Pride Business

Pride Business

Scottsbluff/Gering, Nebraska

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Recipe for success

Courtesy photo

Howard Olsen and Jennifer Rogers with a bouquet of cards representing the volunteer work Olsen has done in the community.

Rogers looks to raise up others

SPIKE JORDAN/Star-Herald

Isaac Holbrook, (from far left), store co-owner Erika Hackett and Jelynn Ewert work the line at the Gering Dominos on Tuesday, Feb. 27.

Hacketts put people first in business SPIKE JORDAN Staff Reporter sjordan@starherald.com

IRENE NORTH Staff Reporter inorth@starherald.com

Jennifer Rogers sits back in her chair, surrounded on three sides by a desk covered with binders, papers and pink notes filled with tips, goals and things to do for the Western Nebraska Community College (WNCC) Foundation. Family photos are interspersed on her desk and bulletin board.

Pictures her children have drawn are posted on the walls. A sign on a filing cabinet notifies visitors, “I drink coffee for your protection.” It’s near newspaper articles regaling the accomplishments of her staff.

Everywhere you look in Rogers’ office, there are signs pointing to the things other people have done. As executive director at the foundation, Rogers fills her days finding ways to make other people’s lives better. In January, she received the Rising Star Award from the Scottsbluff/Gering United Chamber of Commerce at its annual banquet.

It’s a lot to handle.

On any given week, Dominos in Scottsbluff and Gering will go through 1,200 pounds of mozzarella cheese, 3,000 pounds of fresh dough patties, 205 pounds of pepperoni, 400 pounds of chicken wings and gallons upon gallons of tomato sauce.

But with between 70 to 80 full and part-time employees spread out between their Scottsbluff, Gering and Torrington, Wyoming, restaurants, Mike and Erika Hackett have found that putting their employees first is the recipe for success.

For nearly 16 years, Mike and Erika have worked to build not only pizza restaurants, but a positive work environment.

The pair sit in a booth of the Gering restaurant, with a full lobby and the scent of fresh pizza dough hanging in the air, telling how they got

started.

Mike started out working as a delivery driver while going to college in his native Cheyenne, Wyoming. He worked his way up through the ranks and when the opportunity to purchase the store in Scottsbluff opened up, he and Erika took the plunge. However, they soon discovered that it takes a lot of time, effort and passion.

“I joined on as a driver kind of as a necessity,” Erika said. “When we bought the store, my daughter was literally two weeks old, and our son had just turned two. It was pretty rough for a while, and we couldn’t make it by on a single income.”

However, after about six or eight months, Erika said she found herself stepping up more, not just as “the boss’ wife,” but into the management program herself. She quickly discovered that she DOMINOS 2

Scottsbluff, Gering Dominos weekly sales totals

Rising Star

On the night of the banquet, she almost didn’t go. It had been a long day for Rogers. She had just been through an emotional meeting with the WNCC Foundation Board as it celebrated Howard Olsen’s retirement as president of the board. She thought about not attending the banquet. Her husband, Taylor, encouraged her to go.

At the banquet, which recognizes individuals for their contributions to the community, both in business and through civic responsibility, Rogers had an inkling she was being honored when a slideshow began and

1,200 pounds

3,000 pounds

205 pounds

400 pounds

ROGERS 4

Trumbulls share insights on business, community involvement SPIKE JORDAN Staff Reporter sjordan@starherald.com

Bill and Jim Trumbull

ZACH SPADT/Star-Herald

Carr-Trumbull Lumber Do-ItCenter has been family owned for four generations — a total of 117 years — which is not an easy feat.

Bill and Jim Trumbull, the winners of the Scottsbluff/Gering United Chamber of Commerce 2016 Trailblazer Award, credit family for their business and leadership successes. However, they say, the area continues to face challenges in the community, from a dire need for skilled trades to bolstering civic involvement that encourages growth in the area.

“One of the biggest challenges we see in the near future is there aren’t a lot of young people going into the trades,” Bill Trumbull said. “From construction to plumbing to electrical to masonry, getting a younger group into that mix is critical at

this point because a lot of our better tradespeople are getting to their retirement age.”

“In our business, you’ve got lots of competition,” Bill said. “We’ve got big box stores and other local competitors, and we’ve got a fairly slow-to-no-growth market. As we see some of the rural areas start to shrink, it’s critical that we gain some population growth.”

“There’s help issues, and it’s about getting that help back into this area,” Bill said.

And part of that starts with finding solutions which make expansion easier. Several state senators are working in Lincoln on ways to make housing and construction more affordable in rural areas, but for Bill and Jim, the solutions to these problems start with the actions of the individual involvement.

“The generations that came before us instilled in us that the com-

munity is what you make of it,” Jim Trumbull said. “The people WHO are kind enough to walk in to your doors as customers, you’ve got to make sure your community is inviting and welcoming, because, as Bill said, we need to make sure our community grows.”

“We’ve always been taught that you need to give back to your community, because it will never grow unless each of us puts our input back into it to try and make it a better place,” Jim said.

The challenges of balancing a fast-paced life and staying involved proves more and more difficult for some.

“It’s harder to get people to see the importance of being involved,” Bill said. “But it not only helps them in business, it helps them in their social life, and it helps them TRUMBULL 3

Pride Page 2

Saturday, March 4, 2017

n DOMINOS: Continued from page 1

really loves it.

“Getting 70 people — 70 personalities — to mesh together and go in one direction is probably one of the biggest challenges,” Mike said.

“My biggest worry is taking care of everybody,” Erika said. “I’m here as their support system, and I tell them that all the time.”

“I’ve worked for a lot of people before this that ... I didn’t matter to them,” she said. “I want to be the employer that takes care of everybody. I don’t want to be one of those employers that I used to work for.”

Their experiences on both sides of the counter have painted their leadership style and how they lead.

“We’re not perfect, and there are things that fall through the cracks,” Erika said. “But you learn from those experiences too, and learn from your failures as a boss and grow and move forward.

“With the pizza side of things, it’s fairly easy once you get everyone trained, and it’s pretty fun I think,” Mike said. “But it’s just getting everyone to work together.”

Good help is sometimes hard to find; Erika said that she’ll go through about 20 to 30 applications, schedule five interviews, and maybe find one qualified employee.

“We don’t just hire warm bodies,” Erika said.

Their employees work their way up, and are rewarded for stepping up and taking on more responsibility.

“But the cool things with this is once they get started, they stick around for a long time, or if they leave, they come back after a time and realize it wasn’t so bad,” Mike said.

“And our turnover rate — especially for the food service industry — is extremely low,” Erika said.

They thoroughly vet all their employees, from the drivers up to the cashiers, but feel confident with the people they hire.

And it’s people — not just the crew, but the customers and the community — that they find most rewarding.

To the right of the booth, a little boy laughs as he jumps on and off a small step near the counter that the Hacketts had designed so kids could climb up and see the pizzas being made.

“It’s things like that,” Mike said, pointing to the boy. “He’s having the time of his life.”

“You can be having the worst day, and you see and hear that and it just brightens your day,” Erika said.

“You should always look at life through someone else’s

I’ve worked for a lot of people before this that ...

I didn’t matter to them. I want to be the employer that takes care of everybody. I don’t want to be one of those employers that I used to work for.”

Erika Hackett Co-owner, Dominos Pizza

interrupt.

“I’ve lived in Gering all my life, and since you’ve opened the store here I’ve been coming here regularly,” the customer says. “The food here is great and I want to thank you for that.

“Like Arnold says, ‘I’ll be back,’” the customer jokes.

And where there’s ups, there’s also downs; sometimes people can be the frustration.

“You have angry customers sometimes, or you don’t meet their expectations, and those ones are rough,” Mike said. “And those always seem to snowball where those happen four days in a row, and then you don’t have anything like that for months.”

“Just the way it is sometimes,” Erika said. “There are some people you can’t make happy.”

But family and recreation keeps the stress down. Erika goes to the gym and cycles to relieve frustrations, where Mike takes to trap shooting to let off steam.

“You have to keep things in perspective,” Erika said.

“You can have a bad five or ten minutes in a day, but the thing I constantly have to tell myself is that you can’t gloat in it.”

They focus on the things they can control, and try to let the rest go.

eyes. It broadens your perspective, and lets you see that life doesn’t suck when you compare it to that.”

“And when you’re working, and it’s just crazy busy, but everything is going smooth and nice, and everyone is working together, it’s just a great feeling,” Mike said. “It means that you’ve done your job.”

They both look out of the booth at the busy lobby, and say, “We built this. It’s something big.”

“It’s a pretty expensive endeavor to build this from the ground up,” Mike said.

The Hacketts put it forward for their Gering location — they were about five weeks from opening before the city council approached and offered to give LB 840 development funds to help offset the expenses.

“We’re grateful, so grateful for that,” Mike said.

The jobs they’ve created SPIKE JORDAN/Star-Herald help put money back into ABOVE: Dominos the local economy. co-owner Erika Hackett “Almost 25 percent of scoops pizza sauce from a bucket at the Gering our profits from this store Dominos on Tuesday, are going to the managers, Feb. 27. and that gives them an incentive to help them to RIGHT: Dillon Conroy make the service here betflips pizza dough in the ter,” Mike said. air at the Gering DomiA customer asks if he can nos on Tuesday, Feb. 27.

ed2go.com/wncc

ONLINE TRAINING

ed2go

WNCC offers online courses and career training programs through ed2go! Prepare for a new career, learn new skills, or help advance within your current occupation with #!('-*/%./&+1$!#"&( +&/*#)+0*#1!-,

• Web Design • Accounting Fundamentals • Health Information Management • Personal Enrichment • LSAT Preparation • And so much more!

Pride Saturday, March 4, 2017

Page 3

n TRUMBULL: Continued from page 1

in their family life, and if they put that opportunity to work for them, they’d be amazed what they find happens.”

“That’s even a challenge for those of us who do choose to be involved,” Jim said. “We have to look for that next salvo of people that we think might be interested in serving on different things, from leadership to executive leadership positions.”

“This is a concern, even beyond our community, about who’s going to fill those leadership roles and serve our community in the future,” Jim said.

“And that torch is going to get passed on, one way or another,” Bill added.

“Having the tenure in those positions is great, but you’re finding that you need new blood and new thoughts,” Jim said. “At some point, you have to have that succession plan for those civic and community bodies, and find leaders for those groups.”

Bill is a youth sponsor at First United Methodist and Jim is a youth group leader.

They both volunteer with the Monument Marathon each year. Both have served on the Scottsbluff/Gering United Chamber Board.

Bill is also involved with the Twin Cities Development Board, Rotary Club, the Oregon Trail Community Foundation, along with volunteering with the Festival of Hope and Midwest Theater.

Jim is part of the United Way of Western Nebraska board, the City of Scottsbluff LB 840 Committee, Rotary Club and Regional West Health Systems board chair.

These are just a few examples of the community service the Trumbulls are involved in.

However, despite their high levels of reaching out, they both cautioned against involvement for involvement sake.

“I think number one, you better believe in what you’re doing,” Bill said.

“Number two, you better enjoy what you’re doing, and number three, you better be willing to put in the time and the work to make the position succeed.

“Without any of those three things, you’re chances of failing are pretty high.”

“You can stretch yourself way too thin by saying, ‘yes, yes, yes,’ to a lot of different things and committing yourself to something,” Jim said. “But at the end of it, you probably end up doing not much service to any of them, because you’ve got to be willing to put in the time and the effort to learn what the cause is, and believe in

SPIKE JORDAN/ Star-Herald

ABOVE: Tom Rose presses on masonry on a fireplace display at CarrTrumbull Lumber Do-It-Center on Tuesday, Feb. 27.

BOTTOM: Brenda Trumbull laughs while showing clients a design plan.

the cause.”

He said, “Pick some things that are important to you, whether its because of family, or because of business — and make sure you’re able to dedicate the time and the study to learn it, and you’ll do more good for it.

“Community service is not a resume builder, it’s exactly what it says — it’s community service. If you do it as a resume builder, you are a benefit to nobody.

You’ve got to pick those things that are important to you, dedicate the time to learn it and give back to it, and you will get just that much more back yourself.”

Bill and Jim are staunch advocates for greater education and opportunities in the trades, and emphasized that it will be needed to shore up the coming deficit in skilled labor.

“If you cut back the supply of trades, and at the same time there’s still considerable demand, it could be lucrative for people who

are considering that as a ca- notion that this is dirty or reer choice,” Jim said. “Four it’s not a cool job,. We need year college may not be the to try and get them hands path that’s best for them, it may be a trade or technical school. And there’s trades out there like what we deal with that are very interesting, they are very technically oriented and require a lot of design skills and thinking.”

“It’s not just the grunt labor, and sometimes you’ve got to start out like that to learn it,” Jim said. “But there is some gold at the end of the rainbow, and they’ve gotta be educated at a younger age as to what opportunities there are.”

“I think the direction the school is going here with the career academies is a step in the right direction,” Bill said. “But we’ve got to make these young students aware of these trades, and make them aware at a younger age.

“If they make it all the way through middle school and hit high school, they already have a preconceived

on experience through internships where they’re not just being the grunt labor, but actually learning what that trade is all about and seeing that they can make a really good living, more-so as those trades get shorter.”

“But it’s a matter of making them aware and exposing them before they get to that preconceived notion,” he said. “But the work ethic starts at home, and I think the parents need to also push that there.”

In parting, Jim offered a piece of advice he’d read years ago that helped him.

“The difference between a man and a warrior is that a man looks at things as either a blessing or a curse, but a warrior just looks at it

as just another challenge,” Jim said. “There will be all of these little fires that pop up every day — sometimes big, sometimes small — but you have to just say ‘OK, time to put that warrior hat on.’

“Through time you realize that you need to be smart enough for your benefit — whether it’s customers or whatever the situation — you need to step away from it.. You can’t solve every problem, you can’t fight every battle.

You’ll think that you can figure it out or get it done, but you really need to think through those decisions and know when to leave it and let it go in another direction.”

Pride Page 4

Saturday, March 4, 2017

n ROGERS: Continued from page 1

they started talking about McCook, her hometown.

She knew she would have to get up and give an unprepared speech.

“I went into a little bit of a shock and tried to think of something coherent to say,” she said. “I still think there were probably other people more deserving.”

Taylor and their children, 10-year-old Lily and a 6-year-old Holden were there too. They snuck into the event and sat where Rogers couldn’t see them.

“My daughter thought it was hilarious to see her mom as a child up on the screen,” Rogers said. “I warned her some day she will win an award and her photos will be up there.”

As Rogers took to the stage, her main concern was not to do anything embarrassing.

“I kept thinking, ‘Don’t fall,’” she said. “I’m a bit of a klutz.”

Rogers didn’t fall and she gave a good speech. And she has not stopped lifting others up. She praised the Chamber for making award recipients feel special. When others brought her cards, notes and flowers for her award and for her work on raising money for WNCC, she feels they all should be recognized because they were also a part of it.

Courtesy photos

Jennifer Rogers, front row, second from left, with the WNCC Works Campaign committee members.

Jennifer Sibal, left and Jennifer Rogers, right, with Buddy, the WNCC mascot at the Western Nebraska Community College Alumni and Friends Banquet.

of Governors participated.

Raising $9.6 million

In conjunction with WNCC’s 90th anniversary, Rogers and the foundation began the monumental task of raising $8.95 million to improve the college. They wanted to raise money for scholarships, expand programs and update facilities.

It was the first major gifts, comprehensive campaign initiated by the foundation.

In 21 months, $9.6 million was raised.

“WNCC plays a big part in all of that $9.6 million,” Rogers said. “It was a privilege to be part of that with incredible volunteers and dedicated boards.”

With such an increase in giving, the foundation needed to increase the amount of activity to meet the lofty goals it set for themselves. It meant a change in how the foundation worked. Members talked to local businesses and highlighted how their contributions would make the community better. Rogers knew employers needed a highly-skilled and trained workforce. So, the foundation went out and talked to local businesses.

“They stepped up in a huge way,” Rogers said.

The campaign also focused on alumni. Rogers said alumni were tracked down and reunions. Get to-

Moving forward

gethers were hosted where success stories were highlighted. It was something WNCC had never done before. Rogers looked at grants that matched the priorities of what WNCC was looking for.

Money raised during the campaign will go to several areas of need at WNCC. More than $2 million was raised for endowed scholarships. Programs, such as the Alliance campus’ powerline construction and maintenance program, will see expansion. A new and expanding programs fund

will be developed. One new program is the applied agriculture certificate option for students, which will launch in the fall of 2017.

WNCC will also begin a major renovation project in the fall to renovate and expand the Performing Arts Center, Student Success Center and Learning Resource Center.

The campaign saw more than 1,100 donors provide over 3,500 gifts while 96 percent of WNCC employees and 100 percent of WNCC Foundation Board of Directors and the WCCA Board

While Rogers is still in celebratory mode, she isn’t resting on her laurels. She gathers inspiration from the people she has helped directly and indirectly.

“The thing that really floored me is hearing the stories, whether from alumni or businesses, of the way the college impacts people and making sure we can do everything to set students up for success,” she said.

The campaign exceeded what the foundation expected in raising funds for scholarships. Rogers is repeatedly humbled when she reads the thank you letters students write

when they receive a scholarship.

“The stories are incredibly moving,” she said. “I want to improve the lives of their families and to see they have a chance, it’s a really powerful thing.”

Balancing act

Finding the balance between family and wanting to do as much as you can in your community is important to Rogers. There is something to keep yourself busy every night of the week.

“Ultimately, it boils down to making your community better than you found it,” she said. “But you also have to make time for what matters most — your passions.”

Rogers was named this

year’s Rising Star by the Scottsbluff/Gering Chamber of Commerce for her dedication to improving the lives of others. She has been involved with several local organizations, including CAPstone Child Advocacy Center, the Monument Marathon and Panhandle Partnership. She also served as president for Soroptimist International of Scotts Bluff County.

“A lot of the work is helping with girls,” Rogers said.

“It’s a passion of mine.”

That passion is a key to her success.

“It’s an important thing to find your meaning in all the things you do,” she said.

“Find what works for you and feel good about yourself.”

Pride Saturday, March 4, 2017

Page 5

Gun range a second home for shooting sportsmen JEFF SMITH Staff Reporter jsmith@starherald.com

Rich Schank, of Scottsbluff, was already a renowned business owner in the community prior to owning Sure Shot Gun Range. Schank also owns Schank Roofing Service.

Roofing is his day job, but he has been able to balance that with one of his passions: shooting.

“It gets interesting some days but Tuesdays and Saturdays are dedicated to being at Sure Shot Gun Range,” Schank said.

Schank has had a long love affair with shooting.

From a young age, he has hunted and still hunts waterfowl.

He now sees hunting as quality time to spend with his sons.

“I’ve always been a shooter,” Schank said. “In the last few years, I’ve been getting into shooting handguns.”

Sure Shot Gun Range in Gering has only been open three and a half years, but in that time, they have had over 1,800 people who have used the gun range.

The gun range is open seven days a week.

Six-lanes, or 50 feet, is the size of the gun range.

“It’s interesting how state-of-the-art this is,” Schank said.

Sure Shot Gun Range is the only indoor gun range in the Scottsbluff/ Gering area open to the public.

In Nebraska, the next closest indoor shooting range is in Kearney. The nearest one out of state is in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

“There’s a lot of people who are getting their concealed carry. It’s a quick place if you want to come shoot. It’s right here in downtown Gering,” Schank said.

Schank said they see people come in who like to maintain their shooting ability. It is also a good place for gun enthusiasts who like to shoot and for people who like to reload.

“It’s basically for all handguns,” Schank said.

“There’s a lot of active shooters who come in.”

A lot of new gun owners will also come in and shoot for the first time at Sure Shot.

A monthly group that uses Sure Shot is called The Well-Armed Women.

There are at least 30 people in the group.

“They come in and practice their skills and try to improve from month to month,” Schank said.

There is also a Christian Men’s Fellowship that meets at Sure Shot on the second Thursday of every month. The last time the group, met there were 42 guys who came.

There are also different themed shoots throughout the year.

Last spring there was a throw down, which was a shooting competition between civilians and law enforcement to raise money for Shop with a Cop. Currently, on Tuesday nights there is a shooters league where people can gather to test their skills.

The league is a NRA bullseye league but member Alan Weinhold said it’s a fairly relaxed bullseye league. Weinhold said the tradition of the Bullseye League is that everyone helps people get better at shooting. The idea is to shoot at a target as accurately as possible before a buzzer goes off. Many people have been part of the league for years.

There have always been a bullseye league at the gun

JEFF SMITH/ Star-Herald

ABOVE: Rich Schank, owner of Sure Shot Gun Range, checks the score on targets during league night at Sure Gun Gun Range with his daughter Kelsey Schank.

LEFT: Alan Weinhold, an active shooter in the area, prepares to shoot his CZ P-01 at the Sure Shot Gun Range on Feb. 22. Weinhold is also part of the NRA Bullseye League at the gun range.

range since the range has been there.

The league is non-competitive and people who come to the night event don’t just talk about shooting, but what is going on in their lives and joke around.

Men’s groups will also come in and pick a target to see who is the best shot.

“We’ve had businesses who have run a short league of their own, which was real interesting for them,” Schank said.

“It was real fun for them because of the camaraderie and team-building.”

Law enforcement have also came in to do their annual certification.

Transport jailers from different areas come in because their ranges are far away.

“Shooters need to know we are here and available to bring down their new guns and try,” Schank said.

Schank said many people who come in have a stressful job and he can tell when they have had a bad day because they are able to take it out on the gun range.

Last year, Sure Shot was the local range for the American Marksman program. Local shooters were able to compete in the contest to be crowned the American Marksman.

Then, from there, they go to a regional shoot and the national shoot.

“It was a pretty big undertaking. We had over 150 shooters here for that,” Schank said.

Seven qualifiers from the local shoot went to the regional shoot in

Grand Island.

One thing that Sure Shot does that other ranges might not do is have a wide array of targets to choose from.

“We have everything from a caveman to a rabbit to a squirrel,” Schank said about the amount of targets available.

They also have standard law enforcement targets but they try to keep it fun for people who shoot there.

Ammunition is for sale at Sure Shot but people can also use their own ammunition. The components to do reloading are sold at the gun range for people who want to get into that.

Various handguns are also able to be rented.

“If you have a son, grandson, granddaughter, who wants to learn how to shoot this is a good place to do that,” Schank said.

People like to come during their lunch hour and many people come there on the weekends.

There could be as many as 60 people come through on a Saturday.

Schank said Christmas time is one of the busiest times because of the college students who are back in town and families getting together.

They’ve had people from Denmark, Germany, Antigua, South Africa and Australia at the gun range.

“In a lot of these places you can’t own a handgun so to be able to shoot one is unbelievable,” Schank said.

One time a group of Danish guys came in from driving in a road

trip.

“They saw the sign and thought it would be fun,” Schank said.

Schank gave them Second Amendment shirts.

It was also their first time shooting a gun so Schank said it was a lot of fun to watch them.

It can get noisy in the gun range, Schank said.

Loaner ear protection and earplugs are available.

Schank said it doesn’t get too bad. And if someone is there often, they would be surprised how they are able to tune it out.

He said due to everything being recycled, it’s a reasonably clean environment.

“Everything here is recycled. The casing is recycled, the lead is recycled and we use all paper targets,” Schank said.

There is also an instructor at the gun range, Dustin Stanton, who regularly teaches concealed carry and basic handgun essentials.

“I guess if somebody has bought a new gun and they want to learn how to use it, we can teach it to them,” Schank said.

People don’t have to buy a membership but Schank said it’s cheaper for them in the long run. Veterans, military and police can shoot at the gun range for half-price.

The gun range was built in 1988. It used to be

called the Gun Mart. The range was actually built first and everything else was put around it.

“Pretty much they built the walls, then the range, and put the roof over top of it,” Schank said.

Schank said he had been there to fix a roof leak under the prior owner and at that time, it had not been used for seven years.

“We were in here and just thought it was sad that it was not being used for what it’s supposed to be used for,” Schank said.

Schank said overall, it’s been an interesting experience. One of the main goals is to get people to practice shooting as much as they can and also have fun.

1036 W 26th St. • Scottsbluff, NE (308) 632-2995 • 800-658-4073

Pride Page 6

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Legacy of the Plains Museum

IRENE NORTH/Star-Herald

This Sioux battle club was used in the 1850s. and is part of the American Indian exhibit at the Legacy of the Plains museum. It was originally part of the Cook collection, a family who lived at Agate Springs Ranch, but was given to the Cooper family in the 1920s by Harold Cook.

n Museum offers a state-of-the-art history experience IRENE NORTH Staff Reporter inorth@starherald.com

Visitors of all ages are expressing amazement and awe about what lies behind the double doors at Legacy of the Plains museum.

The Legacy of the Plains museum was born with the merging of the North Platte Valley Museum and the Farm and Ranch Museum, creating a modern, 21st century museum rivaling those in larger cities. An extraordinary thing occurred when the two local museums became one.

Everyone involved wanted the museum to be grander than the previous museums and be a showcase to life in the valley. Sandra Reddish, executive director of Legacy of the Plains, is proud of what has been accomplished by the volunteers.

“I can’t say enough good things about the board and the volunteers,” Reddish said. “It is the community’s museum and they have a state of the art museum we can take pride in.”

Legacy of the Plains is a mix of a traditional museum and an interactive museum where visitors can touch and experience many of the displays.

“We want to engage all your senses,” Reddish said.

Reddish said visitors to museums should be able to touch at least some artifacts and she is working on ways to incorporate touch and taste into the museum as well.

Many interactive displays were designed with children in mind. Children of all ages can milk a cow or pose on a tractor while learning about the history of the area.

But there isn’t one exhibit MUSEUM 7

LEFT: An “Eskimobile” at the Legacy of the Plains museum was used to travel on snowpacked roads between 1910 and 1950. Doctors, mail carriers and utility crews found them to be highly useful during the winter.

BOTTOM LEFT: A community phone, once used by millions of Americans, is one of several interactive exhibits at the Legacy of the Plains museum.

IRENE NORTH/Star-Herald

Pride Saturday, March 4, 2017

Page 7

n MUSEUM: Continued from page 6

more popular than another. It all depends on the person because Legacy of the Plains has something for everyone.

Reddish is always surprised by the answers given by visitors.

Overall, middle and high school aged children are surprised and tell staff they like what they see.

“The kids are thinking, ‘Wow, this is great,’” Reddish said. “We’ve had some young college kids go through and their responses are interesting.

They really like the clothing drawers.”

Reddish remembers a family who came to visit in 2015, before the recent remodel. The son and father loved the place, but the mother was bored and the teenage daughter slept on a bench. Reddish doesn’t see families bored as they tour the museum anymore.

“Now, there is something for everyone,” Reddish said. “You won’t see anyone taking a nap at the Legacy of the Plains museum. There is too much to see and do.”

The balanced approach at the museum sees children running to the interactive activities and adults lingering at nearly every exhibit. The museum stands out to nearly every visitor who passes through its doors.

“For me, I’m critical of museums, but if I find something unusual or different, it’s a winner,” Reddish said. “You’re going to find exhibits you won’t see anywhere else.”

The Legacy of the Plains mu-

seum is the history of the high plains. It’s a place to take pride in local history.

“I want people in the community to view it in this way,” Reddish said.

As with any museum, there is never enough room for everything to be on display. That doesn’t mean it isn’t being used or taken care of for future generations. Anyone who wonders can ask archivist Amanda Gibbs about how their donation is being used.

“It’s not that it’s not awesome, but we only have so much space,” Gibbs said.

There is also a conservation aspect that must be taken into consideration. Some items cannot be in direct sunlight or it would cause fading. With quilts, they have to be folded and can only be hung for so long.

“It’s not anything against the people who have donated,” Gibbs said. “But we have to be good stewards.”

Gibbs spoke to a gentleman who donated an aerial photograph of Scottsbluff from the 1980s. It wasn’t on display, but Gibbs showed him where the photograph is located and how the museum is taking care of it. It has already been used in research, including a comparison of photos of OW Simmons from the 1920s.

“People would be surprised at how often research items are used,” Gibbs said.

Conservation and preservation issues allow staff to continue to take care of items while allowing the public to see

ABOVE: Items that could be found at a doctor’s office or pharmacy in the early 20th century are represented at the Legacy of the Plains museum.

LEFT: A grease bucket from Terry Carpenter’s gas station.

Carpenter opened his first gas station in 1929.

This and other items covering the life of Carpenter are on display at the Legacy of the Plains museum.

IRENE NORTH/StarHerald

new things that aren’t on permanent display.

Even though visitors are already impressed with the museum, it is only about 99 percent completed. Visitors on TripAdvisor have said it is, “well worth the time,” and it was evident “tons of work went into making it a premier destination.”

A gentleman who lives in Washington D.C., recently visited the museum and told Reddish it was just as good as what he’s seen at the Smithsonian.

Outside the main building,

there is the Weideman Farmstead Home, farm implements, antique tractors and Longhorn cattle.

Everything at Legacy of the Plains is designed with the visitor in mind and how they can enjoy learning about the impact agriculture had on life on the High Plains.

Gibbs recently had the opportunity to see the museum through the eyes of a child. His father came in for an appointment with Reddish, so she thought she would go through the museum with the child.

“It’s a whole different experience,” Gibbs said. “They have a shorter attention span, but it’s so much fun.”

Gibbs ran from exhibit to exhibit looking at whatever caught the child’s eye.

“It’s interesting to see in those moments what they pick out,” Gibbs said. “They’re so excited, seeing everything.”

This visit was revitalizing for Gibbs.

“This is why we exist. It’s for this kid,” Gibbs said. “It really makes it worth it at the end of the day.”

Pride Business Page 8P

1942 Twenty men met January 23rd at the Consumer Cooperative Association refinery plant to discuss forming a Cooperative to purchase CCA’s retail stations in Scottsbluff. Ten men were named to organize what became Panhandle Cooperative Association. Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws were approved and business commenced in May. It consisted of two retail stations and a grocery store that was operated in connection with one of the stations. Miles Cowden of the Scottsbluff Refinery provided management guidance until Carlton Laird became General Manager. Sales for 1942 totaled $176,718 with a membership of 60.

1948 Roy Chelf was hired as Food Store Manager.

1952 The Board of Directors approved the purchase of property on South Broadway for $60,000 from CCA. The food store, restaurant and other buildings were located on this property. Sales for 1952 were $1,433,121 with a membership of 2,801 1953 Roy Chelf was named General Manager 1955 A Bulk Station and Tank Wagon Service were established in Veteran, WY. 1960 The Board approved the merger with the Mitchell Coop 1962 The Board of Directors approved the purchase of Platte Valley Coop Oil Station for $1,000. The Board approved the merger with the Bridgeport Coop Association. Sales for 1962 totaled $4,191,489 and the membership was 7,352.

1966 The Bulk Station and Tank Wagon Service in Veteran, WY were relocated to Torrington, where a new station was built.

1972 Discussions were held on the purchase of land for a new food store. In July the Board approved the purchase of the SiouxDawes Cooperative Association in Crawford Sales for 1972 were $9,301,942 and the membership was 10,251.

1975 The new food store was built on a complex at Avenue B and South Beltline Highway and opened for business in June.

1979 Roy Chelf retired after more than 30 years with Panhandle Coop. Petroleum Manager Willard Philson became General Manager and served until his death in 1984.

1980 A new Car Care Center was opened in February.

1982 Sales for 1982 totaled $53,689,062, which was high for several years, and the membership was 22,168.

1984 Carl Montgomery became President of the company.

1987 Don Wiseman became President of the company.

1988 A Bonanza restaurant was opened in the Coop complex and a Midas franchise was introduced at the car care center.

1989 A new retail station was built at the complex and opened for business in June. The Board approved the purchase of the Northgate station in August.

Saturday, March 4, 2017

1991 Matt Johnson became President of the company.

1992 A UAN tank farm consisting of three new liquid fertilizer tanks to contain 7,500 tons was completed in Bridgeport. Sales for 1992 totaled $44,668,907 with membership of 24,000.

1995 Don Lien became President of the company 1996 The Baily’s Town and Country food store business was purchased. It continued until April of 1999 when the property lease where it was located expired.

1999 A Mr. Tire franchise replaced the Midas franchise. In November, the Farmers Coop at Burns and Albin, Wyoming was consolidated with Panhandle Coop.

1999-2000 Crop production plants were updated in Broadwater, Bridgeport, Dalton, and Scottsbluff.

2001 Sales for fiscal year 2001 totaled $61,207,563 with a membership of over 25,000.

2002 A grocery store in Torrington, Wyoming was purchased and named Main Street Market.

2004 Peter Brixius became President of the company.

2005 Plaza Cenex and Northgate Ampride were renovated.

The Berea Plant was purchased. Knutsen Oil and Marv’s LP in Kimball, NE was acquired, forming PCA Ventures of Nebraska. Entered into Helena Consignment and Sales Agreement for crop production.

2006 Building commenced in Wellington, Colorado of the newest Main Street Market location.

2007 Main Street Market in Wellington opened in February. Robert Pile became President of the company. Sales for 2007 totaled $100,742,637 with active membership of approximately 20,000.

2009 Kimball Coop Food Store merged with Panhandle Coop becoming Kimball Main Street Market 2011 Remodel of Plaza Foods into Scottsbluff Main Street Market. $113,851,684 in sales with $1.3M in local profit, being the most profitable year in our history.

2012 Sold Wellington Main Street Market. Had a local profit of over $800,000.

2013 Purchased five new propane and two fuel delivery trucks. Began construction on the Box Butte County Crop Production Facility. Began use of the Automated Fuel Delivery System.

2014 Opened new Alliance Fertilizer Facility. Sold CAR- QUEST and Scottsbluff Pharmacy.

2015 Installed new fuel dispensers & digital sign in Kimball. Installed new freezer cases in Kimball MSM. Leased Dry Fertilizer storage in Sidney.

2016 Opened new Mr. Tire Store in Bridgeport. Purchased two houses in Bridgeport to make way for a new Ampride store, with Taco Johns Franchise and additional fueling stations.

Pride Saturday, March 4, 2017

Page 9

Regional West ensures cancer treatment close to home The lifetime risk of developing cancer is a little over 42 percent for men and nearly 38 percent for women, according to the American Cancer Society.

Those odds are the reason Regional West Health Services has long invested in the development and expansion of comprehensive cancer treatment; to ensure advanced care is locally available for the many area residents who receive cancer diagnoses.

Since 1982, when the Cancer Registry was developed to record data and follow-up on all of the hospital’s cancer patients, Regional West doctors have diagnosed and treated more than 14,827 patients. Approximately 400 patients are diagnosed with cancer every year.

The business of diagnosing, treating, educating and supporting cancer patients and their families is an important part of being western Nebraska’s regional acute care referral center. Cancer treatment is a complex web of diagnosis, treatment, recovery and support taking place over an often long period of time. For most people, it is frightening and overwhelming. The goal at Regional West is to ensure patients can receive the care and treatment they need close to home.

The development of a comprehensive cancer treatment program began in 1981 with the organization of the medical center’s Cancer Committee, under the leadership of Dr. Edward Swartz. Since then, the program has expanded to include bimonthly, multidisciplinary Cancer Conferences to review and discuss current trends in the treatment of cancer. Physicians and other health care providers attend and participate in the conferences to discuss care plans and formalize the disease stage of patients.

Cancer Committee members and cancer care team members represent the full spectrum of cancer treatment disciplines at Regional West: medical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology, diagnostic radiology, surgery, palliative care, oncology nursing, tumor registry, social work, quality management, clinical coordinator, community outreach, pain management, dietary and cancer patient navigation.

The team meets to consistently analyze, refine and enhance cancer services.

Regional West’s cancer services combine best practices in cancer treatment with personalized care and the most technologically advanced cancer treatment in the region. This includes a team of highly trained

Courtesy photos

TOP: Vicki Bjorling, a nurse at Regional West, visits with patient Robert Lee before he receives chemotherapy in theopen treatment area of Regional West’s new Infusion Center.

ABOVE RIGHT: The Cancer Treatment Center’s new $1.5 million Philips Brilliance Big Bore CT simulator is vital for pinpointing the location, size and shape of tumors in preparation for radiation therapy. The purchase of the CT simulator was made possible through the Reginoal West Foundation’s Campaign for Continuing Exellence.

ABOVE LEFT: Vianey Zitterkopf and Megan Anderson, nurses at Regional West, are two of the Infusion Center’s eight registered nurses who are specially trained in oncology care and chemotherapy administration.

oncology nurses, inpatient and outpatient staff; board-certified physicians; endoscopy and open surgery; CAP-accredited laboratory services and on-site pathologists; a dedicated infusion center; medical imaging, including nuclear medicine; CT; MRI; and PET; radiation oncology, including 3D Conformal and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) with image guidance capabilities; High Dose Rate Brachytherapy (HDR) services for breast and gynecological malignancies; Low Dose Rate Brachytherapy (LDR) for prostate seed implants; and CT simulation.

CT simulation is one of the latest advances in the preparation for the treatment of cancer. It is the most accurate process available to localize, define and reconstruct a patient’s tumor in three-dimension as well as four-dimension in some cases.

The recent purchase

and installation of the new Philips Brilliance Big Bore CT simulator at The Cancer Treatment Center, which was made possible through Regional West Foundation’s Campaign for Continuing Excellence, totaled more than $1.5 million.

“Our new CT scanner has afforded us the ability to significantly improve upon patient positioning, and radiation therapy delivery. The large-bore allows placing patients in more advantageous orientations so as to reduce side-effect risk, and improve targeting of cancerous tumors and areas at risk of cancer spread or recurrence,” said radiation oncologist Dr. Mark Hartman. “Another plus to this scanner is its location directly in the Radiation Therapy department rather than across campus.

This has resulted in a big improvement in patient satisfaction, especially for

patients who have been treated previously and are returning for another radiation therapy course.”

In 2016, Regional West made another sizeable investment in cancer treatment with the opening of its new Infusion Center, where cancer patients receive chemotherapy as well as other infusion-based therapies.

Patients like Robert Lee of Scottsbluff, who previously underwent chemotherapy in the original and the expanded infusion rooms at Regional West, sincerely appreciate the investment in an ultra-modern infusion center.

“It’s a 100 percent improvement for the hospital to get this type of organization and flow for patients,” said Lee. He and his wife Julie were impressed by the attention to detail that went into the design of individual infusion rooms, such

as electrical outlets for all of the patient’s electronic phones and tablets; built in oxygen; storage areas for supplies, close proximity to the nurses station and more. They also appreciate the easy access to hot coffee and refreshments for patients and families.

Lee, who undergoes seven hours of chemotherapy every other week, said the care he receives at the Infusion Center is individualized and the nurses are pretty special. Having also received chemotherapy at a major cancer hospital, he is in a position to compare and contrast, and he clearly values the new environment, familiarity, and care he receives at his hometown hospital.

“Cancer can be a very lonely endeavor. I think that the process of coming up here and knowing the people taking care of you is important to a patient. The relationship

(with the staff) makes it more of a fighting priority, otherwise you get lost in your fight,” said Lee. “Before I would have said you could go Colorado or Rapid City or Omaha for chemotherapy, but the foresight to add infusion of this type allows people from the whole area to come to Scottsbluff.”

Regional West Cancer Services is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and has been recognized for outstanding achievement.

A year after building The Cancer Treatment Center in Scottsbluff in 2000 and installing a multi-million dollar linear accelerator, Regional West opened the Dorwart Cancer Care Center in Sidney to meet the needs of cancer patients in the southern Panhandle.

Pride Page 10

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Nicole Smith offers awardwinning photography JEFF SMITH Staff Reporter jsmith@starherald.com

Nicole Smith Photography is a place that continues in the tradition of authentic photography studios while putting a unique touch to craft. Nicole Smith, owner of the studio, said she combines traditional with a new way — what she might consider is all her own.

Smith said she creates photos for people to put on the wall and enjoy.

But she feels the upcoming generation cares a lot about instant gratification and they want to take a picture and look at it right away on Instagram.

“Eighty years from now, they’re not going to have pictures. I want pictures,” Smith said. “In 80 years, I want to sit down and look at them.”

Smith said she can create an experience that no one else can give them.

She has a storefront studio where people can come inside and feel welcome. There is a space for taking photos but also coffee and snacks that are available for her clients.

“You can have beautiful products to go home with and hang on your wall.

Not just a disc for a drawer, “ Smith said.

Smith said she has a big love for newborn photography but she doesn’t just do newborns.

She likes to create a relationship with families more than just saying that she took their photos once.

“I love growing with your family. I love to watch your family grow,” Smith said.

Smith does family portraits, children portraits, senior photography, weddings, professional headshots and boudoir photography.

“Anything and everything, but for the most part, it’s about growing with your family,” Smith said.

Although she realizes photos should not be all kept on social media she realizes its importance for her business.

“Social media allowed it to grow at a much faster rate,” Smith said. “Social media was a huge factor to grow the business. I definitely would not be doing what I am doing without social media.”

She said social media allowed her to get her name out across the nation and teach internationally.

Smith said her business was formed on the cusp of everything exploding digitally. The digital world also allowed her to

teach herself.

She started doing photography in the fall of 2010. She was able to open up a full-time studio in July 2011.

At that time, she made the decision to quit her full-time job to work on her photography. Smith describes the process of quiting her job and pursuing photography full-time as terrifying.

However, she said, her co-workers at Aurora Loan Services motivated and inspired her to get back into photography at a time that she was not doing much with it.

She started her business from her home and quickly got sick of people coming to her house everyday.

Smith also started teaching at that time.

When she started teaching she didn’t believe she was qualified.

She had a smaller studio at first in Gering that she outgrew.

She moved her studio to Scottsbluff in 2013.

Now, she is in a humongous space.

She said she is re-branding and trying to remodel the image of her studio as a place for all types of photography.

“We have a lot of fun events and specials to get people into the studio,” Smith said.

Smith hopes people are going to get more excited about what she offers and she is excited to bring people in to show them what she has with an open house.

“I want to let people in the community know that they are important and they still are. They are the reason I am here,” Smith said.

When she started, she didn’t know what was correct in terms of her photography. She didn’t know items like lighting or her camera in general and thought it was just an easy way to make money.

Smith was conforming to what others were doing at the time and trying to emulate their style.

“I had a lightning strike in a newborn session,” Smith said.

She was getting tired of doing the cute colorful backdrop and doing things like putting babies in a bucket. She couldn’t make the shots look right and had no idea how to use light.

Smith decided to try something different and put a baby in a crate and all of the colors were the same. She also used natural light in front of her studio.

“I feel in love with it,

JEFF SMITH/Star-Herald

TOP: Nicole Smith, owner of Nicole Smith Photography, next to her banner at her photography studio in Scottsbluff on Feb. 28.

BOTTOM: Nicole Smith, owner of Nicole Smith Photography, taking photos of a newborn in its natural state for a photo shoot. Smith uses simple backgrounds and ideas for her photo shoots.

the natural light. I fell in love with the simple, organic, rustic style that focused more on the baby than all of the props and crap we were using,” Smith said.

Smith said that carried over into her other sessions. She said she keeps it simple with styling and minimal props.

She likes to capture people’s emotion and just let families be themselves.

She said it evolved into a simplistic, timeless feel for her photos.

Smith doesn’t want her clients to stress out about anything when they come to her studio.

All of the styling is done by her. She also gives a lot of directions with her sessions.

She asks people not to bring anything to the newborn session and there are a wide variety of dresses with the maternity sessions.

She said it took courage to tell people “no” when they came in with outfits and different ideas for the photo shoot.

Smith hopes people contact her for the look she creates and not just because she clicks a button.

“I’m very strict about my look,” Smith said.

She has always been involved in photography and has taken photos since she was 5. She planned on doing photography in college but that changed when she met her husband. Smith grew up in the Scotts-

bluff/Gering area and graduated from Scottsbluff High School.

Smith didn’t think she would ever be able to do photography full-time because of the incredible photographers who were already in the area.

She said opening up a photography studio was the best decision she has ever made and she hopes it will continue, but said running a business is a lot of hard work.

Smith started teaching photography three years ago. A famous newborn photographer, which she didn’t realize at the time, sent her a message.

That photographer was obsessed with what she did with natural light photography and she got her start teaching. Smith

has done two dozen photography workshops all over the world and also does individual training at her studio in Scottsbluff.

“I’ve had people from Switzerland, Italy, Australia, Romania, Israel, the states, come all the way out to this little town to learn,” Smith said, “I think it’s pretty cool that they come all the way here.”

Smith said anybody who would be starting out where she did can succeed, if they push through the struggles.

“It’s just been about having that courage and doing it, pushing through the fear,” Smith said.

Pride Saturday, March 4, 2017

Page 11

For almost 70 years, The Bible Book Shop has served the valley SPIKE JORDAN Staff Reporter sjordan@starherald.com

For almost seven decades, The Bible Book Shop has had a firm presence in Scottsbluff.

Founded in 1948 by Paul and Ruth Schott and the wife of a pastor from the Assembly of God Church, the book shop was originally located on East Overland.

The Berean Fundamental Church Council bought the store and moved it downtown to a location on 16th Street, then across to it’s current location at 14 E. 16th St. Everett and Lena Lisle were managers, then Mark and Denis Knotts, then Dean and Nancy Lowrey.

The Lowreys purchased the store with Doug and Carol McDaniel in 1990. In 1995, the McDaniels assumed complete ownership of the store until they sold the shop to it’s current owner, Jeanette Kniss.

And it’s there tucked in on 16th Street on a blustery Tuesday morning in February that shoppers come in, walking under one of what Kniss said is only four original neon signs left in downtown Scottsbluff.

As the door chimes, a man walks in and asks about a book on Christian counseling. The clerk at the counter types it into her computer and checks to see if its been made available by the publisher yet. Soft piano music plays from a CD player from behind the counter. An essential oil diffuser lets out the occasional puff of vapor.

It’s calm and peaceful and a total change in tone from the wind howling outside.

The door opens into the back office and Kniss walks in. She’s a busy person.

Three nights a week she teaches piano lessons, and doesn’t get home until after 8 p.m.

On a table are stacks of books, receipts and cardboard boxes. Kniss said the building was originally a saddle shop, and then a grocery store, before it’s current iteration.

And in an era where online retailers are a click away, Kniss said the store is adapting and staying flexible, moving more from books to gifts.

“Sales on the books have held some of their own, but I’m going toward a few more gifts,” Kniss said. “I’m still going to have books. There are still people who love books, and I love books.”

Kniss said a decade ago, area churches used to put in bulk orders for Sunday school curriculum, but those orders have dropped off.

“I still have my dedicated customers,” Kniss said.

“They like to come here.”

Neighboring businesses downtown help attract traffic to her own shop, especially on a side street.

“When people are waiting to meet someone at the restaurant, they’ll come in here and browse, and that’s great,” Kniss said.

Kniss also spoke praise of her loyal, competent staff.

SPIKE JORDAN/Star-Herald

“It’s not about us, it’s all about Him! Lord, give us each a grateful heart for the privilege of serving You! Unite us together - an effective team led by your Spirit in all we do As stewards of all that you provide prayerful and careful we may be!

May Christ be seen in each of us by those we help, serving faithfully!

May our thoughts, our words and deeds be a sweet savor to You, we pray!

And as we desire to do Your will may the Holy Spirit direct us each day!

We pray as our hearts unite as one Your peace, grace and mercy will abound!

For when our lives reflect Your love showers of blessing are sure to be found!

“They’re so wonderful and helpful to our customers,” Kniss said. “They all read and they are very knowledgeable about Christian literature, so that no matter where you’re from or if you don’t have a permanent church home, they can make a recom-

mendation or help you find what you need.”

Kniss points to a prayer framed on the wall, written by her former employee Joy McClure, which has become kind of a de facto mission statement for the shop. (see prayer above)

Bible Book Shop owner Jeanette Kniss poses with a bible behind the front counter of the store.

Pride Page 12

Saturday, March 4, 2017

STEVE FREDERICK/Star-Herald

Nebraska National Forest recreation specialist Mike Watts visits the Outrider Corrals near Chadron State Park, an area popular with users of trail systems that link the park with U.S. Forest Service lands.

Pathways to progress

STEVE FREDERICK Special Projects Editor sfrederick@starherald.com

In a state once known for its treeless prairies, forest trails are becoming an important component of the economy in northwest Nebraska.

The economies of Sioux and Dawes counties once depended on cattle, pine trees cut from the nearby forests and logs and other cargo shipped eastward on the Chicago and North Western Railway. Today, with the railroad converted to a recreational trail and the forests diminished by fire, the economy, while still mostly agricultural, has come to depend more and more on tourism and Chadron State College.

About 20 people attended a recent meeting to promote recreation trails in the northern Panhandle, including the Chadron-to-Norfolk Cowboy Trail, a rails-to-trails project spanning more than 300 miles across northern Nebraska. They hope to link it and a network of city, forestland and park trails to a downtown gathering point.

Those attending the meeting cited the importance of the trail system to the U.S. Forest Service, Chadron State Parks, the college and the city. They plan to encourage hiking, biking and more trail-related events and produce a brochure with maps and information about the system.

The U.S. Forest Service plays a key role in the effort. The agency has seen its focus over the years turn from harvesting timber

STEVE FREDERICK/Star-Herald

The aptly named Black Hills Overlook Trail offers a vista from just outside the Chadron State Park boundary to the distant hills in South Dakota.

to its northern Panhandle grasslands, campgrounds and even a wilderness.

Working from the Forest Service office in Chadron, Mike Watts works to promote and maintain it all.

The jurisdiction of the Forest Service office extends as far east as the Bessey Ranger District in the Sandhills, as far west as the Wyoming border with the Oglala National Grasslands and northward to portions of forest land in South Dakota. It includes the 52,000 acres of the Pine Ridge Ranger District covering parts of Dawes and Sioux counties, where the native ponderosa forests of the Pine Ridge were added to the National Forest system in the 1950s.

Watts studied forestry in college and began his career with the Forest Service working timber sales. Now he spends about 80 percent of his time promoting recreation. A seasonal worker in the late 1980s, he joined the district full time in 1992. At that time, the office had a part-time person who’d go out and check trails and campsites periodically and clean them up.

Public use has grown a lot since then.

Watts is now a resource specialist, with an emphasis on recreation. He keeps an eye on unique Nebraska tourism treasures such as the Soldier Creek Wilderness, the Pine Ridge National Recreation Area, the Hudson-Meng Bone

Bed site, Toadstool Geological Park, the Bison Trail and the Red Cloud Campground and other sites.

“It’s hard to sell timber anymore. There’s other demands we need to manage for,” he said. “I had a forestry background. Because it’s such a small district, we have a lot of other responsibilities. The timber prices were really going down because of transportation costs. My work got shifted over to recreation.”

In fact, Toadstool Park, where there’s hardly a tree at all, is the forest’s most popular site. Located in the Oglala National Grassland in far northwestern Nebraska, it’s named for a badlands landscape that contains rock formations

shaped like mushrooms.

It features a reconstructed sod house and a few restrooms, as well as a few miles of developed trail, part of about 70 miles of trail maintained in the federal lands.

Three miles up the Bison Trail from Toadstool park is the Hudson-Meng site (also available by road) where ranchers discovered the 10,000-year-old remains of up to 600 ancestors of the modern bison while digging a pond in 1954. Extensively studied over the years, the site now features a seasonal visitor center with interpretive exhibits of the bones, believed to have been left at a kill site by prehistoric Native Americans. The Bison

Trail has been named one of the 10 best hiking trails in the nation.

Several sites are popular with horseback riders, including the 7,800-acre Soldier Creek Wilderness and the 6,600-acre Pine Ridge National Recreation Area.

Other popular areas wrap around Chadron State Park, tying in with its trail systems and other amenities. They include the Red Cloud Campground to the south, the Outrider Corrals and trailhead to the north and the Black Hills Overlook Trail to the northwest.

“There’s a pretty good trail network between the Forest Service and Chadron State Park that’s very accessible. It’s probably one of the better-used areas,” Watts said. “We border the park and a lot of our trails tie in, so it works out pretty well for both of us.”

Lesser-known sites include secluded campgrounds at The Cliffs along Bordeaux Creek and the West Ash campsite in the Pine Ridge. The Roberts Trail Head and Corrals, on the site of a former ranch, serve as a gateway to the national recreation area.

Many parts of the forest are still recovering from devastating fires in 2006 and 2012, with ongoing removal of dead trees and replanting of seedlings that come from from a nursery in the Bessey Ranger District. While wome areas are cut with primitive roads, others are closed to motorized travel. Starting at the Spotted Trail trailhead south of Chadron, a rider TRAIL 13

Pride Saturday, March 4, 2017

Page 13

n TRAIL: Continued from page 12

on horseback could travel close to 40 miles on forest trails and public roads and easements. The variety of terrain and access offers a range of experiences for hikers, campers and hunters.

While the trails in the Soldier Creek Wilderness make for a long day of hiking, they can be covered easily on horseback. Anglers will find three types of trout in the wilderness creeks that are uncommon in Nebraska: brook, cutthroat and the hybrid tiger trout.

“You can have it to yourself a lot of days. Most people will camp at the trailhead, but there are a lot of nice campsites way back in there,” Watts said.

“The Boy Scouts like to hike in and camp.”

Keeping the trails open requires cooperation from nature, other governments, private landowners and a lot of physical work.

“A lot of our forest was homesteaded at one time.

People went broke and sold it to the Forest Service,” he said. “Some of it is interspersed with private inholdings. We’ve gotten a few miles of easements to take the trails through.”

Keeping everything open requires adding, closing or re-routing roads for various reasons.

“Sometimes, it can get a little confusing where the roads and trails are,” he said. “We want to keep it clear so people don’t get off the main roads and trails.”

To help keep the public up to date, the Forest Service is creating a Region II database of trail information, such as elevation, surface conditions, vegetation and route maps, for an app to be used on smartphones and similar devices. It will cover forest lands in Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota.

“When people call up a certain area they’ll get trails and can look up information about them,” he said. “Each forest will get their information in by the end of August. It should be finished by 2018.”

Traffic counters help the Forest Service keep track of how many people use the various areas. Fire danger is a constant concern, especially in areas with tall grass, which can ignite when a vehicle passes over it.

“If things get bad enough we’ll do fire restrictions,” he said.

The restrictions will limit use of camp fires, travel and some roads. When they’re in effect, recreational users are required to stay in a vehicle when

smoking and camp in established areas.

Because the forest is slow to recover from fires on its own, tree planting efforts are ongoing.

“If you want your forest to recover, you have to plant or you’ll be waiting a century or so,” he said.

The effort has become more significant as forest cover has burned away and hotter summers change the landscape.

“I don’t think you’ll ever see the forest the way it was. The seeding success isn’t good on some of the dry slopes,” he said.

“Some of it now is really on the edge of being able to support a ponderosa forest.”

With decreased timber sales, funding for improvements and maintenance is scarce.

“Most summers I have two to four people who will help me out for several months,” Watts said. “This year, we’re scheduled to do maintenance on 45 miles of trail.”

The crews clear fallen trees, keep the trails marked and dig ditches to divert water from eroding the pathways.

To promote their amenities, the Forest Service and National Park Service offer a free pass for fourth-graders which includes free admission for their families. They can harvest a Christmas tree and enjoy free camping and day use, in an effort to get younger generations more involved in the outdoors. They also sell annual passes, and senior citizens can get a discounted lifetime pass.

Most of the local sites are open year-round, and only a few require fees.

“Our sites are open yearround as long as you’re able to get into them,” Watts said. Fees, which run from $3 to $8 depending on the site and level of use, help pay for trash collection, mowing and services such as attaching pump handles for use during the summer and fall months. Most of the money stays in the local economy for maintenance and supplies, Watts said.

Although the Forest Service trails are becoming more popular and significant to the northern Panhandle economy, they still offer a quality experience, including solitude, for users.

“You have to be careful what you wish for, because if you get too much traffic, it detracts from the experience,” Watts said. “But we have a lot of areas and trails that are underutilized.”

STEVE FREDERICK/Star-Herald

TOP: The Roberts Trail Head and Corrals, at the site of a former ranch, are a gateway to the 6,600-acre Pine Ridge National Recreation Area.

ABOVE: Hikers work their way up a primitive trail (upper left) at The Cliffs, a secluded campground and day use area along Bordeaux Creek in the Nebraska National Forest.

Western Nebraska Regional Airport 1-800-448-4226 www.penair.com

The Flight Deck Restaurant and Lounge

308-632-3673

Our one deductible advantage can help provide peace of mind when you need it most. Get a SuperCheck® today and be prepared for whatever tomorrow brings.

Taylor Copas 921 W 36th St., Scottsbluff (308)633-3151 TaylorCopas.fbfs.com

Matthew Haas 921 W 36th St., Scottsbluff (308) 633-4341 MatthewHaas.fbfs.com

Auto

|

Home

|

Life

|

Annuities

|

Farm & Ranch

|

Business

One deductible per occurance. Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company, *Western Agriculture Insurance Company, *Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company*/West Des Moines, IA. *Company providers of Farm Bureau Financial Services MC032 (7-16)

Free Parking and WiFi!

308-635-5555

250023 Airport Terminal St., Suite 10 Scottsbluff, NE • 308-635-4941

For flight reservations call

308-635-4940 or 308-632-4972

Pride Page 14

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Customer service drives successful family business SANDRA HANSEN Ag Editor ag@starherald.com

For nearly 40 years, Leithead’s has been among Torrington’s Main Street retail businesses. The family enterprise has outlasted Coast to Coast, Gambles, Ben Franklin, J.C. Penney, Montgomery Ward and several others.

The reason for their longevity is no secret, according to Aileen Leithead, co-owner with her husband Gary.

She also is the bookkeeper, and does the marketing, advertising and general support.

“We’ve tried to provide what people want. We now focus on appliances and bedding, and give people a choice so they can shop in Torrington,” Aileen explained. “We also service our Whirlpool brand, and do warranty work for others, as time allows.”

The first Leitheads arrived in Goshen County in the late 1970s. Harry had done appliance work in Chadron, but wanted to try farming, so he moved his family to Torrington. Farming didn’t turn out the way he had hoped, and he returned to appliance repairs.

Harry opened his first local business in 1978 in what is now a bike shop across the alley behind the Goshen County Library. As Harry’s Appliance Repair, he sold used appliances and repaired used small appliances. In 1980, Gary went to work with his father, to learn the business that was growing so fast that Harry couldn’t keep up.

The next year, 1981, the Leitheads began their retail business when they took on the Sears catalog store and moved to 2029 Main St. They also continued selling appliances and doing repairs.

By 1991, Harry and his wife, Minnie, decided it was time for them to retire, so Gary and Aileen took over day-to-day management.

Gary bought out his parents in 1993 when Sears closed the catalog store.

“We were actually making money,” Aileen recalled with a laugh, while sitting at her desk in the store’s office on a recent Monday afternoon.

They then acquired the Western Auto franchise and added tools, bikes and lawn mowers, among other items, to their offerings.

During those years, the business continued expanding services and products, and by 1998, the third generation Leithead joined the business. Son Craig began making deliveries while a sophomore at Torrington High School. He continued helping with the operation through college and after he married. In 2005 he joined the business.

By 1999, the family decided they needed more space.

They moved to the old Gamble’s store location, which is where they are today, 1936 Main St., and opened Leithead’s Appliance Center.

A big change occurred in 2003 when Western Auto went out of business. At that time, the Leithead family decided to continue as a totally independent business.

By 2007, they were ready to expand again, and purchased the building next door where the Kellum Drug Store had been. They added furniture to their inventory: Catnapper and Serta bedding lines, including Sertapedic mattresses, over the years.

“We wanted to compliment what was already available here in Torrington, not compete with other businesses. We wanted to give more choices to Torrington and area shoppers,” Aileen explained.

They picked up the Best Home Furnishings line formerly carried by D&B Fine Furniture when that owner retired last year.

Currently, Leithead’s Appliance Center is undergoing more changes. Craig is completing his student teaching as he works toward a career as a public school business teacher.

His wife, Jocelyn, who has also helped in the store over the years, is a special education teacher at Torrington High School.

Craig and Jocelyn’s three daughters, Brooklyn, Hadley and Briley, have also helped with the business.

Still in elementary school, they have participated in radio and TV advertising over the years. Brooklyn made her debut as a baby, sitting on a washing machine, waving to viewers.

“The girls have been here a lot,” Aileen said, smiling at the memories the trio has created. “It’s fun to have them be part of the business.”

The couple’s daughters are in Casper, Wyoming.

Arista is an elementary school music teacher, and Kara is a massage therapist in a chiropractic office.

They have no interest in assuming the business.

With Gary and Aileen approaching retirement

SANDRA HANSEN/Star-Herald

ABOVE: Andrea and Ryan Wunibald of Torrington, Wyoming, review final details regarding a chair they bought at Leithead’s Appliance Center.

Assisting them with the purchase is Rob McIntosh, who is in charge of the furniture sales department.

LEFT: At the end of the day, Gary Leithead tackles paper work related to appliance service calls he made earlier. He has been part of the family’s business since 1980.

age, the future of Leithead’s Appliance Center is not clear. Gary is not interested in retiring yet, and Aileen intends to continue her part of the operation, but they do think about what is ahead for the business the family has created and nurtured.

Gary is still doing service calls, and asks, “What would I do if I retired?”

Aileen is employed at St.

Joseph’s Children’s Home, in addition to her management duties at the store.

She also is involved in community theater, where she works behind the scenes. She has directed, been assistant director, stage manager, and takes a turn in the orchestra when needed.

For now, the couple continues providing the best service possible, along with

their assistants. Rob McIntosh oversees the furniture side of the business, and Eric Fogle is responsible for the appliance department.

They also have two parttime employees who do deliveries, Kurtis Shannon and Alan Grasmick, who also does vacuum cleaner repair.

Aileen credits current and past employees, especially Lou Ann Thayer who

retired in 2016, for a large part of their success.

“We’ve made a lot of changes to serve our customers,” Aileen said, reflecting on the years that have slipped past. “They’ve always been for the better. It’s been stressful some times, but we keep moving forward. We want to take care of our customers, and we’ll bend over backwards for them.”

Pride Saturday, March 4, 2017

Page 15

Caring for children in a happy place JEFF SMITH Staff Reporter jsmith@starherald.com

Mary H. Gonzales, owner of Acacia Academy, motto: If she is happy, her students are happy.

Gonzales has been happy because she is doing what she has wanted to do for a long time. She is running a preschool.

She likes watching her students grow. Because each child is different, she likes to bring out the best in them.

“The best part is watching them develop,” Gonzales said.

She points out students’ gifts and can even tell what students might do in the future based on the skills they have.

Gonzales said she likes to get them to be who they are supposed to be.

Acacia Academy has been around for six years.

Prior to that Gonzales, taught at Head Start program for 16 years for Panhandle Community Services/Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska.

She cooked in the program for four years. This was also her first job.

Her son Rico was 3 years old at the time she started and she would only work at Panhandle Community Services if she was able to bring him into one of the classes.

She discovered her inspiration to teach at that time in Anne Radford, who is currently teaching at Roosevelt Elementary.

She admired how Radford was able to take control of the children and her son Rico.

Gonzales began helping Radford and then was asked by Panhandle Community Services to see if she wanted to go to school to get a degree in education.

Gonzales dropped out of school when she was 16, so she had to first get her GED. Her husband, Steven, always encouraged her to go back to school but she never wanted to.

In two weeks, she completed her GED and she was able to go to Western Nebraska Community College.

She was getting A’s at school while her own children were also going to school.

“I was always saying, ‘If I can get an A, you can get an A too,’” Gonzales said.

She received her Associate of Arts from WNCC in 1994. She continued at Chadron State College and received her degree through online training.

Gonzales was honored at the WNCC Alumni banquet in October 2016 for being able to go back to school and achieve the success she did.

She was amazed that WNCC did that and she was able to bring her whole family.

JEFF SMITH/Star-Herald

ABOVE: Matius Flores, 5, cleans the table at Acacia Academy on Feb. 22. Gonzales utilizes the students as helpers throughout the day so that they learn responsibility.

LEFT: Mary H. Gonzales, owner of Acacia Academy, gets out items for lunch on Feb. 22. Students are given lunch, breakfast and snacks at the preschool.

ACACIA 16

A local business serving our customers since 1982 Your Computer, Networking, Copier, and Hobby Connection

308.632.5514 1912 Broadway Scottsbluff

Pride Page 16

Saturday, March 4, 2017

n ACACIA: Continued from page 15

The name Acacia was originally a band name for her family. Gonzales’ three sons, daughter and husband formed a band where they traveled and did a lot of singing and dancing.

Acacia is a type of shrub and used for a wide variety of uses including as a type of medicine and food.

She learned about the name in a church sermon where it was related to Jesus Christ.

Gonzales said if she ever would change the name of the school it would be Marvel or Avengers because she likes superheroes and how children are attracted to them.

The building for Acacia Academy was bought 10 years ago. There was a lot of different things that took place at the building prior to having the preschool there.

“We called it the Acacia building. We had dances here, bible studies, and all kind of things happened here,” Gonzales said.

Once she had the idea for the preschool, she talked to the fire marshal and said that there was a long list of things needed to be done to the building.

Her husband renovated it to bring it up to code.

At the same time, she was doing paperwork for the state to have an official preschool. Once she passed the inspection, it was like a dream for her.

She started a few weeks after that.

Twelve students can be enrolled at Acacia Academy at a time. Gonzales likes to have a few less than that so there can be more one-on-one time.

“When they are at work time, I will call them individually and really work with them. I think that’s the real highlight. Getting to work with them and spending that one-on-one time,” Gonzales said.

She also provides breakfast, lunch and snack for the students.

When she started the preschool, she knew she could do it and said God provided everything.

“I had a lot of experience with kids. I directed vacation bible schools, directed a couple of camps,” Gonzales said.

Before she left Head Start, she prayed about starting her own preschool.

It was almost a calling that led her to finally start the preschool. Two people she knew offered her free preschool equipment and furniture.

Gonzales said it’s been

JEFF SMITH/Star-Herald

ABOVE: Fiveyear-olds Denzel Flores and Adalyn Bazan play on a tire swing during playtime.

LEFT: Leif Yarnell, 2, swings on a horse swing in the playground at Acacia Academy.

Children as young as 2 years old can be at preschool as long as they are pottytrained.

a really good experience and it’s a Christian-based school. Students quote some scripture at graduation.

Gonzales also includes faith-based stories and talks about obeying God. Gonzales said through that, she shows them what good leaders look like.

She also talks a lot about bullying and being able to have a good heart. “(It) shows them how important it is to respect themselves and people,” Gonzales said.

She has a daily routine

for the students that she sticks to well. Gonzales said the class runs smoothly.

“If you would come in here on a regular day.

The kids aren’t running around. We are staying busy all day,” she said.

One of the best things she has found out is to do a lot of hands-on lessons.

“I think that is how kids learn,” Gonzales said, “I let them do a lot of their own stuff.”

Gonzales’ approach to teaching is that not every student will learn the

same way.

One example of this is when the class studies a letter, they will learn words associated with the letter and Gonzales uses a pop culture character so children can remember it.

She will not only write words but use examples with the letter. Gonzales will stay on a letter for a few days until she believes students are grasping it.

“If I see a couple that are struggling, I will stay a couple more days,” Gonzales said.

She said she also likes

Professional driver on closed course. Always protect the environment and wear your seat belt, helmet, eye protection and protective clothing.

Read the owner’s manual and product warning labels before operation. Model shown with optional accessories. Vehicle specifications subject to change.

to invest in young parents and give them advice on parenting. A big thing is discipline because she said they are scared to discipline their child or don’t know how.

She said parents will take notice of what Gonzales is doing when their children’s behavior improves.

After a while, parents will start listening and ask for advice.

Gonzales said she takes any child as long as they are potty-trained. Some are as young as 2 years old and are potty-trained.

Gonzales said that parents interested in the school will stop by, fill out a form, and receive a tour of the building.

There is an hour orientation and there is a registration fee. During that time, she will go through the whole day of what the students do.

Parents are always calling, Gonzales said, to ask about enrolling their children.

“I have moms who are pregnant right now. They say ‘Hey, in a couple of

years, my baby will go here’,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales was born and raised in Scottsbluff. She now lives in Melbeta, where she said it is a lot quieter.

She has four children and nine grandchildren.

“They are adults, married, and out of the house,” Gonzales said.

None of her children have left Scottsbluff which she is thankful for because she is able to see her grandchildren.

The school has a playground outside. Tthe students are able to have fun, educational games on computer, and she utilizes the students as helpers for tasks to do around the building.

“I’m really preparing them for kindergarten so it’s the academics that are very strong here. We do a lot on numbers, shapes and colors. Everything that is needed for kindergarten,” Gonzales said.

She is proud of what she has been able to do at Acacia Academy and all of the students she has had.