55 years later, she’ll visit WSU tragedy site
By Joe Stumpe
Before making one of the most important walks of her life, Elizabeth Wilson Winterbone wanted to make sure she was physically up to the challenge.
Toned up and trimmed down, she’s ready now.
Winterbone is the daughter of Ben and Helen Wilson, who died in the Oct. 2, 1970 crash of a plane carrying Wichita State University football players, staff and supporters. Ben Wilson was the team’s head coach.
Next month, Winterbone plans to visit the crash site on a Colorado mountainside.
“It’s always been a goal of mine to hike up to the crash site in Colorado,” Winterbone said. “For a lot of reasons, that wasn’t possible. Not just physical.”
“It’s an enormous spot in my life,”
she added. Winterbone was 10 years old and preparing to spend the night at a friend’s house on the day of the crash. Her father had been hired from the University of Virginia to help turn around WSU’s football program the previous year. The crash was blamed on the pilot allowing the overloaded plane to become trapped in a box canyon.
Elizabeth Wilson Winterbone has regularly attended the annual ceremony at Wichita State University’s honoring victims of a 1970 plane crash. Her parents, Ben and Helen Wilson, were on the flight.
Winterbone submerged her feelings about her parents’ deaths for a long time. After the crash, she was
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By Joe Stumpe
NEWTON — A nonprofit with roots a century old here plans to break ground this month on an innovative, intergenerational housing development that serves young adults, families and seniors.
Hope Estates will take shape at the corner of West Broadway and Boyd Streets, on the south end of the EmberHope Youthville campus. It’s envisioned as a place where young adults coming from foster care and other difficult life circumstances will live alongside small families and seniors.
“We are certainly looking for seniors who would like to continue living somewhere where they really have a social purpose,” said Nickaila Sandate, president and CEO of
See Hope, page 7
Local history sleuth is ‘addicted to it’
The Active Age
If you’re one of the 16,600 serious or casual history buffs who are members of the popular Facebook group Wichita History from Our Perspective, the name Mike Maxton will likely sound familiar.
Maxton, 70, is one of the most active members of the group, and he regularly authors posts about Wichita history, sharing old newspaper clippings about the city’s earliest postal route or then-and-now photos of recognizable local buildings.
He’s also usually the first person to hop in the comments when members of the group ask for help learning about the history of their houses or are curious which business originally occupied a certain building. Maxton is an expert at tracking that information down, and he loves discovering the
answers to those questions as much as the people who posed them.
But Maxton has taken his love for Wichita’s past a few steps further than the typical keyboard historian. In addition to spending hours researching online, he also is the founder of a group of Wichita’s most devoted history buffs that regularly gets together for behind-the-scenes tours of historical buildings and then discusses what they saw over lunch.
Informally called “Lunch Bunch,” Mike Maxton is considered the go-to guy for questions about Wichita history. His research includes tracking down information on early Wichita buildings like this one in Old Town.
Maxton, page 8
Seniors On the Go program is ready to get going
A group organized as Seniors Exploring the Cultural Arts in the 1980s is being revived.
Seniors on the Go, as the new group is known, has two main purposes: to support local cultural organizations and to help older adults take part in their events and programs.
The only requirement for members is that they be a member of an area senior center (see page 17 for a list of those centers and contact information). There’s no charge to belong beyond the cost of attending certain events.
Potential members are invited to the group’s first organizational meeting, which will be held from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1 at the Linwood Senior Center. After that, the group will meet at Linwood at the same time on the first Wednesday of each month.
Starla Criser and Gina Kropp are leading the effort to get the group rolling again. At the monthly meetings, members will discuss what’s happening in the area. There will be a sign-up sheet for events, with members able to indicate whether they can provide
Stop by today for a
transportation or are seeking it to those events.
Members will be emailed a calendar of upcoming events each month. Some of the events will likely include music and theatre productions, museum and art shows, nature-related events at Botanica, the Sedgwick
County Zoo and similar venues, movies and day trips.
For more information, contact Criser at starlacriser@gmail.com or Kropp at gina.kropp@gmail.com
Upcoming Events
Candidate forums scheduled
The Wichita Journalism Collaborative is holding three candidate forums for City Council and District 259 School Board candidates. The events are free and open to the public. The schedule is:
District 3 — 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2 at the Alford Branch Library. Council candidates Mike Hoheisel and Genevieve Howerton will appear.
District 6 — 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8 at the Evergreen Branch Library. Council candidates Maggie Ballard, Margaret Shabazz and Brett Anderson will appear.
District 1 — 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, Marcus Welcome Center at Wichita State University. City Council candidates Joseph Shepard and LaWanda DeShazer and school board candidates Diane Albert and Mackenzie Truelove will appear.
Farmers market
ANDOVER — The Oct. 4 Market of Farms will feature growers and makers from across Kansas offering honey, fresh eggs, meat, poultry, handcrafted candle and more.
The event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will be held in the parking
garage under the Skylofts apartments, at the corner of Kellogg and Yorktown Road. There will also be a lamb petting station on the Heritage Plaza.
Senior Services sale
Senior Services, Inc., will host a sale of used household items, electronics, clothing, jewelry and more. The sale at 200 S. Walnut will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3 and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4.
Old timey county fair
Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 W. Museum Blvd., hosts its annual County Fair event from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4. There will be demonstrations of traditional pioneer and homesteading activities plus entertainment through the day. Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 62 and up, $8 for kids 5-7 and $5 for Old Cowtown members. Kids 4 and under and attend for free.
Thursday
afternoon music
The Thursday Afternoon Music Club has released its 2025 schedule. Unless otherwise noted, the concerts are free. For those requiring a reservation and fee, contact LeAne Cloud at (316) 993-5158
Here is the schedule:
SWEET HEAT Treats
Oct. 9 — Harpist Faith O’Neal, 1:30 p.m., Central Community Chapel, 6100 W. Maple.
Nov. 13 — Violinist Chelley Graves, 1:30 p.m., Central Community Chapel.
December 4 — Sunrise Christian Academy Choir and luncheon, noon, Larksfield Place, 7373 E. 29th N., reservation and fee required.
Help the homeless Haircuts, health screenings, housing assistance and more will be offered to anyone experiencing homelessness at the Dole VA’s seventh Stand Down. The event takes place
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, at Hyde Park, 201 S. Greenwood St. Volunteers are needed for setting up tents, assisting with food service and other tasks. To sign up for a full or half day on Oct. 9 or 10, visit https:// www.va.gov/wichita-health-care/ events/82173/
Donations of food and used, working bicycles are being accepted through Oct. 6. Contact the Dole VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE), 316685-2221, ext. 57937, to arrange delivery. Organizations and businesses
See next page
interested in participating can also contact the center.
Blue Moon party back
A legendary Wichita nightclub comes back to life at the WichitaSedgwick County Historical Museum this month courtesy of the Blue Moon party. The party, featuring jazz singer Donna Tucker and her quartet, is 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18. Dinner and drinks are included with the $100 ticket.
For tickets and sponsor information, call (316) 265-9314 or email office@wichitahistory.org.
Tree fundraiser set
ICT Trees, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and expanding Wichita’s tree canopy, is raising money with the goal of giving away 100 trees in 2026.
A fundraiser will be held from 4-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Fresh Air Baby Camp building in North Riverside Park, 1221 N. 11the St. A guided tree walk will kick off the event, followed by a chili prepared by the Artichoke Sandwich Bar. The suggested donation is $25. For more information or to donate online, visit ICTTrees.org.
Andover, Augusta book sales
Friends of the Andover Public Library will host a three-day book sale this month, with proceeds going to the children’s summer reading program and other library activities.
Sale hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24; and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, when a sack of books will cost $5.
A sneak peek for members of the Friends of the Library takes place
5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22nd. The sale is held at the library located in Andover Central Park, 1511 E. Central in Andover. For more information, call (316) 733-3500.
Friends of the Augusta Library are also holding a book sale on the same three days. Its hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 23; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 24; and 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 25. Baked goods will also be sold Oct. 24.
Alzheimer’s walk
Wichita’s 2025 Walk to End Alzheimer’s is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24 at the WaterWalk, 515 S. Wichita St. The walk is part of the world’s largest fundraiser in the battle against Alzheimer’s. For more
information or to register, visit act.alz. org/ictalzwalk.
Living with diabetes
The Great Plains Diabetes organization will hold its ninth Live Well with Diabetes event from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 25 at the Wichita State University Metroplex, 5015 E. 29th St. N. Free lab work and foot exams, consults with physical therapists, vendors, educators and more will be featured, and a free lunch will be served at noon while supplies last. According to Great Plains Diabetes, about 85,000 people live with diabetes in Sedgwick County and the surrounding area. For more information, visit greatplainsdiabetes. com/live-well-with-diabetes
Nursing home documentary LAWRENCE — Kansas
Advocates for Better Care is hosting a free screening of “No Country for Old People,” described as a “powerful three-part investigative documentary” that “sheds light on the national crisis unfolding inside America’s nursing homes.” The film will be shown at 6 p.m. Oct. 28 in Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence. RSVP to info@kabc.org or call (785) 8423088.
Nile Dillmore has joined the board of directors of The Active Age. Dillmore was raised in Wichita and graduated from Wichita South High School in 1965.
He received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wichita State University.
He has been married to past two-term City Council Member Janet Miller for 35 years, has three children from a previous marriage, six grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.
He spent his career mostly in banking /credit recovery and served 13 years as a Kansas State Representative.
After retirement from MidAmerican Credit Union, he was a board member and Chairperson for Interfaith Ministries, now rebranded as HumanKind.
Dillmore enjoys playing Texas Hold ’em at the Downtown Senior Center, meddling in politics and traveling with his wife.
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Schedule 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
Nile Dillmore
Dillmore joins board of The Active Age
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Wortz
Honor Roll of Donors
These readers recently contributed $50 or more to the 2025 donation campaign.
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 Helen
Donate for chance to win Botanica membership Smith.
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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.
The Active Age, published the first of each month, is distributed in Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick counties.
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Editor: Joe Stumpe joe@theactiveage.com
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Business Manager: Tammara Fogle tammara@theactiveage.com Board of Directors
Sharon Van Horn
Visit
From Page 1
first sent to live with distant relatives on the East Coast, then with an aunt and uncle in California. She married and lived overseas for a time.
Wherever she was, few people knew about the loss she’d experienced.
Then in 2005, a friend convinced her to move back to Wichita, where the crash is commemorated each Oct. 2 at WSU’s memorial to victims and survivors, prominently located at the campus’ Hillside entrance.
“I reconnected with a whole bunch of people I had lost contact with,” she said. “Moving back here offered a layer of feeling that was pretty special — the fact that Wichita State has continued to remember the people that are affected by that.”
She usually attends the annual memorial and has gotten to know some of the other people who lost family members in the crash, in particular the children of state Rep. Raymond King and his wife, Yvonne, who were survived by six daughters and one son.
She knew that many Wichitans had made the trek to the crash site, where wreckage from the plane is still scattered. But the closest she got was a bronze marker that sits along Interstate 70 near the beginning of the trail to the site. “I have stopped and visited that in the past.”
Winterbone has kept busy since returning to Wichita, teaching at WSU, painting watercolors and participating in the Daughters of the American Revolution organization. It was actually a health scare that first sent her back to the gym. She joined the Greater Wichita YMCA 18 months ago after a hospital stay for high blood pressure, a condition she didn’t realize she had. “When I got out, I knew that losing weight would definitely help with that.”
Rather than “going all gungho” and risk injury or burn out, she started slowly, with a water exercise class designed for people with arthritis. “I thought, this is definitely
doable.” She soon switched to a more challenging class called Waterworks and immediately started feeling better. “It just kind of reminded me of that freedom of being a kid in the water. The movement, I think, was really beneficial. But meanwhile you feel very safe and supported.”
However, the pounds didn’t start coming off until her doctor put her on one of the newer GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. She’s lost 80 pounds over the past 15 months.
“The medications don’t work by themselves,” she said. “You have to make changes in many parts of your life — exercising and eating carefully and listening to your body are all part of the success of that.”
About six months ago, Winterbone amped up her workouts again, after her son, Philip, said he wanted to visit the site where the grandparents he never knew died. In addition to water exercise, she started attending a HITT (high intensity interval training) class, lifting weights and walking on a treadmill.
“I’m feeling much stronger, much more energy,” she said.
She thinks she’ll need it. She’s been told the hike is about 1.5 miles each way and “quite arduous.”
“The first part of it is an easy pathway — all incline — then my understanding is a good half of it goes up to very steep and rocky and climbing over trees. And, of course, it’s high altitude to reach the site itself.”
Winterbone said she’s always been affected by higher altitudes. To further prepare, she, her son and a friend have rented an Airbnb for a week to get acclimated before the trek. She’ll probably take along some canned oxygen that a friend recently recommended.
She has “no idea” how long the climb will take and says she’s “allowing myself plenty of flexibility.”
“People have been really wonderful and offered to go with us,” she said. “Honestly, I prefer it just to be my close little group. I want to feel free to sit there all day if I want to.”
What does she expect to find?
Win tickets to Wichita Wurlitzer Silent Movie Night
The Active Age is giving away a pair of tickets to the Wichita Wurlitzer Silent Movie Night Tuesday, Oct. 14, featuring “Pandora’s Box,” a 1929 movie starring onetime Wichita resident Louise Brooks. Donnie Rankin will perform a live musical score on the Wichita Wurlitzer pipe organ in Century II’s Exhibition Hall. Please note that the movie contains mature themes that may not be suitable for children.
Entry form
To enter our drawing for the tickets, visit theactiveage.com and fill out the entry form on our home page. Or, fill out this form and mail or bring it to The Active Age, 125 S. West St., Suite 105, Wichita, KS, 67213. Entries must be received by Oct. 7 and a winner will be notified the next day.
Name __________________
Phone number __________________
Email address _________________
“It’s a complex place where an unimaginable tragedy that completely changed the trajectory of my life happened,” she said. “You can look at the latest videos (of the site) and see the amount of wreckage, melted pieces of airplane all over the debris field. There are places that are still black where nothing will grow. There’s a scar on the land that I just feel like I want to experience for myself. I want to feel the energy of that place for myself.”
Museum director hired
Candy Taylor has been hired to serve as the Executive Director of the Mid-America All-Indian Museum. Taylor brings 17 years of experience in the museum industry, most recently having served as the Director of the Comanche Nation Museum and Cultural Center in Lawton, Oklahoma. Pool is historic
The Charles F. McAfee Pool at 1240 East 14th Street North has been
listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1969, the pool became the first in Kansas specifically designed for African American children to practice lap swimming. In 2021, the City renamed the pool after the architect and Wichita resident Charles McAfee. McAfee was one of the first African American graduates of the University of Nebraska’s architecture program and one of the founding members of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA).
The City is planning a celebration next summer to honor McAfee’s legacy.
Courtesy photo
Elizabeth Wilson Winterbone is shown as a child with her parents, Helen and Ben Wilson, and brother, John.
Hope
From Page 1
EmberHope, Inc. “If they would like to mentor and help our young adults who are transitioning out of (foster) care, they need a lot of life coaching. We’re really hoping there are some seniors who are interested in that.”
In fact, Sandate said, the Hope Estates project was partly inspired by suggestions to that effect from area residents. “As that population ages, we have a lot of volunteers and individuals who are donors who want to figure out how to contribute and give back.”
EmberHope traces its beginnings to the Kansas Methodist Home for Children. Kansas’ Methodist churches began planning an orphanage in the early 1920s and chose Newton as the site in 1927, partly to deal with the wave of children arriving as part of the Orphan Train Movement that sought to place orphans from the East Coast with foster parents in the Midwest.
A farmer outside Newton, Edward P. Libbey, donated the bulk of his estate to establish the home, the city of Newton gave it 30 acres of land and the orphanage opened in 1929. The orphanage was designed to be selfsustaining, with its residents earning a wage and learning trades on area farms. Cottages and a chapel were added over the years and in 1975, the Martin K. Eby Learning Center was opened there to provide alternative educational opportunities for the home’s residents and some Newton school district students.
In the 1990s, four residential cottages were built for girls offering different levels of treatment and care. The organization’s name changed to Youthville, then EmberHope Youthville. As traditional orphanages were phased out, it also became more involved in foster care, recruiting foster parents and placing children with them. Through a Wichita-based branch called EmberHope Connections, it held the state of Kansas’ contract for Sedgwick County from 1997 to 2013. It resumed that work in 2024 after the previous contractor, Saint Francis Ministries, was sacked over poor performance. About one-fifth of the state’s 6,000 foster children live in
Sedgwick County.
Most of the young adults Hope Estates plans to serve will be former foster kids who typically age out of the system around their 18th birthday. As legal adults, Sandate said, “They’ll have to make a choice about if this is where they want to live. We’re excited for them as they transition” to independent living.
Hope Estates plans call for 38 apartments in all. There will be 20 individual apartments, 10 townhomes, six triplexes and two duplexes.
“We’ll have families in those two- and three-bedroom apartments,” Sandate said — likely including grandparents who are raising grandchildren.
The organization believes mentoring and mutual support will occur naturally between generations, but the project will offer optional programming in areas such as financial literacy, cooking and nutrition, employment readiness, education and social events. The site will include shared gardens and playgrounds.
The project is being built with the help of low-income tax credits through the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation. EmberHope had expected a lengthy waiting period for those credits but was awarded funding on its first application.
Rent will be based on a percentage of residents’ income. Plans call for nine different buildings, which will be occupied as they are completed. “It’ll be done and filled by the end of 2026,” Sandate said. People who are interested in potentially living at Hope Estates should visit emberhope.org for updates.
The benefits of intergenerational experiences have received much attention in recent years, but this kind of housing is relatively rare. EmberHope staff looked to Bridge Meadows, which has created several apartment developments housing adoptive families, seniors and young adults in and around Portland, Oregon. That organization was in turn inspired by Hope Meadows, the Illinois intergenerational community considered the first of its kind.
“We’ve been in contact with them and learned a lot,” Sandate said.
Residents of Hope Estates won’t be required to participate in any
programming, events or mentoring — but Sandate hopes they will. She recalled a recent conversation with a retired nurse, who told her: I can’t adopt. I’m not at that place in life any more. But if there’s some way I can give back or contribute, that would be great.”
Sandate noted that the land where
Hope Estates will sit was at one time up for sale. Now it’s headed for a different purpose.
“We are very excited. As an organization that has ample green space, it’s fulfilling to bring all those groups together in a meaningful way to support each other.”
Foster Grandparent Program 60 years old
The Foster Grandparent Program is marking its 60th anniversary. The program places older adults in classrooms where they help children with learning and other challenges. Nationwide, more than 11,000 seniors serve in the program. “Their service is a living legacy, and their continued dedication helps ensure a stronger future for our entire
community,” said Traci Kennedy, executive director of Catholic Charities, which runs the program in Sedgwick County.
Local residents who are interested in becoming a Foster Grandparent should call (316) 264-8344, ext. 1211 in Sedgwick County and (316) 7750500 in Butler County.
An architectural rendering of Hope Estates, an intergenerational housing development soon to be built in Newton.
Maxton
From Page 1
the group includes many of the city’s other most active amateur historians, including Wichita history writer Jim Mason; postcard enthusiast Hal Ottaway of the “Joyland” family; Janiece Baum Dixon, whose uncle Ralph Baum founded the local Ralph Baum’s Burger House chain in the late 1930s; Sara Joy Harmon, the creator of a few documentaries about Wichita’s past, including 2019’s “For Your Amusement: The Wonderland Park on Ackerman Island"; and Niki Conrad, photographer and president of Old Cowtown Museum.
Tours and postcards
The first Lunch Bunch gathering was in November of 2017, when Maxton invited a group of about seven like-minded members of the Facebook group to get together at The Monarch, 579 W. Douglas, for a lunchtime show-and-tell. The gathered group gabbed about local history and shared old photos and postcards. Eventually, the group began arranging building tours, starting with the Old Mission Mausoleum at 3434 E. 21st St.
Since then, the group has also toured more than a dozen sites, including the Swope Apartments, the old Dockum building at Douglas and Seneca, the Hillcrest apartment building at 3241 E. Douglas, the old Sedgwick County Courthouse at 510 N. Main and the Broadview Hotel at 400 W. Douglas.
'I did not like history' Maxton wasn’t always interested in history. When he attended Phillips University in Enid, Okla., as a young man, he was not excited to learn that he’d have to take a history course.
But the teacher of the first class he took was a talented lecturer.
“I did not like history,” Maxton
said. “But I loved that guy, and I loved that course. So I signed up for another course.”
Over three years, Maxton took four courses from the teacher, and that was the first time he realized that stories from the past actually did interest him.
Maxton, who grew up in Wichita, served in the United States Air Force then went on to build a successful career with the United States Postal Service, starting as a part-time employee in 1981 and working his way up to an executive position. His career took him all over the country, and in 2009 he was working in Dallas as an executive manager of plant support when he was offered the chance to retire early.
He decided to move back to Wichita to be closer to family, including his father, who was in the early stages of dementia. Maxton was going through some of his parents’ belongings when learned something he didn’t know: His paternal grandfather, who Maxton thought was from North Dakota, actually had been born in Southeast Kansas.
“Dad never really wanted to talk about it, and I don’t know why,” Maxton said. “But I started wanting to know how I could find out about my granddad and my great granddad.”
His research introduced him to the website newspapers.com — which is a collection of PDFs of old newspapers — and to ancestry.com
Soon, Maxton was spending hours online and in the Wichita Public Library, piecing together his family history. Through the course of that research, he also learned more about Wichita history and was fascinated.
Over time, he became an expert in tracking down all kinds of historical information using public databases and history websites. That kind of detective work appealed to him, he said, likely
because of his past with the postal service.
“For 15 to 20 years, my job was real technical. It was taking raw data and turning it into what I always called ‘actionable items” or “actionable results,” he said. “I got to be pretty good at figuring out how to get that and do something with it. And I recognize that’s what I’m doing: Where are the data sources, and how can I use them?”
In 2014, Maxton was deep into his local history obsession when Barb Myers, who at the time was a local history graduate student, started a Facebook group she called “Wichita History from My Perspective.” (The name has since been changed to “Wichita History from Our Perspective.”)
It quickly attracted people from around the city who shared Maxton’s passion and who would post photos and historical data they found interesting. The page also allowed local history buffs to connect with each other, both online and in person.
The site is also one of the reasons Maxton has become recognized as a go-to for historic information about Wichita. Not only is he willing to help individuals who are looking for information, but he’s also become a volunteer mentor to large groups. He’s an unofficial adviser to a tiny historical society in the small northeast Kansas town of Onaga. It’s made up of about six people in their 80s who started their own Facebook page and began posting pleas for help finding information.
He couldn’t resist digging up the details they wanted, and over the years, he’s continued to help the group, even though he’s never met any of the members in person. "That one sort of turned into my little pet project," he said.
Hillcrest history in works
Nearly three years ago, Maxton got in touch with the manager of the Hillcrest apartments and offered to do a historical presentation about the building for its residents. Maxton had always been interested in the building, and it became one of his favorite research topics.
The manager accepted the offer, and Maxton eventually put on two Hillcrest presentations. He then was asked to write a history of the Hillcrest to be published for the building’s 100th anniversary in 2027. He’s working on it now.
Maxton says he’s not sure if he’ll ever be able to stop helping people answer their historical questions. He has the knowledge, he said, so why not?
Just this month, he helped a woman who posted on Wichita History from Our Perspective that she was trying to research her grandmother’s house. He found information for another woman searching for descendants of a woman whose embroidery work she’d inherited. And he clarified for another person that the photo of Don’s Restaurant she had in her possession was likely not the Don’s Restaurant that once operated in Wichita.
“I’m just addicted to it,” he said. “I like anybody’s family history story, and if they’re sincere, I’ll try to figure out whatever. I have fun doing it.”
He’s also still devoted to the Lunch Bunch, which now meets about every three months, anytime a member can arrange a tour of an interesting building. And there are still plenty of interesting buildings left for them to tour, he said.
Maxton suggests that anyone interested in diving into local history join the Wichita History from Our Perspective Facebook page.
Don’t fall for the myths of ageism
The American Society on Aging is drawing attention to the existence and harm of ageism in our society through Ageism Awareness Day on Thursday, Oct. 9. In news release, the organization said ageism “is one of the most widespread and socially accepted forms of prejudice.”
And, the organization notes, many older people are guilty of ageism themselves. “Aging is a universal experience, but it happens in different ways for different people,” said Leanne Clark-Shirley, president and CEO of ASA.
“Too often, we think about aging only in terms of what we lose, and assume that everyone we consider to be ‘old’ has the same concerns and experiences. But that’s simply not true. Society is always stronger when we embrace the many different voices, experiences, and perspectives that make us who we are; our chronological age contributes to that richness and needs to be viewed as an asset.”
Learn more about ageism and how to take action at asaging.com.
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A TASTE OF WHAT’S NEXT
Thursday, November 6 • 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.
Sedgwick County Master Gardeners receive top award
By Pat Melgares K-State Extension News Service
A hands-on program led by volunteers in Sedgwick County to teach youngsters about the vital role trees play in Kansas communities has been named one of the top Master Gardener programs in the world.
The project — “‘How Trees Drink, Breathe and Grow” — won first place in the youth program category at the International Master Gardener conference in August, beating out 36 applications from 17 states.
“Through this program, students discover why trees matter, how they function and how we can collectively work together to help keep them healthy in our Kansas communities,” said Matthew McKernan, a horticulture agent with K-State Extension’s office in Sedgwick County.
In the class, learn about which parts of the trees are used in drinking and transporting water, breathing and exchanging gases, and how to determine the tree’s age and growth patterns.
Master Gardener Linda Self helps a young girl use a microscope to examine a tree sample
“A portion of the activity that I personally enjoy seeing is the fascination and wonder of the kids as they look at tree needles and twigs under a microscope,” McKernan said.
That allows youth to see the tiny openings that regulate gas exchange in tree needles and twigs.
In addition to McKernan, members of the K-State project team that were recognized McKernan, Master Gardener volunteer coordinator Debra Harries; Sedgwick County food crops horticulture agent Abbey Draut; and Master Gardener volunteers Susan Monette, Jean Nance and Randy Hall.
*Availability subject to change.
Don’t ‘paper over’ important end-of-life documents lifetime.
To death and taxes, add paperwork as the third inevitability in life.
And it’s prudent to have the third completed before the first approaches.
Here is important paperwork you may need, depending on individual circumstances, according to the National Institute on Aging:
Estate and finances
A will, which specifies how your property, money and other assets will be distributed when you die. Without a will, your estate distribution will be determined by state law. A will can also be used to specify funeral arrangements.
A durable power of attorney for finances, which names someone to make financial decisions for you if you are unable to do so during your
A living trust, which enables a trustee to manage assets placed into a trust before and after your death.
Advance care planning
A living will, which tells doctors how you want to be treated if you cannot make your own decisions about emergency treatment.
A durable power of attorney for health care, which names a proxy who can make health care decisions for you if you are unable to.
The NIA also recommends:
Putting your important papers and legal documents in one safe place, ideally with copies in another secure location. These should include information about your sources of income and assets, Social Security,
insurance, bank accounts, liabilities, deeds, car titles, credit cards and safety deposit boxes, along with health information such as current prescriptions, living wills and do-notresuscitate orders.
Telling someone you trust where those important documents can be found.
Talking to your loved ones and a doctor about the kind of medical care you want.
If necessary, giving a caregiver permission to talk to your doctor, lawyer, bank, insurance company or credit card company on your behalf.
This is not the same as giving them permission to act on your behalf.
The NIA suggests talking to a lawyer to set up a will, power of attorney or trust. Ask about fees before making an appointment. For more information, contact the Kansas Bar Association at (785) 234-5696 or the free Elder Hotline of Kansas Legal Services at (316) 267-3975.
Advance planning documents can be obtained for free from the Wichita Medical Research & Education Foundation. Visit wichitamedicalresearch.org or call (316) 686-7172.
Source: nia.nih.gov
October quiz: Finding the ‘ick’ factor
By Nancy Wheeler
The answers to these clues all have the “ick” factor —that is, they have the letters I-C-K in them. The answers appear on page 16.
1. Lyme disease is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected blacklegged arachnid called what?
2. What candy bar, allegedly named after a horse, was first manufactured in Chicago and sold for five cents?
3. What great Victorian novelist released most of his novels in weekly or monthly publication installments
October Theatre
By Diana Morton
ICT Rep, Amadeus Fictionalized story of the boy-genius Mozart and his musical contemporary, the court composer Antonio Salieri, whose life’s work is threatened by his jealousy of Mozart’s brilliance. Oct 10-26. Call 316-612-2543 for information and tickets.
including Oliver Twist and Great Expectations?
4. President Theodore Roosevelt’s political approach was quoted to be “Speak softly and carry a big __________?”
5. What Yankee centerfielder won the Triple Crown in 1956, leading the major leagues in batting average (.353), home runs (52), and RBIs (130)?
6. What type of a bruise is caused by the rupture of small blood vessels under the skin and is commonly known as a “love bite”?
7. What popular fast-food
Kechi Playhouse, 100 E. Kechi Road, Copper Moon by Misty Maynard Fri-Sat, 8 pm, Sun matinee 2:30 pm. Oct. 3-26. Tickets are $17 on Fri and Sat and $16 on Sundays. For more information, call 316-744-2152
Mosley Street Melodrama, 234 N. Mosley. Frank Einstein by Tom Frye followed by a new musical review. Sept 19-Nov 1. Tickets, dinner, & show $36-40; show only $26-30. 316-2630222
restaurant serves nuggets, sandwiches, and salads but is always closed on Sundays?
8. What New York City professional basketball team is named after a style of pants worn by Dutch settlers of the region?
9. What term refers to either a difficult situation or a small cucumber preserved in a vinegar solution?
10. What is a common nickname for the mythical and jolly fellow who brings presents to children at Christmastime?
11. What slogan was used by Kentucky Fried Chicken to advertise the deliciousness of their product?
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.
7:30 pm Thu – Sat; 2 pm Sat, Oct 10Nov 15. Tickets $40. 316-265-4400
Wichita Community Theatre, 258 N. Fountain. Misery by William Goldman based on the novel by Stephen King. Misery follows successful romance
12. What malady may cause travelers to reach for a “barf bag” when the plane encounters turbulence?
13. What nickname was given to Richard Nixon because of his reputation for political maneuvering and cunning during his campaigns and his presidency?
14. What light two-wheeled hooded vehicle drawn by one or more people is used chiefly in Asian countries?
15. What gunfighter, lawman, and American frontier folk hero earned the name “Wild Bill”?
novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes, and wakes up captive in her secluded home. Oct. 1626; 8 pm Thu-Sat; 2 pm Sun. Tickets $16-18. 316-686-1282
Contact Diana Morton at dianamorton12@sbcglobal.net
Actor writes the book on life in theatre
Tom Frye was a senior in high school when he took part in his first theatrical production — a Christmas show — at the suggestion of a teacher.
“That very first show, I wrote, starred and directed,” he recalls. “I don’t recommend it.”
Luckily for audiences here and elsewhere, Frye didn’t follow his own advice. This December will mark his 60the year doing just about everything possible in the theatre world. While Wichita is his base, he’s taken part in more than 400 productions in 35 states.
Frye recounts that creative work and much more in “Stages: The Life & Times of a Kansas Actor,” which is to be published this month.
The book is a breezy collection of 86 short chapters. In an interview, Frye said he initially doubted he could complete a long-term project such as a book because “when I do a project, the problem is I want it done now.”
About 15 months later, it was done. “I wrote 95 percent of it at Coffee Daze,” he said, referring to a coffee shop in College Hill. “It’s a great place to sit and work. And I didn’t miss a day. It was like an addiction.”
Frye has a prodigious memory and likes to tally up totals. He says
Tom Frye, shown performing "Tru" in 2000, has written or acted in hundreds of shows.
he’s written 51 show for Mosley Street Melodrama and directed many more — not to mention casting, lighting, producing and acting in the lighthearted fare.
“Backstage is just hilarious and we do horrible things to each other,” he said. “It’s great.”
One career highlight was starring around the country in the one-man play Tru, about Truman Capote, under the direction of its Oscar-nominated playwright. “Tru was like a vacation,”
he said — albeit one with a whole lot of lines to memorize.
While about half the book is devoted to theatre, Frye also writes about family, friends and his career as a teacher, and even throws in a little poetry. He taught theatre at Southeast, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, Independent high schools and Wichita State University
and special education at several other schools.
Frye has book signing set for 7-9 p.m. Oct. 7 and 14 at Coffee Daze, 3236 E. Douglas, and from 6-8 p.m. Nov. 7 at Watermark Books, 4701 E. Douglas.
What to know about this fall’s vaccines
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
With a longtime vaccine critic leading the nation’s health departments, can you give me updated information on which vaccines are recommended for Medicare seniors this fall?
—Medicare Mary
Dear Mary,
Even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is undergoing major cultural changes and upheaval, the overall fall vaccine recommendations for older adults resembles last year, with exception of the Covid shot. Here’s what you should know.
Flu shots for seniors
Just as it does, the CDC recommends a seasonal flu shot to everyone 6 months of age and older, but it’s especially important for older adults who have weaker immune defenses and have a greater risk of developing dangerous flu complications compared with younger, healthy adults.
For people age 65 and older, there are three different FDA approved flu vaccines (you only need one) that are recommended over traditional flu shots. These are the Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent, Flublok Quadrivalent (recombinant, egg free vaccine), and Fluad Quadrivalent.
All flu vaccines are covered 100 percent by Medicare Part B as long as your doctor, health clinic or pharmacy agrees not to charge you more than Medicare pays.
RSV shots
In addition to the flu shot, the CDC recommends a single-dose of RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccine for all adults age 75 and older, as well as to high-risk adults between ages 50 and 74. These are people who have chronic heart or lung disease, weakened immune systems, diabetes with complications, severe obesity, or who live in long-term care facilities.
The three RSV vaccines approved and available in the U.S. — Arexvy, Abrysvo and mResvia — are all covered under Medicare (Part D) prescription drug plans. But note that if you got an RSV shot last year, or when it first became available in 2023, you do not need to get a second dose this year.
Covid booster
If you haven’t had a Covid booster shot lately, the Food and Drug Administration recently approved the 2025–2026 Covid 19 vaccine.
But the new CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices just announced that they are no longer recommending Covid shots. Instead, they are recommending adults 65 and older and immunocompromised younger people should decide individually or with a doctor.
Covid shots are covered by Medicare Part B.
Pneumonia vaccines
If you haven’t been vaccinated for pneumonia, you should also consider getting the pneumococcal vaccine this fall. These vaccines are now recommended by the CDC to adults age 50 and older, instead of age 65, which was the previous recommendation.
If you’ve never been vaccinated for pneumonia, the PCV20 (Prevnar 20) or PCV21 (Capvaxive) are the top choices because they cover the most common serotypes.
Medicare Part B covers pneumococcal shots, and you only need to get it once.
Side-Effects and Safety
You should be aware that all these
vaccines can cause mild side effects like pain or tenderness where you got the shot, muscle aches, headache, fever or fatigue.
Also note that it’s safe to receive these vaccines at the same time, but it may be best to spread them out a week or two because multiple vaccinations on the same day may cause increased side-effects.
Find more tips from Savvy Senior by visiting theactiveage.com.
Please check your ad carefully and check off the applicable boxes and initial to indicate your acceptance. An e-mail confirmation is fine if no changes needed.
UseyourinsurancedeductibleNOWbeforetheendoftheyearwhenitstartsover
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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
Oct 1
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. Info not available.
Oct 8
10 am Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 Zoo Blvd. (316) 2668213, $4 Bat to the Bone 1:30 pm Advanced Learning Library, 711 W, 2nd, (316) 2618500, Free. The History of Book Banning in the United States.
Oct 15
10 am Ulrich Museum of Art, 1845 Fairmount St. Empty Bowls Wichita | Its Mission, History, and Partners.
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
1:30 pm Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E 29th St N. Exploring Kansas Snakes.
Oct 22
10 am Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main. Museum Docents Present Their Favorites
1:30 pm Mid American All-Indian museum. 650 N Seneca (316) 3503340, $2 + tax admission; free for MAAIM members. Info not available.
Oct 29
10am The Kansas African American Museum, 601 N Water. $3. Info unavailable.
1:30 pm Old Cowtown Museum. 1865 Museum Blvd $2 + tax; bers. Info unavailable.
Dances
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 OCT 2
Wed: Chili, corn ,applesauce, cinnamon roll.
Thu: Shepherds pie, mashed potatoes, broccoli w/cheese, mixed fruit
Fri: Cheese Omelet, potatoes O'Brien, Chilled tomatoes, fresh orange.
WEEK OF OCT 6
Mon: Fish sandwich w/ bun, cheese and set up, potato wedge, carrots, pears .
Tue: Goulash, garden salad, mixed fruit, garlic breadstick.
Wed: Southwest chicken bake, green beans, easy peach cobbler.
Thu: Beef soft taco, 2-tortillas, cheese, lettuce, carrots, applesauce.
Fri: Sloppy Joe topper, potato wedges, herbed green beans, mixed fruit.
WEEK OF OCT 13
Mon: CLOSED.
Tue: Ham & Bean, potato wedges, carrots & peas, blushing pears, corn muffin.
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.
Wed: Spaghetti, garden salad, spiced peaches.
Thu:Chicken & noodle, mashed potato, peas, apple, wheat roll & cake.
Fri: Cowboy beans, glazed carrots, stewed apples, corn bread muffin
WEEK OF OCT 20
Mon: Chicken pot pie w/ wheat biscuit, harvard beets, pears
Tue: Tomato soup, chicken patty sand, banana, vanilla pudding..
Wed: Bierock casserole, biscuit, garden salad, peaches.
Thu: Baked fish w/ tartar sauce, corn, mac & cheese. applesauce
Fri: BBQ Chicken, mashed potato. coleslaw, applesauce
WEEK OF OCT 27
Mon: Easy Lasagna, garden salad, fruit cobbler
Tue: Hamburger & Sausage gravy w/ biscuit, calico salad, mixed fruit.
Wed: Vegetable soup, grilled chicken sand bun, ambrosia salad.
Thu: Cheese bubrger w/ bun and set up, broccoli w/ cheese, pears
Fri: Madison's Pizza, broccoli/cauliflower salad, applesauce
* 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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Two prime Plots, side-by-side, at White Chapel Cemetery in the Garden Sermon on the
Resthaven, 2 side by side plots Located in Garden of the Cross. $4000 each seller pays transfer fee. 316-734-3292
2 lots at Resthaven & Gardens of Memory, Sermon on the Mount, lot 123d, spaces 3&4. $10,900 for both. 817-905-2277- Pete Thomas
Old mission cemetery at Hillside and 21st. One crypt in Mausoleum. Opening/closing negotiable. Call 316-253-9905.
Resthaven, 2 lots section 12 lot 34B spaces 3&4. 2 vaults, bronze plate and 2 concrete underground vaults. $14,500. Call 720-291-2545.
Single Plot – Resthaven Cemetery – Garden of the Cross 46A1 $5000 OBO Email: arkpegram@cox.net OR 479-644-6680 Serious inquires only
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
2 adjoining plots at Resthaven in Garden of Love, Lot #106. $5,000 each includes transfer fee. Cash or certified check only. Call Shelly 316-841-5891.
RESTHAVEN, Family Pkg in Garden of Devotion. Beautiful Location near Large Tree, with view of the Cross. 4 Plots, 2 Vaults & Bronze Dbl Memorial. Current Valuemore than $22,000. Sell for $13,500. Call/text for details & photos. 316-259-7660.
Lakeview Everlasting Life Lot- Lot 11 Space 7 with 2nd Right of Interment, 2 urn vaults, and 2 adult inurnments. Sell for $3,600 -OBO- seller pays transfer fee. Cash or cashier check. Call 316-218-3919 and please leave a message.
single burial plot at White Chapel Cemetery Wichita, KS – Section 1, Lot 1, Space 7. Asking $2,500 – includes $499 transfer fee. Email Brad Beets – bradshock87@gmail.com.
Resthaven. Double depth lawn crypt in Garden of Gospels. Lot 102-D space 2. Comes with Marker. Current Value $12,000, Asking $7,000. 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.
Two plots, side-by-side, at Wichita Park Cemetery in the coveted Acadia D Annex, Lot 140, Spaces 1 & 2. Both plots $5,100 (retail value $9.400). Transfer fees $295. Cash in USD, cashers check, or certified money order only accepted at the time the ownership papers are provided. Contact
Double stacker plots w/stone at Lakeview Cemetery. Purchased for $8,000. Asking $5,000. Buyer Pays transfer fee of $295.
ROOM for RENT in Quiet Bel-Aire cul-de-sac $500 a month . Single woman, non-smoker. No Pets. Not handicap accessible. Includes utilities, Internet, and use of kitchen and laundry room Ruth 316-992-6988
2 redwood Adirondack chairs $50. Weber Gas Grill, comes with new flavor bars $150 OBO. Call 316-685-2726.
Quantum Edge3 Power Adult Preowned Wheelchair. Adjustable height, reclining seat, joystick, detachable footrests, tilts, elevates, tight turn radius. Used indoors. $1000. 316-644-1984
Exquisite Bernhardt dining table on double pedestals w/two leaves seats up to 16 people.
8 upholstered side chairs and 2 arm chairs complete this like new set. Today's factory price is more than double this price of $3,500. Will forward picture to serious enquirers. 818-264-6617.
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Discount. 316-312-2177 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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Ancient Kansas history set in limestone
By Joe Norris
Now is the time of year when thousands of leaf peepers invade New England, where forests of maple trees turn vibrant reds and oranges. The emergence of fall colors is spectacular. But a fascinating process is underway here in Kansas, too. Our fall corals are emerging.
That’s right. Corals. The fossils of corals and other prehistoric marine life can be seen poking out of limestone fences, barns and courthouses throughout our state. When the first pioneers began settling in Kansas, trees were scarce but limestone was plentiful — because the plains of Kansas were once the floor of a vast inland sea. That seabed limestone became a primary building material in Kansas, and nearly all our state’s limestone is loaded with fossils. Because limestone is softer than the fossils embedded in it, the rock erodes before the fossils do. So after a century or two of exposure to wind and rain, the surface of the limestone begins to dissolve, and the fossils gradually become more exposed. Look closely, and you can almost imagine that the ancient sea creatures are wriggling their way out of the rock. We like to head north, up through the Flint Hills. Florence is a good place to start. Back in the 1870s, there was a huge limestone quarry
Seventh in a series about day trips around Kansas
here, employing hundreds of men. There are still a number of grand old limestone houses and buildings in town, including the 1884 Opera House. You won’t see “The Marriage of Figaro” there because the operas ended in 1917. But you can still enjoy the marriage of a blueberry muffin and a hot cup of coffee in the bakery on the old building’s main floor.
Four miles east of Florence is the one-room Bichet School, built from native limestone in 1896. It’s still in remarkably good shape. The schoolhouse, the two stone outhouses and the stone storm shelter are all that remains of the village where French immigrants once lived. The students all came from French families, but were required to speak English in the classroom.
Farther up the road is the Clements Stone Arch Bridge. Completed in 1886, it was proclaimed “one of the most handsome bridges in the state.” The road over the bridge was closed years ago. But if you don’t mind parking your car a few yards away and tramping through a bit of bramble, the old two-arch bridge is still a masterpiece.
Next, head up to the Tallgrass
Prairie National Preserve, north of Strong City. The first thing you’ll notice is the massive three-story limestone barn, completed in 1882. But also pay attention to the limestone fences. The rocky landscape made this land unsuitable for agriculture, but it was fine for grazing cattle. Starting in 1867, ranchers were required to build fences that contained their herd. So ranchers began prying flat limestone rocks out of their land and stacking them along their property lines, layer by layer. No mortar was needed. The limestone fences were held together by gravity and friction.
“A well-built dry stone wall can remain standing for 200 years,” Paul Miller wrote in an article for the Wabaunsee County Historical Society. “In fact, a dry-stone wall will last longer than one with mortar since it will shift and bend with the natural movement of the ground beneath.”
Head up to Alma next. The sign on the edge of town says City of Native Stone, but Alma is also famous for its cheese. Grab some curds to snack on as you head south on Route 99. That stretch of highway is part of the Native Stone Scenic Byway, and it wanders alongside some of the most beautiful stone fences in the state. You’re pretty much guaranteed to see some fossils in these rocks if you get up close.
Finally, make a stop in Cottonwood Falls to admire the stunning Chase County Courthouse. Built in 1873 from local limestone, it’s the oldest Kansas courthouse still in operation. And it still looks like a richly ornamented French castle from a Disney movie. Contact Joe Norris at Joe.norris47@ gmail.com
See next page
The one-room Bichet School in Marion County was built from native limestone in 1896 to serve a village of French immigrants.
Photos by Joe Norris
Above left, a massive three-story limestone barn is hard to miss at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. Although it no longer carries traffic, the Clements Stone Arch Bridge, above right, is still seen by many admirers on foot.
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Halloween in Scotland: Ghosts and guisers and rutabagas
By Anne Walling Growing
Guest Column
Anne Walling
up in Scotland in the 1950s, Halloween was all about guising — as we called trick or treating. This neighborhood event was strictly for children. Any teenager or adult attempting to muscle in on the activities would be resolutely mocked as acting like a bairn (baby). I don’t remember any outside guisers attempting to visit our street. Somehow, we all knew our territories and respected the unwritten rules. Halloween (often spelled Hallow’een) was uncommercialized and local – no decorations or shop-bought costumes and no events at school or adult parties. In the days leading up to Halloween, children assembled their own outfits from old clothes and other available items, although parental help was sometimes involved. By the time I was growing up, few children wore the traditional “back tae frontie man” costume that required wearing all
clothes from cap to trousers backwards. The theory behind that was to confuse any spirits wandering loose on Halloween and give the wearer more time to run away. As I remember, the most popular costume was a witch, requiring only a long black skirt and top with a hat made out of cardboard. The easiest transformation was into a ghost, if a mother would give up an old white sheet or tablecloth for the occasion. Children were innovative and emerged for guising disguised as pirates, cowboys, princesses, nurses and other characters.
Scotland is so far north that by early evening, it was very dark and suitably spooky. The traditional light for guising was a neep’s heid lantern, similar to a jack-o’-lantern but carved from a large rutabaga (neep). Believe me, pumpkins are much easier to carve. Most children were forbidden to attempt preparing the lanterns, and many parents had blisters or worse from wrestling the solid neep into shape with a sharp knife!
We went around the neighborhood
in groups of about four to six. Sometimes a parent accompanied a very young child, but usually the older kids were responsible for the group. Most adults stayed at home, awaiting visits from groups of guisers. At each house, the adult opening the door feigned shock and surprise at the costumed visitors and pretended not to recognize any of the children. Some called out to the adults assembled in the main room of the house to beware of the incoming spirits. In each house, a table was laid with offerings for the guisers in hopes of placating these wandering spirits. Store-bought candies were becoming more common, but most treats were homemade biscuits (cookies) or traditional sweets like toffee, tablet (a kind of crumbly fudge) and coconut ice (a bright pink sugar and coconut concoction) — all super sweet and addictive. We didn’t think highly of houses that offered fruit instead. Ginger ale and IRNBRU (Scotland’s most popular soft drink) were usually provided for children while the adults often enjoyed something stronger.
The offerings were not given freely; each guiser had to perform to earn the rewards. Each visit thus turned into a mini concert as every child sang a song, recited a poem, danced or came up with some other way to
entertain the audience. Rewards were dispensed by the lady of the house only after approval by the audience. In some houses, participation in traditional games was offered as an alternative to performing. These games were always messy and had a high probability of participants making fools of themselves, especially if hampered by costumes. The most common and benign game was dookin’ for apples. Without using their hands, guisers had to grab an apple floating in a basin of water. This is surprisingly difficult, especially for those children missing front teeth. It was usually safer to perform than accept the game challenge.
Once every house had been visited, the guisers trooped home, keeping wary eyes out for any witches, warlocks or other spirits that might be hiding in the dark. Safely indoors, we eagerly compared our hauls and opinions of the hospitality of each neighbor. By this time, it was late, Halloween was over and we could start anticipating and preparing for Scotland’s next major event – Guy Fawkes (Bonfire) Night on Nov. 5.
Anne Walling is a retired Wichita physician and the author of “Women in Medicine: Stories from the Girls in White,” published earlier this year.
