Party auction breaks records from previous years. — Page 3
Soccer at Seward Soccer program to kick off in two years. — Page 7
September 27
Hope & Serenity arrive on campus
Mediterranean Nights
2011 Turning the page
Roommates find common ground. — Page 5
Crusader • RUSSIAN GROUP who visited Seward County Community College Friday Sept. 23. was hosted by the Liberal Rotary club as part of the international district exchange program. This is a program which sends a representative group of people to visit a foreign country in an effort to promote cultural understanding and peace. The group will be in America for 3.5 weeks particularly the Southwest region of Kansas. While in Liberal, they visited Dorothy’s House, The MidAmerica Air Museum. Team Leader Svetlana Chelnokova said, “I feel the boys and girls in America should feel very luck. They have so many opportunities available to them.” •A TEACHER WORKSHOP this Wednesday brought area teachers to campus. Forty-one teachers representing 22 schools attended this year. SCCC has hosted this workshop for more than 10 years. Math and science teachers from middle school to high school are invited to participate at no cost. It is an opportunity for teachers to learn new ways of teaching. •VISIT OPSU Any student wanting to go must sign up by Oct. 21 in Room AA150 with school counselor Star L. Triscornia. Students will be leaving at 8 a.m. and be back by 2 p.m. Nov 4. They will need to provide their own lunch money. •SEWARD PRES is where followers can find college President Dr. Duane Dunn on Twitter. Login through mycampus on the SCCC website, under Official News from SCCC/ATS and see that SCCC/ATS President Dunn has now joined Twitter. He is staying up to date with social networking like Twitter and also Facebook. •BLACKOUT NIGHT is at 6:30 p.m Wednesday at the Green House. Support the Lady Saints volleyball by wearing black clothing that night. Lady Saints will be selling official Seward County blackout shirts throughout the day Wednesday for $12 each. Contact Roy Allen at roy.allen@sccc.edu for questions or to make a shirt purchase. •BRISKET SALE The Saints Booster Club will be selling briskets. They will be available at the Saints basketball preview night Tuesday, Oct. 25. Billy’s Mexican Grill & Q will be smoking the briskets. Briskets will be selling at $40 each. Contact Galen McSpadden to make purchases at galen.mcspadden@sccc.edu or call (620) 4171550. •RONALD RADFORD will be performing his soul-stirring music for the community, playing the flamenco guitar at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 at the SCCC/ATS Showcase Theatre. Tickets available at Baker Arts Center, 624 N Pershing Ave. or by calling (620)624-2810. Tickets will also be sold at the door. •FINANCIAL AID refunds are in. The checks are available in the business office ready for students to come by and pick them up. •DAVID CARILLO, sophomore, was the first place winner of the CrusaderNews.com planking contest. Freshman Andrew Wolford was the second place winner. •KICKBALL INTRAMURAL sign-ups are due on Friday. For more information contact Wade Lyon at 620-417-1064 or at wade.lyon@sccc.edu.
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SCCC/ATS to receive a $4 million STEM grant Seward County Community will be receiving a $4 million dollar STEM grant. A STEM grant is used toward Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The grant is a classified as a competitive grant with money available at the federal level. “We found out we were eligible in April,” college President Dr. Duane Dunn said. “We
worked on it quite a while.” Dunn was notified by Sen. Jerry Moran’s office last week that the grant had been approved. “We are still waiting on the written notification,” Dunn said. “We anticipate that this week or next week we’ll get the official one.” The funds will be spread out through a five year period with about $800,000 per grant year.
The money will be used towards building a couple of greenhouses for the agriculture department which will be the first project, then new class additions will come afterwards. The first project that will be set into place is the sustainable agriculture; with a program that will focus on soil, water and plant growth. Another program that will be
brought in due to the grant will be food safety. That program will allow for lab testing of food products. This will not be implemented until the third year of the grant term. The grant also allows for a transfer specialist to be brought to the college. The transfer specialist will be able to assist students transfering to the university level.
“This will help our counselors and advisers,” Dunn said. Also, the math and physics labs will be able to have improvements because of the grant. The grant requires students to transfer into a bachelor’s degree and hopefully return with new ideas and new careers to better improve the southwest Kansas area.
Perkins receives Western region award Perkins said. College president Duane Dunn nominated Perkins for the award Years of dedication have led by the Seward County CommuPamela Perkins to receive the nity College/ Area Technical Professional Board Staff Mem- School Committee Board in late ber award. spring. “I can’t think of a more Perkins has been working for deserving person,” Dunn said. “I Seward County Community was glad to nominate her.” College for 20 years. In order to receive the award, Perkins started at the college Perkins had to be a member of as an administrative assistant to the Professional Board Staff Netthe dean of instruction and has work. On the PBSN, Perkins has since been the adserved as presiministrative assisdent, vice presitant to president dent, and secresince 1995. tary. There are five reWhile she was gions, one of them president, Perkins being the Western became involved region, and Perkins with eBay. The was chosen as the PBSN did not region winner of have a gavel, and the Professional Perkins decided Board Staff Memshe would fix ber Award. that. In order to rePerkins purceive the award, chased a “beautiPerkins will have ful rosewood to travel to Amarilgavel” from eBay Perkins lo, Texas, in October. and passed it on at While there, a winthe end of her presidential term ner will be chosen from the re- in San Diego, Calif. gional winners for the national Besides purchasing the necesaward. sary gavel, Perkins also was inPerkins was in Wichita when volved in drafting an informashe was notified that she was the tional brochure because the award winner for the Western re- PBSN did not have one. Perkins gion. was also the one who started a Perkins spent 51 days in Wi- blog for the PBSN. chita with her husband, who was Perkins is involved in Saints hospitalized due to health prob- Educational Support Staff, lems. which is the organization on “It was nice thing to hear amid campus, a local level similar to everything that was going on,” PBSN.
Hei dy Mol i na Editor
Crusader photo/Megan Spain-Crusader illustration/Jose Medrano
Lily and Junior Bernabe pose on campus while texting. The couple is one of the growing number of married couples who have met online. The couple will celebrate their eight month anniversary in October.
Online couple finds link to true love Megan S pai n Entertainment editor Liliana and Federico Bernabe Jr., aren’t the only married couple on the Seward campus, but they do have an unexpected twist in their story: when they met face-to-face for the first time, they had been dating for nearly seven months. Liliana and Federico, better known as Lily and Junior, met in July 2009 on an online dating website. They talked through the website for a few days, before Junior finally asked Lily for her phone number. “Right off the bat, we both felt a connection that made us feel like we knew each other from our childhood days,” Lily remembered. After texting each other day and night, they found out that they were both from Arvin, Calif., although Junior’s family had moved to Liberal while Lily still resided in the small California town. On Aug. 23, 2009, Junior officially asked Lily out, but she told him she needed time to consider the distance and if they would be able to make it work. Five days later, he had an answer: Lily told him yes. In March 2010, Junior and his father and brother traveled from Liberal, to Arvin, Calif. (a trip of 1,172 miles) to meet Lily for the first time. As Lily waited for her
boyfriend to arrive, her friends kept fueling her doubts. They thought that Junior would not be anything like he appeared to be, or worse he wouldn’t show up at all. Eventually, Junior arrived and the couple hugged. “When we hugged, everything felt so perfect,” Lily said. Finally, after nearly eight months of continuously speaking either via text message or computer, the couple went on their first date. Junior remembers that he sat on the same side with Lily in the booth of the restaurant they went to, because he didn’t want to be away from her for one second. After a three hour first date, Junior had to return to Liberal with his father and brother. After meeting for the first time, Lily and Junior kept planning when they would see each other again. However, Junior had a certain question to ask Lily. On December 13, 2010, Junior proposed to Lily over the phone. Though she was initially shocked, eventually she answered and told him that yes, she would marry him. Junior’s parents made the plan to once again travel to California so that he could officially ask for Lily’s hand in marriage. Junior and his family arrived on Jan. 6, but Liliana had yet to tell her parents that her boyfriend was going to be in town. Right before he and his family
arrived, about 30 minutes before, Lily finally told her parents that her boyfriend was going to come visit her. They all talked for several minutes and that’s when he officially asked her to marry him. Liliana recalls her parents being shocked. They couldn’t believe Junior had actually come all that way to propose to Lily. Although Lily’s parents tried to convince Lily to wait a couple months to be married, Liliana was stubborn and didn’t want to wait to be married. On the following morning, Jan. 7, 2011, Lily and Junior were married in Bakersfield, Calif. “As soon as I got home with my parents, I started packing,” Lily said. On Jan. 8, Lily, Junior, and his parents headed back to Liberal. Lily and Junior will celebrate their eight month anniversary on Oct. 8. They currently live with Junior’s parents and they are both majoring in business administration. In the future, they plan to transfer to Fort Hays State University. Once they have graduated from Fort Hays, they would like to start a family of their own. “The best thing about being married for us would be that we could count on each other whenever we need someone,” Liliana said. “Doesn’t matter what it is; we always have one another.”
Crusader photo/ Sandy Alfaro
Blanca Richard watches as a tattoo artist works on her temporary tattoo at an SGA event Monday.
Livestock judging team prepares for upcoming competitions Cel esti na Padi l l a News editor The Seward County Livestock Judging Team traveled to El Dorado, Kan. and Omaha, Neb. for competitions. The contest in El Dorado was hosted by Butler Community College, and included approximately 550 participants. Due to the large amount of competition, the SCCC/ATS Judging Team was unable to place in the competition. The Stock Show in Omaha, Neb. was the event the team attended on Sunday. The Show was called A.K.Sarben, and included more than 300 contestants. Though a smaller contest, the same level of competition was evident.
There were about 80 contestants in the sophomore division, and Seward sophomore Corey Wilkins placed as the 7th high individual overall. “I was glad I was in the top 10,” Wilkins commented. “After the contest it's pretty nerve wracking,” Wilkins said. “I'm usually impatient to see how I did." Freshmen placed third in Reasons and also in Sheep. They came out of the competition fourth overall. Freshman Lindsay Bulk placed fifth in the swine division. “The competition was really competitive all weekend long, but I was happy with my personal success, and more importantly the freshmen teams success,"
Bulk said. In preparation for competition, the team goes over reasons with teammates and Agriculture Instructor-Livestock Judging Coach, Brett Crow. "He tells us what we could do differently, or what we are doing a good job of," Wilkins said. The members of the judging team also review terms, and reasons together in order to prep for contests. The team members have clicked because of the similar interests they have, and how much time they spend together. A typical event for the team consists of getting up early in the morning, going to judge 12 classes, giving reasons, and wait-
ing for the results. These events usually end at around 4 or 5 in the evening. Most people don’t know that freshmen and sophomores compete at different time intervals throughout the year. Freshmen start in September and continue to mid-October. Then they have a break and start anew around Thanksgiving. Then they compete from January to February. Sophomores begin in August, and their last national contest is in Houston, Texas, right before spring break. After that they begin their fundraisers for the program.
NEWS
2 CRUSADER
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Chamber of Commerce and KSCB team up for Duck Race, cook-off Matthew Adki ns Crusader staff The Liberal Chamber of Commerce and local radio station KSCB combined efforts on Sept. 17 and sponsored the Duck Festival and chili cook-off. The festival was at Blue Bonnet Park and Crusader photo/ Megan Spain consisted of the 10th Annual Duck Race The Liberal Fire Department took a creative and the KSCB Chili Cook-off. Besides the approach to their chili booth in the cook-off. two main events, there were activities and entertainment for all ages including a dunk tank, tricycle races, and bowling. In addition, several information booths were set up by different groups, including the Liberal Memorial Library staff. The chili cook-off was open to anyone who wanted to participate. Several local fire departments were some of the main contenders in the event competing in the Firefighters Chili Challenge. The proceeds from the day’s events went to Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and Whirlwind Career Counseling and Guidance Center for Veterans. The 10th Annual Duck Race had almost Crusader photo/ Matthew Adkins Crusader photo/Megan Spain 3,000 competitors. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the races, $10,010 was More than 2,900 ducks competed in the race, but there could Students from Liberal High given to 10 lucky winners of the race. only be 10 winners, making the odds 290 to 1. School volunteered to help Nathan McAffrey won first place, and the set up the festivities. 10th place last chance winner was Benny Nix.
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editor Heidy Molina news editor Celestina Padilla entertainment editor Megan Spain online editor Raul Lemus sports editor Levi Adams Matthew Adkins Sandy Alfaro Chandler Brockett Sandro Juarez Tonya Loewen Jose Medrano James McElvania Juana Rivero Octavio Rodriquez Jose Vasquez Morgan Wills
The official student newspaper of Seward County Community College/Area Technical School is published bimonthly by journalism students during the regular college year, except on school holidays and during examination periods. One copy of each issue is distributed free to each student, faculty and staff member, with subsequent copies available for purchase in the Crusader office at 50 cents each. Letters to the editor will be considered for publication if they are signed and the authenticity of the writer’s signature is verified. The staff reserves the right to edit for length. Opinions voiced in letters and editorials are not necessarily those of Seward County Community College/Area Technical School or the Crusader. Staff editorials are decided on and written by members of the editorial board: Heidy Molina, Celestina Padilla, Megan Spain, Raul Lemus, and Levi Adams. Advertising is accepted. Rates are $4 per column inch or $4.80 pci for color ads. Insert rates are $50 per thousand. Classified ads are free to SCCC students, faculty and staff; classified rates for all others are $4 per ad, limit of 20 words. The Crusader staff reserves the right to refuse advertising.
SCCC Calendar of Events 9/27 PTK meeting 5 P.M. Intramural Football 5:45 P.M. Campus Messengers Meeting 9 P.M. 9/28 Baseball vs. Clarendon 1 P.M. Volleyball vs. Barton 6:30 P.M. 9/30 OzFest Volleyball Tournament Baseball vs. Lamar 2 P.M. Kickball Intramural Forms Due 10/3 SGA Meeting 4:30 P.M. PEA Monthly Meeting 10/4 Saints Booster Club Meeting 11 P.M. HALO Meeting 10/6 “The Inspector Calls” Opening Night 7:30 P.M.
The college business club, Students in Free Enterprise, won second place and Best Presentation awards in the chili cook-off at Blue Bonnet Park Sept. 17. “It was fun, I wanted us to be in first place, we’ll try next year,” freshman Jessica Fowler said. The first-place overall winner was the American Cancer Society. Sophomore Frankie Mendez dressed as a creepy clown for the cook-off.
Lee, a member of SIFE said. The club participated to get people excited as to what SIFE was going to do this year. “We talked about this year’s community project and what we plan on doing for SIFE,” Amber Bond said. Lee added also that they are discussing a Haunted House for Halloween. Winning Best Presentation and second-place for best chili was a good outcome for SIFE, who had entered the chili cook-off for the first time.
Seward County Community College/Area Technical School offers scholarships and opportunities for students to gain financial aid. Two of these programs, the Ambassador Program and the Presidential Scholarship, require elite credentials. The Ambassador Program is a system where a student is nominated by a college supervisor to represent the college at public events. The Ambassadors are the representatives of the college; they give tours to prospective students and work at various events, such as the Foundation Auction and the SIFE Haunted House. “The Ambassador program offers
a good opportunity for students to gain leadership skills outside of the classroom,” said Admissions Secretary Jacy Sautter. Along with developing their leadership skills, the Ambassadors are compensated with an hourly wage and they are encouraged to add all events they attend to their professional resumes. The Presidential Scholarships are awarded to a recommended senior from each area high school. To be eligible for the scholarship, the senior must have a 3.0 GPA. In exchange for being selected as a Presidential Scholarship recipient, the students receive tuition plus books. If the student has a GPA above 2.5 and is selected as a student tour guide, the scholarship encompasses tuition, books, and fees.
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SIFE takes prizes in chili cook-off
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Amber Bond as a pirate, Frankie Mendez as a clown, Erica and Jessica Fowler, and Raven Lee as bunny, at the SIFE chili cook-off booth.
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Tuesday, September 27, 2011
NEWS
CRUSADER 3
Dean of Student Services, Celeste Donovan, with Presidential scholar Nikolas Mihelic.
Presidential scholar Shelby Hansen shows a painting at the auction.
Andrea Yoxall, Director of Public and Alumni Relations, was in charge of the evening.
Mediterranean Nights auction concludes, exceeding expectations Morgan Wi l l s Crusader staff At least $45,000 was raised at the annual party auction, trumping the all-time record of $43,000; a direct result of the contributions and hard work of the community, staff and students at Seward County Community College. The evening drew a lively crowd of 467 people to the Seward County Event Center on Sept 17. Those attending appeared to be having a great time chatting and laughing with friends and acquaintances while also enjoying the entertainment as well as the Mediterranean atmosphere and cuisine. Auction bidding was spirited and most were impressed by the quality and variety of items available. In addition to community members, teachers and students from the college volunteered their assistance to make this year’s event a success. Students played a notable role at this year’s auction. Presidential scholars and ambassadors volunteered their time as well as students who participated as part of the evening’s entertainment. Presidential scholar and Ambassador Rene Boaldin was decked out in Greek goddess attire purchased especially for the occasion, and played the role of an Vanna White while displaying a necklace and earrings from Staats Jewelers valued at over $1,000. “It’s really cool that so many people are willing to help provide scholarships to students at SCCC, said Boaldin. “I was not expecting this, and I will definitely help out again next year.” President Duane Dunn also expressed his appreciation for the student’s involvement. “All the students out here really helped us. They were impressive and encouraged bidding and served as a reminder that all of this effort benefits our students.” The number of people who stayed after dinner and the silent auction to participate in the live auction was impressive to event coordinator Tammy Doll. The donation which brought the most money was “View from the Top,” which entailed a 30 minute ride
Above: SCCC Presidential scholar René Boaldin advertising items during the auction. Right: A jazz ensemble, including some Seward County students, provided entertainment at the auction throughout the evening. Photos by Heidy Molina
Spencer Browne’s is located close to the college; just a quick hop next to the North Pizza Hut.
in a TS-11 fighter jet and was donated by Lyddon Aero Center, Inc. The item brought a winning bid of $2,000 dollars, double its starting price. The date for the Annual Party Auction is set a year in advance to give people the ability to block their calendars, and many did just that. The auctioneer for the event, Mike Gatlin Owner and Operator of Gatlin Auction, was raised in Liberal, but moved to Colorado 6 years ago, although he still considers Liberal home. In the 17 year history of the event, Gatlin has missed only two, and he and his wife look forward to it every year. “It is a good time,” Gatlin said, “we get to participate, raise funds for the school and enjoy seeing all of our neighbors and friends at the same time. It’s always nice to come home, and we will back next year.” Gatlin was also impressed with both attendance and participation from members of the community, “I thought it went very well,” he said. Bid prices were good, and I thought we had the best auction of the last three years.” Dr. Gerald Harris, Dean of Services at the college from 2000-05, traveled from Fairview, Colorado to be a part of the festivities. He also served the Liberal school district for many years. Harris attends the auction to renew old friendships, but also to honor his son-in-law who was killed in an auto accident. “We established a scholarship in his name. “Even though family circumstances had us move back to live in Oklahoma after his death, we retain wonderful memories and friendships from our five year in Seward County, and we wouldn’t miss attending this event for anything.” Event organizer and Director of Development Tammy Doll breathed a sigh of relief upon the successful conclusion of the evening, “It is a lot of work, but a lot of fun. I am very relieved that we made more money than we ever have before. Thank you,” she said “to everyone who helped, it is definitely a group effort to make it a success.”
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OPINION
4 CRUSADER
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 LIFE —
Start appreciating the finished product
February
March
Heidy Molina
l Apri
Crusader staff
May
July
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molina@crusadernews.com
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OUR VIEW —
Time for student union updates:Part 2 In the February 2011 issue of The Crusader, it was brought to the student body’s attention a matter of renovating the Area Technical School student union. Time flies and an update to this matter is still past due. Changes to the Area Technical School are still pending; there is no clear answer as to why. However, renovations are still in the minds of Student Government Association members and representatives. SGA met at the ATS student union on Feb. 28 and members debated a number of ideas. Ideas consisted of repainting the walls, renovating the seating, bringing in a new ping-pong table, and other changes. The main idea of installing computers at the ATS student union was turned down, after a SGA member mentioned that a new lab was installed on the ATS premises with brand new computers. “There are two open labs
here (main campus), one at the library and another at the student union,” Ed Hall, computer tech. support, said. “They have several labs at the technical (school), Colvin does use one of the labs over there. Another two are for classes, but one is multi-use.” The ATS does not have computers open to the public, unlike the main campus where visitors can use a “Guest” username and password; the ATS computers also have a policy of availability as their main purpose is for classroom use. “If it is available students are allowed to use them.” Mark Merihew, director of information technology, said in regards to policy use of computers. After some discussion, Wade Lyon, director of student support services and sponsor of SGA, advised SGA members of the idea of carrying out a poll at the Area Technical school in which students
could provide input into changes they thought were necessary or important. A plan could then be formulated with the input from students and changes made. The Feb. 28 SGA meeting concluded with a consensus of bringing ATS student participation into the renovations by creating a poll. “I have not heard much from them,” Lyon said seven months later. “I think they want a new ping pong table, and to take the hockey table over there.” Lyon mentioned the lack of representation by the ATS student body. But he hopes to change this in the next few weeks, with the up-coming elections for officers SkillsUSA. They are selecting officers for SkillsUSA, so that officers can come to the SGA meetings, Lyon said. Progress is moving slowly, but surely, in the renovating of a small part of the
SCCC/ATS campus. A number of changes may be seen as soon as in October for the ATS union. Lyon said that dorm equipment requires some updates, and that those will be taken care of as soon as possible. That at the same time it may be possible to look into ATS student union equipment that may need renovating. The February article ended with the following words from Student Government Association President Victor Rodriguez. “I want students from the Technical school to feel part of the Saints tradition,” Rodriguez said. “We are no longer two separate institutions, but one. We are a big family now.” The views that Rodriguez shared 7 months ago have not changed. “I do feel that the schools are still as one. There is a lot of work to do in order to unite both.”
TECHNOLOGY—
Facebook users leave for similar service TECHNOLOGY—
Artificial intelligence try to make people obsolete Sandro Juarez
Crusader staff
juarez@crusadernews.com
Did you know that it cost 10 dollars to have an article written by artificial intelligence? Narrative Science is a technology firm based in Chicago, Ill. and has conducted a little more than a decade of research. When people hear the term “artificial in-
telligence,” they think of something with no emotion or personality. Much like a robot. “WISCONSIN appears to be in the driver’s seat en route to a win, as it leads 51-10 after the third quarter. Wisconsin added to its lead when Russel Wilson found Jacob Pendersen for an eight-yard touchdown to make the score 44-3…,” written by the artificial intelligence. That piece has personality and is not monotone like what most people would think of “artificial intelligence”. Will jobs in media that humans do be replaced by artificial life? Narrative science is now beginning to take some of these applications.
tains optional features that I don’t want to use. I, like many others, am disJames McElvania gusted by the fact that Facebook Crusader staff is blatantly attempting to copy Google’s G+ service by allowing users to sort their friends into different groups and share things selectively based upon mcelvania@crusadernews.com those groups. The only obvious solution to this blatant disregard to As many people may already Facebook’s user base is to comknow, over the last week a great pletely abandon ship and change tragedy occurred. all of my information over to Friends and family, neighbors G+, where they are doing the and strangers, and people from exact same thing. all around the world have been Honestly, what good has personally affected by something Facebook ever done for anyone? so great that I feel it would be in- All it really has ever allowed me considerate to not address it. I’m to do was keep in contact with talking, of course, about the my friends and family, distinchanges that have recently been guish between which of my made to Facebook. friends have good grammar and How could Mark Zuckerberg which ones type like they’re six and the people at Facebook do years old, and to realize that there this to their loyal user base? It is an unfortunately high number pains me to think that they are of people that will literally becrazy enough to believe that they lieve anything they read on the have the right to make changes internet. in an attempt to stay competitive I think it’s safe to say that we should all give up on Facebook to their currently free service. I shudder to even write this all because we’re afraid of change, the while knowing that only a and change to a new system enfew mouse clicks and keystrokes tirely. It makes sense if you don’t away is a website that now con- think about it too hard.
As I struggled to get through the first issues of The Crusader, I realized that I never really thought about all the work that goes in to getting a project done. All the late nights, the scrambling to produce an award winning paper didn’t really sink in until I became the editor. I became well aware of all the time that is put into having a paper out and ready to go for the student body. Not many people know that sometimes the staff is here until the wee hours of the morning to ensure that the students get a quality paper. In today’s society we don’t really understand that the finished work we see is not even the half of what the person or people in charge had to go through to produce the finish product that you are seeing. I’m almost positive that unless a student was involved in the party auction that they couldn’t tell me all the hours that were put in to making the event a success. None of us know how much work an athlete puts in to making sure that his or her team have a good game. I always hear students saying
that they are not involved in an activity or in a club because they are just too busy. What does busy really mean? Everyone has a different definition for the word or state of being busy. Everyone feels that what they have going on is more important than whatever someone else is doing. Yet, there are people who still find the way to help out with clubs or volunteer for projects being used. Instead of people criticizing a finished work or complaining about something not being done correctly, students should realize that what you see is definitely not what you get. The complications that lead to having a successful finished product are often ignored by the audience that it was provided for. We as a society need to be less critical and more supportive as to what our peers do. I don’t know how many times I have heard my mother say “Well just how long does it take to create a newspaper. What’s so hard about it that is takes up 85 percent of your time?” She didn’t understand the process until I showed her just how everything worked. In order for her to understand I had to show her the behind the scenes. Sometimes it’s not possibly to show the inner workings of a project. If all of us were able to just take a breather from our so called “busy” schedule we might be able to appreciate everything that is going on around us, especially here at the college.
NATIONAL—
1993 World trade center bombing: forgotten tragedy So, my question is can a “small” event like the 1993 atCornelius Tablate tack be truely forgotten due to a Crusader staff “large event” like the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001? Does it overshadow the tragedy from 1993 and make it virtually nonexistent to the population? tablate@crusadernews.com A simple example, which would compare to this event, With the passing of the 10th would be taking the same exam anniversary of 9/11, it is safe to twice. At first, you took the exam say that most of the people of and received a failing grade. my generation were witnesses of Many days later, after tedious the destruction of the World Trade Center; however, it is also safe studying, you took the same to assume that a majority of peo- exam again and received an excelple in my age group have not lent grade. Another question that heard of the event that first shook I ask is this “ Why didn’t America learn from this misthe World Trade Center. The truck bomb that exploded take?” From this “small” event, the underneath the North Tower, this country could have upgraded setragedy happened in Feb. 26, 1993. When a truck bomb was curity, made new protocols about driven into the basement parking air travel, and infiltrated the conspirator group that attacked the of the tower. At 12:17 pm, the bomb ex- tower that day. However, on the bigger picploded with enough force to make a 98 ft wide radius blast in ture, it seems that we brushed the the parking lot. This explosion event aside and moved on with caused six deaths and injured our regular routine. For me, this is why the first attack has been more than one thousand people. This attack was financed by the almost forgotten in the minds of same person who was considered my generation and it didn’t make the “Architect of 9/11”: Khaled an impact in our society. This event was not as destrucSheikh Mohammed. The attack was planned and ex- tive, or immensely tragic as ecuted by the following conspir- 9/11, but was nonetheless an ators: Ramzi Yourself, Mahmud event that should have signaled Abouhalima, Mohammad warning signs for future events Salameh, Nidal A. Ayyad, Abdul to come, such as that of the 9/11 attacks. Rahman Yasin and Ahmad .
Cat nap and other catty tales of Cat, the cat wonder by Octavio Rodriguez
Cat.
Cat nap.
Concerned Cat.
Hungry Cat.
ENTERTAINMENT
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
CRUSADER 5
Movie | Raul Lemus Crusader photos/Octavio Rodriguez
Roommates Hope Unruh and Serenity Johnson pose for a photo. At right, roommates Tonya and Eva Loewen present shirts printed with their identical last names.
Name game brings roommates together Tonya Loewen Crusader staff It was finally the day to find out who my college roommate was. I was excited and nervous while opening the envelope that held the name of the person I would most likely spend the next year with. So many thoughts were running through my head, such as “Will we get along?” and “Will we have anything in common?” I quickly skimmed through the paper until I found the part at the bottom that said my roommate’s name and number, then looked at the name again. It couldn’t be right, could it? My roommate had the same last name as me, spelled the same and everything. I don’t know if it was a little joke from the people assigning rooms or just that we had similar answers to the room questionnaire. All I know is that my roommate and I have the same last name – my name is Tonya Loewen and hers is Eva Loewen. When I tell people this, they always ask, “Are you related?” As tempting as it is to
say “Yes, we are related,” we aren’t related and didn’t meet until move-in day. Eva had the same feelings when she found out my last name, and said “My parents were really relieved that my roommate was someone who had something in common with me and not a total stranger, even if it was just our last name.” Bill McGlothing, SCCC English instructor, also experienced the interesting connection between my roommate and I. “When my colleague Anita Reed told me that I would have Dana Loewen’s little sister in class, I was immediately curious and eager to meet her. As I looked at my class rosters and saw the name Eva Loewen, I focused only on the last name. I mentioned to Anita later that Dana and Eva didn’t look alike, and she told me that Tonya was the sister, not Eva.” The next time he saw my roommate in class, she told him how she was Dana’s sister’s roommate. Hope and serenity are words that bring a sense of peace and tranquility, and the first names of SCCC roommates Hope Unruh
and Serenity Johnson. Hope Unruh’s first roommate left school, so she was assigned a new roommate. Hope didn’t know that she would get her new roommate while at home during the weekend, so coming back to her room with a strange person sleeping in it was a shock. Serenity Johnson was living with a resident assistant and was moved when there was an open bed in Hope’s room. Both girls were worried at what kind of person their new roommate would be, but soon became very close friends. Part of their bond is because of their names. They thought it was comical when introducing each other, since both names are similar and have calming meanings. “I think it is a good sign that we became roommates since we both have meaningful names. It was a really good coincidence,” said Hope Unruh. These interesting roommate pairs might’ve been an accident, but they brought strong friendships between roommates that are unforgettable.
‘An Inspector Calls’ to be performed Oct. 6-8 Chandl er Brockett Crusader staff “Historically, this is always the scariest part of the process,” said a composed Alison Bridget Chambers of this stage of rehearsals. Don’t worry too much though; Chambers and her young cast have been relentlessly preparing for the opening performance of “An Inspector Calls” and they don’t plan to slow down until the final performance on Oct 8. Rehearsals are progressing, sets and costumes are complete, and the lines performed with a sophisticated British accent are really coming together. “Things are going as good as
An Inspector Calls Oct. 6, 7 & 8 7:30 p.m. at the SCCC/ATS theatre Tickets are free with student ID and available at the Humanities Office (H116) or by calling 620-417-1451. they possibly could rehearsal wise,” commented Daniel Hightower. Coming down the home stretch, the rookie actor feels very confident about himself, and his fellow cast members. Suffice to say, things are going unusually well. But the road to where they are now was not always a smooth one; there were a
few minor speed bumps. The biggest of all was the loss of several understudies who dropped not only the play, but the class as a whole. “I don’t take it personal; it happens in every show,” Chambers said, shrugging off the comment. “We were struggling a little bit at first, but we had great confi-
dence and pulled it together. We’ll do great,” actress Mayra Vasquez stated confidently. With the most difficult phases and transitions in the past, it looks like a straight shot to the wire from here. “It’s going to go great, if it goes as planned,” said Mabely Guzman Gonzalez. Performances start Oct. 6 and will run until Oct. 8; an additional performance may be added on Oct, 9. Tickets are on sale in the humanities office for $6 and $8 dollars and are free to SCCC/ATS students with a valid student ID. For additional ticket information call, 417-1451.
‘Contagion’ spreads pathogenic plot “Contagion” brings to the big screen what would happen if an unknown pathogenic germ/virus started spreading throughout human contact. Globalization increased the amount of time it would take for a virus to spread. In the 17th century, a ship voyage from Europe to the Americas took an average of 57 days. Today, a Boeing 747 takes about 6 hours, 15 minutes to travel from England to New York. It would take less than 24 hours for an infected host to travel around the world infecting people, the unknowing people spreading the disease into their families and continuing an unstoppable chain reaction. Produced by Steven Soderbergh, “Contagion” brings to life a thriller that shows the good side of humanity and the bad. As fear begins to spread, society breaks down, looting, fights, and the mishap of the weak become a common resurgence. But not for everyone, Dr. Erin Mears, a doctor working for the U.S. Center for Disease Control, portrayed by Kate Winslet, puts herself in danger in order to control the global outbreak. Dr. Erin was not the only one showing the good of humanity, but a number of other characters as well, such as the mothers aiding the dying victims of the outbreak. The film also shows the concept of isolation, as the best protection method was to not come into contact with others. As it was said in the film: “The average person touches their face three to five times every waking minute.” Every time an individual touches his or her face, the chances of becoming infected increases. From two infected carriers to four, from four to 16, and the beginning of a chain reaction culminating in billions of infected people. The virus that
causes the outbreak in the film, MEV-1, was a created from the virulent properties of H5N1, most commonly known as avian flu. Overall, I enjoyed the movie. The acting was good; Matt Damon and Kate Winslet were two of my favorite actors from the film. Also, the film’s script theme— while al“‘Contagion’ ready used bebrings to life fore— a thriller kept me that shows on the the good side edge of of humanity my seat wonderand the bad. ing what As fear would begins to happen spread, next. society “Contagion” is breaks down, bound to looting, leave fights, and viewers the mishap with an of the weak awareness become a of miniscule carricommon ers of resurgence.” death, unnoticed by the naked eyed, and present on almost all surfaces on Earth. Do not fear, however; not all germs are pathogenic. As my microbiology instructor said, germs are an essential part of life – the non-pathogenic germ, that is. I left the movie theater aware of every surfaced I came into contact, like the door knob, the water fountain, the car, and the crowded hallway where it was next to impossible to not bump into people. Who knows the millions of germs that I came into contact during that eight minute exit, the good thing is: “I’m still here, alive and free of MEV-1.”
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SPORTS
6 CRUSADER
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Getting To Know Geesing
Seward volleyball player excels on and off court
Cel esti na Padi l l a Crusader staff
Courtney Geesing
Pumping up to Rihanna’s music before a game is a ritual sophomore Courtney Geesing does to prep for a volleyball game. Having recently been named KJCCC player of the week, maybe jamming out to Rihanna is working for her. Geesing was named the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference player of the week for Sept. 12-18 this year. She commented that acquiring such recognition for her hard work was nice. “Everyone has those things they love to do, and that (volleyball) is my passion,” she said. Geesing played volleyball for the first time in seventh grade, and has played since. Though she did not initially want to play in high school, she tried out on her freshmen year and made varsity. Since then volleyball became her passion. “I look forward to doing it everyday and accomplishing stuff everyday.” Her goal is to keep improving in order to reach her full potential.
Crusader photos/Jose Medrano
Courtney Geesing perpares for a serve from the opposing team during the Lady Saints match against the Hutchinson Blue Dragons. A natural athlete, Geesing loves all sports. Baseball, basketball, football, outdoor and water sports are all things she enjoys. Though she has certainly earned
her skills through hard work, she also has natural ability, and inherited talent. Her family has many athletes, ranging from her grandfather who played pro base-
ball, to her dad and uncle who played college baseball and her siblings who are also sports lovers. Geesing is from Montrose, Colo., and she says that being very family oriented and 11 hours from home is hard. She loves to spend time with her family and dog when she visits home, and she misses the mountains and sports she would participate in while there. Off court she spends leisure time watching movies and being a “rugged tomboy,” as she described herself. She loves boating, four wheeling, and simply being outdoors. She said she really likes English, and has a keen interest in sciences, like anatomy. Volleyball does take up much of her time, but she said, “I love all sports, I wish I could play like three sports, but that would be tough.” Recognition of her work keeps coming. As of Monday, it was confirmed that Geesing would receive the title of Player of the Week, yet again.
The Lady Saints will host “Blackout Night” for fans to wear black on Wednesday Sept. 28 during their home match against Barton, starting at 6:30 p.m.
The Lady Saints made a comeback from two close first matches Wednedsay night against the Hutchinson Dragons. The Lady Saints managed to pull ahead and win the series 3-2. The Lady Saints also traveled to Torrington, Wyo., this past weekend for the Wyo-Braska Shootout tournament, where the Lady Saints played four teams and went 2-2.
Saying Hello to Hayes Lady Saints welcome new assistant coach Juana Ri vero Crusader staff
Crusader photo/Jose Medrano
Coach Hayes makes a point with the Lady Saints during a time out.
“The volleyball team really loves the sport and it’s great to see their passion for the game.” —Michelle Hayes
Coach Michelle Hayes
The Saints 2011-2012 volleyball team not only will count on the support of new freshmen players but also the addition of a new assistant volleyball coach, Michelle Hayes. Hayes has already started training and coaching the girls and will continue with the Lady Saints the upcoming 2012-2013 volleyball season. Born Sept. 5, 1987, in Pickens, S. C., Hayes spent her high school years participating in sports, including shot put in track, basketball and volleyball. “I’ve always loved sports. That’s always been my passion, and, although I do like basketball, I was better at volleyball,”
Hayes said. Following high school, Hayes attended Southern Wesleyan University where she majored in recreation and leisure services, not leaving behind her involvement in volleyball. Hayes then coached as the assistant coach at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Mo., for two years. Hearing about the volleyball program at SCCC/ATS, Hayes moved to Liberal. Hayes said, “The people (at SCCC) are really nice. They help you out whenever you need anything. The volleyball team really loves the sport and it’s really great to see their passion for the game, and they’re just a really great group of girls.”
After the volleyball season is over, Hayes plans to continue recruiting by traveling to club volleyball tournaments and encouraging players to come to Seward. So far, her biggest goal for this year is to go to nationals and prepare well for next year. “I expect us honestly to be the first in our conference and hopefully win region. We really want a shot to go to nationals, and I know it’d be a great experience for the girls. We need to recruit so that we can get the best players in case we get to nationals, we can compete and have a chance at winning” Hayes said. One of the main lessons that Hayes wants to get through to the women is for them to take advantage of this time in their
lives in which they can play in a competitive sport, because they won’t always have that chance. “I try to tell them to give it all they have and to just not second guess everything but to play like it’s their last,” Hayes said. When Hayes is not coaching the Saints, she is playing on the city co-ed volleyball team. Hayes also loves to watch several sports, her favorite teams being the Atlanta Braves, the Boston Red Sox, and the Colts. The volleyball players also are enthused to have Hayes as their new assistant volleyball coach. They describe her as the perfect “Southern belle” who has a wicked accent and a positive attitude.
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SPORTS
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
CRUSADER 7
Soccer at Seward Athletic Director McSpadden expects program within two years Levi Adams Crusader staff “Soccer is targeted to come to Seward within the next two years. Depending on how soon we can get the facilities and how our finances look, that is the targeted time period,” said Seward County Athletic Director/Head Baseball Coach Galen McSpadden. Talk of a men’s soccer program coming to the college has been circulating Liberal for a few years. The Liberal High School boys soccer program has been a contender for the Kansas state title every year since its start, taking home runner-up during the 2003, 2005. and 2010 seasons. The Redskins have taken first in the Western Athletic Conference 10 years in a row (from 2001-2010.) Seward freshman Socorro Mar-
tinez played soccer for the Redskins every year of high school. “I think the whole soccer team would play here [at Seward] if they could. I have a lot of friends that played for the high school. Because they weren’t able to play at some of the bigger schools, they just get jobs and start working here in Liberal. I just wonder why they’re taking so long to bring it into town; I think it should’ve been here a long time ago.” Athletic Director McSpadden wants the Seward soccer program done right. “I want a program that can be administered properly. That
means we need the funds and facilities to be able to compete within the conference, the region, and be able to compete for the national title. We would need to find athletes who are very grounded and trained in the sport — find those who and know love the history of soccer.” G arden City Community College recently shut down its soccer program. Some wonder if that is a bad sign or just a good opportunity for a soccer program at Seward County Community College. “It’s a two-sided coin,” McSpadden continued. “On the pos-
itive side, there would be one less school we would have to compete against in our conference. On the negative side, there were reasons that Garden terminated that program, whether it was because of problems with players on or off the field, improper documentation, or whatever.” A new NJCAA rule will only allow 25 percent of a team’s international players to be on scholarship. “It will affect the tennis program, and I could see it affecting a soccer program. Some communities have found it difficult to provide documentation for players,” McSpadden explained. Martinez thinks the new program will do well when it arrives. “We have talent here, in and around Liberal. If I could play, I would. Of course I would.”
Hall of Fame coming to Seward athletics Levi Adams Crusader staff A Hall of Fame is headed to Seward. The Hall should feature the best of Seward County athletics history. Seward County Sports Information Director Roy Allen explained, “Seward County has bylaws in place now, which should allow the first Hall of Fame Banquet to be held April 20, 2012.” We’ve been working on this
since, really, the end of last year. All of this was put into place towards the end of the summer.” The Hall will be a physical display and will be held in one of two locations. “The committee is working on it. The display will either be on the west side of the gym, where the old concession stands are, or on the northeast side, where the current concession stands are. “Plans are to have a plaque for
each inductee, organized by class.” The Hall isn't exclusively for Seward players, either. “Players, coaches, administrators, boosters, entire teams, or any athletic supporters may be included in the Hall of Fame.” Besides having the likes of eventual NBA and NFL players attending, Seward has also had three NJCAA coaches of the year and a national championship team.
“This is a long time overdue, what with Seward’s long history of athletic excellence.” Committee members will nominate the Hall’s first members Jan. 7, 2012, during the first home basketball game of the season. For more information, head to scccsaints.com, where users can also nominate an athlete of their choice.
Sports Column | Levi Adams
Crusader photo/Levi Adams
Sophomore Tanner Rainey awaits a pitch from Rose State earlier this off season.
Baseball nears end, as offseason approaches Oct. 22 alumni game Robert S anchez Crusader staff After returning from a two-day tournament in Albuquerque, N.M., the Saints have only eight games left in their off season fall scrimmages, including an alumni game. The Saints will face off at Brent Gould field against Clarendon for 21 straight innings starting at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28, . and at noon against Lamar, Colo., on Saturday, Oct. 1. Seward pitching is led by two; one right hander, Gavin Glanz and one left hander, Keegan
Hucul, and the team has six possible strong pitchers ready to start if they need to. They have a strong outfield headed by sophomores, but after a few minor injuries and the loss of Jake Barrios to LSU, they could use some help on the infield. “They still have a little more depth in positions than they did last year, though, especially on the mound,” head coach Galen McSpadden said. Once the scrimmages are over, the team plans on beginning the indoor weight training, conditioning, swimming, rolling and hitting off-season program.
After winning division last year, Kansas City struggles early Saints tennis team travels to regional championship
Well, it’s that time of the year again. Football is back. Specifically, NFL is back. My team, the Kansas City Chiefs, are back, better than ever. At least, they were supposed to be better. After an 03 start to the season, I’m not so sure. The Chiefs only lost three starters from last season: outside linebacker Mike Vrabel returned to Ohio State to coach, left guard Willie Roaf was released because he “cost too much,” and nose tackle Kevin Smith was lost in free agency to the Tennessee Titans. Besides those three, this is
the same team that surprised ended, and the players and the league last year by taking coaches finally started training first in the AFC camp in early AuWest. gust. The Chiefs even The preseason gained talent in the started, and the Draft. Talent was Chiefs did not win drafted in players any games. That such as: Jonathan was fine though; Baldwin, receiver they didn’t do well from Pittsburgh, in the preseason Rodney Hudson, last year, and they offensive lineman still won the divifrom Florida State, Photo/kcsportsninja.com sion. and Justin HousBut after the Thomas Jones first ton, outside linepreseason backer from Georgia against game (first round talent drafted in the Tampa, everything started to third round.) go downhill. Rookie Jonathan Then the lockout finally Baldwin got into a fight with
team leader Thomas Jones and broke his thumb. Really? Jones has arms the size of boulders. Who would pick a fight with this guy? Baldwin has not played yet this season. Then, the Chiefs lost outside linebacker Brandon Siler for the year to a torn Achilles heel. Tight end Tony Moeaki tore his ACL. Strong safety Eric Berry tore his ACL. Running back Jamaal Charles tore his ACL. All out for the season. It’s a good thing football is only a sport.
Jose Medrano Crusader staff The Saints tennis team traveled to Shawnee, Okla., this past weekend. The Saints competed in three different tennis tournament matches against regional junior colleges and universities. The men’s tennis team faced and beat last season’s fifth place
finisher in the NJCAA tennis tournament, Seminole State College. The men’s Saints team went 3-0, winning all their matches, while the Lady Saints had a rather rough streak, going 0-3. Later this week, the Saints tennis team will travel to Oklahoma City on Sept. 30 to compete in the ITA Regional Championships.
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ENTERTAINMENT
8 CRUSADER
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
the
Authorization of Zach Carpenter Seward student publishes book Megan S pai n Crusader staff A stack of dark paperback books sits in the Saints Bookstore, freshly printed by an Oklahoma publishing company. Their pages are crisp and their spines don’t bear the tell-tale signs of repeated reading — yet. At first glance, these books appear to be just like any other. Upon closer inspection, a name printed on the shiny covers reveals what makes them so different: these books were written by Seward County Community College student Zach Carpenter. Carpenter’s book, “Soul Hunters”, revolves around detective Mick Johnson, who finds himself taking on the roles of both the hunter and the hunted as he attempts to track down those who destroyed his childhood. Filled with action, adrenaline, and monsters, “Soul Hunters” is a horror novel with a Christian twist. Carpenter began writing “Soul Hunters” when he was 17, but he’s been writing since he was 13 years old. He cites his inspirations as Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti, two thriller/supernatural Christian novelists. He’s not limited to authors, however; he lists several different types of media as influences. “I started getting into movies like Underworld and video games like
Resident Evil and Silent Hill,” Carpenter said, going on to name bands like As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red, and Devil Wears Prada. He’s always been interested in the horror genre and has a theory about where that interest originates. “My mom went to a haunted house when she was pregnant with me before Halloween. I guess maybe that might have been when it started,” Carpenter said. He admits that being a published author isn’t all fun and games. “Writing the book is the fun and easy part,” he explained. “It’s the selling it part that can be a challenge.” He has been forced to take on responsibilities and learn key points of business, which can be overwhelming at time because he’s new at it. He plans on setting up book signings in the area to spark interest in the series. “Right now, it’s just a matter of communicating with the people. I’m trying to set things up with them because everybody’s busy,” Carpenter explained. Carpenter does not have a definite date set in stone for a book signing, but he’s working on it. As of now, the first “Soul Hunters” book can be purchased at the Saints Bookstore or on the Tate Publishing website. The book will be available for
larger chains (such as Wal-Mart, Hastings, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.com) to order on Nov. 8. Carpenter is currently working on the second book in the “Soul Hunters” series and expects to be finished in either spring or summer of 2012. The book will follow the same characters introduced in the first novel and a third book will follow. Carpenter envisions seven “Soul Hunters” books altogether: three in the initial series, a follow up book to the first three, and then a separate prequel series that would introduce the ancestors of the characters in the first “Soul Hunters” book. In the future, Carpenter would like to shift to his music career. Ideally, Carpenter would like to move away from Liberal and settle into a town that has an active music scene so he could become more involved with music and collaborate with other artists. Carpenter plans to use the revenue from his book series to give him enough time to focus on music. “I can write from anywhere,” Carpenter explained. “As long as I have a laptop and flash drive, I could write out my story ideas sitting in a hotel room before a show.” For now, Carpenter sits in class and does homework, just like any other college student.
Bringing a book to life 1. Finish the initial manuscript. It took Carpenter two years to submit “Soul Hunters” to a publishing company. He completely rewrote the first draft of his book before submitting it, because he wasn’t satisfied with what he had written. 2. Submit book to publishing companies. “Soul Hunters” was submitted to two companies, but Carpenter only heard back from Tate Publishing. He shrugged the experience off, happy with his partnership with Tate Publishing.
3. Sign contracts. Once Tate Publishing accepted Carpenter’s manuscript, they sent him two contracts: one for him to read through and annotate and one to sign and return to them. 4. Copy editing. The manuscript’s punctuation and grammar errors were corrected.
5. Storyline and character development. Though “Soul Hunters” only went through this step a few times, it varies from author to author. The storyline and character development are checked and suggestions are taken into consideration.
6. Cover design. Carpenter met with an artist and together they brainstormed ideas for a cover. Eventually, they settled upon the image that is now the cover to “Soul Hunters.” 7. Marketing begins. A marketing representative was assigned to Carpenter and they began to talk about promotional items like posters.
Drawings by Zach Carpenter depict his version of characters from “Soul Hunters.” Crusader photo
Zach Carpenter donated a copy of his newly published book, “Soul Hunters,” to the SCCC/ATS library in August. Library director Matthew Pannkuk accepts as library technician Emery Swagerty looks on.
Hook-Gray to sign books at campus event Oct. 9 S andy Al faro Crusader staff
A staged robbery photo was chosen by Arcadia Publishing to grace the cover of Hook-Gray’s “Liberal and Seward County.”
Lidia Hook-Gray is a realtor, a local historian, and now an author. Hook-Gray recently published a pictorial book titled “Liberal and Seward County,” composed of photographs, historical maps, and journals relevant to the Seward County area and nearby areas like the Oklahoma Panhandle. She will have a book signing on Oct. 9 from 11 a.m. to noon in the SCCC cafeteria. The signing will be part of the Sunday brunch served that day, and all of the community is invited to attend. Although Hook-Gray had been collecting historical documents for many years, she was contacted by Arcadia Publishing in November 2010 to turn her hobby into her first book. Hook-Gray was hesitant when they first told her about the oppor-
tunity because she was new to the book publishing world. She recognized that there were many unused photographs with great stories behind them — stories that no one would know about unless she published them. She agreed to become the author of “Liberal and Seward County” and had fun with the project. Arcadia Publishing then quickly sent her the outline of what she needed to do. She began her work in November 2010 and worked up until February 2011, when the book was completed. Many of the photographs she owns are used in the book, as well as a few from the Seward County Historical Society. Hook-Gray is very satisfied with her completed book and the process she went through to have it published. “It was a brand new experience,” Hook-Gray said.
Courtesy photo/Phillip Lee
Lidia Hook-Gray presents her book at a signing at the Memorial Library.