Active Living Great Bend May-June 2019

GREAT G REAT BEND May/June 2019

SENIOR PETS FOR SENIORS ACUPUNCTURE: A HOLISTIC OPINION FOR ACHES AND PAINS GET HEALTHY FASTER WITH GROUP FITNESS ARE YOU A HOME SHOPPING ADDICT?

WELLNESS

Are You a Home Shopping Addict?

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By Caitlin Watzke

ome shopping channels make it easy to make purchases from the comfort of your couch. They present viewers with a “buy now” urgency, and they allow customers to divide purchases into monthly payments, which may make items seem more affordable.

If boxes from home shopping channels

are piling up on your doorstep, or if you have gone into debt from making too many purchases from those channels, you may have a shopping addiction.

Use the Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale, developed by researchers at the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Bergen in Norway, to recognize symptoms of shopping addiction.

Home shopping channels make it easy for consumers to shop from the comfort of their couches

BERGEN SHOPPING ADDICTION SCALE

Answers: (0) completely disagree (1) disagree (2) neither disagree nor agree (3) agree (4) completely agree 1. You think about shopping/buying things all the time.

2. You shop/buy things in order to change your mood.

3. You shop/buy so much that it negatively affects your daily obligations (e.g., school and work).

4. You feel you have to shop/buy more and more to obtain the same satisfaction as before.

5. You have decided to shop/buy less but have not been able to do so.

6. You feel bad if you, for some reason, are prevented from shopping/buying things.

7. You shop/buy so much that it has impaired your well-being.

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0 0 0

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If you scored “agree” or “completely agree” on four or more of the seven items, you may have a shopping addiction. If you think you have a shopping addiction, you may want to visit a therapist who can provide cognitive-behavioral treatment, join the closest Debtors Anonymous group or get credit counseling.

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INGREDIENTS • 1 Granny Smith apple, quartered • 4 cups baby kale, beet greens, arugula and spinach, mixed • 2 large lemons, quartered • 4 large carrots • 4 asparagus spears • 6 celery stalks • 1 cup fresh parsley • 1 cucumber, unpeeled

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contents MAY/JUNE 2019

19 Group Fitness

20

Get Healthy Faster with

Exercises to Reduce Symptoms of Arthritis P.10

P2. Wellness

Are You a Home Shopping Addict?

P5. Gardening

P14. Feature

Find a Way to Dream and Achieve

The Sustainable Garden: Grow Your Own Food Using Kitchen Scraps

P16. Finance

P7. Pets

P17. Grandchildren

Pickpocket Alert!

Financial Defense Tips

Senior Pets for Seniors

Let’s Go Fly a Kite!

P8. Relationships

P18. Safety

4 Tips on Relationships with Your Grown Children P11. Recipe

Grilled Salmon & Kale Salad P12. Nutrition

The Importance of Vitamin B Complex P13. Holistic Medicine

Acupuncture: An Option for Aches and Pains

4

Great Bend A heart for

Smoke Alarms Save Lives

3

Super Green Energy Juice

The Sustainable Garden

GARDENING

Grow Your Own Food Using Kitchen Scraps

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By Michelle Fouchi Esneault

he price of produce rises each year. Do your wallet and the Earth a favor by recycling your kitchen scraps to grow a garden that will provide you with food for many seasons.  Spring Onions, Scallions, Onions, Leeks and Fennel can all be regrown by placing 1 inch of their roots cut side up in an inch of water. Place in a sunny window and you will see sprouts in three to five days. Transplant into the garden a few weeks later.  Romaine and Leaf Lettuces, Celery and Cabbage can be grown similarly. Keep moist by misting often. Once they sprout, plant and harvest in just a few weeks.  Carrots, Turnips, Beets and Parsnips are grown by rooting tops in an inch of water. Once you see roots, plant directly into your garden and harvest in about two and a half months.  Sweet Potatoes can be planted whole.

When the shoots grow 4 inches, remove and replant them. They will be ready to harvest in four months.

Start with the best quality vegetables you can and you’ll be rewarded with great tasting food from your own garden.

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR TO ATTEND Great Bend Tribune’s

Tuesday, September 24 3:30pm - 7:00pm Great Bend Events Center Admission is FREE

Exhibits Galore, Demonstrations Door Prize winners every 15 minutes with GRAND PRIZE drawing at 6:45pm

Executive Publishers H.G. FOX, SR. SUZANNE FOX

PUBLISHED BY THE GrEaT BEnD TrIBUnE Mary Hoisington, Publisher LOCaL rEPOrTInG: Veronica Coons LOCaL PHOTOGraPHY: Hugo Gonzalez DESIGn: Hugo Gonzalez SaLES: Tammy Mason Diane Lacy-Trostle

Inspire Health/Active Living Great Bend 2012 Forest Ave. Great Bend, KS 67530 InspireHealth@gbtribune.com 620-792-1211 All copy and advertising in Active Living are copyrighted and cannot be reproduced without permission

Editor CAITLIN WATZKE Contributing Writers TAMARA CHARBONNET WHITNEY ALEXANDRA PATRICIA DANFLOUS MICHELLE ESNEAULT Production Manager DEBBIE WELDON

Creative Director JENNIFER CABALLERO Art Director TRA PHAM Graphic Design GABBI MORAN Web/Digital Design NEAL BOYD Sales Team CHARLOTTE V. MORRIS LAUREN CALVE' VIVIAN DUGAS KELLY SMITH

© 2019 Jumpstart Publishing, LLC, New Orleans, LA All rights reserved Printed in the USA by Fox Print Services, igofox.com The information contained in Active Living is intended for educational purposes only. A reader should never substitute information contained in Active Living for the advice of a health care professional. Jumpstart Publishing, LLC and publishers of Inspire Health, do not endorse or promote any of the products or services described in the pages of Active Living and the publishers do not verify the accuracy of any claims made in the editorial or advertisements contained in IActive Living. Readers should not use the information in Active Living for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. Readers should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or have or suspect they have a health problem.

Senior Pets

PETS

for Seniors

By Neal Boyd

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here are a lot of older cats and dogs looking for humans they can relate to. Pets have much to offer, from helping reduce stress to providing unmatched companionship.

We spoke with Alicia Haefele at the Louisiana SPCA and discussed why adopting an older animal might be a perfect choice for a mature adult.

COMPATIBILITY When searching for the perfect pet, you should consider how compatible you and your new friend’s energy levels are. For an older dog, a few minutes strolling in the backyard may be all the exercise they need. Similarly, older cats spend most of their days sleeping (in the best cases, right in the owner’s lap).

BENEFITS Unlike puppies and A senior pet is kittens, a sealready grown up, nior pet is also the pet you meet ready grown up, so the is the pet you get. pet you meet is the pet you the country, many of which get. Many already know what reduce or waive adoption it’s like to be part of a family, costs completely. Contact as a large number are brought your local shelter to see if to shelters due to situations you have a new friend waitlike major illness, divorce or ing for you, or use online relocation to non-pet friendly resources like PetsForTheElresidences. Additionally, most derly.org or SrDogs.com. of them are already house Senior pets are steadily trained, allowing you to spend increasing in number at shelmore quality time getting to ters as owners find themselves know your little partner as unable to properly care for opposed to training them. them due to age or other circumstances. By taking part SENIOR PET PROGRAMS in a senior pets program, you’ll There are “senior pets for make life better for yourself seniors” programs at shelters and for a dog or cat who simand animal rescues across ply wants to adore you.

Spring 2019

7

RELATIONSHIPS

4 Tips on Relationships with Your Grown Children

By Caitlin Watzke

Share hobbies.

As your kids grow older, it can be a challenge to find time to spend together. Take an interest in their hobbies, or find activities that you both enjoy, and meaningful conversation will naturally follow.

Don’t make them choose sides.

As your kids get married and have their own children, scheduling conflicts will naturally arise. They might spend some holidays with their in-laws, and they will start making new family traditions. Try your best to be understanding – it is important for them to create traditions of their own.

R

elationships with your adult children can be tricky.

They’re not kids anymore, and you shouldn’t treat them as such, but they’re still your kids, and you want to ensure your relationship with them is nurtured in a healthy way. The key is finding the proper balance between being their parent and being their friend. Here are four ways to strengthen your relationship with your grown kids: Give advice only when asked.

Holding your tongue will be difficult, but it’s important for

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Take an interest in their hobbies, or find activities that you both enjoy. them to learn to solve problems on their own. There are exceptions, and you should offer guidance when they are facing a major crisis. However, on a daily basis, try to refrain from putting in your two cents. Your children will come to you when they need advice, and they will appreciate your input.

Set guidelines for loans.

There may come a time when your child asks you for a loan. Be upfront with them if you are unable to help. If you decide to loan them the money, make sure your terms are clear.

Determine whether you will charge them interest, and have a set schedule of when they will pay you back.

Committed to caring for these communities.

Make an appointment at one of our locations Family Medicine 1309 Polk St. Great Bend, KS 67530 620-792-5341 Great Bend Campus 514 Cleveland St. Great Bend, KS 67530 620-792-8833 Medical Pavilion 620-792-2151

Expert physicians and healthcare professionals at The University of Kansas Health System locations in Great Bend provide primary and specialty services to meet the needs of you and your family. And, as part of the region’s premier academic health system, we offer access to more specialists and resources to ensure the continued good health of the communities we serve.

Learn more at kansashealthsystem.com/community.

St. Rose Medical Pavilion 3515 Broadway Ave. Great Bend, KS 67530 620-792-2511

EXERCISE

Exercises to Reduce

Symptoms of Arthritis By: Tami Charbonnet Photos: Milestone Photography Model: Tonia Bonvillain

Research shows that arthritis patients who stretch regularly and strength train have less pain than those who are sedentary.

Exercise can boost your mood, strengthen muscles around painful joints and improve overall joint function. Here are four exercises you can do at home to build strength and decrease pain caused by arthritis. As always, consult a doctor before starting an exercise plan.

❷ STANDING TRICEPS KICKBACKS

❸ CAT STRETCH • Come to floor onto knees and hands. Tuck in chin, take a deep breath in and lift the spine by bringing belly button into body.

Exhale and release.

• Repeat 5- 10 deep breaths.

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➊ UPPER BACK AND SHOULDER STRETCH • Stand tall.

• Bring elbows out to sides even with shoulders.

Turn forearms upward and fingertips toward ceiling, creating a W shape. Tuck chin in and squeeze shoulder blades together, drawing elbows downward.

•Repeat 5 to 10 repetitions.

2 • Stand with heels slightly outside hips. Ground down through heels. Keep knees soft. Tip from hips and bring weights in line with shoulders. Keep elbows in tight and lift to ribs.Locking elbows, press weights toward hips. Do not rush this movement.

• Repeat 10-20 repetitions per side.

1

3

RECIPE

Grilled Salmon and Kale Salad Serves 2

SALAD • ½ bag of chopped fresh kale, cleaned and deveined • 1 bag of baby spinach • ½ cup thinly sliced red onion • 1 cup fresh, thinly sliced Granny Smith apple • 1 Tbsp. crushed almonds • 1 thinly sliced avocado • 4 oz. grilled salmon • Sprinkle of feta cheese DRESSING • Lemon wedges • Olive oil • Salt • Pepper 1. Build salad in two bowls in order of ingredients.

2. Squeeze fresh lemon and drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil with salt and pepper to taste.

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NUTRITION

Use this checklist to be sure you are eating fresh food filled with enough B vitamins.

Immune System Health: B1 (Thiamine) Whole grains, kale, wheat germ, legumes, spinach Fight Free Radicals: B2 (Riboflavin) Soybeans, almonds, eggs, milk, spinach Boost Good Cholesterol: B3 (Niacin) Beans, fresh green vegetables Healthy Hormones: B5 (Pantothenic Acid) Avocados, legumes, yogurt

The Importance of

Vitamin B Complex

N

ow more than ever, it is important to ensure you are getting essential vitamins and nutrients to keep your body fueled and energized.

A deficiency in the eight essential vitamins of the B complex may cause

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By Tami Charbonnet ailments like fatigue, memory loss, migraine headaches and unhealthy hair and skin.

“Taking a B complex vitamin will not create heightened alertness or energy the way caffeine does,” says Dr. Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of The Miracle

Carb Diet: Make Calories and Fat Disappear – with Fiber. “Chances are the average person is already getting plenty of B vitamins from the food they eat.”

Consult a physician before changing or adding to your diet or exercise plan.

Reduce Inflammation: B6 (Pyridoxine) Carrots, turkey, tuna, salmon, len lentils, chia seeds, brown rice Help Control Diabetes: B7 (Biotin) Potatoes, fish, nuts, egg yolks, barley Help Control Depression and Memory Loss: B9 (Folic Acid) Beans, bulgur wheat, asparagus, dark leafy greens Healthy Production of Red Blood Cells and Iron Absorption: B12 (Cobal (Cobalamin) Fish, shellfish, dairy, eggs, beef and pork

HOLISTIC MEDICINE

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have found that each acupuncturist has a unique style and often combines aspects of Eastern and Western approaches to medicine. To determine which acupuncture treatment will benefit you most, your practitioner may ask about your symptoms and lifestyle and examine:

Acupuncture An Option for Aches and Pains

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By Tami Charbonnet

he Chinese have practiced acupuncture for thousands of years. In the Western world, we often grimace at the idea of needles being inserted into our bodies, but we should consider acupuncture as a holistic approach to relieve aches and pains.

While most Western practitioners study the systems of

the body, Eastern practitioners focus on a “system of energetic meridians that course throughout the body.” (Hong Wellness Clinic) In acupuncture, there are specific pressure points allowing a pathway or connection to the body’s energetic meridian or “chi.” If we have pain, energy is considered negative and may be relieved by accessing specific pressure points with acupuncture.

• The parts of your body that are painful • The shape, coating and color of your tongue • The color of your face • The strength, rhythm and quality of the pulse in your wrist

According to renowned holistic physician and author, Andrew Weil, M.D., the goal of acupuncture is to restore a balance of energy in the body and help relieve symptoms of serious disorders, including: • Anxiety • Depression • Nausea and vomiting • Rheumatoid arthritis • Osteoarthritis • Fibromyalgia • Migraine headaches • Fatigue • Chronic lower back pain • Dental pain

Spring 2019

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© Ranier Hosch

FEATURE

Find a Way to Dream and Achieve

Endurance Swimmer Diana Nyad Shares Life Experience

By Patricia Danflous

Some call her crazy. Some say passionate.

Others describe her as a goal-oriented, driven survivor.

It’s “good friend” to those who know her well.

A

t 66, Diana Nyad graciously accepts such defining adjectives and the dozens of others linked to her name over the years. She’s earned them, along with a place in history.

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Nyad is the super, first-ever athlete to swim non-stop from Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Florida. In 2013 she completed the 53-hour swim through more than 110 miles of jellyfish and shark-infested Gulf waters. It

was her fifth attempt for a dream that began at the age of 28.

Not long after a two-month tour promoting Find A Way, an intimate memoir, the super-fit Nyad took time to talk to Active Living.

You are in fantastic shape. What type of diet do you follow?

Training for Cuba was an extreme enterprise. That is not eating as normal, that is fueling for as many as 17 hours a day of training. Some days I was eating as many as 12,000, 14,000 calories. When I am not training, I try to just eat what my body needs. Not that I don’t sit down and eat the occasional ice cream cone, but I am not going to eat slabs of pizza, that is just not going to digest right and give me very little fuel. So I just eat what would make absolute common sense if you paid attention.

Does age make a difference to you?

What is old? Does it mean that you can’t get up out of your seat easily? Can you run down the street and catch a bus? I do those things at the level of a bad ass. I can look in a mirror and certainly see that I have lines on the face and breasts that are hanging a little lower than they used to. I am aging, but I don’t feel any of the

© Christi Barli

ravages of time at the moment.

How do you start the day?

It doesn’t matter where I am or how little sleep I have had, I always get up before the sun. I work out with a two and a half hour kick ass series of exercises that are sort of taken from the military and my own training experience. After that workout you are ready to catch the tiger by the tail.

There is no question that you are physically fit, how do you maintain your mental health?

My mental health comes down to reflecting – am I upholding the ethics and morals I believe in? Am I upholding

“I can look in a mirror and certainly see that I have lines on the face and breasts that are hanging a little lower than they used to. I am aging, but I don’t feel any of the ravages of time at the moment.” the values I have come to cherish? If I feel I am, then I think my mental health is in balance.

You are very open in discussing personal

© Dawn Blomgren © Dawn Blomgren

issues in Find A Way. What does “find a way” mean to you?

Whether you are looking to fulfill a dream or whether you are in a do or die circumstance, such as facing cancer, you can find a way if you just don’t give up; dig down to every ounce of your resources; but also have the grace to say, I turned every corner, I overturned every stone; I tried and now I have to find my way to peace and grace and let this dream go. When I say find a way, I say get up, get engaged with your

own life and the lives of others.

You recently announced Everwalk, a movement crusade.

What is your focus with this project?

We have become a sedentary society. We have forgotten what simple movement is.

You don’t have to be a triathlete, just get up and walk. Walk before the day starts, walk after dinner with your friends, or walk two miles to get lunch.

You can find more information about Nyad’s walk at everwalk.com.

Spring 2019

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FINANCE

Pickpocket Alert!

Financial Defense Tips

W

ho do you trust with your money? Your spouse? Son? Daughter? Neighbor who retired last year?

The guy who keeps sending you postcards with investment promises and lunch invitations? It seems like everybody has a recommendation, doesn’t it?

By Patricia Danflous It is a challenge to enjoy life’s later years and maintain a healthy cushion for cruises, a new car or roof repairs. Unfortunately, the effects of aging may increase your vulnerability to financial scams or the need to rely on outsiders.

The Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board of Standards, Inc., advises seniors to be on the

defensive when it comes to investments, retirement programs, savings certificates and banking. If you are considering working with a financial planner – and it is never too late to do so – ask if he or she is providing advice under the “fiduciary standard of care.” A CFP certified adheres to professional standards and a code of ethics.

Keep these suggestions in mind:  If you don’t understand what is recommended, don’t buy it.  Never buy anything or provide personal information over the phone. You don’t have to be polite – just hang up.  If you meet with a financial professional, meet in his or her office, not your home.  If it sounds too good to be true, you may be heading for trouble.  Enjoy that free lunch, but remember the invitation comes with a sales pitch.  Don’t hesitate to ask how much an investment will cost you. Find out about commissions, transaction feels and internal expenses that will come out of your pocket.  Consider a reverse mortgage carefully and make sure you work with a lender approved by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).

Never sign over your property deed as part of the reverse mortgage process.

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GRANDCHILDREN

Let’s Go

Fly a Kite!

By Caitlin Watzke

Spring has finally arrived. The sun is shining and a breeze is blowing.

Grab the grandkids, follow these simple instructions to make your own kites, and head outdoors for some good old-fashioned fun!

MATERIALS • One 24-inch wooden dowel or straight stick • One 20-inch wooden dowel or straight stick • Craft knife • Ruler • Pencil • Lightweight string, twine or fishing line • Large piece of paper or heavy duty trash bag • Scissors • Tape • Ribbon INSTRUCTIONS 1. Using craft knife, cut notch into each end of wooden dowels. Make sure notches run in the

same direction.

2. Use ruler to make mark 6 inches from end of longer dowel and 10 inches from end of shorter dowel.

3. Match up marks to place shorter dowel crosswise over longer one.

Notches should be parallel to ground.

4. Tie string tightly around center of dowels, making X shape with string.

5. Thread string through notches to create diamond shape. Wrap around frame twice.

6. Pull end of string toward center of kite, wrap tightly around both sticks and tie knot.

7. Lay frame on paper and trace. Cut around outline, leaving several inches for a margin.

8. Fold edges of paper taut over string frame and tape down.

9. Punch small hole through top and bottom tips of kite.

10. Cut piece of string 2 to 3 feet long. Tie one end through top hole and one end through bottom hole to form bridle.

11. Attach one end of remaining string to bridle.

12. Tape or tie 6-foot long string to bottom end of kite. Tie bows onto string to form tail.

13. Decorate!

Spring 2019

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SAFETY

Smoke Alarms Save Lives

By Patricia Danflous According to National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) studies, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from incidents in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Smoke alarms are key to a residential fire escape plan. The right kind of smoke alarm – and one with working batteries – cuts the chances of dying in a reported fire in half. Working alarms give you early warning so you can get out early. NFPA recommends the following guidelines for home smoke alarms:

 Install smoke alarms inside and outside each bedroom and sleeping area, upstairs and downstairs.  Large homes may need extra smoke alarms.  Use interconnected smoke alarms.

When one smoke alarm sounds, they all sound.  Test all smoke alarms at least once a month. Press the test button to be sure the alarm is working.  There are two kinds of alarms. Ionization alarms are quicker to warn about flaming

fires. Photoelectric alarms are quicker to warn about smoldering fires. It is best to use both types.  A smoke alarm should be on the ceiling or high on a wall.

Keep alarms away from the kitchen to reduce false alarms.

They should be at least 10 feet from the stove.  People who are hard-of-hearing or deaf can use special alarms. These alarms have strobe lights and bed shakers.  Replace all smoke alarms every 10 years.

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WEIGHT LOSS

Try the following local group fitness classes: CYCLING: low impact but great for cardio. Start slow and build your way up to higher speeds and more resistance.

Get Healthy Faster with

Group Fitness

I

By Tami Charbonnet

t is not easy to wake up ready and excited to exercise. However, if a group of friends is waiting for you, expecting you to be a part of their teamwork, you will be more inclined to step out of your comfort zone. Whether you find a local walking group or join a water aerobics, yoga or cycling class, set a goal to move more every day. Being a part of an exercise group will allow you to meet new friends and begin a positive weight loss journey.

Researchers claim at least 50 percent of the battle against obesity in the United States could be conquered if we simply chose to move more. *Some insurance plans cover the cost of gym memberships and classes.

Be sure to ask questions! *Always check with your physician before starting a new exercise routine or nutrition plan.

LES MILLS BODYFLOW: low-impact yoga, tai chi, Pilates class with guided meditation.

LES MILLS BODYVIVE: helps build fitness and improve flexibility, balance, core strength and more.

SILVER SNEAKERS: designed to help lose weight, increase energy and improve well-being.

WATER AEROBICS: great non-impact, fullbody workout. Every class is different. Be sure to read the description or ask to speak with the instructor before taking a class.

ZUMBA: fun, fitness-based dance class for every fitness level.

Get together with your group to design team T-shirts and jumpstart your day with a 30-minute “walk and talk� or a group fitness class.

Spring 2019

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COVER STORY

by Veronica Coons vcoons@gbtribune.com Photography by Hugo Gonzalez hgonzalez@gbtribune.com

T

all, clean cut, fit and engaging, long time Great Bend community leader Mark Mingenback is hard to miss in a crowd. He’s the kind of person that makes friends and acquaintances feel both seen and heard, and it’s simply hard not to like him once you’ve met him. In recent years Mark had been the public face of St. Rose Hospital, previously named Central Kansas Medical Center, up until his retirement in 2016. Before that, the long list of his roles and accomplishments could fill pages.

Now one of the leaders of the Great Bend Better than Great visioning committee, he continues to play an active role in the economic development of the city, something he has been doing for more than 35 years. He is frequently called upon to speak and act as Master of Ceremonies at community events. His lifelong devotion to his community earned him the designation of 2017 Citizen of the Year by the Great Bend Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development.

Mark’s transition into retirement has allowed him to enjoy more time with his wife, Leslie, and to pursue his sunset career as a consultant to the nursing home industry.

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Every opportunity that I have, I use my body to be active.

They graciously invited us to their home on a cool but sunny day in March, and shared with us an important turning point in Mark’s life which resulted in some lifestyle changes that allow him to continue to enjoy good health and pursuit of his passion for lifelong learning.

Realizing change In 2009 Mark’s brother, Michael Mingenback, died unexpectedly.

“He was very fit, low body fat, and was out riding his bike, and died of a heart attack,” Mark said.

“The autopsy revealed he had five blocked arteries. On the way home from the funeral, Leslie said I ought to be checked.”

He went to his doctor that week for a checkup. His doctor ordered a stress test, and informed Mark that the results indicated there was a “little bit of a problem.”

Things moved fast then. His doctor was affiliated with several Wichita area hospitals, and

scheduled a heart catheter for that Friday. While his doctor, a pilot, arranged a flight plan for himself, Mark went to the CKMC board and asked for them to release him from a board meeting scheduled for that day. He and Leslie traveled to Wichita for the procedure, which uncovered one blockage requiring a stent. The physician’s assistant that discharged him the next morning gave him a book that told him how to start eating, he said.

“Candidly, I’m not into exercise,” Mark said. “That’s not my passion, and I don’t love to do it. But I have found that the simple task of walking on my treadmill accommodates what I need to be doing. I try to do it everyday. I don’t eat as healthy as I should. I do eat healthier than I used to. I used to think I needed a 20 oz. ribeye myself. Now I eat half of a 16 oz. or a filet myself. Or I eat fish, and that’s not easy to do in Kansas.”

Leslie remembers Mark used to

get out of breath climbing the stairs at CKMC. She shared with us how it concerned her. She’d noticed in the weeks leading up to the testing and surgery, he was starting to get out of breath from the effort.

For Mark, climbing the stairs at the medical center was his exercise.

He said he had a rule, he’d only take the elevator if he was accompanying someone else.

“Climbing the stairs three or four times a day adds up, but more was needed,” he said.

Now, his home office is in the basement. There’s a treadmill in the office, and the simple task of walking on it every day accommodates what he needs to be doing, he said. He’s also up and down the stairs several times a day.

“I’m an active individual,” he said. “Every opportunity that I have, I use my body to be active.

I do it rather than not. I try to do gardening, stuff like that. That’s how I tie it together.”

Spring 2019

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Mark Mingenback Scenery photos by

Emb Embracing Em mbracing mbrac m bracing accin ingg the the future futu fu ture tu re Truly, lifestyle the T l an active ti lif t l iis nott th main focus of Mark’s life, but by making these changes, he continues to be able to devote himself to his community and personal interests.

An avid reader, Mark had been inspired by Walmart founder Sam Walton who was a first adopter of technology.

He and Leslie, in fact, were among the first businesses to work with Great Bend entrepreneur Bob LaPierre when he opened his computer and internet business in the 1980’s.

That was when the internet was only accessible through dial-up connection, and rudimentary websites were created from scratch mostly by hobbyists on shoestring budgets.

The two businessmen worked out a deal, and collaborated on an internet marketplace experiment. At the time, Mark and Leslie owned and

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operated a clothing store, Brentwood Ltd., on th the corner off 16th andd M Main.

Ltd i Bob would design and work out the kinks of a website, and Mark would identify merchandise that could be sold through the website.

Not every item was a big seller, and delivering items to customers was not as seamless as today. There were the novelty neckties that seemed like they would be a sure hit, but flopped (the people shopping on the internet back in the 1980’s were mostly the young people who led the ‘casual Friday’ movement and weren’t interested in ties).

There was also the sale of 10 lbs. of fudge to a customer from Columbia. The cost of shipping exceeded the cost of the merchandise, and it took several weeks for the United States Postal Service to deliver to the port in Columbia, and Mark had to provide instructions of what to do with it in case it could

not be delivered (he designated the Redd C Cross tto receive it). IIn th the end, R i it) d the fudge arrived safely, and the recipient’s mother deemed it the best she’d ever had.

Fast forward to today. Mark now manages the facebook page for Miss Pretty Pickles, a Great Bend gift shop that Leslie manages.

Developing new interests Digital photography is one of Mark’s more recent passions. Over the years, he’s been fortunate to own high-end cameras, but never considered himself anything more than the taker of snapshots.

But then, the iPhone was introduced. As stated, Mark believes in technology, and it changes fast. He is learning to use the camera on his phone more aggressively now, thanks to the iPhone photography school.

Now, he doesn’t get his big cameras out much.

He showed us albums he’s put together on a yearly basis from his photos, and we have to say, he takes amazing photos. Each year, he selects his best photos, adds those taken by others in the family, and uploads to the internet site Shutterfly, where he lays out and creates a yearbook. His growing collection of the professionally bound volumes is a far cry from the albums of unedited, blurred, amateur photographs common in the past.

“I just take pictures of people mainly,” he said. “Once in awhile I’ll take a picture of geography. Sometimes a sunset.”

Among some of the breathtaking photos we saw, intermingled with sweet images of his children and grandchildren was one of a storm rolling into Great Bend from the west a few years ago. That one, he said, he sold at an auction. Living on the westernmost edge of the city, photography is one of the many experiences he and Leslie enjoy as they relax on their backyard deck.

Valuing partnership Mark shared with us how important Leslie has been to him throughout his life.

It is she who inspires him every day, and

who he credits with his success. None of it, he said, would have been possible on his own. He also shared with us a delightful fact. He and Leslie were born on the same day, in the same hospital, St. Rose, just hours apart. From their early years establishing and running their men’s clothing business and raising their family, to becoming community activists, dabbling in local politics, and doing their part to spur economic development, it has been a true partnership.

“If you are going to depend on a community -- all your customers, friends, relationships in the community -- to support your business, you best be willing to give back to that community to make it as successful as possible,” he said. This they have strived to do.

Smaller communities have a definite challenge maintaining a retail presence, he added. As with his own lifestyle changes, he keeps a pulse on the health of his community.

“If you don’t adjust to the times, your community will die,” he said. “I would say our efforts here of maintaining our community are top drawer.”

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