November 2025

'No place like home'

Famed musician brings VetsAid concert to Wichita

The Active Age

Joe Walsh has come home before, but never quite like this.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer — born at Wesley Hospital (now Wesley Medical Center) on Nov. 20, 1947 — is bringing his annual VetsAid concert to Intrust Bank Arena on Saturday, Nov. 15. Money raised by the event will be distributed to local and national organizations supporting veterans. To date, VetsAid has raised and given away more than $4 million.

Although Walsh has spent most of his life living elsewhere, he’s never made a secret of his affection for Wichita.

“We are Wichita folks, we are Kansas folks and I remember hearing somewhere there’s no place like home,” Walsh said during a news conference announcing the show.

“Most of my family is buried here in Wichita Park (Cemetery),”

he went on to say. “Four vets — my grandfather, my father and two uncles. And I strive to honor their legacies by serving them through these” concerts.

But for a tragedy, Walsh himself might have grown up here. The story is told in old newspaper stories from the Wichita Eagle and Wichita Beacon.

Walsh’s parents, Helen Bowen and Robert Fidler, were married at St. James Episcopal Church on July 7, 1945. The two met while attending the University of Wichita, as Wichita State University was then known. Bowen studied music and was accomplished pianist, performing at weddings. Fidler graduated from East High School and enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II, serving as a B-25 pilot and instructor. At the university, he was a member of the student council, Alpha Gamma Gamma fraternity and the varsity debate team, and played an active

role in raising money to complete Veterans Field, which later became Cessna Stadium. After graduating in 1947 he worked as an assistant to U.S. Rep. Ed Rees, who represented the state’s Fourth Congressional District. He rejoined the Air Force, at that time part of the Army, in 1948 and was sent to Okinawa, Japan, within weeks to pilot the first operational jet, the Lockheed F-80 jet fighter. Bowen and the couple’s infant son, Joseph, joined him

Walsh, page 7

Grey vanguard leads political protests

The Active Age

Drive past Douglas and Broadway at noon on a Monday, Wednesday or Saturday, and you’ll see them: a group of protesters waving signs and airing grievances with the current presidential administration.

They chant in unison. They wave at passing cars. They raise their fists in solidarity with motorists who offer approving honks.

Nearly all of them are over 60.

Street protests in Wichita have become much more common since President Donald Trump took office for a second term and started enacting controversial policies. One particularly well-organized group — Defend Democracy ICT — has groups out protesting four days a week.

What’s noticeable about these vocal bands of objectors, at least in

Wichita, is that the most devoted of their numbers are mostly of retirement age.

Among them is Ron Neagle, a 72-year-old Vietnam veteran and retired business manager who takes part in the downtown protests twice a week, every week.

There’s Nick Bach, 66, a Navy veteran who’s retired from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and has been joining downtown protests every Saturday since February.

And there’s Cindy Hull, better known to most Wichitans as former

KWCH news anchor Cindy Klose. Retired from her television career

See

Photo by Phillip Macias

Joe Walsh, shown during the 2023 VetsAid concert in Chula Vista, Calif., is bringing the annual event to Wichita Nov. 15.

Nancy Hughey took part in the Oct. 25 No Kings Protest demonstration in downtown Wichita.

Win a diamond necklace!

The Active Age will celebrate its 46th anniversary in December. To mark this milestone, we'e holding a drawing for a stunning 14k yellow gold diamond cluster necklace generously donated by Mike Seltzer Jewelers.

The necklace is valued at $3,500. Everyone who donates at least $25 to The Active Age between Nov. 1 and noon on Dec. 15, 2025 will be entered in our drawing for the necklace. Each $25 donation gets you another chance at the necklace.

You can mail your donation to The Active Age, 125 S. West St., Suite

105, Wichita, KS, 67212, or call us sat (316) 9425385 to donate by phone. The drawing will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 16, and the winner notified shortly thereafter.

Proceeds will help us keep bringing The Active Age to subscribers in Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick counties each month.

Resource Guide arrives

The Active Age's new 2025-2026 Resource Guide is now available. The FREE publication lists hundreds of organizations and businesses that serve seniors. View the guide online at www.theactiveage.com or pick up the guide at The Active Age office, 125 S. West St, Ste. 105, local senior centers, libraries and 80 locations around Wichita. Call the office at 316942-5385 to find a location near you.

Temple rises on North Meridian

A striking new building going up among cornfields on North Meridian is catching the attention of passers by.

The building is Kansas’ first temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A public groundbreaking was held in September 2024 but only more recently has the structure substantially assumed the appearance it will have when completed. It’s expected to be finished next year.

According to a news release from the Salt Lake City-based church, Kansas is home to about 40,000 LDS members. Currently, members must travel to Oklahoma or Missouri to worship in temples, where marriages and other ceremonies are held. The news release went on to state that Kansas was a “historically significant location” for early LDS settlements but was left behind as the church moved west.

The bright white, 9,950-squarefoot building sits on a 6.42-acre site that is being extensively landscaped.

At the groundbreaking, church member John Bazzelle said his family had waited 110 years for a temple.

“This will be a great blessing for me, my family, members of the church and our community.”

Thank You Recent Donors!

to increased postage costs, we have increased our goal for 2025 to $125,000.

Honor Roll of Donors

This QR code will take you to The Active Age’s secure PayPal donation page.

The Active Age to offer memorial, celebratory announcements

By Joe Stumpe

The Active Age is starting Memorial and Celebration sections of the newspaper on a trial basis. Reader response will dictate whether we keep them.

Over the years, as the price charged by daily newspapers to print obituaries rose, The Active Age has received requests that we publish them. We believe we can provide a service by publishing them at a much more affordable cost,

From the Editor

letting community members know about the passing of loved ones and leaving a printed record. The Active Age currently has the largest print circulation of any publication in Kansas.

In years past, The Active Age featured a Celebrations section where readers could note birthdays, anniversaries and other milestones. Interest in that feature dwindled, and we frankly had less space available for

it. However, we know this information is enjoyed by some readers so we are again offering space for Celebration announcements.

Here are the guidelines and pricing: Information must be typed. Memorial and Celebration announcements can be emailed, sent by regular mail or delivered by hand. The email address is tammara@ theactiveage.com, and we are located at 125 S. West St., Suite 105, Wichita, KS, 67213.

Information should be submitted on or before the 15th of the month

preceding publication. The Active Age is published on or before the first of each month.

The Active Age will maintain Memorial notices online, organized alphabetically at theactiveage.com Online Memorials may be longer than the printed version at no extra charge. The price of Memorial and Celebration announcements start at $50 for a black-and-white, 1-inch photo and up to 50 words. More information can be found by calling (316) 942-5385 or visiting theactiveage.com

125 S. West St., Ste 105 • Wichita, KS 67213 316-942-5385 • Fax 316-946-9180 www.theactiveage.com Published by Active Aging Publishing, Inc.

316-684-5212

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

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

Editor: Joe Stumpe joe@theactiveage.com

Advertising Manager: Teresa Schmied teresa@theactiveage.com

Business Manager: Tammara Fogle tammara@theactiveage.com

Board of Directors

Sharon Van Horn

Steve Criser

Protests

From Page 1

since 2016, 69-year-old Hull can be found standing on the same spot at Douglas and Broadway waving signs and chanting every Saturday that she’s not out of town.

Hull, who claimed her spot for the Oct. 25 No Kings protest in downtown Wichita, said that showing up and demonstrating just makes her feel a little less powerless.

“There’s nothing else I can do,” she said. “I write and call my congress people, but it feels like they don’t listen. So it just kind of makes me feel better.”

Some of the most active protesters admit that part of the reason people their age show up in numbers is that they’re retired and more free to put in the time on weekdays.

But that’s not the only reason, suspects Neagle, who attended his first political protest in 1967. Back then, he was 16, he said, and he was passionately opposed to the Vietnam War, he would often gather with like-minded demonstrators and march around Wichita State University.

“The protests back then really did have the impact of us pulling out of Vietnam, ultimately” Neagle said. “It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t the sole thing. But it became so unpopular and protests were so pervasive that

“I can’t sit still through this, and I won’t.”

politicians could no longer ignore it.”

Standing up when he doesn’t agree with something has always been a part of his makeup, Neagle said. He also was among the crowds nationwide that participated in the Women’s March shortly after the 2016 election. At the time, he was living in Texas.

He’s noticed that many of today’s protesters are older, but maybe older people just understand better what’s at stake, he said, adding that he finds it “worrisome” that the younger demographic isn’t more active.

Bach, who also was at the recent downtown No Kings demonstration, said that he protests because he doesn’t know what else to do. He’s disgusted with the state of the government and he’s disgusted that most Americans know more about their favorite sports teams than they do about what’s happening in Washington, D.C.

He’s always been “a loud mouth agitator,” he said, and he comes from a family of political protesters. As a Navy veteran, he said, he took an oath to support his country.

This is how he does it.

“I can’t sit still through this, and I won’t,” he said. “I know older people who can’t do this, who would love to do it. So I do it for them.”

The Oct. 24 No Kings protest in downtown Wichita was filled with people of all ages, but the over-60 crowd was among the most represented. Several were being pushed in wheelchairs by younger relatives while tightly clutching their protest signs.

Bruce Blank, 74, marched under a giant banner that read “Veterans Against Trump.” He’s also a lifelong demonstrator, he said, and he’s marched against nuclear weapons, for the protection of the rainforests and in support of saving Oregon’s redwood trees.

Nancy Hughey, a retired speechlanguage pathologist, walked through the crowd holding a sign that read “81 yr old nana & terrorist.” She said she worries about her 7-year-old granddaughter’s rights being taken

U.S. Navy veteran Nick Bach

away. She worries about the growing hatred in the country.

“My friends are all scared to death for their grandchildren,” she said, “for the future, for their grandchildren, for losing what we have.”

Neagle, who brought his wife to the No Kings protest and decided to participate by driving through the crowds in his sign-laden pickup truck and honking in support, said that being out protesting is sometimes the only

thing that gives him comfort.

Though he’s doubtful it will change anything this time, occasionally, he said, he’s gone out and held up a sign in the evening, when no one else is out.

“I need to do something,” he said. “Do I think my tiny little voice and small efforts are going to make a bit of difference? No. But if millions of our tiny little voices speak up, it can make a difference.”

Cindy Hull, better known as former KWCH anchor Cindy Close, protests at Broadway and Douglas every Saturday that she is in town.

Retirees are the largest group of those who regularly protest in Wichita.

Walsh

From Page 1 there a few months later, living in a camp for military families.

On July 22, 1949, Fidler and another pilot were killed when their planes collided over Okinawa during maneuvers. On Aug. 5, a photo of Joseph, his mother and his two grandmothers being reunited at Wichita's Municipal Airport appeared in the Eagle. Joseph appears to be sucking his thumb appeared.

Bowen, seemingly showing some of that Greatest Generation grit, talked to an Eagle reporter not about her own loss, but about a deadly typhoon that had struck Okinawa the day after her husband’s death. She later married George Walsh of Evanston, Ill., who adopted Joe. The family lived in Ohio, Chicago, New York City and Montclair, N.J. before Walsh entered Kent State University in 1965.

At his news conference, Walsh spoke movingly of Fidler. "He left before I really have a memory of him. He probably would have told me to get a haircut. He probably would have told me to keep up with my oboe lessons but instead I took up the guitar in hope of meeting more girls."

Walsh, who played in bands in high school and college, became a star after joining a Cleveland band, the James Gang, which had several hits on FM radio, toured with the Who and recorded a live album at Carnegie Hall.

Walsh left the James Gang to form a Colorado-based band, Barnstorm, recording "Rocky Mountain Way" and several more hits in the early 1970s, before heading further west to join the California music scene. There he became a member of the Eagles just before that band recorded what most consider its greatest album, “Hotel California.” During that band’s long hiatus, Walsh recorded several successful solo albums, played with everybody from Paul McCartney and the Beach Boys to Lionel Richie and Bruce Springsteen.

Known for a somewhat wild lifestyle early on, Walsh has been married since 2008 to Marjorie Bach, sister-in-law of Ringo Starr.

Along the way, Walsh never lost touch with Wichita. In an email to The

Active Age, Walsh talked about his family’s background:

“Our people — the Fidlers, Bowens, Floyds and Woodwards — go back generations in Wichita and into rural Kansas,” he said. “One grandfather worked at the bank. Another ran the movie projector at the old Civic and West Theaters in the 30s.

“I spent summers at my grandmother’s house in Wichita — a big glorious house at 1604 N. Fairmount. I’d come back to Wichita once every ten years or so and would check on it. When I returned in the 90s as an Eagle, I saw that it had fallen into disrepair so I bought, renovated it and sold it a few years later. I brought my wife Marjorie to Wichita when we were first married to share that chapter of my life and have been back recently to plan for this year’s VetsAid. I’m happy to see my grandmother’s house still looking good in 2025.”

deadly 1991 Andover tornado. Eric Cale, director of the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, met Walsh several years ago when he was in town for the History of the Eagles tour.

Cale showed him the Gage Brewer guitar — recognized as the first modern electric guitar — which is displayed at the museum. After learning of the museum’s collection of guitars, Walsh shipped it a custom-made guitar he had designed himself.

and

Former Wichita Mayor Bob Knight has gotten to know Walsh through the years and calls him “cool. He’s a great guy. He really has kind of an emotional attachment to Wichita.”

Phil Thompson, who’s been a disc jockey on Wichita radio for four decades, has hung out with Walsh several times, including once when the musician came into Thompson’s studio for a short interview to promote his latest album and ended up staying all day. Walsh amused himself by playing with the studio’s sound effects and gave an impromptu guitar lesson to one of Thompson’s friends.

“He was silly,” Thompson said. Whenever he talks, he’s just got that way of seeming like he’s always having a good time.”

In addition to performing several times in Wichita with the Eagles and the James Gang, Thompson noted that Walsh staged a concert at the Cotillion to raise money for victims of the

Walsh started VetsAid in 2017, staging its first concert in Fairfax, Virginia, with a lineup that included the Zac Brown Band and Keith Urban.

He’s held one every year since then except for last year, when it was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.

This year’s lineup includes Vince Gill, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks and Ryan Bingham and The Texas Gentlemen.

In his comments to The Active Age, Walsh said VetsAid “has always been about bringing epic and special one-night-only opportunities to communities with large military and veteran populations but also to cities that may not be accustomed to shows like this. As our little festival grew, I also wanted to start recognizing the communities that made me who I am.”

“For 2025, I wanted to recognize my heritage, honor my father as well as my mother – a classical music teacher who gave me the gift of music – and bring our traveling circus to Kansas.”

In addition to the military connection through his father, Walsh said he “also watched many of my good friends go off to Vietnam and either come home different or not come home at all. When I reached a point in my life where I started to think more about giving back to the communities of fans who have been so good to me, I decided to start VetsAid as a living legacy to not only my father but to the men and women who have made sacrifices to serve, given so much and asked for so little in return.”

Walsh added that although the concert is for a serious purpose, the show itself will be a “country and blues-rock hootenanny with performers who have ties to this part of America. Derek Trucks’ parents live here in Wichita. Vince is an Okie from just across the border. Nathaniel

is an artist I’ve been wanting to play with for a while and he’s a Coloradoan. Ryan is a New Mexican by way of Dallas. These are all some of the best musicians I know who are all gonna come together for one historic night of Kansas hospitality to raise some money for our veterans and their families.”

Tickets and VetsAid info

Tickets to the VetsAid concert start at $50 and are available at www.selectaseat.com/vetsaid. The event can be livestreamed for $14.99 at veeps.com. To donate to VetsAid, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, visit joewalsh. com and click on VetsAid.

Guitars ’R Us

Ticket holders to VetsAid 2025 and their guests will receive free admission to the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum’s electric guitar exhibit, Wichita’s Guitar Heroes, during November. According to most accounts, the modern electric guitar made its debut in Wichita in 1932 during a performance by Gage Brewer.

VetsAid beneficiaries

VetsAid 2025 will benefit these local organizations: Wichita Police and Fire Foundation, Midwest Battle Buddies, The Wichita, Kansas Intertribal Warrior Society, Rosie’s Snuggle Bunnies Pet Therapy, Horses & Heroes, Inc., Community Resources Council, Inc. and KanVet United Foundation. National grant recipients include Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Foundation and Our Military Kids.

Articles from The Wichita Eagle

Wichita Beacon reported the marriage of Joe Walsh's parents and his father's death.

Photos courtesy of Phil Thompson Above, Joe Walsh visits with disc jockey Phil Thompson. Below, Walsh cuts up at The Cotillion.

How to make a home safer and more accessible as you age

Dear Savvy Senior,

What simple tips can you recommend for making a home age friendly? My husband and I are in our late sixties and want to remain living in our home for as long as possible.

— Homebody Hanna

Dear Hanna,

Many older adults, like you and your husband, want to stay living in their own homes for as long as possible. But being able to do so will depend on how easy it is to maneuver your living space as you get older.

There are literally dozens of simple adjustments and modifications you can do to help make your home safer and more accessible for aging-inplace. Here’s a summary of tips from the National Institute on Aging and AARP, which offers a free room-byroom guide with practical suggestions for older adults living independently.

Entrance way:

Have at least one exterior doorway with step-free access. If not possible, consider a ramp.

Add a bench in the foyer to sit on when removing shoes or to set down items while locking or unlocking the door.

Bathroom:

Install a walk-in shower with a bench and nonskid decals or mats to prevent falls.

Add a hand-held nozzle to the shower head to facilitate rinsing off while seated.

Install grab bars on the shower wall and near the toilet.

Put in a taller toilet or add a toiler riser.

Consider plugging in a nightlight.

Bedroom:

If stairs are too difficult to manage,

create a bedroom on the main level by transforming a den or an office.

Make sure the bed is easy to get in and out of. Purchase bed risers if needed.

Invest in an adjustable bed for extra comfort.

Kitchen:

Purchase a stove with safety features that alert the resident when a burner is on or has automatic shutoffs.

Relocate major appliances to make them easier to reach.

Add slide-out drawers or trays to existing cabinets for better access.

Install a lever-style, light-touch or sensor faucet, which is easier to use than a faucet with turn-style knobs or handles.

Furniture and rugs:

Get rid of furniture and clutter to make rooms easier to move around in.

Use chairs with armrests, which makes sitting and standing easier.

Avoid furniture with sharp corners, which can cause bruises and cuts when bumped up against.

Hide cords out of pathways — but don’t put them under rugs.

Area rugs, if used, should be secured to the floor with a nonslip mat or anti-slip rug tape.

For more tips, get a copy of AARP’s “HomeFit Guide” which is a 36-page fully illustrated guide and has more than 100 aging-in-place tips and suggestions that can be made to an existing house or apartment or incorporated into designs for a new residence.

It explains how a smartly designed

or modified home can meet the varied and changing needs of its older residents. It also features easy-to-do, lowcost and no-cost fixes that lessen the risk of trip hazards and increase the safety of highuse areas like the bathroom, kitchen and stairway.

In addition, AARP also offers videos and a HomeFit AR app (available for iPhone and iPad) that can scan a room and suggest improvements to help turn your house into a “lifelong home,” free from safety and mobility risks.

Visit AARP.org/HomeFit to order or download a free copy of this guide, or to watch their videos. You don’t need to be an AARP member to access this content.

If you’d like more hands-on help, you could also hire an occupational or physical therapist who works with older adults. He or she can come in, evaluate your home and recommend aging-in-place solutions. And if you get a referral from your doctor, Medicare will usually cover a home walk-through.

Get more Savvy

Find more Savvy Senior tips by visiting theactiveage.com. Topics this month include:

* Best online will makers

* Understanding Social Security spousal benefits

* What are the early signs of Parkinson’s Disease?

November quiz: It happened this month

By Nancy Wheeler

Sometimes overlooked in our mad dash toward Christmas and New Year’s Eve, November holds its own among months for significant historical events. Use these clues to identify events that happened during the 11th month. The answers appear on page 30.

1. On Nov. 24, 1859, what famous work by Charles Darwin was published for the first time?

2. On Nov. 17, 1558, what new

November Theatre

By Diana Morton

ICT

Rep, Turnverein Hall in

Old Cowtown Museum. The Past, A Present Yet to Come. How did

queen ascended the throne of England and reigned until 1603?

3. On Nov. 22, 1963, whose presidency was ended by assassination??

4. On Nov. 9, 1965, a faulty relay knocked out power to over 30 million people, an event known by what name?

5. On Nov. 6, 1861, James Naismith was born in Canada and went on to invent what game?

6. On Nov. 19, 1863, who delivered

Charles Dickens come to write the holiday classic “A Christmas Carol”? In this witty new play, an ambitious young family man plans an elaborate trick on his old miser of an uncle, Ebenezer Scrooge. To help, he enlists a sarcastic and mor-

the Gettysburg Address?

7. On Nov. 1, 1512, whose frescoes in the Sistine Chapel were officially unveiled?

8. On Nov. 9, 1989, what German structure was taken down?

9. On Nov. 4, 1922, whose tomb was discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter?

10. On Nov. 11, 1918, what war ended with the signing of the Armistice?

ally suspect female theatrical producer and a writer who hasn’t had a hit since Nicholas Nickleby. Nov 13 – 15, 7:30 pm and Nov 15, 2:00 pm. 316-612-2543

11. On Nov. 8, 1900, what American novelist was born, eventually winning the Pulitzer Prize for her Civil War novel, Gone with the Wind?

12. On Nov. 14, 1840, what French artist was born, later pioneering a new artistic style with his painting “Impression, Sunrise”?

13. On Nov. 21, 1620, what document was signed by 41 Pilgrims while their ship was anchored near Cape Cod?

Roxy’s Downtown, 412 E. Douglas, cabaret-style theatre. Rocky Horror Picture Show. In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-n-Furter and meet a houseful of wild characters. 7:30 pm Thu – Sat; 2 pm Sat, NowNov 15. Tickets $40. 316-265-4400

Janet Huck Ward

KS 67202

Maximizing Your Return & Keeping Things Simple

THE AUCTION ADVANTAGE FOR SENIORS

When you've spent decades in your home raising a family and building memories, selling can feel overwhelming. If you're a senior homeowner ready to downsize, you likely have two primary goals: getting maximum value from the property and keeping the process simple.

Four Key Advantages of the Auction Process

Mosley Street Melodrama, 234 N. Mosley. Holidaze of our Lives by Carol Hughes. Nov 14 – Dec 21. Tickets, dinner, & show $36-40; show only $26-30. 316-263-0222

Prairie Pines Murder Mystery Theatre, Dancing and Dying at the ‘Ole Five and Dime.

A high-energy, interactive, mystery-comedy is played between three dinner courses. Nov 14 – Dec 23. Tickets are available at prairiepinesplayhouse.com or call 316-303-2037

Next: Dwight Christmas. Join Dwight and Mamie are down on the farm for a White Christmas where Mamie will answer the age old question “What Can You Do with a General?” 7:30 pm Thu – Sat, 2 pm Sat matinees. Nov 28 – Dec 27. Tickets $40. 316-265-4400

Contact Diana Morton at dianamorton12@sbcglobal.net

• Finality: Properties sell in present condition without financing or inspection contingencies. No deals falling through at the last minute.

• Speed: From listing to closing in 30-60 days, giving you certainty about your timeline and reducing carrying costs.

• Sell As-Is: No need for expensive updates or repairs. Leave that honey-do list behind.

• Powerful Marketing: Our network of 145,000+ potential buyers and custom marketing plans create the competition that drives up value.

How We Keep the Process Simple

With over 35 team members, including a Certified Estate Specialist and in-house legal counsel, McCurdy handles everything from marketing to closing paperwork. We navigate complex situations involving probates, attorneys, and estate coordination while keeping you informed without overwhelming you.

Is an Auction Right for Your Situation?

Every family's situation is unique. The best way to determine if our auction process is right for you is through a conversation about your specific needs and goals, with no pressure.

Whether you're downsizing, settling an estate, or simply exploring your options, our team of real estate advisors is ready to answer your questions.

Wonderful weirdness in Wellington

By Joe Norris

In 1904, thousands of New Yorkers were paying a nickel to ride under the streets of Manhattan on the city’s first subway. That same year in St. Louis, people were forking over 50 cents to see the first Olympic Games ever hosted in America.

But in Wellington,Kan., the most exciting attraction of 1904 cost nothing to see. Kansans were lining up to gawk at the angry alligator that was thrashing around in a shipping crate. Former Wellington resident C.W. Richardson had captured the gator in Louisiana and donated it to the Sumner County High School in Wellington. His reasons for sending an ill-tempered bayou dweller to Kansas are unclear. But the students enthusiastically accepted their razortoothed gift. They named him Lige and made him the school mascot. Lige did celebrity appearances at two county carnivals but spent most of his next 14 years in a tank in the school basement. “In spite of many caresses, he has never grown tame,” one student lamented in the SCHS annual.

“That annual was called The Alligator,” said Jim Bales, facilities director at the Chisholm Trail Museum, where Lige’s stuffed body now resides. “They mentioned him in the school song, too. But one frigid night in 1918, the furnace went out and Lige’s tank froze solid in the basement.”

The gator had been so highly regarded by the school that they stuffed him and kept him in the biology room for years after his death. “But when the new high school opened in 1933, they changed their mascot to the Crusaders, and Lige went into storage,” Bales told us. “He’s been on display here at our museum for as long as I can remember.”

Visitors to the Chisholm Trail Museum quickly realize that there’s a lot more than just Chisholm Trail artifacts to see here. The handsome three-story building was once a private hospital, built in 1916 by Dr. A.R. Hatcher. So several of the museum’s rooms have medical themes. There’s a fully equipped dentist’s office, a hospital nursery, a surgical suite with Dr. Hatcher’s operating table, and a doctor’s office that’s packed with vintage instruments and equipment. Wellington’s first X-ray machine sits there ominously, looking like it belongs in Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory. But the most advanced technology of the day couldn’t always save the patient. So among the medical instruments, the doctor’s office also displays a hand fan from the Fisher Mortuary.

Eighth in a series about day trips around Kansas

It’s the juxtaposition of oddities that make this museum so entertaining. A moose head admires the newborns through the nursery’s glass window. An anteater skulks outside the attorney’s office. And down the hall from the well-stocked general store, there’s a raincoat made of monkey hair & coconut fiber. It was used for camouflage during the Korean War, the sign says. Presumably so the wearer could blend in with all the Korean monkeys & coconut trees.

There’s a white brick from the original White House here. Wellington’s first TV set, from 1949. An ornate Victorian-era Beckwith Royal Grand Organ, purchased from the Sears catalog for $39.85. A jumble of mammoth bones from a local sand pit. A creepy wreath made from braided human hair. An armless blonde mannequin sitting beneath a canopy of electric wires that dangle from a beauty parlor’s permanent wave machine.

Margaret Fowler’s 1929 Reading trophy is here, along with Beatrice Roberts’ 1932 prize for Physical Efficiency and Marcus Gordon’s 1926/1927 trophy for “ORAT ORY.” Fashion has not been ignored, either. There’s a red double-knit polyester leisure suit festooned with ribbons from Wellington’s 1971 centennial.

And yes, there’s also a room crammed with memorabilia from

the days when the Chisholm Trail thundered right past the museum. There’s a coffee pot that was used on the Trail, a muzzle-loading Colt pistol that was found alongside it, and a pair of tall boots worn by a caught-in-theact cattle rustler who apparently died with them on. Justice was swift in the Old West.

There’s also a coat owned by a Mr. Herrington. When his favorite horse died, Mr. Herrington was devastated. But he pulled himself together, wiped way his tears, then grabbed a sharp knife and skinned his beloved chestnut mare. Mr. Herrington then hired someone to tan the old girl’s hide and stitch it into a long rider coat. There’s no right or wrong. We all grieve differently.

The museum claims to have 20,000 artifacts, and I don’t doubt their math. We spent over two hours wandering the fascinating hallways without seeing everything. “I’ve been here 12 years,” Bales told us. “But I’m constantly discovering things I’ve never seen before.”

June through October, the Chisholm Trail Museum is open 1-5 daily. In November & May, it’s open on weekends only. Or you can call 620326-3820 and request a private tour for a group. The museum is staffed entirely by volunteers, so it’s a good idea to call before making the trip.

Admission is free, just like when Lige first came to town, but donations are genuinely appreciated.

Photos by Joe Norris

The former Hatcher Hospital, above, became the Chisholm Trail Museum in 1965. Some of its contents, shown from top right: "Lige," Wellington's favorite stuffed reptile; the town's first X-ray machine; a cattle rustler's posthumous pair of boots; a coat made from the hair of a resident's favorite horse.

This old house was a challenge — and opportunity

By Diana Wolfe

As a young married couple in 1967, it felt strange to be just the second owners of a big house built in the previous century. But we had sold our first, much smaller house for twice what it cost and were in the market for another good deal.

Dear Reader

featuring a beautiful, curved stairway to the second floor, a smooth dark wood bannister and French doors leading to the living room.

The house we found, near Lincoln and Main and the Arkansas River, certainly presented challenges. Its front porch sagged badly and thick ivy climbed a trellis into the windows of the upstairs bedroom. It had 10-foot high ceilings and no air conditioning, heated by a pot-belly stove in the dining room.

Why did we want the place? The asking price was $10,000 and our offer of $7,500 was accepted. There was a small rental house in the backyard to provide extra income. And its entrance way was unlike anything we had seen,

The house had been built in 1887 by German immigrants who raised their big family there. It was strong and sturdy except for the sad kitchen and bathroom, which had obviously been added after plumbing and electricity became available. We bought it from the family’s youngest son, a bachelor in his 70s who was moving to live with his sister and didn’t need to take much with him.

Some of the things he left behind included a wind-up Victrola that still worked, a few cane-back rockers, a dining table with inserts to seat eight people, a four-poster bed, a JennyLind bed and another with a huge headboard and footboard that looked like something Abraham Lincoln might have slept in. There were dressers and a washstand with marble top, a

corner china cabinet I still use, clocks and pictures on the wall, rugs on the floors, curtains in the windows, a rack of men’s ties and an old trunk with curved top that contained a World War I uniform complete with medals. What were we going to do with all of that? Have a garage sale, of course. Unfortunately, collecting antiques was not as popular in 1968 as it is now. But we were quite satisfied with the $1,000 we made and used it for work needed on the house.

Fortunately, my husband was an excellent do-it-yourselfer. He rebuilt

the front porch, remodeled the kitchen and bathroom and put in central heat and air downstairs.

Our two children were born while we lived there. We hosted many family get-togethers and a few New Years Eve parties there, leaving us with lots of good memories of the place.

It sold for about $80,000 in 1989. Recently, I looked it up on the city’s tax records and learned that it had sold for $127,000 last year.

I still drive by it sometimes. Now 138 years old, it still stands tall and proud.    ***

The Active Act will turn 46 years old in December and it's still standing proud, too. But like an old house, it needs care, and that costs money. If you enjoy this publication, please consider making a donation to The Active Age so that it can "house" great content for many years to come.

Diana Wolfe is a former board member of The Active Age. She can be reached at dcwolfe2000@yahoo.com

How a Kansas nonprofit sparked 50 years of change in long-term care

By Libby Hastings

More than 50 years ago, a horrifying moment inside a Kansas nursing home sparked a movement that would change the state.

While reading to a nursing home resident, Lawrence advocate Anna “Petey” Cerf heard the woman’s roommate call out in pain. A nurse entered the room and snapped, “Oh shut up. You’re always yelling.” The next day, that resident was dead. Petey was devastated but not silent. She joined forces with Jessie Branson, Lesley Ketzel, Harriet Nehring, Katie Pyle and Bryona Wiley, women from Lawrence and Topeka who refused to accept that this was just the way things were. They formed a grassroots committee, phoned neighbors, visited

Guest Column

towns across Kansas, and listened to the stories of families and residents suffering from abuse, neglect and systemic failure. In 1975, they founded Kansans for Improvement of Nursing Homes (KINH), now Kansas Advocates for Better Care (KABC). Their work was bold. They investigated over 230 nursing homes, exposed dangerous conditions, and pushed for policy reform. Their efforts led to surprise inspections by Governor Bennett, public hearings across the state, and the passage of new laws to increase oversight and protect residents. Petey proudly declared in 1981, “I would say we are a militant

Clearwater nursing home cited

CLEARWATER — A recent state inspection of Clearwater Nursing & Rehabilitation Center found substantiated cases of residentto-resident sexual abuse and other deficiencies.

According to the September report, a resident of the nursing sexually abused three other residents between June 28 and Aug. 5. After the first incident, the report states, “The facility did not complete an investigation into the event or implement interventions to prevent further abuse.” After the second incident, the nursing home placed the

resident responsible under increased supervision but failed to administer physician-ordered medication to address his sexual behaviors. All three incidents involved inappropriate touching of cognitively impaired individuals.

Clearwater Nursing Center has the right to appeal the findings. The center has not responded to a request for comment about the inspection. The center has a one-star rating out of possible five at medicare.gov, which constitutes “much below average,” according to the website.

group. I hope we are, because if someone doesn’t get militant, nothing will get done.”

Sadly, the fight isn’t over. Across Kansas, residents are still harmed by chronic understaffing, abuse of antipsychotic medication, minimum staff training, and lack of accountability from the State.

We cannot afford to be passive. If you care about your aging parents, your neighbors, or your future self, now is the time to speak up. Visit a local nursing home. Ask questions. Support policies that prioritize people over profit. And demand that our state

leaders do the same! As KABC marks its 50th anniversary, we are as committed as ever to carrying forward Petey’s legacy: demanding accountability, protecting residents, and fighting for quality care in every corner of our state. The legacy of these courageous women didn’t begin in a boardroom; it began in a Kansas town, with outrage, compassion, and action. That’s what it will take again.

Libby Hasings is communications and public relations coordinator for Kansas Advocates for Better Care. She can be reached a lhastings@kabc.org.

The writer and her husband bought this home in south Wichita for $7,500 in 1967.

Diana Breit Wolfe

New exercise routine yields powerful results

The Active Age

Michelle Scofield took up a new sport in her mid-60s and no, it wasn't pickleball.

It's powerlifting, one of the most intense forms of weightlifting. In competitions, participants have three attempts to lift their maximum amount in three different lifts: bench press, squat and deadlift.

Scofield seems to have a knack for it. In her first competition, the National Senior Games held in Des Moines in August, she bench pressed 125 pounds, squatted 185 and deadlifted 250. Her total of 560 was good enough for first place in her age and weight class.

A retired physician's assistant who grew up in Wichita, and graduated from Wichita State University, Scofield worked in Kansas before being recuited to the huge Texas Medical Center in Houston.

She spent 20 years there, taking up distance running in a big way in her late 40s. She completed two marathons, two half marathons and a bunch of 5Ks and 10Ks before nagging injuries limited her to walking.

Concerned she wasn't getting enough exercise, Scofield's son called her and suggested she try CrossFit, a type of workout that combines highintensity resistance and cardiovasicular

training. Her son is such a Crossfit enthusiast that he has a CrossFit gym in his garage (where Scofield's 7-yearold granddaughter sometimes joins in the fun).

"I went to a CrossFit (workout) and got hooked from there," Scofield said.

After returning to Kansas, she said, "I realized I really liked lifting heavy things."

Asked why, she said, "First off, I think I'm built for powerlifting. It comes naturally to me. Whereas running, I had to struggle a lot."

Because of a pretty significant case of arthritis, Scofield has approached powerlifting carefully, working with a coach to make sure she doesn't injure herself while trying to become stronger.

"My coach won't let me hurt myself. He works with me very closely. I have to do them right or I have to drop the weight."

Currently, she does a powerlifting workout three times a week and one or two CrossFit workouts. She also walks her dog twice a day.

While some women shy away from weight lifting, worrying it will make them bulky, Scofield recommends it to "practically everybody I know" because of its practical benefits.

"We understand that weight lifting

place medal at the National Se-

can prevent bone fractures. If you don't have a broken hip, you're less likely to end up in a nursing facility."

"I want to stress that you don't have to do the highest-level moves. Anything csn be scaled" to an individual's fitness level.

"They meet you where you're at. I'm not expected to go up and do 50 pull-ups."

Her best powerlifting move is the deadlift, in which she bends over from the waist and pulls a barbell up from the floor to wasit level, while her most challenging is the squat, perfomed with

a barbell on her back.

"When you have old runner's knees, you really have to concentrate doing a squat."

She'll soon have even more time for her newfound passion. Scofield has been working part-time at the Wichita Public Library's Harry Street branch but figures it's time to really retire.

There's another powerlifting competition coming next month, she said..

"I'm planning on living to 100, and hopefully I'll still be lifting weights."

Sheeder taking over as executive director of Senior Services, Inc.

The

Active Age

The new executive director of Senior Services, Inc, is a little more familiar with the nonprofit orgnaization's operations than some new hires might be.

Wyatt Sheeder was invited to join the board of directors of Senior Services last year. When its longtime executive director, Laurel Alkire, retired in May, Sheeder applied for the job and was eventually recommended by the board's search committee.

Sheeder recused himself from the full board's vote on the matter and has since resigned from the board.

Donna Johnson, chair of the Senior Services board, cited Sheeder's previous work in home health care, managerial experience and "passion and enthusiasm for whatever he puts himself to. And having been on our board, he understands the Wichita community and is familiar with the needs of seniors in that community. That was kind of a nice blend for us."

Senior Serices, Inc. operates Meals on Wheels in Wichita, four senior centers in the city and a senior employment program. It has 37 full- and part-time employees and an

annual budget of about $3.2 million.

Sheeder becomes the organization's third executive director.

"I'm very excicted and very honored to be in this position and I'm looking forward to continuing the legacy of Senior Services, Inc., of Wichita," he said. "It's a job that has not been open often."

Sheeder grew up on a farm in Iowa, going on to study music education and music therapy at Warburg College, a private liberal arts school in Wavery, Iowa. He remembers that a number of textbooks he used were authored or co-authored by

graduaates of the Univesrity of Kansas, which has one of the oldesst music therapies program in the nation.

"Music therapy is the use of music to achieve individualized goals," he said. "Music therapists are trained to assess needs and devlop interventions to work toward those goals," which could range from relaxation to cognitive stimulation, emotional support, spiritual support and pain reduction.

Sheeder's first job out of college was a hospice music therapist in Chicago. He came to Wichita in 2012 to create a hospice music therapy program at Rivercross Healthcare, which provides a variety of end-oflife care. He became vice president of operations for a home health care company in 2017 and for the last five years has served as executive director of the Wichita Cancer Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit that provides financial support for cancer patients across Kansas by paying their health insurance premiums.

Sheeder said joining the Senior Services board reninforced what he already knew about the organization.

"Having worked with seniors most

of my career, I've observed firsthand the needs fulfilled by Senior Services — socialization and community, certainly nutrition and empowering peope to be active members of society if they want to keep working."

"When I joined the board, I was reminded of all the different assets and really proud to see how Senior Services is working to support and make changes in the community in those areas."

Sheeder said the challenge Senior Servies faces "is common in terms of shifts and funding and support."

Asked what he hopes to accomplish, he said, "I think there’s some opportunities of maybe some increased visibility, making sure people are aware of how they can benefit from our services and support our program."

Outside of work, Sheeder has volunteered for the Tallgrass Film Festival, performs with the Wichita Chamber Chorale and enjoys travel, paper crafting and reading.

"I really have enjoyed Wichita,"he said. "It's a very engaged community and diverse, and I have enjoyed being able to be involved in different things."

Courtesy photos

Michell Scofield earned a first

nior Games. At right, she performs a deadlift.

Courtesy photo

Wyatt Sheeder starts his job as executive director of Senior Services, Inc. this month.

Senior travel is booming and for good reason: retirees often have the time and means to explore the world as they never could before. Here are few tips before hitting the road or boarding a plane:

stress-free travel

• Prioritize your pills: Keep your medication in carry-on luggage and in its original containers. Although some destinations may have pharmacies that can transfer your medication, foreign countries and certain medications

may require a call to your primary care provider. Check if any of your medications are prohibited at your international destination, and ask your doctor about timing if you are traveling to a different time zone.

• Keep comfy shoes close: Pack non-slip, comfortable shoes to support your excursions. Save the strappy sandals for near the hotel!

• Walk the aisle: Decreased oxygen levels and prolonged periods of sitting on a plane can be hazardous. To prevent blood clots, get up and take a walk

every hour.

• Don’t get dehydrated: As you get older, you are more susceptible to a decreased sense of thirst. Plan to drink plenty of water throughout the day.

• Put downtime in your itinerary: It can be tempting to pack your days to maximize your vacation fun, but exhaustion can detract from your experience. Plan downtime to people-watch at a local cafe or read by the pool.

Source: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

a consultation at one of our 3 locations by calling 316-425-7980 to schedule at the Main Office or 316-213-7327 for Dodge City or West Wichita offices

Find your place. friendship

“Moving to Larksfield Place, I found more than just a new home — warm, welcoming community. For anyone seeking vibrant independent living, this is definitely the place to be.”

– Wanda N., Resident

A TASTE OF WHAT’S NEXT

Thursday, November 6 • 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 9 11:30 a.m.

Larksfield Place is almost full — but your next chapter begins at Larksfield Landing! Join us for lunch, meet our team, and see how these brand-new residences offer the perfect chance to plan ahead. Discover limited-time pre-construction pricing and exclusive benefits available now.

To RSVP, scan the QR code or call 316-202-4074. Stay informed about upcoming events and expansion updates.

Greenway Manor reopens, seeks residents resident’s income. To qualify, applicants must be 55 or older or disabled.

Residents are being sought for Greenway Manor, the newly renovated, 86-unit high-rise at 315 N. Riverview.

The Mennonite Housing agency has taken over management of the city-owned building, which is within walking distance of Riverside Park and other attractions.

“One side overlooks the (Arkansas) river and the other side overlooks downtown,” said Debbie Caudill, service coordinator for Mennonite Housing. “It’s a beautiful area.”

Rent is based on 30 percent of a

The building holds one- and twobedroom apartments, including eight ADA-compliant units.

Caudill said the building “was basically gutted” during renovation and now has “lots of upgrades” such as step-in showers and kitchen bars. There are laundry rooms on several floors and a large community room.

Applications for an apartment can be found by visiting Wichita.gov/ greenwaymanor.

subject to change.

Important Notice:

If you are receiving duplicate or unwanted copies of The Active Age, please let us know by calling (316) 9425385 or emailing joe@ theactiveage.com.The money saved on printing and postage helps us continue delivering The Active Age to people who wish to receive it.

THROUGH DECEMBER 21

VOLUNTEER WITH US THIS TAX SEASON!

Help income-limited households gain financial stability by volunteering to help them file their taxes for free. Last year, volunteers filed 6,200 returns, putting a RECORDBREAKING $8 MILLION in refunds back into the pockets of local residents. You can help generate this kind of 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 through April).

• Full support every step of the way. You’re never on your own.

Diane Mann was driven to her birthday party at the Rose Hill Senior Center last month in a 1936 Chevy Master Deluxe exactly one year younger than herself. You can do the math. Mann, who is active in the center, is shown with her husband, Richard, and chauffer-son Ricky.

UseyourinsurancedeductibleNOWbeforetheendoftheyearwhenitstartsover

Holiday sales hop, hop, hopping along

Get your holiday shopping and noshing done at a number of special local events. Here’s a look at some of those scheduled for this month and early December.

Prairie Pilot market

Art and crafts, fresh baked pies and cakes, savory snacks and more will be offered during the Prairie Pilot Club of Wichita’s annual Holiday House Market. The sale is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 7-8 at Riverside Christian Church, 1001 N. Litchfield. The club supports the Wichita Children’s Home, Vet 2 Vet Coalition and other local nonprofits.

Spirited sale

GODDARD — Find holiday gifts, home décor, baked goods, breakfast, lunch and more at the 21st annual Spirit Bazaar, to be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8 at the Church

Upcoming Events

Pet Pals fundraiser

Like chili and pets? Senior Services, Inc. is hosting a chili cookoff to raise money for Pet Pals, which provides food for the pets of Meals on Wheels participants. The event is 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 Thursday, Nov. 13 at the Downtown Senior Center, 200 S. Walnut. Admission is $5 and best chili wins a $50 gift card. To RSVP or get more information, contact Stacyb@ seniorservicesofwichita.org or call

of the Holy Spirit. Admission is $3. The church is located at 18218 W. Highway 54 in Goddard.

Autumn market

Via Christi Villa Georgetown will hold an Autumn Village Market featuring art and crafts, jewelry, baked goods and more from 1-3 p.m. Nov. 14. It is located at 1655 S. Georgetown St.

Fez-tival

of Trees

Bid on elaborately decorated Christmas trees, shop for gifts and homemade sweets, get your photo taken with Santa and more during the Midian Shrine’s 11th annual Fez-tival of Trees.

Admission is $5. The festival is held at 130 N. Topeka. The hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 21, 22, 28 and 29; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 23 and 30; and 5-8 p.m. Nov. 24 and 25. Proceeds benefit the organization’s mission of providing specialized pediatric care.

(316) 267-0302, ext. 233.

Holiday floral workshop

Learn to create festival centerpieces at a holiday floral design workshop led by Irina Sheshukova, a Kansas State University instructor and accredited member of the American Institute of Floral Designers. Participants will create and take home a medium-sized Christmas tree table arrangement.

Two identical sessions will be held: from 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at Sedgwick

Wreaths and lunch

The

The Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main, is bringing back lunch in the auditorium as part of the 42nd annual Wreath Festival. The lunch of chicken casserole, salad, croissant and dessert costs $16 and will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 20-21 and from noon-2 p.m. Nov. 22. The event also features a holiday gift and bake sale, music holiday-themed exhibits and, of course, wreaths. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 20-21 and noon-5 p.m. Nov. 22. Admission is free.

Winterfest

at Woodlawn

DERBY — Over 70 vendors of-

County Extension Center, 21st and Ridge Road. The cost is $75 per person and seating is limited. For more information, call (316) 660-0142.

‘Queen of Bohemia’ explored

Author Eva M. Kahn will present a program about Zoe Anderson Norris, who began her writing career in Wichita in the 1890s before becoming one of New York’s best-known muckraking journalists and flamboyant characters. Zahn’s book, “Queen of Bohemia Predicts Own Death: The Forgotten Journalist Zoe Anderson

fering crafts, art, food, clothing, home décor and more will take part the 27th annual Winterfest at Woodlawn United Methodist, 431 S. Woodlawn in Derby. Held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, there’s also a silent auction and lunch available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Norris, 1860-1914,” was recently published by Fordham University Press. Zahn’s presentation is from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9 at the WichitaSedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main. Admission is free.

Book sale

Friends of the Wichita Public Library will hold a sale of books, CDs and other donated items from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Advanced Learning Library, 711 W. 2nd St. A preview sale for FWPL members is set for 5-6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14.

Share the Season marks 25th year of helping working families

Share the Season is a community program that assists people during a time of hardship in their lives. The program offers hope and help to working families who have experienced difficult circumstances resulting in financial strain and emotional stress. Often an illness, car accident, layoff or other unexpected situation can put a family into crisis. Share the Season can provide financial assistance to alleviate some of the pressure during this challenging time.

Since 2000, generous donors have

given a total of more than $4.5 million to the program, allowing Share the Season to assist over 4,200 families. To mark the program’s 25th year, this year’s campaign goal is to raise $125,000. Donors can contribute by going to the website  www.sharetheseason.net or by scanning the QR code.

Here’s the story of one family helped by Share the Season: Vickie’s Story: A Car Accident Nearly Cost Her Home

Vickie is a single mother of three who

lost her job after a serious car accident required her to attend frequent doctor visits and physical therapy appointments. With no income, she quickly fell behind on her mortgage and feared losing the home she had worked hard to provide for her children. Vickie applied to Share the Season and was awarded assistance with a mortgage payment. This support gave her time to focus on healing while also protecting her family’s housing during a period of extreme vulnerability.

Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum's annual Wreath Festival offers a variety of holiday gift options.

Oktoberfest meal a dinner for all seasons

By Joe Stumpe

Found just in time for an Oktoberfest dinner, this Bavarian-style pot roast proved tasty enough to make any time of year.

Like many classic German dishes, and the accompanying recipe for cabbage, it uses a combination of sweet- and-sour ingredients to achieve its savory goodness.

Otherwise, it's a typical braise, using long, slow cooking in liquid to tenderize the meat. Key to this technique is using only enough liquid to come up about one-half or onethird of the way up the meat.

Interestingly, my kitchen cohort Sue Chef pointed out that many of the flavoring ingredients — onion, tomato, sugar and cinnamon — are also used in the delicious Vietnamese dish known as Bo Kho. Apparently, great cooks think alike wherever they cook.

I wish I could still say this recipe makes use of the inexepensive cut of meat known as beef chuck roast. If you've been to the supermarket lately, you know chuck roast has shot up in price. But the dish still goes a long way thanks to its beefy richness and the sauce it produces, which is excellent served with mashed potatoes or dumplings.

Bavarian Pot Roast

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds)

1 cup beer or water (plus more as needed)

1 teaspoon beef bouillon

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

In a Dutch oven, heat oil. Brown roast on all sides. Meanwhile, combine beer, beef bouillon, tomato sauce, onion, sugar, vinegar, salt, cinnamon, bay leaf, pepper and ginger in a bowl. Pour over meat, adding enough water to bring liquid level about halfway up meat.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until meat is tender, 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

Remove meat and slice. Discard bay leaf. If desired, thicken pan juices for gravy.

Note: To prepare in an InstantPot, place browned meat and remaining ingredients in the device, using slightly less water. Cook on "stew" or "pressure cooker" setting.

Sweet and Sour Cabbage

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 large red cabbage, sliced 1/4inch thick

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced red cabbage and toss to coat with the butter. Sauté until slightly wilted, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle sugar over the cabbage and toss to coat evenly. Add the balsamic vinegar to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low.

Cover and simmer until the cabbage is completely tender but not mushy. Stir often, about 30 to 45 minutes total. If it seems too dry, add some water.

Midtown neighbors save historic duplex

Rather than see a duplex torn down, a neighborhood association has obtained title to the property and plans to renovate it into rental units.

The Historic Midtown Community Association plans to restore the property at 1416/1418 N. Park Place. A 1923 Craftsman with Tudor Revival design touches, it had been owned most recently by Alma Neises and Arlene Sperling, two sisters who were active in the neighborhood association.

According to the association, the duplex restoration will involve preservation of historical features including original hardware, light fixtures, bath fixtures, woodwork, and built-in bookshelves while adding modern amenities. The HMCDA board is working with local historians, preservationists and craftspeople.

“This restoration is more than just bricks and mortar—it’s about honoring our past while making a tangible investment in our community’s future,” said Rhandalee Hinman, President

of HMCDA. “By saving this beautiful historic property, we’re creating new housing opportunities and preserving the unique character that makes our neighborhood special.”

The restored duplex will be available for rental to qualified individuals or families, with proceeds reinvested in future preservation projects.

The neighborhood association, founded in 2005, considers Midtown “Wichita’s first and thus most historic neighborhood in the core of the city” and the duplex a contributing structure to that history, according to a news release. HMCDA welcomes volunteers, donors and community partners who

Theater to become food hall

An advertisement from the March 31, 1929, edition of the Wichita Eagle contains details about the Nomar Theater’s opening night.

By Denise Neil

The Wichita Eagle

The Nomar Theater at 2141 N. Market — which opened in 1929 but has been shuttered since the mid1980s — will become a food hall in a little more than a year, if plans pan out. It's part of $12 million project by Empower, a nonprofit whose focus is revitalizing the North End of Wichita and serving its largely Hispanic/Latino residents through education and workforce and career development.

The food hall, to be called Provecho (the Spanish equivalent of “bon appétit”), will occupy the theater as well as the vacant mural-covered building directly to its north. The two buildings will be joined, and the corner building will be remodeled to include spots where six or seven food businesses could operate. Provecho will have space for retail vendors.

and Patricia

were among volunteers tidying up outside 1416/1418 N. Park Place in the Midtown neighborhood. Hinman is president of the Historic Midtown Community Development Association and Hileman is president of the Wichita Independent Neighborhoods organization.

might be interested in joining the duplex project. For more information, contact Hinman at (316) 708-0404.

“We’ll bring back all the historical value,” Ariel Rodriguez, executive director of Empower, said of the old theater. “Our vision is 100 percent to keep the look and identity, especially of the facade. We want to restore it and make it what it was, and we’ll reimagine the inside.”

The idea, Rodriquez said, is to turn the two buildings into a Wichita version of Mother Road Market in Tulsa, which opened in 2019 inside a 1930s grocery building on Route 66.

Empower previously spent $3.5 million turned the old Basham Home Store building next to the theatre into a commercial cooking space that is being used by dozens of food-business owners.

Randalee Hinman

Hileman

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 2121 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

Nov 5

10:30 am Wichita Art Museum 1400 W. Museum Blvd., $2 admission. See “Abstract Expressionists: The Women” 1:30 pm Museum of World Treasures 835 E. 1st St. Info not available.

Nov 12

10 am Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 Zoo Blvd. (316) 266-8213, $4 Peanut Butter & Jellyfish 1:30 pm Advanced Learning Library, 711 W, 2nd, (316) 2618500, Free. CANCELLED.

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

Nov 19

10 am Ulrich Museum of Art, 1845 Fairmount St. Curating with Purpose: Student Cultural Perspectives.

1:30 pm Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E 29th St N. Exploring Kansas Snakes.

Nov 26

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

Derby Sr Center, 611 Mulberry. 3rd Tuesday 7pm-9:30 pm. El Dorado Jam & Dance, Senior Center, 210 E. 2nd.

Linwood Golden Age, 1901 S Kansas. Every Saturday 7pm-9:30pm. Call Jim 316-945-9451 Minisa Golden Age, 704 W 13th. Info 617-2560. Every Thursday 7pm9:30pm. Call Rita 316-364-1702 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

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.

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 NOV 3

Mon: Spaghetti w/ meat sauce, garden salad, applesauce, garlic breadstick.

Tue: Brunswick stew, green beans, crackers, banana.

Wed: Southwest chicken bake, liver a/ onions, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans, wheat roll.

Thu:Choice: beef cutlet or liver w/ onions, mashed potatoes, green beans, wheat roll.

Fri: Lemon Baked fish fillet, potato wedges, carrots, pears.

WEEK OF NOV 10

Mon: Beef soft taco w/ corn tortilla, cheese, lettuce, tomato, Mexican rice, mixed fruit .

Tue: CLOSED.

Wed: Cheeseburger soup, crackers, mashed potato, herbed green beans, peaches.

TOWANDA 317 Main, 316-536-8999

Open 10:30 am-5 pm Mon, Wed, Fri

WHITEWATER Legion Hall, 108 E Topeka

Harvey county

BURRTON 124 N Burrton, 620-463-3225

HALSTEAD 523 Poplar, 835-2283

HESSTON

Randall & Main, 620-327-5099 www.hesstonseniorcenter.com

NEWTON AREA SENIOR CENTER 122 E 6th, Newton, 283-2222 www.newtonseniorcenter.com

SEDGWICK 107 W. Fifth, 772-0393

transportation

Sedgwick County

Sedgwick Co Transportation, 660-5150 or 1-800-367-7298. Information: 8 am-5 pm, Mon-Fri; closed most holidays. www. sedgwickcounty.org/aging.

Butler County Transit

Weekday transportation in El Dorado, Augusta and Andover. Rides to Wichita on Wed, Thu. Information: Augusta, 775-0500; El Dorado, 322-4321; toll free, 1-800-2793655. 48-hr notice required.

Harvey County

Transportation reservations or information: 316-284-6802 or 1-866-6806802. Round-trip: $8 Newton (wheelchair only), $12 Harvey County, $20 outside Harvey County. AVI to Newton: Tue, 12:304:30 pm from Burrton, Sedgwick, Halstead, Hesston, Walton.

Thu: cranberry meatballs, baked potato, carrots, banana, wheat roll, cake.

Fri: BBQ pork w/ bun, peas, pears, sweet muffin, chips.

WEEK OF NOV 17

Mon: Chili, garden salad, peaches, cinnamon roll.

Tue: Ham & cheese sandwich, lettuce, tomato, onion, potato soup, beets, orange or banana

Wed: Fish Sandwich w/ bun, everfull mixed vegetables, potato salad, mixed fruit.

Thu:Turkey, gravy, yams, green beans, dressing, cranberry sauce, wheat roll, pumpkin square.

Fri: Tater tot casserole, cheese, stewed tomatos, stewed apples

WEEK OF NOV 24

Mon: Cheeseburger w/ bun, lettuce, tomato, onion, potato salad, baked beans, peaches

Tue: Ham chowder soup, 1/2 ham/ cheese sandwich, mashed poato, mixed fruit..

Wed: Meatloaf, carrots, garlic mashed potatoes, blushing pears.

Thu: CLOSED Fri: CLOSED

* Milk or grape juice is served with all meals. Meals fall within the following ranges: Calories 650-750; protein 25 grams or higher; fat 20 to 30 percent of calories; calcium 400 mg or higher; sodium 1,000 grams or less; fiber 9 grams or higher.

FUNDING MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT, KDADS AND CENTRAL PLAINS AREA AGENCY ON AGING

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Resthaven. Double depth lawn crypt in Garden of Gospels. Lot 102-D space 2. Comes with Marker. Current Value $12,000, Asking $7,000 OBO. Seller will pay transfer fee. 317-625-0556.

Large, glass front niche located within Lakeview's Indoor Mausoleum. Includes 2 placements/2 niche plaques. No large niches available currently. $10,000 + $495 transfer fee. 316-640-1809

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2 plots at Lakeview cemetery. Garden of memory Lot 113 spaces 1&2. Asking $4,500.316-524-3140.

Double stacker plots at Lakeview Cemetery. Cost $5,995. Asking $3,000.00 or best offer. The buyer pays a transfer fee of $295.00. 316-708-4216

4 cemetery plots together at Rest Haven in the Garden of prayer, next to the road. Will sell for $2,000/pair. Call 316-263-4228

Niche available at Wichita Park/Old Mission. In Mission Chapel niche east. Sell for $1,000. Sell-er pays transfer fee. 316-652-9943

White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Garden of Nativity 2 burial spaces. $1,000, buyer pays transfer fee of $299. 316-838-5611.

2 spaces side by side at Lakeview in Garden of Gethsemane. 1 two-piece vault. Seller Pays transfer fee. Was $10,000 Now Asking $8,000. 316-522-1659

Quantum Edge3 Power Adult Preowned Wheelchair. Adjustable height, reclining seat, joystick, detachable footrests, tilts, elevates, tight turn radius. Used indoors. $1000. 316-644-1984

Older model electric twin hospital bed. Twin mattress, half rails. $400. Adjustable shower bench w/ reversible back rest. $25. 316-573-9447. Leave a message.

Beautiful Stone Masonic Sanctuary 25+ rooms, 3 stories near Marion Reservoir Historical Registered Grants, Priced for affordable quick sale. 1625 Old Mill, Marion KS 620-266-8080

Air Capital Mechanical 316-889-1692

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Companion Care on Eastside Especially Forrest Hills Part time availability Light housekeeping upon request. 316-206-3446 10% senior discount

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Brush, Limbs, Debris, Hauling and Junk Removal. Leaf removal. Free scrap metal pickup. Free Estimates. Call David at 316-213-8880.

Molina Electric - Wichita Lic #1364 Comm. or Residential wiring. Service calls. New electric service. Troubleshooting. Cell 316-461-2199.

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

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Email Tammara at tammara@theactiveage.com or call 316-942-5385

WSU's Corbin Education Center named to National Historic Register

The Active Age

It's good to have friends. Even if you're a building.

A group called the Friends of Corbin has succeeded in getting the Corbin Education Center at Wichita State University named to the National Register of Historic Places.

The group, composed of current and former WSU employees and other supporters, started meeting in 2023. The Corbin Center, designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright at age 90 in 1957, had previously been added to the city and state's registers of historic places.

To bring attention to Corbin, the

of Wright's desire to mix the indoors and outdoors in his designs.

The lighted spires atop each half of Corbin are 60 feet tall.

It's home to the College of Applied Studies, which trains future teachers, athletic trainers, exercise scientists and sports management professionals.

group has designed docent-guided and self-directed tours. A start date for those is expected to be announced soon. A virtual tour of Corbin is available through the pocketsights app.

Here are a few facts about the building, which sits on the north side of campus off 21st Street:

It opened in 1964 and is named for Harry F. Corbin, a WSU alum and nationally ranked collegiate tennis player who served as WSU president from 1949 to 1963.

Jackson Powell, WSU's dean of education from 1950 to 1966, first proposed the building in a letter to Corbin.

It was originally called the Juvenile Cultural Center. Wright designed a second building for the campus, an elementary education facility, but it was never built. Corbin borrows elements from a building Wright designed for a client in Baghdad, Iraq, which also was never built.

The Corbin building actually is two buildings joined by an esplanade containing a fountain and pool (used for the WSU Battle of the Colleges rubber duck races). Including sheltered outside areas, Corbin encompasses about 40,000 square feet and cost about $1 million to build.

Corbin's intricate entryway and

Corbin is one of two buildings in Wichita designed by Wright, the other being the Allen-Lambe House, designed in 1916 for Wichita Beacon publisher and Kansas Gov. Henry Allen. It was completed at 225 N. Roosevelt in College Hill in 1918.

Corbin was closed by a water leak in April 2024. Although school officials initially thought repairs would take only a few days, it didn't reopen until September 2025, just in time for the current semester. Students and faculty used temporary classrooms in the meantime.

courtyard are typical

Photos courtesy of Wichita State University

Corbin Educational Center at Wichita State University is one of two buildings in Wichita desigend by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Sedgwick County looks for best way to fund senior centers

Ella Hawk is the director of the Goddard Senior Center. She says the center is a lifeline for seniors in the community.

Goddard.

Fifth District Commissioner Jim Howell, a commission member since 2015, said he would prefer to use the original model instead of creating a new one. He also said current county funds are not meeting community demand.

A prayer box at the Goddard Senior Center allows people to submit prayer requests. It's one of the ways the center tries to build community among its members.

“Everybody pulls together. If one person needs [something], another person will step in.

“We just help each other. And we don’t leave anybody behind.”

By Daniel Caudill KMUW

It’s just about lunch time at the Goddard Senior Center when a familiar face walks in.

Melvin Ormiston is here for a fresh meal and the smiles and conversation that come with it.

“I started coming here about six months ago,” said Ormiston, whose wife passed away last year. “It gets me out of the house, and most of the meals are very good.”

Ormiston is one of thousands of senior center members in Sedgwick County. The centers date back to the early 1980s when voters approved a ballot initiative by nearly 2-to-1 to fund aging services.

Today, those centers provide services like meals, exercise classes and social events for people 55 and up.

“It gets people out of their recliners and out, and they meet people,” Ormiston said. “And socialization, I think, is always good for, especially older people.”

Members of the Sedgwick County Commission agree senior centers are essential services worth funding. What they haven’t been able to agree on over the years is how to fund them.

With funds lagging behind inflation in recent budgets, officials are looking into new options for divvying money to the county’s 19 senior centers

Rising community demand

Data provided by Sedgwick County indicates the percentage of the county’s population age 65 and up will double over the next 35 years.

“Our seniors are sort of set to the side, and that has always bothered me,” said Ella Hawk, director of the Goddard Senior Center. “I think they should be elevated, not ignored.”

The Goddard Senior Center began about a year ago with around 20 people. Now, there are more than 300 active members.

“We’ve had people come in [and] literally say, ‘You’ve saved my life,’” Hawk said. “‘I have a reason to get up in the morning. I have friends. I have people I know will check in on me if I’m not there.’”

Renewed funding discussion

The center in Goddard originally got about $6,000 from the county. But the need for services quickly grew beyond that budget, and the center had to ask for more money.

Starting in 2006, county commissioners used a six-tiered, performance-based system to determine the funding for each senior center. Centers received more funding based on membership and the amount of services provided.

But that model has been frozen since about 2017 when commissioners disagreed on whether the system was fair.

The commission recently renewed the discussion after 3rd District Commissioner Stephanie Wise asked staff to look into options for funding criteria.

“When you don’t have a framework in place, it really does feel like you’re just picking winners and losers,” she told KMUW.

Wise is in her first term and was not on the commission when members voted to freeze the previous funding criteria.

She said whatever criteria the commission uses moving forward should remain performance-based. Wise also said she would like to see cities with senior centers financially support them, too. That’s already the case for some cities, like Derby and

“I think that the services needed should drive the dollars we put into the program. That really is not what happens,” he said. “Today, we just say, ‘Well, what did we do last year? Let’s kind of do that number again.’”

Howell suggested a citizens advisory council would be better suited to deliberate over the funds for each senior center, rather than the County Commission. He said that could help eliminate some of what he described as “politics” in previous debates.

Howell also provided data indicating overall funding for senior centers has lagged behind inflation in recent years.

Funding for senior centers in 2005, for example, was $531,991.

In 2024, that would amount to about $860,383. But funding that year was nearly $120,000 short of that.

A prayer box at the Goddard Senior Center allows people to submit prayer requests. It’s one of the ways the center tries to build community among its members.

Commissioners brought total funds more in line with inflation during the most recent budget process by adding $50,000 to the amount recommended by the county manager.

Staff are expected to present potential funding models for senior centers in time for next year’s budget. That could determine the level of service Sedgwick County seniors can expect for years to come.

Back in Goddard, the people who run the senior center hope to expand to a bigger space and develop a transportation system – all with the goal of maintaining a tight-knit community and better serving the seniors they see every day.

“It’s just an amazing community,” said Carol Duran, kitchen manager at the Goddard Senior Center.

photos by Daniel Caudill / KMUW

Becky King (left) and Melvin Ormiston chat over lunch at a table in the Goddard Senior Center. The two are both retired education professionals.

What’s next for Bonnie Bing? A book, at last

The Active Age

For decades, friends of longtime Wichita Eagle columnist Bonnie Bing suggested she publish a book of her work.

One person, Lisa Corbin, was rather insistent.

“She was on it like a bonnet,” Bing said. “She would not shut up.”

Corbin, a close friend whom Bing has known since Corbin was a child, said she “felt like we needed to capture her gifts in a book that could be acquired and kept by everyone who is her fan and loves her.”

When the two started going through some past columns — Bing still was just kicking around the idea of a book — Corbin read one about a gift a child had given Bing when she was a teacher.

The column was about how that gift turned into a treasure, and it touched Corbin so much she cried.

“That’s it,” she declared. “We’re doing the book.”

“Wait . . . Now What?” is the 240page result.

“How hard could it be?” friends asked as Bing worked on the book. “You’ve already written everything.”

Not quite, she said.

“There’s a lot more to it.”

First came rereading all those old columns. She and a cadre of helpers stacked columns in piles of definite yes entries, maybes and absolutely nots.

“I thought, oh, my goodness,” Bing said. “Some of those shouldn’t have been written.”

She made herself feel better by remembering the words of another dear friend, late Eagle editor Fran Kentling.

“You can’t hit it out of the park every time.”

Bing admitted enjoying taking the trip down memory lane, but it was

difficult for her to choose which columns to include.

“Finally, I just got so, I don’t know, ‘Lisa, you choose.’ ”

One column they decided to include is the story of Bing shocking the city by playing Gumby and tackling the San Diego Chicken at a Wranglers baseball game. She wasn’t revealed as the person behind the costume until an article in The Eagle the next day.

Bing said she about killed the chicken, or at least broke his wing.

“You don’t tell a PE teacher to tackle somebody unless you mean it.”

There was the time she rode an elephant from Valley Center to the Kansas Coliseum while wearing a safari outfit complete with a pith helmet because, as Bing — a longtime fashion writer in addition to general columnist — pointed out, it’s important to always dress the part.

Then, of course, there are her swimsuit columns about how it felt shopping for the often-dreaded things. Bing said people — clearly the ones who identified with her — used to tell her that those tales of her shopping woes were a riot.

That’s how she chose a number of the columns. Bing thought back to what kind of responses they had.

“I remember all the nice things, and I really remember the bad things people would e-mail me,” she said. “It would just bother me for days.”

Fortunately, there weren’t many of those.

Bing said her favorite compliments were from people who said they cut out her columns to put them on their refrigerators or send to friends or family members.

Her columns date back to the early 1980s.

Bing worked at the publication for

37 years and still writes columns for it.

She said working on the book with Corbin was not a further bonding experience for the two.

“No, I think she wanted to kill me.”

Occasionally, it was the other way around.

“Don’t make me come over there,” Bing would threaten Corbin.

“She would just laugh. So she’s not very intimidated by me.”

They spent six weeks in Bing’s basement working on the book. Corbin, whom Bing called a marketing genius, also has her scheduled for signings at just about every library in the city.

There will be a signing from 6 to 7 p.m. on Nov. 20 at Watermark Books & Cafe. The event is free, but anyone interested should get tickets at watermarkbooks. com to make sure to have a seat.

Blue Cedar Press is publishing “Wait . . . Now What?”, which retails for $24.99.

Illustrations in the book are by Bing’s longtime friend and Eagle colleague Richard Crowson.

Bonnie Bing is known for performing as the sharp-tongued Fairytale Princess during the annual Gridiron show, and for throwing herself into unusual assignments such as milking a cow at the Kansas State Fair.

Corbin said she loves that Wichitans and others now can have Bing’s writing at their fingertips instead of on microfilm.

One of Bing’s greatest strengths as a writer is her ability to connect with readers in a conversational style.

Redbud Trail bridge over Highway 54 open

The Redbud Trail continues to make its way across Butler County, much to the delight of pedestrians and bicyclists.

The Andover Augusta Railtrail Initiative (AARTI) was formed nine years ago to transform the old Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad — also known as the Redbud — easement into a trail between the two cities.

Two major bridges were required and the first — over Highway 54 just east of Andover — was completed last

month. A ribbon cutting is scheduled for Nov. 7.

It’s hoped the second bridge —

over the Whitewater River just west of Augusta — will be constructed in 2027.

“I feel like you’re just talking to me,” is something she often used to hear.

“That was always a real pleasure.”

Volunteers with AARTI plan to improve the trail from the Highway 54 bridge to Santa Fe Lake Road in the near future, then continue to raise money and support for improving it between there and Augusta. The trail is already operational inside both cities as well as Wichita.

There are ongoing opportunities for volunteers to help with trail maintenance posted on the Andover Augusta Railtrail Initiative Facebook page, along with photos, videos and more information about the project.

Bonnie Bing

Active Age, 125 S. West St., Suite 105, Wichita, KS, 67213; or in person.

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