. Our one-room school had electricity, a potbelly stove and two outhouses, but no running water. It was a great experience and I have many fond memories.
Jeanie Tade, Wichita
Win tickets to Carpenters Christmas tribute page. Or you can mail your entry to The Active Age, 125 S. West St., Suite 105, Wichita, KS, 67213; include your telephone number and address.
The Active Age is giving away three pairs of tickets to The Carpenters tribute show at The Orpheum on Saturday, Dec. 14. “Close to You: A Carpenters Christmas” is based on the music of The Carpenters’ holiday albums and Christmas variety show.
To enter our drawing for tickets, visit theactiveage.com and fill out the entry form near the top of the home
The deadline for entries is Dec. 7.
Congratulations to the winners of last month’s drawing for tickets to the Jim Brickman holiday concert at The Orpheum: Connie Wallace, Julie Hall and Dwight Voth.
At AARP Family Caregiving,
To learn more, visit aarp.org/caregiving.
The Active Age office will be closed for the holidays begining on Monday Dec 23 and will reopen on Monday Jan 6.
A GRIP ON KANSAS
