When one room schooled all
As one-room schools return, the originals spark memories
By Joe Stumpe
Nancy Wooten Blanchat was the youngest student attending a oneroom schoolhouse near Stafford, Kan., when her teacher sent her outside while older pupils worked on their cursive handwriting.
As Blanchat recalls, she was supposed to study shadows as some kind of science project. Instead, the unsupervised 5-year-old found herself being stared down by a giant bull near the merry-go-round. She froze briefly, then ran back to tell her teacher.
“She had to call the neighbors to tell them their bull was out,” Blanchat, now a resident of Augusta, said.
Blanchat is one of thousands of Kansans who share memories of rural one-room schoolhouses in which students of all ages studied together. While such schoolhouses bring to
mind scenes from “Little House on the Prairie,” set in the late 1800s, there were still several hundred such schools
operating in Kansas in the 1950s and early '60s.
Today, the one-room schoolhouse
By Joe Stumpe
With parents and grandparents who lived into their 90s, Roz Hutchinson should have a leg up on longevity.
As she neared 70, her physical condition told a different story.
“I had the genetics, but I didn’t have the lifestyle to do the same,” Hutchinson said.
She does now. Since the beginning of 2023, Hutchinson has shed 55 pounds, built muscle mass and cardiovascular capacity and generally transformed her body. She’s done it through exercise, eating better and paying careful attention to her health.
See Fitness, page 8
Volunteers honor sacrifice of WWI hero
By Amy Geiszler-Jones
In a garage space in Old Town, about a dozen volunteers are rebuilding a rare World War I-era aircraft to memorialize Wichita’s only aviator to win a Medal of Honor. They range from childhood model plane builders and military history buffs to veterans of U.S. conflicts going back to the Korean War.
Most were already familiar with the story of the man they are honoring when they started restoring the plane, but they feel too many Wichitans are not.
Second Lt. Erwin Bleckley was a
you are receiving duplicate or unwanted
942-5385 or emailing joe@theactiveage.com.
Photo by Amy Geiszler-Jones
Jerry Carpenter, left, and Floyd Moody are helping rebuild a World War-I era plane to honor Medal of Honor recipient Erwin Bleckley.
Photo by Jim Blanchat
Nancy Blanchat, seen here visiting the one-room schoolhouse in Latham, Kan., attended a similar one near Stafford growing up.
Roz Hutchinson
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) 942-5385 or email joe@theactiveage.com
Judge trades bench for banjo
Since retiring as a federal judge 14 months ago, Ken Gale has more time than ever for one of his lifelong passions — music.
Gale recently joined Jazz in the Heartland, a group that specializes in Dixieland jazz, as its banjo player.
instrument called a banjitar, which is played like a guitar but sounds like a banjo. But that’s only until he can become proficient on the four-string tenor banjo, which is typically used in Dixieland.
That shouldn’t take long. In addition to guitar, Gale plays the piano, mandolin, five-string banjo (typically used in bluegrass), Irish banjo and bouzouki, a string instrument used in Irish music.
“They’re a great bunch of guys,” he said. “It’s great to have another outlet.”
Actually, Gale is playing an
November Events
Nov. 2 - Oil and Gas Legacy Induction Banquet - 6:00 p.m. Reserve your ticket today Nov. 8 - 23 Traveling Exhibit Opens - “World War I & America”
-
Gale grew up playing folk music in New Mexico. He spent four years in the U.S. Army and 27 in the Army
National Guard, retiring as a colonel. He attended law school at Washburn University and met his wife while the two were performing in a Topeka Civic Theatre show. He retired after 13 years as a magistrate in the U.S. District Court in Wichita. He’s always stayed active in music, serving as musical director of the Wichita Bar Association’s annual show, playing in an Irish band called Mead’s Ghosts and attending the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield. In 2022, he wrote “Winfield: A Bluegrass Musical,” which was performed at Southwestern College.
See next page
Nov. 9 - Battle of Isigny - A WWII Battle Reenactment - 1:00 p.m. Come early for Weapons Demonstrations, Vehicles, and More Free Will Donation
Dec. 7 - Santa In Boomtown 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. - Free Santa Bowl Chili Cook Off and Feed 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. / Contact to register your team for the International Chili Competition Certified - Winner qualifies for National Competition.
Kansas Oil Museum 383 E Central, El Dorado, KS 67042 316-321-9333 www kansasoilmusemum org
Kenneth Gale
Members of Jazz in the Heartland include Randy Crow, trombone; Rick Milhon, clarinet and sax; Ken Gale, banjo; Al Brumbaugh, trumpet; Dennis Schmidt, tuba; and Nick Slater, drums. To book the band, call Schmidt at (316) 680-7460.
Dixieland music is nothing new to Gale, who attended college in New Orleans and played trombone in a Dixieland band while living there.
He also performs regularly with his daughter, Spencer, a singer.
“I’m not one to sit around,” he said.
Robert Peterson Somewhere in America is organized by the Wichita Art Museum.
1400 WEST MUSEUM BOULEVARD, WICHITA, KANSAS 67203
Art show
Karen Funcheon’s mixed-media artwork is being shown at Larksfield Place through Dec. 5. Funcheon’s pieces are made from fabric, with the details drawn in pastel pencils.
The piece shown here is titled "Miss Penelope"
New book
Goodland author Roxie Yonkey’s “Historic Kansas Roadsides” (Reedy Press, 192 pages, $27) is now available in bookstores. Yonkey researched the book by traveling
all of Kansas’ byways and historic trails; 80 communities are featured. The book is Yonkey’s third about Kansas, following “Secret Kansas” and “100 Things to Do in Kansas Before You Die.”
Film festival
The AlterNATIVE film festival will be held Nov. 15-17 at the Mid-America All-Indian Museum, 650 N. Seneca St. Visit alternativefilmfestival.org for the details.
Janis
Thank You Recent Donors!
Honor Roll of Donors
Thomas
Donald
Susan
Sheets
These readers recently contributed $50 or more to the 2024 donation campaign.
By Joe Stumpe
Uttinger
Donate via our QR code This QR code will take you to The Active Age’s secure PayPal donation page.
of division, voting is one thing we can do together
It’s the birthright of every American to complain about politics and politicians.
After all, that's pretty much how our country got started in the first place.
But the griping rings a little hollow when it comes from someone who doesn’t participate in the political process by voting. It’s kind of like a
From the Editor
sports team forfeiting a game, then complaining when it winds up in their loss column.
Voters 50 years and older now make up the majority of registered voters in the United States. Voters 65 and older have voted at the highest rate of any age group in every presidential election since 1992. Let’s keep that string going in 2024.
RETIREMENT
Call Broc Whitehead,Wichita Bankruptcy Lawyer at (316) 263-6500 for a FREE telephone consultation on Chapter 7 Federal Bankruptcy
Of course, there are many more candidates on the ballot than just the ones at top — people who want to be your county commissioners, state legislators and state Board of Education members.
If you’re looking for information about the election and candidates, please check out our 2024 Election Guide on our website, theactiveage. com. It features in-depth articles from a number of reliable sources — much more information than we have room
The Active Age, published the first of each month, is distributed in Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick counties.
To subscribe, call 316-942-5385, write The Active Age or visit theactiveage. com.
for in this month’s issue.
Some people contend our country has never been as divided by politics as it is now. The fact that political opponents used to settle their differences through duels tells me that’s not necessarily true. In any case, the very act of casting a ballot is something we can all do together.
And then complain to our hearts’ content.
Contact Joe Stumpe at joe@ theactiveage.com
125 S. West
Ste 105 •
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
Business Manager: Tammara Fogle tammara@theactiveage.com Board of Directors
President: Sharon Van Horn
Vice President: Susan Armstrong • Treasurer: Diana Wolfe
Board Members: Mary Corrigan • Steve Criser • Al Higdon • Darnell Holopirek Tim Marlar • Jamee Ross • Patti Sullivan • Tiya Tonn
School
From Page 1
is making something of a comeback, albeit much modified. This fall, the Wichita school district started an experimental program called Creative Minds in which up to 20 students from kindergarten through sixth grade are being taught by one teacher. The program, located in the Union Station building downtown, is designed to appeal to families who have left or are considering leaving public schools. Similar one-room concepts have sprouted across the county over the past decade.
The original one-room schoolhouses were the product of rural communities wanting their children to have at least the basics of education. The earliest in south central Kansas date back to the late 1860s.
One-room schools generally offered curriculum for grades 1-8, with students ranging from ages 5 to 21. “There wasn’t someone in each of the eight grades each year,” said Darryl Claassen, who’s researched the schools in Butler County. “There might be only six students in a year.”
The earliest ones were usually built on land donated by a farmer. “Each family (of a student) would pitch in and pay the teacher some,” Claaseen said. “Often times the teacher was passed around among families in the school district. She would stay in a private home for maybe six weeks at a time.”
Eventually, local and state tax money was designated for the schools’ support. The schools might serve an area as small as two by three miles — about the distance a student could be expected to walk, ride a bike or horse each day.
Historically, Kansas had more
than its share of these one-size-fits-all classrooms and kept them going longer than most other states.
A 1938 state report, for instance, estimated that Kansas had 2,500 to 3,500 more one-room schools than it needed. Another report, in 1942, showed that Kansas had the thirdhighest number of schools of any state in the United States, with the thirdlowest enrollment per school.
By then, many communities were voluntarily closing their schools and sending their children to larger schools — called “graded schools” — in nearby towns or cities. Reasons included a loss of rural population, higher per-pupil cost of small schools and a belief that larger schools with more teachers and students offered a better education.
On the other hand, some believed teachers in one-room settings could better tailor instruction to the needs of individual students and that students benefited from the interaction of older and younger classmates. A community’s identity was also usually tied up in its school.
With encouragement from the state, rural school closings and consolidations continued, but there were still 2,800 districts in 1950, many with only one school.
Blanchat’s family moved from Topeka to Bethel, a tiny community outside Stafford in south-central Kansas, in 1960 so that her father could become the preacher at the Bethel Church of Christ. They lived next door to the church, about two miles from the school, which was known as C-14.
Blanchat’s sister, Cheryl, entered its third grade, her brother, Paul, started fifth grade and Nancy enrolled in first grade at age 5 because there was no kindergarten. The school evidently was on par or better with those in Topeka, as Cheryl came home crying
on her first day “because C-14 was a bit ahead in their studies and already knew cursive writing,” Blanchat said. “Dad stayed up with her until she learned cursive so she could be on par with the other two third graders.”
The students’ desks were arranged in a circle around a desk occupied by their teacher, Mrs. McCandless. “She would call each ‘class’ to her desk and teach them their age-appropriate lessons, then she would give the worksheets as she moved from class to class,” Blanchat said. “I don’t think there were ever more than three people per class.”
At snack time, Mrs. McCandless would pass each child a milk carton, then go around the room adding two tablespoons of Nesquick chocolate powder and shaking the cartons “so we didn’t have to drink plain milk.”
C-14 actually had two rooms counting the basement, where a stage had been built. It had a curtain that rolled up and down and had been painted with oil paints, like a carnival banner. Cheryl felt magical every time she stepped on stage.
Paul — “the top student in my class of one,” he says — got into mischief with two older students, seventh-graders, setting off bottle bombs in the outhouse and skinny dipping in a nearby creek during lunch.
A 1952 photo shows horses and bicycles were used
transpor
tation by students at the Hunter school in Butler County.
All the siblings remember the great lunches — like chicken and noodles, yeast rolls and cherry cobbler — made daily by the cook, Thelma Sims.
C-14 even had a rival school, C-11, also located outside Stafford, competing with its students in potato sack races and tug-of-war.
Blanchat was the only first-grader although a 4-year-old friend, Colleen Murphy, sometimes attended.
In its heyday, the school had about 20 students, but the number dwindled. “My sister was the only one in her class, as was I, unless Collen Murphy visited. It closed after one year for me,” said Blanchat, who moved on to second grade in Stafford. “We had no idea what a special experience it was for us.”
Photo courtesy of Darryl Claassen
Hero
From Page 1
23-year-old Wichitan who left his job at Fourth National Bank to man a gun on the open-cockpit DH-4 aircraft during the Great War.
Bleckley and pilot 1st Lt. Harold Goettler were killed Oct. 6, 1918, while trying to supply American soldiers who’d gotten trapped for days behind enemy lines in France’s Argonne Forest. The group of around 554 soldiers from nine companies became known as The Lost Battalion; only 194 were rescued; the others either died, were taken prisoner or went missing.
Shot down by enemy fire during their second, much lower, flight to supply the troops, Goettler died in the gunfire. Bleckley was rescued by French soldiers but died before they could get him to a hospital. The pair had been flying missions together for less than a month.
“We’ll make the delivery or die in the attempt,” Bleckley reportedly said before the fatal flight.
Both men were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
would have ended up much the same way, except in aviation,” Zuercher said.
nonprofit Bleckley Foundation and soon had the lofty goal of acquiring a DH-4, the first American-built warplane, with the idea that it be displayed in Wichita’s Eisenhower National Airport.
“We were thinking we might need to build a replica until the real thing fell out of the sky,” Zuercher said, referring to the May 2020 crash of a DH-4 owned by a Bowling Green, Ky., foundation.
Aware of the Bleckley Foundation’s search, the Kentucky foundation offered it to the Wichita nonprofit at a fire-sale price of $105,000 a few days after the crash.
Other prospective buyers armed with much deeper pockets included the national Air Force Museum at WrightPatterson Air Force Base in Ohio, a museum outside Paris, France, and a private collector. But the Bleckley Foundation’s goal helped them get the aircraft.
Veterans Day events
The mobile museum honoring Erwin Bleckley will be open to the public outside Exploration Place during Wichita’s Veterans Day parade and celebration Saturday, Nov. 9. The parade starts at 11 a.m. at Central and Main and ends at Exploration Place. Admission to the children’s science museum is free for veterans and their families on Nov. 9.
On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, a commemoration will be held at Veterans Memorial Park starting at 11 a.m. The park is located at 339 N. Greenway Blvd.
with an expert on DH-4 engines and scouring for parts for the project.
Another Vietnam War vet, Terry Mulvaney, who started a business repairing aircraft cabinets when he was no longer medically qualified to fly regional airline planes, has also been helping reconstruct the plane’s mainframe.
“We want people to know this is not just another schlub that went to World War I,” said Greg Zuercher, a board member with the nonprofit Bleckley Foundation. “This was a highly capable and achieving young Wichitan that we lost to great sacrifice over there.
“His best friend, Frank Priest, came back from the war, and he became a wealthy businessman and a civic benefactor. And we think Erwin
Zuercher is a 22-year veteran who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and can trace his family’s military service going back as far as the Revolutionary War.
He became familiar with Bleckley’s story sometime in the 1990s, so when he and fellow commanders with the VFW Post 112 in Wichita were discussing which veteran they should honor in 2018, he was ready with a suggestion: Let’s honor Bleckley in the centennial year of his fateful mission.
Since then, Zuercher’s been on a mission to memorialize Bleckley beyond the street that was named for him in 1932 and a small monument on the campus of the Veterans Administration.
In 2018, Zuercher and another Army vet, Doug Jacobs, formed the
After it’s restored for the second time, the plane could well be worth more than $2 million due to its historical significance and the fact that only five 1918 military versions remain in the world, Zuercher said.
While it will be restored to full airworthiness, it will be too valuable to risk flying again, he said. Negotiations are still underway for its eventual display.
Twice a week since moving into their Old Town workshop at 359 N. Mosley in August 2023, volunteers with different areas of expertise and skills have been working on the plane. The group had worked out of a hangar provided by Global Aviation Technologies until the company declared bankruptcy.
John Bierens, who has 40 years of aviation experience and is a credentialed inspector, is the project manager and lead mechanic.
“It’s been a childhood dream to work on a World War I aircraft,” said Bierens, a longtime military memorabilia collector.
Jerry Carpenter also thinks it’s special to work on the DH-4.
“How often do you get to honor a Medal of Honor winner and one from World War I?” said Carpenter, who is combining skills from his aviation career — first working at Boeing and then retiring from Textron — with his woodworking hobby.
While about half of the plane was salvaged from its crash in Kentucky, Carpenter and other craftsmen are having to rebuild various pieces of the plane’s wooden mainframe.
With decades of experience working on aircraft and automobiles, Vietnam War vet Floyd Moody is known as the engine guy. He’s traveled to Idaho and Washington, meeting
While he’s recently retired from his unofficial role as the project manager, “I haven’t lost my passion,” Mulvaney said, indicating he plans to volunteer as often as possible.
Another volunteer and foundation board member, Shawna Smith, has overseen the creation of a mobile museum honoring Bleckley inside a 26-by-8-foot trailer that the group takes to various events. The mobile museum will be open to the public during Wichita’s Veterans Day parade and celebration Saturday, Nov. 9. The parade starts at 11 a.m., and Exploration Place is providing space for static displays. Science museum admission for vets and their families will be free Nov. 9.
Zuercher said the foundation’s goal is to have the plane ready for an initial display during the next McConnell Air Force Base airshow in 2026. In January 2019, base officials renamed a small ballroom inside the base’s Robert J. Dole Center in Bleckley’s honor.
Zuercher’s passion for honoring Bleckley has drawn some ribbing from his siblings.
“They say, ‘When you get to heaven, Bleckley is going to come up and give you a hug.’ And I always reply, ‘And I’ll hug him back.’”
To learn more Tours of the DH-4 restoration workshop at 359 N. Mosley are available by either dropping by 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays or by calling 316-253-3806. More information about the Bleckley Foundation can be found at BleckleyFoundation.org.
Contact Amy Geiszler Jones at algj64@sbcglobal.net.
Courtesy photo
Erwin Bleckley died after his plane was shot down during a World War I mission over France.
Greg Zuercher
Fitness
From Page 1
Hutchinson, a Wichita native, carved a successful career in the marketing and communications field that didn’t include much time for selfcare. “It wasn’t my bosses or employers saying I couldn’t do that. It was me not making it a priority.”
Other things were beyond her control. During the first couple years of this decade, she lost three family members, saw her husband diagnosed with cancer, Tom, and even managed to run over herself with her own car when it jumped out of gear.
At that point, she said, “I decided to control the things I could.”
Hutchinson had been neglecting her medication and blood sugar monitoring for Type 2 diabetes. Her first move was to meet with her physician and pharmacist regarding her blood sugar level, which hovered in the danger zone. “Together, we set some goals. I was going to get my A1C (average glucose level) down below 7 percent” — the point where blood vessel damage can start.
She began wearing a continuous glucose monitor, which gives real-time tracking of blood sugars, letting her see the impact of what she was eating.
“At the same time I saw my blood sugar was coming down, so was my weight.”
Competitive by nature, Hutchinson set a new goal. “I decided to go to classes seven days a week. I was going to carve out one hour a day for self-care.”
At the time, Hutchinson was still working full-time. Her employer and co-workers were supportive. The Y classes, far from seeming like a chore to be gotten through, left her invigorated and with a phone full of new friends she was taking classes with. For nine months, she didn’t a miss a day at the Y before stomach flu briefly sidelined her.
Having already surpassed her weight-loss target, Hutchinson decided on a new goal: build more muscle mass by trying some of the Y’s land-based classes.
“The first time I did muscle pump class I thought I was going to die. But I stayed to the end. By the next time, I did a little more than survive. By the third or fourth time, I discovered I really liked it.”
Hutchinson believes adjusting her goals as she went along, rather than setting unrealistic ones in the beginning, has helped her succeed. She’s gone from being unable to do a single jumping jack to doing 25, from being unable to do a push-up to doing
three sets of 10.
She’s now tried 28 different types of classes offered by the Y. She has “maybe six or seven favorite instructors” whose classes she’s a regular in.
“I do a lot of strength building and much more intensive cardio,” she said. “I’m doing step and boxing and pilates and lift classes and barre.”
Hutchinson mostly works out at the downtown, west and east YMCAs and visits the Andover and south branches during the summer for their outdoor pools. She’s become involved in several passion projects since her retirement, so if there’s a conflict with one of them, a family obligation or social event, she consults the Y’s app to find a class at one of the other eight area locations.
Oh, and she walks her dogs twice a day. “Even my dogs have slimmed down,” she said.
Hutchinson said switching to one of the new diabetes medications at the beginning of her wellness journey undoubtedly helped “cut the food noise” that led to overeating. But, she added, eating healthier — such as ingesting more protein and fewer carbs — comes almost naturally with exercise. “You start listening to your body. Suddenly you just really have the desire to make better choices.”
Hutchinson’s most recent doctor’s visit showed an A1C level of 5.3, which is good for somebody who doesn’t have diabetes, and a note from her doctor saying “your labs are beautiful.”
This spring, she took a nine-day trip to Portugal, complete with "a lot of walking I never hvae been able to keep up wtih." Then there are her six grandchildren to keep up with.
At the urging of Y staff, she’s
Rather than set unrealistic goals at the start of her fitness journey, Roz Hutchinson gradually increased them as she progressed.
working on getting certified to teach a SilverSneakers exercise class for older adults. And she won’t make the mistake of ignoring her own health again.
“It’s really about making a commitment to yourself, being very specific about what you’re going to do, and deciding that you deserve that self-care.”
About the YMCA
Each Greater Wichita YMCA offers more than 75 group exercise classes, which are free with the price of a membership. Membership price varies according to type; assistance is available based on income. Some health coverage plans cover the cost of a membership. Visit or call a YMCA for more information.
Courtesy photo
Reunited…and it feels so good Organizers of 50-year high school reunions say the work they
put in is worth it
By Amy Geiszler-Jones
Kim Campbell Morrissey spearheaded the 50-year reunion of Wichita Heights’ class of 1974 in five quick months. That’s because it wasn’t until this past spring that she discovered a reunion wasn’t in the works.
“My thought was that it’s kind of a milestone that we should not let go by without celebrating,” said Morrissey, a retired physical education teacher.
For Sandra Ott and two of her classmates from Wichita South’s class of 1974, on the other hand, it’s been an every-five-year ritual they started in 1979.
Their efforts to celebrate the halfcentury since they graduated came to fruition this fall. The 50th reunion for South’s class of 1974 was held in late
September while the Heights reunion happened in early October.
Making connections is the best part of a reunion, said Ott and Morrissey.
“We had a class of 600 and the school had 1,800 with three classes, so we didn’t know everyone. Now we can reconnect and make new friends,” Ott said.
“In high school, you have your groups … but when you get to the 50th, you don’t have groups anymore, and you’re happy to get together,” Morrissey said. “We reignited some friendships and got to know others.”
And sometimes reminiscing results in surprising revelations.
“I found out one of my classmates streaked down one of the halls,” Morrissey said. “How did I not know that?”
Locating classmates and keeping current contact information when you’re part of a graduating class of several hundred people is a major challenge.
In the early days of organizing her class reunions, Ott recalled calling landlines and sometimes parents to
find classmates.
Now, social media, including school alumni pages or class-specific groups on Facebook, has become a way to find classmates.
One of the Heights’ reunion organizers was a former collections agent who used her tracking skills “to find people all over the place,” including Australia, Morrissey said.
“But we’re on the search for about
300 people we don’t have information on.”
Both reunion weekends included tours of their respective schools, which received major improvements in the 2000s with voter-approved bond issues.
Finding affordable venues for the other weekend activities of a mixer at a local casual-dining spot and a bigger Saturday night dinner event proved challenging, Ott and Morrissey said.
“We struggled this year a little bit to find venues,” Ott said “We wanted to make it affordable. All of us are 67 or 68 so pretty much we’re not working anymore, and we’re on Social Security and our retirement” savings.
The South reunion mixer was held at Hurricane Sports Grill, while the Saturday festivities were held at the Drury Plaza Hotel Broadway.
The short planning period for the Heights group was an extra hurdle since many venues book out several months or even longer, Morrissey said,
The Heights classmates met at Bronx Pizza & Pints for their mixer and booked the Roadhouse Venue for its Saturday night event. The Roadhouse, which was the former Coyote Club, wasn’t only affordable, it was also appropriate.
“Plenty of our classmates had spent the better years of their youth there,” Morrissey said.
About 100 people attended each of the reunions' Saturday night dinners. Ott and Morrissey say they’re going to plan future get-togethers for their classes, but the reunions will likely be pared-down versions.
“We won’t do another huge one like the 50th,” Ott said. “It’s a lot of work.”
Contact Amy Geiszler-Jones at algj64@sbcglobal.net.
Lifestyles in so-called ‘blue zones’ encourage longevity
The Active Age
Dr. Archelle Georgiou wants to turn Kansas into a blue state, and it’s got nothing to do with politics.
Georgiou, who spoke in Wichita recently, is a Minneapolis physician and advocate of “blue zones,” as places in the world where people live exceptionally long and healthy lives have been dubbed. The phrase was popularized by bestselling author Dan Buettner, who originally identified five blue zones: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece; and Loma Linda, California.
To a casual observer, it might appear that an island or coastal setting is the common denominator.
Georgiou begs to differ.
“It’s about the mindset,” Georgiou said. “We can import that.”
In talks to groups in Wichita and Manhattan, Georgiou covered a handful of lifestyle attributes in Ikaria, which she visited as part of a National Geographic research project. More than 30% of Ikarians live into their nineties, generally free from chronic illness and dementia, and many hit 100, according to a 2023 article in the National Geographic Traveler magazine.
Eating wisely. People in Ikaria follow what’s known as the Mediterranean diet, which Georgiou describes as “not vegetarian but where meat is the condiment more than the
entrée. It goes along with lots of fruits and vegetables, moderate consumption of red wine, and a lot of wild greens.”
She added that it’s “not just about diet and food. It’s about making the meal a time to connect with others. If the meal is not an event where you’re connecting with other people, you’re not experiencing what a Mediterranean diet is.”
Movement. Ikaria is mountainous and rural, so residents almost can’t help getting exercise.
“To get from your house to a neighbor’s house usually involves a little bit of a workout,” Georgiou said.
By contrast, research into people living sedentary lives has shown that “sitting is the new smoking” in terms of its effect on health.
“How do we get up and about and moving? I like to emphasize that it’s less about exercise and more about just moving.”
People may be discouraged by goals like taking 10,000 steps a day. But Georgiou said research shows that even 2,500 steps a day have a positive effect on health, and every 1,000 steps after that carry more benefits.
Outlook. People in Ikaria “have a unique relationship with time,” Georgiou said. “They don’t wear watches. They don’t allow time to control them or consume them.”
Scheduling every minute of your day and trying to pack as much into it as possible may not be as productive as you think, she said.
“Sometimes we fill our schedules so much that what we’re actually doing is creating more stress and not having meaningful interactions that are so important.”
Soufiko (Ikaria, Greece)
This stew is the best-known dish on Ikaria. The amount of olive oil is not a mistake; Ikarians consume a LOT of olive oil. Serve with a hunk of good bread to sop up the juices.
2 eggplants, chopped
2 potatoes or sweet potatoes, chopped
2 onions, halved and then sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bell peppers, red or green, cubed
2 zucchinis, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
2-3 fresh tomatoes, chopped, or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
½ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons oregano
Directions:
Chop the vegetables about the same size, about 3/4-inch cubes. Layer the vegetables in a big frying pan with a heavy base and a lid, or a very shallow pot, in the order listed, pouring oil over the top at the end. Cook on a low heat, covered, for 30-45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle oregano over top near end of cooking time and serve hot or cold.
Note: If eggplant or zucchini are unavailable, a drained can of black-eyed peas or garbanzo beans can be substituted.
Source: Adapted from sarahwilson.com.
Residents of Ikaria also don’t retire in the same sense as we know it.
“People always have purpose and work throughout their life. They always have responsibility.”
When a person stops adding value to society, others see them as less valuable “and you become more socially isolated. That is not healthy for
anyone.”
Belonging. Residents of Ikaria tend to associate with a broad swath of other residents. At festivals, Georgiou said, “Young children, teens, adults in their 30s and 40s are dancing with people in their 80s.”
In the United States, she said, “We tend to have a society where we isolate ourselves form other peer groups.”
By U.S. standards, the health care system in Ikaria might seem underwhelming. Someone requiring surgery would be required to fly to Athens on the Greek mainland. But Georgiou said that impression would be misleading.
“These communities of people, they have a lot of health, but they don’t have a lot of health care. We tend to think those two things are synonymous, but in fact in those places they are not.”
Banana Oatmeal Cookies (Loma Linda, Calif.)
Many people who live in Loma Linda are Seventh-Day Adventists, who exercise regularly, avoid alcohol and smoking and eat a plant-based diet. They also avoid processed foods such as white flour and sugar.
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
4 medium sized ripe bananas
⅓ cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or spray with non-stick spray.
Use a high-power blender to process oats to the consistency of flour. Pour into mixing bowl and add baking soda and spices.
Blend bananas until completely smooth. Add to oatmeal mixture along with the nuts (or other dried fruit) and mix until combined.
Drop 2 tablespoon balls of dough onto cookies sheet, spacing well. Dip the scoop or spoon into water to keep the dough from sticking. Use lightly moistened fingers to flatten each cookie. Bake for 15 minutes.
Cool cookies on wire rack and store in an airtight container.
Glazed Greens (Okinawa, Japan)
Residents of Okinawa eat many greens they grow themselves, the gardening serving as a form of exercise. They also practice “hara hachi bu,” which means to stop eating when you are 80 percent full. Miso and mirin are available in Asian markets and the Asian aisles of many supermarkets.
8 cups chopped greens like spinach or mustard greens
1⁄3 cup citrus juice (orange or lime)
2 tablespoons white miso
2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine), plus more if needed
Directions:
Parboil the greens by heating water to a boil, adding the greens, and removing after 1 to 2 minutes, once the greens have turned a bright color. Drain greens. Over the sink, lightly squeeze greens between your hands to remove excess water.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together citrus juice, white miso, and mirin. Add greens to the bowl and mix with hands. Season to taste with more mirin.
Dr. Archelle Georgiou
November quiz is food for thought
By Nancy Wheeler
November is a great month for eating and entertaining. Try these questions to see if you are a turkey expert or just a lame duck. The answers appear below.
1. What main dish consists of a deboned chicken stuffed into a deboned duck and then stuffed into a deboned turkey?
2. What Thanksgiving staple was invented in the 1950s by a Campbell Soup employee in hopes of boosting sales of a particular product?
3. Although stuffing and gravy are popular options at a Thanksgiving table, what starchy food is the most requested side dish?
4. What Thanksgiving food contains so much tryptophan that it is blamed for the post-feast sleepiness?
5. Although pumpkin pie is a perennial favorite for Thanksgiving dessert, what kind of pie is actually the best-selling pie in America?
6. What spongy confection did not top sweet potatoes until a 1917 pamphlet was published that promoted the combination to increase sales?
7. What tiny red fruit may have actually been eaten by the pilgrims and the American Indians at the first Thanksgiving?
8. According to poll results, what is by far the most preferred commercially-produced dinner roll chosen for Thanksgiving Dinner?
9. What famous (nut-filled) pie was officially named as the Texas state dessert in 2013?
10. What shell fish is often added to Thanksgiving dressing to add a salty savoriness without it tasting fishy?
11. What Thanksgiving food created from bread and giblets is considered the unhealthiest Thanksgiving food?
12. A melted candy bar in the pocket of Percy Spencer, a radar scientist, led to the invention of what kitchen appliance often used for warming (or rewarming) food for Thanksgiving dinner?
Answers:
1. Turducken
2. Green bean casserole
3. Mashed potatoes 4. Turkey 5. Apple 6. Marshmallows 7. Cranberries
8. King’s Hawaiian 9. Pecan pie 10. Oysters
Stuffing 12. Microwave
Music not always language of love
By Ted Blankenship
Early in 1943, my family moved from Madison, Kan., to Eureka, some 25 miles to the south. We had been there about three weeks and I was out riding my bicycle. And there on the front lawn sunning herself was a pretty redhead.
Somehow, I managed to get a conversation going, which eventually became long sessions — purely conversational — in the front seat of her family car parked in the driveway.
I told her I had a job with the Jeff Klein Band playing a dance every Saturday night in Memorial Hall.
“Can you sing?” she asked me one evening in the ’39 Ford.
“Sure,” I replied with the confidence of a 16-year-old.
She wanted to hear, “Somebody Else Is Taking My Place.”
When I had finished, she told me it was Jim Dunham’s favorite song. Dunham was in the Army.
The relationship fizzled and I started another one. It was uncannily like the first. This time the girl asked me to sing “Moonlight Becomes You.”
“That was Corky’s song,” she said. I didn’t know Corky. He was in the Navy.
Another encounter was even stranger. I was about 17. After the Saturday night dances, a woman stopped at the door of my car in front of the Rexall and talked music. She eventually got in the back seat and I stayed in the front. She was eight or nine years older than I. She wore a fur coat, the first I had ever seen except in the movies.
Later, we rode around together in a restored Whippet Coupe. Her favorite song was an Ink Spots hit. She asked me to sing it every time we met.
Then one morning before work, my Dad, looking grave, called me into the living room.
“You’ve been driving my boss’s girlfriend in car and he wants it to stop,” he said. In those days, a petroleum engineer outranked production men, so my Dad had no choice. It was me and a music-loving woman or his job.
I decided he ought to keep his job.
Music can lead you to places you never expected to be.
My proudest moment came as a fifth-grader playing trumpet in the Madison High School Band. We performed for the veterans in the VA Hospital in Wichita. The Kansas Highway Patrol escorted the caravan all the way to Wichita, and I rode in the front seat with the superintendent of the Patrol.
He gave me free rein of the siren all the way. What a gift to a fifth grader — playing with the “big kids” and free rein over the siren. It can’t get any better than that.
Contact Ted at tblankenship218@ gmail.com.
Find your place. together
This fall is about food and the finer things at Larksfield Place. You’re invited!
Larksfield at the Larkspur
Thursday, Nov. 14, 11:30 a.m.
Larkspur Bistro & Bar, 904 E. Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS 67202
Join us for a complimentary lunch at a Wichita favorite — Larkspur Bistro & Bar. Come hear all about Larksfield Landing, our upcoming expansion.
Coffee & Conversation
Every Thursday, 9 a.m.
Larksfield Place Independent Living, 7373 E. 29th St. N., Wichita, KS 67226
Meet us in the Larksfield Bistro for weekly coffee and conversation. Enjoy a casual atmosphere where you can learn more about the Larksfield lifestyle and how to get on the list in time for our upcoming expansion.
RSVP: Call 316-844-1551 or visit larksfield.org/events. Space is limited
Help a family in need through Share the Season
Share the Season is a holiday program that helps working families in Sedgwick County who are experiencing financial hardship due to a major life event or difficult circumstance. The funds raised through this program are used to fill the gaps left by other assistance programs.
Since 2000, the Wichita community has contributed over $4.5 million dollars to Share the Season and helped serve more than 4,200 families. Last year, the campaign
Melody’s son initially came to The Salvation Army’s Emergency Social Services last year for help with his identification. A Salvation Army case manager realized that he needed Melody’s help in obtaining her son’s birth certificate.
The case manager called Melody. During the conversation, she apologized for not tracking well because she was under duress because Robert, her husband of twenty-plus
raised almost $125,406 and helped 68 families.
A few facts about Share the Season:
Bringing comfort and support to families in their time of need this holiday season
Applicants are carefully screened to verify needs.
Recipients must have experienced a recent, unexpected life event in the last 12 months that has resulted in a need for financial help.
Households may only receive assistance once every three years through the program.
Assistance payments are made
directly to the vendors, such as the bank or utility company.
Share the Season is made possible through community partnerships between INTRUST Bank, NonprofitGO, The Salvation Army and The Active Age.
To donate:
Visit sharetheseason.net to donate online. You can also mail a check with your donation to Share The Season, PO Box 485, Wichita,KS, 67201-0485. Please include your name and address
years, recently and suddenly passed away. She was trying to figure out how to pay for his funeral expenses.
After obtaining more information, the case manager told Melody about Share the Season and scheduled a time to meet with her to fill out an application. During the meeting, the case manager learned Melody’s husband died from a horrific accident.
To apply:
and indicate whether you want the donation to be anonymous.
2024 applications open Nov. 1. Visit sharetheseason.net to apply. For more information, contact Cinthia Estrada at (316) 4256148.
Share the Season story: Widow aided after horrible accident
somehow released and rolled over him. The coroner told Melody that Robert died instantly.
Over the last couple of years,
Melody’s husband, Robert, had gone through some severe health issues which included two strokes and bypass surgery. Robert was on the mend and Melody said, “He was recovering so well we planned to buy a fixer-upper and do the work ourselves. We were also going to travel. Our path was set for us to enjoy our golden years together.”
Robert passed away before this dream was realized. Robert, who was a retired mechanic, was helping a friend with repairs on his RV. He was under the RV when the brakes
There was no insurance coverage and Melody did not have money for the funeral expenses. Share the Season was able to step in and help with the funeral costs, giving Melody some financial relief and peace of mind.
Editor’s note: The Active Age will share more stories about Share the Season at theactiveage.com and in our December issue.
Aging in Place
Aging in Place
Two cool cats stand out in sea of election campaign signs
By Kylie Cameron KMUW
The “Purr Party ” has taken over intersections in Wichita this campaign cycle just like any other political candidates – but the party’s political signs look much different than the others.
That’s because the candidates on the yard signs are cats.
Their owner James Gates, along with his partner, Sarah Jane, said they began what he calls an awareness campaign earlier this year during the primary election.
“You just look at them, they’re beautiful kitties,” Gates said. “Can’t
Mister Sleeves and Eighty-Eight star in campaign-like signs.
help but feel like you need to do something in devotion to that, and barring starting a religion, maybe just raising awareness and spreading that
joy to other folks seemed like a better idea.”
Gates insisted the two cats aren’t running for president, instead they’re just having fun during a heated political cycle.
The campaign first started by simply putting flyers in grocery stores and other businesses. During the general election, Gates started placing yard signs around town.
“They have picked up a great amount of steam,” he said. “We started with an initial run of 20, and we’ve ended up selling 25 and along with
the ones that we’ve placed on our own initiative, that’s around 40 signs throughout the Wichita area.”
Based on “polling” — where yard sign orders have come from — Gates said the felines are doing well in College Hill, Riverside and Midtown.
“There’s been a lot of excitement on both sides of town about it,” he said.
When asking Gates about their positions, it’s not the ones voters normally think about.
“Sleeves is known for his standing.”
See next page
•
•
it difficult to watch TV or recognize faces?
• Has your eye doctor told you eyeglasses can no longer be made stronger?
If so, call Envision for an appointment or schedule an education presentation in your senior living facility.
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS – LIKE YOU – THIS TAX SEASON!
Help households with low-to-moderate income gain financial stability by volunteering to help them file their taxes for free. Last year, volunteers filed nearly 6,000 returns, putting $7.1 million in refunds back into the pockets of local residents. You can be part of this impact!
• Volunteer as a site greeter or tax preparer. No experience is needed! Bilingual volunteers are encouraged to sign up.
• Learn valuable new skills and become IRS-certified with our free training (virtual or in-person).
• Flexible commitment: Choose your site, shift and role (February to April).
• Full support every step of the way. You’re never on your own.
Learn
at
Photos by Kylie Cameron/KMUW
Gates said. “He also has a specialized move called the long boy stretching technique, properly referred to as ‘LONG BOY.’”
Both Mister Sleeves and EightyEight are elusive creatures, and candidates.
But during an interview with Gates, Mister Sleeves made a rare appearance to oversee the conversation.
“As you can see, there’s a wariness to Mister Sleeves, which shows that he is not beholden to special interests,” Gates said when Mister Sleeves walked in.
“You can’t simply buy Mister Sleeves – aside from food. You can
Mister Sleeves observes an interviewer.
absolutely buy Mister Sleeves with food.”
Regardless of how this year’s presidential race ends up, or any other
race on the ballot for that matter, Gates said he hopes that the Cat Campaign brought smiles across town.
“Whatever happens Nov. 5 is whatever happens,” he said.
“These kitties will still be great kitties, and everyone should be happy that they found out about it.”
Dealing with a serious illness? We are here for you providing Comfort, Support, and Peace of Mind.
To learn how we can help, visit hynesmemorial.org or call 316-265-9441.
WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE TO SAY
AFTER BEFORE
rating. In fact, they like them so much they had them come back out to install beautiful new windows in their home.
The Howard’s called All States Home Improvement to replace their old jacuzzi tub with a new functional walk-in shower. Now they absolutely love going into their newly remodeled bathroom for a relaxing shower.
Mike & Leslie recommend All States to all their friends and give them the highest approval
“They are there to help us. The installation team was excellent, showed up and worked the time they said they would. We were very pleased with the professionalism, but also with the skills they exhibited in remodeling our bathroom. All States has been around over 30 years, and we knew that only a good company could survive that long. We saw their advertisement, we heard their promises, and when they came to our house and did the work, they lived up to every bit of the promises. Professional job done by reliable people.”
Mike & Leslie Howard - West Wichita
Social Security to increase 2.5 percent
Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for more than 72.5 million Americans will increase 2.5% in 2025, the Social Security Administration announced last month. On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by about $50 per month starting in January.
Over the last decade the cost-ofliving adjustment (COLA) increase has averaged about 2.6%. The COLA was 3.2% in 2024.
Nearly 68 million Social Security beneficiaries will see a 2.5% COLA beginning in January 2025. Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million people receiving SSI will begin on December
Tax return prep volunteers sought
United Way of the Plains is recruiting 160 volunteers for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program that will operate Feb. 1 through April 15 in 2025. The service is offered at no charge to households making $64,000 or less annually. Funded through an annual grant secured from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and managed by the United Way of the Plains, the program is overseen by Kristie Costa, VITA Program Manager for United Way of
the Plains.
Costa recruits volunteers who are then trained to become IRS certified to file taxes and identify tax credits. Around 6,000 returns were prepared in 2024, generating more than $7 million in tax refunds.
“Volunteering with United Way of the Plains’ VITA program is a rewarding experience, one that can make a real difference in the lives of individuals and families,” Costa said. “It’s not just about numbers, it’s about
Woman stole from great uncle
A woman who was convicted of stealing thousands of dollars from her great uncle has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison, according to a news release from the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office. Sedgwick County District Judge David Kaufman sentenced Stepha-
nie Bracks, 43, of Dallas, Texas to 47 months in prison and ordered her to pay $52,661.60 restitution.
The case began in 2020 when a woman contacted Wichita Police because she thought Bracks was stealing money from her 89-year-old uncle. A second niece noticed the uncle’s drivers
Experience the benefits of Assisted Living.
moved to assisted living not because she needed to, but because it made life simpler to manage for her. Making the decision before it was a crisis made the move easier and more relaxed.
31, 2024. Some people receive both Social Security benefits and SSI. Social Security will begin notifying people about their new benefit amount by mail starting in early December. Individuals who have a personal my Social Security account can view their COLA notice online faster than receiving a letter in the mail. People will need to have a
impacting lives and building stronger communities. The program cannot grow and serve more people unless more people volunteer.”
The program has locations across Sedgwick, Butler, Cowley, Ford, Geary, Marion, Pratt and Sumner counties. Site coordinators, greeters, appointment schedulers and virtual tax preparers are also needed for the tax season. Interested volunteers should visit unitedwayplains.org or call Costa (316) 267-1321, ext. 4215.
Watch for additional information in January.
license, Social Security card and several checkbooks were missing from his Wichita home.
personal my Social Security account by Nov. 20 to see their COLA notice online. To get started, visit www.ssa. gov/myaccount
For more information, visit www. ssa.gov/cola
Medicare Open Enrollment open through Dec. 7
Family Features
If you’re enrolled in Medicare, it’s important to remember Medicare Open Enrollment runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7 each year. This is the time for people with Medicare to compare their prescription drug and health coverage options for the upcoming year.
New This Year
The new prescription drug law is lowering out-of-pocket costs on covered prescriptions. New in 2025, all Medicare plans will include a $2,000 annual cap on what you pay out-of-pocket for prescription drugs under Medicare Part D. The cap only applies to drugs that are covered by your plan, so it’s more important than ever to review your plan options to make sure your drugs are covered. That means you will not pay more than $2,000 in 2025 on prescription drugs covered under Medicare prescription drug coverage — that includes expensive prescription drugs to treat cancer, chronic illnesses and more. This is in addition to improvements already in effect due to the prescription drug law, including a $35 cap on a month’s supply of each covered insulin product — and no out-of-pocket costs for recommended adult
vaccines covered under Part D, including the shingles vaccine.
Also starting in 2025, you can choose to spread your out-of-pocket drug costs across the calendar year instead of paying all at once at the pharmacy. It’s called the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. You can opt in with your plan in advance of Jan. 1 and throughout 2025. How to compare prescription drug and health coverage options Medicare.gov is the official source for information about Medicare and Open Enrollment. Get started by clicking on “Find Plans.” Then enter your ZIP code, current prescriptions and favorite pharmacies. You will see a side-byside comparison of the total cost for all the plans in your area, including the premium and how much you’ll pay for your prescriptions. You’ll also be able to see what plans cover your prescriptions and whether some plans offer extra benefits. If you are happy with your
current choice, you don’t have to do anything. If you choose a new option for 2025, you can enroll on Mediare.gov.
Before you enroll in a plan, consider this advice:
• Check if your health care providers are in a plan’s network.
• Check if your prescriptions are included on a plan’s formulary and if the plan works with your pharmacy.
• Review a plan’s estimated total costs to you, including deductible and other out-of-pocket costs. Remember low monthly premiums
may not always be the best overall value for your specific needs.
• Check if Medicare Advantage plans offer extra benefits, like vision, hearing or dental coverage, if you need these services.
• Understand that you may need to get approval from the plan before it will cover certain services or supplies.
• Check your plan’s Star Rating to see how it performs on quality, customer service and more.
Medicare Can Help
To compare options and find the best coverage to fit your needs:
• Visit Medicare.gov and conduct side-by-side comparisons of costs and coverage.
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE. Help is available 24 hours a day, including weekends.
• Access personalized health insurance counseling in your community at no cost, available from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Visit shiphelp.org or call 1-800-MEDICARE for locations near you.
What you need to know about flu and COVID-19 vaccines
Family Features
Colder weather brings a change in seasons and often an uptick in flu and COVID-19 cases. The viruses that cause COVID-19 and flu keep changing and infecting thousands of people each year, with older adults being most at risk. The vaccines are updated to provide protection against the viruses currently circulating in communities.
“Vaccines are the best way to prevent serious illness from flu and COVID-19,” said Dr. Nirav D. Shah, principal deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “People who get flu or COVID-19 after getting vaccinated are much less likely than those who did not get a vaccine to get very sick or go to the hospital.”
Here are answers to commonly asked questions about flu and COVID-19 vaccines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Risk Less. Do More. public education campaign.
Which older adults should get
vaccinated? The CDC says all people ages 6 months and older should get updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 and flu vaccines. Adults ages 65 and older have the greatest risk of sickness or having to go to the hospital from infection. Getting these vaccines is important for older people who live in nursing homes or other places where a lot of people live together and viruses can spread easily.
When should older adults get vaccinated? The best time to get the flu and COVID-19 vaccines is in September and October. If that’s not possible, then getting vaccinated later in the fall and winter can still help limit serious symptoms. Getting these vaccines early is not recommended given that immunity may start to wane just as respiratory viruses usually peak. Can older adults get the flu and COVID-19 vaccines together? It is safe for older adults to get both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time. For most people, it’s also simpler to get them during the same visit. Getting the vaccines in different arms
is recommended. Why should older adults get vaccinated? Vaccines are the best way to protect yourself from serious sickness and death. Older adults have a higher risk of serious illness. As people grow older, their immune systems tend to weaken, and older adults are more likely to have preexisting health issues that may put them at higher risk. Most people who end up in the hospital for flu or COVID-19 are older adults — especially older adults who have not been vaccinated. More than 95% of adults who went to the hospital for COVID-19 last year had not gotten the updated vaccine.
illness and do more of what they enjoy. Yet many people are unaware of the benefits of these vaccines. That’s why it’s important that people talk with their older family members about getting flu and COVID-19 vaccines this season.
What should people who support older adults with their health care decisions know? Flu and COVID-19 vaccines help people risk less severe
Talk to your doctor about the updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines as well as treatment options. You can also learn more at cdc.gov/ RiskLessDoMore
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com
Photo courtesy of
How SSI benefits can help struggling seniors and the disabled
Dear Savvy Senior,
What can you tell me about the SSI program, and what are the eligibility requirements for seniors? I’m trying to help my elderly aunt who is very low-income.
Searching Niece
Dear Searching,
The SSI program that you’re enquiring about, which stands for Supplemental Security Income, is a program administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that provides monthly cash benefits to people who are disabled or over 65 based on financial need.
Currently, around 7.5 million people are receiving SSI benefits, but many more are now eligible as the SSA recently expanded access benefits by tweaking some of the rules. Here’s what you should know.
Eligibility requirements
To qualify for SSI, your aunt must be either age 65 or older, blind or disabled, and must be a U.S. citizen or lawful resident. She must also have limited income and assets.
Her income as an individual must generally be under $1,971 monthly, or $2,915 for couples. Countable income includes wages or any other kind of money your aunt earned from working, plus money she gets from other sources
such as unemployment, Social Security retirement, gifts from friends and free shelter.
And her assets must also be less than $2,000 or $3,000 for couples. This includes cash, bank accounts, other personal property and anything else that could potentially be converted to cash. Her home, household goods and one vehicle, along with life insurance policies and burial funds valued under $1,500, do not count toward countable assets.
In 2024, the maximum SSI payment is $943 a month for an individual or $1,415 a month for a couple. But, if eligible, the amount your aunt would receive may be lower based on her income, living situation and some other factors.
To help you determine if your aunt is eligible for SSI, help her take the Social Security Administration’s benefits screening test at SSAbest.benefits. gov. This online questionnaire takes approximately 5 minutes to complete and screens for a variety of benefits, not just SSI.
You should also know that most
states – except Arizona, Arkansas, Mississippi, North Dakota, Tennessee and West Virginia – supplement the federal SSI payment with payments of their own. In some of the states that pay a supplement, your aunt may qualify for the state payment even if she doesn’t meet the federal SSI eligibility criteria. How to apply
If you think that your aunt is eligible for SSI, she (or you) can begin the application process and complete a large part of it online at SSA.gov/ apply/ssi. If she’s disabled, she can apply for both SSI and Social Security Disability at SSA.gov/disability. Or, if she can’t apply online, call 800-7721213 and set up an appointment with her local Social Security office.
To help make the application process go quickly and smoothly, your aunt will need her Social Security number; birth certificate or other proof of age; information about the home where she lives, such as her mortgage, or lease and the landlord’s name; payroll slips, bank books, insurance policies, burial fund records and other information about her income and the things she owns; her proof of U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen status; and if she is applying for SSI because she is disabled or blind,
Menninger memoir meaningful for Kansas, psychiatry
By Ted Ayres
“Like What You Do” by Dr. W. Walt Menninger and Todd Fertig (Flint Hills Publishing, 2024, 457 pages, $40.00)
There are a few names associated with Kansas that have become recognizable on an international basis: Earp, Earhart, Landon and Eisenhower, to name a handful. Another such name is Menninger. Four generations of Menningers created and ran a world-renowned psychiatric clinic in Topeka, effectively turning it into the “Psychiatric Capital of the United States.”
At age 92, Dr. W. Walt Menninger has written a book with Todd Fertig (author of a children’s novel and nonfiction book about the Negro
Baseball Leagues) called “Like What You Do: The Memoirs of Dr. Walt Menninger.”
“I was blessed to be born into a family that had already accomplished much, earned a great deal of respect, and made a profound impact on many lives,” Menninger writes in the introduction. “My responsibility, I felt, was not to tarnish that legacy, and to add to it where I could. My blessing came with an expectation. Life isn’t a free ride.”
The book’s 48 chapters cover various phases of his life, from Eagle Scout and Peace Corps volunteer to psychoanalyst, educator and executive.
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 Ken Tilley.
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.
the names, addresses and telephone numbers of doctors, hospitals and clinics that have information related to her condition.
For more information visit SSA. gov/ssi or see Social Security’s online SSI publication at SSA.gov/pubs/EN05-11000.pdf.
Other assistance programs
Depending on your aunt’s income, there are other financial assistance programs that may be able to help her like Medicare Savings Programs, prescription drug assistance, food stamps and energy assistance. To locate these programs, and learn how to apply for them, go to BenefitsCheckUp.org.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
Get more savvy
For more Savvy Senior, visit theactiveage.com. Topics this month include:
• How to arrange your own cremation service
• Best CPAP alternatives for sleep apnea
• How to find a cheaper Medicare prescription plan
There are celebratory highs and quite a few gut-wrenching lows: the loss of an infant daughter; a bad investment; the loss his beloved spouse, Connie, to aggressive dementia; and the decision to move Menninger operations from Kansas to Texas, which made headlines everywhere.
The Menninger Foundation was started by the family in 1919 and consisted of a clinic, sanatorium and school of psychiatry. Unfortunately, by the mid-1990s, what had been termed “behavioral health’s golden age” had come to a close. Changes in the rules of reimbursement for psychiatric and other mental health care required Menninger patients to assume more and more of their total bill for treatment. Admissions rapidly declined while operating costs soared.
“We concluded that in order to sustain our commitment to the full Menninger mission, the future viability of the institution necessitated an affiliation with a medical school and medical center,” Menninger writes. On Dec. 5, 2002, it was announced that the Clinic’s boards of directors and trustees had unanimously approved a partnership with the Baylor College of Medicine and the Methodist Hospital of Houston, Texas.
At times, Menninger uses writings by his uncle, Dr. Karl Menninger, and father, Dr. Will Menninger, as well as his own previous writings from articles, speeches and correspondence. In addition to sharing his personal and family history, Menninger provides advice and inspiration that some may find helpful in their own lives.
Contact Ted Ayres at Tdamsa76@ yahoo.com
NOTE: The Active Age prints information about events as space permits. To submit information email Joe at joe@theactiveage.com or call 316-942-5385.
seDgwick county senior centers
BEL AIRE
7651 E Central Park Ave 744-2700, ext 304 www.belaireks.org
BENTLEY/EAGLE 504 W Sterling, 796-0027
CHENEY 516 Main, 542-3721
CLEARWATER 921 E Janet, 584-2332
DERBY 611 N Mulberry Rd, 788-0223 www.derbyks.com
DOWNTOWN 200 S Walnut, 267-0197 www.seniorservicesofwichita.org
EDGEMOOR 5815 E 9th, 688-9392
ANDOVER
GARDEN PLAIN 1006 N Main, 535-1155
GODDARD 122 N Main, 785-398-1255
HAYSVILLE 160 E Karla, 529-5903
KECHI Kechi City Building, 744-0217, 744-1271
LA FAMILIA 841 W 21st, 267-1700
LINWOOD 1901 S Kansas, 263-3703
MCADAMS GOLDEN AGE 1329 E 16th, 337-9222
MT HOPE 105 S Ohio, 667-8956
MULVANE 632 E Mulvane, 777-4813
NORTHEAST 212 1 E 21st, 269-4444
OAKLAWN 2937 Oaklawn Dr, 524-7545
ORCHARD PARK 4808 W 9th, 942-2293
PARK CITY 6100 N Hydraulic, 744-1199
VALLY CENTER COMMUNITY CENTER 314 E Clay, 755-7350
Butler county senior centers
410 Lioba Dr, 733-4441 www.andoverks.com
AUGUSTA 640 Osage, 775-1189
BENTON Lion’s Community Bldg, S Main St
CASSODAY Cassoday Senior Center 133 S. Washington, 620-735-4538
DOUGLASS 124 W 4th, 746-3227
EL DORADO 210 E 2nd, 321-0142 LEON 112 S Main, 745-9200 or 742-9905
ROSE HILL 207 E Silknitter, 776-0170
senior weDnesDays www.seniorwednesday.org
November 6
10:30 am Wichita Art Museum 1400 W. Museum Blvd., $2 admission. Info not available
1:30 pm Museum of World Treasures 835 E. 1st St. The Vikings and the Global Middle Ages.
November 13
10 am Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 Zoo Blvd. (316) 2668213, $4 Anteater ANTics. 1:30 pm Advanced Learning Library, 711 W, 2nd, (316) 261-8500, Free. Within Her Storied Walls
Derby Sr Center, 611 Mulberry. 3rd Tuesday 7pm-9:30 pm. El Dorado Jam & Dance, Senior Center, 210 E. 2nd.
November 20
10 am Ulrich Museum of Art, 1845 N. Fairmount. Sketching the Human Figure with Rachel Curtis. 1:30 pm Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E 29th St N. Info not available.
November 27
10 am Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main. Info not available.
1:30 pm Mid American All-Indian museum. 650 N Seneca (316) 3503340, $2 + tax admission; free for MAAIM members. Info not available.
Dances
Prairie Wind Dancers: Plymouth Congregational Church, 202 N Clifton. Joyce, 683-1122.
Linwood Golden Age, 1901 S Kansas. Every Saturday 7pm-9:30pm. Call Jim 316-945-9451
Minisa Golden Age, 704 W 13th. Info 617-2560. Every Thursday 7pm9:30pm. Call Rita 316-364-1702 Oaklawn Activity Center, 4904 S. Clifton. Contra Dance1st Saturday of each month. 7pm-9pm. Call Amanda at 316-361-6863. Orchard Park Golden Age, 4808 W 9th. Every Friday 7pm-9:30pm. Call Casey 316-706-7464
Village Steppers Square Dance, Oaklawn Activity Center, 4904 S Clifton. 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month September through May 7:30 - 10:00 pm. Info: Mike Huddleson 316-650-2469 Westside Steppers Square Dance, 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month, 6-8:30 p.m., West Heights United Methodist (entrance "D"), 745 N. Westlink Ave. Info: Sheldon Lawrence (316) 648-7590.
NOTE: AGING PROJECTS, INC. PLANNED TO MAKE FRIENDSHIP MEALS AVAILABLE THROUGH PICKUP AND DELIVERY IF NECESSARY. FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MEAL SITE OR CALL 316-686-0074
Friendship Meals
Aging Projects serves a hot, nutritious meal weekdays for persons 60 and older in Sedgwick, Harvey and Butler counties. Reservations are necessary. For locations and reservations, call 316-686-0074
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 1
Fri: Ham salad on a bun, cream of celery soup, crackers, broccoli, apricots.
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 4
Mon: Chicken and cheese casserole, green beans, mixed fruit, garlic bread.
Tue: Mexican pork stew, hominy, orange, cornbread.
Wed: Goulash, combination salad, pears, garlic salad.
Thu: Oven fried chicken, mashed potatoes, peas, peaches, wheat roll, oatmeal cake.
Fri: Hamburger on a bun, potato wedges, baked beans, strawberries..
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 11
TOWANDA
317 Main, 316-536-8999
Open 10:30 am-5 pm Mon, Wed, Fri
WHITEWATER Legion Hall, 108 E Topeka
Harvey county
BURRTON 124 N Burrton, 620-463-3225
HALSTEAD 523 Poplar, 835-2283
HESSTON Randall & Main, 620-327-5099 www.hesstonseniorcenter.com
NEWTON AREA SENIOR CENTER 122 E 6th, Newton, 283-2222 www.newtonseniorcenter.com
SEDGWICK 107 W. Fifth, 772-0393
transportation
Sedgwick County
Sedgwick Co Transportation, 660-5150 or 1-800-367-7298. Information: 8 am-5 pm, Mon-Fri; closed most holidays. www. sedgwickcounty.org/aging.
Butler County Transit
Weekday transportation in El Dorado, Augusta and Andover. Rides to Wichita on Wed, Thu. Information: Augusta, 775-0500; El Dorado, 322-4321; toll free, 1-800-2793655. 48-hr notice required.
Harvey County
Transportation reservations or information: 316-284-6802 or 1-866-6806802. Round-trip: $8 Newton (wheelchair only), $12 Harvey County, $20 outside Harvey County. AVI to Newton: Tue, 12:304:30 pm from Burrton, Sedgwick, Halstead, Hesston, Walton.
Mon: HOLIDAY (Veterans Day).
Tue: Swiss steak over rice, combination salad, pear, bread.
Wed: Salmon noodle casserole, three bean salad, orange, fruit cobbler.
Thu: Turkey, yams, green beans, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin square, wheat roll.
Fri: Taco salad, salsa, Mexican rice, banana, pineapple bread.
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 18
Mon: Ham and beans, potato and onions, tomato salad, apricots, cornbread.
Tue: Meatloaf, cabbage au gratin, parslied carrots, blushing pears, wheat roll.
Wed: Chicken salad on a bun, broccoli cheese soup, pineapple.
Thu: Liver and onions or beef cutlet in gravy, California mash, peaches.
Fri: Fish sticks with tartar sauce, macaroni and cheese, green beans, ambrosia fruit salad.
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 25
Mon: Chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes, pickled beets, apricot crisp.
Tue: Mexican lasagna, refried beans, corn relish, apple.
Wed: Cheese pizza, combination salad, banana.
Thu: Thanksgiving break.
Fri: Thanksgiving break.
* Milk is served with all meals. Meals fall within the following ranges: Calories 650-750; protein 25 grams or higher; fat 20 to 30 percent of calories; calcium 400 mg or higher; sodium 1,000 grams or less; fiber 9 grams or higher.
FUNDING MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH
Classified advertising
Resthaven Garden of Prayer. Valued at $5,400. Sell for $3,500. Call/Text 316-293-8593
Double couch crypt. Lakeview Mausoleum. Chapel Level , 2nd row from bottom by large window. Asking $12,295. Value $16,295. Call or
2 Plots & vaults, White Chapel, Sermon on The Mount, Value $8,000 asking $5,500 plus transfer
2 Burial lots in Garden of Love at Resthavenlocated near Statue of Love - Beautiful location. $6,500 for both. Call 316-208-7213
White Chapel, Memorial Gardens, Garden of Nativity, Section 288D, spaces 2, 3 and 4. Value $6,000. Sell $3,500. Seller pays transfer fee.
Resurrection Cemetery. Single niche. D1. $1,400 seller pays transfer fee. Call 316-729-0649.
4 plots at Lakeview Garden in Meditation Section. Retail value $4,500 Sell for $2,950 each. Will sell in pairs. Contact Carl 913-515-2294
Resthaven Garden of Christ with Children 2 Adjacent plots, Lot 14, D3 & D4 $7250 for both. Cash or Cashier’s Check
White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Garden of Nativity. Two plots with option of vault on one. $3,000, buyer pays transfer fees. 316-838-5611
Resthaven, 2 side by side plots
Located in Garden of the Cross $4995 each. 316-734-3292
Electrical Service Call Greg at 316-312-1575
Lic. #1303
IPK Enterprises
316-806-3435.
*Mailboxes* 316-339-6092
Handyman RX- We have a remedy for almost all of your “fix-it” jobs! Light carpentry including deck and fence repair, indoor misc. repairs and installations, lawn mowing “LG or SM”, Yard & Garage clean-up, mulching, hauling miscellaneous,hauling dirt, sand, and rock/gravel upto 3.5 tons. What you need done I can probably handle. Call for HELP! Brian 316-217-0882. Free Estimates
Cowboy Construction
Remodeling, siding, decks, fences, windows, doors and more. 20 years locally owned. Free estimates. Senior discounts. Todd Wenzel 316-393-4488
Molina Electric - Wichita Lic #1364 Comm. or Residential wiring. Service calls. New electric service. Troubleshooting. Cell 316-461-2199. Derby, Haysville, Mulvane, Rose Hill, Wichita Exterior & Interior. House painting, siding, decks, fences and guttering. Build, repair and stain. Free Estimates. Be Blessed. Thank you KC KIMBALL 316-250-2265
Growing up on Wichita’s ‘Tractor Row’ was rarely boring
By Diana Breit Wolfe
After relocating to Chicago for work during the Great Depression, my parents eventually returned to Kansas to start a venture they had absolutely no experience in.
This was running the Avery Cafe on Wichita’s “Tractor Row,” a stretch of South Wichita Street that was home to dozens of businesses catering to the region’s farmers. The Row was located on some of the land where Century II and Price Woodard Park now sit.
My dad’s brother, Ted Breit, was successfully running the City Café on North Main near Third Street (across the street from Wichita’s original Post Office location). He convinced my dad, Paul, to buy the Avery Café.
Fortunately, the experienced cook — Elsie — stayed with them and she did know how to run a restaurant. My mom, Helen (Kisner), and sister became waitresses with white uniforms and fluffy handkerchiefs in the breast pocket — picture Flo in the Mel’s Diner TV show. My brother, who was in high school, became an occasional dishwasher. I was in grade school and too young to do anything except eat snacks and drink pop. After school I would often walk from Cathedral Grade School, at Central and Topeka, to the restaurant and wait for them to close up around or 2 or 3 p.m. and drive eight blocks to our home on
Dear Reader
south Wichita street.
The cafe was not fancy. It had a large U-shaped counter with round sitting stools. The only booth was in one corner, a pinball machine stood in another corner, and the jukebox in another corner with all the punchboard prizes on a shelf above it. Punchboards were gambling cards that let you win a prize after paying a certain amount (I can’t remember how much) to punch out a hole containing a tiny paper slip telling you if and what you won. I entertained myself watching customers punch hole after hole with the punch key. It became illegal in Kansas a few years before my parents sold the cafe. Later my mom told me they paid off their $4,000 home in less than a year partly thanks to the lucrative punchboards.
The Row employed lots of workmen who ate breakfast and lunch at our cafe. To name a few of the employers: John Deere Equipment; Massey-Harris Tractors (now MasseyFerguson); Kansas Rebabbiting at 318 S. Wichita (next door to our cafe); and Southwest Grease & Oil, around the corner at 220 W. Waterman.
Foley Equipment was nearby and Paul Foley was a regular customer. The morning and afternoon rush hours were quite busy. We were never without customers. And I was rarely without entertainment. All the workers knew me, and I walked in and out of various businesses, watched the workers and even climbed
Holiday markets popping up
’Tis the season for holiday markets. Here’s a look at five:
Handmade goods
The Women Empowered Handmade Holiday Market & Community Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23 at the Child Advocacy Center’s Education Center, 1211 S. Emporia. The market features handmade goods from small makers in Wichita and across the globe. The event will also feature interactive activities for kids, music and food from Centro Haviva.
Wreath festival
The Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum will hold its 41st annual Wreath Festival Nov. 21-24. Handcrafted wreaths, baked goods, books and other gift items are offered. The free event, which includes holiday
onto a tractor in the Massey-Harris showroom. It had a key, so I started it up and scared everyone. They didn’t let me come in any more after that. If I did get bored, I walked eight blocks to our home.
One time, I fell asleep in the booth and my parents thought I had walked home, so they locked up and left. I woke up and found the place dark inside. Someone working next door heard me yelling and called my parents, asking, “Did you forget someone?”
One Sunday afternoon, my parents drove to West Street, which was a dirt road south of Kellogg at the time, because many of the farm equipment shops were buying land there to build and move their companies. They wanted my dad to also build and run a restaurant there. Dad wasn’t interested and sold our restaurant in 1955. Later, my parents bought a motel on south Broadway Street. That was back when south Broadway motels were quite respectable — but that’s another story.
Coffee cost a nickel at the Avery Café. This newspaper is even cheaper than that — it’s free. If you enjoy reading this paper, please support our advertisers because they — and your donations — are the main sources of income that allow us to continue publishing. We are grateful for whatever you can donate to help us out!
P.S. My column in our September issue about my family’s experiences during the Depression sparked responses from several readers. Lois emailed about growing up on a farm in Burns, Kan., after moving there from
Andale. She was the oldest of eight children at the time. She is 93 now and has memories of her mom selling chickens to get money to buy groceries. When there was very little money, her dad would play poker, and he usually won since he was a good player.
Rhonda told me her mom took in ironing earning 10 cents a shirt. Bob said living in a city during the Depression was worse than being on a farm. His family didn’t have land for a garden, nor could they raise any animals to eat. When they couldn’t find work, they had to accept charity.
Diana Wolfe is treasurer of The Active Age's board of directors. She can be contacted at dcwolfe2000@yahoo.com.
exhibits, runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Lunch is available for $16 and can be pre-ordered by calling (316) 265-9314.
Flower bulbs and more
The Prairie Pilot Club of Wichita is holding its annual Holiday Market from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at Riverside Christian Church, 1001
N. Litchfield. Homemade pies and cookies, arts and crafts, Christmas decor and a new item —Dutch Mill Flower Bulbs for spring planting — will be available.
Prairie Pilot benefits charitable organizations such as The Wichita Children’s Home and Vet to Vet.
Shrine Feztival
The 10th annual Midian Shrine Fez-tival of Trees will be held Nov. 22-26 and Nov. 29-Dec. 1 at 130 N. Topeka St., offering a chance to shop for gifts and food and enter a raffle for
a decorated tree. Admission is $5.
Woodlawn Winterfest
DERBY — Woodlawn United Methodist Church, 431 S. Woodlawn, will hold its annual Winterfast market from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7. Crafts, food, clothing, decor and more are available. The fair has raised more than $150,000 for community and international missions over the last 26 years.
are uncertain. Your funeral plans don’t have to be.
316-682-4553 for information about pre-planning a funeral. www.dlwichita.com
The writer's sister, Joyce, worked as a waitress in her family's cafe.
Diana Breit Wolfe
Home shopping? Former nuclear missile site for sale in the Flint Hills
By Max McCoy Kansas Reflector
Walking down the truck-sized ramp to the 47-ton blast door of a decommissioned Atlas missile silo, I’m being led toward a bunker-like labyrinth by the 43-year-old owner of the site, Brandon Marshall.
“Weird, isn’t it?” Marshall asks.
This is an Atlas E missile site, the first generation of ICBM installations where the nuclear missile was hidden underground, and one of 28 such sites across the country in operation from 1961 to 1965And this one is for sale.
The asking price of $750,000 includes the missile silo, tunnels, underground buildings, and other infrastructure — including a 1,200foot grass airstrip — on the site’s 23 fenced acres a few miles from the
community of Bushong in the Flint Hills. There’s also a modest home made out of a Quonset hut style building that was added in 2017. In the decades since the silo was deactivated it has passed through a number of owners and was used as a party spot for a couple of generations of area kids. Abandoned missile silos in Kansas have been repurposed into homes, bed and breakfasts, and even a school. The Jackson Heights High School is at
Call for an Appointment
Call
for
an
Appointment
with Wichita’s most experienced fitter today. We file insurance!
with Wichita’s most experienced fitter today. We file insurance!
• Fashion & Mastectomy Bras
• Fashion & Mastectomy Bras
• Breast Prosthesis
• Breast Prosthesis
• Swimwear
• Swimwear
UseyourinsurancedeductibleNOWbeforetheendoftheyearwhenitstartsover
UseyourinsurancedeductibleNOWbeforetheendoftheyearwhenitstartsover
536 S. Bluff • Wichita
536 S. Bluff • Wichita
(3 blocks N of Lincoln between Hillside & Oliver) By Appointment Only • 316-260-9608
(3 blocks N of Lincoln between Hillside & Oliver) By Appointment Only • 316-260-9608
a former Atlas E site near Holton.
Marshall, who bought it “on a whim” a few years ago, had planned a private club in the underground room that once held the site’s massive generators, a party place he planned to call “Club Radiation.” But his plans changed when he became engaged.
It will take a cash buyer, he said, because a bank is unlikely to loan
money for such an unusual property. Preppers might be interested, he said, but it could also be an Airbnb or a good location for a manufacturing firm.
For someone with the right mindset, he said, the site has a lot of potential.
“This is a lot of bang for your buck,” Marshall said.
By Diana Morton
Forum Theatre, at the Wilke Center, 1st United Methodist Church, 330 N. Broadway. Dial M for Murder. A new version of the celebrated murder
November Theatre mystery that inspired Hitchcock’s masterpiece. Tony is convinced that his wife Margot has been cheating on him. Now it seems that the affair is over, but in his jealousy, Tony spins a web of suspicion and deception that will tighten around them and ensnare them both in danger, recrimination and murder. Oct 31- Nov 17. 8pm;
Tickets $34 – $44 each; 10% military discount and 1/2 price student tickets with a valid student ID. 316-618-0444
Mosley Street Melodrama, 234 N. Mosley. Die Hard Candy Christmas by Ryan Schafer and Steve Hitchcock. Melodrama to be followed by a new musical revue, Nov 8 – Dec 22. Tickets,
dinner, and show $36-40; show only $26-30. 316-263-0222
Roxy’s Downtown, 412 E. Douglas, cabaret-style theatre. Golden Girls. Now in its eighth go-round at Roxy’s, join the crew for zany all new episodes. Doors open at 6:30pm; Show begins at 8:00pm. Tickets $40. 316-265-4400.
The Active Age is giving away three pairs of tickets to the Jim Brickman “Comfort & Joy” holiday concert at The Orpheum on Thursday,
Win tickets to Jim Brickman Concert
Dec. 5.
To enter our drawing for tickets, visit theactiveage.com and fill out the entry form near the top of the home
page. Or you can mail your entry to The Active Age, 125 S. West St., Suite 105, Wichita, KS, 67213; please include your telephone number and
address.
The deadline for entries is Tuesday, Nov. 12. We will hold the drawing and notify winners that week.
www.fittingsforyou.net
