FHSU University Relations

A $3.5 million donation from the foundation of a northwest Kansas philanthropist made possible the construction of the Dane G. Hansen Scholarship Hall at Fort Hays State University.

Gifts and contributions from many other individuals will help support the university’s entrepreneurship program and the residence hall that will house 32 entrepreneur-minded students and a resident assistant. Those donors were recognized at a news conference in the FHSU Memorial Union, Tuesday, July 26.

The facility, set for completion for the fall 2016 semester, will create a nationally unique living and learning environment for students with a passion for entrepreneurship and starting their own businesses. Students of any major will be given the opportunity to develop the entrepreneurial
mindset and competencies necessary to compete in the global economy.

“This is an exciting time for Fort Hays State University,” said Dr. Mirta M. Martin, FHSU president. “The next Microsoft or Google could potentially be created at our university by a Fort Hays State graduate. This is an incredibly unique facility as it offers an opportunity unlike many others for interdisciplinary program participation.

“Because of the vision and investment of the Dane G. Hansen Foundation and many other generous donors,” Martin added, “students from any degree program will have the opportunity to learn how to start and be successful in their own business. I talk about investment because this is not a donation. This is an investment in the future of this great state. And the future starts with our students.”

Several people spoke at the news conference, including Coleen Ellis, a 1987 graduate of FHSU who — inspired by her entrepreneurial experiences learned at Fort Hays State — created the first stand-alone pet funeral home in the country in Indianapolis, Ind., in 2003.

“Every one of us has our ‘whys’ for what we do in our entrepreneurial journey,” Ellis said, “as well as our individual decisions to support this amazing new program here at FHSU and help other budding entrepreneurs.”

“In today’s economy, entrepreneurship is a participant’s leg up to enter the business world,” said Jim Nokes, a retired FHSU alum who has contributed financially to the entrepreneurship program. “Just like aspirational athletes, if you aspire to be an entrepreneur it requires not only aspiration, but training and development.

“This program provides both formal development and peer interaction. Whether students start small, or obtain financing to start a larger business, there are many pitfalls along the way. This program will allow FHSU students to avoid some start-up pitfalls, so that they can accomplish their dream. And in the end, they will have challenging and satisfying careers,” he added.

Phyllis and Alan Slipke said: “FHSU provided us the tools to get where we are today. We cherish the experiences we have from FHSU and are very fortunate to be able to contribute back and help future generations of Tigers.”

Naming options are still available within the facility, in support of the entrepreneurship program. To learn more, contact the FHSU Foundation either by phone at 785-628-5620 or by emailing [email protected].

Donors have the opportunity for naming rights to the entrance to the building, the study lounge, patio, elevator tower, bedrooms and other areas of the building.

Mark Bannister, FHSU’s dean of the College of Business and Entrepreneurship, thanked the donors, stressing how important “entrepreneurship is to northwest Kansas, to Kansas and to America.

“We at Fort Hays State University have found that many young people today want to control their own destinies and to have a positive impact on their communities through entrepreneurship,” Bannister said.

“We believe that by equipping students from across campus with entrepreneurial skills and experiences, we can inspire students and open doors to opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable,” he continued. “Through this effort, we can serve the people of Kansas by developing graduates with an ‘entrepreneurial mindset’ and abilities.”

Henry Schwaller IV, director of FHSU’s Entrepreneurship Center and instructor in the Management and Marketing Department, agreed.

“The investment and support of our donors has built one of the fastest growing entrepreneurship programs in the United States,” he said. “Our focus on hands-on entrepreneurship learning is unique to Kansas and the region, and with the scope of programs we offer today, FHSU is truly the innovation hub of western Kansas.”

“One of our jobs at FHSU is to attract Kansas’ bright minds and keep them here so they can become part of the economic engine of the state,” Martin said. “We now have an incredible facility to get those bright minds to Fort Hays State University.”

An open house and dedication of the scholarship hall is planned as part of FHSU’s 2016 Homecoming activities the first weekend of October, with an exact time still to be determined.

The completion of the scholarship hall is a fitting tribute to Dane G. Hansen and all that he represented.

“Dane Hansen was a strong believer in western Kansas, a promoter of education and was very much an entrepreneur himself,” said Don Bickle, a longtime FHSU supporter. “I knew Dane Hansen well, and I know he would be very proud and pleased with the Hansen Foundation for its ongoing partnership with Fort Hays State University and its investment in this program.

Bickle was impressed how the scholarship hall “combines all of (Hansen’s) greatest interests into one project.”

“What a great way to recognize an incredible Kansas citizen who has given so much,” Bickle said. “We’re just so pleased to be a part of this program. I know he would be very proud and pleased with this program as well.”

Many alumni, including Ken Griffin and Marcia Bannister, are excited about the opportunities that the Hansen Scholarship Hall will offer current students.

“Today, we give to Fort Hays State University for two reasons,” Griffin said. “First, the financial gift is a part of our desire to ‘pay it forward’ for the next generation. Second, we believe that the Hansen Foundation Entrepreneurial initiative is a wonderful idea. It will make a huge difference in facilitating students seeking to link innovative ideas with the practical realities of developing new business ventures.”

FHSU’s entrepreneurship initiatives range from business startup weekends to a lecture series to entrepreneurship internships.

Supporting the Hansen Scholarship Hall is another way for BOK Financial executive vice president Daryl Craft to support his alma mater, a place that had a big influence on his life.

“I give Fort Hays State much of the credit for providing me a very solid education, a taste for always wanting to know more and the confidence to break out and try new and different experiences,” Craft said. “I am a big supporter of the College of Business and Entrepreneurship at FHSU, and, of course, the Dane G. Hansen Scholarship Hall, a place for budding entrepreneurs to live and to learn.”

Kevin Faulkner, vice president of investor relations at Apigee Corp. in San Jose, Calif., said he is “impressed with the programs that Fort Hays State has built to teach entrepreneurial skills.”

“Having spent my career in Silicon Valley, I appreciate the economic benefits and business challenges of entrepreneurship. FHSU gave me a wonderful opportunity and a world-ready education,” said Faulkner, who spoke at the news conference. “In paying it forward, I want to help students at Fort Hays State University gain the skills and the access to capital to help build businesses that will benefit not only those students, but also western Kansas communities.”

Jim Barry, chairman of GreenEarth Cleaning, Kansas City, Mo., said he believes “that entrepreneurship is a key building block that sets America apart from the rest of the world.”

“It gives me great pleasure to support such a worthwhile project,” he said. “FHSU is making a major commitment to our future generations of business leaders.”

“For those of you who invested generously in the future of this great state and the future of Fort Hays State University,” Martin said, “please accept my gratitude, as well the gratitude of the faculty, the staff, and, ultimately, the students of Fort Hays State University.”

Some donors made their contributions for naming rights in the Scholarship Hall in memory of others. One of those was Cy Moyer, Phillipsburg, president of the Hansen Foundation’s board of trustees. His friend, Doyle Rahjes, was a member of the Hansen Foundation who died last October after a brief illness.

“Doyle would have loved to have been alive to see the new Hansen Scholarship Hall,” Moyer said.

Listed alphabetically are those who have donated to the project thus far: Mark Bannister, Jim Barry, Don and Chris Bickle, Joseph and Jodi Boeckner, Tim and Mona Chapman, Daryl and Cindy Craft, Coleen Ellis, Ken Griffin and Marcia Bannister, Tom and Francine Hestermann, Van and Jeanne Hoisington, Denis and Sue Miller, Cy (Charles) Moyer, NetWork Kansas (Stephen Radley), Jim Nokes, Henry Schwaller IV, Alan and Phyllis Slipke, Jeff Seibel, Shaun Weaver and Peter and Pamela Werth.

Submitted

PHILLIPSBURG — At the Phillipsburg Rodeo next week, a student gets to work beside her mentor.

Barrel racer Jenna Rolland, a Norton resident, is the protégé of accomplished cowgirl Deb Christy, another Norton resident.

The two women will be among the barrel racers who compete at Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo August 4-6.

For Jenna, it will be the first time she has competed at the Phillipsburg rodeo, and her second pro rodeo.

She grew up in Hays, a high school rodeo contestant in the breakaway roping and goat tying, and graduating from Hays High School in 2006. She attended Ft. Hays State University, competing in college rodeo and graduating in 2011. After that, she got her Master’s Degree from Hastings (Neb.) College and now is an English teacher at Northern Valley High School in Almena. She moved to Norton when her parents, Gary and Sammette Rolland, retired there.

Even though she rodeoed, she had never run barrels, and she wanted to. A mutual friend told her about Deb, so she called her. “She called me out of the blue one day,” Deb said, “and that’s how it all started.”

Rolland was an accomplished rider and knew the correct technique for riding, so it was just a matter of learning to barrel race.

But it was more than that. There is a lot of technique in barrel racing, and Deb, who has barrel raced since her youth, was the accomplished veteran to help her.

Deb helped her with technique, even going with her to rodeos and walking into arenas to give her tips on where to start, when to give her horse the cue to turn, and more. “People would follow us around,” Jenna said, “listening to her, trying to hear what she was telling me. There’s so much to it, and she’s taught me a lot.”

Deb has also helped Jenna with her horses. Jenna wanted to not only run barrels but ride horses she had trained herself. She has trained her own horse Ringo, whose registered name is Chiefs Blue Bar. Ringo was four years old when she got him and had been a mounted shooting horse. She turned him into a barrel horse, and now “he’s my best friend. He’s the reason I run barrels.” Ringo is only fourteen hands tall, small for barrel racing, which sometimes works to his disadvantage. “Sometimes he gets outrun but it’s not from the lack of trying,” Jenna said.

And he has a large personality. “He’s very personable and very, very smart.” When he’s tied to the fence, “he will untie all the horses tied up next to him, but he won’t untie himself.”

Jenna also competes in regional rodeo associations, including the Kansas Pro Rodeo Association and the Nebraska State Rodeo Association. She has done very well in her barrel racing, Deb said. “She was very dedicated and had a lot of passion to do it right. She was easy to work with.” She has advanced, “incredibly,” Deb said. “She was already a good rider, which was huge, and I told her, ‘you’re going to go as far as you want to go.’ I’m so proud of her.”

Jenna often spends time at Deb’s house, with Deb and her husband Steve. “They’re very good friends to me,” Jenna said. “We love it when she comes out,” Deb said.

Both cowgirls will be among the barrel racers in slack on Wednesday, August 3 at the rodeo. Last year, the barrel racing payout was $13,700. This year, there are 99 barrel racers entered in the rodeo.

Slack, the extra competition that doesn’t fit into the performances, is free to the public. It is held at 7 pm on August 2 and 3. Rodeo performances are at 8 pm on August 4-5-6. Tickets are available at Heritage Insurance in Phillipsburg (785.543.2448) and at the gate. Ticket prices range from $14-16 for adults and $11-12 for children ages 3-12. For more information, visit the website at KansasBiggestRodeo.com or search for the rodeo on Facebook and Twitter.

Video courtesy Dawn Marlett

By James Bell
Hays Post

 

Around 3 p.m. Sunday, emergency responders were on scene at Mid Kansas Auto Auction, 700 W. 48th, as a large fire was burning throughout the building.

Smoke from the fire could be seen throughout Hays as responders worked to extinguish the fire.

Traffic was being blocked on 48th St. from Roth to 240th while crews were on scene.

According to an eyewitness, the fire was started by a vehicle that caught fire inside the building.

“We were driving out to Home Depot and saw some flames coming out of the garage,” said Travis Keller. “It looked like a pickup or car was on fire.”

After pulling around the building and sounding his vehicle horn to alert anyone inside he made a call to 911 at around 2:20 p.m.

He said he did not see anyone in the building at the time and before responders arrived the fire was progressing quickly through the building.

The Hays Fire Department was called at 2:47 p.m. to assist the Ellis County Fire Department, establishing a water line from a hydrant over 2,000 ft away, according to a media release.

“This water supply was limited because of the distance from the fire scene,” the release said. “Under the direction of the Ellis County Fire Department Incident Commander, Hays firefighters assisted in fighting the fire and cooling the near-by LPG fuel tank using hose streams and an aerial ladder stream.”

Two fire trucks, an air supply truck and six firefighters from the HFD assisted.

Crews from the HFD left the scene at 9:01 p.m.

Hays Post will update the story as more information becomes available.

Video by Harrison Brent

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

In a continued expansion program, western Kansas-based Bling Inc. has announced the opening of its newest location, bringing their unique apparel and accessories to the Kansas City area.

Opened last Thursday, the location in the Hawthorn Plaza, 4949 W. 119th, Overland Park, will be a part of the chain that began just seven years ago in Scott City, and has quickly become the largest privately owned boutique in Kansas.

“People had asked for it for so long. We kind of go off of what people are asking for,” said Nicole Campos, owner.

Campos was initially nervous about expanding in a location so far from the chain’s headquarters in Scott City, but with people driving from KC to shop in the Hays location and a district manager based in Hays, Campos said she decided to pull the trigger.

“She has done such a phenomenal job that I felt like we were at the point where we could take the leap and get farther away from us,” Campos said of Sammy Grollmes, district manager.

And the location, she said, is a perfect fit.

“It’s definitely a busy area,” Campos said. “Hawthorn Plaza just felt right. It’s kind of in the middle of a lot of different shopping centers.”

The center is both a retail center and has restaurants that complement the store, she continued.

And since last Thursday’s opening, the store has had a warm reception.

“It’s so cool because we’re having plenty of new customers,” but they have also seen customers from other locations coming in, Campos said.

While opening seven locations since its inception, Campos said getting to this point was full of ups and downs.

Just a year and a half ago, a warehouse fire destroyed inventory for the entire chain.

“We lost all the merchandise for all the stores going into fall,” Campos said.

But after the incident, they saw “tons and tons of support.”

“That was kind of a turning point, and we knew we were going to keep going,” she said.

Soon after recovering from that loss, the location in Hays was closed after a partial roof collapse in Big Creek Crossing destroyed that location’s inventory.

Again, with support from loyal customers, Campos said they kept moving forward.

“The community support in Hays, I always say it’s definitely one of my favorites, because the community supports us, the people support us like crazy,” she said, noting people would drive to other locations while the Hays location was closed.

“It’s just been wonderful,” she said of the support the chain has been given over the years and even as the newest location gets on its feet, future expansion is already being planned.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

At around 3:30 p.m. Friday, Hays Fire and Police Departments responded to an RV on fire in the Dillons parking lot at 1902 Vine.

The front of the RV was fully engulfhed in flames when the department arrived.

While crews worked to extinguish the fire, traffic was blocked from entering and exiting the north parking lot.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.

Hays Post will update as more information becomes available.

By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN
FHSU University Relations

He admits he has learned a lot in leadership classes at Fort Hays State University.

But those who know Anthony Walters well will tell you that his leadership training began long before he set foot on his hometown college campus.

Like so many years before, Walters — who will begin his senior year at FHSU this fall — was a busy young man Tuesday, scurrying around the Schenk Building at the Ellis County Fairgrounds.

Tuesday was judging day at the fair, and Walters was organizing various displays so that young 4-H’ers could meet with judges about their projects.

Now 21, Walters has surpassed the age for participating as a 4-H’er. But that hasn’t stopped him from returning to the fair every year to lend a helping hand.

That dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“He’s an amazing young man,” said Susan Schlichting, 4-H Youth Development Extension agent for Ellis County. “Here’s a college-age kid who is really willing to come out and help where it’s needed and make a difference.”

Walters started learning about making a difference at a young age. The oldest of four siblings, Walters joined the Buckeye Junior Farmers 4-H Club when he was 7, even though his dad, Marty, was a little skeptical at first because of an already ultra-busy schedule with a young family.

But Walters’ mom, Anita, explained to her husband that the Buckeye 4-H Club met in an old schoolhouse on Buckeye Road north of Hays. The Walters family passed the schoolhouse every time it traveled into town, where they already were becoming active in school and community activities.

“I thought maybe we should give 4-H a try,” Anita Walters said. “Marty’s first reaction was, ‘You want to get them involved in something else?’ ”

“I told him it was so close to home, and we wouldn’t have to go to town,” she continued. “And, here we are.”

Anita Walters said her husband now says “he would have given up all the other things the kids were involved in for their experiences they have had in 4-H.”

“The leadership, how to communicate with people, a platform to showcase their talents, I can’t even tell you all the things the kids have learned,” she said.

“And,” added Anita Walters, an instructor in FHSU’s Health and Human Performance Department, “I have learned a lot just sitting there alongside them.”

The entire Walters family got involved in the county fair immediately after Anthony joined 4-H.

Inspired by an older 4-H’er, Walters chose rocketry for his first fair project, and so began the process of younger 4-H’ers learning from their elders, both by watching and by doing.

In addition to taking numerous projects to the fair over the years, Walters began working as an assistant fair superintendent early in his high school career. He soon was promoted to superintendent in charge of the “miscellaneous” division, the home for a variety of projects such as woodworking, rocketry, electrical, robotics and several others that didn’t fit into other categories.

It was a natural fit though for Walters, who had been involved with a lot of those particular disciplines and said he has always “enjoyed helping out younger kids, giving them advice when they would ask for it.”

When Walters came home the summer after his first year of college at Ottawa University, he stayed put. He checked out the applied technology program at FHSU and was particularly interested in drafting.

During the 2015 spring semester, the building construction class at FHSU built a new 4-H food stand at the Ellis County Fairgrounds. Walters wasn’t part of that class, but he played a major role in finishing the inside of the food stand.

After he got off work at Paul-Wertenberger Construction, Inc., in the summer of 2015, Walters headed to the fairgrounds to work on the food stand.

“No one told him he had to be there, but he knew it had to be finished,” Schlichting said. “He believes in 4-H, takes it seriously and does a good job with it.”

Walters had grown up working in the old 4-H food stand in a building that had long outlived its usefulness.

“I think he saw the benefit of having this new facility for the kids, compared to that old run-down building,” his mother said. “When the call came out that they needed help to get the inside done, he just decided to help.”

“I went to help one night and realized it was going to take some work to get it done by fair time,” Walters said. “If I didn’t help, it wasn’t going to be done in time.”

Walters became involved in the Technology and Engineering Education Collegiate Association chapter at FHSU, where he also pursued a certificate in Leadership Studies.

“I think his 4-H experience definitely played a part in his willingness to be involved on campus,” Anita Walters said.

This year, more than likely, will be Anthony Walters’ swan song as a fair superintendent, for a while anyway. He will serve a required internship for his major during the spring 2017 semester for Paul-Wertenberger, which has already hired him to work as a full-time draftsman after his May graduation.

Walters credits the life skills he experienced in 4-H for a big part of his success.

“Being in 4-H has helped me in a lot of areas,” Walters said. “Talking in front of people comes easy now, and I’ve met so many people through 4-H. And not just young people. I’m able to talk to people 20, 30 years older than me, too.”

By James Bell
Hays Post

Hastings, 3300 Vine, will close its doors by the end of October after the chain was bought by a joint venture that plans to liquidate the entire company’s assets.

“Five weeks ago, Hastings filed for Chapter 11 protection with the goal of expediting our search for a buyer that would help us complete our remerchandising strategy and position our business for long-term success,” according to a release from the company. “At the completion of the sale process yesterday, the winning buyer was a joint venture that will instead oversee a liquidation of our stores to ensure we are maximizing the value of all of our remaining merchandise and assets as we prepare to close.”

As a part of the sale agreement, the chain will be authorized to sell merchandise through a going out of business sale, with at least 75 percent of the proceeds going towards the company’s debt.

“All Hastings stores, our e-Commerce business, and our corporate office will all discontinue operations at the end of this process,” the company said.

Specifics for the Hays location are not yet available, but all stores must complete their sales by Oct. 31 and could close at any time.

As part of the agreement employees must be given seven days notice before a store closure.

While the agreement has yet to be approved by the Bankruptcy Court, the company expects the agreement to be accepted Friday.

The chain’s new owners – Hilco Merchant Resources LLC and Gordon Brothers Retail Partners LLC – who bought the company in a joint venture, will oversee the closing sales, according to the company.

“We thank our customers and employees for their loyalty over the years, and we hope to see our customers at store closing sales,” the company said.

 

Kansas Department of Health and Environment

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory for the City of Ellis public water supply located in Ellis County. The advisory was issued because of a loss of pressure. Inadequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.

Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.

Laboratory testing samples collected from the City of Ellis public water supply indicate no evidence of contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved.

UPDATE at 4:15 P.M.  According to Ellis authorities (on the City of Ellis Facebook page), water service should be restored throughout the City. However, since the water was off for so long, KDHE has placed the Ellis  in a boil advisory until further notice, which may be at least Thursday or Friday.

UPDATE: 12:40 P.M. A Boil Water Advisory has been issued for the city of Ellis by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

A water line break during a routine valve replacement knocked out water service throughout the city of Ellis Tuesday morning, with repairs expected to take four to eight hours.

“We have a water main that is leaking that we can’t shut off, so we have to shut off the whole town,” said John Leiker, water plant operator.

Repairs are expected to be completed within eight hours, but the department is working to complete the repairs within four, Leiker said at around 10 a.m.

While repairs are ongoing, residents are asked to avoid East 11th St.

The city has been working to repair broken valves through the system, with 26 percent of valves reported as broken at the June 20 city council meeting.

It was a valve repair that caused the water line break.

“We had a service company here putting in a valve and it’s all old stuff and he just poked through the bottom of his valve with a machine,” Leiker said.

“It was just an accident.”

The valve repairs are being completed by a Nebraska-based company, he said.

 

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

In brief court appearances Monday, July 18, Holliann Marie Stramel, 24, and Trevor Jay Calvin, 27, plead not guilty to all counts stemming from a hit-and-run incident that resulted in the death of Ellis County resident John J. Befort, 67, on July 18, 2015.

Stramel and Calvin appeared in person during the proceedings – the first appearance for both since a preliminary hearing found probable cause in the case on May 4 of this year.

Judge Glenn Braun presided over today’s arraignments that lasted less than 30 minutes, with both defendants declining to have the charges against them read.

Now the case will proceed to a jury trial, to be preceded by a pretrial that will be scheduled within 180 days.

Before the trial commences, Tom Drees, Ellis County attorney, said he intends to file a motion to consolidate the cases and Paul Oller, Calvin’s attorney, said he intends to object to the motion.

Oller also informed the court he intends to file a motion to suppress evidence and a Jackson-Denno motion. That motion calls for a hearing outside the presence of a jury to determine the admissibility of Calvin’s statements to police officers.

Calvin is charged with two counts: Concealing or altering evidence of a crime and impeding or obstructing an officer’s duty.

Stramel is being charged on three counts: Failure to stop and render aid at a fatality accident, concealing or altering evidence of a crime, and vehicular homicide. The first two counts are felonies in Kansas and the third is a Class A misdemeanor.

Under Kansas sentencing guidelines the three counts together carry a punishment of 38 to 129 months in a state penitentiary, fines up to $402,500 and up to a year in county jail.

City of Hays

Beginning Monday, July 18, 2016, a contractor for the city of Hays will be doing work on E.  27th Street from Vine to Sherman Street. This work will involve grinding bumps from the concrete pavement surface. This section of road will then be restriped along with 27th & Vine intersection. The road will remain open, and traffic will be routed around the construction. The repairs are estimated to be completed within six weeks (weather permitting).

Signs will be in place to direct the traveling public. The traveling public should use caution and if at all possible avoid this area. The construction is in relation to 2016 street maintenance projects.

The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please call the Public Works Planning, Inspection, and Enforcement Division at (785) 628-7310.

(Video by Cooper Slough/Hays Post)

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The Ducks Are Coming.

You’ve no doubt seen the series of yellow signs around town. It’s a reminder of the first-ever Hays Duck Derby benefiting Ellis County Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS).

More than 5,000 bright yellow rubber duckies are available “for adoption” costing five dollars for one duck all the way up to a 25-duck colony for $100.

They’ll be racing down the Lazy River at Hays Aquatic Park Wed., Aug. 10, 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the BBBS new fundraiser.

The fastest duck and his/her owner in the Championship Race will win a bright red 2014 Ford Fiesta provided by James Motor Company, Hays Chevrolet, Auto World, Car Zone, Lewis Automotive Group of Hays, Happy’s Auto, Mid Kansas Auto Auction, and Lang Diesel.

Prizes for other races include everything from a one week stay at a cabin in the South Dakota Black Hills to a $250 Walmart gift card.

A separate Duck Race 4 Kids will be held for children younger than 13. There’s more family fun with a hot dog picnic for $3.00 per person and Kids Quacktivities.

The Duck Derby also will feature a Soggy Bottom Challenge Cardboard Boat Regatta for groups paying the $500 entry fee to race their handmade cardboard canoes.

Duck adoptions are available at the Hays Big Brothers Big Sisters office, 1301 Pine,and the following businesses:
Bank of Hays
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Car Zone
Carrico Implement
Cerv’s – 2701 Vine St.
Cerv’s – 1601 Main St.
Cerv’s – 2722 Hall St.
Downtown Hays Development
Eagle Customer Care Office
Eagle Media Center
Golden Plains Credit Union
Happy’s Auto
Hays Hobby Shop
Hays Recreation Commission
Hays Welcome Center
James Motor Company
Mid Kansas Auto Auction
Precision Valley
Riverside Chiropractic
Snow Cone Express – Big Creek Crossing

For more information, call Ellis County Big Brothers Big Sisters at (785) 625-6672.