May 2024

Docs grow love of wine into family business

By Beth Bower WHITEWATER

Sollo calls it a learning curve. Dave Sollo is blunter about the couple's wine-making skills when they started Grace Hill Winery in 2004.

“We didn’t know what the hell we were doing," he said.

But Dave, a retired anesthesiologist, and Natalie, a pediatrician, learned by doing. Their winery 30 minutes northeast of Wichita now produces some 9,000 cases of wine per year, in varieties ranging from the sweet (and most popular) “Peckerhead Red” to the dry “Kansas Icon” and everything in between. Perched on a scenic rise in Harvey County, the winery has also become a popular venue for live music, crafts fairs, private parties and more.

In addition to rows of vines and tanks full of fermenting grape juice, there’s an event center, tasting room-

gift shop, patio, deck and plenty of backgrounds for photo ops. Don’t be surprised to see a few chickens wandering the grounds.

Dave Sollo has the longer background in wine. Natalie, raised in a Mennonite home, didn’t drink. But after meeting during their first week of medical school at Baylor in Houston in the early 1980s, she became a fan of

See Wine, page 6

Things to know about Wichita's Keeper of the Plains

Wichita’s Keeper of the Plains will be re-dedicated with a big party May 18 to mark its 50th anniversary. Here are some things to know about the Keeper and its creator, Blackbear Bosin.

According to legend, the site of the Keeper at the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers was a popular hunting area for Native American tribes and a place where they camped together in peace.

Grandson of homesteader helps others into homes

By Joe Stumpe

You know your family’s been around Wichita awhile when it has a street named for it. Or in Don Martinson’s case, three of them.

There’s Martinson Street, which runs through Delano and south Wichita. It was named by Martinson’s grandfather, who developed much of Delano in the late 1880s. A little farther west are Charles and Clarence streets, named for his father and uncle, respectively. There was a fourth, named for his other uncle, Earl, but it’s now a boulevard called Athenian.

At 102 years old, Martinson is about as steeped in local history as it gets. But he's hardly living in the past.

See Martinson, page 7

Another legend or myth holds that a tornado won’t strike at the confluence of two rivers.

Francies Blackbear Bosin, who designed the Keeper, was born to a Kiowa father and Comanche mother in Oklahoma in 1921, reportedly in a tipi near Cement, Okla. Sent to a mission boarding school at age 6, Bosin spent much of his adult life

See Keeper, page 6

Photo by Nolan Roth

The Keeper of the Plains' first half-century will be marked with a "Party for the People" celebration Saturday, May 18.

Photo by Joe Stumpe Don Martinson makes a variety of items for Habitat for Humanity in his woodworking shop.

Photo by Beth Bower

Natalie and Dave Sollo own Grace Hill Winery in Whitewater.

— Natalie

Clarkin, The Active Age take KPA awards

Mary Clarkin took first and second place in the Seniors Story category of the 2024 Kansas Press Association awards for articles in The Active Age.

Mary Clarkin

Clarkin won first place for “How old is too old?” (July 2023), a look at how older voters view the leading presidential candidates, and second place for “Seniors grapple with transportation needs” (January 2023), about the lack

and high cost of transportation to medical appointments and other destinations. Both articles can be found at theactiveage.com.

The Active Age won second place in the News and Writing Excellence category, in which newspapers are judged on the overall quality of three issues. The Active Age competes in KPA’s category for publications with the largest circulation.

Journalists on Senior Wednesday program

Ever wonder what local journalists are up to? Here’s your chance to find out.

During the May 8 Senior Wednesday program at the Advanced Library, members of the Wichita Journalism Collaborative will talk about their work and take questions. Panelists that day will include Tom Shine (KMUW), Bonita Gooch (The Voice), Allison Campbell (The Sunflower), Matt Kelly (The Wichita Eagle), Stefania Lugli (The Journal), Savannah Ball (Library),

Maria Carter (The Wichita Beacon), Chis Green (The Journal) and Joe Stumpe (The Active Age).

The free event takes place at the Advanced Learning Library, 711 W. Second St., from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Since forming several years ago, the Wichita Journalism Collaborative has worked together and shared coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health issues and many other topics. Currently, we are focusing on the need for safe, affordable housing.

www.theactiveage.com

Save money and maybe yourself with AARP Driver Course

By Diana Breit Wolfe

Last month, I attended the AARP Smart Driver Course. I’ve been driving Wichita streets and U.S. highways for 66 years, since I was 14. But I was still impressed with how much new stuff there is to learn about our roads, signs and car safety. The husbandand-wife volunteer presenters —Tom and Brenda Gibson — keep the class interesting and enjoyable.

Dear Reader

for members. Bringing your AARP membership card with you makes registering go smoother.

What I especially like is that by taking this class, I will save myself some car insurance cost. I checked with my insurance agent, and I will save about $35 a year for three years on my car insurance. That’s a savings of $105 for my $20 investment.

that is Tuesday, June 17. It will be held at the same times at the Derby Senior Center, 611 N. Mulberry Rd. Call (316) 788-0223 to make a reservation.

In class, you will receive a 120page Smart Driver Guidebook. It is packed with illustrations, quizzes (with answers in the back) and resources that will keep you busy reading and learning for weeks to come. What a deal — you learn something save money, too.

You don’t have to be a member of AARP to attend, but you will save yourself five bucks if you are. The cost is $25 for non-members and $20

Tom and Brenda will have a class on Wednesday, May 15. You sign up at 10 a.m., and the class is from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., including a break for lunch. This will be held at the Downtown Senior Center, 200 S. Walnut. Call (316) 267-0197 to make your reservation. Their next class after

Vickers station was worth saving

Read with interest your story on vintage Wichita architecture (“Midcentury modern buildings worth saving,” April 2024). In the 1990s, I was assistant vice president and head of the real estate division of the Intrust Bank trust department. One of several buildings around Wichita with heritage architecture that I dealt with was the iconic Vickers gas station in Haysville.

The station had been closed and the underground fuel tanks removed to prevent any pollution from leaks. A couple of small businesses had leased it but were not successful. It sat empty for a couple of years, and I had received a couple of offers from possible buyers who wanted to bulldoze the station and use the lot for some purpose. But they were always very low-ball offers, so I dragged my feet hoping

This AARP Smart Driver Course is the kind of opportunity you can find information about in every issue of The Active Age. If you’d like to help us keep the community informed about all the resources available to seniors, please consider a donation to The Active Age.

Now buckle up and stay off your

Letter to the Editor

that someone would want to save and capitalize on the unique architecture. I inspected it every year. The concrete aged some but remained in good condition.

The 1999 Haysville tornado, which went right over the station, only broke one window and peeled some areas of the tar roofing material off the concrete roof. There was no real material damage.

In the late '90s the city, Sedgwick County and railroad came to an agreement to take out the dangerous railroad crossing and build the overpass

phone while driving!

Diana Breit Wolfe is treasurer of The Active Age’s board of directors. She can be reached at dcwolfe2000@yahoo. com

you see today. Sedgwick County used its powers of eminent domain to acquire the property for additional space, and I negotiated the deal with them.

I fully expected the station would be demolished at that point, but the county let it stand and the construction companies used it for storage.

Sometime after the overpass completion, the county transferred the property to the city of Haysville, which installed its Economic Development Office in it — a great example of reuse and recycling of buildings in our community.

— Richard Basore Bentley, Kansas

Tom and Brenda Gibson lead the AARP Smart Driver Course.

Diana Wolfe

Turkey entertains, ruffles some feathers at busy intersection

Bob Rives

A young Tom turkey has turned a busy intersection in east Wichita into his personal playground since earlier this year, catching the attention of motorists, businesspeople and others in the area with his antics.

He’s called Mr. G — for Gobbler — by employees at the Wheat State Credit Union, where he sometimes hangs out, and Ronald by employee of the Gear For You store, who admit they first nicknamed him Felicia.

“We thought he was a she,” Julie Hubl said. “Then someone asked if I saw the thing hanging down from his neck. I thought those were feathers, but that is his beard and marks him as a male.”

Technically he is a Jake, the name for an adolescent male turkey. And he's apparently smitten with the intersection of Central Avenue and Greenwich Road.

Odds are he came from a rafter, or group, of turkeys living west of the runway at Textron’s plant nearby. His home now appears to be a cluster of businesses at the intersection: a credit union, sign shop, kitchen shop and atheltic gear shop.

Hubl’s co-worker, Heather Cox, said the entire neighborhood looks out for him. And they need to. “He’s kind of ornery,” Cox said, describing his propensity for “standing in the busy street, chasing cars and pecking at their hub caps as they drive by.”

Why is he there? The women in the store aren’t certain. Hubl said someone told them he might have been expelled from the rafter by an older, bigger male.

However, Charles Cope, who at age 74 still works as district wildlife biologist for Sedgwick, Harvey and Sumner counties, thinks otherwise.

“He may just be working off some excess energy,” Cope said.

A high chain-link fence surrounds the Textron airport where most of the birds live. But turkeys fly, and the fence wouldn’t keep the bird away from the business district.

Turkeys have a pecking order like chickens, Cope said. But he knows of many flocks where older and younger males live peacefully together. (One Reno County rafter he knows of has 700 birds, another about 300.)

As for Mr. G/Ronald’s habit of chasing after cars and people, Cope said, “When turkeys sense fear, and most wildlife do have that sense, they may chase a person." And no one or thing can hide well from a turkey. “A wild turkey’s vision is about three times better than a human's and the bird can see eight time a far."

Fortunately for him, motorists so far have taken pains to avoid him. “One driver was even backing up in traffic on Central” to protect the bird, Hubl said.

But the turkey spooked at least one customer. “She called from her car in

the parking lot to ask if we could make him move. She was terrified. So I went to her car and walked inside beside her,” Hubl said.

Cope said biologists discourage feeding wildlife. That hasn’t stopped workers in the area from dropping snacks like corn outside their buildings. Others do, too. “Some people stop here just to leave food for the bird,” Cox said.

Food, however, has not made him tame. “He watches me if I have food but backs away if I get close,” Cox said.

The east Wichita bird is an Eastern Turkey, one of three breeds that live in Kansas. Birds like Mr. G/Ronald often weigh about 30 pounds, although a domestic male might reach 80 pounds. Cope says native wild turkeys were once hunted nearly to extinction, but their numbers revived in recent years.

Turkeys now live in some Wichita parks such as Pawnee Prairie Park and the Great Plains Nature Center, Cope said.

According to experts, urban wildlife populations are growing faster than those outside the towns, probably

because there are fewer predators and more food. “Like people, wildlife needs four things — food, water, shelter and space,” Cope said.

Not everyone is a fan of wildlife in towns. Cope’s office responds to wildlife complaints — like the turkey standing on the roof of a home pecking at shingles to get insects for food.

Unfortunately for turkeys or any unwelcome wild guest, if the animal can’t be removed in any other way, rules require that it be euthanized.

But Mr. G/Ronald seems to have found a home for now.

Contact Bob Rives at bprives@gmail. com.

Going paperless?

A free digital copy of The Active Age is now available. The digital copy can be “flipped through” like a regular newspaper and the type can be enlarged on your phone or computer. To have the digital version emailed to you each month, call (316) 942-5384 or email joe@theactiveage.com

A Facebook user snapped this photo of a turkey cavorting in east Wichita. A local business posted a sign to alert motorists.

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Honor Roll of Donors

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These readers recently contributed $50 or more to the 2024 donation campaign.

Wine

From Page 1

vino. “It just happened,” she said.

They traveled, tasted and decided that, someday, they wanted to have their own winery.

Locating one in Kansas can be daunting, to say the least.

Early on, they planted some French varietals such as Cabernet Franc. And then the Polar Vortex of 2013-2014 “killed everything planted. 2012 was the last good vintage of Cab Franc,” Dave said.

Now, they grow a number of varietals including Chambourcin, Vignole, Crimson Cabernet, Norton and Muscat, producing some 20,000 gallons of grape juice annually. They also source juice from other growers in the area.

Keeper

From Page 1

trying to reconnect with his Native American heritage.

Bosin was one of many Native Americana who came to Wichita from Oklahoma for work in the early 1940s. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and took up painting in earnest while recovering from an illness in Hawaii.

By the 1950s, Bosin was established as an artist, winning various prestigious competitions and having his work displayed in museums, the White House and National Geographic magazine

In 1968, while hospitalized with a stress-related illness, Bosin was asked by Elmer Hall of Kansas Gas and Electric Co. to design a statute as a

Most of the vineyard is irrigated. It’s almost required here in Kansas because of the dry, hot summers. A small part of the 320 acres they own — not all of which is under grape production — isn’t irrigated and grows some of the best wine. The lack of available water makes the grapes grow deeper in their search and stresses them. Winemakers everywhere value land like this.

They’ve lost numerous rows of grapes to pesticides that drift from neighboring sprayed land. They also lose grapes to birds, raccoons, mold, rot, late snow and ice storms and the generally unpredictable Kansas weather.

Dave works the vines and Natalie keeps the books. She intends to retire from her job as an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of

Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita and enjoy the winery more. “The work here is entirely different,” Natalie said.

Their sons, Jeff and Brian, run the day-to-day operations. Dave said both have a feel for what works for the winery. They’ve put wines on tap (which is better for the environment) in the tasting room, improved the winery’s ambiance and added events like “build your own wine day” in which people and groups can design their own wine labels. Jeff serves as president of the Kansas Grape Growers and Winemakers Association. There are about 88 wineries in the state.

“If the kids hadn’t come back (after school),” the winery would have closed, Dave said. “The kids built the winery up a lot.”

The winery offers blending classes,

"This gesture of giving is not only typical of my people but is also a gesture to this city which has been so kind to me."

- Blackbear Bosin speaking during 1974 dedication of the Keeper of the Plains

beautification project, partly to draw attention away from unsightly KGE transmission lines in the area.

Bosin desigend the Keeper to face the rising sun in the east, with his hands raised in prayer to thank the Creator for a new day.

Sufficient funding for the Keeper was not secured until 1974 and might have taken longer had Tom Washburn of Architectural Metal Products not honored the construction bid made six years earlier.

Twelve employees of Architectural Metal Products — nicknamed the “Dirty Dozen” — worked three months to cut and weld the Keeper in time for its dedication. It is made of

staff-led tastings and the highly popular annual volunteer grape harvest. Attendees, who must buy a ticket, are served a buffet lunch with beverages. Grace Hill hosts live music on its patio spring through fall, dog-friendly days and Sunday brunches.

Wanting to share their love of wine, the Sollos try to keep Grace Hill much more affordable than areas such as Napa Valley, Dave Sollo said.

“We try to make the whole thing fun.”

Beth Bower is a freelance writer and chair of the Wichita chapter of the American Institute of Wine and Food. She can be reached at beth@goodlifeguy.com.

If you go

Grace Hill Winery is located at 6310 S. Grace Hill Rd., Whitewater. For more information, hours and events visit www.gracehillwinery.

Car-Ten Weathering steel, stands 44 feet tall and weighs five tons.

In 2006, the city built a platform that raised the Keeper by 30 feet, plus adjoining pedestrian bridges and a plaza. The bridges evokes bows and arrows, and the plaza contains a giant Medicine Wheel, a symbol sacred to Plains Indians.

Bosin also helped found the MidAmerica All-Indian Museum, which opened in 1976, and designed its logo.

Bosin was primarily a painter. The Keeper is the only sculpture he is known to have created. He donated the design to the city.

Bosin’s death of a heart seizure on Aug. 9, 1980 was front-page news in the Wichita Eagle.

position.

Party for the People schedule

All events take place in and around the Mid-America All-Indian Museum, 650 N. Seneca, on May 8. Admission is free.

7 a.m. — Volunteer river clean-up

8 a.m. — Park Run

11 a.m. — Re-dedication ceremony

1-5 p.m. — Outdoor festival and live entertainment

2-8 p.m. — Indoor powwow

8 p.m. — Floatin’ on the river glow tour

9 p.m. — Fireworks show

Blackbear Bosin stands in front of the Keeper of the Plains in its original

Martinson

From Page 1

Martinson delivered Meals on Wheels — a passion of his late wife, Gene, for Genevieve — until his 100th birthday. He still makes sawhorses for Habitat for Humanity construction crews along with trim and other items that go into the homes they build.

On a sunny morning in April, Martinson stands in his kitchen, icing a homemade chocolate sheet cake for an upcoming church fellowship meeting. He works carefully, consulting a hand-written recipe card and adding powdered sugar until the texture is just right.

When a visitor notices a framed photograph of the city’s new mayor, Lily Wu, in his kitchen, Martinson talks about meeting her at a north-side political rally complete with rappers and drones last year.

“She came right over with arms wide and gives me a big hug,” Martinson said. “She’s a knockout.”

Then he goes back to icing the cake.

Family legacy

Martinson’s grandfather, Ola, came to the United States from Sweden, homesteading at what’s now Maize and Kellogg in the years after the Civil War. Ola and a partner operated a bakery in downtown Wichita before Ola bought 200 acres in west Wichita from another early pioneer, Enoch Dodge.

Ola developed eight housing additions in the area bordered by Seneca, Meridian, Second and Douglas (then called Chicago Avenue) and, with Robert Lawrence, donated the land for Friends University. “He was pretty wealthy in his day, I guess,” his grandson says. “Then came the bust. He lost, essentially, all of it.”

Ola died in 1922. Don’s father, who had graduated from Friends in 1908, earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Kasnas and went on to a career teaching college. In 1920, while driving with his wife, he was hit by a train crossing Douglas. One doctor gave him little chance of surviving.

“That was two years before I was born,” Martinson said. “He lived

another 50 years and died at age 88.”

The family settled on a 10-acre farm near Pawnee and Seneca. "That's how we got through the Depression," Martinson said." We raised our own food and had milk cows."

Concientious objector

Martinson graduated as valedictorian with a physics degree from Friends in 1943 and declared as a concientious objector during World War II, much to the unhappiness of the local draft board. “The good Lord says love your enemies and turn the other cheek,” he said. “How are you going to kill them if you love them?”

Not that his war years were dull. Assigned to the Civilian Public Service proram, he was first sent to North Dakota, some 60 miles south of Canada, to clear land on which the government planned to resettle farmers displaced during the Dust Bowl years. He then volunteered for a research project known as the Minnesota SemiStarvation Experiment, an attempt to figure out how the United States could best help famine victims in Europe and Asia after the war ended. Martinson was too late to be chosen as a participant but helped administer the experiment, recalling that subjects “looked pretty bony” before regaining their weight.

Martinson also volunteered for vaccination research in Philadelphia that was being done in response to outbreaks of yellow fever among soldiers overseas. Although part of the control group, he wound up getting hepatitis. “Therefore, all of my life I have not been able to give blood,” he said.

Finally, he was posted to an impoverished region of Puerto Rico, where he helped build a clinic and agricultural station and “learned a little bit of Spanish.”

After the war, Martinson earned a master’s degree in agronomy from Kansas State University. Without the means to set himself up in farming, he decided to follow his mother into teaching instead. He taught virtually every math and science course at North High over the course of 30 years, with two interesting breaks.

In 1958, as the United States reacted with alarm to the Soviet

Union’s launching of the Sputnik satellite, Martinson and other math teachers were chosen for a oneyear program held at Stanford University in California designed to help them teach heuristics, an approach to problem solving.

Then in 1972, Martinson responded to an acute teaching shortage in Australia by taking a one-year assignment in a suburb of Melbourne. “It wasn’t a really highpaying job, but I could take my family with me and it was worth it,” he said.

Martinson also managed to do a litte pioneering himself, building two homes with his own hands in the Indian Hills addition when it was virtually empty.

The Martinsons had four children. Their first daughter, Susan, was a family physician who died in her 60s. Three more — Jim, Dale and Donna — live in Wichita. The family includes five grandchildren and seven greatgrandchildren.

Retired, not tired

After retiring in 1985, he helped restore and move the building that houses the Midwest Genealogical Society — another interest of Gene's — to its current home on Main Street. About the same time, he volunteered on a Mennonite project to rehabilitate homes in Planeview and became active with Habitat for Humanity as the local chapter was just getting started.

Dana Korkki, Habitat's manager for new construction, estimates that Martinson has worked on over 300 homes for first-time home owners thorugh the years. Although Martinson no longer goes to the building sites, Korkki marvels at the shelving, trim and decorative pieces such as rosettes that Martinon

produces in the woodworking shop that he built behind his current home.

"He takes our scrap lumber and makes these pieces out of it. He makes it beautiful, and it's something that normally would have landed in a dumpster."

He's also helped improve the liveability of homes built by Habitat through the years by, for example, installing shelving for storage in dead space in kitchens and garages.

Korkki calls Martinson a "great craftsman," but that's not what impresses him most.

"He's just so much about service above self. He's always looking at how he can help families."

Martinson credits his ability to stay productive to a combination of genetics, diet, avoiding drinking and smoking and being a self-described "workaholic."

Volunteering for Habitat is particularly rewarding because of the organization's focus on helping the working poor, he said.

“It was fun because you get to mee the future (home) owners,” he said. “That’s what the good Lord said — you’ve got to treat your neighbor like yourself, take care of widows and orphans and stuff like that.”

Don Martinson works with other volunteers at the site of a Habitat for Humanity home that was being built several years ago.

May quiz: These answers are Grrrreat!

By Nancy Wheeler

The answer to each clue in this month's quiz contains the word “Great.” How many can you identify? The answers appear on page 20.

1. This Australian coral system is composed of over 900 islands and stretches for over 2,300 kilometers.

2. Linus is disappointed in this 1966 American Halloween television special based on the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schultz.

3. St. Paul’s Cathedral was

May Theatre

By Diana Morton

Forum Theatre, at the Wilke Center, 1st United Methodist Church, 330 N. Broadway. “Harvey,” family-friendly classic about the relationship between Elwood P. Dowd and his invisible, furry best friend. Th-Sat, 8 pm, Sun 2 pm. Now through May 12. Tickets $23-$25. Opening night ticket $18. 316-618-0444

Guild Hall Players, St. James Episcopal Church, 3750 E. Douglas. “I Never Sang for My Father,” by Robert Anderson. An elderly couple’s return from a winter in Florida tests

destroyed during this 1666 conflagration that spread over nearly the whole British capital.

4. This 2017 musical starring Hugh Jackman is a fictional depiction of the life of P.T. Barnum.

5. This body of water which is located twenty minutes from the capital of Utah is the eigth largest lake in the United States.

6. Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith dole out handshakes, compliments, and critiques on this popular English

their son in this heartwarming story about family, aging and loss. 8 pm May 24-26 and 7 pm May 27. Tickets $12; Students $10. 316-683-5686 Mosley Street Melodrama, 234 N. Mosley. “Planes, Trains, and Autoimmune Diseases,” by Scott Noah, followed by a new musical review. Now through May 11. Dinner 6:15 pm, show begins 7:50 pm. Now through May 11. Tickets, dinner & show $36-40; show only $26-30. 316263-0222

“Reno County 911,” by Carol Hughes, followed by a new musical review. May 24–July 26. Tickets, dinner & show $36-40; show only $26-30. 316-2630222

Dogs find Ted a tasty treat

By Ted Blankenship

Back when I was about seven years old, I was kicking a big rubber ball around with LeRoy and Dickie, the boys next door. Their Doberman was chasing the ball with us and appeared to be in a nice enough mood.

The next time I kicked the ball, the dog bit me. I don’t speak dog, particularly German dog, so there were no words exchanged, but I could guess

what the animal was thinking: “I feel like biting someone. I think I’ll go after the fat one. He can’t run very fast, and if I can knock him down, he’ll have a tough time getting up, and I can bite him again.”

Blood gushed from the wound. The dog didn’t seem concerned. The boys’ mother patched me up, and I recovered, obviously. I’ve tried to be careful not to

culinary series now in its 14th season.

7. This legendary escape artist began around 1900 to amaze his audiences with escapes from special handcuffs, straitjackets and water chambers.

8. Born Princess Sophie, she became the reigning Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796 after overthrowing her husband, Peter III.

9. This Dickens novel follows the story of Pip, a blacksmith’s apprentice who suddenly inherits a large fortune

Music Theatre Wichita, Century II Concert Hall. “Gypsy.” Mama Rose’s unwavering determination steals the spotlight in classic musical featuring the compositions of Jule Styne and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim. May 22–26. Contact box office for times and prices. 316-265-3107 Roxy’s Downtown, 412 E. Douglas, cabaret-style theatre. "Cabaret." In a 1920s nightclub, the tumultuous lives of Berlin’s natives and expats slowly yield to the Third Reich. 8pm Thu-Sat, 2:00 pm matinee Sat, Now through May 4. Tickets $40. 316-265-4400

“Legally Blonde.” Elle Woods’ life is turned upside down when her boyfriend dumps her so he can attend

antagonize any dogs after that, but it hasn’t always worked. I’ve written before about how my mother-in-law’s chihuahua, Skippy, once bit my hand as I reached under the Christmas tree during our annual trip to McCook, Texas.

“Well, it’s his Christmas tree, after all,” my mother-in-law said.

But that wasn’t the only time I’ve served as a canine chew toy in the Lone Star State.

We had a history of car breakdowns on those 920-mile trips to McCook, which is in the Rio Grande Valley, so I had everything checked on the car before we left Kansas. Nevertheless, the engine started heating up about 100 miles north of Dallas.

from an unknown benefactor.

10. Steve McQueen, James, Garner, and Charles Bronson starred in this 1963 war suspense film about Allied POW’s who tried to dig their way out of a Nazi prison camp.

11. This Mountain Dog is a French breed of guardian dog bred to deter sheep-stealing wolves and other predators on snowy mountaintops.

12. Goodness, gracious, this popular 1957 rock-and-roll song was recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis whose story was turned into a 1989 movie starring Dennis Quaid.

Harvard Law. Elle realizes her own potential after charming her way into the school. 8 pm Thu–Sat, 2:00 pm matinee Sat, May 16–June 8. Tickets $40. 316-265-4400

Wichita Community Theatre, 258 N. Fountain. “Bad Seed,” by Maxwell Anderson, directed by Mary Tush Green. A child’s mysterious drowning during a picnic is at the center of this drama set in the South. 8 pm Thu-Sat, 2 pm Sun, Now – May 5. Tickets $1618. 316-686-1282

Contact Diana Morton at dianamorton12@sbcglobal.net

We added water from the cooler, but it wasn’t enough. We were approaching a Dallas railroad bridge when steam started escaping from under the hood. An 18-wheeler had jackknifed in front of us, blocking the road, and that’s when the radiator blew out what scalding water was left in it.

We made it to a service station and got the engine cooled enough to make it to the next town. Then more steam blew out of the car’s hood and I knew I had to get water. On the edge of a small town, I saw a young woman working in a garden. An older lady was about 50 feet away watering some tomatoes. I ran toward her and the water hose and seemingly out of nowhere came a big dog.

He bit me, apparently thinking I was going to harm the lady with the hose. The lady was sorry, and so was I. Contact Ted at tblankenship218@ gmail.com

Rise in homelessness inspires epic cycling trip

The Active Age

A trio of bicyclists who enjoy riding around Wichita spotted a disheartening trend: more homeless people than ever camping near the city’s bike paths that run along the Arkansas River.

“You just notice more and more homelessness in the area, and it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh,’” avid cyclist Marty Johnson said.

Now Johnson and two friends — Tyler Branine and Cassidy Cheray — and hoping to raise money for an organization that helps homeless people by completing an epic ride along the Continental Divide. The annual ride, known as the Tour Divide, starts in Banff in Alberta, Canada,

on June 14 and finishes in Antelope, N.M., at the U.S.-Mexico border.

It’s 2,750 miles of mostly unpaved roads, unlevel terrain, heat, cold and — near the start — the occasional grizzly bear. Participating cyclists are advised to take along bear spray.

“I’ve seen a couple grizzlies through the years,” said Johnson, who’s completed the trek three times previously. “If there are (bear) cubs around, you want to be careful.”

In 2016, Johnson used the Tour Divide ride as a fundraiser for Living Water International, which drills water wells in Third World countries. He raised enough to refurbish a well in India.

This year, he said, “We were talking about something local we wanted to raise money for.”

The trio hope to raise $100,000 for HumanKind Ministries, formerly known as Interfaith Ministries, which has several programs for people struggling with poverty.

“A lofty goal, but

unless you ask for it, you’ll never get it,” Johnson said.

The trio have set up a GoFundMe page called Ride the Divide for HumanKind. Donations can also be made at johnsonsgarden.com (click on “events”). Johnson’s company, Johnson’s Garden Centers, will match HumanKind donations made at their registers with purchases at both of their locations through June 30.

The difficulty of the Tour Divide may be seen from the fact that Johnson has twice started and failed to finish it. According to bikepacking.com, the Tour Divide roughly follows the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route and “is the most recognized and important off-pavement cycling route in the United States, if not the world.”

along the way, carrying enough food and water to get him from one town to another to resupply. It’s generally taken him 26 to 28 days to finish, averaging about 100 miles a day.

He fully expects the younger Branine and Cheray to finish before him. The Tour Divide requires no entry fee or formal registration, and there are no prizes for finishing. But donors will be able track their progress using an app called trackleaders.com, Johnson said.

Johnson said most of the route is gravel, similar to forest service roads with a terrain like the Flint Hills, where he often rides. He alternates between camping and staying in hotels

“When you’re doing it, you’re like, ‘What the hell am I doing out here?’ And then we’re you’re done, you think, ‘When’s the next one?’” Displayed across both printed and digital mediums, the exhibition offers a dynamic peek into the artist’s contemporary practice and focus. Whether highlighting household names or local heroes, these works demonstrate Leibovitz’s discerning vision and desire to celebrate the extraordinary now. With more than five decades of experience photographing some of the most influential names in entertainment, politics, business, and athletics, Leibovitz has established herself as a keen watcher of society. $12 GENERAL ADMISSION

From left, Cassidy Cheray, Marty Johson and Tyler Branine are raising money to fight homelessness by biking the Tour Divide (bottom left).

Wanted: Foster Grandparents to help in schools

The Active Age ANDOVER — The Foster Grandparent Program needs a lot more people like Rita Grimes.

Grimes spends several hours each day at Sunflower Elementary School helping kindergarteners with their letters, science projects and just generally being an encouraging older figure. A grandparent, in other words.

“I try to show the kids, even in kindergarten, about being kind and thoughtful and courteous to people,” Grimes, a retired interior remodeler, said. “I teach the kids ‘yes, ma’am’ and

‘no, ma’am.’ A lot of kids don’t get that anymore.”

They call her “Grandma Rita.”

The program has operated in Butler, Harvey, Cowley, Reno and Marion counties since 1965. (There’s a similar program in Sedgwick County run by Catholic Charities) It places participants, who must be at least 55 years old, in schools for at least 15 hours a week to help elementary school teachers and their young pupils. In return, participants receive mileage, meal reimbursement and small hourly stipend. It is designed not to interfere with existing low-income benefits, so that the program is accessible and inclusive.

The COVID-19 depleted the ranks of Foster Grandparents, said Elizabeth Pfieifer of the Butler County Department on Aging, who manages the program. Currently, she has 21 participants serving in nine schools. She could use 60.

Grimes, who had no prior experience teaching, said she instead relies on her background as an “oldfashioned grandma.” She helps See next

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Grandma Rita

teachers with about 55 kindergarteners in the school.

“I mainly work with writing — teaching kids how to write their letters, make the letters into words and words into sentences. I want to them to write the letters right.”

She’ll also pitch in with science projects such as chick-hatching experiment underway in April. Then there’s the subtle molding of behavior

and socialization so necessary at the beginning of a child’s school career.

“It’s cute to see them get there,” Grimes said.

Grimes said the Foster Grandparent program was reportedly the brainchild of President Lyndon Johnson, who “thought these two groups” — senior citizens and young children — “ought to get together. “

“It gets a person up and going

so you’re not staying at home all day long,” she said. “It helps the kids. It helps the teachers. It’s been a good experience for me.”

For more information about the Foster Grandparent Program, call (316) 775-0500 or (800) 279-3655.

• Is it difficult to read regular print in newspapers, magazines or books?

• Does your vision make it difficult to watch TV or recognize faces?

• Has your eye doctor told you eyeglasses can no longer be made stronger? Hope

Grandma Priscilla

Spring Garden Tour features one made in the shade

The Active Age Skilled gardeners prove you can pull up roots and still be successful.

The last time Everett and Michelle Price were on the Sedgwick County Garden Tour, in 2014, they showed off a sunny yard in Haysville. Now they live on the former Brown Nursery property in west Wichita, where they inherited about 65 trees, including pecan, persimmon and aromatic red cedars.

“We’ve kind of switched and we’re basically a shade garden,” Everett said.

The garden is one of six on this year’s tour, which takes place May 31June 2.

The Prices moved three years ago and realized there were “lots of projects” to be done at their new place. That started with clearing off 60 truckloads of yard waste. With a shovel and broom, Everett then began uncovering a beautiful flagstone patio and walkway. It turns out the original owner had salvaged thousands of pavers from Wichita streets that date back to the late 1880s.

Under the canopy, Everett said, “We primarily focus on shade plants, a lot of hostas, Japanese maple trees, just a lot of shade-loving plans.” There’s also a koi pond, waterfall and several bronze animal statues.

2024 Garden Tour

When: Friday May 31, 9-5; Saturday June 1, 9-5; Sunday June 2, 9-4

Tickets: $10, kids 12 and under free. May be purchased at any garden with cash or at the Sedgwick County Extension Center, 7001 W. 21st St.

Featured gardens: Cottage Garden with a Southwest Flair, 209 N. Battin St. Antiques Garden Show, 3356 E. Bellaire St.

Stroll Through a Woodland Garden, 7712 Harmony Ct.

Plant Collector’s Paradise, 1332 N. Dry Brook Ct. (Derby)

Levels of Garden Beauty, 7061 Mark Twain Dr. (Derby)

Growing a Neighborhood Garden, 802 Amidon

Snyder, a master gardener since 2013, has traveled to Arizona during the winter since retiring and often brings back Mexican pottery to hold some plants.

“It’s a big hobby,” Everett said of the garden. “A lot of our neighbors tell us that we work too much, but honestly we enjoy being out there.”

And picking up after the trees has its rewards.

“We have a large chiminea and our trees constantly feed us with little branches to put into it.”

Similarly, Diesa Snyder gardened on 20 acres in Derby before moving to Crown Heights in 2021. “This is a third of an acre, plenty to take care of,” she said.

Unlike the Prices, though, she

“pretty much had to start from nothing in my beds. But it gave me a blank slate to start with, so I really enjoyed that.”

She’s surrounded her Cape Cod house with “just a bunch of things I like to grow.”

“I’ve just kind of got flowers everywhere. It’s not a super formal garden.”

Because she’s “really big on feeding the bees and other stuff out there,” she’s put in coneflowers and lots of day lilies. She grows tomatoes and peppers in raised beds.

Asked about gardening challenges, she said, “The heat is number one. The other thing is trying to be water wise. If I’m not careful, my water bill can be outrageous. I try to put in things that can tolerate the heat, and I’m trying to do more of that because I think it’s going to be more important.”

For that reason, she’s also on a mission to get rid of her grass. But a couple old tree stumps can stay, she said.

“I’ve left it there because I like it,” she said of the taller one. “Someday I might like to get it carved — maybe a Keeper of the Plains. Right now, it’s just a cool, old-looking stump. It’s got these knots all over it. I’ve got bird feeders hanging from it.”

Courtesy photos

Everett and Michelle Price, upper right, have revamped the former Brown Nursey property in west Wichita .

Ways to make gardening easier as you age

Dear Savvy Senior,

What gardening tips can you offer to older seniors? I love to putter around and work in the garden, but my back and knees have caused me to curtail my gardening activities, which I miss greatly.

Older Gardner

Dear Older,

There’s no doubt that gardening can be hard on an aging body. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your hobby. Here are some tips that may help you.

Limber Up

To help protect your body, you need to warm up before beginning.

Start by stretching, focusing on the legs and lower back. And keep changing positions and activities. After 15 minutes of weeding, you should stand up, stretch, and switch to another activity like pruning the bushes or just take a break.

And, when lifting heavier objects, remember to use your legs to preserve your back.

Get Better Tools

Kneeling pads can protect knees, and garden seats or stools are both back and knee savers. Lightweight garden carts can make hauling bags of mulch, dirt, plants or other heavy objects much easier. And long-handled gardening and weeding tools can help ease the strain on the back by keeping you in a standing upright position versus bent over. There are also ergonomic gardening and pruning tools with fatter handles and other design features

that can make lawn and garden activities a little easier.

Make Watering Easier

Some helpful options include lightweight fabric or expandable hoses instead of heavy rubber hoses; soaker or drip hoses that can be snaked throughout the garden; thin coil hoses that can be used on the patio or small areas; a hose caddy and reel for easier hose transport around the yard; and a self-winding hose chest that puts the hose up automatically.

Bring the Garden to You

Consider elevated garden beds or container gardening – using big pots, window boxes, hanging baskets, barrels or tub planters.

Working Statewide So Communities Are Livable for People of All Ages

By 2030, one out of every five people in the United States will be age 65 or older. By 2034, the nation will have more older adults than children under 18 for the first time ever. That’s why AARP is working with local leaders nationwide to help towns, cities, counties, rural areas and even entire states become more livable for people of all ages.

Learn more about AARP Livable Communities by visiting aarp.org/livable.

‘Alvin the Alligator’ creator retiring from Butler CC

By Caleb Sanderson

El

Dorado

— Bob Peterson is retiring after 43 years teaching in the Butler Community College Theatre Department. Peterson exits following his last Butler play, “Harvey.”

Peterson’s career began in 1972 as a Topeka High School teacher. Awardwinning actress Jayne Houdyshell, who won a Tony Award for her role in “The Humans,” was one of Peterson’s first students.

“I have been very proud of my students,” he said. “Many have worked in the industry and beyond — from working in the film industry to professional theatre to teachers to lawyers to being fine parents.”

He taught at Newman University

and then moved to Butler in 1981. The first play he directed at Butler was “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” and the first play he wrote and produced at Butler was called “First Boy.”

“Alvin the Alligator,” a piece created by Peterson about a friendly alligator named Alvin, has become a generational favorite activity for local families. Many parents who attended the plays when they were younger now share that experience with their own children.

“I look at retirement as Act Three,” Peterson said. “I have several projects planned. I look forward to having the time to realize them.”

Courtesy photo

Bob Peterson directs students in a production of "Harvey" before his retirement from Butler Community College last month.

Wild 1977 legislative ‘battle’ holds lesson for Kansas today

By Ron Smith Kansas Reflector

We Kansans have always seemed to be able to come back to the middle. In the good old days, Republicans and Democrats disagreed with each other, but cooperated.

In 1976, the Democrats took narrow control of the Kansas House for the first time since Teddy Roosevelt unleashed his Bull Moosers on us in 1912. Even super Dem FDR was unable to help Kansas Democrats take control in Topeka during the drought and dust-stricken Kansas Depression. Not until 1976 and Jerry Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon — and a strong campaign by Jimmy Carter in Kansas — did Kansas Dems muster a House majority. For the 1977 session, John Carlin served as speaker.

That year, the House was graced by extraordinary personalities in both parties. Two of them were Roger Robertson, a Democratic teacher and former national debate champion who helped lead 65 Dems, and Mike Hayden, who, along with Wendell Lady, led the 60 Republicans. Robertson chaired the House Education Committee, and Hayden was a farmer, a nuts-and-bolts fiscal

guy whose voice resembled a Marine Corps drill instructor — which was appropriate. In 1969, Lt. Mike Hayden led an infantry company in combat in Vietnam.

As expected, the Republicans tested the new Democratic committee chairs at every turn.

The Republicans wanted the Education Committee to send the annual school finance bill to the floor to debate. School finance debates usually resembled a large group of big pigs around a small trough, fighting over the allocation of K-12 money. To force the issue, on March 31, Hayden moved that the rules be suspended and the school bill come to the House floor for debate and roll call. That upset the Dems. Their education committee wasn’t yet ready to put the school finance bill on the floor reflecting party priorities. But under the rules, the motion having been made, the school finance bill had to be placed at the top of the agenda the next day and debated.

That next morning, Carlin presided from the speaker’s dais. Robertson and Hayden began debating. Their voices got stronger and louder. They began elbowing each other away from a two-

microphone lectern to get better speaking advantages. Personal verbal potshots were taken at each other. The loudspeakers in the chamber got … loud. Eventually, there was a push and a return shove.

Then everyone forgot about school finance.

Hayden and Robertson grabbed each other by the lapels and yelled they were going to “take it outside.” Members of the House leaped to their feet, yelling at the speaker to “do something” and call the sergeant at arms. Or call the police! Do something!

Carlin sat immobile as Hayden and Robertson wrestled each other out the back door of the House chamber and down the back steps.

The House floor went ballistic.

Every member was on his or her feet pointing and yelling.

The Republican minority thought this was typical — the Democrats had not been in power in the House since 1912 and didn’t know how to control things!

“Do something!” was the shout, a bipartisan shout at the speaker, who remained stoic and immobile. Carlin began gaveling the house back into submission. This took time. Eventually, the House quieted. Then with a stone face, Carlin said, “I trust you all know what day this is?”

Silence fell on the House. Then came a few giggles, then laughter, then cheers. Robertson and Hayden walked back into the House chamber, grinning, arm in arm, each with a big unlit cigar in their mouths.

It had been the most elaborate April Fool’s joke in Kansas legislative history. They both received a standing O for pulling it off.

Robertson is now a retired pastor in Johnson County. Hayden was elected governor of Kansas. Would that we could get back to those good old political days. Politicians could disagree without being disagreeable.

The old days need a renaissance. Thank you, Roger and Mike, for showing us the true road we all should have been on since 1977.

Ron Smith is a fifth-generation Kansan, a native of Manhattan, a retired attorney in Larned, a grandfather several times over, a Vietnam veteran and a civil war historian. A longer version of this column can be found at kansasreflector. com.

Photo by Sherman Smith

The Kansas Legislature recently left Topeka without agreement on several major issues.

Minister’s passion: Affordable housing for northeast Wichita

By PJ Griekspoor

The Voice

As senior pastor at Northeast Wichita’s Iasis Christian Center, William “Bill” Vann says he is first and foremost a pastor, having served in the ministry for 34 years, the last two decades at Iasis.

But he is also a sought-after speaker, teacher and advocate for his entire community, where his role as a businessman extends his ministry beyond the church.

For years, he operated a successful  chrome-plating business, River City Plating, and was recognized as the Minority Small Businessman of the Year in 1999. But he sold that business in 2009 and became involved in helping solve a growing community problem – deteriorating housing.

Vann buys rundown houses, predominantly in ZIP code 67214, and rehabs them.

So far he has rehabbed about 40 homes. While most of them he still holds as rental properties, about a handful of them he’s sold to some of his solid tenants, whom he believed in. For them, he carries the mortgage.

It’s a model that helped him buy a home 36 years ago.

He was about to get married and wanted to buy a home for himself and his new bride, but they had trouble qualifying for a loan.

“Omar Finney did the exact same thing to help us get in a house,” said Vann. “I never kind of strayed away from that formula.”

He said he is always willing to work with a tenant who might be interested in buying a home.

“I’m fine with it if they want to rent a year or two or three and prepare to buy it,” he said. “It’s a big step.”

going to be in a position to pay $100,000 to $150,000 for a house. But half that is within reach for a lot more people.”

In addition, he’s able to keep the rent on his properties well below Wichita market rate and a rate that keeps them at or below the standard ceiling of 30% of a household’s income.

To keep his rents low, Vann said he tries everything in his power to keep costs down. Many of the homes he works on have the hardwood floors that were popular when they were built in the 1950s, and he restores those when possible.

Francisco Garcia, who bought a home from Vann seven years ago, says it is a big step he is glad he took.

“I love my home,” he said. “I thank Pastor Vann for helping us.”

Still, the majority of the properties he’s bought, he maintains as rentals.

“The rental income is what provides the revenue for me to buy more properties to fix up,” he says.  Mostly Rehabs

Vann sticks mostly to rehabs, but said he does have two duplexes he’s scheduled to build on vacant lots near 15th Street and Grove.

“It is cheaper to rehab an existing house than to build a new one,” he said. More affordable homes means a greater benefit to the community he is called to serve.

As a licensed general contractor,

he can do a lot of the work involved himself but does hire trade specialists such as electricians and plumbers mostly from the community.

“I try to make sure my dollars are going to circulate in our community before it leaves.”

It’s another way he’s helping build the community.

And that is done on purpose.

He says he tries to buy a vacant property for $15,000 to $20,000 and put an equivalent amount into it. That makes a sale for $40,000 to $60,000 profitable for him. And it also means he can offer a house for rent at a lower price.

Keeping Prices in Reach

“There’s a need for those lowerpriced homes. There are people who are just never

“I don’t put in granite countertops and high-end appliances,” he said. “I save a dime every place I can to keep the price down and still offer a nice home; something you are proud to invite your friends into, but something affordable.”

Keeping His Properties Nice

Vann said he’s a “hands-on landlord.” It’s how he keeps his property in good condition.

“I put eyeballs on all my properties at least once a month just to make sure the tenants are taking care of them, that there is no damage and the yard is mowed and cleaned up.”

While his homes aren’t the Taj Majal, he said, they’re nice.

“I want to make sure that my house is in the top three on the block for appearance.”

This article was produced as part of the Wichita Journalism Collaborative’s look at housing in Wichita.

To learn how we can help, visit hynesmemorial.org or call 316-265-9441.

Hospice helps with in-home nurse visits, personal care, social work, and spiritual support.

William Vann is a pastor and landlord who's sold rehabbed homes to some of his tenants in northeast Wichita. Vann carries the mortgages. Francisco Garcia, above right, is buying one of Vann's homes.

NOTE:The Active Age is printing regularly scheduled senior center activities as space permits. Please email Joe at joe@theactiveage.com to have your center’s activities listed.

Calendar of eventS

SedgwiCk County Senior CenterS

BEL AIRE

7651 E Central Park Ave 744-2700, ext 304 www.belaireks.org

BENTLEY/EAGLE

504 W Sterling, 796-0027

CHENEY 516 Main, 542-3721

CLEARWATER

921 E Janet, 584-2332

DERBY

611 N Mulberry Rd, 788-0223 www.derbyks.com

DOWNTOWN

200 S Walnut, 267-0197 www.seniorservicesofwichita.org

EDGEMOOR

5815 E 9th, 688-9392

ANDOVER

GARDEN PLAIN 1006 N Main, 535-1155

GODDARD 120 N Main, 794-2441

HAYSVILLE 160 E Karla, 529-5903

KECHI

Kechi City Building, 744-0217, 744-1271

LA FAMILIA 841 W 21st, 267-1700

LINWOOD 1901 S Kansas, 263-3703

MCADAMS GOLDEN AGE 1329 E 16th, 337-9222

MT HOPE 105 S Ohio, 667-8956

MULVANE

632 E Mulvane, 777-4813

NORTHEAST 212

1 E 21st, 269-4444

OAKLAWN 2937 Oaklawn Dr, 524-7545

ORCHARD PARK 4808 W 9th, 942-2293

PARK CITY

6100 N Hydraulic, 744-1199

VALLY CENTER COMMUNITY CENTER 314 E Clay, 755-7350

Butler County Senior CenterS

410 Lioba Dr, 733-4441 www.andoverks.com

AUGUSTA

640 Osage, 775-1189

BENTON

Lion’s Community Bldg, S Main St

CASSODAY Cassoday Senior Center 133 S. Washington, 620-735-4538

DOUGLASS

124 W 4th, 746-3227

EL DORADO 210 E 2nd, 321-0142

Senior wedneSdayS www.seniorwednesday.org

May 1

10:30 am Wichita Art Museum 1400 W. Museum Blvd., $2 admission. Artist Talk— “Rachel Curtis: Dissolution”

1:30 pm Museum of World Treasures

835 E. 1st St. Oceans of Kansas Part II

May 8

10 am Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 Zoo Blvd. (316) 266-8213, $4 Squawking or Talking?.

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

May 15

10 am Ulrich Museum of Art, 1845 N. Fairmount. Sketch-ASculpture with Tim Stone.

1:30 pm Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E 29th St N. Info unavailable

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

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

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

May 22

10 am Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main. Dude, Just Google It: Making Public Art Public

1:30 pm Mid American All-Indian museum. 650 N Seneca (316) 350-3340, $2 + tax admission; free for MAAIM members.

Indigenous Games & Toys.

May 29

10am The Kansas African American Museum, 601 N Water. $3. Info unavailable. 1:30 pm Old Cowtown Museum. 1865 Museum Blvd $2 + tax; bers. Info unavailable

danCeS

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

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.

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

Village Steppers Square Dance, Oaklawn Activity Center, 4904 S Clifton. 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month September through May 7:30 - 10:00 pm. Info: Mike Huddleson 316-650-2469

Westside Steppers Square Dance, 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month, 6-8:30 p.m., West Heights United Methodist (entrance "D"), 745 N. Westlink Ave. Info: Sheldon Lawrence (316) 648-7590.

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.

www.theactiveage.com

NOTE: AGING PROJECTS,

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 MAY 1

Wed: Breaded Chicken Patty, mashed potatoes w/creamy gravy, apricots, roll.

Thu: Goulash, three bean salad, pears, garlic bread.

Fri: Tuna Salad on croissant, tomato salad, mixed fruit.

WEEK OF MAY 6

Mon: Creamed Chicken over biscuit, mixed vegetables, peaches.

Tue: BBQ Pork riblet, scalloped corn, cinnamon apples, cornbread muffin.

Wed: Swedish Steak, creamed peas & potatoes, mixed fruit, roll.

Thu: Turkey & broccoli cass, parslied carrots, flavored applesauce, breadstick, chef's choice birthday cake.

Fri: Chicken taco salad, mexican rice, tropical fruit crisp.

WEEK OF MAY 13

Mon: Beef cutlet, rice, green beans,pineapple.

Tue:Cranberry meatballs, baked potato w/ margarine, peach crisp, bread.

Wed: Chicken & Rice Cass, mixed vegetables, aricots, roll.

Thu: Baked pork patty on bun, Cauli Brocc raisin salad, tropical fruit.

Fri: Tuna pasta salad, cuke & tomato salad, blud=shing pears, crackers.

WEEK OF MAY 20

Mon:Scalloped potatoes & Turkey, green beans, pineapple, breadstick.

Tue: Beef Stroganoff, glazed carrots, pears, roll.

Wed: Pimento cheese spread on croissant, cream of tomato soup, mixed fruit.

Thu: Chicken & cheese cass, corn, spiced peaches, garlis toast.

Fri: BBQ Pork on bun, baked beans, apple crisp, potato chips.

WEEK OF MAY 27

Mon: HOLIDAY.

Tue: Italian chicken breast, peas & carrots, apricots, bread.

Wed: SAlisbury Steak, mashed potatoes, blushing pears, roll.

Thu: Fish sandwich on bun, cucumber salad, ambrosia fruit salad.

Fri: Chef salad w/ turkey, combo salad, applesauce, garlic cheddar biscuit.

* 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.

White Chapel. Masonic Garden. 2 lots side by side. $2,000 plus transfer fee FOR BOTH 316-838-5844

Resthaven Cemetery Garden of Faith, Prime location. 2 lots on center isle. 40 A&B. $12,500. 316-617-8581

Two ground burial spots at Lakeview Gardens Cemetery. Section: Garden of the Holy Rosary Lot 30. $2800 each Contact C Mansaw 316-942-4291xt 2165 mansawc@newmanu.edu

2 burial plots at White Chapel Nativity Garden valued $2,049 each. Sell $1,825 each. Seller pays transfer fees. Kurt 316-992-2539.

White Chapel. Sermon on the mount. 4 plots, $1,200 each plus transfer fees. Call 316-371-4454.

Two burial plots for sale in Lakeview Cemetery, Meditation Section, Wichita, $3,000 each. Contact Sonya Hull, threeearz@yahoo.com

Resthaven cemetery: Garden of Acacia Lawn— Lot 62-D, Spaces 3&4. Central location— beautiful site. Includes lots, 2 vaults and marker. $5,900. Seller pays transfer fee. 316-722-6773

2 plots in Resthaven Garden of Memories, Garden of Gethsemane, $5,500 each, includes transfer fee. Contact Kay 785-614-2775, or kreed@cloud.edu

2 plots at White Chapel Memorial Gardens by Jesus statue of the Good Shepherd. $1,300 Total. 316-942-2364

2 burial plots - Lakeview Cemetery - Everlasting Life Double-Depth Lawn Crypt - C-11 Space 10. Retail $7,500, asking $3,000 OBO. Call Scott 213798-8689

White Chapel Garden of Gethsemane, Lot 145B, spaces 1 & 2. Will sell both for $3000 plus transfer fees OBO. Cashiers check or certified check only. Call 316-648-2830; leave message.

2 Side by Side Crypts. Old Mission Chapel of Serenity. 2nd row up. S.E hall/Indoors. $15,500 includes transfer fee. Certified

only. Check website for meal options.

Make reservations online at prairieroseks.com Or call 316-778-2121

Concert only $30+tax OR dinner/show is $45+tax Reservations encouraged but walk ins welcome.

Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Ranch 15231 SW Parallel St Benton KS

Brush, Limbs, Debris, Hauling and Junk Removal. Leaf removal. Free Estimates. Will pick up scrap metal FREE of charge Call David at 316-213-8880.

SPRING IS UPON US

Please call Robert for leaf removal, raking, and garden bed clean up or any other gardening needs. No job too big or too small. 316-932-4225

Henricks Lawn Care Owner/operator 35 yrs. experience. Lawn /landscaping/tree & shrub care. Spring & Fall cleanup, gutter cleaning. Brush Cutting. Servicing West Wichita, Goddard, Cheney, Colwich areas. Toby Henricks 316-680-9183

Neighborhood lawn service

• Lawn mowing

• Yard cleaning

• Trash Removal

Residential or Commercial 720-254-3557

Twin Brothers Lawn Service Aeration,

Clean Cut Lawncare

Single owner with over 9 years’ experience

Serving west Wichita, Goddard and Cheney

Steps, porches, patios, sidewalks, driveways & garage floors. Also 4-inch steps with 18-inch landings for seniors. Licensed, bonded, insured. Free estimates

Steve 992-6884

Residential/Commercial Mowing Spring Cleanup

Mulching/Rototilling

Landscaping, Scalping

Tree & Shrub Trimming

Fence building and repair

316-821-6341

Kansas gov not chasing Chiefs

Kansas Public Radio

Some officials in Kansas are trying to get the Kansas City Chiefs to move across state lines, but the governor says she’s not involved.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly says she has no plans to try to recruit the Kansas City Chiefs to Kansas after voters across state lines rebuffed an effort to upgrade Arrowhead Stadium with tax dollars.

How you can be ‘Powered by Connection’

By Monica Cissell

The Central Plains Area Agency on Aging (CPAAA) celebrates the theme of this year’s Older Americans Month, “Powered by Connection,” by focusing on the impact that meaningful connections have on our well-being.

“It’s not only about having someone to chat with, it’s about the potential that connections have in enhancing mental, physical and emotional well-being,” said Annette Graham, Director for the Sedgwick County Department of Aging and Disabilities. Graham, who also oversees CPAAA, said, “By recognizing and nurturing the role that connectedness plays, we can promote healthy aging and help those we care about.”

Connection is a feeling of belonging or feeling at home with others. We have different levels of connection with different people. The closest inside ring includes our intimate and loyal friends. Further out we have a ring of good and dependable

friends, followed by an outer ring of acquaintances.

As important as these relationships are, the most enduring relationship is the core of these circles: your connection with yourself.

Here are some things we can do to build connection:

Connection to self: Get to know your current self: what you like to do, what do you not like, what you value, etc. Be a friend to yourself in your actions and the words you use.

Connection to others: This includes neighbors, friends, past co-workers, family, even strangers. Reconnect with people you haven’t talked with recently. Strengthen current relationships. Get to know them; everyone is different, though we also have similarities that can bring us together.

Connection to nature: Observing and experiencing the natural world is proven to have positive effects. Being in sunlight creates vitamin D in our bodies, which we need for good health.

Ways to stay connected: Phone/ video calls; letters/cards/packages; support groups; volunteer; religious or civic organizations; join an exercise group.

Wellness in Park event

A fun and easy way to build your connections is by attending the Wellness in the Park event May 21 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Sedgwick County Park, Plum Shelter.

There will be information and activities inside and out. Learn about services offered by the Wichita Public Library, Sedgwick County Election Office and Dedicated Senior Medical Center. We’ll have folks on hand to answer questions about CPAAA’s Caregiver program, RSVP volunteer opportunities, Companion Pets, Medicare counseling opportunities and other CPAAA services. Diabetes Education and Wellness Coordinator

Joe Samaniego will lead an On the Go with Joe exercise demonstration.

Finally, the Irene Hart award will be presented to a person who has made an impact on the lives of older adults or the field of aging in Butler, Harvey or Sedgwick counties.

Join the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging Facebook page to find out more information on this event, or call 855-200-2372 for information about our services.

Monica Cissell is director of information and community services for CPAAA.

“Probably over half the people in the stands any given Sunday are Kansans,” she said. “We claim them as our team – but we recognize that it’s probably in their best interest to stay where they are, so we won’t be making any overtures to the Chiefs.”

Earlier this month, voters in Jackson County, Missouri, rejected an attempt to renew a 3/8th-cent sales tax that would have funded renovations at Arrowhead Stadium and built a new downtown Kansas City ballpark for the Royals.

Kelly has previously said she would welcome the chance to get the Chiefs in Kansas. She recently said she doesn’t think the state is in a financial position to successfully recruit them.

Answers to quiz (from pg 8):

1. The Great Barrier Reef

2. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

3. The Great Fire of London

4. The Greatest Showman

5. The Great Salt Lake

6. The Great British Baking Show

7. The Great Houdini

8. Catherine

10.

11.

Spain's St. James Cake skips the gluten with no loss in flavor

By Joe Stumpe

Whoever came up with the recipe for St. James Cake didn’t set out to make a gluten-free dessert. Instead, the centuries-old treat is built around two of the ingredients that Spain is best known for — almonds and lemons. The fact that ground almond flour is gluten-free is just a happy by-product for those who are gluten intolerant. Almond flour is available in the baking

aisle of most supermarkets.

The tart-like cake, believed to have originated in the northwest corner of Spain, is traditionally decorated by setting a cross-shaped stencil on the cake and dusting around it with powdered sugar. You can create your own stencil or download one from bakefromscratch.com. Other possible garnishes include candied lemon peel and toasted slivered almonds.

4 eggs

St. James Cake

1 cup sugar

2 cups almond flour

Zest from 1 lemon

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar, for dusting cake (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch cake tin.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until there’s a little air in the mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Pour mixture into cake tin. Bake about 30 minutes or until tester inserted in middle comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely.

If desired, dust sugar around a cross-shaped stencil and serve with the accompanying recipe for Easy Lemon Cream.

Could you be getting more out of your retirement?

Discover a community that seamlessly blends comfort, elegance, and vibrant social living. Enjoy chefinspired cuisine, all-inclusive services, and a wealth of enriching activities specially designed to curate a fulfilling retirement lifestyle without the worry of long-term leases, hidden fees, or unpleasant surprises.

Easy Lemon Cream

6 oz. sweetened condensed milk

6 oz. fresh lemon juice

12 oz. plain yogurt, room temperature

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice until well blended. Stir in yogurt in two batches. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before using with St. James cake.

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 Carolyn Morris.

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.

Photo courtesy Spanish Tourism

May Briefs for those with limited mobility. For more information, visit savemccormick. com.

Local film buff Rick Every will host the McCormick School Museum’s third annual showing of 16 mm educational films, complete with popcorn and lemonade, at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 1.

Every is a former projectionist at the Orpheum Theatre and technician at KAKE-TV and Century II, plus a collector of reel-to-reel films and equipment. This year’s film is “They Said It Couldn’t Be Done,” produced in 1970 by Bell Telephone with narration by Lee Marvin and music by the 5th Dimension. The film covers engineering feats such as the Hoover Dam and Golden Gate Bridge. During intermission the museum’s lantern slide collection will be shown using a 1928 projector. Admission is by donation at the door, with proceeds benefiting the museum located at 855 S. Martinson.

The museum also recently added a platform lift on the stairs of the 1930s building to allow travel between floors

Visit Cowtown free

Old Cowtown Museum is open and again free on Sundays due to a donation from Colby Sandlian.

Regular museum admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $8 for youth 5-17, and children four and under get in free. Cowtown members receive free admission. The museum’s spring hours are:

• Sunday, noon- 5 p.m.

• Closed Monday and Tuesday

• Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Spring Garden Fair May 4

The Sedgwick County Extension Center, 7001 W. 21st St. N., will hold its Spring Garden Fair from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the education center. The free event features interactive booths, plant sales, youth activities, tours of the center’s gardens and more.

Conway Springs dinner set

The Conway Springs Alumni Association will hold its annual meal and meeting at noon on Memorial

Day, May 29, in the high school commons area. A $10 donation and side dish or dessert is requested. RSVP to Bob Stalcup at (918)338-9355.

Pilot Club grant

The Prairie Pilot Club recently received a matching $1,000 grant from its parent group, Pilot International, to be used in its partnership with Ability Point, which serves people with intellectual developmental disabilities. The grant is helping pay for Ability Point clients to participate in community events such as a Mystery Tour, Hot Wheels Monster Jam and Renaissance Festival along with activities such as summer camps, movies and other outings. Prairie Pilot members also assist as chaperones on outings, help with the annual Miss Unstoppable Pageant and provide food for events.

Bored? Try a board game

Sedgwick County is inviting families to play board games as a way as a way to strengthen relationships.

Bonding thru Board Games qill be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 11 at the Sedgwick County Extension Center, 7001 W. 21st St. N.

«One issue pressing our homes and our society is the isolation,» said Liz Brunscheen-Cartagena, family and resource management agent with K-State Research and Extension.

“Playing board games gets everyone in the same room which helps family members across generations to connect and have a great time together.”

Board games will be available and there is no charge for the event.

Documenters group launch

A launch party for the Wichita Documenters program will be held at 6 p.m. May 21 at the Advanced Learning Library, 711 W. 2nd.

Documenters is a program in which residents will be trained and paid to attend public meetings for the purpose filling the coverage gap left by the shrinking of traditional news gathering organizations. It’s a partnership of the Wichita Foundation and Wichita Journalism Collaborative. For more information, contact dhaslam@ kansasleadershipcenter.org

Andover YMCA to reopen May 20

ANDOVER — The Greater Wichita YMCA has announced Monday, May 20 as the reopening date for the Dr. Jim Farha Andover YMCA. The branch temporarily shut down in April 2022 following a direct hit from an EF3 tornado.

In a news release, the Y said “extensive upgrades” have taken place inside, including installation of a 44-foot Luckey Climber, expanded gymnastics area and indoor gathering space for families called the Farha Family Park.

New Gunsmoke Trail connects visitors to famed TV show

Remember that time Festus broke some of Quint’s equipment, and they rode to Wichita to get it fixed only to fall for the same saloon girl who happened to be on the run from a jealous boyfriend?

You might if you were a fan of “Gunsmoke,” the longest-running western in TV history. Although

primarily set in and around Dodge City, the show also regularly mentioned other Kansas towns.

Now Visit Wichita, in partnership with convention and visitor bureaus in Abilene, Dodge City and Hays, have launched the Gunsmoke Trail to capitalize on that connection.

The Gunsmoke Trail is accessible

through a mobile “passport” program which allows smart phone users to check in at different stops, earning points for prizes. The passport functions like a mobile app but requires no app download. Visitors can learn more and sign up for the program at KansasGunsmokeTrail. com or by calling (785) 628-8202.

Wild West-themed locations that visitors will be directed to include: Wichita - Old Cowtown Museum, Wichita-Sedgwick Country Historical Museum, Hays - Historic walking Tour on the Bricks in Downtown Hays Abilene - World’s Largest Belt Buckle Dodge City - Boot Hill Museum, Santa Fe Depot

www.theactiveage.com

Meals on Wheels highlighted

Wichita Mayor Lily Wu and City Council Member Dalton Glasscock visited Senior Services, Inc. recently to bring attention to the Meals on Wheels program. The program delivers hot meals to about 800 people on weekdays and has a waiting list of several hundred people. “If you’d like to help, these programs are always looking for volunteers,” Wu said.

Now Serving Patients in Kansas

Restore First Health now offers a mobile advanced wound care program to the Wichita region! Collaborating with patients, home health, physicians and discharge planners — our program can help heal chronic wounds.

www.theactiveage.com