Senator Jerry Moran toured Hays Med Thursday as part of a statewide tour to better understand the current state of healthcare in the state of Kansas.  During the tour, Moran greeted numerous staff and asked questions about the hospital’s current operation, patient services, and staffing struggles.

Moran first visited the hospital’s new breast care center where he was shown the hospital’s state-of-the art equipment for cancer detection.  Next, he visited the remodeled nursery and NICU unit.  Finally, he was shown the oncology departments which are currently under construction.

Moran spoke with department directors and nursing staff as he was shown around the various sections of the facility.

After the tour Moran said that he thoroughly enjoyed his tour of Hays Med, specifically the attitude of the staff he had the pleasure of speaking to.

“Nothing at Hays Med is ever status quo.  It’s always looking for the next step; how do we provide better service, how do we provide more service, how do we take care of another set of patients.  So the things that I saw were impressive, but the overall thing that you see when you’re at Hays Med is this continued drive for doing things better and serving people more.”

Moran added that, having visited 127 hospitals in Kansas, he feels like he has a better understanding of the services being offered and the challenges these facilities face.

“I come away from this tour being optimistic; seeing what quality of care, what opportunities exist.  Even though Hays is the regional center, we’re still pretty much out here on the frontier and the idea that you can access the kinds of things that we saw today should be very reassuring to people who decided to live their lives in western Kansas.”

The 13th Annual Frost Fest Illuminated Parade is being held this Saturday December 7th beginning at approximately 6:00 pm in downtown Hays.  The theme for this year’s event was Inside Santa’s Workshop, which all parade entries have to somehow incorporate.

Parade-goers will have the opportunity to vote via text message for their favorite float by sending a text message to 785-639-HAYS with the entry number (which should be on a sign attached to the float).  The entry receiving the most votes will be awarded the People’s Choice Award and $200.00 in Chamber Checks.

Prior to the parade, community members can also enjoy the following at the Hays Public Library

• 10am: Breakfast & Story Time with Santa (Ages 11 and under, Registration Required)
• 12pm to 4pm: Holiday Card Center
• 12pm to 4pm: Parade Float Building (Ages 12+)
• 1pm to 4pm: Pictures with Santa & Chilly
• 2pm: Cookie Decorating
• 3pm: Reindeer Games (designed for ages 11 and under, but everyone is welcome)
• 4pm: Hot Chocolate will be provided.

The FrostFest committee is asking for assistance from the public to ensure the safety of all participants and spectators during the parade. The committee requests that no vehicles be parked in the stalls located along Main Street between 13th and 7th. In addition, they have asked all parade participants to hand out candy rather than throw it, and for parents to keep a close eye on children during the parade to keep them from running into the street.

The Hays Community Theatre is performing the Charles Dickens Classic “A Christmas Carol.”  Performances are December 13th and 14th at 7pm and December 15th at 2pm in the 12th Street Auditorium in Hays, Kansas.

Cost of admission is a non perishable food item or a free will donation.

Director Samie Pfeifer, a senior at FHSU, says that even though this is a show many people are familiar with, the message from Charles Dickens classic work is just as relevant as ever.

“I think it’s an amazing moral that we learn over and over again every year.  The idea of starting over with the winter solstice is always very purifying…. I think that it’s very important for us to remember that in our day and age that want and ignorance are still very vital vices in our era, and we need to take note of that.”

One way she says she’s unique in her directing style is that the cast has been regularly given educational materials and character development homework, which she says has helped the community actors deliver a great performance.

Pfeifer has been involved in theatre since she was 11 years old, starting with A Christmas Carol at the community theatre.  She will graduate from FHSU this month with a degree in communication studies with an emphasis in theatre (her finals week is the week of the show’s performance).  Pfeifer plans on attending graduate school, and while she may come back to help theatre grow in the community, she isn’t making any commitments beyond the immediate future.

“Coming back to help teach and educate more would be nice.  I don’t know if that’s necessarily what I want to do, but I love theatre and I love for people to love theatre.  So I’m really hoping that doing this show I can teach the people I’ve been in theatre with for a long time, show them some new insight from what I’ve learned.”