Star-Herald Pride March 28, 2015

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Jim Schild

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Pride Panhandle People

2015

Redirections lead to advancement, interesting challenges page 11

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Helping youth

Children’s advocate

Giving back

Keeping history alive

CAPWN director leads programs aiming to empower youth

Local woman makes a difference at CAPstone

Getting involved in community a priority for Rogers

Hashman follows more than 100 years in family service, history

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Passion for flying keeps Watkins in the air By IRENE NORTH Staff Reporter

Flying is a part of Gil Watkins’ life. He has spent 23 years as an EMS pilot, 30 years as a military helicopter pilot and 10 years as a military fixed wing pilot, with a total of 40 years in the military. Watkins was born and raised in Platteville, Colorado, and went to junior college in Greeley, Colorado. “Right about the time I was out of money and about to be drafted, I enlisted in the Army,” he said. He enlisted in 1971 and went to flight school in 1972, spending five years in active service. During that time, he flew Huey helicopters in a medivac

unit. He became aware of a flight program in the Army from a friend of a friend. “I went from high school to flight school in the warrant officer program. I didn’t need a degree,” he said. Though he would later teach others how to fly helicopters, he started flying planes because they were cheaper and, commercially, no one was aware of teaching helicopter pilots in the 1970s. After serving in the Army, Watkins returned to his home state to study fishery biology at Colorado State University and tried to get into veterinary school. WATKINS, page 2

Courtesy photo

Gil Watkins stands in front of one of the planes he flew while on deployment with the U.S. military.

Photos by Sandra Hansen

Although a lot of his radio programs are generated through phone calls, Howard Hale, left, gets a lot of material by attending area meetings. Here he interviews Henry Thompson, a speaker at the 2015 Bean Day.

Howard Hale: Nothing beats working By SANDRA HANSEN Ag Editor

MINATARE — That made-for-radio voice you hear giving agriculture reports on area radio isn’t coming live from a local station. It most likely is the result of a recorded telephone conversation from earlier in the day or a few days before. Howard Hale has been a familiar voice on radio since the 1970s. Raised on a local farm, he attended Hiram Scott Community College in the 1950s, served in the U.S. Army and obtained a degree in psychology from the University of Colorado before settling into life in the Nebraska Panhandle. Along the way, he farmed dryland and irrigated crops, raised cattle and sheep, and was in the insurance business. But the big change came 52 years ago when he married Pat, a petite speech pathologist from eastern Nebraska who came out west to work in the local school district. Hale eventually became involved in radio, beginning in 1985 as an ad salesman for KOLT. When the farm director left, Hale began his broadcasting career at age 50. He moved to KNEB in the early 90s, doing the Farmers USA Report and others such as Cattlemen’s Corner and Horsemen’s Corner. He stayed on the move, going back to KOLT for a couple of years, and then to KMOR for Tracy Broadcasting, back to KNEB and a return to Tracy. During those years, Hale decided to become an independent contract broadcasting entity, establishing Hale Broadcasting and Hale Multimedia, along with his son Brian and daughter Andi. His first contract was with KSIR in Fort Morgan, Colorado, in 1994. Since then, his broadcasts are heard from New Mexico to Montana, where they are often picked up by Canadians. A member of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters, Hale issues crop and livestock reports still featured on KNEB. Beginning in 1997, each spring Hale does a series of reports, contacting elevator operators and producers from Texas to Montana, tracking crop conditions and harvest progress. HALE, page 3

Hale prepares a radio program in his h o m e - b a s e d s t u d i o . Wi t h t h e a i d o f m o d e r n technology, he can do an interview with a farmer in Kansas, and have it edited and ready for air time in about half an hour. His interviews are broadcast from Texas to Montana, with listeners extending into Canada.

Courtesy photo

Nathan Holloway takes a selfie of himself and a friend.

Helping the needy of Haiti By STEPHANIE HOLSINGER Staff Reporter

When Dr. Jeff Holloway first visited Haiti with a mission group of six surgeons with Northwest Haiti Christian Mission in 2004, he was hooked. He returned the next year and the next, and the next. He has since made 18 trips. “Once we were there, we just fell in love with what they were doing,” said Holloway, who performs general surgery and is a bariatric surgeon at Regional West Physicians Clinic-Surgery and medical director of the Bariatric Program at Regional West Medical Center. Since the initial medical team arrived, people from across the country continue to join the medical missionary efforts. The hospital has built on additional operating rooms to accommodate the increased number of visiting surgeons. “We doubled and tripled the output when we have a surgical unit there now,” Holloway said. In addition to a birthing center, the hospital has doctors on staff and a nutrition team. The visiting medical team brings eye, orthopedic surgeons, ob/gyn and other surgical specialists. “ We bring whomever we need based on who we have and what we have to do,” Holloway said His passion for serving the people of the poorest country in the world has become a family endeavor. Wife Kim and his five children join him on at least one of his weeklong trips every October and January. The country suffers abject poverty, said Kim and Jeff, with little infrastructure or organized health care. “Essentially there is no organized health care. Paved roads are non-existent. They have a school, church, an orphanage and clinic.” Jeff said he takes a f light from Port au Prince to his destination, but has previously taken the 10 hour bus ride to Port de Paix and it “is not fun,” especially when the roads are muddy.

Courtesy photo

The hospital is the main infrastructure in the town of Port de Paix. The mission has a school and an orphanage in addition to the church. The daily needs of the people are met in between the medical missionaries’ visits by the mission, which helps the people establish a means to support themselves, including farming and business.

The lack of medical care is apparent. There is no screening, no treatment for cancers, no medicine. “There’s not a lot you can do. They do not have the money to buy the medicine or pay for the surgery,” he said. “These services are non-existent. “It is hard to see people dying from diseases that are easily treatable or from something that could have been caught earlier that turns into something fatal. We can go in and do the surgery. They get a good operation, but there is no chemo, no radiation,” Holloway said. “If we don’t do it, nobody will do it.” The people of Haiti struggle every day, said Jeff, walking many miles a day for the necessities for life, including food, water and medical care and they continue to struggle from lack of help after the devastating earthquake in 2009. The team brings as much medicine and supplies as they can carry. Clean water is in short supply also

and although the residents have well water, they wash and bathe in water sources that are not free from animal and human waste. They use the water they have available to them for all their basic needs, including wash i ng a nd laund r y. Wash i ng areas are communal and can be the same area that animals access, according to Jeff. But there have been improve ments, he said. In the Port de Paix area the infant mortalit y rate has declined, the Holloways said. A preschool has been established and the people are learning new and innovative ways to farm and start businesses. Jeff said, “It feels right. I have never had a disappointing trip.” Once the family began accompanying him, he said it became even more gratifying. “Not everyone comes every trip, but someone always comes on each trip.” Of the Holloway children, the youngest, Nathan, 13, has made four HOLLOWAY, page 4

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WATKINS: Passion for flying keeps man in the air Continued from page 1 “ T here’s not a whole lot of demand for people with fishery biology degrees,” he said. When you leave the military, you c a n est abl ish residenc y wherever you want, something Watkins didn’t realize at the time. “ Two p a s sions , f ly i ng a nd veterinary medicine, attracted me,” he said. “I didn’t realize how competitive it (veterinary school) was until I was in the program, or I would have gotten residency in Wyoming.” After college, he returned to service as a member of the National Guard in Cheyenne for 35 years. He flew scouts about the size of Air Link’s helicopter. In the National Guard, Watkins was an instructor pilot and instrument examiner. He met several EMS employees and worked in Denver for nine years. He retired from the military in 2011. “I was 60,” he said. “They made me quit.” Though he mostly f lew helicopters in the National Guard, during his last 10 years he flew a King Air twin air turbo prop used primarily by the military as VIP and liaison transport. The planes can carry up to 10 passengers, depending on model and setup. Dur ing Operat ion Deser t Storm Watkins flew medivac helicopters. “It was a short, sweet endeavor,” he said. In 2006, he flew VIPs around in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan and North Africa. “It’s the most boring thing I ever did in life,” he said. After retiring, Watkins said Nebraska wasn’t high on his priority of places to go, but the area has grown on him. “I got married here and I had t wo kids born here,” he said. Watkins has a son, Nick, 15, and a daughter, Allie, 11. Though he flies today with Air Link and has served in many medivac units, Watkins said his job as a pilot doesn’t have anything to do with medicine. “Pilots are 10 0 percent the flying part,” he said. “There is communication with the f light team and you learn things, but medicine is not your job.” Watkins said that, even though he isn’t a flight medic, over time, there are a few things you learn to help ensure a good outcome. “I learned that with a closed head injury, you pick the lowest

Gil Watkins leaning against Air Link’s new helicopter.

route back,” he said. Mainly, the pilots aim to pull as much power and go as fast as they can to get a patient to the services they need. With a lifetime of flying under his belt, Watkins would still enjoy taking a year off to fly a plane or helicopter to see places around the world. “Seeing Hawaii would be great, but one place that intrigues me is Australia,” he said. “Using a helicopter to travel would be fun.” He considers it fortunate that he met D ick C heney. W hen Cheney was a U.S. senator, he supported various endeavors and Watkins escorted him to speaking engagements. As someone with a military background, Watkins appreciated that Cheney was a pragmatic person. Later, when Cheney was vice president , Wat k i ns prov ided support for Cheney’s vacations in case there were any medical emergencies. Though he didn’t interact with Cheney much, he was exposed to a lot of security. “I spent more time with the Secret Service,” he said. “For just a boat trip, there was a 3-inch binder that covered everything about the trip, including weather and the people.” While in the National Guard, Watkins admired Flight Surgeon Cardiologist Jim Hallen. “He took care of aviators and was not hesitant to tell his life story to anyone,” Watkins said. Hallen was one of the few flight surgeons who could return a flight pilot to service if they were alcoholics. “He was an inspirational personality,” Watkins said. “When Desert Storm was mobilized, he closed his practice and volun-

Courtesy photos

Watkins at the Kuwait Regional Flight Center during his deployment in Kuwait in 2006.

teered to go.” Watkins said after spending 48 years “muddling through life,” he found Jesus Christ. “That’s my greatest success,” he said. “He changed my life.” His faith has opened up new things in his life that he enjoys doing. As a flight pilot with Air Link, Watkins experiences significant waiting periods during his shift. He is a master at killing time. He completes crosswords and reads a lot. He switches between reading a book for pleasure and then something of substance. One of his favorite authors is James Gil and Dawn Watkins with their children and Dawn’s parents in Michener, but he also enjoys se- 2006 when Gil was deployed to Kuwait. ries by Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy. bers, of Barber Music, who sold from the NRD tree program. “It’s awful to get to the end of a it to him. His house was originalWatkins never regretted flyseries,” he said. ly built in 1910 and sat on about ing. He and other pilots only When he’s not at work, Wat- 400 acres. worried about losing medical kins bowls on Monday nights “A por t ion of our la nd had certification. d u r i n g t h e w i n t e r b o w l i n g been a feedlot and wasn’t used “Their passion is flying,” he league w ith his family. T hey for at least 20 years,” Watkins said. bowl as mother/son and father/ said. “A lot of it was not usable.” Wat k ins sa id he k new one daughter. When the overpass on High- man who lef t the milit ar y to “Bowling was more popular in way 92 a nd H ighway 26 was work in the post office, but was the 1950s and 1960s,” he said. built, Watkins was approached bored with his job. He regretted “Now it just seems to be hanging by the builders to purchase dirt not pursuing a career in aviafrom his property. on.” tion, he said. “ They cleaned it all out and He also enjoys golf ing f ive “The most important thing to days a week in the summer with put pasture grass back to seed,” do is find your passion in life and his wife, Dawn, and has 17 acres he said. do it,” he said. “If you can turn he can garden on. His property Z M Lumber put in a 5 -acre your passion into a career, that’s was homesteaded by the Bar- pond and Watkins planted trees even better.”

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HALE: Nothing beats working Continued from page 1 “I talk to people across the country, and I can work whatever hours I want,” Hale said, sitting down to the control board in his home-based studio. One of his most memorable contacts has been the “Great A mer ican W heat Har vest ,” a documentary focusing on custom wheat harvest crews as they follow the crop to the Canadian border and beyond. Hale’s reports are interspersed throughout the movie, along with a scene of him in his studio. “It was fascinating learning about their operations, the cost of the equipment, the size of the combines, and the people,” Hale said, relaxing on his living room couch. He had just finished feeding hay to about 20 horses in the pasture behind the couple’s home south of Minatare. It’s then that Pat tells about a plaque her husband received when he was inducted into the United States Custom Harvesters Hall of Fame in 2013. The presentation was made at the national convention in Grand Island, which was at tended by people f rom Georgia to the West Coast, representing forage as well as grain crops. T he ha r vester s a re on ly a fraction of the interesting people Hale has met or communicated with over the years. “They are what makes this particular job fun,” Hale said, sitting at his control board, headphones in place, waiting for a call to connect with a producer in Kansas. “You meet and talk to intriguing people, and most of them I’ve never met. “ Some are f ull of baloney,” he continued, “and I have been fooled a few times, but usually you can tell the decent ones who

are telling you the truth.” There’s a moment of silence then a hearty, “Good morning. This is Howard Hale with Hale Broadcasting.” He explains the reason for his call and again he has found a willing farmer who agrees to do the interview about snow and winter wheat conditions. Hale’s broadcasts aren’t just spur of the moment, either. He plans ahead to cover such topics as frost in Florida or horse shows in Texas. With such a wide coverage area, he includes a wide range of interests. According to Hale, his job is much easier and less expensive than when he entered the broadcasting business. He recalls that his first computer cost $ 2,000 and had a 500 megabyte capacity, with small RAM space. “They told me it was more than I’d ever need, even at that time,” Hale said behind his headset, waiting for a call to connect. “But even then it would overload and drop stuff. “ This editing program is so much quicker, and I got it free off the Internet,” he continues, ref lecting on progress in the industry. “The first one I had for the computer cost $600. “This system has made broadcasting a lot simpler,” he said, turning to his call. W hen it is complet ed, t he editing begins. This takes just a few minutes with the latest equipment, a vast improvement from the reel-to-reel recorder he used in the beginning. Hale recalled the tedious editing that required clipping tape and saving the pieces in the order you cut them out, in case you had to put them back in. Today, following his conversation, Hale pushes a button and

Photos by Sandra Hansen

Bundled against a frosty cold morning, Howard Hale feeds bales of hay to about 20 horses near his home south of Minatare. Even though he’s nearing 80, Hale said nothing beats working.

the voices he hears in the headset show on the computer screen as a series of bars creating high and low points, which indicate the voice level. Another click of a key and highlighted segments disappear. He first deletes extra “uh”s and silence, then words and sentences, until he achieves the report he wants, which meets the time frame. H a le t hen s ends t he f i na l product to several stations, or an individual outlet, depending on the purpose of the interview. The Internet transmission is instantaneous in most cases. However, he still e-mails reports to some outlets, but will eventually shift them to the Internet, as well. Complet ing t he broadcast , Hale returns to the living room where Pat is finishing her early mor n i n g hous ehold chore s . Looking up, and it’s really up, because she barely reaches the five foot level, and Hale is closer to six feet, she reminds him of a not her appoint ment for t he morning. “He’s always busy,” she explains, smiling as Hale heads back to the studio.

Pat was raised around North Platte and Grand Island, and graduated from the University of Nebraska. She came to the Panhandle for her first job, knowing nothing about farming but was fascinated with horses. “I just fell into the life,” Pat said of her new surroundings. She and Howard were married Aug. 18, 1962, and have three children, Becky Arndt and family of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Brian Hale and family of Wichita Falls, Texas; and Shannon Marshall and family of Mitchell. They are also blessed with 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Pat worked for the local school districts 41 years before retiring. Now, while her husband is busy with the horses, goats and dogs, meetings, doing broadcasts, and the many other activities he is involved with, she spends a lot of her time volunteering for various groups and visiting residents at the rest home. As for Hale, he said he is having too much fun to retire. “As long as my voice and my mind hold out, nothing beats working,” he said with his familiar laugh.

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Courtesy photos

Port de Paix, Haiti.

HOLLOWAY: Helping out the needy in Haiti Continued from page 1 trips. He and his siblings help in the surgical center. Mom, K im, a registered nurse, works in recovery and pre-op. Older brother Matthew works in the sterilizer room and sister Mykah helps in the operating room. Nathan also provides assistance in the central supply room, keeping it organized and stocked. He also cleans the operating room. K im said that she has gained a lot of insight from her trips to Haiti and that the experience has made an impact on their oldest child, A photo taken several years ago of the Holloway family with a missionary Mykah, who is a junior in member. From left back row, Andrew, Dr. Jeff, Kim, Mykah. Matthew and Hannah are Two Hatian children in the city of Port de Paix, where the Holloway family serves with a medical mission. college majoring in medi- pictured in the front row, with Nathan in the center. cine. “ T hat ex per ience has shown how fortunate we are. These people are so grateful,” she said. Both Kim and Jeff said the people are poor and have little, yet they are happy and they are grateful for the help. “It just kind of hits you and devastates you. You know you have everything back home that you need and then you have to get on a plane and leave those people. It’s hard.” Kim said it is a culture shock, especially for new people on the team visiting for the first time. She said she will keep coming back, because, like her husband, she sees that even if the whole country cannot be improved for the better, ”you can change one person at a time, you can make that person’s life improve,” she said. For more information on Northwest Haiti Christian Mission, go to NWHCM. org.

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CAPWN director leads programs aiming to empower youth By MAUNETTE LOEKS Media Editor

A Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska program is helping people change lives, in accordance with its motto. Betsy Vidlak has been the director of youth programs for the last three years, having spoken at national and state programs on the work done to address rural youth homelessness. Vidlak has been with CAPWN for about six years. After at tending Chadron St ate College, where she received a degree in psychology, Vidlak began working in social service, completing an internship at Lutheran Family Services, serving in family support and visitation. She first began working with CAPWN as a family advocate in the Head Start Program before moving to Colorado to work in a residential treatment facility for adolescent boys. It was during this time that she became interested in working with youth. She became certified in Colorado in addiction counseling. “It was tough, working with high-needs youth,� she said. “We see that a lot in the shelter. I learned a lot but I was ready for a break.� Working with people has always interested her, she said, especially in the areas of substance abuse and addiction counseling. “When I attended school, methodology focused on teaching the medical model,� she said, saying that addiction was treated as a disease. “Today, the method has changed to an emphasis on trauma and that each of us has experienced some traumas that shape us.� “My views have changed through the years,� she said. “We have a lot of young people in our programs that struggle.� The model used by CAPWN — trauma-informed care — is a treatment framework that involves recognizing that youth have suffered trauma, understanding and recognizing that, and helping to create a sense of control and empowerment for youth. CAPWN works within its agency and with partners in the Panhandle Partnership for Health and Human Services to address physical, psychological and emotional needs for clients. Vidlak has worked as an out reach coordinator for CA PWN’s street outreach

Photo by Maunette Loeks

Betsy Vidlak, director of youth programs at Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska, stands next to a quote that embodies the spirit of programs offered at the agency for youth.

program, commonly called S.O.S., picking up youth out on the street or meeting them wherever they may be, from living in abandoned homes to several people in a cramped apartment. “Homelessness in western Nebraska isn’t as visual, like seeing people living along the streets or under bridges. But, we still have kids who are homeless, going without things to eat, kids who are exploited,� Vidlak said. “When homelessness is not seen, it is not seen as a problem, but it is.� CAPWN and its partners work to build a “strengthbased system,� Vidlak said. “We focus on seeing youth as having value, not seeing them as a delinquent or a troublemaker, per se.� Trauma-informed care is not a program, but a way of approach. It is a balance between consequences and work. For example, Vidlak said, she knows of service providers who have blamed a teen or youth for becoming homeless, asking them, “What did you do now?� At CAPWN’s youth programs, “We will say, ‘Here, let me get you some food.’� CA PW N programs also work to help youth address issues, such as providing support services. Many of the youth seen in CAPWN programs already struggle to have the support they need at home. Some of the youth in its programs, such as its transitional living program, have been in foster care or have other risk factors. The staff works to help them, not further alienate them with judgment.

The young people also do needs assessments, with youth learning skills from cooking and doing laundry at the Panhandle Youth Shelter to financial literacy skills and filling out federal financial aid funds for college. CAPWN offers its youth shelter program, a supportive housing program as part of an initiative that strives to put clients in “Housing First� and case management services to provide a continuum of care to the youth who are served at the agency. Last year, the program served 85 unduplicated youth in its shelter and it often has a waiting list for its supportive housing program. “We are looking at the continuum care. Not just for youth, but all across the age span. “ We don’t want to push them further outside of the community,� she said. “That is

not hopeful.� Youth in the programs need to be seen as people first, not as a label, Vidlak said. “We still have ways that we need to catch up. Awareness is one of those areas in moving forward. It is still an issue,� she said. As one of CAPWN’s clients said in a project last year — “I am not a homeless person. I am a person without a home.� CAPWN has participated in grant programs to help fund its services through sources including Housing and Urban Development, the federal Family and Youth Services Bureau and other state and federal programs. In the past, the United Way of Western Nebraska has also help fund the program. Trauma-informed care is becoming a more accepted method on the state and na-

Photo by Sunnyfreckles Photography

Brian Nicodemus is pictured in a photo done as part of a campaign at CAPWN. Betsy Vidlak said the campaign highlighted the labels that youth fight.

tional level, with CAPWN and the Panhandle Partnership of Health and Human Services looked at as leaders. “We still have ways that we need to catch up. Awareness is one of those areas in moving forward. It is still an issue,� she said. Vidlak has spoken nationally and at the state-level on trauma-informed care. While east-

ern Nebraska programs track its success by tracking the number of clients who go onto college, Vidlak said CAPWN and services like it are tracking poverty rates and focusing on successes like getting clients housed, food and access to basic medical care. “We have made a lot of progress, but there is opportunity to do better,� she said.

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Local woman makes difference at CAPstone By MAUNETTE LOEKS Media Editor

For nearly 20 years, a local woman has been helping advocate for the area’s littlest victims, working w it h children in abuse, neglect and violent crime cases from throughout the Panhandle. Shelley T homas, a fo rensic interviewer at CAPstone, has been part of the center for more than 20 years. Thomas is among the founding team for the center, which ser ves to provide a child-friendly environment for investigators to interview children who have been victimized or witnessed a serious crime. Now, Thomas works oneon- one w ith children, serving as the center’s first full-time interviewer. The effort to establish child advocacy centers began in the 1980s. The first child advocacy center was established in Huntsville, A labama, and the center continues to be successful, training law enforcement and child abuse investigators throughout the nation. Today, child advocacy programs similar to CAPstone h a ve b e e n e s t a bl i s h e d in ever y state and some countr ies. In Nebraska, there are advocacy centers in Lincoln, Omaha, Grand Island, Kearney and North Platte. Each center is different, with some being set up in home-like centers like CAPstone’s, in hospitals or even in a strip mall. Locally, efforts to establish a child advocacy center started in 1997. Thomas and Vicki Moreno, an investigator with the Scotts Bluf f Count y At torney’s Office, worked with leaders, including Dick Pzanka, a former vice president with Regional West Medical Center, a nd for mer Scot tsbluf f Police Chief Jim Livingston on the effort. Thomas said she and Moreno had worked previously with Lynn Ayers, a Lincoln child protection worker, who had started the effort in Lincoln. Joyce Hillman-Kortum served as the center’s first director. “P rosecutors, child welfare and medical folks came to together and said, ‘ T here has to be a better way,’” Thomas said. “Each time we interview children, they are reliving their trauma.” Forensic inter v iewers like Thomas are specially trained to establish a rapport with children and to ask them non-leading questions to allow the child to tell about the abuse or neglect that they may have suffered in a narrative way. “The whole idea is to be consistent in st yle,” she said. “ The style is about creating a comfortable environment where the child trusts in me to hear his or her story. They don’t feel criticism, they know that they are safe here. We tell the truth here, and they aren’t in trouble for telling their story. ... It is so important that we believe the stories that children tell us,” she said, noting that statistics show that less than 2 percent of children ma ke f a lse acc usat ions of sexual assault or child abuse. It’s difficult for children

Shelley Thomas, a forensic interviewer, and Ingrid Frohbieter sit in an interview room at CAPstone. Interview rooms are child-friendly.

to tell about abuse that is personal and private. During inter views, children can play or color, depending on the interviewer, which can help them feel more at ease. Thomas said she usually has markers and paper for children to color or Play-doh. “ We make lots of bis cuits and pizzas,” she said. Parents aren’t allowed in the room, but do often accompany children to the facility, Thomas said. Most children feel comfortable knowing that mom or dad is at the facility. Interviews are focused on the child’s story, she said. She even allows children to ask her questions because “I want them to feel empowered. Sometimes, it is the first time that they have dis closed.” Interviews are recorded, reducing the number of times that a child has to be interviewed by prosecutors, defense attorneys, m e d i c a l p r ov i d e r s a n d others. Thomas, who formerly worked as an officer with the Lincoln Police Department and as a social worker with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, said she knows that children were often interviewed several times before their cases made it to trial in the days before child advocacy centers — from an interview w it h a s chool nu r s e or teacher to defense attorneys. In one case, Thomas said, she knows of a child being interviewed 17 times before the case had concluded. Those interviews weren’t comfor table, T homas sa id, a nd most officers conducted interv iew s i n t he s a me w ay that they may interview an adult. “ We we r e no t g i v i n g kids a fair shot,” she said. Today’s child forensic interviews take child development i nto account and interviewers are rout inely t ra ined a nd have to participate in regular assessment of their skills. T homas said that a ch i l d - f r ie nd l y e nv i ron ment also est ablished a safe place for investigators to interview children. She remember s t hat one of the interviews that led her and Moreno to explore the child advocacy center concept involved an interview of a child in a car parked in front of the alleged abuser’s home. There had to be a better way, she said. CA Pst one a lso works w i t h p a r e nt s t o s e t up

Photos by Maunette Loeks

A painted mural greets children and visitors to the CAPstone facility in Gering.

med ic a l ex a ms , du r i ng which evidence collection as well as an assessment of the child’s health is completed. At Regional West Medical Center, Thomas said, there are two sexual assault nurse examiners who are able to not only do evidence collection in sexual assault cases, but also assessments for child abuse cases in conjunction with a physician. Thomas, who served as a board member for de cades before coming on as an interviewer, also serves as a multidisciplinary team coordinator at the child advocacy center. Trained law enforcement officers a lso ser ve to i nter v iew and Thomas oversees the team that interviews children, trainings and other requirements. The team meets regularly to discuss c ases a nd mentor each other. W it h i n t he l a st ye a r, CAPstone felt the volume of cases coming through the center was high enough to warrant a fulltime interviewer. Thomas do e s i nt e r v iew s a t t he facility in Gering and its satellite offices in Chadron, Alliance and Sidney. L a s t y e a r, C A P s t o n e interviewers interviewed 302 children and provided advocacy services for 382 children. The center has also added a family advocate to its staff. It’s a supportive role that CAPstone can provide in an easier way than law en forcement or socia l workers. “We do not arrest, we do not have the power to take kids, so we are seen purely as helping and supporting victims and families,” Thomas said. T he center st a f f is headed by Holly Brandt, executive director. Since Oct. 1, Ingrid Frohbieter has been work ing w it h victims and non-offending parents to provide victim advocacy services, includ-

ing follow up counseling with victims. The advocate also works with the county attorney’s office to educate and serve as support for children prior to going to court. They also work with mental health professionals and DOVES to ensure that children and families have the support and resources that they need on an expedited basis. C A P s t one a l s o h a s a grant from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Ser v ices, which funds hair follicle testing in cases involving drugs. T his can test for drugs, such as methamphetamine, prescription drugs

Thomas, a forensic interviewer, sits in front of a house made out of ceramic tiles. The tiles were made during a fundraiser at former business, Create Away for CAPstone.

and narcotics. State funding helps fund the child advocacy center, but not all of its operations are covered. T he United Way of Western Nebraska , t he L ight of Hope Breakfast and the annual Super Hero Run are the primar y f undraisers for the center. Efforts are underway in the Nebraska Legislature to provide additional funding for CA Pstone’s three satellite offices in Sidney, C h a d r on a nd A l l i a nc e , as well as other of f ices across the state. Another bi l l before t he L eg isla t u re prop oses a l low i ng

the recorded inter views to be used in court, not requiring a child to testify in cases. “It has been a long road, but it is one that I a m p r o ud o f ,” T ho m a s said of the formation of the center and its work through the years. “ We are so proud to be par t of this effort and to be so well-respected.” CAPstone has also been working to increase public awareness of child sexual assault and child abuse. C A P s t o n e h a s i t s ow n Facebook page and its website can be found at www. capstonenebraska.com.

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Pride

Star-Herald

Saturday, March 28, 2015 7

Giving back to community priority for Rogers By IRENE NORTH Staff Reporter

On any given day, if you see Jennifer Rogers, she is likely to have a cup of coffee nearby. Rogers is the executive director of the Western Nebraska Com munit y College Foundation, but, for more than 10 years, she has volunteered for several organizations in the community. She is the president of Soroptimist International of Scottsbluff County, is on the board of directors for the Panhandle Partnership of Health and Human Services, serves as a member of the CAPstone board of directors and is an executive committee member for Community Connections. Born and raised in McCook, Rogers is a lifelong Nebraska resident and volunteered for several political campaigns. She previously worked for former U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson. She and her husband, Taylor, reside in Gering. “I gauge how long I’ve been here by how old my daughter Lily is,� Rogers said. “She’s 9 and we’ve lived here since she was six months old.� She also has a son, Holden, who was named after the main character in the novel “The Catcher in the Rye.� Rogers moved to Scottsblu f f a f ter her husba nd obtained a position at the Star-Herald. He had worked for the McCook Daily Gazette and the York Times News. His best friend was a spor ts repor ter at the Star-Herald and he was a copy editor. She worked pa r t- t ime when her daughter was a baby while Taylor worked nights. “It helped us to not have to pay a babysitter,� she said. When she moved to the Panhandle, she first noticed the Wildcat Hills. “I didn’t realize how beautiful the area was,� she said. Rogers was already experienced in campaigns on a smaller scale, but she saw her position as the western Nebraska field representative with Nelson as an opportunity to get to know other people. “My car was my office,� she said. “I got to meet with and talk about local issues and concerns they need help with. It gave me a sense and perspective that we all want our community to be better.� She found that Nebraskans have a great sense of civic pride and try to accomplish good things. “It helped to see importance of volunteerism,� she said. “I started getting on boards and becoming more active in the community.� She applied for a position at CAPWN and oversaw the emergency assistance program, which helps meet basic needs and helps people move forward economically. “There’s so much we tried to do with so little staff,� she said. “When I started, I was keenly aware of the needs families have and how we can help them.� Her work at the WNCC Foundation is similar, but is more focused on helping students. Rogers became aware of the opening as executive director when her predecessor, Dayle Wallien, told her she was leaving. “I was heartbroken that she was leaving,� Rogers said. “But it was the right opportunity at the right time.�

Taylor, Lily, Holden and Jennifer Rogers enjoy the ocean during a family vacation to South Carolina.

Courtesy photos

Lisa Carabajal, Jennifer Rogers, Betsy Vidlak and Julie Thompson running in the 2014 United Way Color Dash.

The foundation is a separate nonprofit from WNCC, but Rogers said they have a good partnership with the college. “We support WNCC and its students,� she said. “It’s impor t a nt for economic development, but mainly for scholarships.� When she worked for Nelson, she made it a point to read everything and to be as informed as she could. She also values the opposition’s opinions. “ We all believe just as passionately even if we think differently than each other,� she said. “There’s great value in that.� As a mother, she teaches her children that it is easy to judge, but we should understand a situation and not pass judgment. “We’ve all been in a situation where we made a bad decision,� she said. “If we care about other people and respect each other, we’ll all be better off.� Each person is made up of individual experiences, Rogers said. She would like to see even more changes in how we treat each other in the Panhandle. “We’re such a rural area, we succeed or fail together and we’ve got to succeed together,� she said. “The

Panhandle coalition is a great example of addressing things together.� She believes in the idea that if you support your neighbor, they will be there to support you. It’s what she does in Soroptimists. “Education is a way we move our region and our country forward,� she said. There have been many historical women who have inspired Rogers, but one inspiration was close to home. Rogers’ parents were married at a young age. Her mother was 18, her father 20. They didn’t go to college. At 45, Rogers’ mother went to communit y college in McCook, eventually earning a bachelor’s degree and now works for the juvenile justice program there. “I think about the women in my life and how they have impacted me and my children,� she said. One of the most rewarding parts of her position at the WNCC Foundation is talking to students who receive scholarships. “One woman is a f irst generation college student with children, trying to be a role model and going fulltime to be a nurse,� Rogers said. “Doing it all on her own inspires me.� She admires people who

have the capacity to better themselves and their families. “She probably never has time off to herself. She’s always taking care of her family,� Rogers said. “Yet, she sees a better future. She knows she’s going to make a better life.� Her children are the joy of her life and she said each day she gets up and looks in the mirror, she still likes what she does. “I love the opportunities af forded to give time to things that matter,� she said. “I’m very proud of being involved in CAPstone and Panhandle Partnership.� Rogers encourages everyone she meets to give something back to their community. “Give something of yourself back,� she said. “There are so many ways to make the community the way you want it to be.� She believes people are made better for volunteering. “ It seems si mple, but there are so many distractions, the civic sense of community and pride is getting lost,� she said. “Look in your heart and find your passion and the mark you want to leave.� When she’s not working

Rogers, left, with Dayle Wallien, her predecessor, at the 2014 Monument Marathon Expo.

or volunteer ing, Rogers finds time to read, participate in activities with her children and experiences all the things to do in the Panhandle. She is a huge fan of Jane Austen and Virginia Woolf. She reads for herself, for work to make her a better leader and romance novels just for fun. “I try to be well-rounded,� she said. One of her favor ite quotes is by V irginia Woolf’s from “To the Lighthouse.� “What is the meaning of life? That was all — a simple question; one that tended to close in on one with years. The great revelation

had never come. The great revelation perhaps never did come. Instead there were little daily miracles, i l lu m i n at ions , m at che s struck unexpectedly in the dark ...� The quote reminds Rogers of the importance of the small moments, the conversations and similarities and differences we can find in one another and how that shapes who we are even if we don’t understand the “meaning of life.� No mat ter what you choose to do, be involved. “G et out a nd do what you love,� she said. “The community is accepting of everyone.�

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8 Saturday, March 28, 2015

Pride

Star-Herald

Pride

Star-Herald

Saturday, March 28, 2015 9

In tourism, whoever has the best experience wins By BART SCHANEMAN Assistant Editor

When tourism officials in western Nebraska promote our area to the greater United States, they’re often met with no small amount of ignorance. One of the major target markets for tourism to our area is the booming population of the Front Range of Colorado. But those people don’t always have the best understanding of the topography of our region. When Brenda Leisy, director of the Scotts Bluff Area Visitors Bureau, worked a Nebraska tourism booth at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, she spent plenty of time educating people. “The big thing we got last year was ‘Well, Nebraska’s flat. Why would we go there when we have all these pretty mountains?’” Leisy said. “It’s like ‘shame on you. You have no idea.’” While leaders in the tourism sector agree that outdoor recreation is probably the region’s strongest growth area, there is evidence that the bulk of visitors are coming for the area’s history. Karla Niedan-Streeks, executive director of the Gering Convention and Visitors Bureau, said there has been extensive research done into who is visiting the area and why. “And it pretty much mirrors exactly what I think our strengths are,” Niedan-Streeks said. “Historical interest travelers. Baby boomers who have a lot more money and a lot more time to travel and who are innately interested in the Oregon Trail and our region itself.” Leisy and Niedan-Streeks work together on tourism and both see it as a partnership. “Where we’re two separate entities, there are a lot of opportunities for us to collaborate,” Niedan-Streeks said. While Leisy focuses more on the leisure market, Niedan-Streeks said she focuses more on t he convent ion, meeting and group market. They have similar but different missions. “We have made a real concerted effort to collaborate,” Niedan-Streeks said. Leisy agrees. “I think the biggest question I get asked is, ‘What’s the difference between you and Karla? Why are there two of you?’” Leisy said Neidan-Streeks focuses on larger groups and Leisy focuses on individual groups, smaller families or bus groups. “We really do help each other out,” Leisy said. T he S cot t s Blu f f A rea Visitors Bureau asks for Niedan-Streeks’ advice and she helps them as much as she can. “They have allowed me to be involved in the decisions they make,” Niedan-Streeks said. “But we do a really good job of not duplicating efforts.” Niedan-Streeks believes that so far the area has done a good job of promotion, but sees room for improvement. She sees the Oregon Trail and the trail system as attractive to travelers. “That’s what I think is our strongest proponent,” she said. Niedan-Streeks came to work at the Gering Civic Center 15 years ago in August as the director of sales and marketing. In February 2001, she assumed a dual role as executive director of the Gering Convention and Visitors Bureau and director of sales and marketing at the Civic Center. Her job as director of sales and marketing for the Civic Center is very similar to what she does for the Gering Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Courtesy photo

Photo by Bart Schaneman

Karla Niedan-Streeks at her office in Gering.

Brenda Leisy and her daughter, Grace.

“It was a just a natural tie,” she said. The Convention and Visitors Bureau is a full-service destination marketing organization “just like every other CVB across the state and across the country,” Niedan-Streeks said. It’s one of only two bureaus in the state that is city-funded. Most others are funded by a county lodging tax. The Gering bureau is funded by a portion of the 1 percent city sales tax that is dedicated for tourism. Niedan-Streeks, originally from Hershey, has been working in the field for close to 30 years. She worked in North Platte, then ended up in Washington, D.C., She had a sister and a brother-in-law in Gering and had met Rick and Judy Keller. One day the Kellers had a position to create and called her up. “I very much wanted to get back to Nebraska,” she said. “I loved living on the East Coast, Washington, D.C., but was ready to come back to Nebraska. So I said, ‘I’ll send you a resume’ and they said ‘No, when can you come back to work?’” W he n N ie d a n - S t re eks came back, she said she was amazed to have this caliber of conference and meeting facility sitting in a community the size of Gering. She also praised the golf course, the RV park and the amphitheater. “I was extremely encouraged by the overall commitment the city of Gering had made to tourism,” she said. It didn’t take her long to recognize that the community is really short on hotel rooms to be able to accommodate the numbers the convention center can service. “It makes you creative,” Niedan-Streeks said. She’s hoping the lack of hotel rooms will be remedied soon. Many of the commissions and associations the visitor’s bureau deals with are based in Lincoln and Omaha, and for Niedan-Streeks to get them to even consider traveling this far west is a challenge. “The good news is,” she said, “once we get them here, they’re repeat customers.” Those visitors to conferences and meetings want to have a good time while they’re here. Niedan-Streeks said they want quick getaways. They’re looking to get out of the urban areas where they can see blue skies and can get out and hike and bike with their family. “Once we get people here, their impressions are: We had no idea that it was so beautiful out here, that there are so many things to do,” she said. Visitors tell her that they’ll

and pull in more folks that are interested. “So that we can grow it and get more people to stay in our hotels,” Leisy said. A typical day for Leisy involves following up with leads that contact the Scotts Bluff Area Visitors Bureau through the website. Those people fill out information. She then takes that information and uses it to guide visitors. “We ask them, ‘Is this your destination?’ Most of the time we see their destination is South Dakota.” Leisy tries to catch people on their way back from South Dakota returning to the Front Range in Colorado. The group, as mentioned above, also advertises where the tourists are. Nebraska Tourism recently purchased a booth for them at the National Western Stock Show. Leisy worked the day the show had record attendance. “There were 68,757 people there, and I swear I talked to every one of them,” she said. “I can honestly say without a doubt that it was the first time in my life that I have been sick of talking. I didn’t even want to go to dinner. I was like, ‘Are there going to be people at dinner? Because I’m done.’” She fielded plenty of ques-

be back and they’re going to bring their family to golf or hike or visit the Scotts Bluff National Monument. They see our area as a friendly, welcoming destination. She views the public lands that the Platte River Basin Environments are developing and planned expansion of the Wildcat Hills Nature Center as some of the biggest areas of growth in leisure tourism recruitment in the future. “There are very few places in our great state where there’s that much access and public land available,” she said. “It’s very exciting.” Our primary market for leisure visitors comes from the Front Range, she said. “Those are the people that are waiting to get out of that urban environment, the hectic pace and the smog and everything else,” Niedan-Streeks said. “The $3 million expansion of the nature center is just going to be incredible for what we’re trying to promote.” Niedan-Streeks enjoys it when people ask her what she does when she isn’t working. “I don’t have a lot of time when I’m not working,” she said. “Our industry keeps us very busy.” If she has spare time she loves to travel, setting a goal of visiting one place domestically she hasn’t been per year. That is, when she isn’t on her annual trip to Cabo San Lucas for “site research.” “I really love to tell everyone when the snow’s flying and it’s 20 below here that I’m at the beach somewhere,” she said. “That just makes my vacation that much better.” Her counterpart Leisy is also trying to help people enjoy their vacations. But her organization works in a different way. “We’re kind of the heads-inbeds organization,” Leisy said. “That’s the biggest misconception that people have about me. It’s not the taxpayers that are paying my budget. It’s the people who are traveling who are actually supporting our budget. They come here and see it, they leave a little bit of money so we can extend that offer to someone else that hasn’t seen it. So that’s our whole focus right there.” So to Leisy the lodging tax is everything, all the money and funding they get for their entire budget. They use it to give out grants to people who are trying to start new events. Money also goes into the promotion fund. For example, the Father’s Day Classic and the Sugar Valley Rally have been using those funds for a long time, and with those funds they are trying to expand their events

tions about Nebraska. The Nebraska Tourism booth focused on “tanking” in Mullen, where people float down the North Loup River in horse tanks. The booth had a mural and pictures of the river and then stuck a real tank in front of the mural. “The idea was to get people in the real tank,” Leisy said. “They started snapping pictures and it was on Twitter and Facebook immediately. Our plan was amazing. It worked. It was fun for them. We pulled those people in. Old people. Young people. People dressed in costumes. Cowboys. Pop rockers. You name it. Every single person.” But not everyone is so easily interested. “We also have the person pass by and say ‘why would you go to Nebraska?’” Leisy said. “And all you can say to them is ‘why wouldn’t you?’” Now that they had such a success in Denver, the next move is a major focus on the Canadian cities of Calgary, Toront o a nd Va nc ouve r, sending out a travel guide to approximately 300,000 readers through the mail, plus rack sales. They’re even advertising Scottsbluff in Times Square and on a digital walkway in Toronto.

“We’re all about promotion,” Leisy said. “We’re all about getting the word out about ourselves. “You can’t believe with so many of those people, they just don’t know. They don’t even know we’re out here. “Even the country folk who would appreciate that Nebraska’s No. 1 industry is agriculture, they still don’t know that that’s what we’re about.” L eisy sees agritourism as a significant opportunity and she’s looking for relief on insurance to get people to participate in activities. “People love that stuff,” Leisy said. “We know that people like hands-on experiences.” To her mind, the harvest festival at the Legacy of the Plains is perfect. Tourists enjoy going out, digging in the dirt, picking potatoes and trying to pull a sugar beet out of the ground. “So that’s what we need to work on,” she said. She also pointed to the PRBE lands as attractive for hikers, cyclists and horseback riders. Leisy has been at her job for three years. Originally from Broadwater, she’s lived in the area her entire life. She grew up on a farm and her grandfather was a rancher up in the Sandhills. “I can irrigate like it’s nobody’s business,” she said. She was a non-traditional student at Chadron State College, earning a degree in business with a core in marketing. “I do everything that most people do, just not in the order that most people do it,” she said. “I’m caught up with everybody now.” She’s also on the Monument Marathon race crew. “I probably can’t r un 5 miles without dying, but I love that,” she said. “I love to see so many determined people and listen to all the wonderful comments. Just being part of something big and successful is fun.” She recently moved to a new office at the Legacy of the Plains. “I love it here,” she said. “I love my job. It’s perfect for me.” Leisy summed up tourism this way. “Whoever has the best experience wins.”

Pride

10 Saturday, March 28, 2015

Star-Herald

Hashman follows more than 100 years in family service, history By MARY WERNKE For The Star-Herald

Just inside the front door of Doug Hashman’s home is a wooden kitchen cupboard that traveled west on his great-grandfather’s covered wagon, more than 125 years ago. Out in the barn is the older man’s walking plow, used to cut sod for their first house when they homesteaded in Box Butte County. However, probably the most recognizable and public heirloom from Great Grandpa Calvin Hashman is the portrait of Cal, hanging in the Box Butte County courthouse, taken when he was the chairman of the commissioners there — a position Doug now holds as the courthouse celebrates a storied 100-year history. Doug Hashman said he’s always been fascinated by history and ag memorabilia. His farm office is papered with vintage advertising and photographs. Replicas of old tractors line the shelves. His home has a small library of Nebraska, Panhandle and Box Butte County history books. Based on that history, he knew his great-grandfather was a prominent member of the community in the 1880s and served on the county commissioners’ board in

Photo by Marshall Tofte

Box Butte County Commissioner Doug Hashman stands next to a plaque that bears his great-grandfather’s name for being a member of the board of commissioners given the responsibility of building a new courthouse in 1914. Cal was elected in 1910 and served in that position for 19 years.

1913, when the “new� courthouse was built. The previous courthouse, a frame structure originally built in Hemingford, was moved to Alliance by rail following a hotly contested special election where votes followed the construction of the Burlington Railroad, as well. The move, accompanied by riflemen, brass bands and canons, took 45 men five days to accomplish. Members of Doug’s parents’ generation still remembered when Alliance “stole� the 95-ton courthouse from

Hemingford in 1899. The move made national and international news, including Harper’s Magazine, the Scientific American and, eventually, Ripley’s Believe it or Not. But, by 1913, after three fires in one year had destroyed much of the downtown, residents began to realize the danger of “entrusting public records in a structure liable, at any time, to burn down or blow away.� A new Beaux Arts brick edifice was constructed under the leadership of Calvin Hashman and his fellow commissioners. It

was dedicated Dec. 28, 1914, and the county celebrated its centennial this past year with the now-County Commissioner Chairman Doug Hashman at the podium. Doug said he came to the commissioner’s seat to have a voice and to give back to the community his family has called home for so many years. “I enjoy board work,� Hashman said, “but it’s certainly taken a lot more time than I had anticipated.� In addition to the twice-amonth regular commissioners meetings, committee meetings requiring a commissioner from each county call him out of town monthly to 911, the Aging Office, Panhandle Mental Health Center, the Office of Human Development and as an alternate to several other committees. This past three months he has been called into additional service to help choose a new county attorney upon the resignation of recently-elected CA Kathleen J. Hutchinson and de facto county weed superintendent on the sudden resignation of Jan Bruhn from that position in early March. Hashma n a nd his son Tim farm across Box Butte County, including some land originally settled by Calvin

Hashman — so travelling the county roads on a regular basis gives him an additional insight into that big part of the county’s business. Recently, the pair used what may be a little-known county policy to supply rock for any county road, if the landowner hauls it from a rock pit at a distance too far for regular road crews to travel often enough, to put red rock on the road leading to their farm home. Hashman has also applied his practical experience to other areas of county business, assisting department heads in purchasing government surplus from online auctions and helping develop a county fleet vehicle policy that consolidates all county vehicle purchases from general funds, purchasing a new white or silver pickup for the sheriff every four years, with the older sheriff’s department trucks rotated into the road department as field or work trucks. The latter decision brought on a joking exchange between the commissioner and the sheriff when she purchased a shiny new black pickup and sent him photos of pimped-out law enforcement trucks, all in black. Hashman followed up with a card showing Tonto

and the Lone Ranger on white horses and suggesting the sheriff might find her next ride of the equine variety. The best and the worst parts of community service are the people, he continued. “We have a great bunch of elected officials and staff at the courthouse,� he said. “They make my job easier.� Hashman also has the late night phone calls and is stopped on the church steps with complaints about taxes, bad roads and even the weather. One confused constituent asked Hashman to get the electric power back on after a storm. Rural power is provided by a rural electric membership association, not the county. Bureaucracy is another point of contention for this commissioner. “I like to see progress made and enjoy the rewards of getting things done.� But the red tape called protocol often stands in the way of efficient service and quick decisions, he said. An only child, Hashman learned at his parent’s knee about the value of local history and community service. His wife, son and daughter are also service-oriented, he said.

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Saturday, March 28, 2015 11

Schild: Redirections lead to advancement and interesting challenges By SANDRA HANSEN Ag Editor

Ji m S ch i ld, a s s oc iat e director of the UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff, says he has been “redirected” four times in his career, but he has remained close to his Gering roots most of the time. “With different challenges, I’ve been redirected a few times,” Schild said. “I went from 4-H to applied research, then to dry beans, and now administration. Through it all, I’ve been fortunate to mostly stay here.” Schild earned degrees in agronomy and soil science at the University of Nebraska, before beginning his career in Extension. His first job after graduation in 1983 was as a county agent in northwest Kansas. He spent five years as an educator in livestock, crops and 4-H. Always interested in onfarm research, in 1987, he returned to Scottsbluff as an Extension agent, developing programs in irrigated row crops, horticulture and 4-H youth development. D u r i n g t h is t i me , he moved away from 4-H toward applied research with specialists. Those first projects included nitrogen use in dry beans. From test plots in Scotts Bluff, Banner, Box Butte and Morrill counties, it was determined that dry beans need nitrogen. Schild wrote a NebGuide that, with revisions, is still used today. Schild credits his mentor, Dave Neuland, with the success he had in those early projects. The research team also included bean specialist Dermot Coyne, in Lincoln, and Tony Merrigan, one of the local researchers. “We put a lot of miles on at harvest and gathering data,” Schild recalled with a laugh. “We had to use whatever equipment we could find, including loans from growers. We also got a lot of support from the Nebraska Dr y Bea n Com m ission. We always had a good relationship with the Nebraska Dry Bean Growers and the Commission.” The Panhandle team was also busy in those years w ith cor n var iet y t r ials throughout the Panhandle. When Neuland retired, Schild took over the bean variety testing program. T he f irst yea r included hand-harvesting the beans, but conditions improved with new directors and additional cooperating growers and businesses. According to Schild, the PREC research programs continue to generate benefits for dry bean growers, and the latest interest is in developing a plant with upright architecture that will

Courtesy photo

Schild is proud of the pike he caught on a trip to Canada.

Photo by Sandra Hansen

Jim Schild, associate director at the UNL Panhandle and Research Center, demonstrates a new piece of equipment that can quickly access information from around the state. A sample of a plant with a strange-looking disease can be placed on the platform of the digital diagnostic network machine, and with a push of a button, the image is sent to all county offices in Nebraska. Replies can sometimes be almost immediate.

permit direct harvest. Research has also benefited from improvements in communications, via the Internet and other sources. “In my career, I’ve gone from pencils and pads to t he I nt e r ne t , a l t ho u gh I’m not that handy with a smartphone and other social media,” Schild admitted while sitting in his PREC office, where a decorated oar serves as a hat rack. As part of his Extension duties, Schild worked with the cities of Gering and Scottsbluff on water conservation. One result of that effort was the development of a program to audit irrigation systems within the cities. Improving water use on turf ground and in automatic sprinkler systems was the focus of one of his efforts. The research resulted in an audit kit that is available to residents in both cities. A study can show that the

problem is as simple as adjusting a sprinkler head, he said. Schild is especially pleased with having worked with high-quality associates who have retired or passed away. “Over the years, I’ve worked with some tremendous people,” Schild said, including, but not only, Dean Yontz, Dave Neuland, Gary Heinz and Bob Wilson. “But they are being replaced by quality people, and I’m sure they’ll continue what has been started, and even improve on it.” He also recognized the extra effort by Bob Hawley and Gary Stone, research technicians who have assumed responsibilit y for things Schild did before he was appointed interim associate director, and now that he is more involved in administrative duties. A s associate director, Schild has had to change his

focus also. “Moving from Extension to administration is a lot different,” Schild said. “I now work more with staff than the public. With the educators, we’re developing programs and working on a five-year plan. Our goal is to position the unit, facilities and staff, for the next five years. We are concerned with all of the retirements and filling those positions, but I think we’re doing OK with that.” Schild’s job is a new position, and has a lot of responsibilities in a district that covers 16 counties. He said it is a challenge to find the right faculty and staff to cover the researchable issues of the region. He explained that each area of the district has its own concerns that have to be dealt with. Going into the future, the philosophy now is to deal with regional education

programs, not just individual counties. Schild said that in spite of the changes, 4-H will remain local. “We realize 4-H is a very important program. Youth are the future of our communities, and we need to work on keeping them here.” Part of that preparation is expanding education in ag literacy, science, technology, career development, entrepreneurship and healthy living. “There is science in cooking, and teaching entrepreneurship at an early age can make them more creative and innovative. They can use those skills to develop businesses and stay in our local communities,” Schild explained. Although Schild is a very busy person, he does find time to enjoy his family. He and his wife, Deb, live in Gering where she teaches at Lincoln Elementary. Daugh-

ter Katie and her husband, Wes, and children live in Norfolk, while daughter Carlie and husband, Will, and son live in Lexington. A dedicated fisherman, Schild enjoys the sport with his grandchildren, and further afield in Hawaii, Alaska and Canada. He admits to spending a lot of a Hawaiian vacation fishing while his family enjoyed zip lining and mountain adventures. While he has enjoyed his busy life and its “redirections,” Schild is looking forward to new achievements in his new position. “I knew some about administration challenges, but until you do the job, you don’t have a full appreciation for an administrator,” Schild said, sitting at his desk. “I am enjoying Jack and his leadership. I think we have a good team and are developing a good program for the district and the center.”

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12 Saturday, March 28, 2015

Star-Herald

West Nebraska Arts Center feels like home to Thompson By STEPHANIE HOLSINGER Staff Reporter

Donna Thompson sees potential and possibilities in people and places, and given the chance, bel ieves ever yone c a n lea r n something new. Before becoming the executive director of the West Nebraska Arts Center, before working as the W NAC program director, Thompson was in the business of teaching. T hompson f irst became involved in education when she worked at Gering High School and it was there that she discovered the connection between the arts and education. W hile work ing at the high s chool , she was approached about teaching knitting classes. The idea was to help kids through knitting excel in academics. Once the kids were able to knit, T hompson said, they were per mit ted to t ake their knitting projects in their regular classes. They knit during class, and it helped them to stay focused and pay attention better, said Thompson. “It struck me along the lines of how art has an affect on our lives and is an important component of our lives.” T he k n it t i ng prog ra m was ver y popular at GHS, Thomp son said. She later went on to teach knitting classes full time at Brown Sheep Company and helped to plan the first Fiber Arts Fair. The best part of her experience working at Brown Sheep Compa ny was meet ing other f iber and textile ar tists, said Thompson. “Meeting so many other artists, I felt like I’d come home. I discovered there were a lot of people out there who enjoyed the same things that I did.” At the arts center, Thompson said she has been able to work w ith many dif ferent t y pes of artists. “I have learned so much and the heart of that is the artists, the members, the volunteers he r e t he p e o p l e t h a t r e a l l y make this place a communit y arts center. It has been an in-

Photo by Stephanie Holsinger

Donna Thompson, executive director of the West Nebraska Arts Center.

valuable experience.” Thompson said the West Nebraska Arts Center has been an important part of her life for as long as she can remember. “ I have p ersona l t ies here in additional to professional,” T hompson said. “ T here are a lot of people out there who have been affected by arts in the community and by the arts center as well. I think many people can tell you about how this place affected their lives and what it means to them.” T hompson sa id she t hinks

being in a smaller rural community, it is even more important to have an arts center and strong arts community. “I think we think of an arts community as in urban areas but it is even more vital for smaller communities. I cannot imagine our community without the arts. We have wonderful opportunities for people around here to take in all kinds of things that would be otherwise unavailable if we didn’t have these organizations.” She said that it is great to get away traveling to Denver,

Lincoln or Omaha and there is a lot to see there, but what exists right here is much of what can be found in those larger metropolitan areas. “We have that right here and are cultivating that in our community.” She said that the arts center, Theatre West and the Midwest Theater working together are giving the people in the community here an opportunity to see what they would not be able to without the collective three’s collaborative efforts.

Thompson said working at the arts center with her predecessor (Mason Burbach), the artists, the board of directors, the volunteers and the community has been a rewarding experience and she continues to learn and grow. “I have gained experiences that has been an important part of my life here among the artists and patrons of the arts community here for me has been invaluable beyond measure,” said Thompson. “I feel that there has been a great foundation laid and that we are going to keep going with that.”

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Star-Herald

Saturday, March 28, 2015 13

Bob Kinsey serving his community well By JOE DUTTON Staff Reporter

A lthough Bob K insey has been deeply involved in the Scottsbluff community, he grew up on the other side of the North Platte River in Gering. A fter graduating from Ger ing High S chool, Kinsey received a football schola rship to play at Chadron St ate College. Kinsey described himself as a traditional college student and didn’t know what he wanted to do in life. “I went off to college and was fortunate enough to have a football scholarship to pay the way, but I had no clue of what I wanted to do,” he said. “I changed my majors twice in a year and a half.” A f ter being unsure of what to do after college, Kinsey found his way back to Scottsbluff to work. He then saw an ad in the newspaper for a police officer position at the Scottsbluff Pol ice Depa r t ment a nd decided to go into law enforcement in 1970. “I thought that might be interesting and that turned out to be the career that I loved,” he said. K i ns ey a ls o at t ended criminal justice classes at Western Nebraska Communit y College and was able to finish his degree at Chadron State College with classes being held in Scottsbluff. With his new job also came a move to S c ot t sblu f f . K i nsey en tered into criminal investigation early in his career and spent most of his time at the police department as a detective lieutenant. “I enjoyed the challenge of t he who done it a nd putting the pieces of the puzzle together to solve the crime,” he said. With this title came a b i g r e s p ons i b i l i t y. H i s detective work didn’t end at 5 p.m. It is an ongoing job that would last into the long hours of the night. Kinsey said if there were situations such as a ho -

Courtesy photo

Former Scottsbluff Police Detective/Lt. Bob Kinsey and his wife Ronda, upper left, enjoy spending the majority of their time with family. This includes their son Robert with his wife Cory and their children Talera and Travin, upper right; daughter Erin and her husband Coby and their children Kaden and Kohen; and daughter Jennifer and her children Mason and Cameron.

micide or missing person under the management of former chief Jim Livingston, it was a 100 percent effort. “ Yo u g o w i t h t w o o r three hours of sleep, sometimes three days in a row, working on stuff,” he said. “It lives with you and you want to bring a resolution to the victims.” His work with the police force lasted 35 years. W hile work i ng at t he Scottsbluff Police Department, Kinsey also became interested in the Scottsbluff Public School District due to his children attending school there. Kinsey would often have conversations with Kenny Meyer, who was on t he

SBP S school boa rd a nd also worked for the Scottsbluff Fire Department. S i nce K i nsey had expressed so much interest i n t he schools , Meyer suggested to Kinsey that he should run for school board. “I didn’t have an agenda,” he said. “All three of my children were in school at that time, and that was when it started.” A f ter boa rd member Nick Reyes decided not to run for re-election due to his career duties, Kinsey ran for the position and won the election. K insey was on the school board under three super i ntendents : Rob Winters, Gar y Reynolds

and R ick Myles. K insey applauded each superintendent ’s ef forts to help the schools be where they are today, especially with Myles and his installments of ReConnect, Choices and other programs into the district. “ We ’ ve m a de a lot of progress over the years. We ’ v e b e e n f o r t u n a t e i n h a v i n g go o d s c ho ol boards,” he said. W hile ser v i ng on t he board, Kinsey said he enjoyed serving his commu-

nity and worked with a lot of great people. Contrary to popular belief, Kinsey didn’t receive a lot of complaints in his 16 years on the board, with seven years as president, and found that people are very reasonable. He even allowed himself to be available at any time of day or night since his number was listed in the phone book. K insey said he returned every phone call, even if he really didn’t want to, but served everyone in the community that needed answers. “I found most people are reasonable once you are able to sit down with them and get the facts. That was a lot of my law enforcement ba ck g rou nd where you deal with a lot of difficult people,” he said. “Most of the time once people find out what the actual issue is a nd what ’s t r uth a nd what’s rumor, you can find a solution. You may leave the table not completely agreeing with each other, but you leave cordially.” A lt hou gh K i ns ey ha s b e e n of f t he b o a r d fo r three months, he still pays attention to what’s going on in the schools. Kinsey said he misses being part of the upcoming construct ion at t he h igh s chool in the coming years and appreciated being part of a great school district. “We’ve got a lot of hard working teachers that have put in a lot of extra hours, and I’m proud of the work they do,” he said. “We have good supportive people in place to help them accomplish their goals. We have great leadership in our administrative office and we have a good board.” A s of l a t e , K i ns e y i s semi-retired and still d a bbl i n g i n e duc a t ion . After serving on the SBPS

boa rd, he wa nted to do something interesting and fun. This led him to start work i ng on get t i ng h is driver’s education instructor endorsement for the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Kinsey said he has been taking online courses and has also had to visit the campus to do some labs, has observed a few classes and has even rode along with student drivers. “I find that interesting. I think it would be fun,” he said. “I like being around young people. I get a kick out of them.” Kinsey has also become more active in his church. He now serves as president of t he C hu r c h C ou nc i l at t he Gre ek Or t hodox Church in Bayard. These projects are keeping him occupied as well as enjoying the family, especially his six grandchildren. His children and grandchildren are enjoying the Wyobraska area by staying in that area, too. His son and daughter reside in Mitchell, with their children attending SBP S school, a nd a second daughter lives in Torrington, Wyoming. “Our three children and our six grandkids all live within 30 miles of us,” he said. “They spend a lot of time with my wife Ronda and I, and for that reason this is home.” Family is at the core of Kinsey’s existence and he plans to travel with his wife in the future in order to see the country after she retires f rom W NCC. He also expects to keep living in the valley for a very long time. “I like the Valley. Scottsbluff has been good to me,” he said. “Scottsbluff to me was a great career, loved being a police officer. It’s a good place to be a cop.”

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14 Saturday, March 28, 2015

Pride

Star-Herald

Volunteerism, family drive Kaufman By IRENE NORTH Staff Reporter

He has a day job at Platte Valley Bank. He’s the mayor of Gering. He’s a volunteer. A gr icult ure has also played a big part in his life. Tony K aufman has been around the industry all of his life and holds a master’s degree in agricultural economics. K au f m a n g rew up on a ranch 35 miles north of Cheyenne, Wyoming, where his family had a large agricultural business. They sold it in the 1990s and moved to the Scottsbluff/Gering area to farm and ranch. “After they sold the ranch, I got into banking,” Kaufman said. W he n K a u f m a n do e s something, it ’s w ith the community in mind. This includes his job as the mayor of Gering. “I was approached in the fall of 2013 to consider running,” he said. “I was active on various boards in the community and wanted to be involved.” Kaufman believes that a person needs to be part of the solution or not complain. “I got support from my wife and family to take on the endeavor,” he said. “I’ve also got an employer that is very community-minded.” He believes the community, working with government can get things done and move forward together. As mayor, the best part of Kaufman’s job is what he enjoys most, to help and serve them in whatever way possible. “ T he toughest pa r t is sometimes you have to make decisions that are impactful to people,” he said. “I can’t make everyone happy all the time.” Kaufman credits learning how to react to criticism from the book, “Good to Great,” which discusses what makes a good company great. “It talks about transformation of business, but it can apply to anything,” he said.

W hen he is criticized, Kaufman doesn’t view it as a negative thing. “I use it as an opportunity to build or enhance my skills,” he said. While he’s not a social media person, Kaufman does see uses for it. “You have to adapt,” he said. Kaufman is a firm believer in education, faith and being a good person. “People need to be less worried about what others think and concentrate on being a doer,” he said. His life boils down to one decision, he says. “I married a great lady and have two great kids,” he said. “Everything in between is just gravy.” He enjoys spending time with his wife, Libby, and children, Drew, 6, and Kynlee, 3, and travel to regional areas as well as outside the state. “ The world becomes a smaller place when you travel,” he said. I n add it ion t o t r avel , Kaufman likes being outdoors and is known to create the occasional home brew. He’d like to do it more, but it’s a time-consuming process. “Mine is an all-natural process,” he said. “It takes six weeks to three months to brew.” Kaufman has been a Gering resident since 2005. One of his biggest passions in life is volunteering and being involved in his community. In addition to working at Platte Valley Bank and serving as mayor of Gering, he serves on the Panhandle Cooperative Association’s Board of Directors, J.G. Elliott Insurance Center Boa rd of Directors, the Scottsbluff/Gering Chamber Government A f fairs Committee, Congressman Adrian Smith’s Economic and Business Advisory Committee, Harms Advanced Technology Center’s Incubator Committee, and the Riverside Discovery Center’s Board of Directors.

Libby and Tony Kaufman.

Courtesy photos

Tony Kaufman builds a snowman with his son, Drew and daughter Kynlee.

Tony Kaufman picks strawberries with his children Drew and Kynlee.

He was named the Riverside Discovery Center’s 2014 Volunteer of the Year for his contributions to the organization. He’s been a volunteer there since 2006. He was part of the zoo society board of directors and also led the development of the RDC as a nonprofit organization. He volunteers his time as an RDC board member, helping direct the vision and planning of the RDC and often carries out

Tony Kaufman with his wife Libby, son Drew and daughter Kynlee.

the projects that need to be love of history and science. Kaufman encourages evdone. Kaufman began volunteer- eryone to volunteer. “I encourage people to ing at the RDC because of his knowledge of animals and find an organization they’re

interested in, volunteer and get involved,” he said. “You never know what one person can do until you step up and do it.”

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Star-Herald

Saturday, March 28, 2015 15

Putting the pieces together By IRENE NORTH Staff Reporter

Travis Wallace has been on call to a number of accidents in his 18 years as an accident reconstructionist. In his role, he is called upon to use his skills to reconstruct and determine the cause of accidents. Before joining the Nebraska State Patrol, he worked in Alliance where he had worked accidents, but was specialized as a reconstructionist with the NSP. Vehicular accident reconstruction is the field of study that uses science to investigate, analyze and draw conclusions from the origin of events in vehicle collisions. Reconstructionists conduct indepth analysis and reconstruction to identify the cause of a collision. They look at contributing factors, which include vehicles involved, drivers and road conditions. He was attracted to the position because he was interested in how fault at the scene of an accident was determined. “It was interesting to put the pieces back together to determine the progress of what caused the accident,� he said. Some accidents are cut and dry. Skidmarks can tell a lot, but not everything is self-evident. “Your initial impressions can be incorrect,� he said. In a 2012 accident, Wallace was called to the scene of a major accident on I-80. There was no way to immediately determine fault. “When we arrived, four cars were engulfed in flames,� he said. “We were at that scene for eight hours.�

He’s also been to accident scenes where all the vehicles were moving and he had to figure out which vehicle put the initial chain of events into motion. “You have to start at the end and work back to the beginning,� he said. “You need to visualize the endpoint and have the mindset to see in reverse.� It creates a different twist on what occurred. In order to become an accident reconstructionist, you must pass an initial training of four classes and 240 hours of work. “ That just says you’ve been through it,� he said. There is also the Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction test, a grueling 8-hour exam that must be passed in order to be certified. Then, there is continuing education requirements that must be met over a five-year period from completion of the initial examination to maintain their status with ACTAR. Wallace has been to every county in the Panhandle. He has been the only accident reconstructionist in the Panhandle for many years, but another person is currently being trained. “He’ll be working out of Chadron and take the ACTAR test in May,� he said. “Then he’ll take the northern Panhandle.� Wallace said there is hope that, eventually, a third person will be located in Sidney. The amount of accident scenes Wallace works varies from year to year. Sometimes he has 15, others five.

Courtesy photo

Travis Wallace, center, referees a soccer game on April 5, 2013.

Courtesy photo

Travis Wallace stands next to his patrol car near the Scotts Bluff National Monument.

“I’ve been doing this for 18 years and completed 200 to 250,� he said. Each case also requires different amounts of time to complete. “Typically it takes a minimum of 40 hours, but some can take 160 hours to a month,� he said. “Fatalities take much longer and we have to look at criminal charges as well.� Wallace’s work as an accident reconstructionist is in addition to his normal duties. He enjoys the position because of the intriguing technology he gets to use as well as using science and math to solve a puzzle. When he began, he used two tape measures for much of his work. Today, he uses the same instruments (Total Station) surveyors use to collect data in the field, then bring it back to the office to download to computers. “We use the Vericom 4000 now to determine drag factor,� he said. “We used to use police vehicles, but that was expensive and hard on the cars.� There is also the crash data recorders or event data recorders in most cars that record information when the air bag is deployed. It can record things such as speed, brake status, seat belt use and steering angles. “You have to have some kind of event before it locks in,� he said. GM began using these boxes in 1994, Ford in the late 1990s and Chrysler around 2003-04, he said. “Not every vehicle has them,� he said. Accident reconstructionists don’t have to be police officers. There are other fields where their skills are

valuable. “There are engineers who work for companies, such as insurance,â€? he said. One of the hardest parts of his job is delivering death notifications. “You’re about to change someone’s life in a way that is not a comfort to them,â€? he said. “I don’t do a lot of them, but hands down, I will never forget it.â€? He’s been married for 24 years and has three sons, two of which are now in college. Over the years, he’s been involved in his children’s activities and has been a youth group leader. “I try to be embedded in with the community so I can see the good side of things,â€? he said. “I coached all three boys in the AYS soccer program until they were in junior high.â€? He continued to referee high school soccer. Wallace’s children played football, basketball and soccer. “I let them decide what they wanted to do,â€? he said. I didn’t know much about any of it, but I learned all about it.â€? Although it sounds clichĂŠ that his family has been the most successful part of his life, Wallace is proud of the fact that he maintained his marriage and relationship with his children while working odd hours and holidays. He’s also recently become a grandfather. “My daughter-in-law had a little boy last week,â€? he said. Wallace grew up in dentral Nebraska. His father was a state trooper and spent his last two

years working in Bridgeport. “I was happy to come back to the area,� he said. “The best part of living here is the people and the community support.� While he always knew there was community support and that was what drew him back to the area, Wallace didn’t fully realize it until about six months ago. “The way the community gets involved has been amazing,� he said. Wallace graduated from the police academy in December 1996. Scottsbluff was his first preference for assignment because his wife was from Gering. Scottsbluff also offered amenities he wanted. “They will show you a list of duty stations across the state and you can list in order of preference where you would like to go,� he said. “You don’t always get your first, or second choice.� One of the best aspects of being a state trooper for Wallace is working with people and helping people who have been victimized whether that’s a car accident or something else. “I have had the opportunity to do something good about the community,� he said. Wallace advises that everyone should drive cautiously alert. It’s the No. 1 issue he’d like to address. “Be aware of all the tech gadgets out there,� he said. “Avoid distracted driving.� Choices have consequences, he said. “Make good choices and appreciate the good things in life,� he said.

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