Emporia Living - Sallie Edition 2016 by The Emporia Gazette

INSIDE

Fall 2016

Nest Egg

Hobby turns into thriving business for young entrepreneur

Loft Life

Revitalized building shows whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible in downtown living

Coach Amy

Fitness and life coach motivated by personal experience

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Sallie Spotlights Area businesses and professionals share what's up and what's new in their line of work

20 Fanestil Meats: Meat market makes buying and eating fresh and local as easy as pie

32 Emporia Realty Group A perfect fit is key to home-buying process

52 ESB Financial

Online game makes learning money-management basics fun for kids

the FEATURES 10 NEST EGG:

Hobby turns into thriving business for young entrepreneur

22 DOWNTOWN DREAMER: Emporia native turns big dreams into reality for her hometown

LOFT LIFE:

Revitalized building shows what's possible in downtown living

100

Fitness and life coach motivated by personal experience

Marine biology student makes a difference "downstream"

Jake Dalton is as one-of-a kind as his collection of metal signs

110 TIME-OUT FOR MOMMAS:

Gena Jones and Tara Davis bring back a much needed place for moms to connect

54 FORMIDABLE FRIENDS: Long-time friends share more than just coffee

54 IN HER OWN WORDS FRIENDSHIP:

HEY MISTER!

EMPORIA'S PROFESSIONAL MAN OF LEISURE:

34 COACH AMY:

42 A HEART FOR THE OCEAN:

HOME SWEET HOME

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IN SALLIE'S KITCHEN Homemade ice cream a staple to time with family and friends

64 the Medicine Shoppe

Local pharmacy takes their service personally

74 Emporia Main Street Making Emporia a better place to live

86 Dr. Harris Surgical Specialist New HBOT therapy intended to meet growing need

98 The Brickyard 20 Ale House

Downtown landmark becomes multi-faceted venue for Emporia nightlife

118 Rhinestones and Rust

Local business expands with arrival of baby boutique

Emporia women share power of friendship their lives

SUPER GRANNIES

THE TIE THAT BINDS:

Extraordinary grandmas go the extra-mile for their families

76 FOLLOWING HER HEART, DOING HER PART:

Rescuing and fostering animals is a way of life for Stephanie Sullivan

100 Fall 2016 | 3

FROM the EDITOR Heroes My goodness, I’m so excited to finally get to show you this year’s edition of Sallie! It’s been (almost) impossible to contain myself over the past few months, keeping the stories and photos under wraps until our annual “big reveal.” And now it’s here and you get to see what I’ve been so over-the-moon about! Several weeks ago, when I took my first read over the stories and peeked at the first few photos that were coming in I got goosebumps from head to toe! Sure, the photos were gorj, as always (I love our photographers….they are just brilliant human beings) and the stories were captivating (Our writers, I love them too....breathing life with the written word is a gift...and our writers always have it in spades), but what really awed me this year, was just how darn awesome the women in this town really are! I mean, seriously. I can say without apology or hesitation that without the women featured on the pages of Sallie this year, Emporia would not be such a great place to call home! And I’m going to say it again, just in case you missed it: Without the women featured on the pages of Sallie this year, Emporia would not be such a great place to call home!

Nest Egg

Hobby turns into thriving business for young entrepreneur

Loft Life

Revitalized building shows what’s possible in downtown living

Coach Amy

Fitness and life coach motivated by personal experience

12-year-old Ashlyn Bradford It was so hard to choose our cover for this year's issue. Above is what we are calling our "Second Cover."

Ashley Walker Editor/Publisher

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Just wait and see…you can’t open up the pages of Sallie this year without being inspired by each of their stories. Of course, Sallie wouldn’t be complete without Hey, Mister! our only “man feature” of the magazine. This year’s lucky guy is Emporia’s very own “Professional Man of Leisure,” Mr. Jake Dalton. If you know Jake, you are probably already chuckling at the thought of him being the centerfold of a women’s magazine. Probably one of the most fun photo shoots I’ve been on in a long time was meeting Jake at the antique mall and just letting him go with our photographer. Turn to page 100 and you’ll see why. Well, if you are still hanging with me here at the end of this editor’s note, thank you! I can get carried away when I’m talking about Sallie. Now…sit back, relax and enjoy this year’s edition of Sallie. It’s nice to see you again!

Fall 2016

They are among our heroes, as far as I’m concerned; • They are giving hope to animals who have been forgotten, neglected or abandoned. • They are helping to bring vitality back to a downtown that once could have easily been called slow and stagnant. • They are serving other women by providing a place of fun and inspiration for tired moms. • They are leading others to healthy and strong bodies, minds and spirits. • They are investing in the next generation with love and selflessness. • They are even reaching beyond the city limits and using their gifts and talents to make the planet a better place to live.

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the CONTRIBUTORS SALLIE’S CREW: Without the hard work, passion and creative genius of all the folks who work on Sallie each year, this magazine would not come to be. One of the stories this year that resonated with a lot of us is the one on Stephanie Sullivan and her efforts to rescue animals in and around the Emporia area and help them find new homes. Pets, big or small, handselected or rescued, bring so much joy — and laughter — to our lives. Below, the Sallie contributors share about a special pet in their life, either from the past or present.

E D I TO R A N D P U B L I S H E R

Ashley Walker

LEANN SANCHEZ: Marketing Associate Our adopted dog Maximus is both the sweetest and most mischievous dog in the world. He wouldn't hurt a fly but is overly rambunctious when he says hello and loves to chew on everything. Our cats have been on their best behavior since his arrival!

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Melissa Lowery Regina Murphy Lou Ann Thomas Jessie Wagoner P H OTO G R A P H Y

Kevin Anderson Jason Dailey Dan Ferrell Mandy Giefer D E S I G N L AYO U T

Janella Williams A DV E RT I S I N G S TA F F

JASON DAILEY: Photographer We have miniature Schnauzer that responds to Knox but often has many names; when groomed he gets a mohawk and call him “Donkey”, when he stands on the furniture he’s called “the goat” and just before we take him in to groom he’s called “the old man."

Cassi Ellis-Olinger Ronda Henery Kathy Lafferty Leann Sanchez

KATHY LAFFERTY: Marketing Associate Oscar, terrier mix, was good training to prepare us for parenthood. He was into everything and regularly embarrassed us in front of company by misbehaving and tearing up visitors belongings. He went to live with Grandma and Grandpa when my son was born because he was so jealous.

RONDA HENERY: Marketing Associate Leyla, our Maltese-Chihuahua, is without a doubt a member of our family! Everyday she is happy to greet us when we get home seeming to know when we need a little extra TLC.

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Margie McHaley Kelsey Barker Dan Ferrell Phillip Miller Katie Potter C O P Y E D I TO R S

Ashley Walker Zach Hacker C I R C U L AT I O N M A N AG E R

Karen Amos

CASSI ELLIS-OLINGER: Marketing Associate All of our pets are adopted. When you adopt a pet, you feel proud about helping an animal in need and you get a new best friend. What could be better than that?

ONLINE

emporiaksliving.com

MARGIE MCHALEY: Production Manager Harley, our chocolate lab, has been in our family for four years and is a great friend! He'll do about anything for a treat except roll over. Harley is an excellent couch potato buddy and walking partner. If you see us out, honk if you love Sallie!

LOU ANN THOMAS: Contributing Writer My dog, Boone, a shelter rescue, is the best friend, travel companion, personal trainer and trusted confidant that I have ever had. He’s the cat’s (oops, dog’s) pajamas.

FAC E B O O K . C O M /

emporialiving TWITTER

@emporialiving For more information, please contact: 517 Merchant Street Emporia, KS 66801 620-342-4800 Sallie is a publication of

MELISSA LOWERY: Contributing Writer I am a cat person. Always have been. I recently lost my sweet boys, Marlowe and Frost, within months of each other. It always takes a while to recover from losing a furry friend, but I'm looking forward to giving a new kitty (or two) a forever home soon.

JANELLA WILLIAMS: Designer/Art Director I can’t pick just one memorable pet. All of my pets have been special to me, because of their unique personalities. My current pets are my cats DJ (18 years old) and Angelo (12 years old).

JESSIE WAGONER: Contributing Writer Pete was the best pet a girl could have. He always sat outside my door with a smile painted on his face. I wish I knew where that pet rock is now.

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the ADVERTISERS Affordable Room Groups �� 96 Amanda's Bakery & Cafe �� 117 American Real Estate �� 95 Bennett Dental Group/Wade's Ride �� 29 Bluestem Farm & Ranch �� 61 BobbyD's Merchant Street BBQ �� 40 Brian's Lawn Care, LLC./E-Town Properties, LLC. �� 108 Broadview Towers �� 125 Brown's Shoe Fit Co. �� 117 Carpet Plus �� 4 Casa Ramos Mexican Restaurant �� 17 Citizens State Bank �� 126 City of Emporia �� 19 Cliff's Super Service �� 92 Clint Bowyer Autoplex �� 50 Commercial Street Diner �� 125 Community National Bank and Trust �� 6 Cotton O'Neil �� 97 Crosswinds Counseling & Wellness �� 57 Dan's Hands �� 125 Dirty Kanza Promotions, LLC. �� 27 Edward Jones �� 51 EK Real Estate �� 71 Emporia Anesthesia Associates �� 109 Emporia CVB �� 128 Emporia Dermatology �� 61 The Emporia Gazette �� 127 Emporia Orthodontics �� 117 Emporia State University �� 63 ESB Financial �� BACK COVER Farm Bureau Financial Services �� 29 First Start Pool & Patio �� 116 Flint Hills Beverage, LLC. �� 125 Flint Hills Community Health Center �� 123 Flint Hills Kennels �� 41 Flint Hills Technical College �� 9 Food 4 Students �� 41 Geo Tech, Inc. �� 116 Giger's Streetrods �� 96 Golden Living Center of Chase County �� 126 Grand Central Hotel, LLC. �� 126 Gravel City Roasters �� 125 Griffin Real Estate & Auction Service, LLC. �� 126 Hannah Orthodontics �� 114 Holiday Resort �� 114 Innovative Vein �� 29 Internal Medicine Associates �� 108 Jack's Lawn & Landscaping, LLC. �� 122 8 | Emporia Living

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John North Ford �� 61 Kari's Diamonds & Bridal �� 31 King Liquor �� 97 Lane Whitmore, LLC. �� 59 Life Care Center of Burlington �� 72 Liquor Locker �� 108 Longbine Autoplaza �� 15 Lore & Hagemann, LLC. �� 97 Lyon County Fair Board �� 124 Lyon County Fairgrounds �� 57 Lyon County History Center �� 93 Lyon County State Bank �� INSIDE FRONT COVER Lyon County Title, LLC. �� 72 M-N Carpet Store Inc. �� 94 Marlin Flanagin, DDS. �� 93 Midas Touch Golden Tans �� 84 Modern Air Conditioning, Inc. �� 19 Morris County Hospital �� 126 Mulready's Pub �� 27 National Teachers Hall of Fame �� 109 Newman Regional Health �� INSIDE BACK COVER Newman Therapy Services �� 71 Patton, Putnam & Dean, LLC. �� 94 Plumbing by Spellman �� 27 Prairie Patchwork �� 31 PT Associates �� 39 Reflxns Salon �� 115 Regional Development Association �� 107 Rich Door Co. �� 83 Ryan Kohlmeier, DDS �� 41 Salon Del5ive �� 115 Sears �� 115 SOS, Inc. �� 71 State Farm Pete Euler �� 117 Studio 50•4 �� 92 Subway �� 125 Sutherlands �� 5 Tanner's Carpet, LLC. �� 109 Team Hope World Foundation �� 1 Theta Yoga �� 85 Thomas Property Management �� 70 Thomas Transfer & Storage �� 70 Thompson Family Dental �� 122 Topeka Ear Nose & Throat �� 2 Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc. �� 73 Uncommon Threads �� 117 United Country Real Estate/Great Plains Auction �� 124 United Way of the Flint Hills �� 117

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nest egg 10 | Emporia Living

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Written by

MELISSA LOWERY

Photography by

JASON DAILEY

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At 12 years old, Ashlyn Bradford is already a successful business owner with several years of experience marketing and delivering her product: farm fresh eggs.

hen she was just six years old, Ashlyn’s father, Reason Bradford, asked if she would like to take care of some chickens that needed a new home. An animal lover already, she quickly said yes. The initial flock of chickens soon grew as baby chicks were added, and Ashlyn now cares for about 100 chickens at any given time. Despite earning money from their eggs, she views them more as pets. “You should treat chickens like family,” Ashlyn advises. “They’re so cute. I have one with feathers around her feet that I call Fluffy Feet. I also have a red one that I call Sweety. When I go to collect the eggs, she always comes up to have me pet her.” The family lives west of Emporia on about 10 acres of land where they also have sheep, cows, a horse and ducks. Ashlyn and Reason built a chicken coop that provides plenty of room for the flock to roost and lay eggs and provides shelter during the winter. During warm weather, the chickens are given more freedom to roam the property. “We have a huge pasture, so in the summer they just go out there,” Ashlyn said. “It’s healthier for them to do that, plus they eat all the bugs.” As Ashlyn’s flock grew, it wasn’t long until the chickens were laying more eggs than her family could consume. “At first it was just a hobby,” says Ashlyn’s mother, Amy Bradford, of selling eggs. “When the ‘fridge at home couldn’t hold them all anymore, she started supplying eggs to family members, then she started selling them at the Farmer’s Market.” Ashlyn became a seller at the Emporia Farmer’s Market when she was seven, a process she enjoyed in part because she was able to interact with her customers face to face. Once it became obvious that she had a viable business, her parents helped her obtain her state license and she chose a business name – Ashie’s Eggs. Now she supplies Nature’s Paradise and Fanestil’s Fresh Local Market.

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The price for Ashie’s Eggs vary, depending on the market, with most of the proceeds reinvested in feed, new chicks and egg cartons as well as license fees. Ashlyn nets about $1 per dozen for herself, all of which she puts into savings. She works hard for that money, caring for the chickens, collecting and processing the eggs and taking them to market. “I feed them and water the chickens every day and collect the eggs every day,” Ashlyn recounts. “Then we have to wash them at least once a week and deliver them to Nature’s Paradise and Fanestil’s Market.” Ashlyn runs her business in addition to going to school, studying, taking violin lessons and playing softball. She plans to play basketball at EMS this year, when the egg production slows down a bit for the winter. Although she hopes to continue her egg business through high school, Ashlyn is unsure if chickens will be part of her career path. “I want to take care of animals, but I really like learning about space. I want to work at NASA.” 14 | Emporia Living

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“They’re so cute. I have one with feathers around her feet that I call Fluffy Feet. I also have a red one that I call Sweety.”

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want to take care of animals, but I really like learning about space. I want to work at NASA.â&#x20AC;?

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Sallie Spotlight

Fanestil Meats Fresh and Local Diamond Anniversary—-Fanestil Meats is quickly approaching their 75th Anniversary, in January 2017. "Talk of The Town" that is what everyone is saying about the "New Fresh & Local Fanestil Market" located just a half mile past Flying J in Emporia, going West on HWY 50 towards Strong City. Dan and Jan Smoots have given new life to the nearly 75 year old company. Fresh and local may be a new trend for most but it isn't for Dan and Jan Smoots, owners of Fanestil Meats. The couple are making it easier for people in Emporia, the surrounding area and throughout Kansas to enjoy fresh, local foods. Fanestil Meats products have been shipped throughout the state for years. Fanestil Party Time Ham and Bacon are very popular favorites. Fanestil Hot Dogs are a must for barbecues and a holiday meal isn't complete without a Bone-ln Ham from Fanestil Meats. Now there is even more to enjoy thanks to the recent opening of the Fanestil Fresh and Local Market. The market includes all of the traditional favorites of Fanestil's customers but so much more. The most exciting thing is their shiny new fresh meat cases for you to choose a steak from with a master butcher present to cut your "choice" mouth watering steaks just like you want them. You won't believe the fresh seafood case they roll out every Friday. Fresh salmon or Dan's favorite "Steelhead Trout” from the Pacific along with fresh and cooked shrimp. “Our Old Style Market is just like what we grew up with when we were kids, with a real person who is knowledgeable and can 20 | Emporia Living

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Jan and Dan Smoots

help you pick out the perfect steak or cut of meat for whatever occasion,” Dan Smoots said. The market is filled with fresh items from local growers and producers. Farm fresh eggs from Ashie's Eggs here in Emporia are stocked in her signature pink egg cartons, delivered as needed with the help of her parents. Famous "Prothe" Pecans grown and picked in Paola, Ks. are available for purchase. Hildebrand flavored milk in glass jars from Junction City, Ks. fills a case ready for purchase. "We have the best Blackberries you ever tasted from Sabetha, Ks." Dan Smoots said. 'Think about who makes and harvests these products. The employees at Fanestil Meats and all these local people make and harvest these products, they are the ones receiving the money from the customer that is getting the locally made product." Shoppers even have a chance to see demonstrations of the products and sample some tasty treats. "On Saturdays we demo the products and bring in their reps so they can demo their own products," Jan Smoots said. "So people can get familiar with what we have in the store. Every time we do demos the products sell off the shelves." Fanestil now has fresh products available in the market from over 26 local growers and producers Jan Smoots says Fanestil makes eating healthy, fresh and local food easy for Emporia residents. Rather than driving through a fast-food restaurant an individual could easily go to the market instead and purchase an entire meal knowing every bit of it was fresh and local. "You can come here and buy fresh," Jan Smoots said.

In Jan Smoots office she keeps a note written by granddaughter Macy when she was in second grade. Macy has Celiac's disease and has to follow a very strict diet. The note serves as Dan and Jan Smoots most valued testimonial and reads: "Party Time Ham is made in Emporia, Kansas by my Papa Dan. He makes it good and safe for me to eat. Party time ham is gluten free. I have celiacs disease so I have to watch what I eat." Many foods others typically eat can make Macy incredibly ill. Dan and Jan Smoots say providing fresh, local, healthy foods is a top priority for them — they know the importance of healthy food and how powerfully food can impact health. "As a grandmother and grandfather to this girl that is eating our products there isn't anything we want to be more safe then the foods we produce," Dan Smoots said. "These products feed not only our community but our grandchildren." With the move to a larger location Fanestil has been able to expand in ways other than just the Fresh and Local Market. The company has expanded distribution operations as well. Expanding the Fanestil reach and becoming a regional hub for fresh and local products. This not only increases business for Fanestil but also gives local grower and producers a chance to expand their businesses as well. "The theme we are embracing is Regional Food Hub." Dan Smoots said. "If you think in terms of a regional food hub we also have a distribution arm that goes with that What we are doing is bringing in products from the region and now we are also taking those same products and with our trucks we are distributing those out through eastern Kansas.” Kettle Corn from Burlingame, Circle Pecans from Mccune, Milk from Junction City, Pies from Nebraska, Jerky from Leroy, Beef Sticks from Alta Vista, Chicken Grillers from Kansas City, Cheese from Alma, now all make the trip to other retailers on a Fanestil's distribution truck. This process allows both Fanestil and local growers and producers to expand their businesses while giving Kansans more opportunities to consume local products. Items delivered by Fanestil and produced locally are now being sold at HyVee stores in Topeka as well as several other locations. "We are working with our small regional growers and producers to bring their products in here," Dan Smoots said. "Then once we bring their products into our retail store and we see how they work then we take them out to the region." Fanestil Meats was recently recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration's Wichita District for the achievements they have made. Dan and Jan Smoots were named "Kansas Small Business Persons of the Year." "This is a great recognition for our dedicated Fanestil employees, our customers and for the city of Emporia and Lyon County," Dan Smoots said. Dan and Jan Smoots have plans to continue expanding Fanestil Meats in the future. There is a plan for expansion of production and distribution with the hope of continuing to provide fresh and local products to the area. "The commitment that we have to our employees and the commitment that we have to complete phase two of moving the entire operation to one location is a burning desire," Dan Smoots said. "It is a goal that will happen — it is just a matter of time."

4700 WEST HWY. 50, EMPORIA, KS 66801 800-658-1652 | 620-342-6354 | WWW.FANESTILS.COM Fall 2016 | 21

Downtown Dreamer: Emporia native turns big dreams into reality for her hometown

Written by MELISSA LOWERY 22 | Emporia Living Photography Edition by

JASON DAILEY

“I’m not good at sitting still,” says Kristi Henrikson Mohn as we settle in around the conference table in Emporia Realty Group, the real estate firm she opened in 2011 with Jamie Sauder. Although she manages to stay in her chair while we talk, she radiates the energy and enthusiasm that has made Kristi a leader of Emporia’s downtown revitalization and instrumental in developing the Dirty Kanza gravel race into an international phenomenon. The cozy conference room where we meet is nestled between offices in the area ERG occupies in the former Crawford Furniture store, now converted into a multiuse retail and office space that also houses Studio 11 Boutique and Gravel City Roasters. The unique space is but one example of Kristi’s boundless creativity and energy combined with a desire to improve her hometown. A FAMILY HISTORY OF SERVICE Kristi, the oldest of four siblings, was born and raised in Emporia by parents Duane and Jerilynn Henrikson, a veterinarian and a teacher, respectively. It was through watching them and her grandparents that Kristi acquired her commitment to volunteering and giving back to the community.

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“There’s been community service in my family for as long as I can remember,” she says. “My parents never sat us down and explained why it was important to volunteer and be involved, they just lead by example. Because of them, we just had a sense that it was our responsibility to contribute to the community.” Among other activities, Kristi’s grandfather, Merle Henrikson, served as Emporia’s mayor and was active with the Rotary and Boy Scouts. Her father was a member and past president of the Emporia School Board for many years and was the capital campaign chair for Emporia’s Granada Theatre Restoration $2.6 million campaign in addition. Her mother served as President of the Lyon County Extension Master Gardeners group and on the Red Rocks Historical Site board of directors. As children Kristi and her siblings were heavily involved in 4-H, an organization that offers encouragement and facilitates involvement in the community. The first granddaughter in her family to attend college, Kristi shocked her family of Kansas State University alumni when she chose the University of Kansas. She earned a degree in education with a major in Spanish and a minor in English, studied in Costa Rica, then moved to the California Bay Area to work for the YMCA of San Francisco where she ran the organization’s day camps and community service programs in a small community south of San Francisco. “Working as a community services program director for the YMCA of San Francisco, that’s where it all came together,” she recalls. “I developed my own programs, including a day camp model that was adapted and used throughout the organization in the Bay Area. I think that experience was key in helping me be more impactful here in Emporia.” “IT’S UP TO ME” In 1996, Kristi and her husband, Tim, a Topeka native, decided to move back to her hometown to be closer to family. They opened Flint Hills Music where Tim taught music lessons and repaired instruments while Kristi handled the books and community outreach. Their family soon expanded with the arrival of twins Mason and Sydney - “First, second and last, all in one batch. I’m incredibly efficient.” - and Kristi began to look at Emporia with new eyes. “I remember after we moved back, I was having a conversation with my dad and saying, ‘You need to to this and you need to do that’ about improving Emporia,” she says. “After about the fourth or fifth ‘You need to...’ he said, ‘What’s this you? Why isn’t it we?’ He put it right back on me and it hit me that this was now my community, where I was going to raise my children, and it was up to me to make decisions and take action to make the town a better place to live.” The conversation with her father encouraged Kristi to think about what kind of community she wanted to live in, and set about turning that vision into reality through community service and volunteering. “I looked at the national political landscape, at education and health care and all these things that need to be done, and realized that doing something nationally is much more difficult than getting involved and making a difference where I live,” Kristi says. “I want to be an example to my children - like my parents were to me - to show them that the way you make life better is through community service and volunteering and getting involved in the community you live in.” Fall 2016 | 25

Kristi’s interest in arts and culture lead her to becoming involved with the Emporia Arts Council (now the Emporia Arts Center) and the Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance, serving as board president for both organizations. Among her many accomplishments, she helped establish competitive pay for the EAC executive director, shepherded the construction of the new EAC building and oversaw the extensive renovations needed to save the Emporia Granada Theatre from demolition. “Getting involved with the EAC and the Granada was a natural fit with the music store,” she says. “I think arts and culture are incredibly important, and I wanted to help bring both downtown to help strengthen the community.”

“I believe in our downtown.” Her passion and vision for building a vibrant, stable downtown is obvious to anyone who spends time with Kristi. It drives much of what she does, both as a volunteer and professionally. She is pro-growth, she says, but it must be sustainable, responsible and built on a strong downtown. “I believe in our downtown,” she says firmly. “I believe that it’s the strength of the community. I think we need the development out on the northwest side of Emporia, but I think where it starts is having a super strong downtown. The 26 | Emporia Living

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downtown is our backbone, and if that backbone is strong, then the rest of our community can do great things.” Determined to support the ongoing efforts to revitalize downtown Emporia, Kristi joined Emporia Main Street as a board member. She is an advocate for small businesses and their important role, noting that these business owners are the ones who consistently give back and support community events and projects. “The mom and pop stores are always going to be stronger in the long run,” she says. “They’re the ones that regularly give to local sports teams and prom committees and community projects. They believe in giving back, which is why it’s so important to be supportive of our downtown businesses.” Casey Woods, executive director, Emporia Main Street, says he is often inspired by Kristi’s commitment and drive to make Emporia a better place to live and work. “Kristi works shoulder to shoulder with you to get measurable things done,” he says. “I can’t tell you the amount of times that we’ve both been at an event, it’s been late and the day has been difficult. We are both exhausted, and she just catches your eye, and there’s this unspoken ‘let’s do this’ and you push on. There are events, businesses, developments and cultural aspects of this community that would not exist without her efforts.”

In addition to her volunteer work, Kristi thinks outside the box professionally. Purchasing and renovating the former Crawford Furniture building into a co-op space raised a lot of eyebrows when she undertook the project five years ago, but now it has become a model for how to use downtown buildings that no longer support a single, large business. “I know people wondered what I was thinking, but when I looked at this building, I thought, ‘Why wouldn’t you use it as a co-op space?’” she says. In hindsight, her vision does make perfect sense and the co-op space is a success. It is that ability to see the bigger picture and think creatively that makes Kristi so valuable to the projects she undertakes, even if it takes a while to convince others to follow . “I’ve never known how to qualify what my gift is, other than I have this innate ability to know if something’s going to work or not,” she says. “The Dirty Kanza is a great example. When I saw this idea, I thought it had really great legs. Everyone though I was crazy, including [co-founders] Jim [Cummins] and Joel [Dyke], when I first went to them and said I’d really like to get involved and make this effect really big for Emporia. They knew there were die-hards who would come ride 200 miles, but they didn’t think it could look like this.”

“We added that missing piece.” “This” is the current status of the Dirty Kanza 200, now the world’s premier gravel race, selling out 1900 racing spots in just hours and attracting thousands of cyclists and spectators from around the world to Emporia every summer. Jim Cummins, executive director, Dirty Kanza Promotions, remembers when Kristi called him with the idea to move the start and finish line for the race from a hotel parking lot to downtown in front of the recently renovated Granada Theatre. “I may have told her that was the dumbest idea I’d ever heard,” he says ruefully. “Today, Dirty Kanza is the world’s premier event of its kind, and is literally transforming the entire cycling industry. This phenomenon is due, in very large part, to the vision of Kristi Mohn. That, and her immense desire to make Emporia a better place to live, work and raise a family. Dirty Kanza would not be what it is today if not for Kristi Mohn. And I would venture to suggest the same could be said for Emporia.” Kristi was inspired by her own experiences as a “bike widow”, attending races her husband competed in with two bored children in tow. “Tim would go to these races and he would want me to bring the kids, but they were never conducive to having the family at these bike races,” she says. “The Dirty Kanza added that missing piece. I knew that once you could get the moms and their kids and having a place that they could come and enjoy and celebrate the race, then it would take off and bring that sense of community together.” 28 | Emporia Living

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“I want to empower the community from within.” As Kristi and her husband prepare for an empty nest – the twins are off to college this autumn – she is excited about the next phase of their lives. She plans to continue to be involved with the Dirty Kanza, especially developing the philanthropic branch, she is a newly-installed board member at Lyon County State Bank and she will be launching new endeavors through ERG that she hopes will have a positive impact downtown. “I’m all about looking at ways to empower the community from within,” Kristi says. “The important thing is giving people who are willing to step out on their dream the opportunity to give it a go. I think for the most part Emporia does a pretty good job of supporting those dreamers. We have a history of doing so – look at the Didde family or even the White family, to go almost back to the beginning of Emporia’s history. We can look at our own history and see that it pays off when you give the dreamers a chance.” For Emporia, giving Kristi Mohn a chance has paid off over and over again.

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• Favorite photo filter app (if you have one) and why: I don't use one. • Home screen image and why: Just the standard black feather iPhone screen. I used to have a family picture, but wanted something less busy. • Favorite game: I don't really have one, but I will occasionally play Two Dots. • Seriously? Only one email message to be read??? Explain please: I HATE having the red circles on my screen! • Most obscure app on your phone and what's it for: Hmmmm…I have one to post room measurements easily…does that count? • App most likely to be viewed while in checkout line: Google calendar…boring. • Favorite podcast: This American Life - HANDS DOWN. • Favorite shopping app: Don't really have one. • Favorite emoji: Thumbs up or hands clapping- I like to encourage! • Craziest place you've ever lost or left your phone: In the unisex bathroom at a boutique men's store in Brooklyn. • App I wish someone would invent: The "Yap App" - it's an app my brother, Todd Henrikson, has dreamed up. It would allow cyclists and runners to report where bad dogs are and warn cyclists/runners if they are nearing a dog that will chase/bite. • App checked first in the morning; Google calendar…dang it. • App checked last before bed: Really? See above. • An app you should use more, but don't: Right now, Strava - I haven't been on my bike much this spring. • Name of your favorite playlist: Alternative 80's, and The People's Punk Band • Top 3 people you text: Tim Mohn, Syd & Mason, Jamie Sauder • Tell me about your phone case: I love it! It is leather and from Shinola. It holds my id and credit card. It is really cool how it has weathered and worn.

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Sallie Spotlight

Emporia Realty Group Finding the perfect fit Every woman should feel like the queen of her home. When it was time for Paulina Aguirre to begin her home search she turned to Kristi Mohn at Emporia Realty Group to help her find the home of her dreams. Aguirre and Mohn partnered to work through the home buying process together. Mohn says finding a real estate agent you trust is key. Mohn spends a good deal of time learning about her clients, what type of home they are interested in and what they can afford. The more she learns about the client and their needs the easier the process becomes. "It was a very easy process," Aguirre said. "She knew about me, she knew I had two little girls and she knew this house would be a perfect fit â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and it was." Aguirre and her two daughters are now enjoying their new home. Aguirre has plans for projects around the home to put her signature touch on the space and her daughters have settled into their home. She credits Mohn with helping her make her dream of owning a home a reality. Before the family moved into their dream home Mohn helped Aguirre narrow down her focus and determine exactly 32 | Emporia Living

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what she wanted. Mohn says it is important for home buyers to consider what options they want in a house and those options that they cannot live without. Buying a home that isn't the right fit can lead to homebuyer remorse and there are no returns allowed in the housing market. "You give her an idea of what you are looking for and she will know exactly what to look for and what to show you," Aguirre said. "She knows what your price ranges are. She has a good sense of matching. Kind of like matchmakers but it's home buying. She is really good at it and I would highly recommend her to anyone." "It feels really good to know I'm putting money into something of my own," Aguirre said. "Calling it home for myself and the girls is something we have been longing for and now we are finally there." Working with a qualified real estate agent makes the home

buying process much smoother than attempting to buy on your own. A qualified agent like those at ERG can educate buyers on the local market, analyze buyer wants and needs and guide buyers to homes that fit their criteria. "I have always said that buying a home is not like buying a pair of jeans," Mohn said. "You can't return it. You have to make sure you are making the right choice and it is the right fit." Mohn takes pride in helping educate her clients so they can find the home that is the right fit for them. Some clients may come in focused on one type of home but Mohn is able to take the information presented to expand their search to other homes that may fit their needs better. She can direct clients to homes that most fit their criteria to save them both time and stress during the process. Planning ahead and researching home buying before beginning the process can also be helpful for potential home buyers. Meeting with a qualified lender to determine what type and amount of mortgage a buyer qualifies is also helpful. "With Paulina she took a home buying class, she was prepared and she was patient," Mohn said. "When we looked at houses she would ask what I thought and I would encourage her to wait. She just trusted the process." That process can look different for each home buying experience however Mohn knows the process well. She will coordinate with other professionals and negotiate on behalf of buyers. She also checks and double checks the paperwork and deadlines to protect buyer interests. Her goal is to put byers

concerns at ease and solve any problems that may arise in the transaction to ensure a hasslefree home buying experience. "Kristi made the whole process very easy," Aguirre said. "I had no worries." While Mohn loves real estate and working with all potential buyers she says she finds great satisfaction in helping first time home buyers, women and single mothers like Aguirre find the home of their dreams. "I love working with first time home buyers," Mohn said. "I love working with single moms. It is such a great empowerment tool and such a great wealth piece if you do it right." Emporia Realty Group is ready to help you find the home of your dreams. A place where you can truly be the queen of your castle. Give ERG a call today to begin the process of making your home buying dreams come true .

620-412-9850 | EMPORIAREALTYGROUP.COM 608 COMMERCIAL ST | EMPORIA, KS 66801 Fall 2016 | 33

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AMY AMY One of Emporiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fitness instructors leads women in more than just exercise Written by

MELISSA LOWERY

Photography by

JASON DAILEY

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Fitness and life coach Amy Hayden knows what it’s like to be afraid to try something new, even when it has the possibility of improving your life. It may come as a surprise to those who benefit from her confident, upbeat personality and encouraging words that Amy struggled with her own doubts and insecurities before becoming one of Emporia’s most popular fitness leaders. HEALTHY BODY, HEALTHY MIND “I was so scared to go into the group fitness room,” Amy recalls of her first foray to the gym. “They were doing step aerobics, and I walked by for a month because I was so scared to go in.” At the time, Amy was “a stay at home mom who didn’t like to stay home.” Energetic and social, spending all day with her then 6-year-old and 18-month-old sons left Amy feeling depressed, no matter how much she loved being with her boys. Unsure how to dig out of the black hole, the former cheerleader decided to try exercising. “I was going through a depression,” she says. “I didn’t know what to do, but I thought I could try the gym.’” She joined the Emporia Recreation Center and walked on the track for a few weeks before working up the nerve to join the step aerobics class. A month later, she was leading the class as the newest ERC instructor. “My first class was a bomb. I did terrible,” she says, laughing. “But if I can get up in front of people and do this, anyone can!” Despite that “terrible” first class, Amy clearly found her calling. She has been teaching fitness classes for the past 13 years, only taking time off to have her third son in 2005. Since then, she has not taken a week off from exercising, nor has she experienced depression, a link she recognizes in herself and in others. “Exercise is a mental break,” she says. “The people who I see stick with exercise year after year are the ones who have experienced how it makes them feel, not how it makes them look. It’s the mental benefit that keeps them coming back.” 36 | Emporia Living

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Stacie Sonnakalb began taking classes with Amy when she and her husband moved back to Emporia in August 2013. She tried other gyms and other fitness classes as a way to manage her stress and improve her health, but it was during her first Zumba class with Amy that she knew she was in the right place. “I remember that first class so vividly! It was such a fun class,” Stacie recalls. “Everyone was having a good time, even if they didn’t know all the moves - everyone kept dancing and smiling. I had such a great time, I knew I had to return to another one of her classes.” Amy’s support and encouragement inspired Stacie to push herself to try something new when Amy started teaching Insanity classes within a week of Stacie joining Emporia Fitness. “I asked her if she thought I could do it and she replied with a cheerful ‘Why not?’,” Stacie says. “I did that first Insanity class she taught and at the end, I went up to her, crying, so happy that I had finished an Insanity work out. I knew right then and there I was capable of more than I ever thought possible. I attend each of Amy’s morning classes and love the positive, supportive vibe she gives everyone. It feels like I am meeting up at the club for some ‘me time’ to dance away my stress and get healthy at the same time. I know we’re the ones doing the work, but if it wasn’t for such a real and honest, amazing, positive, inspiring, supportive instructor, role model and now someone I call a friend - I would have never continued on this journey.”

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“I’m always looking for ways to help other people more, & coaching is a way to do that.”

WHOLE LIFE HEALTH Amy is a certified Life and Wellness Coach, as well as a certified Zumba instructor and Insanity instructor, teaching group classes at Emporia Fitness and Emporia State University in addition to coaching clients privately. She often draws from her own experiences as a way to relate to and help her students and clients. Married and the mother of three – Tyrel is in college, Ian is in high school and Brody is in middle school – Amy not only juggles her active family but has the added challenge of managing Ian and Brody’s health issues. The younger boys were diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome about six years ago, requiring some adjustments for the family and a challenging time for Amy. “Sometimes, especially in the beginning, it’s been really hard getting to my morning classes because getting the boys to school and through the school day was so hard,” she says. “So I know what it’s like to struggle to get to exercise class. I have to-do lists, sometimes I don’t feel well, sometimes I have a headache, but I try to bring my A-game every time because I know my students have those problems, too.” Amy started her coaching business as a way to provide whole-life, individualized support to those who are struggling to meet their goals. “I’m always looking for ways to help other people more,” she says, “and coaching is a way to do that. I limit the number of clients I have at any one time so I can focus on them and give them my full attention.” Although her emphasis is on fitness and health, Amy has helped clients in a variety of areas, depending on their priorities.

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“I’ve helped people with weight loss, I’ve helped people with weight gain, I’ve helped people organize their homes, I’ve helped people quit jobs,” she says. “It’s about priorities. My first session with any client is when I ask them to list their top three-five priorities. From then on, everything is in service of those priorities. I try to teach them in a way so that they’re always focusing on their priorities, even after our coaching is done.” Amy is a strong advocate for making yourself a top priority. From her own experiences, she knows that taking care of yourself first is critical so that you have the energy and strength to serve others. “If you want to be a champion, then you have to treat yourself well,” she says. “I ask myself and my clients, what do you need to do so that you can take on your day like a champion? I know that if want to do everything I have to do today like a champion, then I need to sleep, I need to eat well, I need to hydrate, and I need exercise for that mental release. Then I can parent well, accomplish my to do list, whatever I’m doing that day.”

“I want to give people the tools to live the life they want for the long-term.” Getting enough sleep, eating well and exercising are the cornerstones of Amy’s healthy lifestyle, and what she recommends for her clients as the foundation on which to build toward their own goals. She fuels her body with foods “in their most natural state” as much as possible, avoiding those with too many ingredients or ingredients she can’t pronounce. “I’m not perfect by any stretch,” she says, “but I think my imperfections are my strengths because I can get up there and try it and if I make a mistake, we laugh about it and keep trying. I never ask people to try something unless I’ve done it myself first.” In the end, Amy wants to motivate and teach people people to be their best selves for the rest of their lives. “I want people to stop starting over. Quick fixes will work short-term, but can you keep that up for the rest of your life? I want to give people the tools to live the life they want for the long-term.” Learn more about Amy at http://coachamyhayden1.wordpress.com

NEEDS YOUR HELP! Food for Students provides a bag of food each week to school children who do not have enough food over the weekends. About 300 bags are given away each month. You can help by: Donating any of the items below or by giving a cash donation. (100 percent of all cash donations go toward the purchase of food.) INSTANT OATMEAL GRANOLA/BREAKFAST BAR SMALL JARS OF PEANUT BUTTER MAC & CHEESE (ADD WATER ONLY) FRUIT CUPS CRACKERS BAGS OF BEANS OR RICE (DRY) READY TO EAT TUNA OR CHICKEN SALAD (PACKETS ONLY, NO CANS) To find out how you can help, visit www.emporia.com/foodforstudents or call 620-342-4800.

Food donations should be dropped off at:

Cash donations should be sent to:

TEG 517 Merchant • Emporia, KS • 620-342-4800

527 Commercial St., Suite 501 • Emporia, KS

Looks good but we need it to say where to send donations: Emporia Community Foundation 527 commercial street suite 501

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Written by

JESSIE WAGONER

Photography by

JASON DAILEY Fall 2016 | 43

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ley Meeth was born and raised in Kansas. The Emporia State University student is known as an accomplished athlete and successful student. As much as she enjoys living in Kansas there is one problem — her heart is at the beach. The sun and sand aren’t what calls Meeth to the beach. Her love of marine biology and the mystery of the ocean lure her in and inspire her. “I could never lose my love of the ocean,” Meeth said. “I love how much we don’t know about it, there is so much to learn, so much yet to learn. It just interests me.” Family trips to Florida as a child exposed her to the beach for the first time. The experiences oceanside sparked her interest and her mom continued to encourage her to explore marine biology. The decision to major in marine biology was solidified for Meeth in her first year of college. That first year she attended college in Hawaii and fell even more in love with the idea of making marine biology her life’s work. When she returned to Kansas to attend ESU and pole vault she may have given up the ocean but she didn’t give up her dream. Her to do list of marine biology related tasks included starting a marine biology club on campus, securing internship and volunteer experiences and learning as much as possible about biology in general. Not surprisingly, Meeth is checking items off that to do list quickly. She started a marine biology club and in doing so found out about volunteer opportunities at Sea Turtle, Inc. located in South Padre Island, Texas. While peers have traveled to Padre Island to party over spring break Meeth has traveled there as well, except she goes to help sea turtles. Fall 2016 | 45

"The runoff from our streams and rivers goes to the ocean. Littering impacts the oceans. We can all make a difference." She has spent her spring breaks and summers building corrals for sea turtle eggs. Sea turtle eggs are very susceptible to predators — often times never even having the chase to hatch before a predator claims them for their own. Meeth and others at Sea Turtle, Inc. attempt to keep the eggs corralled until they hatch and then guide them safely to the water. “After the sea turtle lays the eggs and they are found we rebury them so less predators will get to them and more will survive,” Meeth said. “Because the Kemp’s Ridley is the sea turtle that lays eggs there and they are the most critically endangered.” The process to build the corrals and rebury the sea turtle eggs is not an easy one. “You have to flatten out the sand and get an even ground on the beach so no roots will penetrate the eggs and kill them,” Meeth said. “Then you build the barrier with fences and barbed wire on top to keep out bigger animals. You put little nets on the bottom to keep out crabs and things like that. We think about every animal that could possibly get in there.” This process is repeated over 90 times throughout the turtle nesting period. The Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles only nest in Mexico and South Padre. Every effort is made to protect as many nests as possible leading to more sea turtles making it safely to the ocean. Many factors have led to the turtles becoming endangered including littering and most recently the gas spill in the Gulf. Sea Turtle Inc. has a mission to rescue, rehabilitate and release injured sea turtles. The organization also educates the public and assists with conservation efforts for all marine turtle species. The passion Meeth has for the sea turtles overflows as she speaks about the experience. She says it makes her “happy” to help out in the effort to save the sea turtles. “It makes me happy to help out and I know we are making a change,” Meeth said. “I like to learn more about them.” When she isn’t building corrals for the sea turtles, Meeth can be found swimming with the turtles. On a class trip to the Bahamas she had a chance to swim with the turtles and a few wild dolphins. “We swam with wild dolphins too,” Meeth said. “They just came right up to us and swam all around us. It is amazing, you can hear them trying to communicate. It is an experience I don’t know how to explain. It is just amazing… Something I never thought I would get to experience.”

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Some may wonder how Meeth is preparing for marine biology work in Kansas. Kansas may be lacking a beach but Meeth says what she is learning at Emporia State University is preparing her well. “Since we don’t have an ocean here I’m learning a lot about aquatic biology,” Meeth said. “I’ve taken a fishery management course and other aquatic classes like that. Even though it is not the ocean it is still important to learn different techniques of fishing or even just managing fish. In my fishery management course we even talked about saltwater fish as well so it ties together.” Time in the fresh water has given Meeth the opportunity to practice with various nets and learn techniques that will apply in salt water as well. “Even though I can’t physically be in the ocean we are still learning about different techniques and things that are similar about aquatic life — both freshwater and saltwater,” Meeth said. She also says choices made in Kansas have an impact on sea turtles and salt water life. Meeth encourages others to make good choices to help protect aquatic life. “What we do in Kansas does have an impact,” Meeth said. “The runoff from our streams and rivers goes to the ocean. Littering impacts the oceans. We can all make a difference.” Meeth will certainly continue to make a difference. She has more trips to the beach scheduled and has a plan to attend graduate school after her time at ESU is complete. “Every trip I take makes me more confident that I want this,” Meeth said. “I want to be a marine biologist.” 48 | Emporia Living

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Eley and other volunteers with Sea Turtles, Inc. build corals to keep sea turtle eggs safe from predators. The volunteers first dig out the sand and create a level area for the eggs to lay. They then place netting in the coral to keep out predators like crabs. After burying the eggs the volunteers place barbed wire and other items around the coral to deter predators. Fall 2016 | 49

Eleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tips to protect the waterways 1. Do NOT litter.

2. Use fewer plastic products. 3. RECYCLE, RECYCLE, RECYCLE! Be sure to dispose of plastic products properly. If you must use plastic straws, cut them up before disposing. Ask for paper products as alternatives. 4. Stay informed on issues and keep learning how to make things better. 5. Do your part along with educating others and getting people involved.

Sallie Spotlight

ESB Financial

Lilly & Beck Sommers learn how to manage their money by saving Stone Broke on MoneyIslandtm

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Teach Your Kids How to Manage Their Money By Saving Stone Broke! SPONSORED BY ESB FINANCIAL

One of the most important life skills kids need to learn is how to manage money. The habits and know-how kids develop while growing up could lead to a life of financial security...or financial worry. It can mean the difference between an unending scramble to make ends meet...and the ability to fulfill their goals and dreams. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER Financial education is so important to ESB FINANCIAL that we are proud to announce MoneyIslandTM...an exciting online world geared to tweens ages 8 to 14. Kids go on adventurous quests to exotic destinations ...becoming financial gurus along the way! Kids win by winding through Treasure Cavern to rescue Stone Broke. They win in real life too by earning rewards. Most importantly, they learn lessons that will last them a lifetime...and that's the biggest reward of all! WHAT'S IN THE SECRET SAUCE? MoneyIslandTM is so successful because it doesn't skimp on fun...or smarts. Lessons are aligned with national standards published by the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, and developed by award-winning educators. The MoneyIslandTM curriculum builds skills in three basic areas: Saving, Spending & Sharing; Earning & Investing; and Using Credit Wisely. Heavy stuff...but kids are having so much fun, they don't even realize it! LEARN MONEY...EARN REWARDS! Kids love games. They also love winning stuff. That's why real-life rewards are built into MoneyIslandTM and will include a cool ESB Financial MoneyIslandTM t-shirt. When you play as a group or class, you can receive a pizza party! ADULT INTERACTION Parents and teachers have access to an administrator tool where they're able to track their kids' progress. Doing so

can help identify where extra attention might be needed outside of game play. Detailed lesson plans and sample activities are provided online to further engage children at home or in the classroom. HOW CAN MY KIDS PLAY? Come in to any of ESB Financial's banks in Emporia & Manhattan to get your Passport & boarding pass. • Visit MoneyIslandTM at www.esbfinancial.moneyisland.com • Click Play • Have a parent or teacher "Join As Adult" using your access code on your boarding pass and click "Add Child." (Grownup: Be sure to note the Kid Code.) Log out. • Click "Join As Kid" and log in using the Kid Code from your parent or teacher. • Create a username and password, and you're ready to play! WIN THE GAME...GET A REWARD! • Win MoneyIslandTM • Print out the certificate and redeem it for a reward at ESB Financial! NEVER-ENDING QUEST When kids save Stone Broke and claim their real-world rewards, it's only the beginning of the adventure. Our MoneyIslandTM website includes additional games, videos, and downloads. The Guru Junction includes an ongoing blog and competitions where they can compete with other financial gurus. JOIN! Get ready to embark on the exciting MoneyIslandTM mission to rescue Stone Broke and earn rewards! It's free from ESB Financial because we believe in helping your kids... Learn How to Manage Their Money...www.esbfinancial.com

EMPORIA: 801 MERCHANT STREET • 1111 INDUSTRIAL ROAD • 620-342-3454 MANHATTAN: 224 EAST POYNTZ • COMING SOON KIMBALL & ANDERSON • 785-539-3553 Fall 2016 | 53

Written by MELISSA

LOWERY

Photography by JASON

DAILEY

A guy came in one day and said, ‘What is this, Emporia's female brain trust?’ 54 | Emporia Living

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FORMIDABLE

Friends f you walk into Gravel City Roasters on any given Wednesday afternoon, you're likely to encounter a group of local women discussing politics, books, movies, television and happenings around Emporia in addition to catching up on family and friends. Thirteen women make up the group, who have yet to decide on a name: Mary Downing, Jerry Fair, Barb Gimple, Shirley Hurt, Cathy Hoy, Julie Johnson, Jan Laurent, Gail Milton, Cindy Pastor, Donna Storm, Sophie Thayer, Judy Wild and Sarah Wyrick. In the 1990s, the "core" group met regularly to watch movies, then in 2006 they worked together to cater a fundraising dinner for Red Rocks, the historic home of William Allen White. As their paths and interests continued to intersect, a larger group started to form and a regular weekly meeting seemed inevitable. The date of their first official Wednesday meeting is easy to remember - November 12, 2012, the week after President Obama's reelection. “I remember I had a Main Street board meeting that day, and I sent out an email asking if anyone wanted to meet up afterward for coffee to talk about the election,” Julie recalled. “Then someone suggested we do it again and here we are, almost four years later.” On this particular Wednesday afternoon, members of the group gathered around a large table in the center of the coffee shop. After greetings and a bit of small talk, Gail pulled out a newspaper clipping about Library Week along with a list of events she wanted to attend. Others expressed interest and soon plans had been made to carpool to the Anderson Library on the C of E campus, attend a symposium and meet at the reception at the Emporia Public Library. Talk then moved on to state politics, including the Governor's latest policies, the pros and cons of raising taxes, education funding and the upcoming election. Most of the group “lean the same direction” politically, but occasionally they do disagree. “We never fight,” Gail said, “but we are all opinionated and sometimes those opinions aren't the same. It's healthy.”

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From there, the discussion covered such disparate topics as a recent Jackie Robinson documentary on PBS, an art show in Cottonwood Falls, new businesses in the community and the universal frustration of trying to cash in frequent flyer miles. The group does more than talk, however. Each of the women brings a passion for community service and engagement to the table, a passion that seems to be their uniting element. In addition to their weekly coffee hour, six of the members are part of a long-running book club, 10 are part of the League of Women Voters, nine help maintain the Reader's Plot garden outside the Emporia Public Library and several of the women decorate Red Rocks for Christmas. As a group they painted a piano for Pianos on the Pavement, and this year they made an instrument for Emporia Celebrates the Flint Hills' Secondhand Sounds project. “We have a lot of things in common, but we're also active in a variety of ways in the community,” Johnson said. “Some of our members have taught in classrooms, Sarah [Wyrick] was on the Natural Resources Advisory Board, some of our members have been on the library board, I've been on the City Commission and Main Street board, Cathy [Hoy] was the chairman of the Symphony in the Flint Hills, some of us have been on the Arts Council board, some of us are singers and musicians.” With so many intelligent, socially and politically engaged women gathered in one place, someone was bound to notice. “A guy came in one day and said, 'What is this, Emporia's female brain trust?'” Sarah said with a chuckle. And that's just what you'll find if you happen to be in Gravel City Roasters on a Wednesday afternoon – Emporia's Female Brain Trust. 56 | Emporia Living

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What would we do without our friends? As women, they are part of the fabric of our lives. Some of us have big circles of friends, some small. Some friends are for a season. Some are for a lifetime. But one thing’s for sure, we couldn’t live without them…at least not very happily. As an addendum to the story, Formidable Friends, Sallie asked a few Emporia women to weigh in on the topic of “friendship.” Each in their own way and with their own experiences, they share with readers what comes to mind when they think of the power of friends in their own lives.

Gwen LONGBINE AN ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE at Emporia Radio Stations, Gwen’s other “job” is being wife to Senator Jeff Longbine. Also a former Miss Emporia, who competed in the Miss Kansas Pageant in 1984, Gwen’s favorite things to do in her spare time are relaxing at the lake, traveling, and watching her daughter play volleyball all over the country. As I reflect back over the years, the word “friendship” has evolved. There are childhood friends, college friends, co-worker friends, and family. And then there are the “friends” on social media, where everyone can keep up with your whereabouts and what you are doing. I have gained friends and lost friends, and have learned that being a great friend is the key to keeping them. My family and I have experienced many good things, and our friends have been our biggest cheerleaders. An intriguing quote I remember is, “Pay close attention to the people who don’t clap when you win.” We have also experienced personal tragedy, and I never realized how many really good friends we had until that experience. That was a defining moment

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for me. It taught me to go the extra mile to reach out to others and be a friend to them in their time of need. I had a friend who went through a tough time a couple of years ago. He recently told me that I was one of only five people who was a friend to him or who would associate with him during his turmoil. Everyone else turned on him. It was heartwarming to know that sometimes you can make a difference without knowing you’re making a difference. By simply listening and just being there. I am thankful that God blessed me with a loving husband and two daughters who have become my closest friends. As we sang in Girl Scouts, “Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.”

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Kala MAXFIELD AN ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE AT Valu-Net, Kala has a 6-year old daughter, Kynlee and is married to Kelly Maxfield. Kala likes to plays co-ed softball and goes to the lake to have some fun….and enjoy her favorite drink, Bud Light. Growing up, my father would always tell me, “If you can count the number of true friends you have on one hand, you are a lucky person.” I have been extremely lucky to have a number of friends through the years, and I have grown to appreciate and value the concept of a true friend. I’ve found that a true friend is someone with whom I can share my feelings, quirks, and silliness. Sometimes, the greatest joys come from singing along to every word of a song with your girlfriend’s while on a road trip. Throughout my life, I’ve found that there are a variety of different friends that an individual can have. These friends can range from casual acquaintances to the best secret-keepers who can be trusted with anything. I look

at the strong circle of women that I am blessed to have in my life and I realize how truly thankful I am for their love, compassion, and willingness to help with anything. Oftentimes, the best friendships are those that are capable of maintaining balance. My closest friends are those with whom I have a natural, unforced relationship. They have the ability to just “get” me. These women have never judged me for my wrong-doings or my mistakes. They have been there to support me in anything I do and I couldn’t be more grateful for those relationships. To all of my friends, whether you are in my close circle, a co-worker, a family member, or a casual friend, I would like to thank you for being a part of my life and I cherish you!

Allison GARRETT FROM NEOSHO, MISSOURI, ALLISON has only been in Emporia for eight months. The new President of Emporia State University, Allison likes to read, shop and play golf in her spare time. The word “idyllic” is overused, but describes my childhood in Neosho, Missouri. I played on the oak-lined street and in the pothole-filled alley behind our neighbors’ houses, joyfully greeting most neighbors while avoiding the crotchety old woman a few doors away. My brother, sister and I trick or treated, left May baskets, raked leaves and ate freshly baked cookies at our neighbors’ houses. Mrs. Hurn lived at the other end of the block. Every summer she won the award for the most beautiful yard in Neosho, with eye-catching flowers in bloom all summer. When I was young, she was already in her eighties but still worked daily in her yard. We became great friends. I visited Mrs. Hurn often and we would weed together or sit in the swing in her yard talking. She shared stories of her childhood in the 1890s and told me about her family’s immigration from Italy and World War I and World War II.

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Mrs. Hurn knew my grandmother, who passed away when I was just two. They worked together at the local hospital where my grandmother was a laundress. Through Mrs. Hurn’s eyes, I got to know my grandmother just a bit. As time passed, I went away to school and saw less of Mrs. Hurn. Early in our marriage, my husband and I moved to Washington, D.C., where our son Ethan was born in late 1990. Two months later a package with a Neosho return address arrived at our apartment not far from the Pentagon. Mrs. Hurn sent a baby gift and a card in celebration of Ethan’s birth. She had just turned 100 years old. I remember being amazed that, at 100 years of age, she was looking to the future. After she passed away in 1993, her showcase yard became overgrown, as weeds encroached on the flower beds and the house fell into disrepair. Though she and her house are gone, she lives on in my memories of our friendship.

Nicole BLAKEMORE ALTHOUGH NICOLE IS A science teacher at Emporia Middle School, she may be best known for being an avid cyclist. In fact, she was the first Emporia woman finisher of 2016 DK 200. Something a person may not know about Nicole is that she speaks fluent Slovene. I owe a lovely discovery about the nature of friendship to Anica Nosan. I could tell Anica was a story-teller by the tone of her voice, the excitement in her breath, and the oscillations in the speed of her words, even though those words were in a language I did not yet know how to speak. At the end of every story she told, she laughed- not a polite laugh, but a real one. Guttural. So deeply felt that I could laugh with her, and she could know that I understood everything except, of course, the actual content of her story. At the end of our visit, she made me promise that I would return to Slovenia.

Our friendship was born out of that promise. I returned needing to be cared for exactly when Anica was in need of someone to look after. After work each day, we cooked together while talking about our days in Slovene and in English, simultaneously understanding little yet all of what was said. The lack of language made our friendship an experiment in trust, where the foundation was shared experience and a mutual understanding that we deeply cared about each other. It was these things, and not English, that was essential.

Diveli TAFOLLA "FRIENDSHIP IS NOT ABOUT who you've known the longest. It's about who walked into your life, said 'I'm here for you' and proved it." (Unknown) "Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never ever the same" (Unknown). At 34 years of age, I have learned that it is not about how long you have known a person, but the one person(s) that are always there in the good and bad days. They can always make your day with a simple text like, "Good Morning, my Friend." A friend is someone you can trust with anything. Someone who won't judge you for your mistakes and is willing to be there to give you good advice. But most of all, a friend will always be there to give you a big hug when you need it. This kind of friend can be hard to find, but they offer a friendship that will last a lifetime.

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I feel very grateful to have found a very special caring person to call my friend. I can trust her, especially with my children. She is like family, loving and caring for my son like her own. I feel so blessed to have found her. She is beautiful inside and out. When my son is sick, it breaks her heart and she lets me know that she's only a call away for anything that we need. "Friendship is born the moment when one says to another, What!! You too? I thought I was the only one!" A good friend is someone you can get together with and they "get you," even without saying a word. But at the same time a good friend is someone you can talk with and before you know it the time is gone. I am thankful to have found friends like you!

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Sallie Spotlight

Local Pharmacy, Personalized Care What to eat and what not to eat. What products to use and what to avoid. Medication benefits and pesky side effects. All of these elements impact health. Wading through the research and trying to find the best way to optimize health can be overwhelming â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Medicine Shoppe is here to help. "As a society we all have nutritional needs," Amber Haag, pharmacist and owner of The Medicine Shoppe said. "The food we eat is stripped down. Even if you eat a healthy, 100% organic, balanced dietâ&#x20AC;Ś you still do not get the nutrients that you need for optimal health. It unfortunately has become more

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and more necessary in our current society to use daily vitamins and supplements to get what you need for peak optimal nutrition." The Medicine Shoppe recognizes that people are searching for optimal health. Haag and her staff have spent a great deal of time researching products that are safe and beneficial. Those products are now featured in the N+Addition line found only at The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy here in Emporia. "We call it N+Addition because it is in addition to what you eat, in addition to your exercise, in addition to your lifestyle, in addition to your medications," Haag said. "These are things you need to take in addition to everything that you are already doing to maintain that optimal health." Rather than walking into a store and picking an item off the shelf and hoping for the best, Medicine Shoppe will help create a plan that meets the needs of each patient. A pharmacist will review all of the medications that the patient is currently on to ensure that the supplements are appropriate for that person to be taking. Pharmacists can also meet with customers for a one on one consultation to discuss many different health factors. Before picking supplements Haag says they will look at diet, lifestyle, medications the patient is currently taking and the patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current health conditions. "It is very personalized," Haag said. "Rather than just pulling things off a shelf we are going to personalize the experience and customize it to each individual patient."

The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy Many medications that are prescribed for chronic health conditions can lead to nutritional depletion. While the medicine may help lower cholesterol or blood sugar it can also cause nutrient absorption problems which can in turn lead to a different set of health challenges. "We look at how to maintain natural health and wellness while treating a chronic disease state," Haag said. "We are finding more and more that there are very few people who are nutritionally and supplementally balanced." Pharmacists are also available to consult with customers about hormone replacement. Those one on one consultations are available for both men and women. The goal is to balance and restore hormonal health. Serving all ages from young women to those of advanced age in a personalized way is key to finding the right hormone balance for the individual. Haag says that throughout life there are numerous hormonal stages that both men and women go through. A large portion of what The Medicine Shoppe does is

provide education that can help patients choose the best products to meet their health needs. "We use a bio-identical hormones," Haag said. "It is 100 percent identical to what the body produces naturally. We do feel like it is a great option for people who are needing hormone replacement therapy. Both women and men need to be educated on what their options are, what the risks associated with it are. We have chosen to spend our time educating men, women and family members that have questions so that the patient can make a decision that they are comfortable with." Haag encourages anyone interested in having a consultation of any kind or with general questions to contact the pharmacy to schedule an appointment. Their highly educated and trained staff can review medications, provide information and help find the right products to restore optimal health and wellness from a variety of different aspects.

YOUR HOMETOWN PHARMACY 620-342-1242 | 1400 W. 12TH AVENUE Fall 2016 | 65

Tie that Binds

The

Today’s grandmothers fill many roles in their families. They are historians, passing down information about those who have gone before. They are nurturers, providing support and a kind heart to help heal hurts and offer encouragement. They can also be the tie that binds a family together through the bumpy, as well as calm, waters of life.

There are really as many roles for grandmothers as there are grandmothers. Margi Grimwood, Shirley Richardson and Dona Jones all play significant roles in their respective families, creating warm homes, fun gatherings and a loving safety net when needed. CAMP MO Just about everyone has a memory from summer camp, but Margi Grimwood’s grandchildren are making special camp memories every summer. That’s because Camp Mo, the four-day summer camp Margi creates every August, is just for them. Every summer since 2011 Margi and Chuck Grimwood have hosted Camp Mo, named for Margi’s nickname among her grandchildren. Each year the camp is organized around a theme, like this year’s camp, which is themed “Camp Mo is Out of this World,” and will include a trip to the Peterson Planetarium, a science project and an evening of star gazing to learn about and identify different constellations. Each camper receives a t-shirt designed by one of the family members featuring that year’s theme. 66 | Emporia Living

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MARGI GRIMWOOD

DONA JONES

SHIRLEY RICHARDSON Written by LOU

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The camp also has a “giving back” element where the five Grimwood grandchildren host a lemonade stand or bake sale, then donate their proceeds to an area charity, group or entity. “I want my grandkids to know that life is a privilege and a responsibility and we need to care about and help each other,” Margi said. Another way the Grimwood’s instill that is to encourage the children to pick up trash and liter wherever they go during camp. And Margi says she has noticed them doing so throughout the year. A highlight of camp is the Camp Mo Olympics. The celebration begins with a formal opening ceremony that includes lots whistles and noise makers (until they are confiscated and hidden by Chuck and the dads), a parade with decorated bikes and other activities, many with prizes awarded. Jackie Grimwood, Margi and Chuck’s daughter-in-law, first suggested a summer camp for the grandkids. “My Aunt Lucia used to have a Camp Nana with her grandkids where she took them on trips in her RV. Margi and I put our heads together and came up with Camp Mo,” Jackie said. Each year, at the end of Camp Mo, the children are given the opportunity to offer feedback and make suggestions for the next year. Two events that are part of every year are the birthday dinner for Margi and Chuck, who were born on the same day, and a trip to the Lyon County Fair. In fact, in 2015 Camp Mo was held in Florida, with the theme, “Keep Calm and Go to the Beach”, but the campers missed going to the fair so it returned to Emporia this year. The camp is evolving as the children grow up. Ellie, age 12, and Avery, age 10, now serve as Assistant Counselors and help corral the boys, Aidan, age 5, Rocky, age 4, and Champ, age 1. “I love helping with the little boys and helping Mo plan the activities. It’s so much fun. And I love making the scrapbook at the end of camp. I look through it often during the year and think of all the fun we had together,” Ellie said. It is that enjoyment of time together as a family, no matter what activity in which they are participating, that Margi hopes sticks with the kids. “When the grandchildren grow up I hope they’ll develop their own family traditions of being together and bonding like we all do at Camp Mo,” she said, adding that this is a way for her to instill that family closeness and pass on some of the things she values, including a sense of fun and adventure. And, now with five grandchildren, Camp Mo involves the entire family. Jackie says it is an incredible time for the family to have fun together. “The kids and adults, alike, get to let loose and have tons of fun for four straight days. These are the memories that they will remember for a lifetime,” Jackie said. FAMILY NIGHT If you invite a member of the Jim and Shirley Richardson family to do something on a Sunday evening, don’t be offended if they turn you down. It’s not that they won’t want to accept; it’s just that they already have plans. The Richardson family has been gathering for Family Night dinners on Sundays for almost 25 years, even before Brian, Becky, Bradley and Bob, the adult children of Jim and Shirley, had children of their own. “We love our Sunday dinners,” Shirley said. Those dinners, mostly prepared by Shirley and held at the Richardson’s home north of Emporia, now include the spouses and eleven grand children. 68 | Emporia Living

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Sometimes Family Night has a theme, like Mexican night when Shirley makes Mexican food and everyone wears a Mexican hat or speaks whatever Spanish they may know. Or maybe it’s “clean out the refrigerator night” and everyone brings leftovers to share. It matters not what is on the table, but rather it’s about those sitting around that table. Shirley thought Family Night might end when the grandchildren grew into teenagers and demands on their time and other opportunities opened up for them, but they keep coming, now often bringing girlfriends or boyfriends along. Fifteen-year-old Courtney still looks forward to the gatherings. “Not just for the food, but also for the company,” she said. Amy, Courtney’s mother and Brad’s wife, came from a small family and admits to feeling a little awed by the Family Night gathering in the beginning. “Coming from a small family then to sit at a table with ten or more people? Holy Moly, it was overwhelming to me. But now, after 20 years, it’s normal. It’s very casual with no tension or complaining. It’s family and being part of this family is fun,” Amy said. But the Richardson’s don’t just get together for Sunday dinner. They show up for school events, special occasions or whenever needed. Shirley said during the school year, she and Jim go to six or seven functions in which their grandchildren are involved every week. And the grandkids notice when they are there. “My grandparents rarely miss a swim meet or volleyball game. I love seeing them there,” Courtney said. Shirley is from a family of six siblings and says her parents were very involved in what she was doing as she was growing up, as well as her children’s lives. “They went to my kids’ stuff and were great role models. We love going to the grandkids activities. The benefit of doing that is we get to know each child one-on-one and they know we will always be there for them. Our kids, grandkids and in-laws all know they can count on us and we know we can count on them,” Shirley said. Like when Amy had emergency open-heart surgery. Derek was oneand-a-half and Courtney was only six months old at the time. “Jim and Shirley were here for us. Shirley stayed with us to help Brad with the kids and so I could I be with them too, but have the help I needed,” Amy said. When one of the grandchildren is sick and can’t go to school, they stay with Shirley or she goes to stay with them. In fact, Shirley quit her job, as manager at JC Penney’s, to be more available for her grandchildren. “I loved my job, but I love my grandchildren more,” she said. There have been a few Sunday evenings when Shirley and Jim thought of making other plans. “But that never goes over well. Jim and I try to take vacations without them all, but they keep showing up packed and ready to go with us,” Shirley said with a laugh, then quickly added that she and Jim do go on trips alone - occasionally. GABBY’S HOME When Rob Jones, a single father, Navy and Army veteran and now defense contractor, learned he was being deployed to Kandahar in May 2012 he called his parents, Dona and Bob Jones. “I don’t remember having to even ask if they’d keep Gabby. Mom offered immediately,” Rob, recently home on leave, said. “Yes, I remember saying we would take her any time,” Dona said. Gabby, now a vivacious eight-year-old, stayed with Dona and Bob, a physics professor at Emporia State University, until June 2013. When Rob was deployed again in June 2015, Gabby once again joined her grandparents in Emporia. Fall 2016 | 69

“I know that no one could love Gabby more than we do,” Dona said. And Rob agrees, saying he knows that his daughter is receiving the best parental care possible. “I know she is where she is loved and taken care of. I grew up in this house, so I know how she’s growing up. Mom and Dad are doing everything I’d be doing if I was here,” Rob said. Sometimes Dona even does a little more. For instance, Gabby, who calls Dona Meemaw, loves to dance, so Dona has made sure she gets to dance classes and she and Bob are there for her performances. “Yeah, I was never into dance, so it’s good that Gabby can do dance classes now. And Mom is better at helping her do her hair,” he said. Gabby quickly nods agreement, but adds that she misses her dad’s cooking. However, Rob does have a couple small complaints. For one, he said “Gabby has it ten times better” than he did when he was growing up. He uses the Kid Cave, filled with toys and kid equipment in the Jones’s basement as an example, and then points to the trampoline in the backyard. “I never had a trampoline. I had to go down the street to play on my friend’s tramp,” Rob said with a chuckle. But, Dona insists, that’s more a sign of the times than an indication Gabby is being spoiled. “I was comfortable sending the kids down the street to play back then. Times have changed and I am no longer as comfortable sending Gabby off on her own.” There are other differences, and challenges, in raising a granddaughter compared to raising one’s own children.

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“It’s a different role in a different time and when you have a child 24/7 you have to step back from being a grandmother sometimes and do everything a parent does. But overall it’s a lot like raising your own kids – you hope you’re getting it right,” Dona said. Dona, in her 26th year of teaching pre-school, finds her schedule matches well with Gabby’s. She can be home with her after school and their vacations are at the same time. The two spend a lot of time together and obviously enjoy each other’s company. “Meemaw makes great treats and I love her because she’s awesome and takes really good care of me,” Gabby said. She admits she misses her dad and likes to Skype with him whenever possible, but she said, the biggest challenge is, “living with old people, because they eat and go to bed so early.” But Gabby says she has adjusted to the new schedule and when asked what her favorite thing is to do with Meemaw, Gabby doesn’t hesitate. “I like doing everything with Meemaw! We like laughing and having fun and all that jazz,” she said. Gabby also loves spending time with Bob and the two of them often go to movies together. “I call it ‘me and quality Pa time’,” Gabby said. It may have required some adjustment to take on raising Gabby when Rob is deployed, but Dona says the greatest joy of that is being able to watch her grow into a confident and caring young woman. “Being able to spend a lot of time together has really been awesome,” Dona said.

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Sallie Spotlight

Emporia Main Street Making Emporia a better place to live For 25 years Emporia Main Street has been committed to increasing consumer business, strengthening retail & professional institutions, and assisting in the preservation of Emporia’s heritage. Through design, promotion, business enhancement, and organization Emporia Main Street provides an assortment of initiatives that make Emporia a better place to live, work, shop, and visit while engaging community members of all ages. Whether it is establishing a new business or expanding an existing one, working in a community garden, or throwing an epic block party, Emporia Main Street works diligently to make your venture or adventure a success. Executive Director, Casey Woods, speaks to how the structure of the organization allows Emporia Main Street to embark on a wide range of initiatives. “The Main Street Four Point approach is a comprehensive strategic framework to improve community vitality in an inclusive and sustainable way. Instead of simply focusing on economic development, promotion, aesthetic design or volunteerism, the four point approach fuses different concepts together and unifies a community behind activities with tangible benefits, said Woods. “Our Organization, Promotion, Business Enhancement and Design points work together to build a better Emporia in ways that a singular focus could never accomplish.” When Emporia Main Street debuted 25 years ago, downtown vacancies were at 40 percent. Since then, over $85 million worth of development has occurred in the downtown area and now vacancies fluctuate between six and eight percent. 74 | Emporia Living

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Fostering success in the local economy is part of Emporia Main Street’s mission. For existing businesses, Emporia Main Street can assist with market research, identify funding mechanisms, and discuss expansion opportunities. For new businesses, many support functions are found in the Business Investment Guide produced by the organization. This yearly publication includes information on untapped market potential, business incentives, as well the educated workforce of ESU and FHTC graduates that are already located in Emporia. One of Emporia Main Street’s organizational goals is to create a unique downtown urban environment full of complementary shopping, dining, entertainments, and service options. “When we work with entrepreneurial businesses, we would never council them to be exactly like a neighboring business. Both businesses would simply struggle, and the newcomer would look unauthentic,” said Woods. “Similarly, communities need to seek out their own unique character defining features. Emporia doesn’t stand out in people’s minds because of the businesses or amenities you can find in any other city. We receive visitors, business and positive recognition because of

Casey Woods & Jessica Buchholz Photos by IM Design

those entrepreneurs, events, buildings, history and cultural aspects that make us truly unique. Communities that embrace the culture of uniqueness and support their eclectic nature are the rural communities that will grow and prosper.” A walk down Commercial Street reflects the mix of eclectic businesses one can find in downtown Emporia, many with Main Street’s fingerprints integrated in their existence. The Sweet Granada, Studio 11, and Dynamic Discs are just a few of over 200 Emporia Main Street members finding success by daring to be unique. As local businesses continue to mature and expand, Emporia Main Street finds ways to help maintain their success. This past October, Emporia Main Street through the Lyon County E-Community provided scholarships for six local businesses to attend Jon Schallert’s Destination Boot Camp in Longmont Colorado. This workshop provided strategies to drive traffic and increase sales by attracting consumers from outside a business’s traditional market trade area. Angie Baker, owner of Gravel City Roasters, had been considering a name change and rebranding of her businessbut had been hesitant to do so. As an Emporia Main Street member, Baker had the opportunity to travel to Colorado and have her business reviewed by Schallert who ultimately encouraged her to go for it! “Emporia Main Street has been a critical component to the success and development of Gravel City Roasters,” said Baker. The organization has been successful in making positive changes in the Emporia community by partnering with individuals and organizations- with benefits seen by citizens, visitors, businesses, and the city. These partnerships have led to the creation of some of the most successful downtown events and projects that Emporia has ever seen. The Emporia Main Street Dirty Kanza Finish Line Block Party, downtown gardens, The Taste, Midnight Madness, the Veterans Banner Project and Great American Market are just to name a few. Woods maintains that Emporia Main Street is not only

for business owners — there is a place for everyone in the organization. “Emporia Main Street is a grass roots organization that is dependent on volunteers and members to achieve positive, tangible changes for our community. We have memberships ranging from businesses to individual citizen members,” said Woods. “With our members, we’ve been able to accumulate resources to help the community develop and businesses start or expand. Zero interest loan programs, tax credit work, educational assistance and logistical support are just a few of the services we offer to make a real difference for area businesses, institutions and the community.” There are always opportunities for those looking to get involved. Volunteers are regularly needed to help maintain the Emporia Main Street gardens, assist with events, or to serve on one of the four point committees. “We work with a variety of local citizens that posses an actual positive interest in creating a better Emporia, said Woods. “If you are willing to invest the requisite time, talent and treasure towards building a growing and sustainable community, there is a place for you at Emporia Main Street. Our members have created and expanded unique programs to take advantage of local opportunities, and some of these programs are now emulated throughout the nation. Our volunteers make a lasting difference.” On June 24, 2016 Emporia was named the Best Main Street in USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. The national contest included 20 cities which were nominated by a panel of subject matter experts in the areas of travel, tourism, and downtown economic development from the National Main Street Center and the American Planning Association. Main Streets competing in the contest held the responsibility of rallying votes within their local communities and beyond through grassroots marketing efforts and promotions. The contest began May 23rd and concluded on June 20th. Emporia Main Street hopes that winning the Best Main Street contest will result in more visitors, businesses, and development into the core of our community.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EMPORIA MAIN STREET VISIT WWW.EMPORIAMAINSTREET.COM OR FIND THEM ON FACEBOOK AT EMPORIA MAIN STREET. Fall 2016 | 75

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Written by

Lou Ann Thomas

Photography by

Jason Dailey

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Saving one dog may not change the world, but it will surely change the world for that one dog.â&#x20AC;?

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s soon as you drive through the gate and pull into the driveway of the Sullivan home just west of Emporia, Bolt, Ellie, Derek, Bo, and several of their friends show up offering a warm welcome. All are soon joined by Stephanie Sullivan, who is responsible for the first group of greeters being there – or for really being anywhere. You see, Bolt and the others are rescue animals Stephanie and her family, husband Travis and 14-yearold daughter, Taylor, have taken in and now house. It’s highly likely without the Sullivans many of these animals wouldn’t be alive today. It’s a sure bet they wouldn’t be living what appears to be “the good life” on the securely fenced Sullivan property, which is a state licensed rescue. Bolt, a beautiful Bernese Mountain Dog has joint issues and walks with a distinctive limp. “So he just hangs out here,” Stephanie, who’s other full time job is director of the Flint Hills Learning Center, said. Bo, a German Shorthair, is from Iowa and when his owner died, Stephanie and Travis drove there to pick him up. Batch is from Illinois and came to the Sullivan farm six years ago after his owner was deployed to Afghanistan and the dog was taken to a kill shelter. A volunteer pilot group, Pilots and Paws, flew him to Emporia and the Sullivans kept him. Just about every one of the dogs, cats and other animals that now reside at the Sullivan’s came with an unfortunate backstory and were saved from being euthanized. “We can keep this many animals because we have the space and facilities for them. Everyone has their place,” Stephanie says. There’s a barn for the cats, stables for the horses and donkeys, pens for the goats, another barn with indoor and attached outdoor kennels for some of the dogs and the smaller dogs live inside the house. And all have been spayed and neutered, which is a driving point of the rescue and foster work Stephanie does. The family’s rescue work has extended some to include hoofed animals and others, which is in sync with Stephanie’s basic philosophy, which is: “If you can, you should.” And when it comes to animals the Sullivans do. Stephanie can’t remember a time when animal rescue wasn’t a part of her life. Her father was always bringing home stray or injured animals, so she comes by her passion honestly. She tells a story about how her father, who as a young boy, was out plowing with a team of horses one day and accidentally ran over a momma skunk. He knew there were babies and when he found them he brought them back to the farm. Fall 2016 | 79

“The barn cat, who had kittens, nursed them. Dad said they ended up being the best guard dogs ever,” Stephanie said with a laugh. She grew up witnessing her father stopping to pick up turtles or bull snakes along the road. “I guess I was genetically predisposed for rescue work. I was always bringing animals home too. I’m sure Dad must have wondered if he had thought far enough ahead when he hot wired me for rescue,” said Stephanie. But the Emporia area may want to thank him for setting Stephanie on the course that has been a passion her entire life. After moving to the area over 25 years ago, Stephanie became involved with the Buck Animal Welfare Fund, and was named that group’s “Rescue of the Year” in 2008. She remains on the board of that group, as well as serves on the board of Rock ‘n Paw Rescue and has been a member of Friends of Emporia Animal Shelter. According to Sara Kelley, longtime Buck Fund board member, Stephanie continues to be a dedicated and valuable volunteer as well as advocate for animals. “She and her family have always offered to help whenever needed, whether that is their work with the feral cat population, fostering dogs, helping with transfer of animals, whatever is needed, they step up,” said Sara. It takes a lot of time and finances to be active in animal rescue. It can also take a toll on one’s heart. “We see animal cruelty every day and there are times when you have to wear blinders,” Sara said. But when you can help an animal, whether that is through spaying and neutering, rescuing or fostering, it makes the time, money spent and wear and tear on the heart worth it. Fostering is an important piece of what the Sullivans do, and most of the dogs and cats that now live on their farm came there as fosters. Stephanie jokingly refers to them as “foster fails” but, for one reason or another, they managed to win a place in their hearts and earned a permanent place on the farm. Even though it can be difficult to let go of some of the animals that come as fosters, Stephanie said you have to put the fact they are going to a good home above any personal attachment. Taylor, who plans on becoming a veterinarian, admits she would keep every animal that comes through the farm, if she could. 80 | Emporia Living

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“I only let them go when my parents tell me I have to,” said Taylor. Often, once an animal has settled into their new home, the new owners will send letters or photos back. When the Sullivans see the dog, happy with its new humans, it makes it all worthwhile. As was the case with Eli, who came to the Sullivans from the Emporia shelter and eventually a rescue group in Colorado found him a permanent home. “It was really difficult to see him go. But his new family sent photos and I learned he had his own little girl who he got to sleep and play with every day. Knowing that an animal you have fostered has found a loving home is the greatest success. That’s why I do this,” she said. There are rescue organizations all over the country that form a web of safety and help locate well-suited homes for abused, abandoned and previously homeless animals. The Sullivans are one piece of that network and can place animals just about anywhere in the country where a good home is located. Some organizations take and place large breed dogs; some only work with small dogs, some focus on a specific breed, and then there are those, like the Sullivans, who will take just about any animal. A volunteer network of people help transport the animals from one to another in order to move them from foster homes to permanent ones all over the country. The Sullivans are involved in transfer as well, and purchased a mini-van specifically for this purpose. “You could spend as much time and money on this as your life would allow,” said Stephanie. She frequently gets calls about feral cats, which are a problem because they can spread contagious diseases to domestic cats, may fall prey to cruelty and can also be a threat to wildlife. When Stephanie receives a call she quickly heads in that direction to set up humane traps. If the cat can be captured it is spayed or neutered then returned to where it was found.

“You can do something big, or you can do something small. Because whatever you do…it is better than nothing at all.”

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated. I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man.” — Mohandas Gandhi 84 | Emporia Living

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“They have their territory and research indicates spaying and neutering them, then returning them to that territory is the best way to control overpopulation,” said Stephanie. Time spent educating others about responsible pet ownership, including the importance of spaying and neutering, is also a valuable piece of animal rescue. According to Stephanie, a single breeding female and her mate, if left unsterilized and their offspring is also unsterilized, in six years will produce between 65,000 and 70,000 cats. “We hear those who say, ‘I just want to have one litter,’ but what people need to realize is that each member of that litter will result in at least one animal being euthanized,” Stephanie said. Taylor helps with educating the public about pet overpopulation through her talks at 4-H Club Days. She also advocates for fostering and adopting by participating in dog shows with Baxter, a rescue. Together they have won a number of awards for their teamwork and Baxter’s prowess. But for Taylor the best part of her family being involved in animal rescue is the knowledge that they are making a difference. “It’s really cool that we can help animals by saving their lives and keeping them from being euthanized,” she said. It truly does take a village to do that and, Stephanie believes, everyone can be part of it. “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. If you can adopt, adopt. If you can foster, foster. If you can advocate, advocate. If you can contribute financially, then contribute financially,” she said. It all comes back to Stephanie’s philosophy that if you can make a difference, then you need to do so. “Whether that difference is with companion animals, children, the elderly or anyone who needs assistance; if we can, we need to help,” Stephanie said. Eli, Bolt, Baxter, Derek, Bo and all the others that are recipients of the Sullivan’s big hearts and good care couldn’t agree more.

This is how you can help make a difference and give a voice to animals without a voice of their own: Foster

Adopt

Rescue

Advocate

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Sallie Spotlight

Newman Regional Health GROWING NEED FOR HBOT SERVICES Dr. Timothy Harris, 2016 President of Newman Regional Health Medical Staff and General Surgeon, is remarkably humble as he reflects on 25 years of practicing medicine in Emporia. “It's really not that hard,” he says. “Listen to your patients. Be nice. Work hard. Do what you do best.” Harris grew up on a chicken farm in Dodge City, but had no interest in the family business. By the time he was 12 years old, he knew that he not only wanted to be a doctor, he wanted to be a surgeon. “In the 6th grade I joined Medical Explorers, which is like Boy Scouts but for medical fields, and would go to the hospital once a month to learn about different departments,” he recalls. “I knew I wanted to be a surgeon, so I started working my way up. I started in the cafeteria as a Freshman, then in sterile supplies, then in my Senior year of high school, I started training to be a scrub tech back in the operating room.” He continued to work at the hospital while attending junior college, supplementing his income by singing and playing a gunfighter in the Boot Hill Western show. After two years at Dodge City Junior College, Harris transferred to Pittsburg State University where he completed his pre-med degree while continuing to work two jobs. Working toward his ultimate goal, Harris joined the Navy, which paid for him to attend medical school at Kirksville 86 | Emporia Living

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College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, MO. After graduation, he performed his residency in Tulsa, OK, then began active duty with the Navy. Harris spent a year as a surgeon in Jacksonville, FL, before being stationed at Naval Station Rota, Spain, for about two and a half years during Desert Storm. “I was a flight surgeon and head of the surgery department in Spain,” he recalls. “NASA had an alternate landing site north of the base, so I was part of the Space Shuttle rescue team as well.” After four years in the Navy, Harris was ready to return to his native Kansas. In 1991, he interviewed for a position at NRH and settled with his wife and three children in Emporia. “I've been lucky. A lot of times you have to move a couple of times to find the right fit, but this has been a really nice place to work,” he says. “I wanted a town that was about this size with one hospital. It's just a great community.” In addition to his duties as President of Newman Medical Partners and Chief of Staff, Harris is an accomplished general surgeon, lending his skills to everything from breast cancer to melanoma to hernias. He thrives on the variety of problems the

There is a growing need for HBOT services in the community due to the aging society and the challenges incurred with wound healing. Furthermore, there continues to be a rise in diabetes which often accompanies foot ulcers that are very difficult to heal. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can also be utilized with various conditions, such as bone infections, vascular disease or complications from radiation therapy. At NRH, the chambers will add to the services available at the Wound Care Clinic, located on the third floor of the hospital. “We have the surgical capabilities, but the hyperbaric chambers provide another healing modality if a wound isn't responding to other treatment,” Harris says. “It also allows patients to stay close to home rather than adding the burden of travel to treat wounds.” Currently the nearest hyperbaric chamber is in Topeka. Harris said treatments are often required 90 minutes a day, five days a week, making a local option especially attractive. Proceeds from the annual Denim & Diamonds fundraising gala held in August will go toward the purchase and maintenance of the chambers. A desire to improve medical care for the people of Lyon County and the surrounding area is infused in everything Harris does. His vision for the future of medicine in the area is always centered on the patient, reflecting the words that guide him through life.

community brings him, enjoying the daily challenge more than if he were restricted to a single specialty. “I like the variety,” he says. “It's not for everybody, but I like that I go in one room and I'm meeting with a breast cancer patient, another room is a hernia, another room is a brown recluse spider bite, somebody might have an ingrown toenail. It's kind of fun to figure things out.” In addition to his expertise as a surgeon, Harris has been instrumental in identifying medical needs in the community and finding ways to meet them. He was a driving force behind building the Cancer Clinic, and is now spearheading the campaign to purchase and install two hyperbaric chambers. Most people associate Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (also known as HBOT) with the treatment of decompression sickness in scuba divers. In wound care, doctors have found that placing certain patients in a hyperbaric chamber while breathing pure 100% oxygen under atmospheric pressures up to three times higher than normal results in a higher concentration of oxygen to tissue damaged areas and promotes rapid healing.

DR. TIMOTHY P. HARRIS | NEWMAN SURGICAL SERVICES 1301 W. 12TH AVENUE, SUITE 301 | EMPORIA, KS 66801 (620) 342-6161 | WWW.NEWMANRH.ORG Fall 2016 | 87

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LOU ANN THOMAS Photography by JASON DAILEY Written by

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Lynn Knechtel

has an enviable commute to work. From home to work it takes her about a minute. That’s because she and her husband Brad live upstairs from Lynn’s women’s clothing and accessory boutique, Studio 50•4, at 504 Commercial. When Brad and Lynn, who dated since they were 15 and have logged 33 years of marriage, began the relocation process from Las Vegas to Emporia for Brad’s new job as VP of Operations/Supply Chain, they started house hunting. Lynn loved the older homes and brick streets in the Country Club area, but the house she had her eye on sold before they could tour it. In the discussion with the real estate agent after that, Brad offhandedly asked if there were any downtown lofts available. Well, the agent said, he did have a building for sale downtown, but he warned it wasn’t in the best condition. “As soon as we saw the building and the layout, I knew, no matter what condition it was in, we were going to buy it. I knew I could make it my home,” Lynn said. But she admits there was a lot of work ahead before the upstairs could be transformed into a livable loft space. Lynn tore out all the carpets and cleaned and painted the plank floors. They had to patch some of the plaster on the walls, replace some of the stair steps leading up from the ground level and there was a lot of trash that had to be cleared out. There were walls to remove, cabinets to hang and bathrooms to update. The list seemed unending at times. “But the shop area on the ground floor was in good shape,” Lynn said, admitting to feeling more than a little overwhelmed at what was ahead with the upstairs. But refurbishing homes was not new to the Knechtels, who are originally from the Chicago area. While Brad was in the military they spent 10 years overseas and have lived in a variety of places around the country and at one time refurbished five houses in their neighborhood. Although Lynn had never owned her own retail business before moving to Emporia, she had worked as a store manager, in visual merchandising and as a buyer for a major retailer for years. “I really had all the elements I needed to do this on my own,” she said. The street level boutique area in the 1884 circa building originally housed a gentlemen’s clothing store. And according to Casey Woods, director of Emporia Mainstreet, from 1905 to 1911 the building was a billiards hall then in 1923 it became a bank. Much to Lynn’s disappointment many of the original details of the building had been changed or covered up through the years. But the 14-foot high ceilings on the ground level and upstairs were original, and both levels, as well as the basement, each contain a spacious 2,500 square feet. An old freight elevator at the back of the shop connects with the upper level, making carrying groceries and moving things in and out of the loft area much easier. The elevator also played an important role for the Knechtels during the project. The couple purchased the building in August 2012 and opened the boutique in November of that year. Then in late December, while visiting their daughters, Briana and Keyly, in the Lake Tahoe area, Lynn Fall 2016 | 91

was in a near-fatal car accident. With 27 broken bones, among other injuries, she spent almost a month in the hospital in Lake Tahoe. “After that, because we had the elevator, I was able to come home to finish recovery. Since I was in a wheelchair, without the elevator, I wouldn’t have been able to do that. It would have been months before I could have ever climbed the stairs to come home,” Lynn said. After the accident the boutique closed for six months to allow Lynn time to focus on healing. But then, while recovering, she discovered a lump in her breast and was diagnosed with breast cancer. A mastectomy and chemotherapy followed, as did, a year later, one last surgery on Lynn’s hip. The boutique re-opened in June 2013 and, although still in a wheelchair, Lynn never missed a day of greeting and helping customers. “The shop has been a wonderful thing. It has allowed me to meet so many wonderful people that I doubt I would have ever met otherwise,” Lynn said. The Knechtels have participated in upper story tours of downtown buildings and Woods said they have been true leaders in a downtown movement. Sharing their space with others is their way of showing what is possible with downtown living. Their loft is open and airy with neutral sand colored walls offering the perfect backdrop for large, colorful textured textile art blocks and a giant clock face adorning the open living area. A large flat screen television hangs on the south wall with the L-shaped, deep brown overstuffed couch with contrasting pillows providing a place to sit and relax. A pool table is positioned between the couch and kitchen and instead of feeling cramped in the space seems in perfect scale to the large, open room. The kitchen is flooded with natural light from the east windows and features, on the living area side, a raised counter with pendant lighting and three stools where those who like to be close to the action can sit, help out or just keep the cook company. A small eat-in area is centered in the kitchen, but another, larger dining table comfortably seating six or more sits along the north side of the living room. Both are beautifully set with plates and colorful shades of napkins and accessories that pick up, as well as contrast with, the warm earth tones scattered throughout the loft. The space was completely decorated by Lynn, who said, if she were choosing a career today, she would likely be an interior designer.

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“I really love furniture, plates and pillows. I love moving because I get new furniture and get to decorate a new space,” she said. Her flair for creating warm and welcoming spaces is evident everywhere in the loft, but is especially evident in the spacious master bedroom. A wall was removed to make the room larger and along with a California king bed, it houses a cozy sitting area under the large west windows. A love seat and two side chairs make this spot welcoming as a place to read and relax while watching the light move and shift throughout the day. A large walk-in closet opens off the room on the south, as does a door into the comfortably appointed guest room, which also houses a small, corner nook office area. The couple loves to entertain and have opened their living space for various special events becoming true advocates for downtown living. “We love everything about the loft, especially that it’s downtown. We can walk to restaurants. We can walk to grab a drink somewhere. We can walk really anywhere. It’s great! We wish every downtown building with an upstairs was filled with people,” Lynn said. But the couple didn’t stop with the boutique and upstairs loft. They are now working on the basement, where they have already turned an old tornado shelter safe room into a beautiful sauna with teak wood slated, ergonomically shaped lounging bed and benches. As an avid cyclist, Brad also has a bike washing station in the basement and the space houses workout equipment, another comfortable couch sitting area as well as a large projection

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screen television. The Knechtels consider the basement still a work in progress and plan to expose and save the original brick walls and add a closed ceiling, as well as continue to create a fun, hang out area there. According to Woods having the Knechtels living in this downtown building is a way of showing others what is possible. “Lynn and Brad are leading a downtown movement by their example. Talk is cheap, but putting money where your mouth is makes people notice,” he said. Another way the Knechtels are practicing what they preach is in their commitment to supporting the local economy. Through the entire process they have purchased goods and supplies locally and hired local workers whenever possible. Woods said, research indicates that people who live downtown spend 40 percent of their disposable income within walking range. “They don’t have to drive and so will spend more at locally owned businesses in their neighborhood,” he said. Lynn agreed that living downtown means driving less. Before the car accident she was an avid runner and would literally run her errands every day. “I’d run to the bank and post office, then make a big loop around town, stopping by the grocery store then walk home with my groceries,” she said. In fact, she said, after moving here in September of 2012 she was still on her first tank of gas the following March. “We had to drive to Topeka to use up that tank so we could refill,” she said with a laugh. Just one more reason to envy Lynn’s commute.

Lynn’s Tips

for those considering a downtown building: 1. Look at the bones of the building and focus on the overall condition. Overlook superficial blemishes or years of clutter that often accompany older downtown buildings. 2. Be okay with imperfections. These are not perfect buildings. Most are 130 years old. You can cover up a lot, but there will always be some imperfections. 3. Check plumbing and electrical carefully, and note lighting. Also be sure to get all other standard inspections completed. 4. Be willing to get dirty. Plan on doing a lot of the work yourself. The Knechtel’s estimate they did more than 90 percent of the work themselves, including painting 14-foot high walls in the loft and hallway. 5. Be sure to check zoning. Most downtown buildings are zoned retail on the street level, but zoning can be different for the upper stories. Be sure your building is zoned for residential use, if you plan to live there. 6. And lastly, just do it. “Move downtown. It’s so much fun. You can do it! Absolutely you can do it,” Lynn said.

Sallie Spotlight “Emporia used to be a social center of the Midwest,” Philip said. “We wanted to be a part of bringing that back. We saw a need for clean, safe, value-driven establishments, for everyone not just college students.” “Our entire business model is to keep as many dollars as possible in Downtown Emporia,” he continued. “We take that as a great responsibility, so we put a lot of those dollars back into Emporia. We believe Emporia is truly primed for a growth spurt, and a vibrant nightlife is part of that.” The Brickyard’s building has a 90 year history that was a large part of what appealed to the partners, in addition to its prime location. Over the years, the former lumberyard has served as a market, music shop, various restaurants and bars, and they quickly discovered that many Emporians have a history of their own with the building. “When we started talking to people in the community, we were absolutely blown away by the number of people who had a connection to that building,” Patrick said. “That was a motivating factor for us to bring it back to what people remembered and allow them to enjoy it again.”

The Brickyard 20 Ale House

Owners: Patrick Schreiner, Cathy Schreiner, Philip Wilson

“Is it good for me? Is it good for my business? Is it good for the community?” These are the three questions business partners Patrick Schreiner, Cathy Schreiner and Philip Wilson ask themselves at every stage of creating and growing a business. After purchasing and reinventing the building at 4th Avenue and Merchant Street, they opened The Brickyard 20 Ale House as a unique nighttime destination. The partnership along with local investors then set their sights on the The Dugout at 519 East 12th Avenue, to once again serve Emporia State University’s students and the surrounding area neighborhoods. Featuring a large covered patio, open air indoor seating with a large overhead door, oversized televisions and multiple pool tables, The Dugout has again become Emporia’s favorite sports bar. 98 | Emporia Living

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INCLUSIVITY The Brickyard 20 Ale House is unlike any other bar or club in Emporia. The multi-faceted location offers a wide variety of nightlife adventures. From dancing in the red room, live music on one of two stages either indoor or on Emporia’s largest outdoor patio, to competing and performing in karaoke competitions or dart and pool leagues. “Our thought process was to have a clean, safe, comfortable environment for everyone to enjoy as well as a place for anyone from age 18 and up to come have a good time,” Patrick said. To that end, The Brickyard 20 Ale House has a full calendar of activities for anyone in the community to enjoy, from live music to karaoke to special events like a party on the patio to welcome back the college students in September. Plans are also under way to re-open the restaurant in the back of the building. LIVE MUSIC & KARAOKE Music has always been a big part of the partners’ lives, and they wanted to add that element to The Brickyard. Philip explained, “It's a piece of building a vibrant downtown, so we've brought in live music on Saturday nights. We bring in all genres – country, blues, rock and roll, hip hop, '80s and '90s hits. Everybody is invited!” The Brickyard's karaoke competition is unlike anything Emporia has seen before. In addition to cash and sponsored prizes, the winners have been given the opportunity to sing on an even larger

SOCIAL

Watch for details on a special ladies-only "Sallie Social" hosted by Brickyard 20 Ale House this Spring 2017!

stage. Competition winners have opened for John Michael Montgomery at the Lyon County Fair as well as the KISS cover band, Almost KISS, when they performed at the Brickyard Street Festival. The third competition runs this Fall. Ultimately the partners would like to host large music festivals in Emporia and have begun laying the foundation to make that happen. To improve the growth of Emporia businesses by allowing businesses to work together to bring people downtown, the partners have helped form the Downtown Emporia Bar Association (DEBA). Together, the proprietors of Mulready’s, Radius, Town Royal, The Brickyard 20 Ale House and Charlie’s Place are coordinating events including pub crawls and street sweeps. SAFE-RIDE BUS Central to the mission of creating a safe environment is the Safe Ride Bus that ferries patrons to and from both The Brickyard and the Dugout. The Safe Ride Bus extends the offer for all individuals to go out for the evening and arrive back home safe. The Safe Ride Bus as well as space within The Brickyard

20 Ale House is available for private events and is pressed into service for big events downtown, such as the Glass Blown Open and the PGDA in August. “The partnership is considering adding a second bus to serve more of the area, particularly the hotels located on the West side of Emporia,” Philip said. TEAM UP FOR TEAM HOPE Giving back to the community through philanthropic ventures is also important to the partners. This year The Brickyard will host the second annual Team Up fundraiser in conjunction with Team Hope Worldwide by hosting a runway fashion show to help raise money for Team Hope Foundation Worldwide's cancer fund, a local organization giving 100% of its proceeds back to the community. With their core principles in sight at all times - is it good for me? is it good for my business? is it good for the community? - the partners are excited about the direction things are moving in Emporia and all agree, “Emporia has been good to us, good to our business and we strive to be good for the community.”

THE BRICKYARD 20 ALE HOUSE 402 MERCHANT ST. | EMPORIA, KS 66801 | (620) 208-6084 | BRICKYARD20ALEHOUSE.COM Fall 2016 | 99

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Emporia's

Professional

Man of

Leisure Photography by Jason Dailey

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If you’ve met Jake Dalton you’ll likely never forget him.

A collector of just about anything and everything, Jake and his dad own and operate one of the oldest and most eclectic antique stores in Emporia, Dalton Gang Antique Mall. Although his extensive and eclectic collection of antique metal signs are definitely something to see, Emporia’s own self-proclaimed “Professional Man of Leisure” is likely what brings most people through the doors of the store on 502 S. Commerical St. With “Classic Vinyls” playing on XM radio and the usual posse of Jake’s and his dad’s buddies hanging out just inside the door….which may actually be “the” Dalton Gang....you can’t help but just want to stay a while. And if you do, you’ll laugh a lot, probably be handed a beer -- or two -- and you won’t leave without a couple good stories behind many of the vintage metal signs that hang high above. On the pages that follow Jake introduces “Sallie” to some of the signs that are among his favorites. And many may look familiar, harkening back to Emporia’s yesteryear. Fall 2016 | 103

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The signs, hanging throughout the store, don’t have price tags on them. “They aren’t for sale, but they can be bought,” he said. Fall 2016 | 105

"Everything's for sale," he said. "But I'm not very serious about sellingâ&#x20AC;Śeven my kids. Don't put that in there," he said, chuckling. 106 | Emporia Living

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MELISSA LOWERY Photography by JASON DAILEY Written by

Gena Jones and Tara Davis never expected to become leaders for local moms, but now they spend their days caring for their families, running a business and managing the newly reinvigorated MOPS - Mothers of Preschoolers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; group in Emporia.

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MOPS gives space to moms to share our stories, realize our lives are normal (if a bit crazy) and help each other get through this season of life with grace.

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ena and Tara were friends in high school, cheerleading at Emporia High School and working together at Dairy Queen. After graduation, Tara moved around the country with her husband while he served with the Air Force, while Gena earned her teaching degree and taught for a few years. Shortly after Tara and her family returned to Emporia, she and Gena renewed their friendship, this time bonding as mothers of young children. Gena and her husband are parents to Kyson, age 4, and Cora, age 2; Tara and her husband are parents to Maycee, age 6, and Malloree, age 2. They had heard about MOPS from other moms who lamented the lack of a local group, but both had infants and didn't feel like they had time to get involved. Several months later, when their youngest children were each about a year old, Gena felt prompted to seriously consider starting a MOPS group. “I randomly received a flyer about MOPS in my mailbox at church,” Gena recalls, “but I'd just had Cora and wasn't ready to do anything. Then during Bible study, one of the authors we read was the CEO of MOPS, and Tara and a couple of the other women in our group encouraged me to look into it. I realized that I would need a lot of help – it's not a one person job, it's not even a two person job – so I asked Tara to help me.” It was December 2014 when Gena and Tara decided to start the group. Gena had recently quit teaching to stay home with her children, while Tara and her husband were about to embark on a new business venture – opening an Orange Leaf frozen yogurt shop in downtown Emporia. Between their responsibilities at home and starting a new business, the duo devoted their free time to training as MOPS coordinators, reviewing the materials and visiting other MOPS groups in Kansas. “Our first meeting was in April 2015,” Gena says. “It was a lot of work between December and April to get started, and even now we're doing something every day, even if it's just answering emails.” Reactions were positive from the start and proved that there was a need for support of this kind for local moms. “The response we received from the moms from the very beginning showed us that this is needed,” Tara said. “I can't tell you how many times we've heard someone say, 'I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one thinking or feeling this way!'” Fall 2016 | 113

Leah Green is one of them. A stay at home mom to Jack, 3, and Esther, 1, Leah appreciates the opportunity to connect with other moms and share the challenges and triumphs of parenting small children. "Other than getting to eat an entire meal uninterrupted, the best part of MOPS is meeting other moms," Leah said. "Having little kids can be lonely -- it's hard to get out of the house and harder to connect with others when you're chasing down your littles. But MOPS gives space to moms to share our stories, realize our lives are normal (if a bit crazy) and help each other get through this season of life with grace." Melissa Herring, mother to three boys, Aiden, 12; Mitchell, 8; and Takoda, 2; not only enjoys the social element of MOPS, but is in a position to also provide adivce and guidance to moms with younger children. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would say the best thing about being a member of Emporia MOPS is being able to help others by giving advice, testimonies of what God has done through my life, and just giving a listening ear." About 20 moms attended that first meeting, held during the day, while about 40 attending the following meeting, held in the evening. After surveying the moms, Gena and Tara decided to hold meetings in the evenings twice each month during the school year, with informal gatherings during the summer. For the 2015-2016 session, the group had 71 registered moms and 60-70 registered children.

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THESE SALONS WILL MAKE YOU FEEL BEAUTIFUL FROM HEAD TO TOE!

MOPS meets on the 2nd Monday of the month from 9am - 11am AND on the 4th Monday from 5:45pm 7:45pm at Messiah Lutheran Church, 1101 Neosho St. https://www.facebook.com/groups/EmporiaMOPS/

Gena and Tara gathered a leadership team of 19 moms who help plan, prepare and oversee the meetings. Each month has a theme that they build around, such as wellness, love and marriage, infant loss and finances. During the meetings there are speakers, crafts and time for support and encouragement. Childcare is provided and separate meals are served. “Our surveys show that crafts are the mamas favorite activities, but getting to sit and eat without hearing 'Mom! Mom! Mom!' definitely ranks high on the list,” Tara said with a laugh. “It's a nice break for the mamas to come and spend time together talking and learning.” Fees to attend MOPS are modest – about $75 per year for national and local dues – but the coordinators are determined to make sure any mom who wants to be part of the group is able to do so. To that end, they have scholarships available, thanks in part to donations from the Emporia Kiwanis. “We don't want money to be a reason you can't join us,” Tara said. “We'll find a way to get you here.” Part of the group's success is due to the support given by Messiah Lutheran Church, where both Gena and Tara are members, and community volunteers. “The church has been so supportive,” Gena said. “They help us with fees and provide us with plenty of space for our meetings. One of our leadership team members is the cheerleading coach at ESU, so she has the cheerleaders help out with childcare as part of their community services. We couldn't do this without them or the facilities provided by the church.” MOPS is for moms of children from birth-kindergarten, which means Gena and Tara have a few more years before their own children will age them out of the group. They are already thinking about what to do when the time comes, however. “There's a group called Mom's Next, which is for moms of school age kids up to age 18,” Gena said. “I already told Tara that when our kids get older, we're going to start Mom's Next!” That's just fine with Tara, who has no desire to leave MOPS any time soon. “We've been told that most coordinators only do it for two years,” Tara said, “but I'm just having too much fun!”

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Sallie Spotlight

Rhinestones & Rust Boutique welcomes new arrival Rhinestones & Rust is considered a unique shopping experience in downtown Emporia. Owned by sisters, Amy McClelland and Megan Broyles along with their sister-in-law Danielle Albert it is truly a family affair. While starting the business in Madison in September 2012, the ladies moved to Emporia a year ago. The energy and support of the Emporia downtown shoppers was motivation for the move to Emporia. Filling a particular niche of DIY, Décor, and Baby Gifts has helped them fit right in to downtown. While some of the trends have changed the one thing they pride themselves on, customer service hasn’t changed. Upon shopping if a customer can’t find what they are searching for they have a “wish list” or by helping a customer that needs tips or suggestions for projects. UNIQUE DÉCOR, PROJECT PIECES & COLLECTIBLES The store has a nice mix of new and old—vintage with a splash of new. The new comes easy, order and stock the store. The old however is a different story. Most of their old pieces come from auctions, estate sales, scouring the yard sales, or digging in old buildings or barns. The store inventory is constantly changing. The girls love to add new items to the floor and keep their customers coming back. Co-owner Amy says “The fun is finding it, the hauling, cleaning and pricing, well that’s not the exciting part. The real thrill is when a customer buys the piece and tells you why they must have it.” 118 | Emporia Living

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Rhinestones & Rust has something for everybody. They have antique and vintage furniture. The furniture paint trend has gained momentum for many reasons. Megan says “Probably the biggest reason older furniture is desired is it is built sturdier and with better craftsmanship. It is also easy to personalize it to fit a customer’s style.” Rhinestones & Rust also has a variety of oil and gas collectibles, new and old lighting, florals, reclaimed wood signs and much more. “We see trends from Pinterest and DIY shows that influence what customers are looking for. This spring and summer the cotton picks and boxwood wreaths have been popular following the use of them on the show The Fixer Upper.” says Danielle.

PAINT & DIY Rhinestones & Rust became a stockist for Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan 3 years ago. Getting this paint was a huge advantage for Rhinestones & Rust; the paint itself had gathered quite a following in the area and around the country for its beautiful colors, varied techniques available, and its overall ease of use. This paint saves so much time in the refinishing process as there is no stripping and no prepping of the surface required. Other great products they carry are the Miss Mustard Seed® Milk Paints and Artisan Enhancements® Finishing Products. Megan, Amy and Danielle all have had training for these products and love to share tips and tricks with their customers. These brands are exclusive to small

stores and Rhinestones & Rust goes above and beyond to offer their knowledge of the products before and after the sell. The Boneyard is another feature of the store that has been a hit. This section of the store offers unfinished pieces and parts to get started on your very own project. From dressers, desks, and tables to old windows, picture frames, and odd pieces that customers can purchase. Along with the paint they sell stencils, hardware, and other accessories to finish projects. “We have regular customers that check in often to see what’s new in the Boneyard. It’s definitely set us apart as a destination for projects” Megan says. Rhinestones & Rust offers a variety of classes for instruction on the paints or fun classes to complete a project. Co-owner Danielle instructs the classes and offers prescheduled classes or she can be contacted to set up a private class. According to Danielle “Sometimes it’s easiest to learn the product by working with them in a class before purchasing the product.” BABY GIFT BOUTIQUE The newest addition to Rhinestones & Rust is the Lucy Goose Baby Gift Boutique. This past January, after visiting similar shops in Waco, TX they discovered another idea that would be a good fit in Emporia. Thus the idea of coordinating a baby gift boutique with their unique vintage, antique and repurposed items was fashioned. Adorable gifts include outfits, nursery décor, baby books, blankets and stuffed animals.

LOCATED AT 618 MERCHANT | TUESDAY-SATURDAY 10-5 RHINESTONES & RUST DOESN’T FIT INTO ANY CERTAIN CATEGORY, BUT SHOPPERS ARE ASSURED OF ONE THING — ALWAYS EXPECT TO FIND THE UNEXPECTED! Fall 2016 | 119

REGINA MURPHY Photography by JASON DAILEY Written by

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Emporia, summer and ice cream are a perfect match and have been for decades. Accounts of the early latter century document rascally boys who would jump on the refrigerated cars of parked trains to grab ice chips. William Allen White once wrote of how, when touring rural Emporia, a farmer drove up with a load of iced watermelons to share with White's guest: Theodore Roosevelt. And, of course historical cookbooks have recipes for snow cream, glacés and iced custards that could be hand-cranked in a blanket of salted ice. Fortunately, ice cream is now a common asset to any hot summer day, and a Walker family recipe can be added to the list of delights from Sallie's Kitchen. Ashley Walker, wife of Christopher White Walker, shares memories of this family heirloom dish. “It was my mom's recipe, but she said she got it from her neighbor and then tweaked it to make it her own,” Walker said. Her parents are Ann and Steve Knecht of Emporia. “I don't remember ever not having it,” she said. “It really is a summer staple for our family. I usually make my first batch in May; it's foolproof and tastes delicious every, single time.” Walker remains faithful to the original. “We don't venture off,” she said. “We like simple, vanilla ice cream with hot fudge sauce.” The fudge sauce was supposedly a secret recipe from a pastor in Kansas City “The hot fudge and the ice cream go together,” Walker said. “You never make one without the other.”

The extended family has ice cream freezers at home and at vacation homes to make sure they never have to do without. “I just use the cheap freezers,” Walker said. “They all seem to do the job, and then they wear out in a couple of years and you get a new one.” The family tends to vary the hot fudge to ice cream ratio, also, from very little in Walker's case, to (according to her) mostly fudge and peanuts in her husband's case. “I associate this ice cream with being with family and friends,” she said. “When we have company in the summer, that's what they get. “And everyone knows,” she laughed. “When we're in large gatherings, we make it constantly.” Ashley feels this recipe is truly part of the fabric of their lives. "The recipe itself isn’t anything extraordinary or unusual, but the good memories of being together when we enjoy it, definitely is something special,” she said. “And I hope the tradition will continue with our kids when they have families of their own.” Even though she has it memorized, Walker always makes sure to get out the recipe — just in case. “We've always used raw eggs,” she said. “ I guess just because we never wanted to take the time to cook it. But in over 40 years we’ve never had any problems.” For those who wish, a traditional cooked-egg custard might work as well. Maybe. But I wouldn't bother.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I associate this ice cream with being with family and friends.â&#x20AC;?

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Walker's Vanilla Ice Cream • 2.5 cups sugar • 6 eggs • 1 can evaporated milk and 1 large whipping cream OR 2 evaporated milks and 1 small whipping cream • 4 Tablespoons vanilla extract • Almost a half gallon of whole milk Mix eggs and sugar together. Add the Pet milk and whipping cream ... mix until frothy. Add a little less than a half gallon of milk and mix. Pour into ice cream freezer and freeze ice cream according to freezer instructions.

“Sallie’s Kitchen” celebrates the culinary history of the White Family, from Sallie Lindsay White to present day. Future articles will call upon presentday master cooks in the Emporia area. Regina Murphy is the Features Editor of The Emporia Gazette.

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CHASE COUNTY UPCOMING EVENTS SEPTEMBER • 9-11 - Starry Night on the Prairie Art Retreat • 16 & 17 - School Market Days Saffordville • 24 - WoodFest Camp Wood • 24 - Race the Chase NOVEMBER • 25 & 26 - Chase County Christmas For more information on these and other Chase County events: chasecountychamber.org

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