Jack Schramm, with his son J.D. and his granddaughter, peers out from the fourth floor of TMP-Marian school where he once had his bunk at the former St. Joseph’s Military Academy.
In a heartfelt tribute, Hays native J.D. Schramm writes about his first Father’s Day without his dad, Jack, 93, who passed away June 2 in Hays.
Jack Schramm was dubbed the “Number One Fan” of Thomas More Prep-Marian school.
A lifelong champion and supporter of TMP-M, he had just marked the 75 year anniversary of his graduation from its predecessor school, St. Joseph’s Military Academy.
Members of the Hays Middle School Garden Club show off their vegetables to members of the Prairie Garden Club Thursday morning.
A group of Hays Middle School students are trying to save the world one tomato plant at a time.
Two years ago, a group of science students were learning about climate change. The students decided they wanted to do more to make the world a greener place, so the Hays Middle School Garden Club was born.
“We learned that little things affect a lot of people,” Isis Norris, eighth grader, said. “We get to talk to people at the farmer’s market about our project.”
A group of about 40 meets Tuesday mornings during the school year, but a smaller core group remains active during the summer, working on a small plot on the middle school grounds.
A group of adults from the Prairie Garden Club in Hays joined the students for a tour Thursday morning.
This year some of the produce the group is growing includes watermelon, carrots, tomatoes and snap peas.
The group is growing organically, using a variety of soil mixes, including those supplemented with compost and manure.
Faith Fondoble, HMS eighth grader, talks about the HMS Garden Club’s compost bin Thursday morning.
The group constructed its own compost bin on site and is already reaping some compost material from the bin. Faith Fondoble, eighth grader, said she spent hours researching composting practices before the group put in its bin.
The group also has an indoor garden tower. Students place seeds in nutrient-rich clay disks, and the tower is supported through hydroponics. Artificial light keeps the plants, such as chard and basil, growing year round.
Any produce the group grows either goes home with the students or is offered at the Downtown Hays Market through free-will donation. Any donations go back to supporting the Garden Club program.
The club has not been to the market this summer yet because of a lack of volume in its produce. However, if it has more items later in the season, it will try to be at the market, club adviser and HMS science and math teacher Margaret Meier said.
The HMS Garden Club has an indoor plant tower it uses to grow plants, such as chard and basil, using hydroponics.
The group is working to raise money for a garden shed and hopes to use the shed as a collecting point for a rain barrel.
Meier said the garden is completely student driven. The students pick what plants they are going to grow and what goals they wish to set.
“I am trying to empower them and show them they can bring about change,” Meier said. “Even though they are 11 though 13 or 14, they can be a part of something great. They can be a part of the community.”
Check out the group’s Facebook page by clicking here.
A student in the Hays Public Library teen cooking class makes black bean dip during a cooking contest on Wednesday.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
The Hays Public Library put a new twist on its young adult cooking class on Wednesday.
The monthly class theme was based on the popular TV show “Chopped.”
The children in the class were split into two teams, each with a separate mystery basket of ingredients.
Group A received black beans avocado and fiesta-style cheese.
Group B was given fresh basil; a Greek Medley that included sun-dried tomatoes and olives; tomato sauce; and pizza dough.
The two groups were able to pull some items and spices from a shared pantry.
Group A made a black bean dip with freshly fried tortilla chips. They added cumin, black pepper, chili powder and salt to spice up their dip.
Group B made a pizza with cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, Greek medley, spices and a sauce containing fresh basil. The group even sprinkled on a little curry powder.
Their young hands flew over pots and pans, stretched dough, sprinkled cheese and lightly ladled sauce onto dough. The dishes may not have been as complex as those in the TV show, but there was no less excitement. The children laughed, joked and yelled with excitement when the judging was announced.
Some of the children in the class, who were 12 years old and older, had never cooked before while others had limited experience.
The teen cooking class is offered once a month at the library as part of the young adults program. Organizers of the program like to find a different theme for each class and usually take those themes from holidays.
However, several of the young library patrons mentioned they had watched the Food Network’s “Chopped,” which also has a youth version, “Chopped Junior.”
They encouraged the librarians to base a class on the program.
Carly McCracken, young adult librarian assistant, said the students learn a variety of things from the cooking courses.
“They are definitely learning cooking skills that they can utilize at home or when they are older,” she said. “They start to develop skills in the kitchen and have the opportunity to work with food, and they learn responsibility and how to work as a team.”
McCracken and fellow library assistant Rebecca Channel served as judges for the competition. Students were given positive feed back on the their creations. The dip was a little bland, but the A Team received high marks for their crisp chips. The B team’s pizza was very flavorful, but the students could have gone a little easier on the spice.
In the end, both teams got props. Team A won for creativity and Team B was honored for taste.
There will be no teen cooking class in July. However, if you wish to sign your child up for classes in August or after, you can visit the Hays Public Library website by clicking here or parents can sign their kids up on the day of the classes.
Hays city commissioners don’t like it, but it’s inevitable.
A 10-foot tall chain link wildlife fence will be built around the Hays Regional Airport starting this fall, as required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Commissioners unanimously approved a bid of $1,528,650 by Paul Wertenberger Construction, Hays, to construct the five and half miles of fencing. The FAA is expected to reimburse the city 90 percent of the $1.766 million project total cost, with the city’s 10 percent share being $176,605. The city’s Capital Improvement Plan included $200,000 in 2017 for the project to be funded out of the Airport Improvement Fund.
The city has put off the project for several years.
“Basically, the FAA approves our running five-year airport improvement plan,” explained City Manager Toby Dougherty. “When the FAA inspectors noticed wildlife at the airport (in 2010) and the FAA identified this fence as a solution to that, our response was we’re gonna do that when we absolutely have to do it. Now is the time the FAA says ‘you have to do it.'”
According to Dougherty, the FAA will not allow any other grants for projects until the fence is done because “this is their number one priority.”
“Worst case scenario, if we don’t protect the airport to their standards we could lose our certification for air passenger service…going without FAA grant money might play well for a couple years but then if we’re faced with rebuilding a runway or taxiway, that’s probably something we couldn’t foot the bill on our own,” Dougherty said.
Although the bid from Paul Wertenberger Construction (PWC) was not the lowest, only three of the five total bids were valid, according to John Braun, interim director of Public Works. The PWC bid was still lower than the $1.535 million engineer’s estimate.
The fence will be topped by a one-foot-tall outward-angled three-strand barbed wire outrigger. Underground will be a three-foot-deep buried skirt to deter digging under the fence by burrowing animals.
Commissioner Sandy Jacobs said she “hates” the way the fence will appear from the road and has begun looking for volunteers who are interested in “beautifying” the fence with some bushes if it’s allowed.
“There are some limitations,” advised City Attorney John Bird. “Some of the easements around the airport might be affected but we can look into it.”
“It looks like a prison,” Jacobs said shaking her head.
“I can’t imagine there’s a lot of wildlife seen on the airport,” Mayor Shaun Musil said, “but the airport manager, Ovid Seifers, told me Wednesday night he actually does see quite a bit out there.”
“It kind of sickens me that we have to spend this kind of money,” he added. “But on the other hand, it’d be pretty bad if we had an accident out there.”
“Absolutely,” agreed Commissioner Jacobs.
Stan Christopher, HDR
In other business, an update on the progress of the city’s wastewater treatment plant reconstruction since late April was presented by Stan Christopher, HDR Engineering, the city’s owner representative for the project.
“I’m excited to say we’re making progress after taking a step back,” Christopher said, referring to a contract termination with the Wichita firm CDM Smith in the first design phase. The design-builder, Burns and McDonnell/CAS Constructors, moved its contract trailer on site earlier this week.
The deadline for the rebuilt plant to be fully operational is Sept. 1, 2019.
Rep. Eber Phelps, (D-Hays) 111th Dist.
During citizen’s comments, 111th Dist. Rep. Eber Phelps (D-Hays) gave a review of the state legislature’s recent wrap-up session. Legislators will return to Topeka Monday, June 26, for Sine Die, “one final day before the books are closed for the state of Kansas. That’s the last day the legislature can take action on anything,” Phelps explained.
The commission voted to approve the recommendation of Finance Director Kim Rupp to refund water and sewage system revenue bonds for better interest rates, saving about $170,000 in future debt service payments.
Commissioners also approved the sale of $1.6 million in general obligation bonds financing four benefit district/special assessment projects–46th Street Second Addition Phase 2, King’s Gate First Addition Phase 2, Tallgrass Addition Phase 5 and S&W Alley Pavement. Rupp noted the “numbers will be adjusted a little bit” because one individual property owner will be pre-paying the assessment.
In addition, $2.2 million in water and sewage system bonds that originally financed various water system will be sold for refinancing saving the city about $170,000 in future debt service payments.
Commissioner Lance Jones was absent from the meeting.
Gubernatorial candidate Jim Barnett, (R-Topeka), addresses a group in downtown Hays Wednesday afternoon.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
It was Dr. Jim Barnett’s last stop of a two-day campaign announcement tour of Kansas and a homecoming of sorts for two of his young staff members who have ties to Hays, WaKeeney, Ransom and Bazine.
Barnett and his entourage were in Hays Wednesday afternoon, spreading word of his intention to run for governor in 2018.
A life-long Republican, Barnett is a practicing physician of 35 years and lives in Topeka. He grew up on a farm near Reading on the edge of the Flint Hills. His fiance also grew up on a farm, near Americus. Barnett served as a state senator from 2001 to 2010 for the Emporia area and is a past president of the Emporia school board.
In 2006, Barnett won a seven-way primary and was the Republican candidate for governor.
“The best years of my public service came when I was on a school board,” Barnett declared, “and it’s when I got to rub shoulders with educators. I knew how important their job was for the future of those children.”
“I want to make it clear that education is critical to our future in Kansas, not just K-12 but also early childhood education. Higher education is also critically important especially when it comes to workforce development.”
As governor, Barnett said he wants to support and fund schools.
“I want schools funded year after year so we’re not back in the courts. I want our decisions made by parents and by educators in the classroom and not in the courtroom.”
State legislators battled through an extended 2017 session in reaching a new school funding formula, which increases aid to schools by $284 million within two years. The fate of the new K-12 formula is now in the hands of the Kansas Supreme Court. The justices found the state’s current funding system unconstitutional in the ongoing Gannon v. Kansas school finance lawsuit, in which dozens of school districts are suing the state over funding levels.
“I applaud those legislators who made that very difficult vote. The Kansas tax experiment almost brought us to our knees,” Barnett said.
The end of most of Gov. Brownback’s tax cuts was made official with the passing of SB 30. The bill was passed by an override of the governor’s veto. The legislation repeals the non-wage business income tax exemption for small businesses going back to Jan. 1, 2017.
The internal medicine doctor supports expansion of Medicaid in Kansas, which is opposed by Brownback. “That’s a short term solution. There’s an intersection of out-of-control healthcare costs and people who work and still can’t afford healthcare,” said Barnett.
“Long term, I expect President Trump and Congress to issue block grants for Medicaid,” he predicted. “So the next governor better have a passion and an understanding because in Kansas we’re gonna have to figure out how to take care of a lot of people with limited resources.
“I welcome that challenge because that’s what I’ve been doing for 35 years. We need to have access to quality healthcare in our communities if they’re going to stay alive.”
Barnett also talked about the importance of infrastructure. “If we don’t have good roads and bridges, air travel and rail, we can’t grow economically. We need to restore funding to the Kansas Department of Transportation.”
The only way to pay for it all long term is to grow the state’s economy, according to Barnett. If elected governor, he plans to involve community business leaders and ask them what they need to do better and how the state can help.
Clare Gustin, a Sunflower Electric vice-president who works with the western Kansas Rural Economic Development Alliance, pointed out that “rural development takes more money, takes more creativity and takes longer than in urban areas.” “When a legislative body looks at (only) how many jobs were created, that doesn’t tell the whole story in rural communities. We have to have a balanced approach. Two jobs in a small community is like 200 jobs in Johnson County,” Gustin said.
Jim Barnett (center) chats with Ellis County Commissioner Marcy McClelland (left) and others at Gella’s Wednesday.
Barnett agreed.
“I don’t see this as a top-down effort. I want this to be business and industry-driven,” he responded. “When it comes to accountability, I’ll ask them what they need to know and they’ll tell me. Then they’ll tell their election officials to support it, because it’s jobs.
“I think the most important appointment I will make as governor is the Secretary of Commerce. We need a relationship that is joined at the hip. It’s vital to growing the state’s economy.”
When asked about the rural versus urban divide in Kansas, Barnett talked about what is common to all Kansans including agriculture and water supplies.
“I’m proud we’re an ag state and I want all Kansans to recognize that. It’s a huge part of our economy and we cannot afford to lose that base. That’s 70,000 farmers, ranchers and producers eventually transporting out $5.5 billion of ag products to other places (annually).”
There has been preliminary talk at the state level of moving water from northeast Kansas to western Kansas through an open channel.
“That doesn’t quite mesh with me, but maybe that’s how we do it,” Barnett said. “Water affects all of us. It’s not only western Kansas that has water (shortage) issues. Eventually, eastern Kansas will as well.
“There are short-term and long-term needs. Obviously conservation, new technologies for watering and measuring soil moisture which also provide the opportunity to bring high-tech jobs into the state, research for new crops and new crop usages, these involve the entire state.”
Uniting Kansans is the focus of Barnett’s campaign with his #OneKansas agenda.
“We’ll never solve our issues unless we come together,” he said, “and I believe it’s high time we did that.”
Children get a chance to touch Buffy the snake during a Hays Arts Council class on Tuesday.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
Budding artists are getting up close views of animals that slither, hop and creep the next two weeks as a part of a Hays Arts Council series titled Call of the Wild.
The first class on snakes was Tuesday and Wednesday and Mitch Sommers, a volunteer for the Sternberg Museum, introduced the children to Buddy, a prairie rat snake.
Sommers talked about different types of snakes and how they benefit the ecosystems in which they live, and how non-native species of snakes can be harmful.
He explained snakes such a bull snakes keep down the Kansas mouse and rat population and protect grain crops.
The children were interested in rattle snakes, and Sommers explained about the rattle snake’s rattle. Snakes shed their skin and this affects the size of their rattles.
A rattle snake that has a pointed rattle is likely a younger snake. One that has a broader more blunt rattle is likely older, Sommer said, because it has likely lost some of its rattle segments.
Children who took the class not only said they learned more about snakes, but some children who said they had been afraid of snakes said they had lost their fear.
“I was scared of snakes,” Tadem Unrein, 7, of Hays said, “but now I know they help the world, but my aunt said she still doesn’t like them.”
Kadalen Unrein, 8, Tadem’s cousin, said she learned more about snakes.
“We learned that the biggest snake is 300 pounds, and if they get foggy stuff on their eyes that means they are going to shed their skins,” she said.
Brynn Schoepf, 7, also of Hays, said she also was scared of snakes before the class.
“I used to be scared of snakes, but now I think they are pretty cool. … I really want a pet snake, but then no one would want me,” she said.
The children sketched some of their own impressions of Buddy the snake and then were given wooden snakes to paint.
Sommers said he tried to draw the children’s attention to the texture and patterns in the snakes.
Other classes in the series will focus on turtles, June 22-23; frogs, June 27-28 and lizards, June 29-30. Classes are 1 to 2:15 p.m. at the Hays Arts Center Annex, 1010 Main St.
Brenda Meder, director of the Hays Arts Council, said there are still a few spots open in the remaining classes. Cost for each class is $11. She urged parents to call the Arts Council at 785-625-7522 for information on enrollment. You can also check the council’s website by clicking here.
Military Appreciation Night will be Saturday at RPM Speedway in Hays. All active, reserved and retired military personnel with ID will be admitted free to the grandstands, and the first 50 who present their ID at the main concession stand will receive VIP seating which will allow them to watch the races from inside the climate control VIP suite.
It’s the speedway’s way of thanking those serving or who have served. Kids 12 and younger also will receive free general admission. General admission for adults 13 and older is $10. On track for the night will be the IMCA modifieds, stocks, Northern sportmods, hobby stocks and sport compacts — plus cruisers.
Gates open at 5 p.m., with hot laps at 6 p.m. and races to follow. The race night is sponsored by James Motor Co. of Hays and G & B Fireworks of Liebenthal.
For more information on events, race schedule and results, like the speedway on Facebook at rollingplainsmotor.speedway.
By RANDY GONZALES FHSU University Relations and Marketing
Whether they realize it or not, the young participants have been learning something while having fun at Fort Hays State University’s Science and Mathematics Education Institute’s summer camps this month.
The FHSU students who have been teaching the SMEI campers are learning something, too — if they want to choose a career path as a teacher, specifically in math or science.
For the fourth year, undergraduate students serving as Noyce Scholars instructed the children, ranging from second-graders to eighth-graders, in four-day camps on the FHSU campus. The six Fort Hays State students received hands-on experience in the classroom, while their young students received hands-on learning about science and math.
“I love it so much, more than I thought I would,” said Jenna Klein, a Noyce Scholar from Abilene, who will be a junior this fall. “These kids are so sweet and so excited to learn about science. They’re really interested and have fun learning. It’s really fun to teach them when they’re excited about it.”
Dr. Paul Adams, dean of the College of Education, said the purpose of the SMEI summer camps was twofold. He is trying to recruit future science and math teachers, and he also wants to provide science and math experiences for school children.
“We have a good program to prepare science and math teachers. State wide, we have a shortage. We’re trying to get people early and interested in it,” Adams said. “One of the things I wanted to do, I needed to provide (science, math and technology) experiences for kids. Kids will make their career decisions by middle school. That’s part of what these camps are about, get them interested in doing it.”
SMEI has four camps in June. The first one this summer was a new one, involving the science behind magic tricks. At the end of the week there was a magic show for parents. Last week’s camp was dedicated to learning about engineering and physics. This week, there are two camps. One is devoted to the engineering design process, nanotechnology and rockets, while the other is a new one for middle school girls, where among the things they will learn is composting, beekeeping and planting in flower pots. The final camp week is dedicated to robots, with experiments and challenges.
“Each project required the children to use the scientific method,” said Dr. Valerie Zelenka, assistant professor of teacher education, who is involved in the planning and supervision of the camps. “In small groups, they made initial observations, came up with a question or questions based on their observations, developed a hypothesis or prediction, conducted their experiment, recorded the results and drew conclusions, and shared and discussed their findings with the whole group.”
The six FHSU students who are Noyce Scholars are involved for six weeks. They are trained for teaching in a classroom setting for a week, then are with the children for four weeks. The final week, they work on a project together as a group.
Another of the Noyce Scholars is Breanna Meier, a junior-to-be this fall from Lincoln who is majoring in biology and secondary education. She wants to teach math and science in middle school and high school in a small school district in Kansas.
“It’s been fun,” she said. “I’ve had several friends go through the program in the past, and they always talk about how much they loved it and how they learned more about the age group they want to teach.”
One morning last week, Klein and Meier taught the kids about the science behind hula hoops. The young students learned about things such as torque, mass, weight, gravity, diameter and circumference using different-sized hula hoops with different amounts of sand in them. At the end of the session the children had a hula hoop contest to see who was best at gyrating the hoop around his or her body.
“They learn so much about science and math,” Meier said. “It’s really hands-on. They get to do experiments. We ask them a lot of questions, provoking thought. They think about it that way, instead of being lectured to. It’s more open discussion.”
And it’s fun, said Benjamin Dome, an 11-year-old from Hays who will be attending Victoria Middle School in the fall.
“They teach you really cool stuff,” he said. “You get to do really fun stuff.”
Adams said a program like the summer SMEI camps is important for FHSU and the community.
“It says what we are,” Adams said. “It shows our commitment, not just to being here, but being engaged with the community. It shows our commitment to the community and also our commitment to the state of Kansas.”
“If we can capture interest at this age, then we look at long-term workforce development. This is where we’ve got to start,” Adams added. “This is a great opportunity for us to both work with the community and have our students engaged.”
Meier said the SMEI camp, along with the several other camps FHSU hosts during the summer, provide both learning and a sense of community.
“They have a lot of camps; I think it’s awesome,” she said. “It brings kids on campus. I hope they’re going to be future Tigers one day.”
As harvest rolls across Kansas, law enforcement officials are reminding residents to once again use caution when traveling on Kansas roadways.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol. there have been 22 accidents involving farm equipment so far this year.
Ellis County Sheriff Ed Harbin said it’s important motorists be patient when driving on Kansas roadways this harvest season.
“Slow down a little bit. You know these truck are going to be going slow. They’ve got quite a load on them,” he said.
Harbin also urged motorists to be aware of trucks entering and exiting grain elevators.
“Sometimes there is congestion if a lot of people are there at the same time,” he said.
It’s also important to be cautious when attempting to pass farm equipment — and be on the lookout for slow-moving equipment while traveling on county roads.
“We have had accidents where people have attempted to pass one of the wheat trucks and had either near misses or actually had accidents with oncoming cars,” said Harbin.
Intersections are also dangerous at this time of year.
“When you come to an intersection, slow down and be prepared to stop, because you don’t know what is coming at you,” Harbin said.
Kat’s Hallmark Shop, north of I-70, is a Gold Crown store.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
“It was a difficult time for the consumers and ourselves. They’re very excited that we are now a Hallmark Gold Crown store.”
Kathy Schupman is also excited. The owner of the former Tandy’s Hallmark store in Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine, has relocated north of Interstate 70.
Kat’s Hallmark Shop, 4320 Vine St., Suite 70, is located in the growing Tebo Village next to the just-opened UPS Store.
According to the Hallmark website, Gold Crown stores carry the widest selection of Hallmark greeting cards, stationery, gifts and gift wrap, as well as products for decorating and entertaining, personal accessories, baby and kids’ gifts, and gourmet food and candy. The stores, most of which are independently owned and operated, offer a Crown Rewards store loyalty program for purchases.
“In making the decision to become Gold Crown, we met with corporate entities from corporate Hallmark in Kansas City. We were visited out here and we showed them this location. They and our family agreed that this was a good spot for Hallmark,” she said.
Schupman, who considers herself an entrepreneur, “thought it would be better to come out of the mall (Big Creek Crossing.) The mall business hours and being open Thanksgiving Day just weren’t conducive to me.”
Schupman moved from Big Creek Crossing at the end of March, 10 months after purchasing the store in June 2016, and opened in the new location April 20.
The store is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 to 4 p.m. Sunday. There are seven employees; Schupman is the sole full-time worker.
“When you’re an entrepreneur and you open a business, you are truly invested in it. Not only monetarily, but in all facets. You want to do your own marketing in your own style–what you think is best for your business.
“In the mall environment, we felt their ideas of marketing and their style of marketing wasn’t best for the kind of store we wanted to have,” she explained as the primary reason for the move.
After the Hallmark store was damaged following a partial collapse of the mall roof April 16, 2016, Schupman heard the business was for sale through Aaron White, executive director of the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development.
“We moved Kollections Gift & Party store , which was the Paper Mart Party Center we purchased in 2014, into the mall store and combined the two until we could get this all worked out and be approved as Gold Crown. We’re very fortunate that we are.” With the merger, the mall location lost its Gold Crown status.
A recent out-of-state customer told Schupman she hoped “your town appreciates what you’ve done to keep the Gold Crown here.”
“It’s not about that,” Schupman quickly said, “but so many towns and areas have lost Hallmark. Keeping one in the vicinity is very important. I think so, and I know the community feels it because they were very upset when we weren’t Gold Crown.
Customer pull from Interstate 70 travelers has “astounded” Schupman.
Kat’s Hallmark shop is is next to The UPS Store on the east end of Tebo Village.
“It has been excellent. Our daily sales have not only matched what we had in the mall, during non-seasonal times, but exceeded it. We had four ladies come in from Idaho. They were so excited. The girls working here tell me stories every day of customers coming off I-70.” The exterior store front sports both a colorful balloon sign for the Paper Mart Party Center and the Hallmark logo sign which can be seen from I-70 and are lighted at night.
The re-location to an outside strip mall has also worked well, according to Schupman.
“Our older customers are saying ‘thank you, because it was such a trek going from the parking lot, through the mall, to get into your location and purchase my Hallmark card.’ So they are loving the handicap parking spots, being able to get in and out.”
Balloon bouquet customers also appreciate the easy access.
29 colors of paper party goods
“Some of our balloon bouquets are huge,” Schupman demonstrated with her arms wide apart. “At this establishment we have a back door as well, a back parking lot where they can come around and pick up their balloons if there are a lot of them.” Those customers are often also buying color-coordinated party supplies–29 colors of everything from plates and cups to napkins and tablecloths–from the Paper Mart Party Center in the store.
Hallmark, founded in 1910 in Kansas City, Missouri, by J.C. Hall, is considered the world’s best-known greeting card brand.
“One of the things I learned recently is the Hallmark brothers actually invented gift wrap,” Schupman said.
“They would take the foil that they used inside envelopes and sell it in sheets for people to wrap their packages in, and that is how gift wrap was established.”
The company is still led by members of the founding Hall family, which Schupman appreciates.
“I’m very family-oriented. We have the Snaxsun snack food business called Wheatland Foods that my father-in-law and I own and participate in. We’ve had other businesses along the way. I love family-based business, acting together toward a common goal that’s good for the community.”
The store inventory changes with the seasons which keeps the staff busy. The merchandise is arrayed in a new Hallmark display design called Essence, shabby chic fixtures that are two feet wide rather than the standard four foot dimensions.
Gift ideas
Popular and beloved brands fill the shelves including Precious Moments, Yankee and WoodWick candles, Disney, Peanuts, Marvel, and Willow Tree. Walking up and down the aisles, customers will find thousands of selections to choose from ranging from the unusual–Amish-made puzzle pieces to display photos–to the more familiar baby gifts, plush stuffed animals, kitchenware and home decorations, customizable jewelry, items symbolic of faith, and of course, Hallmark gift wrap and cards. The store is carrying the new Hallmark card line Anthem, square-shaped cards which play music when opened.
There are plans are to establish a local Keepsake Ornament Club, according to Schupman. “We’ll gather information this year when people come in to get their 2017 ornaments to see what they would like out of the club, and we’ll be building another community.”
“I just love that about Hays. Being from Ohio and a much larger community, and then moving here, I just love the camaraderie.”
Plans are also underway to host an open house in the fall.
Schupman moved to Hays in March 2008 with her daughter Raeanna and is married to local resident John Schupman, a truck driver for Total Lease Services.
“We met at a pinochle tournament in Omaha, Nebraska, and we still play pinochle,” she laughed.
Members of the Hays High School cheer squad practice last week at HHS. Cheerleading could soon be an Olympic sport, which might lead to more funding under Title IX.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
Local cheerleaders and cheer coaches are excited about the possibility of cheerleading becoming an Olympic sport, but the move may affect more than whether young men and women will have an opportunity to go for the gold.
Cheerleading’s designation as a sport could affect funding for the sport at the local level, college scholarships, competition and rules and regulations governing the activity.
Cheerleading was given provisional status by the International Olympic Committee in December 2016.
However, you won’t see cheer in the Olympics in 2020.
The International Cheer Union will have to petition the IOC to become a sport and prove it is widely practiced across the world and it advances the Olympics. The ICU has more than 100 national federations across the world.
In recent years, the cheerleading for many high schools and colleges has meant a move from teams of spirited students leading cheers on the sidelines to complicated stunt routines that include elements of dance and tumbling.
The members of the Fort Hays State University squad physically condition for these demanding routines, including weights twice a week, said Courtney Bartling, head cheer and mascot coach.
The FHSU trainer had to modify the squad’s weight training to make it a more full-body work out as he realized the squad members were using muscles other athletes don’t in stunts such as pyramids.
Bartling and Hays High School Coach Sara Campbell both said they thought the official recognition of cheerleading as a sport could affect funding for squads.
Campbell’s team had a car wash Saturday to raise money for new uniforms. However, if the team was recognized as an official Title IX sport, uniforms would be provided. New uniforms for the HHS squad will cost about $4,500 this year.
Members of the Hays High School cheer squad make posters for an upcoming car wash fundraiser. Proceeds from the car wash will be used to pay for uniforms.
Bartling said Title IX designation would also affect students at the college level. Until this year, the college did not have any funding for scholarships for cheer squad members who lived off campus. This included Bartling when she was a squad member.
Under Title IX, cheerleaders could be eligible for scholarships.
This is a prospect that excited Tay Otte, an HHS senior.
“That is really exciting,” he said of cheer’s possible entry as an Olympic sport. “I want to do cheer in college and if I could make it to the Olympics, that would be great. … Cheer is a lot harder than any other sport I have done.”
The FHSU squad does not currently compete, and Bartling said funding is a significant barrier to that.
Under Title IX, FHSU and other college squads could be eligible for funding to attend intercollegiate competitions.
Female-dominated cheerleading could be used to offset male-dominated sports, such as wrestling on the collegiate level.
However, Bartling said she would not like to see cheerleading become an all-female sport. Both the FHSU and HHS squads have male members, and both coaches said those students should also have opportunities to perform and compete.
Creating a sports designation for cheerleading could change the rules and regulations governing the activity, which has some organizers at the national level uneasy. However, Bartling said cheer coaches already have to be certified and any regulations that would help improve the safety of young men and women would be welcomed.
Historic Fort Hays came to life again Saturday with the explosion of cannon fire, the clanging of tins cups and the pounding of hoof beats.
Fort Hays celebrated its 150th anniversary this weekend with a bevy of activities, including reenactors, artillery demonstrations and mounted cavalry maneuvers.
Among the featured performers were Steve Alexander who portrayed Gen. George Armstrong Custer.
Alexander told of Custer’s early difficult life growing up as the son of a justice of the peace and a blacksmith.
He happened to be admitted to the West Point when the person on the admission list ahead of him failed his entrance exams.
Custer, who was noted as the class clown in his West Point class, was constantly a few demerits or “skins” away from being expelled.
Custer made his name during the Civil War, charging into to battles with great gusto.
He was briefly assigned to duty in the south during the reconstruction, but sought the excitement and freedom of the great West.
Custer married his childhood sweetheart Elizabeth Bacon, who followed him on the frontier when she could, being based at forts across Kansas. Custer would ride all day and spend his nights writing 30-page letters to his wife.
Marla Matkin, who portrayed Elizabeth Custer Saturday, talked about her adventures with George Custer and a brief separation when both feared they had been killed.
“A frontier officer’s wife depended on her ability to accept, adapt and stand up unexpected and sometimes dangerous situations,” Matkin said. “She enlisted in the Army the minute she said “I do.”
Custer said he saw native American as free-roaming, free soles, which he admired.
Alexander noted Custer had Native Americans he called friends and did not favor having the Indians restricted to reservations. Custer said he supported the assimilation for the native tribes.
Alexander performing as Custer noted that at one time it was believed that 600 million bison roamed North America. By the time that Custer reached the Great Plains in the 1860s, there were about 60 million head of bison.
He noted taking Russian dignitaries on hunts. However, no one knew at that time the days of seamlessly endless bison herds would come to an end.
As the bison dwindled to as few as 800 individuals, the way of life for the native plains people came to an end.
The fort’s day of celebration also demonstrated the daily life of the common soldiers. This included the Nicodemus Buffalo Soldiers. First Sgt. Barry Tompkins of Ellis told the story of the Buffalo soldier to a crowd who had gathered to watch the Nicodemus Buffalo Soldiers perform mounted maneuvers at the fort’s parade grounds Saturday.
The Native Americans noted Africa-American soldiers’ hair resembled that of their sacred bison, and out of honor, dubbed them Buffalo Soldiers.
The Buffalo Soldiers defended wagon trains as settlers came west and delivered mail after the Pony Express was disbanded.
The Buffalo Soldiers received 23 Congressional Medals of Honor, which is more than any other cavalry regiment in history.
African-American women babysat, cleaned officers’ homes and did laundry at the fort. They received $2 per month per soldier to do laundry. With 22 soldiers each paying for their services, laundry women made $44 per month compared to the soldiers’ $13 month in Army pay.
Although women were not allowed to enlist in the Army, one woman did want to be a Buffalo Soldier. Her name was Cathay Williams. When she went to re-enlist, she switched her name to William Cathay. Despite living in close quarters with men, even sleeping in the same bunks, Cathy’s secret was not reveled until she fell ill and had to be treated at the infirmary.
The fort’s celebration continues on Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. with an old-fashioned church service at 10 a.m. and more chances to meet and hear performances from reenactors throughout the day. The event is free and open to the public. Click here for a schedule.
Eight registered nurses at HaysMed were honored recently at a recognition ceremony and luncheon. They completed the yearlong RN Residency Program offered at HaysMed.
The program began a year ago in July 2016 and the nurses spent the first 3 weeks in a classroom setting. The remainder of training focuses on clinical experience, one on one mentorship with their preceptor, high-fidelity simulations and on the job training. Additionally, nurses receive training from professionals in several departments, such as radiology, pharmacy, cardiac care, OB and others.
The RN Residency class included Bailee Bittel, RN, Jaryn Brown, RN, Emily Disney, RN, Lauren Finger, RN, Lydia Hynek, RN, Kristen Lorenc, RN, Kylie Stoppel, RN, and Silver VanWey, RN.
The RN Residency Program at HaysMed is one of only two in the state and has been offered since 2008. Shari Hertel, RN heads the program and has oversight of all the training. HaysMed also works closely with critical access hospitals in the region through a rural residency program to provide training to nurses practicing in the rural setting.
“It is a great program.” said Hertel. “Having one year of focused, on the job evidenced based learning produces nurses who are more confident and competent in their skills which translates into improved patient care.”
Currently there are 7 nurses scheduled in the next program which begins in July. There are also 9 nurses from Colby, Smith Center and Beloit in the Rural Residency program. The program is open to newly graduated RNs.
