10
Finding
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Area businesses and professionals share what's up and what's new in their line of work
18 Be•YOU•tiful Aesthetics: Feeling and looking your best
20 Carlos Garate, RE/MAX: Realtor gives back in unique ways
32 Toso Family Eye Care: A vision for good eye care
44 Emporia Community Club: A space for everyone
56 Midas Touch: Much more than just tanning
66 LIberty MD: A brand new kind of healthcare
68 BlackCreek Diesel and Automotive: New owners; same high-quality service
80 Emporia Arts Council: At the intersection of culture and entertainment
88 Fanestil Meats: Celebrating 80 years
90 Newman Regional Health: The women leading the hospital
94 NexTech Wireless: Women in tech; a perfect fit
Zoo
46
Jacquelyn
70
Celebrating
60
84
With the launch of our very first Sallie Magazine, 10 years ago, we promised our readers something: Sallie Magazine would be a high-quality, sophisticated magazine featuring interesting, inspiring, creative, hardworking women who love their life and love doing life here in their hometown….. much like Sallie White herself, wife of The Emporia Gazette Editor and Publisher William Allen White.
Sallie Moss Lindsay White loved her life and loved her hometown. As a wife, mother and editor at The Emporia Gazette, she believed work should be “fun, not drudgery.” She knew the value of using her gifts and skills along with her position in the community to make a positive difference.
We hope that with more than 100 women whose names, faces and stories have filled the pages of Sallie Magazine over the last decade, that we have introduced the community to women today who embody that same spirit. From the world of art to the Air Force, and so much in between, there are many and varied ways in which Emporia-area women are impacting our community for the better.
It’s honestly hard to imagine what life here would be like without every one of them!
In this 10-year Anniversary edition, we would have loved to have looked back and updated our readers on every woman featured over that past decade. But, that would have made for one very large (and heavy) magazine to get through the mail. Plus, we have more women to introduce to you and more stories to tell this year. So instead,
you will find a 10-year anniversary story featuring our select “Sallie Cover Girls,” starting with Karen Shonrock, our inaugural cover back in 2013. It was fun to catch up with these women and see how their journey has evolved since their year to represent “Sallie” on the cover.
Of course, Sallie Magazine is about the women and their stories, but it absolutely wouldn’t exist without our staff, designers, photographers and writers. It’s because of all of these people that Sallie is beautiful to look at, engaging to read and is so anticipated by our readers year after year. It’s also because of these people that Sallie has won “Best Magazine” in the state of Kansas multiple times and continues to win awards.
We want to thank every staffer, designer, photographer and writer who has contributed to Sallie over the past 10 years. Each one of them brought their very best to the table and was an important part of making Sallie what it is today.
Arguably, the most important contributors to Sallie each year are our advertisers. High-quality magazines are not cheap to produce; they take a very large investment of resources. And without the ongoing support of these local businesses it would absolutely not be possible to deliver Sallie free to every household in town and beyond. The advertisers on the pages of each edition are invaluable. We want to thank them for their support and we hope our readers will thank them by patronizing their businesses. They are the bedrock of our community, people who are invested here, and who believe in the
future of this town. So, read the stories and gaze at the photos, but don’t stop there. Linger over the advertisements, learn about what they do in our community and when choosing a place to do business, choose them.
Sallie White, once said, “I have been doing the thing I wanted more than anything else in the world to do.”
True words, from the woman for which this publication was named.
It has been an honor to produce this magazine for a decade now. Telling stories about our community, through those of the women who live here has, personally, been one of my greatest joys.
Thank you, readers, for opening us up one more time.
Now, sit back, relax and enjoy this edition of Sallie. It’s nice to see you again.
Ashley Walker Editor and Publisher
It’s been 10 years.
She was eager to travel overseas and serve one of the largest refugee populations in the world, the South Sudanese. She and her team were assigned to an area in Uganda where refugees – mostly women – had escaped the brutal war and violence of their home country and were trying to make a life for themselves and their children in another land. For a two-year stint, Anna’s job was to bring life and hope to these women. Her tool? A bar of soap.
When Anna Black took a job with the International Mission Board in 2017 to go to Uganda as a journeyman, she had just graduated from Liberty University.
For two years, her task was to teach the Sudanese women how to make soap that they could sell to give them a source of income and hope for their future. Little did she know at the time just how much the skill and art form of soap-making would eventually mean to her own life.
A daughter of missionary parents, living in a developing country was nothing new for Anna. Although she was born in Emporia on November 26, 1993, she spent most of her life growing up in Thailand. It wasn’t until she graduated from high school that she moved back to the states to attend college. Being in the states was just temporary, she thought. Her heart belonged in another part of the world; and she would return to Thailand or elsewhere soon enough.
Traveling to Uganda in 2017 was the beginning of what she hoped would be a lifetime of living and serving overseas.
Then, just one week before her two-year commitment to the IMB was up, Anna, at only 25 years old, was faced with a series of challenges that turned all of her plans upside down.
UGANDA
Maybe it was growing up as a missionary kid and some of the challenges that go along with that, or maybe it is just in her DNA, but Anna has never been afraid to try something new … even if it was going to be hard.
“I can do hard things as long as I have support and people who care about me and love me,” she said, something she has learned first-hand over the years.
And that was one of the reasons Anna took the job with the IMB in 2017. With the others on her team – whom she had grown to trust and love – she knew her two-year commitment in Uganda wasn’t going to be easy, but she knew she could do it with their support.
Upon arriving in East Africa, Anna learned that her primary job was not only to share the love of Jesus and stories from the Bible with the Sudanese refugees, but also to teach them
to make soap. Soap was a commodity the refugees didn’t receive in their weekly ration of goods, so it was something they needed. Soon, the team realized it was something the refugees could use as a sustainable source of income even after their time in Uganda was over.
The problem was, Anna and the others, had never made soap before, and they were in a country with limited resources, to say the least.
“Not only did we have to figure out how to make soap, but we had to figure out how to fit it to the context that these women would be in,” she said. “It was a lot of work.”
A problem-solver and creator by nature, the challenge inspired Anna. She researched and experimented as best she could for many months.
It took a lot of trial and error.
Technically, “soap” is just the combination of lye, oil and water…called “saponification.” Seems like simple enough. But to create bars of soap with all the desirable properties (moisturizing, sudsy, etc) and ones that are beautiful to look at and smell…. that’s not an easy task, even in a country with Walmart and Amazon at the touch of a button.
Anna was in Sub-Saharan Africa and front-porch delivery of specialty products wasn’t an option.
Figuring out the right oils was the biggest challenge, Anna recalls. Some were drying, some were moisturizing – some didn’t work at all. Using what was available in the area, they tried a variety of accessible foods, like goat fat, avocados, even sesame seeds to render the necessary oil for the soap. But they kept running into the same issue.
“I can do hard things as long as I have support and people who care about me and love me.”
“It required so much of each thing to get just a little oil.” she said. “So it didn’t end up being cost-effective enough since the refugees would have to spend just as much money to buy avocados or sesame seeds [as the oil itself].”
Finally, they settled on seven different recipes for seven different soaps: Cocoa Loco, Lovely Lavender, Chai Tea, Black Night, Dapper Dan, Honey and Oats and Cafe O’Lait. She trained the women how to make each one of them and, during that first session, the Sudanese women made 60 to 70 bars all by themselves. They sold out within a week.
Finally, the mission was accomplished. Anna remembers the joy of that moment.
“It was so rewarding,” she said. “It was two years of workshopping and the last two months we finally saw the fruits of the hard work.”
She finished her time in Uganda having reached her goal. It was a great feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction that the women she taught were able to make and sell their own soap and, more importantly, have hope for their future.
What was supposed to be a time of a celebratory homecoming, reunion with friends and family and time to plan for her next overseas assignment became a time of pain, grief and survival.
She was facing the biggest challenge of her life.
“I was in such survival mode,” Anna said. “I just had to get better and be with my mom.”
For several months, she and her mom traveled together to and from Kansas City weekly for treatments.
When they weren’t doing treatments, they soaked up time together.
“We spent a lot of lazy days together, sitting outside on our front porch, playing games, watching TV shows together, chatting in the living room,” Anna said.
“It was a weird mix of wanting to spend every moment I could with her because I never knew when it would end, but also not even being able to process everything that was happening and trying to also live normally.”
Sadly, only seven months after starting her own battle with cancer, Anna’s mom lost hers.
When Marilyn passed Anna was recovering from surgery and had two more months of radition to go.
As medical bills started mounting, the reality that she needed a source of income was something she also had to face. What seemed most natural to do? Something she knew well: soap-making.
In true entrepreneurial spirit, and despite not much experience launching a business from scratch, she decided to take a leap of faith and start her own soap company.
“It felt like such a big mountain to cross,” she remembers, trying to decide to go for it. Making the soap was going to be the easy (and fun) part; starting her own business was the challenge this time. It was unfamiliar territory.
What Anna didn’t realize was that another – even greater – challenge was waiting for her back home.
Just a week before she left Uganda to return home, Anna received the news that her mother, Marilyn, had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Coming home was suddenly about facing some tough days ahead caring for her sick mom. Then, in an unimaginable set of circumstances just three months later, Anna found out she was also sick – diagnosed with breast cancer.
But with lots of research and the support and guidance from friends and family, she became sole proprietor, designed her logo, got her tax ID number, developed a website and did all the things necessary to get her own business off the ground.
Then came the fun part.
Drawing on the invaluable experience she gained in Uganda, Anna was able to jump right into creating soaps that were not only beautiful to look at and smell, but safe to use. With endless sources of ingredients, products and tools at her disposal here in the states, the sky was the limit.
“I feel like it really saved me during that time. It gave me something to put my energy into; not just sit in my sadness. It gave me purpose.”
She carved out a small area in the basement of her dad’s house and made it her soap-making studio. A little bit mad scientist and a little bit Van Gogh, Anna began experimenting with scents, colors and design. As she started churning out hundreds and hundreds of bars, Cottonwood Handmade Soaps came to life – and so did Anna.
What she discovered in the process was that the very thing she had used to give hope and life to the women in Uganda was now doing the same for her. During a time when she felt lost, confused and hopeless, she found something to give her purpose.
“I feel like it really saved me during that time,” she said. ”It gave me something to put my energy into; not just sit in my sadness. It gave me purpose.”
From bars that look and smell like a spring thunderstorm to Kansas-inspired designs, over the last two years Anna has developed more than 60 unique hand-made soaps. Although she says that all of her soaps are inspired by her time in Uganda, the ones that are most similar to what she made with the women there are Lavendar Lime, Honey and Oats, and Tobacco and Bay.
Her business will always be inextricably linked to her time in Africa.
“Continuing to make soap keeps me connected to the women I spent time with in Uganda making soap.”
Even though Anna certainly wants them to be used and enjoyed for their cleaning properties (it is a business, after all), she is quick to recognize that each one is a hand-crafted piece of art that she hopes will bring joy and beauty to someone’s home and life.
Reflecting on the last few years, Anna acknowledged this was not what she had planned for when she returned from Uganda in 2019. She would be overseas right now, if she had her way – and she hopes someday she will be again. But she’s thankful for God’s faithfulness to take the pieces of her life and “saponify” them into what her life is today.
“It would never be what I would have picked out for myself,” she said. “But at the same time, I see God’s hand. And for that I am thankful.”
That’s why when she looks at one of her elegantly designed little squares of lye, oil and water, she can say with confidence:
“It’s much more than just a bar of soap.”
rielle Gaskill opened Be•You•tiful Aesthetics in 2020 with the mission of helping hardworking Emporians feel good. Her two locations at 2708 W. 12th Ave and 1110 W. 6th Ave serve as an oasis away from the hustle and bustle of working life, where her expert staff of licensed and trained estheticians, cosmetologists and nurses can help clients feel like their best selves.
“I just want people to feel good about themselves,” Brielle said. “People work twelve-hour shifts and they’re just exhausted, and I just want them to come into the doors knowing that whatever they’re going through, they can forget about everything for just a minute and just take time to focus on themselves.”
Brielle Gaskill
Brielle is the salon owner of Be•You•tiful Aesthetics and a licensed esthetician who enjoys sharing her passion and knowledge for skincare. She is constantly staying up to date on the new trends and services to be able to expand her knowledge and expertise on new services. She supplies on-going education courses for her employees so the business can continue to add new and exciting services for their clients. Her experience ranges from Facials, Hydra Facial, Micro-Channeling, LED Light Therapy, Chemical Peels, Body Treatments, Cupping, EMS Pads, Sauna Wraps, Compression Wraps, Waxing, Lash/ Brow Tinting, Lash Lifts and Lash Extensions.
“Our micro channeling services really pinpoint with anti aging clients, as well as our acne clients who deal with any
scarring on their skin or hyper pigmentation,” Brielle said. “This device is meant to firm and tighten the skin, it is intended to to stimulate the skin and induce natural collagen induction.”
TESTIMONIAL: Be•You•tiful Aesthetics immediately has a relaxing ambience right when you walk in the door and it continues all the way through the appointment. Brielle is kind, professional, and an overall joy to be around. I appreciate the fact that she is always willing to share her knowledge to help provide specialized treatments and suggestions for my skin concerns. She offers a variety of services and can’t wait to try more! —Jessica
Alvarez
Jade Gaskill
Jade is a licensed esthetician and mom who was raised here in Emporia, KS. Jade is committed and passionate about staying up to date on the latest trends in the cosmetology community and continues to invest in her knowledge of esthetics. She is a natural listener and genuinely wants to educate and give you the tools you need to look and feel
your best. Her goal for her clients is to create a calming space where they can feel relaxed and renewed. Jade is also certified in providing facial and body treatments to oncology clients, Chemical Peels, Dermaplane and her most requested, Lash Extensions/Lifts and Brow Sculpting.
“My favorite thing about working at Be•You•tiful Aesthetics are our clients!” Jade said. “Helping our clients gain confidence and providing a space of relaxation and wellness is the most rewarding part about my job.”
TESTIMONIAL: I’ve been going to Jade for over a year now for eyelash application. She always makes me feel comfortable and answers any questions that I have. My eyelashes look fabulous and I have never had a problem with them. I always look forward to my appointments! The atmosphere is so calm and relaxing, it is a great break from the stress of everyday life! Thank you Jade!! —Tammy
Ogle
Balee Torres
Balee is a Licensed Esthetician who is passionate and dedicated in making flawless skin possible with Facial Treatments, Machine Facial Treatments, Chemical Peels and a specialized home care routine. She also offers beauty enhancement services such as Eyelash Extensions, Eyelash Lifts, Brow & Lash Tinting, Waxing and much more. Her goal is to help your skin care goals come to life and help you feel beautiful in your own skin.
TESTIMONIAL: I have been a client for over a year and look forward to my appointment every time! The environment is relaxing and the customer service I received is beyond my expectations! I have been getting my eyelashes done for over a year and every single appointment she makes sure I am comfortable and the conversation flows easily. You truly feel like you are a friend.
I also received a facial and massage along with my best friend for her birthday. We were set up in the couples suite and it was a wonderful treat. Best facial and massage I have ever received!
If I could give more than a 5 star rating I would. Balee is truly an asset to Be•You•tiful Aesthetics. Thank you for all your hard work and amazing knowledge of your profession! —Crystal Monk
Amy Seimears
Amy is a licensed APRN, FNP-C and a family practice nurse practitioner, treating patients in Emporia since 2011. She has been working at Be•You•tiful Aesthetics for around a year and a half, and specializes in botox, dermal fillers, trigger point injections and IV hydration. She also offers both therapeutic and cosmetic botox.
TESTIMONIAL: I had stalked Amy’s schedule for some time, hoping to see a day/time that would fit my schedule and I finally just asked another employee while receiving other services at the salon and was able to get in right away at a time that worked for me! I already knew going in to see Amy. I wanted something done with [my] terrible frown lines. Amy explained what she recommended for me (Botox and Filler) and we went for it! My follow-up visit, everything was looking great, we did decide to add a little more filler to one side that was deeper than the other. At that visit we also decided to give my lips a little lift they desperately needed with a “lip flip” … oh my goodness I can not believe the difference both of these services made, the before and after pictures speak for themselves! Amy was very knowledgeable about everything, I would definitely recommend her to anyone! —Misty
SimmonsBorn in Ecuador, Carlos Garate moved to Emporia with his family when he was three years old. During those early years, they moved frequently to different homes around town, but it wasn’t until he was 13 that his family found their “dream home.” Carlos remembers how special that home was and from that early age, he learned the impact a home can make on a family.
After attending Emporia High, FHTC, and ESU and a few years in the factory and business world, Carlos felt the draw of real estate and the desire to help people find dream homes of their own. He knew right away it was just the right move. The joy he felt after that very first closing confirmed that this was the career for him.
“The rush you get when your client’s offer gets accepted, or when your client gets multiple bids on their home, it’s addicting,” he said. “It’s a privilege to be invited into the lives of your clients in this way. I take their needs and dreams and help them become a reality by putting all their hard work together and into motion. Watching their kids get
so excited, running through their new house, picking out their bedrooms, brings a huge smile to my face.” Carlos said.
Over the course of just a few years, Carlos’ passion for real estate has made him one of the top agents in Emporia. He received the Masters Club Award for selling over $30 million in real estate and almost $40 million since the award. Carlos has completed over 300 transactions in his first five years as a realtor.
A tight real estate market means a limited supply and higher prices, but Carlos has been successful in winning homes for his clients. He knows the market well and how to be competitive despite the challenges of today’s market:
“The most important thing is to get with a realtor like me. We will guide you on how to be the most prepared when homes are going to come on the market. We can help recommend lenders that get the pre-approval process complete and out of the way.”
And even first-time home buyers don’t need to feel intimidated by the process. Carlos will make it easy and guide a first-time buyer through every step of the process:
“If you are a first-time home buyer, we will try looking at homes that may not be what fits your criteria, but the practice of walking through a home and knowing what to look for will give you Ideas of exactly what you want.”
“We can go over how the offer process and the verbiage of how contracts work. So when the home you have been wanting comes on the market, we are ready to view it, submit, and understand an offer the same day without having to wait and talk to a bank first.”
With such a competitive market, many buyers want to know what the key is to winning bids. According to Carlos, there is not really one particular thing to winning a bid when multiple bids are presented. The highest bid is not always the winning bid.
“Buyers need to understand that different options in bids make a difference to the seller,” he said. “For example, various kinds of loans
could present different kinds of obstacles for sellers when the appraisal comes into play. Some offers will have many inspections others will have no inspections. Some want to take possession quickly; others need more time to sell their home. So, there is not one key factor that helps in winning a bid. It’s more of a combination of them and being ready.”
Something that sets Carlos’ real estate business apart is his heart for giving back to the community. In 2019 the Garates lost their 13-year-old son, Ace, in a car accident. From that tragedy he and his family found a greater purpose for his business, he began by making it a priority to find ways to reinvest in the Emporia area with acts of generosity.
“I do it because it lets me feel like I am carrying on the legacy my son left behind….his caring and giving spirit.”
Through the Ace it Up fund and even through real estate Carlos finds unique ways to leverage his business to give back to those in need in Emporia.
He has recently started giving 10 percent of his (take-home) listing commissions to the organizations, schools, or churches of the client’s choice. He also donates to school fundraisers, scholarships, and other organizations that benefit Emporia children. Other outreaches include purchasing a three-level home for Bloom House Youth Services to be able to rent at a 50 percent rate as well as a rental house he makes available to be used by visiting missionaries to town.
For Carlos, family is first. Along with his wife, Amy, the Garates put a priority on spending time as a family, which his real estate career has allowed him to do.
When Carlos is not selling homes he enjoys spending time with his extended family hanging at his house swimming or just BBQing on the deck. He also enjoys playing disc golf with his kids and brothers.
One of his newest “hobbies” is spending time with his twin daughters out at the farm with their horses and goats.
“Our experience with Carlos as our realtor was nothing short of superb. My husband and I had to sell two houses at once and what should have been a stressful experience went as smoothly as possible and was handled with expertise. When the opportunity arises in the future, we would definitely choose Carlos first. I cannot recommend him more highly!”
—Seth and Megan Redel
“Carlos was amazing. As first-time home buyers, we really didn’t know what to expect out of the homebuying process. Carlos was knowledgeable and walked us through every step of the process. He really cared about what we wanted in a home and went above and beyond getting us into houses as soon as they came up. He was available to us whenever we needed him. I would recommend him to anyone trying to buy or sell a house. We definitely will be using him for any of our future house needs.”
—Taylor Washko“Carlos is awesome. Truly one of the best at what he does. He’s professional, yet personable. As first-time home buyers, Carlos really helped my husband and me understand the process of buying a home. He was patient and flexible with his time. Answered all of our questions and gave us many options to consider. We ended up with an amazing home and will definitely recommend Carlos Garate to our friends and family.”
—Dani Aranda
Story By Ashley Walker
Photography By Jason Dailey
It’s as if the house was made for Amanda Hague and husband, Ben. Or perhaps it was the other way around. Either way, from the inside out, 1315 Rural Street is much more than just a house. It’s the story of their life. And in a time when minimalism seems to be on-trend, Amanda is embracing “maximalism”… to the max.
Amanda Hague didn’t even have to go inside to know that 1315 Rural was going to be hers.
“This is our house,” she remembers saying to her husband, Ben, as they walked up the sidewalk for the first time in 2017. “I don’t even need to go inside.”
Sure enough, the 1920s “Prairie-style” home became theirs after a foreclosure auction; and the rest is history – literally.
From the mid-century inspired furnishings and architectural details to artifacts and collections from Amanda’s past, one step inside the front door is like taking a leap back in time. In fact, walking through the home is like opening up a diary of Amanda’s (and Ben’s, because he lives there, too) own life and adventures. Even the wallpaper harkens back to a bygone era.
“I’ve been collecting stuff since I was a kid,” she said, chuckling at herself. “It’s crazy.”
But what she’s created is far from crazy. Her love of old things and a deep connection to her past has made her home a beautiful (and fascinating) picture of what makes Amanda, “Amanda.”
Technically, the only “new” piece in the home is a pink velvet sofa from Joybird. com sitting in the sunroom, but even that looks like it could have come from an estate sale or upscale antique store with its own unique story behind it.
There are collections from her childhood (i.e. her MAD magazines from sixth grade resting in a magazine rack in the funky downstairs powder room); special pieces from her family’s past (i.e. a bed that came from Margaret Kerstetter of Strawberry Hill, who happens to be Amanda’s great-great-great grandmother); restaurant dishes in a floor-to-ceiling cabinet in the kitchen (If you have found a new love affair with Brussels sprouts, it’s likely because you’ve had them at one of Amanda’s restaurants over the years); memorabilia from special events with her husband (i.e. a wall full of albums and concert posters hanging above the staircase landing); and vintage odds and ends that she simply just connects with (i.e. porcelain vintage jaguars placed throughout the house and the Art Deco Heywood Wakefield furniture set, reminiscent of the 1950’s that fills their second-story master bedroom).
Her “smallest” collection may actually take up the most real estate at the home. It’s a collection of Volkswagens that she and Ben share: a ‘69 Camper Van; a ‘62 Beetle; a ‘71 Super Beetle; and ‘86 Vanagon. All of them are their daily driving vehicles. But in case one goes down, well, that’s why they have four, Amanda said.
“At least one is working at any given time,” she said.
The “Frank Lloyd Wright-esque” home makes a statement in mid-town Emporia on a street that is lined with mostly Craftsman Bungalows. While it is not technically a Frank Lloyd Wright home, the structure’s strong lines, covered porches, overhanging eaves and minimalist design do mimic the famous American architect’s style that influenced architecture during the 20th century.
But a minimalist, Amanda certainly is not.
Rather, Amanda would call herself a “maximalist.”
“I just want to put everything in,” she said.
With a basement, a storage unit and even the Chase County family farm still full of even more treasures, fortunately, she has no plans of moving anytime soon. In fact, she claims she’s never leaving this house she loves so much.
“I will haunt this house,” she said. “No one has ever died in this house, but I will be the one who will and I will haunt it.”
We hope you've enjoyed taking a peek inside this unique Emporia home with –easily – the coolest vibe in town.
And if you aren’t lucky enough to receive a dinner invite to 1315 Rural Street to experience the Hagues’ home for yourself, don’t despair. You can still get a taste of what Amanda and Ben do best; food and design, at their downtown restaurant, Union Street Social. Located at 224 E. 6th Avenue, the funky restaurant is, essentially, an extension of their own story and home.
Located at 827 Commercial St., Toso Family Eye Care is a fullservice optometry practice offering comprehensive eye exams, pediatric eye health assessments, diagnosis and treatment of eye disease, dry eye treatments and emergency eye exams.
“A routine, comprehensive eye exam for really any age starts with our prescreeners,” Dr. Toso said. “One of our technicians checks visual acuity — what you can see on the chart — but we also check things like color vision and depth perception and up-close vision.”
Routine exams also include checks for eye diseases, like cataracts or glaucoma, and can include assessments for other health issues like diabetes and high blood pressure. Other changes in vision can be attributed to emergency issues. Dr. Toso said she’s seen at least two patients at her practice within the last year who were suffering from strokes. The patients both experienced sudden losses in vision.
“If someone has had a sudden change in vision, they may feel like
they can’t see on one side,” she said. “One patient felt like she had this black line in her vision. We did [side] vision tests, which can help diagnose vision loss, and she had peripheral field loss that indicated a neurological problem.”
That, combined with an abnormal blood pressure and neurological changes that began to present during her visit to the office, prompted a call to 9-1-1.
Dr. Toso also has a special interest in ocular disease management including glaucoma, macular degeneration, and dry eye. She has also been intimately involved in pre-and post-operative care of cataract surgery and refractive surgery.
“When I was in school, I worked with a dry eye specialist in Indiana,” she said. “I got to see a lot of new treatments and medications and procedures for dry eye, and a lot of the time, dry eye is one of those things that people feel they just put up with. And they don’t have to.”
Dr. Toso said there are a number of treatment options available to help patients manage dry eye symptoms that can be done right here in Emporia. That includes deep cleaning of the eyelids and the oil glands around the eyelid, heat therapy, punctal plugs and more.
“Those things are all really quick inoffice procedures that are good for some people,” she said. “I would say 70-80% of what we see every day is routine, and most people have very healthy eyes, but that’s why I love what I do — there’s always something new!”
Dr. Caitlin Toso has degrees from the University of Missouri Kansas City, and graduated with honors from the Indiana University School of Optometry as a member of the Beta Sigma Kappa International Optometric Honor Society. She lives in Emporia with her husband, Justin, and their twins, Ava and Oliver.
Toso Family Eye Care is open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. You can make an appointment by calling 620-342-6282.
NNearly two years after opening her practice downtown, Dr. Caitlin Toso is looking to continue building her practice and offering a wide range of eye care for the whole family.
Story By Ryann Brooks
Photography By Jason Dailey
he David Traylor Zoo has long been considered one of Emporia’s hidden gems.
If longtime Zoo Director Lisa Keith has anything to say about it, that won’t always be the case. And, considering the amount of progress she’s overseen, there’s a good chance Keith will get her way.
She remembers those early years being employed at the zoo: “I used to joke with David [Traylor] during my evaluation that ‘I would take his job some day,’ but I never dreamed it would actually happen.”
Zoo director realizes her dream through dedication, hard work… and a little bit of good timing.
“It’s hard work, but it’s worth it. This is where I’m supposed to be.”
And now, she is not only filling his shoes, but blazing her own path as she oversees exciting growth and expansion at one of smallest accredited zoos in the United States.
“Just proves,” she said, “if you set a goal and work really hard….you can achieve anything.”
And she has.
Hired in July 1992, Keith has dedicated more than three decades of her life to the David Traylor Zoo. Since becoming director in 2009, Keith has pushed the zoo forward with a number of exhibit expansion and renovation projects, including the ongoing Oasis Campaign, which brought a beautiful new limestone entrance to the zoo.
“For a long time this was known as Emporia’s best kept secret, and I don’t know if that was intentional or not,” she said. “But that’s one of the things that I wanted to change when I became director. I didn’t want it to be a secret anymore, or a hidden treasure. I wanted it to be something that people from Emporia, from outside Emporia, from outside the state and even outside of the country, knew about.”
Growing up just west of Lebo, Keith was no stranger to working with animals. She helped her parents raise Quarter Horses, cattle and goats, and spent many of her formative years on horseback.
“That’s what I grew up doing was spending a lot of time on horseback, a lot of time at the racetrack,” she said. “I did rodeo some; I was a barrel racer.”
She graduated high school in 1985 with plans to attend Kansas State University. Life took her in another direction,
and Keith spent several years raising children and working as a telemarketer until she was hired by David Traylor himself to work as a full-time zookeeper. It was a rare opportunity, since most zookeepers in those days were men.
“I was very lucky to be selected,” she said.
When she was hired she remembers that Traylor had a clear vision for the zoo.
“He knew what he wanted the zoo to look like, or at least a vision of where he wanted to see it go,” Keith said. “I think that his vision helped me see even more of the direction we needed to move. Of course, as things evolved, things had to change a little bit.”
For Traylor, Keith was the ideal employee — always eager to step up and learn. Even if she wasn’t too fond of the tarantulas and snakes.
“She excelled at that position. She did a fine job,” he said. “She was very conscientious of her work and the care that she provided, and she worked her way up. She was my No. 1 person when I was still there. I always knew I could count on her.”
Traylor promoted Keith to zoo foreman. He resigned in 2006, launching a national search for a replacement. Keith served as interim director for a time before another zoo director was hired. When that director resigned, she ultimately threw her hat in the ring and got hired.
Traylor said he wasn’t surprised that Keith would take on the role full-time, having seen what she was capable of for so many years.
He felt Keith has done an excellent job maintaining and elevating the zoo over the years.
“He is very proud of what Lisa has done to continue his growth, and keeping it nice for the public, and making it a wonderful place to go,” said Jan Traylor, David’s wife.
“This job is part of her life,” David added.
Truer words may well have never been spoken.
For Keith, working at the zoo was never just an 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. job. Some animals would become part of the Keith family for a time, requiring extra hands-on care and affection. One of those animals was Sampson, the zoo’s (and Emporia’s) beloved mountain lion who died at age 16 in 2014.
“Sampson came from the wild,” Keith said. “He was found by a rancher who drove past one day, and saw him sitting next to the road. He wasn’t very big. He thought his mom was probably there and just drove on past. The next day he drove by and Sampson was still there, so he knew then there must be a problem.”
The rancher stopped and, sure enough, Sampson was there by himself. The little cub stayed at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Wyoming for about five weeks before the Emporia zoo was notified about him. Keith fell in love immediately.
“He was really scared of me. We took him from the only home he knew, so I would sit down beside his cage. I would stay late and I would just sit beside his enclosure and talk to him, read a book, so he could get to know my voice and know I wasn’t going to hurt him,” she said. Soon, she could get into the pen with the cub. “He finally got to where he’d come over and smell me and then I was finally able to give him the bottle. That’s really all it took. I became his mom. Even to the day he died, I was his mom.”
Sampson would “tell on” Keith when she’d try to sneak into the zoo to try and surprise her keepers.
“He’d be on the top of the tree and he had a really highpitched kind of a squeak,” she said. “He would start doing that and they would know I was in the zoo. I could never get away with it.”
Keith also served as a surrogate mother for Punky the wallaby, who had been kicked out of the pouch by his mother when he was far too little to be on his own.
“He spent 24 hours a day with my family and I,” she said. “We carried him in a pouch — a backpack — but he went everywhere. As he got older, he would hop out and do his thing, and he popped back in when he got scared, but that was quite the experience.”
When she’s not at the zoo, she’s helping out at the family ranch in Allen — the Keith Cattle Co. The preconditioning facility serves as somewhat of a “kindergarten for cattle,” Keith said.
“They’re directly off their moms and they don’t really have a health plan – they don’t really have a good nutrition plan and they don’t know how to eat from a feedbag very well,” she said. “So, that’s what we do.”
Keith estimated that 15,000-20,000 head of cattle come through each year. That’s not counting their own cattle.
“There’s always babies running around. In the spring we have all the babies,” she laughed. Keith is hands-on in the process, vaccinating cattle, helping ship them and doing whatever else she can to support the business.
It’s a full life for anyone, let alone the director of a busy zoo.
Keith credits the support of her husband, Brian, and their three sons for supporting her through her commitment to the zoo over the years. Now, she has the joy of sharing the zoo with grandchildren as well.
“It’s hard work, but it’s worth it,” she said. “This is where I’m supposed to be.”
⚫ How long was your most recent call and who was it with: My last call was 1 min, 28sec long and was with Mitchell Markowitz Construction regarding the Zoo Education Center Construction.
⚫ Most used emoji: Laughing face
⚫ Alarm setting: 5:45am on weekdays
⚫ Alarm ring tone: Chime time
⚫ Number of unread emails: 49
⚫ Most essential app:
⚪ Calendar-keeps me on task and on time.
⚪ Messages
⚪ Zoo security app
⚪ PlantID
⚫ Most used app: Texting
⚫ Top 3 people you text:
⚪ Brian Keith, Spouse
⚪ Liz Brannan, Animal Collection Manager (tie for 3rd)
⚪ Jesse, Tyler & Justin, Our sons (tie for 3rd)
⚫ First app you check in the morning and last before bedtime:
First: Email
Last: Email or Facebook
⚫ At what battery percentage do you feel compelled to charge your phone: 20%
⚫ Where’s the craziest place you lost your phone:
⚪ In a pasture during the gator rally.
⚪ 2nd-talking to my sister and couldn’t find my phone … I was talking to her on it!
⚫ What social media app do you post most on:
⚫ App you wish someone would invent:
Animal Health App that takes temperatures from a distance and lists normal temperature ranges for all species.
⚫ Biggest time-wasting app: Pinterest or Facebook
⚫ Number of contacts on your phone: 945
⚫ How many photos are on your phone:
Way too many—31,626
⚫ Most obscure app on your phone and what’s it for: Alarm system w/ smart viewer for the zoo. It will alert me if someone is in the zoo after hours. It also will alert me if temperatures change in one of the animals habitats, if the system senses smoke/fire or if the electricity goes out. The system helps ensure the animals are safe at all hours of the day/night.
⚫ Favorite podcast: The Vetpodcast, talking about animal health
⚫ Times you turn your phone off: I don’t turn my phone off but I do silence the ringer for special events (meetings, weddings, church, funerals, family etc.). I am on-call 24/7 so I don’t feel comfortable turning my phone off.
⚫ What's on your lockscreen: A photo of “Flint” the Mountain right now. Previously, a photo of my family. My family and animals….two of my biggest passions!
a century 1801 W. 18th Avenue has been known as the Emporia Country Club. Perched atop a hill in northwest Emporia, where Rural Street dead ends into it’s parking lot, the establishment has always been open to members-only.
As of Jan. 30, 2023, the Club turned the page on a new chapter in its history and is now The Emporia Community Club, aptly named because for the first time in over 100 years the Emporia landmark is welcoming the public to it’s golf course, restaurant, event space and community hub.
Emporia Community Club LLC. officially took over ownership of the Club earlier this year. Owned by a group of 19 individuals with local connections and operated by a sevenmember board of directors, ECC strives to provide members and guests with the very best that Emporia has to offer.
Let the rich history of this Emporia landmark, the beauty of the expansive grounds and the unmatched hospitality of the ECC make your event memorable and perfect.
From weddings to parties of any size and occasion, the Emporia Community Club offers spaces and services to fit
any occasion. The West Room comes equipped with a service bar, wooden dance floor and seating for up to 125. The nearby Fireplace Room offers a more intimate space, equipped with a gas burning fireplace and inlaid wooden floors.
The East wing is equipped for bridal and baby showers, weddings, dinner clubs and more. The sun-drenched East Bar offers a service bar and seating for 25, while larger groups can utilize the Main Dining Room, with seating for 60 people overlooking the course.
While maintaining the classic architecture and design of the historic space, the Club has undergone recent renovations, infusing a modern, clean vibe to the upper level spaces.
“We are excited about the recent remodel of the upstairs areas. From floor to ceiling, it is modern, fresh, and clean,” said investor Monica Duncan.
In gray and black hues, the redesign is an ideal backdrop for events of all kinds.
All event spaces at the Club offer full catering and bartender services for versatile dining experiences.
For a more casual, relaxed environment, The 1801 Restaurant, located on the bottom level of the Club, features a new menu and improved offerings, full bar, high and low top seating, friendly staff and plenty of TVs. Opening up onto hole one, 1801 is the perfect place for a business lunch, happy hour, date night or to watch the “big game.”
“It’s a grill, it’s a bar, lunch, dinner, you want to have some beers, you want to watch the game, you want to have some snacks, it’s all inclusive,” investor Mike Law said.
The only golf course within the city limits of Emporia, The Emporia Community Club golf course is a convenient and picturesque place to shoot a round with friends. From
For over
added lighting, to some major course improvements over the past few months, including a wider selection of carts, the course welcomes all golfers to come up and play.
The nine-hole golf course features four sand traps, an eight-acre pond, Bermuda grass fairways, Zoysia tees and bent grass greens. With two sets of tees on each, the course for men is 6,309 yards long and plays to par 72 while the course for ladies is 5,335 yards, also to par 72.
Located in the Disc Golf Capital of the World, the greens also feature an 18-hole championship disc golf course, home to the Glass Blown Open and Triology Oppna disc golf competitions.
True to its name, the Community Club is focused on the Emporia community, investing in more than just a clubhouse and greens for the people who patronize it.
“We want to keep the same vision that motivated the ownership group to purchase the Club. We want to save the golf course, the banquet facility, and the pool available and here in Emporia,” Duncan said.
To accomplish that, the owner group is focusing on reinvestments, creating a beautiful space for all of Emporia.
“Now we have a definite hit list to go forward as things grow and hopefully become more successful and then we
can reinvest in the property,” Law explained.
“That is our plan, that any money that is made be reinvested into the property. Currently, we want to keep adding to our ‘to-do’ list and continue to complete projects.”
So far, the group has made improvements to both the interior and exterior of the property, painting and completing facade repairs, adding lighting to the parking lot, exterior of the building and the course, and preparing the Club for the summer season.
“The bulk of what we had on our list is done,” Duncan said. “We made an agenda in the ownership group of projects to get done and we have met or exceeded all of that.”
Investments not only benefit the Club, they also extend to the community as a whole.
The Club is currently in discussions with The City of Emporia, Emporia State University, and local public schools on how to expand opportunities for the community.
“As a community club, we are wanting the community to be involved, we are wanting it to be successful,” Duncan said. “On a prime piece of real estate in town, we wanted to keep it looking beautiful and nice for the neighborhood and surrounding community.”
Fourth-generation farmer and rancher, Jacquelyn Leffler, comes home to carry on her family’s legacy and chart her own path in the field of agriculture.
Three miles west of Americus, Jacquelyne Leffler cultivates the same land her great-grandparents settled more than 80 years ago, representing the fourth generation in a long line of farming on the edge of the Flint Hills.
Now, Leffler is charting her own path as the head of Leffler Prime Performance, bridging her passion for agriculture and talent for track and field into one successful venture, all while celebrating the legacy that brought her to where she is today.
“We were established in 1941, and I’m the fourth generation of our farm along with my sister, Natalie,” Leffler said. Natalie Leffler teaches math and advises the Future Farmers of America (FFA) group at Emporia High School. “She’s not working here at the farm full-time, but she’s still finding her fingers in agriculture even though it looks completely different from what I’m doing.”
Leffler said she comes from a long line of women in agriculture who have taken on different roles, from her greatgrandmother and grandmother, to her mom.
“Women are the supporting role at the farm most of the time,” she said. “They clean the house and cook the meals while the farmer is busy in the field. My grandma, Mary, did some of the bookkeeping and my dad and grandpa always said she had one of the most important roles on the farm because it keeps all the background stuff moving.”
Leffler’s mother, Cindy, does the same thing while also working as a hairstylist at Hair Krafters in Emporia.
“Now I’m in a totally different scenario, where I’m out in the field doing everything,” Jacquelyne Leffler said. “It’s been really cool to see so many females my age come back to the farm. I don’t think you see it unless you’re in the industry, but it’s not just here in Lyon County; it’s happening throughout the state and throughout the United States.”
According to Heifer International, rural women make up a quarter of the world's population. The International Labour Organization estimates that women make up 41% of the world's agricultural workforce — and even greater proportions in developing countries.
Leffler, 33, grew up in rural Americus, attending North Lyon County schools. A talented track and field athlete with
a full-ride scholarship to Kansas State University, Leffler earned degrees in kinesiology and family studies/human services with the idea of going into coaching, or even sports ministry. She started Leffler Prime Performance in 2015, two years after a track-related injury had her reassess her future.
“I did not study agriculture, because I never wanted to come home,” she said. “I saw how hard my dad and grandpa worked every day and it just didn’t look like any fun. But, God has a good sense of humor and I started to meet people along the way. … I just needed somebody outside of my family to show me that agriculture could be cool.”
Still, when Leffler moved back to the family farm in 2013, into her greatgrandparents' house, she didn’t intend for it to be a long-term stay. She worked part-time on the farm while coaching at Emporia State University, taking over managing the farm’s data and technology. Soon, she realized she wanted to be more involved in the day-to-day operations.
Wayne “Jackie” Leffler noted the many changes in those day-to-day operations from his early days on the farm when interviewed for “A Farmer's Journey: One Year in the Life of an American Grower,” a documentary series that detailed all aspects of life on the farm.
“We used to feed the cattle with horses, then tractors, then with the truck, and then we got the feed truck,” he said. “Equipment keeps getting bigger all the time.”
Jacquelyne Leffler grew up hearing those stories, working right alongside her father and grandfather. Because of that, Jackie Leffler felt like his granddaughter was well-prepared to take on the family business.
“I think she’s been getting a pretty good education here,” he said. “She’s going to have her hands full. Most of the family farms are gone, but this one’s still holding up.”
Ultimately, Jackie Leffler had a big hand in Jacquelyne’s full-time return to the farm.
“My grandpa was the one, I think, that really convinced my dad to let me come back and be here full-time,” she said. “I wanted to be done coaching, and I just caught on to the technology and everything that was happening. But when I quit coaching I realized, ‘Holy smokes, I need some more money.’”
The Leffler farm and ranch has long produced beef cattle, soybeans, corn and wheat. Jacquelyne Leffler thought back to her time in 4-H, where she and her sister sold their extra animals and what didn’t sell would end up in community freezers. Leffler realized there was some untapped potential in that market.
“The first time I was trying to get that going, I actually made a handshake deal with a local business owner to take all five head and he was going to have a Kansasonly beef cooler at his store,” she said. “And then I got the phone call the day they were supposed to go to the butcher and he said, ‘Sorry, the deal’s off. It’s not gonna happen.’”
Crestfallen, Leffler turned to social media. She sold her beef within a day.
“I realized, I’ve got something and I don’t need this other guy to handle my product; I can do it myself,” she said. “That’s when I realized, I think I’ve got something. I just kind of grew my business from there.”
And that she did. Leffler used the power of social media to establish a directto-consumer marketing strategy, first connecting primarily with people in the local community and eventually branching out with a wider reach. Her business exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I was selling roughly 20 - 30 head a year prior to 2020, and maybe 30 - 45 consistent customers. I ended 2020 with 170 head sold and almost 1,500 customers,” Leffler said. “I was the only one around here really trying to make a full-fledged business out of it — and it was still a side hustle. And it still is.”
Bill Leffler said he is proud of what his daughter has been able to accomplish. He told her she needed to be open to taking on changes head-on as they arise, and when COVID-19 hit, that’s exactly what she did.
“She already had a small beef business, and it’s really turned into a pretty substantial moneymaker for her,” he said. “She’s still continuing to grow that business, so she’s kept it in the same line of work, but really expanded into another aspect of it. I’m really proud to see what she’s accomplished.”
Jacquelyne Leffler credited a 2017 leadership class with the Kansas Farm Bureau with empowering her to feel more prepared to push the envelope and help her realize it’s OK to fail.
Coming Home: New Life: Rain or Shine: Full Circle:
Coming Home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wb-fqvVIHM
New Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTESGpu78LY
Rain or Shine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbOcaGg49Fc
Full Circle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Es0OliNM78
“That class taught me a lot about agriculture, so much more than I ever thought it was or could ever be,” she said. “That’s when I really jumped on social media and found a pretty goodsized sample of people on Twitter and Facebook always talking about their operations.”
Leffler threw her voice into the mix.
“It’s been incredible,” she said. “And it’s opened me up to even more opportunities.”
Leffler has traveled all around the world learning about the agricultural practices of different communities. The experiences have helped her to push the boundaries of what agriculture means in rural Lyon County, Kansas, and help her stay relevant in an ever-changing industry.
Right before the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, Leffler traveled to the Baltic region of Europe, where she spoke primarily with women leading the charge in agriculture.
She also took part in the “A Farmer’s Journey” documentary series. “I don’t think I actually knew what I had said, ‘Yes’ to until a string of cars and an RV and 12 people bailed out,” Leffler
chuckled. “It was pretty overwhelming, but it was really cool to hear their stories as we were telling ours.”
Leffler said she learned a lot about the film industry, as well as marketing strategies. Things she could still use, long after the film crew was gone.
“We need to say yes to those opportunities,” she said. “We need to be our own voice because if not, somebody else is, and more than likely they’re going to be spreading misinformation. … This isn’t just a lifestyle we live. We’re running a business that has to be profitable and sustainable. I think sometimes we forget that this is a business.”
Leffler said farmers and ranchers need to stay on top of technological advancements in order to stay relevant in an everchanging industry.
“Technology is advancing so fast that our tractors already drive themselves with us and GPS, and it’s hard to know what's next and what’s feasible,” she said. “I think, in the long run, we have to just continue to be as efficient as we can with the land that we were entrusted with.”
Leffler said it’s not just the diversification of business that has kept the farm successful. It’s also the family legacy and
pride that keeps her going, along with a commitment to stay on top of changing technologies.
Her father agreed. In fact, it was important to him that Jacquelyne throw herself into learning the technology side of the business when she decided to return to the farm full-time.
“She really went to work on that and convinced me to have a couple of things that we have today,” Bill Leffler said. “I think it’s really neat what we’re doing and she’s made a lot of friends every place, by reaching out and trying to find out how to do this and that, and joining different farm groups and organizations. She’s made her own network of people to get where she is today, and she’s done an excellent job of doing that.”
And in doing so, Jacquelyne is setting up Leffler Farms for even more generations in the future. Newly married, she and husband Landon Stallbaumer are committed to working the land together with the same grit and determination as her family has done for generations.
“I don’t think my great-grandparents would be surprised at the work ethic that’s been passed on from generation to generation, and I don’t think that
“There’s something about your family working with you; it’s just different. There’s a bond, and it’s hard to describe unless you’ve experienced it.”
they would be surprised at the pride that we still hold within our community and neighborhood,” Leffler said. “I think that speaks volumes. I think on the tangible side of things, the size of the farm and the fact that everything is in the palm of our hands at all times, would surprise them. I just cannot fathom what they would think if they saw what’s happening in the world now, and even three miles west of Americus.”
Though he had mixed feelings in the beginning, Bill Leffler said it’s hard to describe his feelings now, knowing his daughter, too, is staying with the land.
“It’s very touching because family means a lot to me,” he said. “There’s something about your family working with you; it’s just different. There’s a bond, and it’s hard to describe unless you’ve experienced it. There’s nothing more fun when it’s just Jack and me, or her sister and her mom, joining in with us to sort cattle or move equipment in the field. It just makes it feel different, and it’s really kind of an awesome thing to look back and think, we accomplished that as a family.”
Fast-food and high-quality, locallysourced meat may not seem to go hand in hand, but in a few short weeks Spark’s Burger Co. in Manhattan, KS will be an exception. Leffler Prime Performance will be the exculsuvie beef supplier for the new restaurant at 405 Poyntz Ave.
Spark’s Burger Co. owner Genevieve McGregor said she wanted to create an experience that allowed people to feel good about indulging in a traditional fast food meal. So, she wanted to partner directly with local farmers and ranchers in an effort to help people know exactly where their food is coming from.
McGregor uprooted her life in Colorado and moved to Kansas to make her dream come to life.
“I did a lot of sniffing around in Colorado ….but I ended up coming out to Kansas because you guys know your beef,” she said. “I had all the arrows pointing east for me.”
McGregor connected with Leffler when she was still in Colorado, Googling the names of local ranchers to
coordinate visits with on her trips to the Manhattan area. She scheduled a tour at Leffler’s farm in Americus and the rest is history.
“I’ll be honest; I was just crazy about her and her family,” McGregor said. “She met all of the criteria in terms of volume for what we needed, accessibility to local processing plants — because that’s a big issue. … She ticked all the boxes. The fact that she’s also a woman kind of helped in some ways because I really want to promote local, independent ranchers who are working tirelessly to keep their family farm. And you know, she's one of them.”
A vegetarian for several decades, McGregor said she’s learned a lot about the meat industry over the years. Most of the criticism she says, belongs with the big name meat producers that you’ll find in grocery stores across the country. That’s why it was so important to her to seek out partnerships with people like Leffler.
Visitors to Spark’s Burger Co. will be greeted by photographs of local
producers/partners, too. McGregor said the hope is customers will enjoy their food so much, they will go out of their way to seek out how to get more beef, cheese, and eggs, straight from the farmers who provided them.
“There are people like Jacquelyne who get up before the sun, and their animals eat before they do,” McGregor said. “You know, people who really take care of their animals.”
In fact, that’s their goal. “We’ve really found that when people feel good, they hold themselves differently,” said co-owner Amy Ringler. “When people feel good, they look good.”
That’s why Midas Touch offers a wide array of health and wellness products and services that address everything from helping you relax after a stressful day to helping strengthen your heart health, improve your skin and even lose inches of fat.
One of Midas Touch’s newest additions is the Skin Wellness Cocoon, a heated massage bed that offers a vitamin and steam-infused experience. “I tell people that they’re going to be floating in a cloud, relaxing for 20 minutes,” Ringler said. “There’s no phone, no distractions. It’s just you and pure relaxation.”
The Cocoon session allows customers to select their own experience with four separate program
blends that will hydrate, cleanse, brighten or slim and tone their entire body. The liquid vitamins, natural herbs and pure salt ceuticals are infused directly into steam vapor for topical absorption by the skin under radiant infrared heat. That, combined with the vibratory massage bed with chromotherapy, offers a uniquely relaxing experience.
Customers can also get a wholly customizable tanning experience in a state-of-the-art LUXE Beauty bed. Ringler said it was just the second location in the United States to install the LUXE beds, and the first of its kind in the world. The LUXE bed offers revolutionary skincare and suncare with a fully customizable experience.
Ringler said customers who want just a hint of color can select “sensitive” skin settings, while other customers can select “medium” or
“intense” settings for a deeper color. The LUXE also helps with complexion and overall skin health. “It’s really a revolutionary machine,” Ringler said, adding that the LUXE Beauty Bed brings in some of the features of Midas Touch’s longstanding Red Light Therapy options. “Clients love their results from our new Luxe Beauty Beds.”
Another exciting option is the Sunlighten 3-in-1 Optimal Dose Sauna, which offers a completely tailored sauna experience for each customer. Ringler said the sauna can help melt away stress and tension in as little as 20 minutes, while helping you reach your health goals through the process of detoxification.
Detoxification through sweat is a centuries old practice that has proven that sweat is about more than just temperature regulation — it’s also part of the body’s elimination process. And, it’s one of the best ways to detox your
With more than 20 years of offering premiere tanning services, and a growing number of health and wellness opportunities, the Midas Touch Golden Tans has raised the bar when it comes to helping Emporians look and feel their best, from the inside out.
body. The infrared sauna can improve your heart health, relaxation, muscle recovery, anti-aging, pain management and much more!
Of course, those looking for a classic tan, The Midas Touch continually upgrades equipment and services. There are different levels of sun tanning beds and, for those who prefer sunless tanning, Emporia’s only professional spray tan booth. Products intended for pre- and post-tan, as well as tanning lotions and moisturizers also are available.
Ringler, as well as her father Darrell Ringler and sister Lauren White, take pride in being able to offer these types of services in their family-owned and operated salon. “We’ve been blessed to be able to provide jobs for our community for over 21 years. Our staff has been a tremendous asset to our success,” Ringler added. Staff members at The Midas Touch are committed to providing a clean and safe environment, holding certification in the tanning industry’s Smart Tan multi-level accreditation process.
An Emporia boy, born and bred, Ken Hush recently took the helm at Emporia State University following decades of working in the business world – a non-traditional path to working in higher education. Not even a year into his presidency and Ken is already making some bold moves. Some of his ideas have been popular. Some have not been. But he embodies much of what Sallie White and other influential Emporia men and women have stood for over the years: a willingness to challenge the status quo for a greater vision and purpose. Ken’s Emporia roots, his love for his hometown and his desire to invest in its future made him this year’s choice for “Hey Mister.”
Ken grew up in mid-town Emporia and attended Mary Herbert Elementary School, Lowther Middle School and Emporia High School. Graduating EHS in 1977, Ken
went on to attend Emporia State University to play on the nationally-ranked tennis team and earn a double major in business administration and marketing. He was inducted into the ESU Athletic Hall of Honor in 1995 and later played a major role in the fundraising for the Kossover Tennis Complex completed in 2021.
Leading the university was never something Ken planned (or expected) to do upon graduating from ESU. A businessman by nature, before taking on the presidency, Ken served as CEO of BLI Rentals, president and CEO of Koch Minerals and Carbon and as General Manager and Director at Senior Commodity Company. In 2022 Forbes named Koch America’s second-largest private company and the largest private company in the U.S.
But after retirement and after serving as ESU interim president he was named the 18th president on June 22, 2022, by the Kansas Board of Regents. Ken is the first alumni to serve as the university’s president and the first president of the Kansas Board of Regents with a business background to lead an educational institution.
Meet the “hometown boy” behind the president of the largest educational institution in town and the third-largest employer in the Emporia area:
How would you describe your growing up years in Emporia?
A fantastic experience. Emporia was the perfect size community for me and my family throughout the years. In addition, the local business community provided me the opportunity to work multiple jobs full-time through high school and college, while juggling my various ESU academic, athletic and Greek activities. Favorite memory growing up in Emporia:
There is a plethora of them. But if I had to pick just one, my grandparents lived a few blocks away from the Emporia zoo. I used to stay over at their house in the summer, windows open, listening to the zoo’s peacocks talk while falling to sleep.
The Emporia area people make it special – their strong work ethic, desire to be fair, helping others first, and doing the right thing are the characteristics that I think make our community so special.
ON ESU:
You’ve had a bit of a non-traditional path to the presidency of ESU. How has your background helped? How have you felt prepared for the job?
Yes, I had a different path for this role – a role I was not expecting. When I graduated ESU, I was fortunate to be hired by a small Kansas company, at a time when the economy was difficult, and jobs were not plentiful. At that time, global business was also expanding – that was the path I followed. Over the years I was able to grow with the company, which afforded me the opportunity to live in a handful of countries and serve on teams charged with developing businesses worldwide. As I worked in a variety of roles throughout my career, I always focused on learning new skills and increasing responsibility.
If I had to name one thing from my past career experiences that prepared me for the role I’m in today it is how my career experiences have reinforced how easy and necessary it is to embrace change. Imagine living abroad and driving a distance equivalent to Missouri, Nebraska, or Oklahoma and needing to show your passport to cross the border, have another currency, understand the laws of a different government, and experience different foods, languages, religions, and cultures. I had to be open to learning every day. Adapting every day quickly became a way of life, as did learning to enjoy and embrace the constant changes all around me. As a result, I developed a completely open-minded mentality. An open mind that considers all possibilities is exactly what is needed to make transformational change – which is exactly what we’re doing at ESU.
Why did you want to take the position as President of ESU?
As you know, after the previous president resigned, I was named Interim President for nearly eight months. It was at the end of the interim period that numerous people asked me to consider applying to take the position permanently. Becoming President has provided me the opportunity
to give back to my alma mater - my hometown and Emporia - bringing a visionary approach that compliments our Hornet traditions and benefits our community, state, and future generations of students.
How has the university changed since you attended ESU?
When I was a student it was the era where there were no cell phones, no internet, no email, no online learning, etc. Most communication was through personal discussions, which advanced my career immensely. There were also more students then – today, there are about half of the on-campus students being served by the same campus footprint that existed when I was a student. But the thing that has remained the same is that our students are hardworking and our faculty are still delivering great experiences that prepare our students for their careers.
What are you most proud of at ESU?
I am most proud that we have been committed to listening and reacting to the needs of today’s modern students. Understanding what will set them on the path to a successful career. To enable the type of full-scale transformation ESU needs, we started by forming a much larger leadership team representative of all parts of the university to evaluate everything across campus. We now use data-driven analysis to drive action, we have realigned resources and are making strategic investments to do the most good for the most studentscoordinating with the Kansas Board of Regents throughout the process. Today, ESU is focused with a clear vision – we are positioned to be a viable and vibrant institution for years to come.
You have made some big changes at ESU. What are you wanting the community to know?
Higher education has changed and that was accelerated by Covid. It was
necessary to change to address the needs of today’s students. Today’s students are choosing their careers and respective education differently. The current workforce shortage – a phenomenon that has not happened during my career - has lured college students away to consider other career alternatives.
Where is your favorite place on campus?
I love campus – it’s just the right size. But when I think back to my college activities, my favorites were Plumb Hall for my economics courses, where I developed my thought processes around supply/demand, recognizing market changes, and learning how to analyze trends and how to take datainformed action. It is where I learned the fundamentals of how to create the opportunity for proactive change, and how to help companies and organizations lead the way and not fall behind others.
Another favorite was Cremer Hall room 404, which was then the office of the Blue Key National Honors Fraternity, which reinforced solid business and commerce principles.
Lastly, the tennis courts where I was able to compete as part of the team and represent ESU nationally. It makes
me happy that today, the new Kossover Family Tennis Complex is affording the same great experience for many of today’s and future student-athletes. What’s your favorite thing about being the President of ESU? Interfacing with the students and helping them on their respective career paths.
What are your favorite hobbies?
Favorite hobbies are learning, reading, volunteer work and tennis.
Where do you like to travel?
At this stage in my life, I’m fond of warmer weather climates. That said, and as my previous career responsibilities included developing businesses worldwide, I’ve traveled to over 70 countries and lived in several. Having that perspective has reinforced my appreciation of being an American and the freedoms we are granted –thanks to past generations who have made those freedoms possible.
When you are not working where would you mostly like be and what would you most likely be doing?
I would be spending time with my family and friends, either in-person or traveling with them. Locally, Lake Kahola is a special place.
Emporia’s first direct primary care practice is breaking the mold when it comes to health care. Opened by Dr. Aaron Watters and his wife and practice manager Wendy in 2022, Liberty MD is offering personalized health care for the whole family — without the middleman.
“I’ve worked as a family practice doctor for about 25 years,” Dr. Watters said. “I went into ER medicine when my kids got into college, but I just missed family medicine and really getting to know people.”
Dr. Watters grew up in Colby, a small town in western Kansas. He decided at a young age that he wanted to become a doctor and started working in health care when he was just 16. Watters became an EMT at 18 and worked as a respiratory therapist while he put himself through college and medical school.
“I really got a kick out of helping people and that never really went away,” he said.
It’s the drive to help people that pulled Dr. Watters away from emergency room medicine and back to family medicine. But, frustrated with the mounting red tape involved with providing medical care to patients, he decided to flip the script. That’s where direct primary care comes in.
Direct primary care is a business model that allows primary care physicians to offer their services directly to their patient, without an insurance company in the middle – in exchange for a monthly membership fee. Liberty MD does not — and will not ever — accept any type of health insurance, but both Dr. Watters and Wendy are confident that their patients are coming out happier, healthier and all together more satisfied at the end of the day.
“There’s no insurance middleman at all,” Wendy explained. “Insurance companies dictate what doctors, medical providers, can do. They control the protocols, they control the requirements, they actually control the fees for reimbursement.”
Wendy said by cutting out the insurance industry middleman, Dr. Watters can treat his patients the way they individually need to be treated. Not every patient fits into a “protocol” and this allows him to treat them as
an individual and give them what they specifically need, offering them a higher standard of care using a combination of conventional and traditional medicine, with a common sense approach.
“It’s been fascinating to watch and listen to some of the health issues that he’s been able to uncover just by spending 45 minutes to an hour with someone,” Wendy added. “That’s something you just don’t get in any other medical practice. You get seven - 10 minutes with a provider, and that’s not the doctor’s fault, it’s the system’s fault.”
The way Liberty MD works is pretty simple. Patients can either enroll on-line through their website, or call to schedule a free 15 minute “meet & greet” to see if it’s a good fit for both the patient and the doctor before enrolling. Once a patient has enrolled, they will call to schedule the 1 hr. initial consultation with Dr. Watters, during which time he can talk over any health concerns they may have, discuss their health goals and struggles.
Liberty MD members also gain access to their wholesale in-house pharmacy, wholesale labs, and a slew of other benefits and preferential pricing for MRIs, CT scans and more. It also allows members discounted pricing on their premium services, which include Morpheus8 (skin tightening/collagen building), O3UV treatments, IV nutrition, hormone replacement therapy, and alternative treatment options for joints and athletic performance.
As part of their monthly membership fee, patients get unlimited visits each month and there is never a co-pay. Members only have to pay for wholesale medications and labs if they need them.
They also have direct access to Dr. Watters, 24/7, with same day or next day appointments.
Small businesses are also finding this to be a cost-effective solution for their employees by adding value and helping with employee retention, but also drastically reducing medical expenses and absenteeism.
“Medical care doesn’t have to be as expensive, intrusive or as cumbersome as it is,” Wendy said.
Dr. Watters said Liberty MD won’t be the right fit to everyone — and that’s OK. But for those interested in learning more, can go online to www. libertymdemporia.com or call 620-2633777 to get their questions answered.
The company officially switched hands in December, after Williams Towing owner Clint Drake purchased the automotive side of the business from former owners Rex and Debbie Williams. Drake, an Emporia native and seven-year employee of the Williams’, said he doesn’t plan on making large changes, instead focusing on providing the same dependable service while always striving to improve their offerings. Already owning and operating Williams Towing since 2017, Drake said the transition was natural. “I outgrew the space at the same time he was ready to retire,” Drake said.
Located right across the street from its sister company Williams Towing at 3105 West 6th Avenue, Blackcreek Diesel & Automotive - formerly Williams Automotiveis ready to provide the people of Emporia with the same dependable and knowledgeable service they have come to expect.
With years of automotive experience picked up during his time in the military and working for Rex, Drake - along with his highly experienced staff - is ready to continue to offer Emporia the same great service at the same location. While the name is different, the same expert staffalong with a few new faces - is there to help you with all of your automotive needs. With over 260 years of combined experience from the managers to the mechanics, Emporians can rest assured that their vehicle is in good hands.
• Lance Dale - manager - 48 years experience
• Benny Rodriguez - manager - 30 years experience
• Mark Zimmerman - shop manager - 40 years experience
• Justin Bosch - shop manager - 30 years experience
• Joe McDonald - diesel technician - 30 years experience
• Brian Dailey - mechanic - 42 years experience
• Errol Myers - service writer - 30 years experience
• Adam Smith - alignment technician - 18 years experience
From a simple oil change, alignment or preventative maintenance to a major repair or computer diagnostics, the team at Blackcreek Diesel & Automotive will keep you and your vehicle running smoothly.
“We are all about trustworthy, honest, reliable repair, whether it’s a car or a semi,” Drake said. “We just want to be people’s one-stop-shop for anything from a small light duty passenger car on up to a tractor trailer.”
However, even with a full line-up of automotive maintenance and repairs and competitive pricing, Blackcreek Diesel & Automotive’s most prized offering will always be its customer service.
“We would like to be the place where people know they can bring their vehicle and know that we are going to treat it with respect, honesty and quality service,” co-manager Benny Rodriguez said. “That’s our goal. Take care of the customer. Take care of the people.”
Blackcreek Diesel & Repair, located at 3105 West 6th Avenue, is open 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. To learn more, give them a call at (620) 343-0086 or visit their website at www. blackcreekdieselandautomotive.
“We are all about trustworthy, honest, reliable repair. Whether it’s a car or a semi, we just want to be your one-stop-shop.” — Clint Drake
we have had the honor and privilege of sharing stories with our readers about the many inspiring and fascinating women who live in the Emporia area. But each year there can only be one cover, one woman who is the face of Sallie. From Karen Shonrock (2013) to this year’s cover, Anna Black, the Sallie cover girls will always be a special group. So, in celebration of our 10th Anniversary edition on the following pages we caught up with each of them to find out where life has taken them since they were featured on the cover of Sallie. We think you’ll agree, that they are still just as incredible as ever.
Almost a decade after finishing her 1967 Volkswagen Beetle that filled the pages of Sallie in 2014, Michele Boyce remembers the years working on the vehicle with a sense of appreciation.
From the extended, horn-shaped front end to the license plate collage decorating the inside door panel, the car is a product of her hard work with her father, and the memories of its restoration bittersweet after his passing in 2017.
“One of my most treasured photos is at the launch party for Sallie Magazine, and there’s this picture of my dad’s big old mechanic hands holding that magazine open to the middle part,” Michele said. “Nothing else in the photo, just his hands and that magazine, and it will forever be one of the most important things.”
Michael Boyce was Michele’s biggest cheerleader, the mechanic behind the intricacies of her beloved car, Betty. Over the years, the car that Michele and her father built together has become an homage to Michael, “The Rocketman.”
“Dad got to cruise around in it with me, but it was only for a couple years,” she said. “That’s the last piece of my dad that I have left. His nickname was ‘Rocketman,’ so I’ve since picked up little rockets here and there. There is a metal rocket cutout that – there was a random hole below the A-pillar, and I was like, ‘You’re getting riveted right there.’ So, “Rocketman” rides shotgun.
“At the last show I went to I was gifted a new glove box [and] an amazing artist did a retro rocket and pinstriping on it. It says Betty, which is the car's name. So there are lots of little details now that just keep
coming in.”
While Betty will never truly be finished –a belief Michele holds for all project cars –the car remains a permanent fixture and reminder of her unmovable relationship with her father, even as the world around her changed.
“When the magazine came out, my best friend and I had a downtown business called Studio 11 Boutique,” Michele said. “So, we were deep in it, downtown business owners, super immersed in everything that comes with that. My kids were late junior high, starting high school. I’m now an empty nester. We closed our store at the end of 2017, mostly because of the changes in our lives, largely because of my dad being gone. When I say he was my number one cheerleader, he was the entire squad.”
Michele now works in marketing, using her experience as a former downtown business owner to connect with friends in the Emporia business community. A true entrepreneur, Michele has also opened another business, Renegade CupCake. As owner and baker at the Emporia-based bakery, Michele puts her creativity and masterful culinary skills to work to create
her delicious buttercream confections.
Through the years of changes, Betty has been a steadfast part of Michele’s life. The car has seen thousands of miles since Michele first took her for a spin in 2015. If the conditions are tolerable – and sometimes even when they are not – you can bet Michele and Betty will be spending their free time hitting the open road.
“If the day is over 60 degrees, I’m usually out for a cruise,” she said. “If it’s January and we hit 60 degrees, I’m going. There’s no stopping me, I’m doing it.”
Betty has also seen her fair share of car shows, though Michele cares less about the awards than the camaraderie.
“Lots of car shows, lots of fun Show and Shines, and the occasional parade –
Continued on page 78
“If the day is over 60 degrees, I’m usually out for a cruise. If it’s January and we hit 60 degrees, I’m going. There’s no stopping me, I’m doing it.”
Hunting is a family affair for the Doudicans.
When Sallie spoke with Brenda Doudican in 2015, she had just started her hunting journey, jumping in with both feet to harvest a 900- to 1,000-pound elk. Now, hunting has become a family affair, with even her 2- and 4-year-old children getting involved.
“Very much still an avid hunter,” Brenda said. “Now I have two kids, so that has changed the dynamics a bit on the hunting side. Time, and my career as well, kind of consumes a lot of that. I think I’ve just taken a niche in that, in prepping everything so that my kids have kind of a legacy to live off of, in essence, with the hunting. I just live vicariously through them.”
Brenda, 38, lives in North Lyon County and has two children, 4-year-old Scarlett and 2-year-old Breck. While both kids are a bit young to fully participate in the sport of hunting, Brenda has been coaching them and helping pass down a love of nature and all it has to offer.
“Breck is really just getting to where he can get out, but Scarlett, for the past couple of years, she's been able to take more part in the land side of things,” Brenda said. “Feeding deer, doing our food plots, getting all the blinds and things set for season, all that and more; so watching, scouting, seeing what it takes.”
Brenda’s own hunting career has taken her all over the country, hunting animals of all kinds, even on one instance, a bear.
“[The bear] was called Big Louie,” she said. “He was the largest bear at the time to be killed and that was in 2016.”
While the bear and the elk are impressive, Brenda said her favorite hunts are the quiet fall days, where she can sit for a while with Mother Nature.
“My husband is totally a waterfowl guy,” she said. “That’s his season. He likes it when it’s blowing snow and freezing cold. Whatever, that’s fine. I love the fall. The fall side of things in rut area, when rut is taking place with white-tail [deer]. That is absolutely my favorite time of year. The landscape changes, the grass is going dormant, leaves are going dormant, but you really get a sense of just how majestic it is out there and what actually takes
Continued on page 78
When Sallie spoke to Kristi Mohn in 2016, the co-owner of Emporia Realty Group and co-founder of the Unbound Gravel cycling race shared that she had a hard time sitting still.
Her downtown endeavors kept her on her toes, as the entrepreneur and mother of two juggled her many dreams for the future of Emporia. Today, Kristi’s excitement about revitalizing Emporia’s downtown – through real estate, sports and more – has not diminished.
Kristi’s work in the annual Unbound Gravel race – then known as the Dirty Kanza – has brought thousands of gravel bike racers, their teams and their families to downtown Emporia for 17 years. The world’s premier gravel event,
The former first lady of Emporia State University graced Sallie’s very first cover in 2013, where Karen Shonrock shared her love of interior design and creating warm, welcoming spaces while overseeing the redesign of the ESU President’s Mansion. Today, Karen is enjoying time with friends and family in her Charlottesville, Virginia, home. After moving there for her husband Michael’s work, Karen has continued to nurture her love of architecture through the craftsmanship of the city, which was home to three founding fathers. She now spends her days soaking in the history and beauty around her, from the sprawling gardens of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello to the towering columns of James Madison’s Montpelier or the storied history of James Monroe’s Highland.
“It's really been fun to get to see these historic homes and kind of continue on with that interest I’ve always had,” Karen said. “I still have a great interest in that, and so it's been a really nice connection here to get to explore everything in this area. There's so much history here and I'm such a history buff and I love the Revolutionary War period and all that started and unfolded here and it comes to life when you’re living here.”
Karen, 64, is retired and lives with her husband, Michael, in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Unbound Gravel has soared in popularity, growing from 1,900 racers in 2016 to now hosting more than 4,000 racers from all over the world.
“People refer to it as the Super Bowl of gravel racing, and it's been really fun to be part of that growth and bring all of that excitement to my hometown,” Kristi said. “It's just exciting.”
That influx of racers and fans, from the kick off block party to the finish line celebrations, also means a big influx in the local economy, and in the philanthropic work Unbound Gravel is able to accomplish. This year, Kristi said, that work will supply 25 bicycles to students at Emporia Middle School.
“We’re going to have 25 students on bikes that have been fundraised out of cyclists coming to Emporia, Kansas, which I think is really cool,” she said. “So, we're just continuing to grow the sport and make the community healthier [and] I've been doing the same things really, just continuing to grow both of them.”
That success also translates into Kristi’s professional life.
Noticing how many people spend their days downtown, Kristi – along
with her business partner, Jamie Sauder – created the state’s first upperstory Rural Housing Incentive District project. The Baldwin lofts, located right on downtown Commercial Street, were completed this year, with commercial office space still on the way.
Emporia Realty Group, now a member of the Coldwell Banker global franchise network with over 20 agents, has blossomed – expanding its office and reach to bring beautiful commercial and residential spaces to people all over Emporia and the surrounding areas. Though, for Kristi, it's simply par for the course.
“We continue to work on other projects for downtown,” Kristi said. “ It feels like it's always kind of just what we do … Just really working hard and trying to make sure we're doing the best for our customers and clients.”
From downtown living to downtown block parties, whatever the future holds for Kristi, it’s sure to bring even more excitement to Emporia.
Kristi, 54, is owner and an agent with Coldwell Banker in Emporia. She works for Lifetime in business development and in diversity, equity and inclusion. She is married and a mother of two adult children, Mason and Sydney.
“Downtown Dreamer” Kristi Mohn - 2016
“A Peaceful Sanctuary” Karen Shonrock - 2013
Sallie caught up with Charlotte Nickel after her cover in 2017, when Charlotte shared her love of turning emotions into painted masterpieces.
Charlotte still works out of her sun-drenched studio in Kenyon Heights, where she has spent her time focusing on abstract expressionism. Drawing inspiration from former Emporia State University art professor and abstract artist Richard Slimon, Charlotte has pulled from her relationship with God to create her work, covering canvas with brilliant, bright colors and thought-provoking emotions. Her work has been featured and sold in galleries throughout Kansas, including an upcoming solo exhibit at Strecker Nelson West in Manhattan in May.
“I’ve gotten two galleries out of town to show and sell my work, Beauchamp’s in Topeka and Strecker Nelson West Gallery in Manhattan,” Charlotte said. “My life has really blossomed in amazing ways … I just feel like I’m living the dream.”
Charlotte, 70, was born in Buhler, Kansas. Life and art education took Charlotte to Chicago to Emporia to Fresno, before she moved back to Emporia in 1995, where she has lived ever since. Now retired, Charlotte spends much of her time painting and displaying her art in various galleries throughout the state.
Stephanie Bosiljevac and Tara Davis were barely a year into their business, Simply Blessed Mamas, when they appeared on the cover of Sallie in 2019.
Now, the two busy mamas have each turned their mutual love of crafts into their own stores, continuing to offer the people of Emporia the same trendy and fashionable boutique items. With five growing children between them – and all of the sports, activities and obligations that come along with that – Stephanie and Tara decided that now was the time to branch out, while still staying true to their friendship.
“Our kids and schedules have just gotten so crazy that recently, we just decided that we're going to start doing our own thing for this year because we just never had time to be able to do it all together and still support each other on the side,” Stephanie said.
While no longer operating as Simply Blessed Mamas for the time being, the friends are still offering the same customized shirts, jewelry, knick knacks and more at Tara’s business, Tara Davis Designs, and Stephanie’s business The Enjoy (Everyone Needs Joy, Obtain Yours) Boutique.
“Simply Blessed, we wanted to spread joy,” Tara said. “That was our whole goal, and both of us just want to continue to do that.”
Stephanie, 42 years old, is the owner of The Enjoy Boutique. She is also an Implementation Coach for Kansas Learning Network. She lives in Emporia and is mother to Kaden, Karli and Addi
Tara, 40 years old, is owner of Tara Davis Designs. She is mom to Maycee and Malloree.
“Local Love”
Stephanie Bosiljevac and Tara Davis - 2019
“The Nickel Feel” Charlotte Nickel - 2017
When Haylee Weiss spoke with Sallie in 2018, the Emporia High School diver and gymnast was preparing for her senior year.
A dedicated athlete, Haylee’s life outside of school was split between the pool and the gym, as the champion diver focused on defending her state title. Now, the Emporia State University senior is focused on the next step in her life –a career.
What does a career for a former star athlete look like? Helping others reach their athletic goals, of course.
“I was accepted into chiropractic school and will move to Overland Park before the start of the fall term on September 5,” Haylee explained.
Haylee started looking into the chiropractic field while in middle school after having difficulty in the gym. After visiting Emporia chiropractor Dr. Chris Owens, Haylee said she learned the importance of taking care of your body, a lesson that came in handy while cheerleading for Ottawa University during college.
“I started having some trouble with my health,” Haylee said. “Started seeing different doctors and, finally about a year later, I got an autoimmune diagnosis, which is something that I deal with everyday.”
While Haylee had already stopped cheering at the time of her diagnosis, she had still been jumping in the gym. For an athlete as committed as Haylee, taking a break from your sport can be difficult in more than one way. However, with the support of her family and friends, Haylee said she was able to figure out her priorities and take the time she needed to heal.
For now, athletics has taken a backburner in Haylee’s life as she shifts her focus to helping the next generation of dedicated athletes deal with the mental and physical side of pushing your body to the limit - a career she hopes can help other athletes in the same way it helped her.
“I understand in a way that a lot of people probably wouldn't,” she said. “... All you want to do is be out there on the field; all you want to do is be on the court, whatever you do. When you have something that is physically hindering you from doing that, not only are you dealing with that physical pain, but you're dealing with the mental repercussions as well.”
In addition to her future career, Haylee said she is looking forward to cheering on her sister Allisyn, who began diving this year as a freshman at Emporia High School.
Haylee, 22, was born and raised in Emporia. She is currently a senior at Emporia State University and will be attending chiropractic school in Overland Park in September.
Ann Galbraith shared her story of a life full of art, adventure and beauty with Sallie in 2020.
The Madison native and former Emporia Arts Council art instructor gave readers a glimpse into her journey of discovering pottery in New York, and bringing the passion back home with her.
With a deep appreciation for art and history, Ann now splits her time between the Emporia Arts Council Clay Club, working with artists of all abilities and ages under the tutelage of David Mai, and the Madison Train Depot Museum, working alongside Madison Depot Project founder Annie Wilson to restore the Santa Fe Depot in her hometown. For Ann, the projects go hand in hand, working to create new, beautiful pieces of art at EAC while also preserving the past through artifacts, information and local art at the Depot.
“Art and history, they kind of go together,” Ann said. “If you are retired and you are going to do something, you might make it worthwhile.”
Ann, 77, was born in Topeka before moving to Madison in fourth grade. After some time in New York City, Ann moved back to Madison in 2011 and has lived there ever since. A former wheel throwing instructor at the Emporia Arts Council, Ann is now retired and spends her time with the Emporia Arts Council Clay Club or working on the Madison Depot Museum.
When Sallie spoke with Sherry Willard in 2021, the Emporia servicewoman had just completed her first year in a new position with the Kansas Air National Guard, as the first female Command Chief.
Sherry serves as the voice of more than 700 enlisted people, reporting directly to the wing commander. Now, after more than 28 years of service, Sherry is planning to retire on Veterans Day 2023.
“Most people get a little nervous, but I am ready,” Sherry said, explaining that she plans to return to her civilian human resources position. “Even though I won’t be wearing the uniform anymore, I will still get to serve the airmen soldiers of the state of Kansas.”
While Sherry doesn’t have any specific plans for her retirement, she is looking forward to spending more time with friends and family – and enjoying not having to plan around drill weekends.
Sherry, 47, has lived in Emporia for more than 30 years. She is the mother of three boys and lives just outside of Emporia with her husband.
nothing major has been done,” she said. “For me, car shows are more about hanging out with my friends, seeing new projects. So, a lot of the time I don’t even register her just because I'm there for the people. But she does have six awards, and a couple of them are pretty darn exciting. The Kansas German Car Club, she’s got two awards from that show, and the Beacon for Hope show that happened here in town just this last summer, early fall. I think it was ‘Best Import.’ It’s been amazing.”
In her restoration journey, Michele has built up a community of classic car lovers and Volkswagen enthusiasts who have helped provide insight into the mechanical side of the German classics.
“The community is amazing,” she said. “Some of my closest friends have Volkswagens. Even my son, his first car was a Volkswagen Corrado because he was raised with Volkswagen. It’s a thing.
“We spend a lot of the time on speakerphone at the back end of a vehicle,” she added with a laugh.
With a community of great friends, three grown children, a successful new business and, of course, a treasured reminder of her father, Michele is rolling with the changes in what she called the second half of her life, which – much like a good project car – is never truly finished.
place. Nobody knows it until you’re sitting out there, and that’s probably the best thing about hunting. You see things that nobody else sees.”
These days, Brenda is also able to help other hunters find the perfect harvest as a land agent at Midwest Land Group. She’s even made a living out of it.
“I broker land and that’s my tried and true on the whole scope of things,” Brenda said. “So, the hunting side really plays into that for my rec guys when I am going out of ground, scouting land, prepping land for them, whatever that may look like.”
The intersection of land brokering and being in nature is a dream come true for Brenda, and her passion for what she does shows through her success.
“I’ve been a leader in Kansas for a top producer since 2014, and I think that’s just a little more special just being a female in a typically male-dominated industry,” she said. “Being able to be a pioneer of that and push that ceiling, that has been something special.
“I have been really blessed in what I do, every single day, being able to be out on land in that aspect,” she added. “And it changes. You see some of the most beautiful parts of the Flint Hills through this area.”
Celebrating its 47th year, and its 12th year at the EAC Arts Center at 815 Commercial Street in downtown Emporia, the Emporia Arts Council remembers the seven women who have led the organization.
‘It all started with Rosamond Hirschorn, known as Rose, in 1975. She answered a misdirected phone call,” Dawn Young, current EAC Director said. “It resulted in the very first EAC performance - The Oakland Ballet Company.”
Hirschorn was a vocal professor at Emporia State University when a phone call was mistakenly routed to her instead of the AAUW president. The ballet company was looking for a local sponsor to present a performance in central Kansas. “Rose went to the AAUW and secured its support and then went around Emporia, having impromptu conversations with individuals and businesses and asking for their support to bring the ballet,” said Young. “In 1976 the ballet performed in Emporia.”
Hirschorn enlisted the help and leadership of individuals - Chuck Creager, Jim Calvert, Peter Ciurczak, Donna Frazier, Jean-Ellen Jantzen, Hugh O’Reilly, Don Perry, and Barbara Walker – to establish the ArtistEntertainment Series. Rose Hirschorn was the first executive director.
By 1983, Gail Milton has become the executive director and she oversaw the formal establishment of the organization, securing its 501(c)3 status and its charter as the Emporia Arts Council. Milton saw EAC as a quality-of-life opportunity for Emporia and Lyon County. It was an opportunity for community members to experience a wider and larger world through art and cultural performances. There was no arts center, and there was no staff. Gail was the staff. Supported by board members such as Richard Mellinger, Barbara DeBauge, John Lehman, Jerri Pennington, Joan Geitz, Howard Gunkel, Paul Johnston,
Hellen Sellers, and Tom Thomas, Milton’s first full season of performances included performances by Brass Quintet of the University of New Mexico, The Israel Ballet, Martha Schlamme (Cabaret singer), and the Kansas City Lyric Opera in “Hansel and Gretel”.
By the end of Milton’s tenure as executive director, EAC’s work and reputation as the community’s cultural and art “center” had been cemented. The beginning of educational and community-based programming including the Twin Rivers Festival, the J. Seward Johnson bronze sculpture community exhibit, and program partnerships with local organizations was transforming the organization into something more than a performance series.
In 1993, EAC was growing and needed a physical location to deliver programming. The efforts of Sharon Benson, interim and then executive director of EAC resulted in 618 Mechanic
becoming the first home of EAC. Quickly followed by Suzy Meredith, the new home allowed for a more diverse and dynamic set of art and cultural programming to be.
With the leadership of individuals like Larry Sharm, David Mai, Kristy Reynolds, Leonora Rowe, Marge Amend, Mary Bonner, Jacqueline Glenn, Sally Hahn, Sally Hannah, and Nick Laurent, Benson and Meredith, built on EAC’s previous 15 years of service to the community.
Catherine Rickbone was a language arts teacher. Her ten years as executive director and her partnership with Harry Hart launched EAC into a comprehensive art and cultural organization. The 618 Mechanic location became the hub of community art and cultural activity for children and adults.
Her decade of leadership saw several programs begin such as the annual children’s theatre presentation by Missoula Children’s Theatre, Chalkfest, Art Gifts, and summer art classes for children were started. The large space in the rear of the building created a partnership with the Emporia Community Theatre. EAC’s first rudimentary artist gallery was opened.
The growth of the Arts Council and a new effort by the Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance to save the historic theatre launched conversations of a new, larger, and specifically designed EAC Arts Center next to the Granada Theatre.
A marketing and sales professional, Melissa Windsor had a passion for building a greater art and entertainment scene for Emporia and the region.
Offered the position of executive director, she was asked not to accept the offer if she did not want to lead a $3.5 million capital campaign. She accepted the position and the challenge. In 2006, the Arts @ the Council Campaign launched and $3.5 million was raised. The Campaign Leadership Committee included Dan Robertson, Paula Sauder, Kristi Mohn, Greg Bachman, Joan Geitz, Dave Markowitz, Kim Stewart,
Blaise Plummer, and Melissa Windsor. The center was funded entirely by private sources. In 2010, Windsor, working with Elvin Perkins established an endowment fund at the Emporia Community Foundation.
Built at 815 Commercial Street, adjacent to the Emporia Granada Theatre, which was being successfully renovated, the Emporia Arts Center, opened in 2011. Emporia, unlike its peer cities, had an arts center and a restored historic venue anchoring its downtown, drawings tens of thousands.
With three classrooms, a clay studio classroom, a formal art gallery, a black box theatre, and a culinary kitchen, the new arts center and an art mobile, and an annual performance series EAC had a specific need for its next executive director. It required a leader to maximize the use of its new facility and grow support.
Dawn Young, the director of the Emporia School District’s AfterSchool Program was experienced and knowledgeable in youth education and working with the public. With engaged board members like Teresa Maley, Bo Swanson, Chris Rech, Dave Markowitz, Sharon Miller, Dan Robertson, Ken Weaver, and Marjorie Werly, Young set work to expand programming and services while building on the organization’s performing arts series.
Today, with more than 30,000 annual participants of all ages, Young gives credit to the staff, donors, members, and business partners for the growth and impact on EAC and the art and cultural life of Emporia and the region.
“EAC’s performance series, in-house and out-reach art classes, promotion of local and area artists, the gift store – it all serves to enhance our quality of life and to promote entrepreneurially and build problem-solving skills and creativity,” Young said. “Thanks to the vision of many over a long period of time Emporia and east central Kansas has an arts center asset which our peer cities envy and thanks to many a vibrant and dynamic art and cultural community has been created. We like to say EAC is at the intersection of culture and entertainment.”
7 EXECUTIVE LEADERS
• Rose Hirschhorn, 1976 to 1983
• Gail Milton, 1984 to 1991
• Sharon Benson, 1991 to 1994
• Suzy Meredith, 1994 to 1997
• Catherine Rickbone, 1997 to 2005
• Melissa Windsor, 2006 to 2015
• Dawn Young, 2015 to Present
It’s one of the first questions we often ask a new acquaintance. It can tell us a lot about a person. Our roots are important. They shape us, create us, and in some ways define us. All the women (and men) featured in Sallie this year call Emporia – or the Emporia-area – their home. It’s the place where they have lived a good part of their lives – some since birth. And it’s a place that they are giving back to in their own unique way. For 10 years Sallie has been about highlighting the women who live here and the place they call home. In light of that, we asked a few local women to weigh in on what “Home” means to them.
Age: 52
Occupation: Executive Assistant to the President, Emporia State University
Family: Husband, Bill; children, Michael Stump (26), Hannah Stump (23), Kayla McKernan (23), Caroline McKernan (21), and Kathryn McKernan (18)
What is one thing in which you are gifted? I’ve been told that my attentiveness to others make them feel heard and valued. But, I’m also gifted at making chocolate chip cookies. I have perfected that process with lots of practice!
What home means to me may be different from you.
It is the land of the free; it is red, white, and blue.
Home is defined by life events, how I have struggled and grown.
It is a place where I am cherished, a place to be known.
Home is where we share life and invest in each other.
I am a wife, daughter, sister, an aunt and a mother.
It is where we exchange thoughts and have family “discussions.”
It is a gathering place for creating family traditions.
Home is where we shed tears and erupt with great laughter.
It is hope we will live happily ever after.
It is holding hands in a circle; it is the blessing before meals.
It is the love in Mom’s stuffing that has the power to heal.
Home is where time passes quickly, and promises are made,
It is where joy is discovered, and sorrow can fade.
It is where delight and suffering interconnect.
It is a faith that gives courage in the face of regret.
This earthly home offers a tender embrace.
It is both imperfect and amazing, yet a temporal place.
God’s heavenly home where we’ll meet face to face
The Father almighty, eternal love and perfect grace.
Age: 25
Occupation: Freelance Graphic
Designer
Family: Husband, Seth Redel
What is one thing in which you are gifted: Hospitality
The Making of a Home
Three years ago I was feverishly looking to buy a house – two precious girls I knew needed a foster home. As if I heard it from Heaven, I knew I was meant to step up for them.
After a few weeks, I found a house and closed on it. The first time I stepped in the door as a new homeowner, I had a huge knot in my stomach. The place smelled musty and felt empty and cold.
“What was I thinking?” kept flashing through my mind.
But in the next few weeks, that little house was overflowing with family, friends and my church community; everyone pitched in to make it placement ready. As they came and went, I felt their love.
To my surprise, the girls were placed with me when the only furnished room in the house was theirs. Our first meal together was on a blanket on the living room floor – picnic style.
That night I went to bed, exhausted from my first taste of motherhood, but with the ringing of giggles in my ears. As I looked around my empty house, I realized that home never has and never will be a place. It’s simply a space where we are accepted and loved exactly as we are.
That is something we can bring with us anywhere.
Age: 28
Occupation: Restaurant Manager Family: daughter, Aliyah (11) What is one thing in which you are gifted: Leadership
In my culture, the Spanish word for home is: Casa. As a fourth generation Midwestern Latina, “mi casa” is more than just four walls and a roof. It’s my community. I’ve lived in Emporia the majority of my life, and this community is definitely my home.
I come from a very large extended family with roots from both sides tied to Emporia. The railroad was a huge influence on my family to move here from Mexico. I am lucky and a very proud Latina to have a family surrounding me that helps set examples of selflessness, determination and hard work.
Building parks for our community; serving hot plates to your neighbors; sharing your knowledge; taking care of each other…. my great-grandparents and other respected elders gave back to their new home and community. I want to be able to do the same. I have close relatives that have contributed to Emporia with businesses, careers and foundations to help benefit not only our family, but our community as well.
Like my family has done for generations, I hope to carry on the tradition of making my community better than it was yesterday. I’ve learned that even if it is something as simple as a smile or a kind gesture, seeds planted today will yield their fruit tomorrow. While Emporia is my home now, I am very proud that my Mexican roots and family have provided me an example of how to make “mi casa” the best it can be.
Age: 39
Occupation: Realtor/Associate Broker Family: husband, Trevor Mathews; sons, Evan (12), and Calvin (10) What is one thing in which you are gifted? I would say it is a tie between honesty and being a “go getter.”
Growing up as a carpenter’s daughter, I developed a love for “home” at an early age.
Working around my dad often as part of the clean-up crew taught me the values of honesty and integrity. I loved watching the entire building process, knowing the end would soon serve as a shelter and a place for love and life.
Home is #MoreThanAHouse. Being a Realtor in this community is an opportunity to make a difference and touch others’ lives; similar to my dad. There is no greater gift than walking alongside others as they obtain a place to make memories and share in life’s most sacred gift – spending time together.
Home is where we settle and begin anew of life’s possibilities.
I am thankful that I have been able to make this community my home. My family and I have lived in many houses over the past two decades in this community. Each house was special because we experienced new neighborhoods and new friends with whom to grow and make memories. No matter the house, this community is our home!
Working to help individuals and families to feel a sense of comfort and belonging in a home that resides in our community is both my purpose and passion.
Thank you, Emporia, for being our home and the home of so many great people living and loving together.
When Newman Regional Health (NRH) opened its doors in March of 1922, Cora A. Miller, RN, served as the hospital’s first superintendent. One hundred years later, women continue to influence the healthcare system’s clinical and financial operations.
Sitting around a table with members of the executive leadership team at NRH, their calling to serve the organization and community is apparent.
“In healthcare, we have a brief opportunity to touch someone’s life and make an impact. This is the moment.” Chief Administrative Officer Cathy Pimple explained.
Cathy began her profession of caring for patients as a nurse’s aide in 1993. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Emporia State University in 1996. As a registered nurse she continued caring for patients in the hospital and later in hospice. Cathy has a love for teaching that led her back to Emporia State University as faculty to lead and mentor the next generation of nurses. Her love for learning resulted in the achievement of a Master of Science degree in Public Health, and a Doctorate in Leadership from The University of Kansas. After over a decade
in academia, Cathy returned to the hospital in a leadership role where she continues to lead and mentor others in their leadership and influence the delivery of care. “Our health system’s mission is to improve health in our communities by providing highquality care. Every interaction with our patients and community is high stakes. As leaders, we stay committed to learning and transparency as we care for our patients. We’ve become comfortable with the uncomfortable to ensure valued and trusted care for the great people in Emporia and our surrounding communities,” shared Cathy.
Chief Financial Officer Holly French has dedicated almost 30 years of her life to NRH. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Emporia State University and became a Certified Public Accountant. She joined the hospital staff as a cost accountant in 1995. Ten years later she began
serving in her current role. Holly is recognized for her knowledge of financial operations throughout the state of Kansas, and for supporting new hospital financial leaders. At NRH, Holly is valued for both her depth of knowledge across the healthcare system and her commitment to the overall care of patients and employees.
“It is the work of our employees that inspires and drives me to be here every day. It’s a great feeling to love the people you work with,” Holly shared with emotion.
“Coming to work and sharing personal connections and experiences among our teams is the greatest reward as a nurse leader. I can’t imagine working in a large organization where you are just another employee,” said Heather Aylward, Chief Nursing Officer.
Heather is a nursing graduate of Emporia State University and began working as a bedside nurse in obstetrical nursing in 1999. In time, Heather
transitioned from caring for mothers and babies to being the Director of the Women’s Life Center. During her time as the director, she began the Becoming a Mom prenatal education classes that continue to this day. She also secured the High 5 for Mom and Baby distinction which demonstrates a commitment to infant and maternal health by supporting breastfeeding. Those accomplishments, along with others, illustrate Heather’s heartfelt passion for educating our community to improve their quality of life. In addition to her driving performance being recognized throughout the region, Heather committed time to further her professional growth and completed a Master of Science in Nursing degree.
Heather shared, “It is important to me that everyone feels valued for the care they provide. Understanding that the work can be challenging for our teams, being present for our employees is essential. Listening to one another and teaming together helps us to do our best work.”
Dr. Alana Longwell agreed with Heather and stated, “We are a hospital that can make positive change for our patients. The size of the hospital and engagement of staff allows us to bring ideas forward and expedite necessary change to improve quality and patient experience.”
Originally from Wichita, Dr. Longwell arrived in Emporia as a new internal medicine physician in 2011. She practiced in primary care for her first few years, caring for patients with complex medical needs along with their families. In 2017, Dr. Longwell moved into a physician leadership role supporting NRH’s Inpatient Medical Rehabilitation Unit and Hospitalist program. During the pandemic, Dr. Longwell assumed the role of Chief Medical Officer. She worked alongside the medical staff and clinical care teams through the height of patient care.
“The lessons we learned through that public health emergency have influenced me as a leader,” she said. “I recognize the importance of the team and the criticality of each role across the organization. In healthcare, we
cannot provide high quality and safe care with part of the team missing or unsupported.”
For others, past experiences with patients and providers have impacted their leadership.
“Appreciating patients and providers as experts is important in recognizing necessary change. As a leader, we must arrive as a student to learn and understand we have a responsibility always to do more.” Cathy emphasized.
This leadership team’s desire to always do more has led the health system to achieve higher performance in safety and quality. NRH has been awarded national certifications and recognition as a top-performing hospital. Just in the past year, NRH has achieved accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Health Care and the American College of Cardiology, along with being designated in the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals.
“This recognition is a tribute to our people and the care provided within a culture of safety,” commented Holly.
Heather agreed, “Our focus is safe, high quality, compassionate care. In healthcare, a day of work for us is a life event for our patients. We are called to reduce suffering through human connections.”
The four executive leaders demonstrated kindness and collegiality towards one another.
“How we feel about each other is how we want our staff and patients to feel,” Dr. Longwell said. “We want our care to deliver a sense of belonging and community - a community made up of our family, friends, and neighbors.”
Around the table together, their friendship and trust permeated as they shared the importance of their service to a community they hold close to their hearts.
Holly closed, sharing, “I am fortunate to serve and live in a community that I call home.”
I’mone of the lucky ones. It is rare to have the kind of professional fulfillment that comes from having a position aligned with your strengths and feels like it was tailor-made, just for you. I’m fortunate to be in such a role. I think there is opportunity for more women to feel this….working in technology. Tech jobs are not commonly mentioned related to employment for women, but we are a growing and vital segment of the industry. And I think there is good reason for it.
Nearly all the women I know have mastered the art of juggling the various roles they fill: Partner, Daughter, Mother, Friend, Employee, etc. To do this they have learned to assess and prioritize tasks, schedule accordingly, and tackle the unexpected challenges that come up along the way. These women are typically seen as those who “have it all” but it’s only because they are out there making it happen. They are taking care of all the things behind the scenes so that the wheels don’t fall off the bus. You know exactly the type of woman I’m talking about. These are vital skills in the fast-paced tech space and make these women well suited for roles within these organizations.
At Nex-Tech Wireless we’ve built an incredible team of Kansans who work to bring the newest technologies to our hometowns. That team contains
women in positions at every level of the organization contributing their unique perspectives and helping us drive this business forward with innovative ideas and complex problem solving, all while providing an unrivaled customer experience. Saying it is a fast-paced environment is an understatement because the technology is constantly evolving. We work to deploy trusted solutions and being able to learn that tech before it launches makes for some very exciting work. It is so rewarding to rise to the challenge of deploying the next big thing. It feels particularly meaningful to be able to do this with a company that I feel privileged to be a part of. We’re not only proud to be a local business providing services to our friends and neighbors, but we’re also excited about what the latest in
telecommunications will mean for our customers. We do it all with them in mind.
I acknowledge that this type of work isn’t for everyone, but my hope is that more women will consider positions with organizations in the technology business. While we must apply ourselves to learn the technical side of any position, that’s not the only requirement for success. It is the additional intangible assets that will push them forward to reach goals. Determination, flexibility, and strategic thinking will make them an invaluable part of any team. I can’t wait to see what we’ll accomplish together!
Alicia Tripler Director of Sales & Customer Development Nex-Tech Wireless
