June 2023

By Joe Stumpe

Dr. Adel Korkor remembers the general reaction to his idea of running 5ks in 50 states within the span of 50 days.

“I was told I should probably see a psychiatrist because this is something that’s going to be hard to accomplish,” he said.

See Fifty, page 6

By Amy Geiszler-Jones

When two Wichita women were looking for new jobs, they turned to a couple of employers they know best: their children.

Lori Farha and Squeek Crouse give new meaning to the phrase “working moms.”

Farha, 67, had been working in the geriatric behavioral health unit at Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph when the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown started. Because of social distancing challenges in a health care setting, Farha felt she needed a change, but she wasn’t ready to retire.

Initially, she was hesitant to ask her youngest son, Ben, if he might have room in his Farha Roofing company for her.

“I don’t want to abuse my parenthood,” Farha said.

For Ben, it was a no-brainer.

“It was an easy choice to make, and I wanted my mom to be safe,” he

said.

Three years later, he still feels it was a good choice to have his mom, who handles all the payroll and human resources responsibilities, come work for him. She’s parlayed

nearly two decades of experience as a social worker into helping take care of Farha Roofing employees. The company has grown to include 50

By Annie Calovich

As the first flush of flower and leaf faded from the landscape this spring, an ugly reality emerged.

Many of the trees were still brown.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many dead trees in Wichita,” said Brian Ernstmann, owner of Ernstmann Tree Care.

Drought is the main culprit. While trees in home lawns often get watered along with the grass, that was not enough in a summer as dry as last year’s.

“You have to put more water on for a longer time to get to the tree roots,” Ernstmann said.

While it is rare for a dead tree to fall, Ernstmann said that dead

branches that are left in trees will continue to decay and could soon present a danger.

“I think this summer and fall, they’re going to come down,” he said.

People who want to preserve their trees have to take extra steps during dry spells to help them make it through.

Dan Wetta, a retirement planner, is one of them. A huge exotic elm tree shades almost all of his front yard in College Hill. When one of its big roots pushed

up the sidewalk to dangerous heights three years ago, Wetta convinced the See Trees, page 7

Photo by Amy Geiszler-Jones

Squeek Crouse grabs customer Devin Hansen a bottle of water as her daughter, Brenda cuts his hair.

Fifty 5Ks in 50 days, 50 states

Photo by Annie Calovich Dan Wetta says the time and money he's spent keeping this elm tree healthy are well worth it.

Dr. Adel Korkor

‘So many dead trees in Wichita’ Trees need extra care in drought

Back to school cool for Children First workers

The Active Age

Two sisters looking for something to do in retirement found it in the form of 20 middle schoolers.

Nan Putnam, a former social worker, and her big sister, Dianne McCarthy, a former florist, worked as group leaders for pupils chosen to be

student Ambassadors at St. Patrick and All Saints Catholic schools.

The Ambassadors are a program of the Children First nonprofit, while Putnam and McCarthy are employees of the AmeriCorps program coordinated by the Wichita State University Community Engagement

Institute.

“We just hit the ground running,” McCarthy said. “It’s been a learning experience for both of us.”

Meeting with the kids one day a week, the sisters helped them organize canned food drives and bake sale fundraisers, brought in speakers from the community to talk about their careers, had them volunteer at the Kansas Food Bank one morning and took them on tours of WSU and Newman University.

McCarthy said the career speakers were eye-opening for the students, who had “funny” ideas about the salaries they’d make in various careers.

“Some of them thought they’d get paid half a million dollars, and some thought they’d get paid $2,000.”

When one group of adults visited St. Patrick, the Ambassadors handed out flowers from the school’s garden and told them about that program.

“Throughout the school, they’re known as Ambassadors,” McCarthy said. “They’ve taken the lead on a lot of things in the school.”

Putnam and McCarthy say they worked about 17 to 20 hours a week. They are paid a small monthly stipend and a bonus at the end of their year of service. They’re planning to continue

for at least one more school year. The local AmeriCorps program currently employs 19 people in it who are 60 or older.

“We would encourage people, if they’re looking for something to do, to go to AmeriCorps,” Nan said.

Dianne McCarthy, far right, worked with student Ambassadors at All Saints Catholic School, who used money from a bake sale to have a mascot painted in their gym.

Nan Putnam bakes with her granddaughter, Mari, during the Bread Cub, another program of Children First.

AARP safe driving classes restarted

Brenda and Tom Gibson have resumed giving AARP Drive Safety classes in person. The dates and locations of upcoming classes are: May 31, Derby Senior Center; June

7, Dedicated Senior Medical Center; June 29, Haysville Senior Center; July 19, Mulvane Senior Center; July 21, Clearwater Senior Center. Participants must pre-register

MENSA PROGRAM ~ 2:00 ~JUNE 10th

Fairmount Coffee Company

3815 E. 17th St. N. Wichita, KS 67208

Father's Day Potluck & Flag Day Celebration

June 15th 11:30 a.m ~ FREE

June 26th Senator Ware ~ FREE SESSION 10:30 in La Familia Classroom

FOOD PANTRY (nonperishables)

June 13th & 27th ~ 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Screening 2nd & 4th Tuesdays 10:30 & 1pm FREE

Senior Activities every day at the Center!

with the locations. The cost is $20 for AARP members and $25 for nonmembers. For more information, call Tom Gibson at (316) 641-3021. The classes teach safe driving techniques and may make participants eligible for a discount on their insurance.

Briefs

Ice cream social

The Wichita Sewing Museum is hosting an old-fashioned ice cream social from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 17. Tickets are $20, with kids eight and under free. The ticket includes entry to the museum, a raffle, ice cream and access to vendors. Proceeds will help sponsor sewing lessons for children at the museum.

El Dorado garden tour

EL DORADO — Five botanical beauty spots will be featured during El Dorado’s second annual garden tour. The come-and-go events runs from noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 11. Tickets are $20 and can be bought on Eventbrite or at gardens on the day of the event. Proceeds benefit El Dorado Main Street.

Gospel concert

Southern Gospel group Karen Peck and New River will perform at Country Acres Baptist Church at 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 8. Peck is a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, a Dove award winner and Grammy nominee. Tickets are $20 and $25, with proceeds benefiting the church’s senior programs.

PET-acular at Oaklawn

The Oaklawn Activity Center, 4904 S. Clifton, will offer no-cost microchipping and parvo vaccines for dogs during its PET-acular event from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, June 10. Pet adoption resources, pet resource vendors and more will be featured. According to organizers, well-behaved, leashed pets are welcome.

Book signing

Rev. Randy Quinn will speak and sign copies of his new book, “Voice Overheard: Biblical Characters That Speak” at West Heights United Methodist Church, 745 N. Westlink. The free event in the fellowship hall begins at noon on Sunday, June 25.

Empowered Senior Series

The Empowered Senior Series will feature two speakers during its session at Botanica at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 8 at Botanica: Cameron Crawford, creator of the popular Facebook page “Aging Parent Tribe,” and Mark Oelze, a marriage and family counselor and author of “The Pledge of a Lifetime.” The event is free.

The Active Age wins KPA Awards

Bob Rives, a longtime writer for The Active Age, won first place in the 2023 Kansas Press Association’s Sports Feature Story category for his article about the Wichita Monrovians (May 2022), an all-black minor league baseball team active in the 1920s.

Amy Geiszler-Jones won second place in the Seniors Story category for her article about power lifters (December 2022). The Active Age won second place in the Best Front Page category for its January, August and November 2022 covers and third place in the Features Package category for “An Art Deco of our own” (March 2022).

The Active Age competes in the association’s division of the state’s

largest newspapers. All the winning entries can be found at theactiveage. com.

Bob Rives

Thank You Recent Donors!

Honor Roll of Donors

These readers recently contributed $50

Community must stop fentanyl before it kills more

By Sharon Van Horn

One pill can kill. It’s a slogan you may have seen on Wichita area billboards, on a banner in your grandchild’s school or in a TV spot featuring Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter and Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan.

Unfortunately, it’s not just a slogan — it’s a fact. Mexican drug cartels are flooding our communities with fentanyl, and it is killing our young people. Fentanyl is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. It is put into fake pills made to look like prescription drugs such as Oxycodone, Percocet, Adderall and others. Kids can buy these pills over the internet or from sellers on the street. The

Dear Reader

Drug Enforcement Administration estimates that nearly 6 out of 10 fake pills contain enough fentanyl to cause death.

According to the Wichita Police Department, the drastic increase in the number of fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses since 2019 has been caused by fentanyl. In 2019, there were 139 overdose fatalities in Sedgwick County, 28 of which were fentanyl related. Numbers for 2022 are still being processed, but the most recent update shows 291 fatalities, with 174 of them fentanyl related. More than 100 autopsies are still pending.

The police department also keeps statistics on non-fatal overdose cases. In 2020, there were 448 non-fatal overdoses in Wichita, including 40 juveniles. In 2022, there were 780 nonfatal overdoses, including 86 juveniles.

As a community, we must come together to fight this epidemic. Sheriff Easter assembled a Fentanyl Awareness Committee a year ago that's made up of representatives from law enforcement, treatment providers and community organizations. The purpose of this group is to educate the public and our youth about the dangers of fentanyl. Through a collaborative effort between the Wichita Metro Crime Commission and Sedgwick County, a social media campaign is running that targets youth with the message that fentanyl can kill you.

Just one pill. Just one half of a pill. These kids are not addicts but rather taking a fake pill, and they are dying.

What can you do? Talk to your children and grandchildren. Go to www.sedgwickcounty.org/drugmisuse to find more information and resources. Invite Sheriff Easter to your church, business or club for a fentanyl

presentation. Bring your kids to “Fight Fentanyl Night” on Saturday, June 24, at Riverfront Stadium.

DEA Administrator Anne Milgram has called fentanyl “the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered.” We must stop this epidemic in our community. We must say, “Not our kids!”

Sharon Van Horn is chief operating officer of the Wichita Crime Commission and secretary of The Active Age board of directors.

Fight Fentanyl Night at ballpark

The Wichita Metro Crime Commission is hosting “Fight Fentanyl Night” at the Wind Surge game Saturday, 24, at Riverfront Stadium. Free yard signs and information will be available. $5 tickets to the game are available by emailing julie@ wichitacrimecommission.org.

125 S. West St., Ste 105 • Wichita, KS 67213 316-942-5385 • Fax 316-946-9180 www.theactiveage.com

Published by Active Aging Publishing, Inc.

Editor: Joe Stumpe joe@theactiveage.com

Advertising Manager: Teresa Schmied teresa@theactiveage.com

To subscribe, call 316-942-5385, write The Active Age or visit theactiveage. com.

Business Manager: Tammara Fogle tammara@theactiveage.com

Board of Directors

President: Tim Marlar

Secretary: Sharon Van Horn • Treasurer: Diana Wolfe

Susan Armstrong

Board Members:

• Mary Corrigan

• Al Higdon

• Jennifer Lasley

Linda Matney • Patti Sullivan • Tiya Tonn

Van Horn

The Active Age, published the first of each month, is distributed in Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick counties.

Moms

From Page 1

employees, primarily in Wichita and Kansas City, with project managers in Colorado and Florida. It’s outgrown its South Hillside location and has been renovating a former armory on North Edgemoor as its new company headquarters and warehouse.

“She’s been helpful, and I’m happy to have her here,” he said.

Retirement never suited Squeek Crouse, who owned the popular Squeek’s Donuts on Waco from 1977 until its sale in 2005. Six months later, she was back in the workforce. For three years, she ran a balloon shop out of Clifton Square, then she worked for Hallmark, setting up displays in Walmart stores. She also helped out at a cookie shop.

“But then I was on the loose again,” said Squeek. That’s when she went to work for her daughter, Brenda, at the Wild Hair salon in west Wichita. It’s a role reversal, as Brenda worked for her mother for years in the donut shop.

Squeek Crouse lists her main job responsibilities as a salon assistant: “I

From Page 1

Actually, mental health was the reason Korkor came up with the idea, which eventually led to him running a 5K in Wichita and 49 other locations. Korkor, a semi-retired internal medicine physician in Wisconsin, suffers from anxiety and panic disorder. Through his medical practice, he realized that many others experience mental health issues, too, and often have trouble affording treatment for it. He established a foundation centered around mental health in 2016.

assist in bringing beverages, treats and chatter” to the customers who have appointments with her daughter and the two other hair stylists in the salon.

“I don’t assist with hair,” she clarifies.

Some of Brenda’s customers include folks who came to Squeek’s Donuts, which Squeek opened in 1977 and then sold in 2005.

“It’s a good exercise remembering everyone’s names,” Squeek said.

Farha and Crouse both believe they’ve been able to work for their children because they already had good family relationships.

Brenda Crouse said she relishes having her mom working alongside Tuesdays through Fridays. And it’s not because Squeek makes sure the pair of them eat lunch together.

The youngest of Squeek’s four children, Brenda has a genuine love of being around her mom. Even days off are spent together, like Brenda’s designated Mom Mondays, when they do an outing together. Recently, the pair started tap dancing classes together.

While Lori Farha has always been proud of Ben, working with him has only increased that pride.

“Showing compassion is important

The next year, wanting to strengthen the focus of the foundation, he decided to concentrate on the role that exercise can play in addressing mental health problems “because it had helped as someone who suffers from it.”

“Running has always been what I’ve gone to in terms of getting a benefit from it.”

And that’s when he came up with the idea of 50 5ks in 50 states … in 50 days. Not surprisingly, he was on a treadmill in the middle of a programmed 5k when he thought of it. Korkor’s medical practice gave him the resources to take the next step. To accomplish the feat, he knew he’d

to me. It’s been a joy to watch him engage with his employees or see how he runs a meeting,” she said.

In typical mom fashion, she brags that even others recognize his integrity in business.

“I’m really proud that last year he was awarded the Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Ethics,” Lori said. Farha Roofing was one of three businesses in the Kansas Plains region that won the Torch Award, previously known as the BBB Integrity Award, in 2022.

Ben and Lori Farha work together in Ben’s roofing business. “It’s been a joy to watch him engage with his employees or see how he runs a meeting,” Lori said.

Her initial hesitation in asking for the job was that she didn’t want to create any challenges for Ben by having his mom on staff. That’s why she’s careful to not take advantage of their mother-son relationship to avoid the appearance of any special treatment.

But that doesn’t mean Lori doesn’t

have to set up most if not all of the 5ks himself. He hired a friend who’d just sold his running shoe business to do the logistical work, and Korkor completed all of the 5ks in 2018 and 2019.

The attention that running the equivalent of six marathons brought has helped Korkor raise awareness of the need for affordable, available mental health services. In each community where he runs, the AB Korkor Foundation partners with a local organization to help stage the race, which is called the Five Fifty Fifty Run/Walk for Mental Health. In Wichita, it has benefited the Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas.

The foundation’s other goals include reducing the stigma associated with mental illness, funding research and focusing on underserved communities such as veterans, minorities and people with addictions.

The pandemic made Five Fifty Fifty a virtual event for two years, but some races resumed in person last year

occasionally slip in a parental concern. During The Active Age interview, she glanced at Ben and inquired if he was OK since he had complained of a headache earlier in the day.

Contact Amy Geiszler-Jones at algj64@sbcglobal.net

and more will be added this year. This year’s event in Wichita drew about 75 participants to run and walk along the river April 29.

Korkor no longer makes all the races, but he gets to many of them.

“I was just in Virginia (Saturday) and Detroit (Sunday), and this weekend I’ll be Chicago,” he said during a midweek phone interview last month. When he can’t attend in person, he runs a 5K wherever he is.

Korkor says exercise alone can’t address all mental health issues. “You still need to see a therapist and take medication.”

But you won’t find a bigger advocate for physical activity.

“If there’s one magic pill out there, it would be exercise. Everything from mobility to aging to mental health to improving cognitive functioning, memory, preventing heart disease, preventing obesity, diabetes, hypertension — the list goes on in terms of the benefit of exercise.”

Joe Stumpe at Joe@ theactiveage.com.

Contact

Trees

From Page 1

city to curve the new walk around the root to minimize stress on the tree, and he gladly paid the $300 for the extra concrete. Last summer, he moved a soaker hose around the perimeter of the canopy to keep the roots in water. One month, the water bill was $360.

All of this trouble and expense is a small price to pay for what the tree provides, though. Standing under its boughs on Roosevelt Street, a few houses south of Central, is to be transported to another world.

“I’ll sit outside and crack peanuts and have a beer in the evening, and people will come by walking their dogs, and their eyes are always drawn up,” Wetta said. “And sometimes people will stop and take it all in. It looks like it belongs in New Orleans with the way those boughs come out and go horizontal. It’s quite a landmark in

College Hill.”

The tree has an unusual form because it’s an American river elm, according to Mark Devries, who owned the house before Wetta. “It’s probably wider than it is tall,” he said. He started having the tree treated to deter disease in the early 1990s when he bought the house.

“It’s an incredibly healthy tree,” Devries said, estimating that it is 80 years old. It would put out so much growth when he lived there — several feet a year — that the pendulous branches would sweep the ground. Wetta cuts the ends off to lighten the load.

He also babies the giant elm with professional injections and his own sense of watering that comes from being in tune with nature.

“Whatever the rainfall has or hasn’t been, I estimate it,” he said.

“I take a soaker hose and lay it out around the drip line under the canopy and just let it run a couple hours. I just

move it around … to another dry spot. It has a huge drip line.”

Ernstmann knows Wetta’s elm — “I love that tree” — and applauds Wetta’s technique of watering deeply and around the drip line, which is the outermost edge of the branches all the way around the tree.

For those who don’t pay as much attention to how much rain does or doesn’t fall as Wetta does, a rain gauge is a big help, as is testing the soil with a long screwdriver or other probe to see just how far the water is penetrating.

K-State recommends watering established trees to make sure the soil is wet down to at least a depth of 12 inches every three or four weeks if it doesn’t rain in the meantime. For trees such as upright evergreens, it’s also necessary to go out beyond the drip line, K-State says, as their roots can extend twice the distance of the height of the tree. Younger trees need even more water.

River birches, which, as their name

implies, like more water than your average tree, naturally are suffering the most from the drought, Ernstmann said. More evergreens than usual also seem to have become everbrowns.

For trees that are looking sickly, Ernstmann recommends testing the branches. “There needs to be moisture in the stems. If they break easily and don’t bend,” they won’t come back, he said. But he would give those trees that still have some suppleness to mid-June to show signs of leaf growth before declaring them goners. At that point, it will be time to look at removal, and then at looking for a new tree to help keep the landscape beautiful, and then watering it as needed. Dead branches should be removed sooner rather than later for safety as well as beautification.

Wetta said of his beloved elm: “An arborist told me, ‘What’ll kill that tree is a bad drought.’ I never forgot that.”

Contact Annie Calovich at acalovich@att.net.

ICT Trees forms to promote city’s shrinking tree canopy

By Elizabeth Bishop

“

A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”

This ancient Greek proverb is often used to point to selfless contributions made by the older generation. But it is also true in a literal sense. Our community benefits from the trees planted by previous generations and we must plant trees for future generations.

That hasn’t been happening in Wichita. Instead, the city has been removing several thousand more trees than it has planted every year for more than a decade. Private developers have removed thousands more.

To meet this challenge we created ICT Trees, Inc., a couple months ago. This new nonprofit sprang into action by sponsoring the first ever Urban

TreeFest. Utilizing city-owned land along McLean Boulevard, we invited the public to celebrate Arbor Day with guided tree walks, tree-climbing demonstrations and a presentation on “How to Plant a Tree” while planting a tree—a swamp white oak tree donated by Hillside Nursery.

ICT Trees is a group of volunteers, headed by a board of directors, and led by me as president along with vice president Harold Schlectweg, secretary Mike McCorkle, and treasurer Russell Arben Fox. Our membership includes forty-plus volunteers dedicated to increasing attention to our city’s valuable trees.

ICT Trees' mission is to maintain, expand and promote the city’s tree canopy.

Trees capture carbon from the air and release oxygen. They shade parks, sidewalks and yards, cooling and adding moisture to our summer outdoor environment. They help to mitigate heat islands, those treeless areas of paving and asphalt that absorb heat during the day then release it at night, keeping night-time temperatures hot and uncomfortable.

Our goal is to develop a strong nonprofit organization that will allow our city’s many tree lovers to have a voice both in promoting good policy and adequate resources for our urban tree canopy, as well as informing and educating about the many benefits provided by trees. We will also take action to plant new trees and expand the tree canopy in Wichita, even if we do not have the pleasure of sitting in their shade.

Elizabeth Bishop is president of ICT Trees, Inc.

To contact ICT Trees

ICT Trees, Inc. PO Box 2504 Wichita, KS 67201

Trees.ict@gmail.com

FB: ICT Trees, Inc

City arbortist: ‘Planting rates are not keeping up with our removal rates’

The city of Wichita is in the process of adopting a City Tree Policy to improve tree protection, although no official action has been taken on it since a draft was completed in April 2022. It will apparently apply only to trees on city property right-of-way, unlike some cities that require private landowners to mitigate tree loss.

The Active Age submitted questions to Gary Farris, arborist for the city forestry division, about the state of trees on city property.

Q: What is your assessment of how parks, medians and other city properties are looking because of the drought’s effects on trees and perhaps other plants?

A: Drought-stressed trees are more susceptible to secondary pests that can lead to more tree decline and eventual tree death. Trees are resilient to a point, and I do not believe that we have reached a breaking point yet like we saw in 2011, 2012, and 2013. For now, I think the park trees are looking pretty good to include newly planted trees.

Q: Is there any sense of how many trees or any estimate of a percentage that have died since last summer?

A: The specific answer to the question is difficult to gauge since that is not how we track the data. We did remove about 2,000 trees last year from street right-of-way and the parks. The majority of those are at the end of their

life cycle or impacted by disease or pests, such as the large number of pine trees dying from disease.

Q: Have you been getting any feedback from people about how the parks are looking?

A: We get feedback all the time. Most of the feedback is positive, some not. We remain focused on keeping the parks safe for those using the parks.  This includes a renewed effort to plant new trees.

Q: Is there any response planned as far as removal and replacement of the trees that have been lost?

A: Trees are living beings and have life cycles so there are trees dying all the time. We are doing our best to keep

up with removing the dead/dangerous ones. Replanting is a vital part of what we do as an organization. Our current planting rates are not keeping up with our removal rates, so there is a net negative for urban canopy expansion. Efforts to increase the number of trees planted are already under way. However, the City of Wichita can plant in only about 10% of the land in Wichita, and there are other constraints such as utilities and specific land use. The rest of the land in the city is privately owned, which means that private property owners are encouraged to plant trees as well.

Elizabeth Bishop

‘Half American’ portrays black experience in World War II

“Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad,” by Matthew F. Delmont (Viking, 2022, 374 pages, $30.00)

By Ted Ayres

In January 1942, Wichitan James Gratz Thompson wrote to the Pittsburgh Courier, then the country’s biggest African American newspaper, asking, “Should I sacrifice my life to live half American?”

He continued: “I suggest that while we keep defense and victory in the forefront that we don’t lose sight of our fight for true democracy at home. Those who perpetrate these ugly prejudices here are seeking to destroy our democratic form of government just as surely as the Axis forces.” The Courier seized on Thompson’s idea and in the next issue launched the famous Double V campaign — standing for Victory Abroad and Victory at Home.

Thompson’s letter provides the title and opening reference of this important book by Matthew Delmont, the Sherman Fairchild Distinguished Professor of History at Dartmouth College. In attempting to tell the definitive story of the black American experience during that conflict, Delmont has produced a thought-provoking and at times disturbing work. Delmont, the author of four previous books, pulls no punches.

As he notes, “Nearly everything about the war—the start and end dates, geography, vital military roles, home front and international implications— looks different when viewed from the

African American perspective.”

Delmont writes about Langston Hughes (who spent his formative years in Lawrence, where he used the desegregated Carnegie Library). Hughes served as a foreign correspondent for the influential Baltimore AfroAmerican newspaper, covering the Spanish Civil War, which began in 1936 and was a precursor of WWII. Hughes, already internationally renowned at age 35, built upon a chorus of Black voices who recognized that the German Third Reich saw the American system of race law as a model and that Nazi ideology was not solely a foreign problem. The Spanish Civil War led Hughes to reevaluate his commitments as a writer and to more forcefully challenge America to live up to its ideals. He noted, “Negroes in America do not have to be told what Fascism is in action.”

Delmont sets forth many stories

of sacrifice, courage and heroism by men and women — from wellknown figures such as the Tuskegee Airmen, the nation’s first black military aviators, to the women of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, who got mail and packages into the hands of GIs serving in Europe and who only last year were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. He writes of Raymond Cook, Nebraska Dunston and Joseph Johnson, African American sailors aboard the USS Reuben James who were among the first Americans killed in action in the war. Delmont’s book is a reminder that the things they died for are still being fought over.

As he writes in closing: "The stories we tell about the past also matter because they can equip us to better understand and navigate the present and future."

Contact Ted Ayres at tedayres47@ gmail.com

Training giraffes and goldfish about as easy as it sounds

By Ted Blankenship

As you faithful readers know, I have written effusively about how to train cats and dogs.

Now, I’m going to tell you how to train pets that aren’t a cat or dog. That could include giraffes, anteaters and big cats such as lions and tigers.

I admit that some of these animals have drawbacks. Giraffes, for example, are the tallest of living four-legged animals. They would definitely not fit in your average doghouse. Anteaters present some problems, too. Gathering ants for feeding them would be an issue in colder climates. Then there is

the problem of mistakenly gathering fire ants in warmer areas.

I don’t think I need tell you the problems with the big cats. They have a tendency to eat their owners when they disagree with a command. The roaring might disturb some neighbors, too.

So, we are left with the common goldfish as the pet to train.

There are some limitations to the commands we used in our treatise on dog training. We can tell our pet fish to sit, of course, but your average fish does not have the proper body contour for sitting. Besides, there are few places to sit in the average fish bowl. We can

June quiz: Sound-alike phrases

To complete these word puzzles, fill in the blanks with two words or phrases that sound the same but have different meanings. The answers appear on page 26.

1. An avian mascot of a cereal was bullied. He decided to take revenge. “_______” play at this game?” said the ______.

2. A woman was doing the _________ in the newspaper. After pondering the clue an “aggravated reply” for a minute, she concluded the answer was a __________.

3.Henry was becoming selfconscious about his thinning hair. He went into a shop that sold men’s hairpieces. After trying a few on, he went up to the counter ______ for the ______ he had selected.

4. Dee was feeling kind of low. She always felt better when she did housework, like ironing. So _________

5.The monarch exercised vigorously one day. It had been a while since he had, so the next day he really felt it. It was a case of ______ ______.

6. A group of bicyclists were thrilled that the weather was finally warm enough to wear their spring clothes. So that day the _____________ wore their

7. The squirrel found two treats on the ground. He couldn’t decide which to eat first, the _____ or ______ on the cob.

8. The comedian Leno was down because of his two recent accidents. So he went out onto the back porch to sit and enjoy nature since that always seemed to lift his spirits. Before long, ________’s mood was lightened when he saw a _______.

order our fish to “come” but he or she won’t be able to come very far in a fish bowl.

Some fish owners have had success with the command, “swim.” This seems to come naturally to most fish.

I did some reading and found that fish can actually be trained. They don’t respond much to being petted like a dog because they are a bit skittish and will swim away from you. And, if you are one of those adventurous people who has barracudas in your bowl, you might lose a finger or two.

Mostly, training involves food. You sprinkle food in the bowl and gradually

feed it to your fish from your hand. If you are persistent, your fish may learn to bite your finger. Eventually, you can teach your fish to swim through a small wire hoop you have cleverly constructed from a length of wire.

You could add some excitement by setting the hoop on fire, but you would have to drain the water from the bowl which would kill the fish and make it difficult for him or her to swim.

Contact Ted at tblankenship218@ gmail.com

June Theatre of prime property in Derby, but one of their sons wants it for himself in this evening of sight gags, one-liners and a high-stakes gun battle. Musical comedy revue follows. Dinner 6:15 pm, show begins 7:50 pm. May 26-July

Forum Theatre, at the Wilke Center, 1st United Methodist Church, 330 N. Broadway. Beehive, the 60s Musical, a celebration of that era’s powerful female voices that follows the comingof-age journeys of six women. 8 pm Thu-Sat, 2 pm Sun, May 25-June 11. Tickets $23-$25. Opening night ticket $18. 316-618-0444

Kechi Playhouse, 100 E. Kechi Road, Pantie?Monium. A slightly naughty farce about two old Army buddies trying to come up with money for a new motorcycle by throwing a house party that attracts a weird cast of characters. 8 pm Fri–Sat, 2:30 pm Sun, June 2-25. Tickets $12-$14. 316-7442152

Mosley Street Melodrama, 234 N. Mosley. No Weddings & A Funeral, by Tom Frye. Two sisters inherit 500 acres

8. Tickets, dinner & show $26-$30; Show only $20. 316-263-0222

Music Theatre Wichita, Capital Federal Amphitheater. Rock of Ages Transport yourself back to the glory days of the 80s hair band with a musical featuring the classic power ballads of Styx, Twisted Sister, Poison and more. May 31-June 4. Tickets, call 316-265-3107

Roxy’s Downtown, 412 E. Douglas, cabaret-style theatre, Kiss of the Spider Woman. Spider Woman chronicles the story of the bond that develops between a gay window dresser who lives in a fantasy world centered around a vampy movie star and the Marxist revolutionary he shares a cell

with. 8pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sun, now-June 2. Tickets $20-$30. 316-265-4400

Roxy’s Downtown, 412 E. Douglas. Unnecessary Farce, produced by Ex Leading Man Productions. Starring Dennis Arnold, Tom Frye, Patty Reader and J.R. Hurst, this comic romps with deadly bagpipes, a bumbling mayor, incompetent cops and an infamous hitman. 8 pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sun, June 15-25. 316-265-4400

Wichita Community Theatre, 258 N. Fountain. Light Up the Sky. Set in a Boston hotel suite, this classic American comedy features flamboyant theatrical characters stretched to the manic breaking point. 8 pm Th-Sat, June 15-25; 2 pm Sun, June 18 & 25. Tickets $15 or $13 for military/ seniors/students. Opening night ticket $11, June 15 only. 316-686-1282

Contact Diana Morton at dianamorton12@sbcglobal.net

Courtesy photo Dennis Arnold and Kelcy

are part of the cast of "Unnecessary Farce," playing at Roxy's Downtown June 15-25.

Older adults may be eligible for coupons good at farmers markets

By Monica Cissell

Low-income Kansas adults over 60 may be eligible for a program that provides coupons to purchase fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables and honey at farmers markets in selected counties throughout the state.

The Kansas Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program is providing adults 60+ who meet age and income requirements with $50 in coupons to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and honey from authorized farmers at local participating farmers markets, June 1 through Sept. 15. Coupons are available in $5 increments.

To be eligible to receive coupons, the following criteria must be met:

Age: An applicant must be 60 years old or older, or at least 55 years old and a member of an Indian Tribal Organization, on the day the money is issued.

Income level: An applicant’s annual gross household income (before taxes are withheld) must be at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level. For example, a household of one must have an annual gross income at or below $26,973, or a monthly gross

income at or below $2,248

Applications for the Kansas Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program will be available starting June 1 at the Butler County Department on Aging, The Pointe in Augusta, 2101 Dearborn, Ste. 302, Augusta; Central Plains Area Agency on Aging, 271 West 3rd St. North, Wichita; and the Harvey County Department on Aging, Harvey County Courthouse, 800 N Main St., Newton. Funds are limited and checks will be provided on a first-come, firstserved basis. For more information about the Kansas Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, contact your local distribution site.

• Butler County Department on Aging (Butler County) 316-775-0500

• Central Plains Area Agency on Aging (Sedgwick County) 1-855-2002372

• Harvey County Department on Aging (Harvey County) 316-284-6880

Eligible foods to purchase with the coupons from authorized farmers at participating farmers markets are defined as “fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables, locally produced honey and

herbs for human consumption that are produced in Kansas under normal growing conditions.”

The Senior Farmers’ Market Program is a project of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and

Nutrition Service. Monica Cissell is director of information and community services for Central Plains Area Agency on Aging. Visit www.cpaaa.org or call 855-2002372.

anymore, I take him where he needs to go.

Mohr

ComfortCare, KU Wichita collaborate on Alzheimer’s battle

By Joe Stumpe

A partnership between KU School of Medicine-Wichita and one of the city’s largest memory care providers is helping the school expand its research and community outreach surrounding Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

The provider, ComfortCare Homes Wichita, recently made a donation to the school’s endowment fund that will be used for those purposes.

“We’re proud to be helping educate doctors on something that’s a growing epidemic for older folks,” said Micala Gingrich-Gaylord, CEO of ComfortCare.

Tiffany Schwasinger-Schmidt, M.D., Ph.D., director of the school’s Center for Clinical Research, said the relationship between KU Wichita and ComfortCare started a couple of years ago. That’s when she asked if third-year students could spend time in the group homes operated by ComfortCare.

The company, which will mark its 30th year in business in November, builds and remodels homes in established neighborhoods. The homes are staffed with caregivers 24 hours a day. The company currently cares for 90 residents.

Typically, a group of five to eight students doing their clinical neurology rotation go to a ComfortCare home for three to four hours. They join residents in activities such as bingo and baking and watch as they interact with the primary caregivers, who are certified nursing and medication aids.

Bliss Baird, a third-year medical student from Wellington, found the experience valuable, especially since she is considering specializing in

neurology. ComfortCare employees encouraged students to not just observe but to interact with residents at the two homes she visited. One location was a traditional ComfortCare home, which offers dementia care similar to services offered in an assisted living facility, and the other was Founders Crest, which offers a higher level of dementia care. Baird led residents in stretching exercises at both.

“You could see how the response was different,” she said. “One (group) was more interested in our activities. The other was harder to engage.”

Baird enjoyed taking one resident for a walk through a garden and believes the resident did, too.

Baird also wanted to see how employees with years of experience

caring for dementia patients approached their work.

“I asked one about that. How is the best way to interact with them? Her tip was being willing to listen to them and hear them talk, even if you have heard it before. It can be comforting to them.”

“This has been an incredibly successful partnership that allows us to teach our students about community-based memory care and the unique needs of this population,” Schwasinger-Schmidt said.

For its part, Gingrich-Gaylord said ComfortCare was “really quick to get on board” with Schwasinger-Schmidt’s proposal, realizing that it better prepared future physicians to care for its residents.

“There is limited medical training in psychosocial health, especially in the aging population,” said GingrichGaylord.

As part of the arrangement, ComfortCare employees can take advantage of the same virtual reality training that medical students now receive on what it’s like to experience dementia.

ComfortCare’s donation to the school will allow for the acquisition of specialized equipment needed to expand its participation in clinical research trials into potential therapies for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Those trials are being done in conjunction with KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in Kansas City. Obtaining the equipment should reduce the travel burden for participants here, Schwasinger-Schmidt said, adding that ComfortCare’s gift is the school’s first specifically benefiting clinical trials research.

The donation will also be used to educate health care providers, first responders and other community members about memory care, dementia research, cognitive testing and related matters.

ComfortCare owner Doug Stark said the need for more research into dementia is growing with the size of the older population. Nearly half of those 87 years and older suffer some form of it.

“Because of better health, heart stents, cancer treatments and other advances, there are lots of 85- and 92-year-olds running around,” he said.

Note: This article was originally published by KU School of MedicineWichita and is reprinted here with permission.

Marisa-Nicole Zayat, a medical student at KU School of MedicineWichita, interacts with a ComfortCare home resident.

Win Music Theatre Wichita tickets!

The Active Age is giving away two pairs of tickets to each of four 2023 Music Theatre Wichita productions.

The shows are: “Red, White, and Broadway,” July 1-4; “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” July 26-30; “Ragtime,” Aug. 16-20; and “Cats,” Sept. 6-10.

To enter a drawing for the tickets, visit theactiveage.com and fill out the Music Theatre Ticket Contest Entry Form. Or mail this form to The Active Age, 125 S. West St., Suite 105, Wichita, KS, 67213. Entries must be received or postmarked by June 10. Winners are not guaranteed their choice of show.

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Dove love: A Mother’s Day tribute

By Niki Lewis Shepherd

The dove blinks at me from her nest outside my kitchen window. She is all but invisible. I know she is there only because I have learned to look for her in mid-March.

In the tangle of wild honeysuckle and purple leaf winter creeper that covers the fence, she and her mate have hollowed out a bridal bower with arches of leaves and vines forming an opening. This is the fourth year they have returned to this spot.

A few weeks ago, I was privileged to watch them rebuild their nest. They are usually shy and skittery creatures and flutter upward when you come upon them in the yard, but they didn’t seem to mind when I appeared periodically at my sink to watch this fascinating process unfold.

Guest Column

Obviously in love, he gave her little pecks on her head and chest and then flew off to return with a gift. He offered her his twig, and she placed it on the bottom of their soon-to-be nest. This was repeated throughout the morning. More times than not, the twig fell and drifted down to the ground. They might both peer downward, but neither went to retrieve it. She just waited for him to bring another. Sometimes this took a while. In the meantime, a male sparrow flew in to inspect the doves’ fine nest and to steal nesting material.

The doves worked from early morning until noon. Then they disappeared and neglected the nest for the remainder of the day. I found them

Donate for chance to win Botanica family membership

Donate at least $50 to The Active Age, and you could win a family membership to Botanica. The Active Age will hold a drawing for a family membership each month for the next six months from among people on our “Honor Roll” list of donors. Last month's winner was Dale Maltbie and this month's winner is Melanie Wetta.

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 at the same address.

under the feeding station waiting for me to refill the feeders and scatter seed for them.

After two days of building the bottom structure (approximately eight twigs loosely placed) and a whole day off, they started on the sides of the nest. She sat and waited for him to bring a twig. When he appeared, he made his way though the vines and came in behind her, stood on her back, and dropped the twig over her head so that it landed right beside her beak. She took the twig and placed it where she wanted it. This seemed a helter-skelter process, and she often dropped it. But he faithfully brought the next twig and repeated the stepping-on- her-back-offering procedure as she built. Each time he came, she turned counterclockwise a notch until eventually she made a complete circle.  Periodically, she

tramped her feet and swished her body to make a nest shape. Finally, the nest was complete.

Now she sits. I suppose she has eggs because she stares at me and makes me feel guilty if I run the garbage disposal or raise and lower the window shade.

Two days ago, tree trimmers arrived to cut down brush and volunteer trees in the neighbor’s yard directly on the other side of the fence.  Through the noise of chain saws and the scrape of branches on the fence as they carried their cleanup to the curb, she sat.

Today, the wind blows furiously and we’ve had periods of hard, driving rain. But still she sits. After all, Mother Nature is no match for mother love.

Niki Lewis Shepherd is the author of “The Wintering,” a novel set in 1880s Kansas.

Looking for love?

New Wichita bookstore caters to the passions of romance readers

By Suzanne Perez KMUW

As you step inside Blush Bookstore, you sense a certain vibe.

Jaclyn Wooten would describe it as “main character energy.”

“Everything … is bright and colorful and romantic and girly. And I think it kind of encapsulates why a lot of people like to read romance,” she said.

Wooten, 34, opened Blush Bookstore in March in the retail incubator space at First and Cleveland, not far from downtown Wichita. She wanted romance readers to have a place of their own — a place to find books and related merchandise, and to meet fellow readers who share their passion.

Because romance is on the rise. According to industry experts, romance novels account for about a quarter of

all books sold in the United States right now, making it the highestearning genre of fiction.

NPD BookScan, a market research group, says sales of romance novels grew 41% in 2021 and even more last year, and it shows no signs of leveling

off.

Wooten’s store specializes in contemporary romance, which includes best-selling authors Colleen Hoover, Emily Henry and Tessa Bailey. She also stocks darker and more mature fare, with spiciness levels that range from totally tame to habanero.

These aren’t the Harlequin bodice-rippers of old. Neither are they classics like “Pride and Prejudice” or “Romeo and Juliet,” although many contemporary plotlines are inspired

by those works. These are modern love stories for a modern generation.

The growth of romance novels traces back to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shutdowns and quarantines gave people more time at home without much to do, so many turned to reading.

“Everyone was looking for some escapism,” Wooten said. “Some people look at reading (as) educational, or it needs to really help you grow as a See next page

Blush Bookstore opened recently in the retail incubator space at First and Cleveland, not far from downtown Wichita.

person. But sometimes it can also just be fun, and that’s OK.”

Some popular tropes in contemporary romance include love triangles, friends-to-lovers, gothic fiction and romantic fantasy. Popular sub-genres include time-travel romance and even hockey romance.

Wooten’s introduction to romance reading was “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas, a series that

follows a mortal woman named Feyre Archeron and her journey into the faerie lands of Prythian. She knows not every reader is keen on worldbuilding fantasy, but she loves to match customers’ reading styles with the different branches of romance.

Suzanne Perez is a longtime journalist who reviews new books for KMUW and is the co-host with Beth Golay of the Books & Whatnot podcast.

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Call for an Appointment with Wichita’s most experienced fitter today. We file insurance!

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• Fashion & Mastectomy Bras

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(3 blocks N of Lincoln between Hillside & Oliver) By Appointment Only • 316-260-9608

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Fraud Prevention

Perfect poached eggs possible with two key steps

By Joe Stumpe

I poached a near-foolproof recipe for poached eggs.

After several less-than-stellar attempts at poaching eggs in the past, I found a technique online that worked on the first try and every time since.

A perfectly poached egg is like a super tender, supersized dumpling

that oozes warm golden goodness when pierced. There are two keys to avoiding those wispy edges that ruin the appearance of many poached eggs: using fresh eggs and removing the thinner white fluid that’s part of an egg. To do so, after cracking an egg, put it into a wire mesh strainer and gently swirl it. The thinner white fluid will

be strained out, leaving a firmer white liquid that will surround the yolk when poached.

Place the strained yolk and firmer liquid in a ramekin if you’re preparing just one, or up to six in a bowl. In a pan, bring about 4 inches of water to a low simmer. Holding the ramekin or bowl close to the water, pour the egg(s) into the water one at a time. They are done when the egg whites are fully set while the yolks are still tender, in about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

If you need a visual demonstration of this technique, google “serious eats poached eggs” or “downshiftology poached eggs.”

Poached eggs are great atop steak, salads, rice, pasta, vegetables and more. They can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. If that’s

your plan, place them in an ice bath immediately after poaching. When ready to serve, place them in a bowl of hot tap water for two minutes before draining on towels again.

Here’s a recipe I like using them in. Indonesian Fried Rice is supposed to be spicy, but you can leave out the chile if you prefer, add more or use a hotter variety.

Indonesian Fried Rice

4 cups leftover cooked rice

1 large jalapeno, chopped

4 shallots or ½ red onion, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup sugar

Poached eggs

Optional garnishes: chopped scallions, diced tomatoes and cucumbers

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, sugar and water. Boil, stirring occasionally, until volume is reduced by two-thirds and liquid has thickened.

Heat oil in large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Saute jalapeno, shallots or onion and garlic for 1 minute. Stir in rice and cook about 1 minute or until heated through. Stir in sweetened soy sauce mixture, top with poached eggs and serve with garnishes, if desired.

Life celebration

Family and friends of Jean (Courter)

Marchand are invited to celebrate her life during a gathering from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, June 18 at the Mulvane Community Center, 101 E. Main St. For more information, contact Susan Erskin at 316-833-3915.

60th anniversary

Loretta and Alan Phares will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on June 1. Congratulations may be sent to 207 N. Burr Oak Rd., Wichita, KS 67206

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

GARDEN PLAIN

1006 N Main, 535-1155

GODDARD

120 N Main, 794-2441

Mon, Wed, Fri: 9:00-9:30 am Exercise

1st and 4th Tue: 10am-noon Dominoes

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

www.seniorservicesofwichita.org

MCADAMS GOLDEN AGE

1329 E 16th, 337-9222

MT HOPE

105 S Ohio, 667-8956

MULVANE

632 E Mulvane, 777-4813

Tue: 8 am Coffee and Donuts

NORTHEAST

2121 E 21st, 269-4444

www.seniorservicesofwichita.org

Butler County Senior CenterS

ANDOVER

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

Senior wedneSdayS

www.seniorwednesday.org

June 7

10:30 am Wichita Art Museum

1400 W. Museum Blvd., $2 admission. Meghan Miller: Breathing Fire.

1:30 pm Museum of World Treasures 835 E. 1st St. Info unavailable.

June 14

10 am Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 Zoo Blvd. (316) 2668213, $4 Orangutan Slang.

1:30 pm Advanced Learning Library, 711 W, 2nd, (316) 261-8500, Free.

The Webb Telescope: Year One.

June 21

10 am Ulrich Museum of Art, 1845 N. Fairmount. The Other F Word: Stories of Feminism in Wichita.

1:30 pm Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E 29th St N. Grazing: an Important Tool in Managing Grasslands.

June 28

10 am Wichita-Sedgwick County

Historical Museum, 204 S. Main. Beyond Brown: Mexican Struggles for Equality Before and After Brown v. Board by Valerie Mendoza.

1:30 pm Mid American All-Indian museum. 650 N Seneca (316) 3503340, $2 + tax admission; free for MAAIM members. Info unavailable.

danCeS

Augusta Sr Center, 640 Osage. . Info: 755-1189

Derby Sr Center, 611 Mulberry. 1st & 3rd Tuesday 7pm-9:30 pm.

El Dorado Jam & Dance, Senior Center, 210 E. 2nd.

Goldenrod Golden Age, 1340 S Pattie.

Dances every Wednesday 7pm-9:30pm.

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.

Orchard Park Golden Age, 4808 W 9th. Every Friday 7pm-9:30pm. Call Casey 316-706-7464

Park City Sr Center, 6100 N Hydraulic.

1st and 3rd Saturday 7-9:30 p.m. Info: 755-1060. Line Dance every Wednesday

2:30pm. Call Madison 316-744-1199. Square dance 2nd & 4th Sunday 6pm-8:30 pm.

Prairie Wind Dancers: Plymouth Congregational Church, 202 N Clifton. Joyce, 683-1122.

Village Steppers Square Dance, Oaklawn Activity Center, 4904 S Clifton.

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.

OAKLAWN 2937 Oaklawn Dr, 524-7545 ORCHARD PARK 4808 W 9th, 942-2293 seniorservicesofwichita.org

PARK CITY 6100 N Hydraulic, 744-1199

Mon.: 9:30 am Exercise

Mon: 1:30 pm Ladies’ Pool, Pitch

Tue & Thu: 8:30 am Wii Bowling

Tue & Thu: 9:30 am WellREP

Tue: 10:30 am Mah-Jong

Tue: 1 pm Bridge, Pool

5:30 pm TOPS

Wed: 1 pm Bible Study

Fri: 9:30 am Chari Yog

Fri: 1 pm Pool, Pinochle, Game Day VALLEY CENTER VC Community Center 314 E Clay, 755-7350

LEON

112 S Main, 745-9200 or 742-9905

ROSE HILL 207 E Silknitter, 776-0170

TOWANDA 317 Main, 776-8999

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

GRAND CENTRAL

122 E 6th, Newton, 283-2222

www.grandcentralseniorcenter.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.

www.theactiveage.com

NOTE: AGING PROJECTS, INC. PLANNED TO MAKE FRIENDSHIP MEALS AVAILBALE THROUGH PICK UP 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 JUNE 1

Thu: oven Fried chicken, mashed potatoes w/ gravy, green beans, mixed fruit, roll.

Fri: Cheesy mac chili, broccoli, blushing pears, gelatin, bread.

WEEK OF JUNE 5

Mon: Pork noodle cass, peas, peaches, banana muffin.

Tue: Cheeseburger pir, corn relish, pers, dry fruit w/ nuts.

Wed: Chicken salad on bun, combination salad, salad dressing, pineapple.

Thu: Cranberry meatballs, baked potato/ margaarine, green beans, mixed fruit, cake , roll.

Fri: Turkey hash, black eyes pea salad, applesauce, wheat bread.

WEEK OF JUNE 12

Mon: Italian baked chicken, italian pasta salad, green beans, apricots, garlic bread.

Tue: Liver & onions in gravy OR Beef cutlet in gravy, mashed potatoes w/ gravy, mixed vegetables, cherries, roll.

Wed: Tuna noodles casserole with peas, cole slaw with carrots, peaches, roll.

Thu: Chicken pot pie(biscuit), broc/ cauliflower salad, blushing pears..

Fri: Taco salad, (meat, lettuce/tom/ cheese, chips), mexican rice,pineapple, cinnamon roll..

WEEK OF JUNE 19

Mon: Swedish steak, baked potato/ margarine, peas, cinnamon applesauce, roll.

Tue: Easy chicken and broccoli pie, hot beets, mandarin ranges, butterscotch square .

Wed: beef & noodle casserole, corn, blushing pears, garlic bread.

Thu:Ham & beans, potatoes w/ onions, sliced tomatoes, peaches, cornbread.

Fri: Chicken pasta salad, cole slaw with carrots, mixed fruit, wheat roll.

WEEK OF JUNE 26

Mon: Shepherd's pie, pickled beets, pineapple, bread, apple crisp.

Tue: Tuna salad on bun, cucumber & onion salad, strawberries, sugar cookie.

Wed: Chicken and rice casserole, parslied carrots, glazed chicken, wheat roll..

Thu: Spaghetti w/ meat sauce, combination salad, salad dressing, pears, garlic bread.

Fri: Pork roast w/ gravy, au gratin potatoes, green beans, mixed fruit, roll..

* Milk is served with all meals. Meals fall within the following ranges: Carlories 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

Page 20 the active age June 2023

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Old Mission Mortuary, Mission chapel Mausoleum. Northwest gallery, Row C Level 5, $2,250 Plus transfer fee of $299. Call for details 316-258-8822.

Resthaven Garden of The Cross, Lot 70 B-1. Close to a nice shade tree. $4,000 plus transfer fee. Call 316-683-5410.

White Chapel, Sermon on the mount. 4 adjoining plots, $2,800 plus transfer fee OBO. Will seperate. 316-461-1383. Leave message

Resthaven, Garden of Last Supper, plot 43C, Spaces 3&4, $32,500 each plus transfer fees. 316-263-7179

Resthaven, Garden of Freedom, 2 plots side by side, 2 vaults, Headstone. $15,000 OBO. 316-777-1487

Resthaven Garden of Acacia. Double plot, last in area. Spaces 29 A3 & 29 A4. $5,000 for both, includes transfer fee. Email sallykinzy@gmail.com or text 920-217-6569

Resthaven, Garden of Last Supper, plot 43C, lots 3&4, $2,500 each plus trandfer fee. 316-263-7179.

2 Stackable side by side cemetery plots at Resthaven, Garden of Devotion. Price includes transfer of deed. $3,600 for both OBO. 316-516-1820

Resthaven Cemetery Plot in THE LORDS PRAYER section 22 lot 165-D space 4 $3,295 includes vault and transfer of deed. 316-706-9511

Resthaven, Garden of the Last Supper. 2 Premium Plots, side by side. Half Price $5,000 for Both. 913-485-7778

1 plot at Resthaven in the Lord's prayer. Lot 5C spaces 3&4. Asking $4,000 each. Call 316-841-1366. Leave a message.

Lakeview Cemetery, Single plot. $4,000. Seller pays transfer fee. 316-640-4591

Resurrection Cemetery. 2 single niches. D1 & D2. $1,500 each plus $100 transfer fee. Call 316-729-0649.

Resthaven, Garden of Freedom, 1 Plot, $3,000 plus transfer fee. 405-751-8801.

Two Lakeview burial plots. Located in Apostles Garden. Two spaces #5&6 w/ 2 eternal rest caskets(deluxe). Sold together $7,400. Call 316-3200108. Leave Message. Serious inquires only. White Chapel, Garden of Gethsemane, 2 plots w/ vaults, side by side. $3500 plus transfer fee OBO. 913-558-0486

2 plots at Resthaven, in the Lords prayer area. Asking $5,000 for both. Call 316-641-0188

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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO DELIVER MEALS ON WHEELS

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Spreading the credit for North High and Minisa Bridge

By Lynn Stephan

Since the day Wichita’s North High School opened in 1929, accolades for its distinctive design, particularly the Indian and pioneer sculptures, have gone to architect Glen Thomas and internationallyrecognized fine artist Bruce Moore. A third name, that of Lawrence Byers, if mentioned, is typically incidental. Yet, as the draftsman and iconographer in Thomas’ office, Byers is the one who originated and colorized the designs, setting them to paper for presentation to the school board and, ultimately, for Moore’s recreation.

Misinformation about the nearby Minisa Bridge — who designed and/or created the bas relief Indian sculptures and panels that decorate it — is also repeated in many sources. Some wrongly credit artist Moore with the design. Others incorrectly cite Thomas, while a scant few recognize Byers was responsible.

One credible source of information on the school is "History and Traditions of Wichita High School North," a booklet written by Ronnie Broshears and Howard McCoy and printed by North’s Printing Department in 1957. Here’s what it says about Byers:

"The idea for the Indian and Pioneer theme, which is expressed on the exterior of the building, was drawn up in the original plans. Lawrence Byers was instrumental in this part of the designing. It was Bruce Moore, a former Wichita High School graduate, who constructed the small-scale plaster models of those figures which were to be used. The full-sized figures were developed by the Terra Cotta Ornamental Works."

Mystery man

I have been able to find little information on Byers. According to his answers on the 1930 United States Federal Census, Byers did not attend school. Now, whether his answer of no to the attended school question means no high school or no technical school or no school at all remains unknown. In any case, Byers was 19 when Thomas hired him, evidently impressed with the young man’s artistic ability and potential to become a skilled

draftsman.

By 1927, 22-year-old Byers was in charge of the office and working with Thomas to plan North High. Byers can rightfully be called an artist as well as a draftsman.

Here, an understanding of iconography helps clarify Byers’ work. Merriam-Webster defines an iconographer as “a maker of figures or drawings especially of a conventional type” and a “student of iconography,” which is itself described as “the traditional or conventional images or symbols associated with a subject and especially a religious or legendary subject.”

Architect Thomas fully recognized Byers’ contributions to the North project and was not reticent about crediting him. In a 1929 Wichita Magazine article, written by Thomas about the new high school, he singled out Byers:

"The thoughts, ideas, suggestions and study of all the men in my office, and

especially those of Lawrence W. Byers, were combined to develop what we hoped would be distinctive, modern, and interestingly American."

A persistent teacher

The best source for information about how the Minisa Bridge came to look the way it does is Ethel Crawford Parker, who taught English at North. According to an unpublished 1957 paper that was either written or dictated by her, the idea for the bridge came to her “in the spring of 1931 at the annual Water Festival at High School North” when she “caught sight of the rusty steel beams of the old bridge spanning Little River at Thirteenth [that] spoiled the view in that direction.” Why not, she wondered, “have a bridge with architecture and motifs like those of the school building!” After being rebuffed by the school’s principal and vice principal, Parker took her idea to school district administrators and city officials, who

liked it. Parker, who was tasked with the job of coming up with possible names for the bridge, consulted several prominent members of the community. One was Thurlow Lieurance, dean of the Wichita University Music School and composer of a symphony piece titled “Minisa.”

A musical name

North students were given final say and picked Minisa, which means “red water at sunset” in a Native American language.

Both Parker and Byers were mentioned in a Wichita Eagle article about the bridge’s dedication in 1932, although not as prominently as Moore or Lieurance. Thousands of people attended the ceremony.

North principal Grover C. Dotzoiur, who’d originally dismissed Parker’s idea for the bridge, was the closing speaker, remarking:

“A name was sought that would have significance in relation to the Indian or to the pioneer motif. Minisa was chosen because of its euphony, because of its Indian origin and because of the meaning of the word— red water at sunset—and because in Wichita, Minisa has come to be associated with Indian lore through the life and works of Wichita’s own musical composer, Thurlow Lieurance.”

The bridge had already been in the planning stages prior to Parker’s idea for its design modification and Byers' execution of them.

Interestingly, the bridge might have looked quite different. According to Parker’s paper, city officials sent blueprints for the bridge to Thomas’ office so that the suggested decorative motifs could be added. “Since Glen Thomas was absent from the city, his assistant, Lawrence Byers, drew two sets of plans for the bridge. One carried out the pioneer theme and the other the Indian motifs.”

North High students chose the latter.

Lynn Stephan is a former advertising executive and North High grad (class of ’60) who is working on a book about the school.

A vintage postcard depicts the Minisa Bridge and North High School, which feature some of the same Native American motifs. Some of those motifs are shown in the photograph of the bridge below.

This Boeing Bomber bashed baseballs

By Bob Rives

They called him “Moose.”

And there was good reason. Ernie Logan stood two inches above six feet. His 200-plus pounds were wound tightly on that tall body. His hands? Quick and strong. In his first time at bat in the AA Southern Association, he hit a grand slam home run. Later in the same game, he hit a ball over the right field wall that traveled farther than any before or since, awed Atlanta sportswriters reported.

Those same hands were just as quick with pen and paint brush. He turned out dozens, maybe hundreds, of paintings. Many were of early 20th century farm scenes. He was a cartoonist, often lampooning baseball. They grasped drum sticks in the University of Oklahoma marching band and, later, in the Coast Guard. They typed and illustrated the book he published about Canada geese. He used them for emphasis when speaking on behalf of his beloved Methodist church.

While in the Coast Guard he appeared briefly in the movie “They Were Expendable” with John Wayne and Robert Montgomery. “In the movie he was a wounded sailor in a

Global tourney was Hap Dumont idea

The Global World Championship won by the 1955 Boeing Bombers was dreamed up by Raymond (Hap) Dumont, who founded Wichita’s National Semipro Baseball Congress tournament during the Great Depression. The Bombers defeated teams from Mexico, Colombia, Hawaii (twice) and Saskatoon on their way to the title.

hospital," his widow, Dorothy, recalled. "We went to watch the filming but couldn’t tell who he was. His face was covered with bandages."

His early fame in Wichita came on the baseball diamond as a Boeing Bomber. Whether the 1955 Boeing team was the best semipro team ever put together might be questioned. But it was the only one from Kansas ever to win the Global World Series in Milwaukee, and that’s trophy enough.

Now a member of the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame, Ernie was typical of the team. The main difference between semipro and professional baseball players in that era was not talent. It was who paid their salary. In the Bombers’ case, it was the Boeing Co., long a sponsor of strong baseball teams. All but three of the global champion team members were Boeing employees, Ernie among them. He was a technical writer and illustrator as well as the baseball team’s regular right fielder..

He also was typical in having played as a professional including his last of five years at AAA Columbus just one step from the majors. There he had what Dorothy called “a decent year.” (He hit .278 with 14 home runs that season.) “He made $900 a month there,” Dorothy—or Dot as she’s best known—recalls. “That was a lot of money for the time, like maybe $10,000 now.”

“But at the end of the season he said, ‘It just isn’t worth it.’” So the family packed and drove to Kansas and to the then giant B-47 manufacturer on South Oliver. That ended the gypsy-like life of a baseball family. That last summer after being with Ernie

two-day drive north to Ohio for the season. “It was scary,” she recalls. Coming back to Kansas did bring the Logans much closer to their roots. Both were born in what once was the Cherokee Strip of northern Oklahoma, he at tiny Meno, she at even smaller Nardin. Ernie later moved with his family to nearby Garber and Dot to Deer Creek. They met at Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa after Ernie left OU. They started 66 years of marriage in 1942 as war was breaking out. In 1943, Ernie began a three-year tour in the Coast Guard. He started his baseball career after the war.

While Ernie, who died at 86 in 2009, was busy with his pursuits, Dot was also. Besides being a full-time mom to two, she was active in the PTA and chairing the Republican Women’s Club. She fondly recalls meeting such people as Senators Bob Dole and Nancy Landon Kassebaum at GOP functions. Today, daughter-in-law

— Dorothy Logan on husband’s salary in Triple AAA baseball

Dot’s still busy. Last October, she celebrated her 100th birthday and now she’s working on how to best use her collection of her husband’s artwork. It adorns the walls of her third floor apartment overlooking a golf course at Reflection Ridge Retirement complex. It fills well-organized notebooks and plastic tubs.

She’s also in charge of the trophies and certificates for such things as all-star teams and the Kansas Hall of Fame. Pointing across the room, she says “there are seven baseball trophies in that cabinet” and offers to show them.

On the day we visited, she was planning her outfit for the retirement home’s prom dinner and dance that night. “I can’t remember the last time I wore a dress,” she said, preferring slacks now.

“And I’m not sure about the dance.” Yet she also was pleased to be going while acknowledging that many of the home’s activities seem slanted toward younger residents.

Guarding all her treasures is one of Ernie’s autographed and custommade Louisville Slugger bats, held in one piece with black electrical tape. “After he broke it in a game, he gave it to someone who carefully put it back together then brought it back to me years later,” she explained.

But she’s afraid it wouldn’t help much in case someone broke in. “I doubt that I could reach it in time,” she said with one of her frequent laughs.

Bob Rives is the author " Baseball in Wichita," History Press (2004). Contact bprives@gmail.com Need

Andy Teter, manager Cy Eppler and Loren Packard.

Ernie Logan

“He made $900 a month there. That was a lot of money for the time, like maybe $10,000 now.”

Savvy Senior: Best dating apps for

Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend some good online dating apps or sites for retirees? I’m a 66-year-old widow and would like to find a new friend to spend time with, but don’t know where to turn.

— Cautious Carol Dear Carol,

Whether you’re interested in dating again or just looking for a friend to spend time with, online dating sites and apps have become an easy and convenient way for older adults to meet new single people without ever having to leave home.

And to make things even easier, most sites today use matchmaking algorithms that factor in your interests and preferences so they can steer you to matches that are best suited for you. Here are some other tips to help you get started.

Choose a site: There are dozens of different matchmaking websites and apps available today, so choosing can

be a bit confusing. While many sites offer free trials or watered-down free content, finding out the price can be difficult until you register and provide some information. In general, viewing complete profiles and messaging potential dates will require a monthly fee, which can range anywhere between $10 and $40 per month.

Some top mainstream sites and apps that are popular among older adults are eHarmony.com, Match.com and OKCupid.com. If, however, you’re interested in more age-specific sites, some great options are OurTime.com or SilverSingles.com.

Or if you have a specific kind of person you’d like to meet, there are dozens of niche sites such as EliteSingles.com for educated professionals; ChristianMingle.com for Christian singles; BLK-app.com for black singles; JSwipeApp.com for Jewish singles; and Facebook.com/ dating for people who love Facebook.

retirees

Create a profile: When you join a matchmaking site, you’ll need to create a personality profile that reflects who you are, including recent photos, hobbies, interests, favorite activities and more. If you need some help, sites like ProfileHelper.com can write one for you for a fee.

Practice caution: When you register with a site you remain anonymous. No one gets access to your personal contact information until you decide to give it out, so be prudent to whom you give it. Before meeting, you should chat on the phone or video chat a few times, and when you do meet in person for the first time, meet in a public place or bring a friend along. And if someone asks for money or your financial information, don’t give it out. Online dating/sweetheart scams are rampant, so be very cautious.

Be skeptical: In an effort to get more responses, many people will exaggerate or flat out lie in their

New booklet a toolbox for mental health

The Active Age has a limited number of free copies of “How to Talk About Feeling Bad: Mental Health, Suicide Prevention & Community Care” available at our office at 125 S.

West St., Suite 105. To reserve a copy, please call (316) 942-5384 or email joe@theactiveage.com

The booklet is in the form of a ‘zine or graphic comic book, with community members sharing personal their

personal stories, input from mental health professionals and illustrations by local artists. It was a project of the Wichita Journalism Collaborative.

A Big Fat Myth About Suicide

“If someone wants to die, they’ll find a way.”

Have you heard that one before? That one sentence sums up much of the prevailing attitude towards suicidal people.

Yet both parts of the statement are wrong in most cases. People experiencing suicidal crisis don’t want to die — they want their pain to end.”

Excerpt from “How To Talk About Feeling Bad”

profiles, or post pictures that are 10 years old or 20 pounds lighter. So don’t believe everything you see or read.

Make an effort: A lot of times, people – especially women – sit back and let others come to them. Don’t be afraid to make the first move. When you find someone you like, send a short note that says, “I really enjoyed your profile. I think we have some things in common.” Keep it simple.

Don’t get discouraged: If you don’t get a response from someone, don’t let it bother you. Just move on. There are many others that will be interested in you, and it only takes one person to make online dating worthwhile. Get more Savvy

Find more Savvy Senior online at theactiveage.com. Topics this month include:

1. How to Prepare a Will

2. Toenail Trimming Tips for Seniors

3. How Medicare Covers Physical Therapy Services

Wichita Foot & Ankle Wound Center, LLC

Wichita Foot & Ankle Wound Center, LLC

Wichita Foot & Ankle Wound Center, LLC

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Christopher Surtman, DPM 316.652.5251 office call for an appt. 316-652-9913 fax

Christopher Surtman, DPM 316.652.5251 office call for an appt. 316-652-9913 fax

316.652.5251 office 316.652.9913 fax

Podiatric Services & Wound Care

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At Homestead, our team helps seniors remain independent while providing quality care in a friendly environment. Participate in a variety of activities while we take care of homecooked meals, housekeeping and linen service, and more. Let our team help you find the right care solution for your family.

We believe that everyone deserves a safe, decent and clean place to live regardless of income, age, or ability. We are committed to improving the communities where we live and work by providing quality affordable housing, delivering the highest standards of property management, and supporting our residents.