By Senator Jerry Moran

Kansas is a place where the pioneering spirit of its earliest settlers lives on today. In Kansas, we know our neighbors and look after them. We teach our children to be moral and responsible citizens. And we work hard to build a better future so our kids and grandkids can pursue their dreams and reach their goals. This is the reason I became interested in public service and it is the reason I remain involved today.

As your U.S. Senator, I am committed to listening to Kansans and making certain your voices are heard when decisions are made in our nation’s Capital. Since coming to Congress in 1997, I have made it my top priority to return home each weekend to visit with the folks who sent me to Washington on their behalf. Whether the conversations occur in line at the grocery store, at church, or when I’m filling up my truck at the gas station, the input I get from Kansans matters to me and impacts the decisions I make in Washington.

When I was elected to the House of Representatives, I launched the “Big First Listening Tour” and held annual town hall meetings in each of the First District’s 69 counties. I have continued this tradition as a Senator and have traveled throughout all 105 counties in our State as part of my new “Kansas Listening Tour” to hear directly from Kansans.

Last week I returned to Marion to hold my 1,000th town hall meeting since being elected to Congress – the same community I held my first town hall in as a U.S. Representative on July 18, 1997. More than 125 Kansans from Marion and the surrounding communities turned out for conversation, including a high school government class from Marion-Florence High School. It was inspiring to see the next generation interested in learning about our democracy.

The various topics discussed ranged from Obamacare and the nuclear option, to the government shutdown and water conservation. One question was raised by Peggy Blackman, the Marion Reservoir’s Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy Coordinator. She used the opportunity to visit with me about the importance of solving the Marion Reservoir’s blue-green algae problem. It was great to see Peggy again, who was at my very first town hall meeting back in 1997 at the County Courthouse. In addition to water conservation issues, Peggy visited with us about why making her voice heard is important.

“We choose to live rural because we like the slower pace. I’m thankful for the wonderful family life and caring, concerned and compassionate community rural Kansas provides,” Peggy said at the 1,000th town hall meeting. “I’m concerned that… Washington, D.C., doesn’t understand our way of life. We’re sitting out here, the breadbasket for the country and the world. It takes a greater effort by us to get our point across because we are so few in numbers.”

Peggy is right. I’ve often told people on Capitol Hill that where I come from in rural Kansas economic development can come down to whether or not there’s a grocery store in town. Few people in Washington understand how these things can be major issues. It’s something they don’t have to think about, but in so many of our communities across Kansas, keeping a local economy alive and well is about having a Main Street with a hardware store, grocer, and a pharmacy.

The reality is that without a change of direction in Washington, D.C., the future of rural America is in jeopardy. We must address the numerous challenges our country faces, from the increasing costs of Obamacare and government regulation, to out-of-control federal spending and providing certainty to the agricultural community.

Though some things have changed since my first town hall meeting, my efforts in Washington, D.C., remain much the same today as they were when I was first elected – to see that we have prosperity in the communities we call home. I will continue to fight on behalf of Kansans on Capitol Hill, and truly appreciate the input I get from you during my Listening Tour stops. Please continue to give me your questions, complaints and marching orders. I will work to make certain policymakers in our nation’s capital understand them as well.

Thanks again to the folks who joined me in Marion. I appreciated discussing national policy, but also enjoyed hearing Kansans share their stories of success and achievement. It was an enjoyable event that reinforced my long-held belief in the strength and spirit of our communities and the values that make Kansas a great place to live, work and raise a family. Our state will continue to thrive thanks to the work ethic, concern and kindness of its people.

The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author. These views and opinions do not represent those of the Post News Network and/or any/all contributors to this site

 From the Kansas Democratic Party Blog:

1.2 Million Kansans With Pre-Existing Conditions Now Protected

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies can no longer deny coverage, charge higher premiums, or limit benefits to the 1.2 million Kansans living with pre-existing conditions.

It is very tempting during the holidays to “take a break” from healthy eating, slide off the wagon, and simply make the conscious decision to overindulge. There are so many temptations, so many tasty treats available that it seems almost impossible to refrain.
Traditional holiday foods often lead to a just-as-traditional holiday weight gain. Research indicates the typical weight gain for an average-weight person is only about one pound during the long holiday season. That’s the good news.
Others, who already are overweight, are likely to gain an average of five pounds during the season’s eating.

The bad news– the research also revealed that weight gained during winter months (by almost anyone) is not usually lost during the rest of the year.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
The Ellis County Extension Office will host the free educational program “Focus on the ‘Stars’- Cooking Healthy For the Holidays” on Tuesday, December 10, at 12:00 noon, at the Extension Meeting Room, 601 Main Street, in Hays. Enter the rear door from the north parking lot.

Donna Krug, Barton County Extension FCS Agent, will share ideas to reduce the large amounts of fat and sugar often found in holiday recipes and focus more on the “star” ingredients– fruits and vegetables. The program will include recipes, tasting samples and nutrient comparisons for healthier versions of several holiday favorites. A leader guide and program handouts are available for those who would like to share this information with other groups.
Register at the Ellis County Extension Office, 785-628-9430, to ensure adequate materials. Bring a lunch to enjoy during the program, if desired; beverages will be provided.

The availability of a greater number of high-calorie, high-fat foods and social occasions can be factors in gaining holiday pounds, but that doesn’t mean that holiday weight gain is inevitable. Here are a few more tips for preventing weight gain during the holidays:
* Increasing physical activity is a good way to lessen the chance of gaining weight. Cold weather and slick outdoor conditions may call for indoor exercise. Several ten minute walks a day or other exercise, such as stationary bicycling, helps burn calories, reduce stress and regulate the appetite.

* Satisfy your hunger with whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products and lean protein foods. Limit consumption of high-calorie soft drinks, fruit-flavored punches and beverages containing alcohol. These add calories without nutritional benefit.

* Indulge in holiday favorites, but choose moderate portions, especially of high-fat, high- sugar foods. It is the first bite or two of cake, candy or pie that tastes the best. Maximize your eating pleasure by sampling holiday foods, rather than gorging on them.

* Reduce temptation. Store sweets, snacks and leftovers out of sight. Incidental eating– helping yourself to a high-calorie goodie every time you’re in the vicinity– is a sure way to add unwanted pounds.

* Get adequate rest. People often eat more when they are tired.

* Shift the focus away from food. Invest your time in the spirit of the season with family, friends, and helping others, or in non-food-related leisure activities. Food can contribute to a festive holiday, but people– and our relationships with them– are usually what is most remembered.

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

July 3, 2008. It was one of those terrible, horrific moments when one’s worst fears become reality. The police detective walked into the room and said to the parents: “Brace yourself. We found Jana. She is deceased.” It is every parent’s worst nightmare. In that moment, Curt and Christie Brungardt knew that their twenty-five-year-old daughter was gone.

After the shock came the realization that something must be done. As Curt and Christie said, “We have two choices. We can grieve, or we can grieve and act. We chose the latter.” This is the story of Jana Mackey, a victim of domestic violence, and the remarkable campaign based on her life.

Drs. Curt and Christie Brungardt are faculty members at Fort Hays State University. Curt, a Garden City native, studied at Fort Hays State and ultimately helped found the leadership studies program there. He later earned a doctorate at K-State.

Christie grew up in Harper County, 15 miles from Anthony, Kan., population 2,361 people. Now, that’s rural.

After graduation from Northwest Oklahoma State, Christie started a commodities brokerage business in Anthony and later opened an office in Hays. She returned to school and earned a master’s in leadership studies at Fort Hays State, where she met and married Curt. At the urging of an administrator, while a graduate student, Christie agreed to teach a class at the university. She found she loved it and ultimately joined the faculty, earning a Ph.D. from K-State as well. In 2002, the Brungardts founded the Center for Civic Leadership at Fort Hays State to expand regional civic engagement throughout the region.

Daughter Jana grew up at Hays and went to KU. She changed her major from music to women’s studies, as she became passionate about women’s rights and became an advocate for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. She lobbied on these issues at the statehouse and entered the KU law school.

Then on July 3, 2008, the absolutely unthinkable happened. Jana was murdered at the hands of her ex-boyfriend in his home in Lawrence. As one friend said, due to Jana’s expertise, the last person who she would expect to be a victim of domestic violence was Jana.

“It can happen to anyone or anyone’s family,” Christie Brungardt said.

The tragedy appeared senseless. More than 1,000 attended Jana’s funeral. Curt Brungardt challenged those in attendance to carry on the legacy of Jana’s work and advocacy.

That led to the creation of something called Jana’s Campaign, Inc. Jana’s Campaign has the mission of reducing gender and relationship violence. The program seeks to help break the cycle of domestic and dating violence and be a catalyst for social change. Jana’s Campaign has five program areas: Public awareness and community action; education, prevention and intervention; public policy advocacy; campus action; and engaging men and boys to reduce gender violence.

For example, in the public policy arena, Curt and Christie actively worked on proposed legislation to assist the criminal justice system in documenting crimes involving domestic violence. In 2010, the governor signed the most comprehensive legislation dealing with domestic violence in the state’s history.

“We’re seeing lots of growth in the program areas of campus action and engaging men and boys,” Christie said. With the Brungardts’ help, the football coach at Thomas More Prep-Marian (TMP-Marian), a co-educational parochial school in Hays is doing a program on Coaching Boys into Men which helps teach young men issues of respect and awareness of gender-based violence.

“If there was a mastermind to Jana’s Campaign, it was Curt,” Christie said. “His single focus outside of work is to advance this cause.”

For more information, go to www.janascampaign.org and www.1100torches.org.

It’s time to leave Curt and Christie Brungardt. They are leading Jana’s Campaign in memory of their daughter but also because her story is a lesson and an inspiration for all those who care about domestic violence.

In many ways, their work mirrors the socially engaged leadership which the Brungardts teach in their classes. “We decided to live our discipline of civic leadership and model behaviors,” Curt said. “Let’s change the world. Let’s make a difference.”

By: Lucia Bain, Kansas Room Librarian, Hays Public Library
November is a month to be thankful. I am thankful for my health, my home, my family, my job and this year I am incredibly thankful because my husband and I are expecting our first child! As busy as my life has been in the last two years, I suspect that, come April, it will become a lot more hectic. I’ll be taking a few weeks off when the baby comes, but I have plenty of projects and programs to get through before the big arrival. November is no exception.
There are some new print items available in the Kansas Room, including Dragging Wyatt Earp by Rober Rebein, The Big Divide by Diane Eickhoff and Aaron Barnhart, Hooked Rugs of the Midwest by Mary Collins Barile, and Green Town U.S.A., by Daniel Wallach. Stop by the Kansas Room to check out these and other new titles!
The Kansas Room is sponsoring three programs in November – a line dancing class, a wheat weaving demonstration, and a wine tasting event. The line dancing class will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6 PM in the Schmidt Gallery. Vanessa North from the children’s department will be teaching participants how to slide, shimmy and shuffle their way through popular line dances. Wear comfortable shoes and leave your fears at the door. Vanessa’s classes are easy to follow and entertaining.
On Friday, Nov. 22 at 2 PM in the Schmidt Gallery, local resident Patricia Albrecht will be leading a wheat weaving demonstration. Audience members will have the opportunity to see some of Patricia’s handiwork, as well as watch her weave a simple, braided wreath. For those who want to try their hand at weaving, Patricia will also be teaching participants how to construct a simple wheat braid on their own. Wheat weaving is a beautiful folk art and a great way to appreciate Kansas’ most abundant crop.
Finally, on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 6 PM in the Schmidt Gallery there will be a wine tasting event led by Clayton Cutter. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about and sample eight different wines from some of the best wine producing regions of the world. This will be an excellent opportunity to learn about different varieties of wine and maybe even get a few ideas for what to serve with this year’s holiday meals. This event will be free to the public, but spaces are limited. Only the first twenty five people to sign up will receive a ticket to the event, so if you want to attend, be sure to contact me right away. You can either call me at 785-625-9014 to request a ticket or email me at [email protected]. You must be 21 years old to attend this event.
Last month I attended a meeting in Topeka to discuss the Turning Points film project, for which Hays was selected. Don’t forget, our community’s turning point is the formation of the Hays Arts Council in the mid-1960s. It looks like things will really start rolling in the next couple of months as the story is mapped and the interviews are scheduled! The premier of the film will take place in late spring. Keep watching my column for more updates on the Turning Points project as it develops.
The Kansas Room is open from 9 AM to 4:30 PM on Mondays, 9 AM to 6 PM Tuesday through Friday and by request.

By John Schlageck, Kansas Farm Bureau

When I think about the perils associated with winter travel, I think about my dad’s simple, but sound advice, “Stay off the roads.”

Dad has lived by this creed for more than 70 years in northwestern Kansas. He’s seen his share of blowing and drifting snow. When he talks about western Kansas blizzards, the years of ’31 and ’57 are singled out.

The ’31 blizzard hit on April Fool’s Day and killed hundreds of cattle. One of Dad’s neighbors lost 80 head of cattle in a pasture less than a quarter mile west of their small community of Seguin.

I was just a youngster, but I remember the blizzard of ’57. Snow drifted as high as the roof on my friend, Vernon Rietcheck’s two-story home. We sledded down the drifts and played in the snow all day.

Our parents weren’t as lucky. There were roads to open and cattle to feed and water. Our homes were without electricity for five days.

May father and those hearty souls who lived on the High Plains learned from these storms. He learned to travel only when necessary – to feed, water and care for his livestock. He never traveled anywhere in his pickup without several pairs of gloves, a scoop shovel, a log chain and chains for the rear tires.

Dad always wore a cap with ear protection and carried a couple extra on the front seat of his pickup in the winter. The trunk of our car also had extras. He knew a person couldn’t last long outside in freezing weather with all of your body heat escaping through the top of a bare head.

If we traveled anywhere during the winter months, the trunk of the family car was always packed with extra warm clothes, blankets, overalls, gloves, a flashlight, fresh batteries, chains and a shovel to clear the snow from in front of the tires.

Dad had been stuck in snow before. He’d heard of, and known of, people who were stranded and froze to death in some of the fierce northwestern Kansas blizzards. Before every winter season began, and often throughout, he’d remind us of these stories.

My father always topped off his fuel tanks for winter travel. He believed a full tank provided extra weight on the rear wheels.

“It runs better on the top half (of the tank),” he always said.

Although Dad never carried sand bags in the back of his car or trucks, he did carry extra weight during the winter. He always lugged around tractor tire weights while some of his neighbors preferred sand and sprinkled the gritty stuff in front of their tires for extra traction in snow and ice.

If someone absolutely had to go out during a winter storm, Dad preached extra time and patience. If you’re frightened or overly concerned about weather conditions – don’t drive. Wait the storm out.

Remember, it takes a while to find your “driving legs” each new winter season, he’d say.

Relax. Sit back in the seat. From time to time take deep breaths. Don’t grip the wheel until you knuckles turn white.

Try to anticipate what other drivers intend to do. Let them speed, spin, slip and slide. Allow at least twice as long to reach your destination. Concentrate on the road ahead, behind and on your right and left.

While driving during hazardous weather brings out the worst in some drivers, it can also bring out the best in others. Some welcome the chance to brave the elements. To drive safely under such conditions can provide a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment.

Drive safely and know your limitations. Remember, if you have to take a chance that could result in an accident or worse, “Stay off the road.”

John Schlageck is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas. Born and raised on a diversified farm in northwestern Kansas, his writing reflects a lifetime of experience, knowledge and passion.

Hays Public Library activities for the week of December 1.

Sunday

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

Let’s visit the tallest building in the world. It’s located in the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The building is named the Burj Khalifa – sometimes called the Dubai Tower. When this incredibly impressive structure was built, who do you suppose was one of the lead architects? Would you believe, a man from rural Kansas?

Ed Thompson is a long-time architect who played a leading role in managing the design team for this amazing building. He grew up halfway around the globe from Dubai, in the middle of rural Kansas.

Ed is from the south central Kansas community of Pratt, although his family moved around because his father worked in the oilfield. They also lived at the rural communities of Ellis, population 1,852, and Wilson, population 791 people. Now, that’s rural.

From an early age, Ed knew he wanted to be an architect. While in the school of architecture at K-State, Ed visited several architectural firms. One of them caught his eye, a Chicago-based firm known as Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill which did international commercial work. After graduation from K-State, Ed had the opportunity to join that very firm and spent a 40-year career there.

Ed married Susan who also came from Pratt. In fact, the same doctor delivered them. Ed and Susan would follow his career with Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill around the world. The company developed a specialty in fast-tracking large projects so that construction could begin while design continued. Ed’s career would take him around the globe.

“You go where the opportunities are, following the economy,” Ed said. His first big assignment was in Wichita where he worked on the design and construction of the Fourth Financial Center. After that, he helped open the company’s office in Tehran. “It was fascinating,” he said. “We wanted to immerse ourselves in the local culture. Susan even learned Farsi from going to the marketplace.”

His career next took them to Texas – which, after all, is also a whole other country. Ed worked on large banks and other buildings in Houston and Dallas.

Then they moved to London where he worked on the Liverpool Train Station and Canary Wharf. The train station was fascinating because it had to be built over the existing railroad tracks. Canary Wharf was a part of the London docklands which had been heavily bombed during World War II.

The Thompsons moved back to Chicago where he worked on the Trump Tower there.

Another fascinating project was the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.

“Dubai wisely saw that the oil economy would eventually run out, so they wanted to convert their economy from oil to finance and tourism,” Ed said. Construction of the tower became a centerpiece of that transformation.

The technical challenges were immense. “We were literally going where no one had gone before,” Ed said. For example, no one had done wind readings at the height which the company was to be building or had pumped concrete to that level. “We drew upon the world’s intellectual resources to help accomplish the project.”

Each challenge was surmounted and the building was finished in 2009. Standing 2,722 feet tall, it is based on huge piers which were drilled deep in the sandstone, topped by a 12-foot-thick layer of concrete. The exterior of the building is constructed in a spiral design to counter the wind.

“There were lots of firsts in designing this building,” Ed said. According to one website, the building set 16 different world records. Ed’s role was in managing the process. “It’s like being the leader of a symphony,” he said.

After retirement, Ed continues to consult with the firm. Eventually he and Susan moved back to Manhattan, Kan., where their daughter lives with her husband and five children. “I like Kansas,” he said. “I like the people.”

It’s time to leave Dubai where we’ve been visiting the world’s tallest building. We commend architect Ed Thompson who is making a difference by giving leadership to these remarkable projects around the world. He has definitely taken his architectural career to new heights.

by Stu Ellis, FarmGate blog

In his recent analysis of crop insurance guarantees, University of Illinois Farm Management Specialist Gary Schnitkey makes the observation that the significantly lower guarantees expected for the 2014 crop demonstrates the inappropriate nature for crop insurance to be the lone safety net for agriculture.
Crop insurance can provide support from planting to harvest, but once the fall guarantee is set on a revenue protection policy, there is no more that crop insurance can do to provide financial support. Consequently, the type of safety net and the level of funding that Congress will appropriate become increasingly important as commodity prices continue to spiral downward.
The four top leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees have become their own self-appointed Conference Committee to resolve the differences between the House and Senate’s versions of a new Farm Bill.

While food and nutrition programs have received the most attention because of the lightning rod nature of funding those programs, little public attention has been given to the farm policy debate within the small group of negotiators.
While they represent their respective houses of Congress, they are trying to find middle ground on resurrecting target prices, using specific prices or year to year averages, and how much money to allocate toward a single season crop insurance program versus year to year support programs.
Ohio State University agricultural economist Carl Zulauf looked back at commodity support programs in past farm bills and said countercyclical programs in the 1996 Farm Bill were 5.6 times the level of spending on crop insurance and 2.8 times crop insurance outlays in the 2002 Farm Bill.
He said, “Countercyclical programs are designed to provide assistance against multiple-year declines in price or revenue.”
Since the 2008 Farm Bill, annual spending has only averaged a half billion dollars on countercyclical programs, but over $4 billion on crop insurance, which he says is a function of the large increase in commodity prices.
“This increase has not only reduced spending on countercyclical programs as market price rose above the policy target prices but also increased spending on insurance as the value of insured crops rose.”
Zulauf says the direct payment program from the last several Farm Bills has been in conjunction with the recent period of farm prosperity, and those supports were twice the level of the supports during the period of prosperity in the 1970s.
With the demise of direct payments in future farm policy, Congress is weighing how to redistribute those $6 billion per year dollars across a year to year safety net versus single season crop insurance programs.
Zulauf says, “However, over 60 percent of the eliminated direct payments remain in spending on the safety net for field crops. Between 65 percent (House) and 81 percent (Senate) of these dollars are used for multiple-year commodity price support programs while the remainder is shifted to single-year crop insurance programs.”
He says this issue has received little attention so far in the Farm Bill debate, but could emerge as a key farm policy issue if commodity prices continue their downward plunge.

Summary:
Crop insurance can protect the value of a crop during its growing season, but not during the marketing year. That has to be a function of any farm policy safety net, and that discussion has not been at the forefront of the on-going debate to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the legislation. With declining values of farm commodities, any price support program and its design will have to become a key part of the debate in the final days before expected passage.

By John Schlageck, Kansas Farm Bureau

The image of Mom with her nose buried in the front page, Dad reading the sports page and the kids chuckling their way through the comics, harkens back to long ago days when news exposure in the home was a family affair. Sections of the daily paper were shared just like the space around the glow of the round radio dial and later the television set.

Young Americans were huge consumers of news just a few decades ago. Millions of baby boomers consumed their news in mass quantities.

During this time period, two out of three young adults watched the nightly news on CBS, NBC or ABC. These three media giants ruled the airwaves pitching cars, cigarettes, soft drinks and other consumer goods between news segments. Today cable and satellite television news commercials still pander to the same boomers only now they’re marketing prescription drugs.

Older Americans continue to schedule their late afternoons around a daily “appointment” with television news. Fewer and fewer young people behave that way and most don’t set aside a specific time of the day to “get their news.”

About one in six young adults and a like proportion of teens watch the news nightly. By contrast, more than two of every five older adults watch the national news religiously and a slightly larger number follow local TV news.

Some studies say today’s young Americans are less interested in news than their counterparts of a generation or two ago. Other contemporary analysis claims the digital revolution is bringing young people back to the news.

One thing is for certain, the notion that young people do not care about the news is dead wrong. What’s happening is they rely on a different distribution system.

Young people today are still interested in news. They want to keep abreast of the environment, health, food, nutrition, sports and many of the same issues that have always driven people to seek information. They still crave a daily diet of hate, death and war.

However, they’d much rather read about it on their smart phone, iPad and computer – anything but the daily newspaper. Media use today has become a solitary affair.

Today, two out of three young adults largely ignore this wood-based relic. Two out of every five pay almost no attention to national and local television news as well.

I’m not making this up. These figures come from a recent study on press, politics and public policy from one of the most revered institutions of higher learning located on the East Coast.

When it comes to newspapers today, only one in five older adults remains an avid newspaper reader. An avid reader is defined as one who reads every day and pays close attention to news stories while doing so. Only one in 12 young adults and a scant one in 20 teens rely on newspapers as a source of information in their daily lives.

Age differences shrink for Internet-based news, but do not disappear. Older adults are less likely than young adults and teens to access the Web; however, they make greater use of it as a news source.

Still, none of these three age groups use Internet-based news heavily. About one in seven older adults, one in eight young adults and one in 12 teenagers are heavy users of the Internet for news.

Few Americans believe they must be plugged into each and every news source. Most are comfortable with the medium of their own choice. Older adults choose what’s comfortable to them while younger news gatherers like to explore the latest avenues and sources of technology.

In 2013 younger Americans have opted for new ways of getting their news. They tap into entertainment programs, comedy, new media, acquaintances or an irregular mix of traditional media.

It is simply not true that the Internet and social media are responsible for the decline in news interests among young Americans. Many factors have contributed including a weakening of the home as a place where news habits are acquired.

John Schlageck is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas. Born and raised on a diversified farm in northwestern Kansas, his writing reflects a lifetime of experience, knowledge and passion.

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

What do we do with our equipment after the electricity has temporarily been off? The answer is, we power up. Today in the conclusion of a two-part series, we’ll learn about a remarkable young woman who is giving leadership in various ways across the state – including a group known as PowerUps.

Liz Sosa is a young professional in Garden City, Kan. As we learned last week, she grew up at Hugoton and is manager of a small business in Garden City. She also plays several other roles, professionally and as a volunteer. All of these might be described as community spirit or civic engagement.

“I learned it from my parents,” Liz said. “My dad was a speech pathologist and my mother is a high school English teacher. They were both civically engaged.” They were deeply involved in clubs, activities, church and community.

“My parents set the example early on,” Liz said.

For Liz, her first big civic undertaking was when a friend was hired to work on the Main Street program in Garden City. Liz got involved as a volunteer and ultimately served as vice chair of the board.

Liz later got involved with a group called Public Square Communities which we have previously profiled. Founded by Terry Woodbury, this organization seeks to rebuild communities by connecting leaders through dialogue and action. The Public Square process involves people from four sectors: business, education, government and human services.

Liz became a community facilitator for the Public Square process in 2011. Terry Woodbury retired as CEO and is now a project advisor. In September 2013, Liz was named chief executive officer for Public Square Communities. Jeanette Siemens of Pratt serves as chief operating officer and Liz Hendricks of Howard serves as chief financial officer.

Liz maintains her volunteer activities as well. In 2011, she graduated from the Leadership Kansas program. In 2012, she served as local program chair for the Garden City Leadership Kansas session. In 2013 she became the state program chair, and will serve again in 2014.

Several years previously, Garden City hosted the annual Kansas Sampler Festival. Wendee LaPlant from the Garden City Convention and Visitors Bureau did such a good job of working with the festival that she ultimately became assistant director to Marci Penner at the Kansas Sampler Foundation.

Marci and Wendee care deeply about rural Kansas. They started brainstorming about how to involve young citizens and the future of the state. All too often, young people are not asked to be involved in the leadership of rural communities or are invited as a token voice of youth.

In June 2009, Marci Penner convened a meeting of young people to discuss this topic. What followed might best be described not as a formal organization but as a movement, a gathering of young people now called PowerUps. These are young people who are described as rural by choice. In other words, they have lots of alternatives for locating their homes or careers but choose to live or work in a rural setting.

For example, PowerUps are found in rural communities such as Wamego, population 4,220; Eureka, population 2,940; Clearwater, population 2,173; Alma, population 785; Claflin, population 691; and Lucas, population 427 people. Now, that’s rural.

As we have previously profiled, PowerUps are persons ages 21 to 39. Rural persons age 40 and up are called PowerOns. Sparks are those people younger than 21 who aspire to be Power Ups.

Liz Sosa is active in the PowerUp movement. In fact, she is the PowerUps liaison with the Kansas Sampler Foundation. For more information about these organizations, go to www.publicsquarecommunities.com and www.ruralbychoice.com.

So what do we do with our equipment after the electricity has temporarily been off? We power up. In other words, we restart our equipment and bring it back up to operating strength. In a similar sense, our communities can make a fresh start by engaging the ideas and creativity of our young people. We commend Liz Sosa and all those involved with the PowerUps for making a difference with their involvement. These PowerUps can generate a lot of energy.