In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Fort Hays State University freshman Dalton Kraus keeps an eye on the computer that controls the CNC router while cutting wooden shapes for the annual Dr. Fred P. Ruda Teaming Up for Tots toy building event earlier this month at Fort Hays State University.
By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN FHSU University Relations and Marketing
After landing a campus job in his area of study, Dalton Kraus already considered himself lucky. That word took on a whole new meaning for the Fort Hays State University freshman this fall.
As part of his campus job, Kraus cut out 243 wooden pigs on a computer numerical control (CNC) machine for an annual toy building event on campus.
A freshman majoring in construction management, Kraus had only heard about the Dr. Fred P. Ruda Teaming Up for Tots Day, earlier this month, which was in its 29th year. The toys, built by university and community volunteers, go to children in Ellis County – along with other items from TUFT – who otherwise might not receive Christmas gifts.
Excitement around the Department of Applied Technology grew as the toy-building day drew near. Kraus said he looked forward to the event as he cut more wooden pigs day after day.
He was even interviewed by an area television station in the week leading up to the day. Eric Deneault, assistant professor of applied technology, designed the toy, and Dr. Duane Renfrow, associate professor, made the jig for Kraus to follow while cutting out the pigs.
“My high school even shared the news, so a lot of people heard about it,” said Kraus, a 2018 graduate of Halstead High School.
Kraus soon learned that it’s hard to explain the impact of the event until a person witnesses it firsthand.
More than 100 volunteers, including entire families, gathered in the Social Cafe of the Center for Applied Technology for donuts, orange juice and coffee before everyone made their way to one of 14 stations in the wood technology room.
Eric Deneault, assistant professor of applied technology, helps volunteers sand one of the piggy banks.
Once inside their workroom, the elves began sanding, putting on wheels, attaching other parts and some machine operations as the piggy banks on wheels began to take shape.
For some, like 81-year-old Don Barton, this was old hat. It was easy to find his spot at a drill press.
Barton, who retired from FHSU in 1999 after 30 years teaching in the automotive department, could think of only one time when he missed the toy building, which has grown from about 20 volunteers the first year to 110 this year.
Barton reminisced about several of the other toys he helped build over the years as well as some of his former students.
“I taught both Fred Ruda and Kim Stewart,” Barton said.
Brady Schmeidler, 5, Victoria, hands a wooden toy part to Mike Michaelis, director of the Virtual College, at the toy building event.
Ruda, an FHSU alum, taught at his alma mater for nearly 40 years, the last 33 as chair of the department, before dying in an automobile accident in 2012. Stewart, current chair, graduated from FHSU in 1981 and returned to teach here in 1997.
With most of his responsibilities done, Kraus walked around the room the day of the toy building, watching in awe at the progress of the assembly lines and helping out wherever he was needed.
He said he had worked on some service projects in high school as a member of the Kansas Association for Youth – a leadership-training, service program.
“But those weren’t necessarily for kids,” he said. “This was even more meaningful, especially seeing the families that have been here multiple times.”
One such family was that of Carla Schmeidler, the younger sister of Rachel Harman, senior administrative assistant for the Applied Technology Department.
Schmeidler brought all four of her children, ages 5 to 15, from their home in Victoria to help for a second straight year.
“Every year we always do a calendar of things to do during the Advent season, and this was one event,” Schmeidler said. “The kids all enjoyed doing it, so we decided to come back this year.”
Even 5-year-old Brady Schmeidler was kept busy as he ran parts from station to station.
It was a family affair for several.
After completion, the piggy banks were lined up on a table for final inspection.
Coincidentally, Barton’s daughter, Shauna Zweifel, is the chairperson for TUFT, which delivered the toys to the Community Assistance Center for pick up.
After the toy building, Zweifel and other volunteers prepared them for delivery, along with other gifts from Angel Trees at four locations in Hays.
She was first introduced to the event as a youngster when her dad taught at FHSU.
“This is such a neat community event,” Zweifel said. “The volunteers are amazing.”
Throughout the week after the toy building, Kraus lined up the pigs on one large table and dropped eight nickels into each one.
He said it’s a Christmas he won’t soon forget.
“This was pretty awesome,” Kraus said. “You can tell it means something to the volunteers, coming back each year.”
So what’s happening at the Hays Senior Center this month? Well, it’s Christmas and time to set aside the
pool table cues, pinochle cards, dominoes and puzzles. There was music in the air and cordially delivered to those that came. Back to back days brought the musical singing talents of two local groups that got a great reception and provided an enjoyable time of entertainment.
No strangers to the center and back by popular requests were Wayne and Tammy Lang, who have delivered their fourth performance to the average 50 plus crowds this year. Gene Autry fans were treated to the Lang’s country style of music. Tammy comes from a household of musicians known as The Barnes Family. Wayne also has a knack of inserting a funny story in between nearly every song. We are fortunate to have them appear since Wayne makes it known to all, “ their schedule is full, currently being on their world tour.”
The group called Trilogy, are brothers Jerry and Leroy Schmidtberger and local sign artist Rick Rupp who hail from Victoria. They are well known from other area public and private engagements and tally this appearance as number three for the week. It is certainly hoped for that both groups can work the Hays Senior Center into
a schedule for the next year Christmas season. Enjoy the music and come to the center for good food and great social time. The number is 785-628-6644
From left: HHS JAG-K students Hayden Giebler as the red blood cell, Cydney Howell, Aihxel Alcaya and Karina Carrillo sign people up for upcoming Red Cross blood drives.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
Hays High senior Karina Carrillo is looking forward to graduation. She is passing all of her courses, and she looks forward to studying nursing next year.
“I want to help people,” Carrillo said.
Carrillo is in her second year of Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas. She spent a year in the Salina program before transferring to HHS. She said she really struggled in school before the JAG-K program.
“I passed my junior year because of JAG,” she said.
She also said she had no idea what she wanted to do for a job after graduation before she connected with JAG-K.
This year, Carrillo is the president of the HHS JAG-K Career Association.
The JAG-K program, which is new at HHS this year, provides assistance to students who have risk factors that might put them in jeopardy of not graduating. The program also focuses on preparing for careers after high school. Thirty-eight students in grades 10-12 participated in the program first semester and several more will likely be added in the spring.
JAG-K students complete a team-building exercise in class. Courtesy photo
The JAG-K students visited NCK Tech this semester and teacher Johnny Matlock said several students said they were interested in study nursing through the NCK-Tech program after that visit, including Carrillo.
“I think we had several students who for the first time really had a direction for the career they are interested in,” Matlock said. “When we came back, I was hooking students up with KansasWorks for students who were interested in going to culinary school or getting their CNA, so we were looking at funding for that. It was neat to see them pumped up about doing that.”
Aihxel Alcaya and Hayden Giebler also said they were interested in studying nursing.
Giebler said he thought the JAG-K program is preparing him to go on to nursing school.
“It has taught us a lot of communication skills,” he said. “I feel like you need that to go anywhere in life. … And leadership skills. We have learned a lot by going out to the ropes course at Fort Hays, and we have been working together in teams.”
Alcaya and Giebler, along with Cydney Howell were working as a team Monday to sign up students, teachers and staff to donate blood during the upcoming Battle of the Badges during the week after Christmas and the first week in January.
None of students had participated in a community service project before.
HHS JAG-K students completed the FHSU ropes course this fall. Courtesy photo
Matlock said the project has helped the students learn how to talk to people on the phone as well as in person — good practice for when they will be interviewing for jobs. The students did presentations on their Battle of the Badges project to Hays Police, Fire and EMS departments. They have also made a commercial for the Tribe radio station.
Howell said every year she failed at least one course, but this year she is passing all of courses and has a 3.6 GPA thanks to the help of Matlock and the JAG-K program.
Howell wants to be a tattoo artist and hopes to intern with a professional through her connections with JAG-K.
In addition to NCK-Tech, the JAG-K students toured businesses in the community and will tour more in the spring as well as participate in job shadowing.
“It think it opens their eyes to what is out there,” Matlock said.
Learning about potential careers is motivating the students in their high school studies, he said.
“I think it is connecting the dots that this does have meaning,” he said. “This is a step they need to go through in order to get to that post graduation goal they are interested in.”
JAG-K students visited NCK Tech during the fall semester and several expressed an interest in studying nursing after graduation. Courtesy photo
Matlock continued, “I think already we have had some lightbulb moments. I can look at their attendance. I can see what it was last year and see what it is this year, and their attendance has improved. It think we will really see results after our program has been up and running for a year or two.”
The Kansas Trio program of Great Bend will make visits to the HHS this spring as well. Trio focuses on job skills, financial literacy and career exploration. It will help college-bound students fill out financial aid forms and work with the students on test anxiety among other workshops.
JAG-K is a national program and offers regional, state and national career development conferences. The HHS students will be able to compete in eight events in the spring, some of which include public speaking, math skills, employability and entrepreneurship. Carrillo won a second place in the regional competition in employability last year.
Matlock said he sees the program growing as community awareness grows.
“I think we are going to see more and more opportunities open up for the program as we make those community connections and business connections and as people learn about the program,” he said.
Battle of the Badges
You can assist JAG-K in their work to recruit blood donors during the holiday season by donating during the Red Cross Battle of the Badges. Times, dates and locations are listed below.
• Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m at the Ellis County Administrative Center, 718 Main St.
• Thursday, Dec. 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Midwest Energy, 1330 Canterbury Drive.
• Saturday, Dec. 29, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday and Saturday Jan. 4 and 5 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine St.
As a special thank-you for helping meet the urgent need, those who come to give Dec. 20 through Jan. 6 will receive a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last.
A JAG-K team building exercise. Courtesy photo
JAG-K students participate in Trick-or-Treat So Others Can Eat. Courtesy photo
JAG-K officers attend a leadership development conference at K-State. Courtesy photo
The JAG-K installation and initiation ceremony. Tre Giles was the guest speaker. Courtesy photo
Ellie Bollig, Roosevelt second grader, receives her Best of the Best Award from the Hays USD 489 school board.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
Ellie Bollig, a Roosevelt second-grader, was honored with the student USD 489 Best of the Best Award for her companionship and compassion toward a STAR student in her class.
She was nominated by Jan Burkholder, Roosevelt second-grade teacher.
“Many times our society selects individuals to receive awards based on what is visible or brightly proclaimed through different social media. While many of those individuals are very deserving of the recognition, I have chosen a young leader, a quiet student, for the caring assistance that she shows each day to one of our Roosevelt STAR students,” Burkholder read from her nomination.
The STAR program is a special education program at Roosevelt. All of its students have some level of disability.
“Without needing or getting any instruction from me her teacher, without waiting for an earned award, without expecting any recognition for being there, this student, Ellie, has initiated on her own to touch the life of another. Ellie gently leads her classmate to any place the student needs to go without needing to be first in line. She holds back and makes sure her buddy has the necessary supplies, zips up a coat to face that wintry outdoors or simply lends a gentle hand to walk to our next location
“Most of the time a loving arm is wrapped around the shoulder of her friend as they walk side by side down the hallway. During a quite reading time, Ellie’s lap becomes the cozy spot were her friend wants to sit.”
Burkholder noted the student has even fallen asleep in Ellie’s lap.
“Ellie gives of her time and gives of her energy and her love to show kindness and compassion to her STAR companion and friend. She leads by example, always calm, caring, kind and willing to help others.”
Burkholder said Ellie also excels in her academics and has a large group of other supportive friends.
“If I were to ask Ellie why she looks forward to each day, it won’t be those two accomplishments,” Burkholder said. “I know she looks forward to being there for her STAR student. That is where she places her heart and devotion. Ellie is a leader of tomorrow. We the parents, community and school are raising a generation of generous hearts for giving to others.”
Burkholder turned to Ellie and said through tears, “Ellie, as your teacher, I am very proud of you. Please continue to be the Best of the Best.”
Toni Lohrmeyer
Hays USD 489 school board member Luke Oborny tells the school board why he nominated Toni Lohrmeyer for the Best of the Best Award.
Toni Lohrmeyer was nominated by school board member Luke Oborny for December’s staff Best of the Best Award.
Lohrmeyer is a library secretary for both O’Loughlin and Wilson elementary schools. She checks in and out books, catalogs new books, shelves books, creates displays, maintains records and assists with the O’Loughlin book fair. She also supervises 20 classes as they use the library. Oborny’s wife is the librarian at O’Loughlin.
She said, “I can’t do my job without her knowledge, organization and help.”
However, her work in the school libraries is not why Oborny nominated her for the award.
During the summer, Lohrmeyer works in the Rockwell copy center. This summer the district made a change in its copier contract.
She noticed the district was starting to pay for staples out of the copy center. The cost of the staples in the new contract was going to be as much as $2,000 per year. She brought the cost to Luke Oborny’s attention.
Oborny sent a question to the district finance director, who addressed the issue in the contract with the district’s sales rep.
After the company reviewed the contract, they agreed the staples were to be included in the contract cost.
Oborny said $2,000 can make a big difference when the district is dealing with tight budgets. He encouraged other employees to look at their day-in-and-day-out expenses in the same way.
“She could have done nothing with this information,” Oborny said. “She could have could have complained about it.”
Oborny said instead Lohrmeyer had detailed notes about what the district should review.
“I look at this as a case of her persistence and her strive for excellence that just added up to a big saving for our district,” he said. “That attitude and concern for organization is why I nominated Toni for Best of the Best and why I am honored to be the first to congratulate her.”
Handmade Christmas ornaments made by Hays youth adorn two trees north of the library.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
Downtown Hays is sparkling a little bit brighter this holiday season thanks to local youth groups.
Members of Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4-H and Big Brothers Big Sisters hand made oversized Christmas decorations for the two “community trees” just north of the Hays Public Library on the corner of 13th and Main.
The tall evergreens sit on Ellis County property. The Ellis County Commission was “delighted” to again grant permission for the holiday decorating as it has for many years.
Seven-year-old Eva Betz and her brother Evan, 9, are members of the Gemini Juniors 4-H Club. They, along with their mom Lynette, were recently hanging the ornaments after school.
“We made snowflakes, tree ornaments and paper snowmen,” Eva said. She had some help from Evan attaching decorations to limbs she couldn’t reach.
“I climbed up on that,” Evan explained as he pointed to the limestone base of the Statue of Liberty monument located between the two trees. “And, I jumped up on trees.” Evan was able to pull down several higher branches low enough for Eva to attach them firmly with fasteners made of pipe cleaner.
Decorating the highest branches of the towering evergreens was left to the Boy Scouts of Troop 101.
When plans to use a bucket truck fell through, a stepladder was quickly retrieved from the library. To reach even higher, troop leader Steve Urban and several scouts went across the street to borrow a long extension ladder from Ralph’s Electric, one of the contractors working on a historic building renovation for the new EyeSmile Vision and Dental practice.
Logan Leiker, brothers Steve and Kade Urban, Luke Montgomery, and Graysen Smith helped each other place the ladder against the sturdy trees. Kade did most of the climbing, working his way carefully step by step to place decorations about a third of the way up from the tree bases.
“Just hang them up as you go up the line, Kade,” advised troop leader Urban.
The scouts were working on their religion badges, which require community service.
“Unfortunately, there’s is no ‘Christmas Tree Decorating’ badge for the Boy Scouts,” Urban quipped.
Eva Betz, Gemini Jrs.
Bird seed ornament
Kade Urban carries a bird seed ornament up the ladder.
It was a wet and misty 33-degree morning earlier this month when some “Hot Shots” waltzed into the Hays Public Library and proceeded to take over the south first-floor meeting room. They carried with themselves heavy metal equipment and instruments specially designed to delight the audience with a full treatment of German polkas and waltzes.
The audience of 148 ranged in age from 1 to 94 and any observer could see that they would remain captured for the duration of three hours of musical entertainment. So who were these un-masked individuals that go by the name of the “Hot Shots?”
Heading up the group was their leader, Dale Stramel, on accordion, from Pfeifer, Jimmy Rothe, guitar from the Rush County area, Kenny Windholz, from Ellis County on drums and Lee Maxwell at the ripe young age of 92, also from Ellis County, on trombone.
It was an opportunity to meet up with an old friend Lee Maxwell, brother of the late legendary trumpet player Jimmy Maxwell, known among the giants of the music world, as one of the best trumpet players in the era of ballroom music. He was a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra in the ’40s.
Photos and videos courtesy of Guy Windholz
Knowing the event went from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the library arranged to have a selection of German foods that included the ever-popular beans and noodles, green bean and dumpling soup and topped off for those with a sweet tooth some spitzbubens and heartzchens known as Heart cookies.
Library staff members guided by Samantha Gill included Patty Rohr and Marrisa Lamer who monitored the cookies, as an unnamed individual among the crowd, being a cookie monster, would have relished any opportunity to consume a second heartzchen cookie.
While the event was billed as a Volga German Christmas performance, there were Bukovina Austrian Germans from the Ellis area mixed within the crowd. Virtually every original village or city from within Ellis County was represented among the attendees, from Ellis, Emmeram and Munjor to Schoenchen.
The Hays Public Library has much to offer the community. It is hoped on a fairer weather day this could be repeated. Visit their Facebook page to learn of other upcoming events.
The Hays Accessible Recreation Complex has raised more than $250,000 in the last two and a half months, but still has a long way to go to meet its $1.6 million fundraising goal.
The group believes the $250,000 that has been raised is a good jump in two and half months, said Brent Kaiser, activities director for Arc of the Central Plains and volunteer on the fundraising campaign.
Except for the one grant, the money has been raised through private donations, sponsorships and pledges.
The park project has received a $100,000 matching donation from the Schmidt Foundation. The project has already received $72,280 of those funds, but will receive another $27,720 from that match.
Advocates for the park hope to have $600,000 raised by March so they can seek further grants, Kaiser said.
The park project had a citywide dine-out day on Dec. 11. The group has not yet received numbers from that fundraising effort.
“We think it will be a decent day for us,” Kaiser said.
Members from the Fort Hays State University Leadership 310 class raised $1,500 through T-shirt sales, a Freddy’s dine-out night and a wheelchair basketball tournament.
Kaiser said the community has rallied around the project. The Hays Area Young Professionals donated more than $1,000 from proceeds from its adult prom and a gift from the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce.
Members from the Fort Hays State University Leadership 310 class raised $1,500 through T-shirt sales, a Freddy’s dine-out night and a wheelchair basketball tournament.
“When we came up with the idea and talked about, I think we knew it is something that Hays really needs,” Kaiser said of the park complex. “I think we thought there was going to be some support, but I don’t know that we thought we were going to pick up steam as quick as we did. …
“Overall we have had a huge outpouring of support.”
The Rotary is partnering with Thirsty’s on an upcoming fundraising for the project. Details will be released on that event at a later date.
From left: Brandi Warden; Kaetlin Weninger; and Jenna Flanagin.
FHSU University Relations
Outstanding fall 2018 graduates were announced in a pinning ceremony Friday and given Leora B. Stroup Awards by the Department of Nursing at Fort Hays State University.
The On Campus Bachelor of Science in Nursing award goes to Kaetlin Weninger, Burrton. She is a member of the esteemed Fort Hays State University Honors College program. Her summer internship was in Acute Care at Rooks County Health Center. During her BSN studies, she traveled abroad to the Dominican Republic, China, and the African country of Senegal.
The Registered Nurse to BSN Award goes to Brandi Warden, Towanda. Warden completed her Associate Degree in nursing in December 2017 at Butler Community College before completing her BSN this fall at FHSU. She is employed at Premier Living by Warden LLC, where she is the owner, administrator, and Registered Nurse.
The Master of Science in Nursing award goes to Jenna Flanagin, Colby. She graduated from Fort Hays State with her BSN in 2014. Her MSN is in nursing administration. In her workplace at Citizens Medical Center, Colby, she is the discharge coordinator, utilization review leader and lactation counselor leader.
The ceremony also recognized graduating on-campus BSN, RN to BSN and MSN students.
The Stroup awards, named for the founder of FHSU’s nursing program, recognize outstanding clinical performance, community involvement and academic achievement.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas astronaut says he’s ready for his next mission after a failed space launch in October.
Hague -NASA image
Hoxie native Nick Hague will embark on a six-month stay with two other crew members at the International Space Station. The scheduled launch aboard a Soyuz MS12 spacecraft is set for Feb. 28.
Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and NASA astronaut Christina Hammock Koch will join Hague in the launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
On board the station, they will participate in about 250 research experiments and technology demonstrations made possible by micro-gravity conditions inside the station.
Ovchinin was also aboard the initial failed rocket set to launch on Oct. 11, 2018. Shortly after launch that day, the rocket’s booster malfunctioned in a rare failure for the Soyuz rocket. Hague and Ovchinin successfully aborted the mission and made a “ballistic descent” back to Earth in a capsule.
“Essentially the rocket came apart underneath us,” Hague said at a news conference Wednesday.
Hague said he’s looking forward to the new mission even more than his previous one, in part because of the addition of Koch to the crew. She and Hague were part of the same astronaut class at NASA.
“What we’re doing is making advancements for all of humanity,” Hague said.
Hague, Ovchinin and Koch will return to Earth in October 2019.
By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN University Relations and Marketing
In an effort to familiarize international graduate students with some of the American holiday customs, the Fort Hays State University Graduate School sponsored a holiday reception for those students in the Memorial Union Monday.
Dr. Jennifer Bonds-Raacke, dean of the Graduate School, said she and her staff were brainstorming one day and came up with the idea of building ginger bread houses. So she ordered several kits that included everything to build a house, including a large tube of frosting and a variety of tiny candies for decoration.
“We were thinking what would be fun for our international students to experience some of the traditional holiday culture,” she said. “I think it’s going pretty well.”
Indeed.
Dr. Jennifer Bonds-Raacke
Fatimah Alhazmy, a graduate student from Saudia Arabia, was taking a little ribbing about how professional her ginger bread house looked.
Alhazmy, a fine arts major with an emphasis in ceramics, was part of a team that included Linda Ganstrom, professor in the Department of Art and Design.
“We’re just a construction crew here,” Ganstrom said as all four people at her table took turns adding their personal touches to their house.
A table nearby with hot chocolate and other holiday goodies helped provide a festive atmosphere for the students.
“We need to make shutters for our windows,” Aminata Diarra said as she worked on a house with Leslie Paige, director of the Office of Scholarship and Sponsored Projects in the Graduate School.
Diarra – a native of Mali, a country in West Africa – is a freshman who now lives in Denver. She said she chose Fort Hays State because her older sister, Yamoudji, is a current FHSU student and has had a good experience here.
While Diarra is not a graduate student, all international students were welcome to participate. Diarra said that when she heard about the event, she thought it would be a good way to take a break from studying for finals.
Diarra already had taken two finals and said, “This is relaxing before I go study for more.”
She said she had never made a ginger bread house before but that this wouldn’t be her last.
“This is pretty cool,” Diarra said. “Maybe I’ll go buy one. This could be something for our family to do together.”
There are 67 international students enrolled in on-campus graduate programs at FHSU this fall. That is 20 percent of all on-campus graduate students. Nearly two dozen of those participated in Monday’s event.
“We really want our international students to know they are wanted at FHSU. Our international students make the Graduate School complete,” Bonds-Raacke said. “Our one goal of this event was to show them how much they are valued.”
Native countries of other students participating in the event included Germany, England and Brazil and represented majors ranging from biology to music to clinical psychology.
During the house building, personnel from the Graduate School helped created a “hope chain,” where students, faculty and staff responded to questions such as “What is your favorite part about FHSU?” The responses on black and gold paper were linked together and hung in the Graduate School.
“We hope this activity helped remind everyone of what really matters, especially at a stressful time during the semester,” Bonds-Raacke said.
The faculty and staff seemed to enjoy the event as much as the students.
“It was a great opportunity to connect informally with our students,” Bonds-Raacke said, “and learn more about them on a personal level.”
Local retailers are selling CBD products as an oil, in salves, lotions, bath products, as a vape juice, in candy, and even formulas for pets.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
Businesses that sell CBD, a substance derived from the hemp plant, have been popping up all over Hays.
The products have been touted to help everything from anxiety and backaches to seizures and Parkinson’s disease.
Despite a growing list of uses for CBD products and people ready to offer testimonials to the benefits, some health professionals are skeptical of the substance as a miracle cure and warn of side effects.
CBD oil is considered a dietary supplement by the FDA. It is a substance that is present in hemp and its cousin marijuana. But CBD oil that is sold in Kansas is not supposed to contain THC, the substance that gets you high.
Local retailers are selling the product as an oil, in salves, lotions, bath products, as a vape juice, in candy, and even formulas for pets.
Pure CBD oil has only been approved by the FDA for one rare seizure disorder in children. Some research in animals has indicated CBD as a treatment for anxiety, pain and inflammation, but those studies have not been replicated in humans.
Some research has indicated CBD may interact with prescription medications, including blood thinners, SSRI antidepressants and prescription anti-seizure medications.
Dr. Eric Voth, MD, an internal medicine physician and pain management and addiction specialist, is an international expert on the marijuana and drug policy. He is the vice-president of primary care at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka.
“There is not good evidence except for one disorder that CBD works, and there is also not clearly defined what kind of doses or concentration that is the most effective,” he said.
Voth said sometime in the future, research might show CBD is effective in treating other ailments, but at this point more rigorous medical research needs to be done.
“Most uses of CBD are by rumor and reputation and sort of this hysteria behind it as a marijuana by-product. It is present in hemp and marijuana,” he said. “And it may work, but it really has not been submitted to the scientific rigor that medication needs to be submitted to.”
Jessica Moffitt, a Hays health educator, opened a new CBD franchise in Hays on Friday. Her store is one of many locations in Hays where CBD products can be purchased. Despite naysayers, Moffitt insists CBD is safe and effective.
Jessica Moffitt opened a new CBD oil franchise, American Shaman, at 2013 Vine St. on Friday.
Moffitt uses CBD oil to treat anxiety and night terrors. She said since she switched to the American Shaman CBD oil, her night terrors have decreased from about six per week to one per week. The American Shaman CBD oil is water-soluble so she drinks in her two daily doses with her coffee in the morning and with other supplements at night.
She said she does not have any side effects from taking the CBD.
Other purported uses for CBD include Alzheimer’s, dementia, nausea Parkinson’s, ADHD, autism, cramps, to address problems with sleep, depression, OCD, diabetes, eczema, psoriasis, fibromyalgia, migraine, and some have even taken the substance while being treated for cancer.
Moffitt said she did not see CBD as a cure for cancer, but it may help the body deal with some of the stresses on the body from the disease and treatment.
Barb Pitcock’s mother-in-law took CBD oil when she was being treated for cancer. Neither woman could confirm what role CBD played in her recovery, but she is still taking the product today a year and half after her doctor gave her only weeks to live. Pitcock, a CBD wholesaler and retailer, said her mother-in-law took CBD oil after chemo treatments and it helped her significantly with her nausea.
Pitcock bottles the oil as well as other essential oils for retailers across the region. She opened a temporary store in Big Creek Crossing during the holiday season under the name Simple Pure Aromatherapy. Pitcock is not a medical professional, but takes CBD oil daily herself to help her sleep.
Purported uses for CBD include Alzheimer’s, dementia, nausea Parkinson’s, ADHD, autism, cramps, to address problems with sleep, depression, OCD, diabetes, eczema, psoriasis, fibromyalgia, migraine, and some have even taken the substance while being treated for cancer.
Pitcock had been selling essential oils for 10 years and was skeptical of the CBD oil. Her nephew has ADHD and was struggling in school. Her sister started giving him CBD oil and it helped, she said.
After that, Pitcock decided to try a cream containing CBD oil to address back pain she had from a prior car accident.
“When I put the cream on, I thought at first I was imagining things because within five or 10 minutes, the pain would go away,” she said.
The store’s manager starting taking CBD for migraines and hasn’t had a migraine in three months. She believed so strongly in the product, she offered to help Pitcock get the retail store off the ground.
Amy Jensen, co-owner of Professor’s, also sells a line of CBD products through Kannaway. Jensen and her husband, Mike, both take CBD oil daily. Amy said she takes the drops for overall health and she feels it helps improve her mental clarity. She first tried CBD topically to ease the pain of a shoulder injury. She said she was amazed at how quickly the salve eased her pain.
One of her employees at Professor’s, Rachel Cox, consumes CBD products to deal with social anxiety as well as migraines. When she is feeling anxious, Cox vapes CBD oil or uses a CBD chew.
“It still had the anxiety but things seemed easier to do. It seemed more like I was going to survive this,” Cox said. “The more I took it and the more it built up in me, it was just like a well-oiled machine. There were days I was not waking up with the anxiety. I was excited to meet people today and do things.
“It was at a bad time before where I couldn’t get out of bed and greet the day. With the CBD it just seemed more doable, more normal.”
Cox said she was having about one migraine a month, and she hasn’t had any since she started the CBD about a year ago.
Cox and Jensen claim to have no side effects from taking the CBD products. They both said they feel good about CBD because it is a natural substance derived from a plant.
Moffitt said she hopes the FDA and medical research will soon catch up to what she and others know about the CBD from using the products.
“I think that hemp is a plant just like vitamins and supplements, just like someone is OK with taking black cohosh or someone is OK with taking magnesium,” she said.
“I think when people realize that there is scientific processes to remove the THC to where people don’t have the psychoactive properties, when people begin to understand that and that misconception goes away … When people realize there is absolutely zero risk behind taking our product, I think it is going to be used a lot more.”
Moffitt said she does not see CBD as a cure-all as some tout it to be. She thinks it will be linked most strongly to stress, depression, inflammation, anxiety, pain, migraines and sleep.
“I don’t believe CBD is cure-all or CBD is a miracle drug,” Moffitt said. “I think there are things yo have to do in your lifestyle as well. I think we can all benefit from it for the reason that we all carry tension. We all have inflammation, and we all have some sort of stress and most of us have sleep issues.”
A barrier to further CBD research has been the federal ban on marijuana and its classification in the same category as street drugs like heroin. Attitudes and laws concerning CBD and hemp are starting to change, which may open more opportunities for study.
Thirty states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medical uses and four states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use. Marijuana and products containing THC are prohibited in Kansas. Federal law prohibits sale of any product containing more than 0.3 percent THC.
All three of the CBD retailers the Hays Post spoke with said their products are made from hemp. They said because their products don’t contain THC or contain very small amounts, they should not result in a positive drug tests or result in addiction.
Because CBD is unregulated, Voth said consumers should remain cautious. They may not know what they are getting.
Since CBD is not regulated by the FDA, there is no guarantee the product that you are buying is THC free, Voth said. He said there is a concern there could be harmful substances or infectious agents in the products.
Parent whose children had seizure disorders flocked to Colorado to purchase CBD oil to treat their children once it became available there. Some parents unwittingly purchased what they thought was pure CBD oil, but it actually had THC in it.
The THC in the oil made the children’s seizures worse, Voth said.
Moffitt and her husband visited the lab in Kansas City, Missouri, where the product she will sell is made. She said she felt confident the product she is selling has no THC. The lab tests with a third party to ensure quality control and uses only organic substances in their products.
Jensen said the products she sells are also lab tested, and Pitcock said her CBD products are certified by the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy as 100 percent pure and organic with no THC.
Voth said scientists who are studying CBD argue it could be snake oil or the next great cure, but without more research, no one knows.
“I would caution people not to waste money on it until we know more about it,” he said. “It may be wonderful, but even then you are going to want purified forms and a standardized dose and clearly understand what the indications are for it.”
Voth said he wanted to remind consumers there is a billion dollar industry that is pushing the CBD and THC markets. He compared it to tobacco lobby. CBD products are not cheap. Drops can cost $39 for a 30-day supply up to $70 per bottle, and creams can run as high as $150 per container.
“Beware of snake oil because it is not necessarily going to work and it may cost a lot and have minimal effect and even negative effect,” Voth said.
Luke 2:1-20 New International Version (NIV)
