HUTCHINSON MAGAZINE by Sunflower Publishing

Spring 2012

Prairie Dunes: Past and Present Spring 2012

$4.00

dear readers, The freelance photographer is a versatile and valuable contributor to any publication. In Hutchinson Magazine’s case, our photographers are oftentimes visionaries who bring a story and design together. I wanted to take the opportunity this spring to tip my hat to our dedicated contributors who have worked on some challenging, yet rewarding assignments during the past few years. Deborah Walker has been with the publication since its inception. Her work has evolved over time and we continue to hear from sources what a delight she’s been to welcome into their business or home. Reflecting on the magazine, Deborah says, “I love working with Hutchinson Magazine because of the ongoing opportunity it presents to meet the most amazing people, as well as learn about our community. The variety of situations I encounter fulfilling assignments, stretches my creativity and requires ongoing advancement of my technique.” Such fulfilling assignments include: “Eat Your Vegetables: Smith’s Market keeps Hutchinson tables sustainable” –summer 2008 “Kansas State Fair: Foodie fair” – summer 2010 “Family Affair: From farm to market” – fall 2011

Aaron East has also been with the magazine since day one. His balancing act among a day job, family and the magazine has been mesmerizing, especially when we see the quality of work he’s providing. Of his experience Aaron says, “Hutchinson Magazine has provided me the opportunity to discover how wonderfully unique and diverse our community is. Each assignment has brought new challenges in my pursuit to share an experience and tell a story through imagery. It is important to me that someone who is reading Hutchinson Magazine experiences the story, and this, I believe, is accomplished in collaboration with the wonderful writers, editors and the great people of Hutchinson that I have had the privilege to work with.” Such experiences include: “Carl’s Bar Boasts History: The legendary bar has a lineage that is one of a kind in Kansas” – fall 2009 “Eternal Salute: As Veterans Day nears, we honor three men who have served our country” – fall 2010 “Under One Roof: Wray and Sons Roofing Maintains its reputation by keeping things in the family” – summer 2011

Brian Lingle has worked with the magazine since the summer 2009 issue. After a brief hiatus he returned and with great photographic vigor. “I love doing lifestyle photography,” says Brian. “Every time I begin a new project, whether for the magazine or in my own photography business, I get excited about the possibilities for creating something extraordinary. I also feel anxious because that’s not easy to achieve. But then, I arrive at the location and meet the people, and everything starts to click. The creative process is an amazing experience, and working for Hutchinson Magazine, we meet fascinating people and we have the honor of portraying a part of who they are.” Brian has made his mark in: “Weaving the Ties of Culture: Rug Makers at the Et Cetera Shop create treasures for many to enjoy” – fall 2009 “Harnessing a Family Business: Bontrager harness shop stands tall with its custom-made horse gear” “Meet the Mighty Moms: The Salthawk football moms huddle up to support their team” – fall 2011

Hutchinson Volume 04 / Issue 04

Magazine

Publisher John Montgomery Advertising Director Leslie Shea Advertising Sales Manager Darren Werth For Advertising Rates and Information

(620) 694-5700 ext. 210 sales Executives

Abby Brown Tammy Colladay Shelby Dryden Tyler Goertzen Mitch Hixson Heather Howard Anita Stuckey Thomas Sullivan ad designers

Kim Hoskinson Marcos Medranos David Planthold Jessica Price Sam Wilk Photographers

Aaron East Brian Lingle Deborah Walker Contributing Writers

Amy Bickel Amy Conkling Gloria Gale Kathy Hanks Richard Shank Patsy Terrell Production and Editorial Services for Hutchinson Magazine provided by:

Editor Katy Ibsen Designer Shelly Bryant COPY EDITOR Christy Little GENERAL MANAGER Bert Hull Publishing Coordinator Jenni Leiste Editorial comments (866) 655-4262 Subscriptions

$25 (tax included) for a one-year subscription to Hutchinson Magazine. For subscription information, please contact:

The Hutchinson News Circulation Department Elizabeth Garwood 300 W. Second | Hutchinson KS 67501 (620) 694-5700 ext. 115 | (800) 766-5730 ext. 115 egarwood@hutchnews.com

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

Send your comments and suggestions to hutchinsonmagazine@sunflowerpub.com

Contents

Departments

Spring 2012

Features

hutchinson living 6 a creative

partnership A cop and a belly dancer nurture their artistic ambitions

hutchinson businesses 20 Smith Cedar Works Meet two of the happiest retirees in town

local profiles

32 Girl party

with a purpose The annual Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Show

brings attendees together for a good cause

DIY Dream Home

Jo and Dan McFadden embark on a custom home, playing a part in its creation

38 Plowing through history Great Plains Antique Tractor Club tends to Kansasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; agricultural relics

42 Living structure of faith St. Teresa of Avila Parish has become a local symbol of architectural beauty

health & fitness

46 Gold standard: Preserving the past

A golf course on the plains becomes a worldwide legend for its unique landscape

Jonathan Hilton Qualifying for the Olympics is a dream come true for this track star

travel ideas

52 Center of the Universe New York City makes for an iconic destination for any travel enthusiast

In Every Issue On the Cover Prairie Dunes

(Photography by Brian Lingle)

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

2 dear Readers 50 Q&A 64 best Bets

family

58 Springtime with the family Get out of the house this season with these fun family activities

hutchinsonliving

A creative partnership A cop and a belly dancer nurture their artistic ambitions

S to ry by K at h y H a n k s Ph oto g r aphy by D e b o r a h Wa l k e r

eaving Jim and Alex Potters’ home, there’s an urge to bid farewell to all the “characters” who have surfaced during the visit. It might appear that the couple live alone in the property nestled in the trees on the edge of the Sand Hills, but don’t be fooled. Step inside this rural Reno County home, and the truth is revealed. “There are entities in our house that have their own energy,” Alex says. For example, there is Rabbit Chief Joe, a large sculpture that has a prominent place on the Potters’ oak table, sitting in such a way that it appears he’s quietly listening and reflecting on the conversations taking place around him. Or you might meet Catalpa Morningcloud, a Native American girl, or Tom Jennings, a large sculpture of a detective. These original sculptures come from Jim’s imagination and were created as busts by Alex. A lot of creativity transpires at the Potters’ home.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

Writer Jim Potter and artist Alex Potter are the masters of their own creativity.

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

hutchinsonliving

While she is an award-winning artist who explores a variety of mediums, including painting in pastels and sculpture, he is an award-winning writer, author of Cop in the Classroom: Lessons I’ve Learned, Tales I’ve Told, and Taking Back the Bullet. Together they have collaborated on the characters in his work of fiction. “When he’s excited about what’s happening, I get a sense of what [the characters] are like,” Alex says of her urge to turn them into three-dimensional characters. “She’s my first reader,” says Jim. She’ll ask him about certain characteristics, and then she flies with her creative instincts, and the image appears out of clay. For example, Tom Jennings turned into a big man during the sculpture stage. Meanwhile Alex enjoys the pure inventiveness of developing characters of different ethnicities and genders. THeir story

Once you get to know the Potters—a cop and a belly dancer— they are actually a lot alike. Dressed in his Reno County Sheriff’s deputy uniform, the tall, lanky Jim looks like a straight arrow. Meanwhile, Alex, with her shock of spiked hair and dangling earrings, limberly curls into a chair to discuss her latest creation. She was a hippie in the 1960s growing up in Virginia, then moved to Canada to protest the Vietnam War. A student of naturopathic medicine, Alex ended up in Wichita, where she worked as a medical transcriber by day and a belly dancer by night. About that time a friend introduced the two. Jim had his share of adventures growing up in the suburbs of Chicago. Serving in the Peace Corps as a Vista volunteer in a Georgia prison, he had just returned from a summer in Guatemala with color slides that friends thought Alex would enjoy seeing. Meanwhile, Jim had been told Alex was a belly dancer. They met. Alex was impressed. Jim had a Volkswagen van. Before long he was carrying the boom box for Alex’s Smile Across the Nile belly dancing gigs. She was performing everywhere from baseball diamonds to the salt mine. “They have always been a partnership,” says Donna Brigman, a close friend, local artist and frame shop owner. “It’s fascinating that she is doing sculptures from the characters in Jim’s books.” Before Brigman met Jim personally she only knew him as a deputy. “I never dreamed he wanted to write,” Brigman says.

TOP Alex escapes to her nearby studio, where she unleashes her inner artist. The couple live near the Sand Hills. ABOVE Alex and Jim feed off of each other when expressing their creative talents, such as the case with the collection of rabbit people. OPPOSITE PAGE TOP Jim, a Reno County Sheriff’s deputy, is also an accomplished author, shown here in his studio. BOTTOM The story of sculpture Sylvy is that she is a stern, intense, time traveler and the only survivor of her ancient kingdom. INSET A sketch of Sylvy.

Creative kindling

But writing is his passion, which is lived out in their home, where husband and wife nurture creativity.

THE DETAILS

Ears

Bookend

Art

Small bit

A member of the rabbit people

Taking Back the Bullet by Jim Potter

Pieces like Hubcap Houdini abound at the Potters’

Jim’s first book

Alex has painted many small abstract pieces

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

hutchinsonliving

Rules to Live By Jim and Alex Potter consider themselves lucky to be sharing the property with a multitude of wildlife. They love seeing fox, wild turkeys, deer, all sorts of birds, opossums, raccoons, skunks, an array of rodents and reptiles, as well as the occasional bobcat and coyote. Located exactly under the flyways for migratory birds, they also look forward to the seasonal flights of Monarch butterflies, pelicans and Canada geese. “It’s a rich life on the Kansas Sand Hills where we all are tempered by the wind, weather, trees and sky,” Alex says. 1. Celebrate the little things. 2. Guard and nurture creativity. Have a private, safe place with high vibration to work and expand the inspiration. 3. Don’t listen to the news! 4. Creativity trumps everything: housework, meal preparation, returning phone calls. 5. Find time to dance! It’s the universe’s gift. 6. Enjoy the animals, trees and sky. 7. Wait for it—don’t force it—you’ll know when the time is right. 8. Allow the environment to be quiet and peaceful. 9. Use your imagination to benefit you. 10. Be curious! Stay amazed! 11. Surround yourself with things that uplift you: books, original art, colors and light. For a long time Jim has asked himself six questions in the morning to set the intention of his day. 1. What am I grateful for today? 2. What do I need to do today to stay balanced? 3. How will I connect with the spirit of my writing today? 4. What interesting thing am I to learn today? 5. How can I use this? 6. How will I help someone today?

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

hutchinsonliving

“She is definitely one of the most original people I have met. She’ll try anything. Art is in her blood, and she’s not afraid to try something different.”

– Donna Brigman

Inspired by the idea that some people should have rabbit ears, Alex ran with the muse to create a collection.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

In his studio, a small building next to their house, Jim loses himself typing away on his laptop. There are note cards covering the wall and a large map of Nespelem, Washington, which is home to several characters. However, Hutchinson is the prototype for Prairie Grove, where his novel is set. Most mornings, before sunrise, he crawls from bed and heads to the studio for an hour or more of writing before driving off in his Reno County Sheriff’s patrol vehicle. Meanwhile, Alex is getting fired up in her studio, a separate building on the opposite side of the house; it’s a place where she challenges herself. “It’s amazing,” Jim says. “We are at our best when Alex is in her studio and I am in mine.” The Potters understand how creative minds work, and they support each other 100 percent in their endeavors. Married since 1977, their relationship has evolved into what it is today—shared creativity. Both are amazed at the end product of their efforts. In 2007, Jim published Cop in the Classroom: Lessons I’ve Learned, Tales I’ve Told, which shares stories of how he communicated with students while he was a school resource officer. He also is the author of an award-winning play, Under the Radar: Race at School, which received recognition from the Kansas Arts Council. Currently he spends his off-duty time writing fiction. Energy in form

Brigman marvels at Alex’s work in pastels. “Everyone thinks they are photographs,” she says of her talent. Several years ago Alex became interested in sculpture. She knew something was happening because she felt her hands were just itching to get into clay. “What I do, I will get inspiration and idea, and then I’ll go in that direction, and sometimes it works out like I think it will, and it will become its own energy,” she says. “What’s important is to be open to the possibilities and see what comes up.” She has created a series of rabbit people, which came after a year of percolation. “I got the notion that some people should have rabbit ears,” she says. She subtly developed their expressions on a small scale. Boasting over Alex’s work, Brigman says, “She is definitely one of the most original people I have met. She’ll try anything. Art is in her blood, and she’s not afraid to try something different.” Alex’s accolades include recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship; her work has been the subject of a MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour program; she holds prestigious signature memberships with Knickerbocker Artists-USA and Pastel Society of America; and has been honored as Master Pastellist by the Kansas Pastel Society. “Her talent is unbelievable,” says Tom Heintzman, who with his wife, Mardi, has been collecting Alex’s work, including a bust of Tom and a portrait of their daughter Scout. “They are a creative, terrific duo. Jim supports Alex 100 percent,” Brigman says. “They live a very natural lifestyle; there isn’t anything ordinary about them.”

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

DIY D r e a m

H o m e

Jo and Dan McFadden embark on a custom home, playing a part in its creation Story by Amy Bickel

Photography by Deborah Walker

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

For Dan and Jo McFadden, their dream home wouldn’t be complete without a view of the 15th fairway from their large windows. “Not that we’ve gotten to do much golfing,” Jo says with a laugh, adding that the family of five has been busy since moving into their new home on the Highlands Golf Course over the summer. The location was just one must-have for this couple, who stored ideas for their house of dreams in a notebook, preparing for the day it would become a reality. For starters, it would be on a golf course and have a walkout basement. Dan wanted a detached garage to rebuild old cars, and for Jo, “I always wanted an eggplant kitchen,” she says of the purple hue. After years of waiting, the couple finally got what they wanted—and more. The details Jo, 43, is principal at Graber Elementary. Dan, 42, is vice president of lending at Hutchinson Credit Union. They purchased land four years ago at the Highlands with plans to build when the time was right. They broke ground in August 2010. One goal for their new home was to create a relaxing atmosphere after a long day at work. They also wanted their three children, Brady, 13; Carter, 11; and Rylie, 9; to have their own creative spaces. Moreover, the couple wanted a home where they could add their identity by doing much of the work themselves. They began searching through their notebook, picking out each detail. “We went through a lot of model homes,” Jo says. “I had pictures of windows, I had pictures of doors. I had a picture of how I wanted our fireplace to look. “We had picked out everything right down to the knobs on the kitchen cabinets,” she says. Their biggest concern was finding a contractor who shared their vision. Brad Peter, a local builder who owns Brad’s Home Improvement, was exactly who they were looking for. “Brad knew we really wanted to do a lot of the work ourselves, and that helped,” Dan says. TOP Jo and Dan McFadden revel in the golf course location of their dream home. BOTTOM The location has provided a fun opportunity for the McFadden children, Carter, left, Brady and Rylie, to explore.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP The family room overlooks the beautiful landscape around Highland Golf Course. Built from the ground up, the McFaddens had a hand in the finishing touches. The beautiful entry features a treasured item, the baby grand piano.

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

“We had picked out everything right down to the knobs on the kitchen cabinets.”

– Jo McFadden

The open kitchen and family room is a casual space where family and friends often gather.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

According to Jo, Brad was in sync with their concepts, almost reading her mind. The end product is a 12-room, 3½-bath home where the couple plan to grow old. “I can’t think of anything that didn’t come out like the vision I had in my mind,” Jo says. Family rooms Jo calls their family casual. As a closeknit family, they came up with a wide-open floor plan that connected their kitchen, dining and living rooms. Arches help separate the main hub. “We wanted a nice, big space,” Jo says. The area features hand-scraped laminate wood flooring and 12-feet-tall chamfered ceilings with recessed lighting—creating a sweeping illusion. In the kitchen, Jo has her eggplantcolored walls, granite countertops, pendent lighting over the bar and a large window looking out on the greens. In the living room, an 8- by 11-foot window gives another view of the 15th fairway. But that doesn’t take away from other aspects of the room, such as the baby grand piano (which all five play) or the stone, wood-burning fireplace. “We just all pile on the couch together,” says Jo of their family time, noting that includes a black lab, Jo Jo, and a miniature dachshund, Sparky.

Jo made a point to design a functional home, especially in the master bathroom with his and hers sinks.

Solving problems One luxury of building a custom home is solving space and function issues of a family residence. In their previous home, Jo had spread her wardrobe out into various closets. The couple shared the same bathroom sink when getting ready for work in the morning, and there wasn’t an organized mudroom for the kids to hang up their coats and backpacks after school. As a result, they designed a mudroom for the kids, constructed a large bathroom

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

featuring his-and-hers sinks, a jetted tub and a walk-in shower. There is also a walk-in closet off the master bedroom, large enough to fit all of Jo’s clothing and accessories—as well as Dan’s. “She gets three-fourths of it, and I get a quarter,” Dan says with a laugh. Mr. and Mrs. Fix-it “We really wanted to do a lot of the work ourselves,” says Dan. It was an opportunity to save money and put their mark on the home. “We’ve always been do-it-yourselfers. … I just can’t see having someone else do it when we can do it.” Dan installed all the light fixtures, carpeting, wood-laminate flooring and mounted all of the plumbing fixtures. He and Jo blew in the insulation and did much of the tiling, including in the master bath. The couple built a detached, two-car garage themselves—Jo was on the roof doing the shingling. Jo painted the entire house except for some help from the kids, who assisted with their rooms. Par for the course The home has become the perfect setting for the McFaddens. Deer and turkeys often wander into their backyard, giving the kids a glimpse of nature. “We got exactly what we wanted,” Dan says. “It’s just kind of a dream come true—a vision in my head that we wanted to do, and we were able to do it when the kids are still young,” says Jo. “It’s been a fun venture, it has, I think, for all of us.”

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

Even the McFadden children helped to make the new house feel like home by picking the colors for their rooms.

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

hutchinsonbusinesses

handmade

Smith Cedar Works Meet two of the happiest retirees in town

S to ry by R i c h a r d S h a n k Ph oto g r aph y by a a r o n e a s t

utchinson’s Smith Cedar Works is as unique a business as its two owners, Bill Smith, 84, and Don Jackson, 70. Some say the pair have written the handbook on how high-energy, active and creative people might want to spend what the pundits call the “golden years.” Both individuals had successful careers, Smith as a local homebuilder and Jackson as a long-term employee of the Data Center. Smith decided early on he did not want to join the multitude of retired breakfast groups that frequent Hutchinson restaurants. “It was my observation that a lot of the coffee group people didn’t live very long after they retired,” Smith says. The longtime friends had a lasting interest in working with their hands and building things. They also saw that handmade cedar furniture produced in Hutchinson was lacking. Embarking on the furniture opportunity, Smith says, “We decided early on that if it gets to be work, we will quit.” On the other hand, Jackson admonished Smith: “I don’t know if we will make money, but we will give it a try.” On the weekdays, Smith unlocks the shop at 7:30 a.m. and is joined 90 minutes later by Jackson, a golfer who still enjoys hitting the links—but spends four days a week in the shop. Both agreed from the start, that their new career would be stress free and void of arguments—an agreement they have kept. “We watch out for each other,” Jackson says. Their motto is to build an affordable product, and to date, only Don Jackson works on another handmade piece of furniture at Smith Cedar Works. With his business partner, Bill Smith, the two consider themselves the luckiest “retirees” in Reno County.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

hutchinsonbusinesses

Jackson, left and Smith decided to open Smith Cedar Works to satisfy a desire to continue working. The result is a collection of custom-made items that keeps the two plenty busy.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

one customer has requested something less than the asking price. As they began to close the books for 2011, it came as no surprise that Smith Cedar Works had built about 300 pieces of furniture. On the third weekend of September, the business partners travel 50 miles east to the Marion County town of Hillsboro, scene of the annual Arts and Crafts Fair. On a single day, 40,000 converge on this town of 2,700 residents. Operating out of a 10-by-20-foot booth, Smith and Jackson will take orders for furniture that day resulting in 40 percent of the company’s annual sales. As word spreads about this local handmade furniture, the orders pour in from across the nation. A California resident called to order 640 6-by-6-inch pieces of walnut for a floor in her home. A terminally ill woman stopped in one day to order an urn to be used as a final repository for her ashes upon her death. When she returned to inspect the final product and pay the bill, Smith, after hearing the story of her illness, looked his customer in the eye and said she didn’t owe them a dime. When a family friend and rodeo enthusiast lost his life in a tragic accident, Smith was asked by the victim’s mother to build a miniature rodeo as a grave decoration to be used each year during Memorial Day weekend. Smith assured that the job could be accomplished and even went so far as to add bucking shoots. A case could be made that Smith Cedar Works is self-sufficient, and yes—they harvest their own wood. When a Sterling resident offered a row of 40 standing cedar trees, Jackson and Smith locked the doors of their shop, took chainsaws in hand and were on the road 20 miles northwest for a major tree-cutting exercise. They will never decline an offer for

hutchinsonbusinesses

standing trees and have traveled the rural neighborhoods to cut ash, pecan and oak trees, which have been used to construct everything from an eight-door dresser to a 12-foot curtain rod. Rae Luginsland, retired First National Bank vice president, contacted Smith and Jackson with the request to convert a 50-year-old shotgun into a floor lamp. Luginsland was not surprised when Smith assured him that it would be no problem fulfilling his request. Smith and Jackson placed the butt of the gun atop a walnut slab, ran a cord up the barrel of the gun, and with all that completed, Luginsland soon had a three-way lamp for his Hutchinson living room. “They took a 50-year-old family heirloom and made it into a beautiful piece of furniture,” he says.

“It is great fun to deal with retired people who are having so much fun being productive.”

– Ed Berger, client

As the worst economic downturn engulfed the country in September 2008, Smith and Jackson discovered their business was one venture in town that was unaffected by the recession. “People who have money are careful with what they have, and when they see something that they want to purchase, they go buy it,” Jackson says. Smith Cedar Works takes “Made in the USA” to a whole new level, and a sign inside the front door proudly states that fact. And, for those retirees who still have a lot of energy and a creative spirit, they just might want to visit Smith Cedar Works to meet two of the happiest retirees in town.

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

A golf course on the plains becomes a worldwide legend for its unique landscape St or y b y R ichard Shank

Phot ogr aphy b y Br ian Lingl e

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

Accurately described as one of the most scenic golf courses in the world, Prairie Dunes Country Club was built when Hutchinson, and the nation, grappled with the Great Depression, making it an “American Original.” Emerson Carey Jr., president of Carey Salt Company, was active in the Hutchinson community and an avid golfer by 1935. He traveled the world to play on courses in Scotland and beyond. During the 1900s, he spearheaded efforts to construct several courses in Hutchinson but had a vision for the ultimate golf course, perhaps one reminiscent of those he had played abroad. To fulfill his dream, he contracted world-famous golf course architect Perry Maxwell to visit Hutchinson and design a course on 480 acres of sand hills, just five miles east of the city. Supposedly Maxwell, upon arriving at the proposed site of Prairie Dunes, gazed across the landscape and jokingly said, “There are 118 holes here, and all I have to do is to do is eliminate 100.” In those distant times the course was built with a large group of laborers, 18 horses and an assortment of plows and scoops to carve out a nine-hole golf course. The two-year construction project provided employment for dozens of workers in the economically stressed times. Brooks Carey, a great-grandson of Emerson Carey who resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, heard plenty of stories about the formation of Prairie Dunes while growing up in Hutchinson as the son of Jake and Patty Carey. As one might expect, golf has been a favorite pastime for several generations of his family. Inspiration While playing seaside courses in the United Kingdom and visiting his son William, who was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, Emerson Carey was taken with the golf courses and saw similarities to the land and terrain in Hutchinson.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

Over the years, golf publications have taken note of Prairie Dunes and given this course its fair share of accolades and distinctions. Golf Digest proclaimed Prairie Dunes one of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 100 greatest golf courses for 2009-2010; Golf Week followed by calling this one of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best classic courses, and Golf Magazine ranked Prairie Dunes one of the 16 top courses in the nation, going so far as to say the course ranks as the 25th best in the world.

Hole 10

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

most significant dates in the history of Prairie Dunes

Prairie Dunes opened as nine-hole golf course five miles east of Hutchinson

Prairie Dunes adds nine more holes to become 18-hole golf course

Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer play exhibition match at Prairie Dunes

1937

1957

1962

1951 Carey family sold Prairie Dunes to club members

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

1958 Jack Nicklaus wins Trans Mississippi Amateur golf tournament at Prairie Dunes, his first major win on his way to a career as one of nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top golfers

1964 First of three U.S. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Amateur golf tournaments played at Prairie Dunes

“I may have one of the most beautiful ‘offices’ in the Midwest here on the golf course.”

– Stan George

Curtis Cup played at Prairie Dunes

U.S. Women’s Open played at Prairie Dunes

1986

2002

1988 USGA Mid-Amateur Championship played at Prairie Dunes

2006 U.S. Senior Men’s Championship played at Prairie Dunes

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

Hole 18

“We are who we are, and lots of people have tried to be like us. It is very special to drive around the course as there is no prettier place anywhere and the sunrises are fantastic.”

– Stan George

“Building Prairie Dunes was a labor of love for the family, and his father, uncles and other relatives were on site shoveling and moving dirt side by side with the workers,” Brooks says. The end product was what he calls one of the country’s great natural golf courses sitting on a pretty piece of real estate. September 1937 ranks as one of the city’s most historic dates when the first golfers played at Prairie Dunes. In 1951, the Carey family sold the course to the Prairie Dunes members and six years later, in 1957, the course was expanded to 18 holes; the additional holes were designed with Perry Maxwell’s son, Press. As word spread throughout the nation about this new course on the prairies of Kansas, the greats and near-greats of the golf game found their way to Hutchinson to hit the links. In 1958, a youthful Jack Nicklaus stopped at Prairie Dunes to compete in the Trans Mississippi Golf tournament and left town with a championship trophy in hand. Five years later, Nicklaus returned for an exhibition match with Arnold Palmer, another future great. General Manager Scott Nelson, who began stewardship of Prairie Dunes in January 2011, says it is not uncommon to host golfers from New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. “They enjoy visiting Prairie Dunes to play a round of golf, have a good meal and enjoy the casual atmosphere,” Nelson says. Two lodges were built on the site to accommodate out-of-area members who might want to spend the night. “Prairie Dunes will challenge every club in your golf bag,” Nelson says. “There are no easy holes on the course.” Of the approximate 700 current members, 156 reside beyond a 125-mile radius of Hutchinson, a record number in the course’s 75-year history.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

Legacy Rusty Hilst, a longtime member and history buff, enjoys learning about the course’s past. Today he assists with events and tournaments. “The challenge of the course is what attracted me,” Hilst says. “This is an amazing golf course in a place that you don’t expect to find one,” he adds. And, for unusual happenings at Prairie Dunes, Hilst has a story to tell. “During the Curtis Cup, which was played at Prairie Dunes in 1986, the golfers were sent scrambling one afternoon when a bolt of lightning struck the course on an otherwise clear day with a single cloud in the sky,” Hilst says. No one was injured, and within minutes, the tournament resumed. If one were to rank longevity for golf pros at golf courses throughout the nation, perhaps Prairie Dunes would win hands-down. Ross Wilson, the course’s first golf pro, took charge on opening day in 1937 and would remain in that position for 44 years, when he was succeeded by Charles Craig, who would hold the job until 2003. John Lanham, the current golf pro, succeeded Craig. Craig actually began at Prairie Dunes as an assistant to Wilson in 1967 and later became the golf pro in 1971. Wilson remains on the part-time staff of Stan George, the golf course superintendent. “Original architects Perry and Press Maxwell and more recent consultants Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw have taken great care to preserve the core of the original topography,” says George. George recently celebrated 20 years at Prairie Dunes and 35 years as a golf course superintendent. He credits Prairie Dunes for providing an excellent experience to golfers. “I may have one of the most beautiful ‘offices’ in the Midwest here on the golf course,” says George. “It is difficult to imagine more majestic sunrises or sunsets anywhere in the country.”

Stan George

Prairie Dunes Country Club 4812 E. 30th (620) 662-0581 www.prairiedunes.com

John Lanham and Scott Nelson

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

localprofiles

Girl party with a purpose The annual Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Show brings attendees together for a good cause S to ry by A my Co n k l i n g Ph oto g r aph y by D e b o r a h Wa l k e r

Joan Brown is one of the coordinators for the annual Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Show and Spring Health Fair hosted by Soroptimist International of Hutchinson.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

localprofiles

here is one event that reigns supreme for women in Hutchinson. It’s a place where thousands flock each spring hoping to get pampered, spoiled and, of course, shop the many vendors selling cute and trendy wares. Thanks to the Soroptimist International of Hutchinson Women’s Show and Spring Health Fair, they leave with much more. Not only are there local salons, gyms, boutiques and fun stage entertainment, but the show also includes informational booths that showcase area nonprofits and social service agencies. The Soroptimist club hosts the Women’s Show and Health Fair every spring for just that reason—to educate and treat women to all that Hutchinson has to offer. This year marks the 11th annual Women’s Show, an event that follows the group’s motto of “Best for Women” as it highlights women-owned and -operated businesses as well as businesses that cater to the needs of women. Funds raised from the show are then used to support Soroptimist service projects throughout the year that benefit women and girls, including health education, youth projects and scholarships for women head-of-households who are returning to school to improve job skills and their lives. With only about 30 members it’s a complete group effort, says one of the Women’s Show coordinators, Joan Brown. All members have some part—big or small—in their largest event of the year. Other show coordinators include Deana Novak, Melanie Collins, Susan Puls and Penny Conard. “Everybody does something and use their talents in a variety of ways,” Brown says. Spoiling the spectators One of the highlights of each year’s show is the makeover. The Edge Salon and Day Spa owner Kathy McGillivray supports this event by offering a free makeover to a deserving woman. In 2011, the Women’s Show committee decided to select their makeover honoree from applications taken

ABOVE A fashion show is among the many happenings that attract women to the event. Local vendors, health screenings and area nonprofits are all included.

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

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at the show. A week later they announced the winner, who spent the month of April receiving salon consultation and services, courtesy of The Edge; personal training, from Genesis; plus selecting a new outfit, accessories and shoes from area donors. Last year’s makeover was revealed with a special show at the Soroptimist Internationals’ Champagne Luncheon, another event that attracts women throughout the community each June. “We look for ladies who have had a strong outreach to others and strive to make a difference, or one who has overcome great obstacles,” McGillivray says. “We want to create an outward celebration for the inner woman.” The committee does just that. McGillivray has had the pleasure of working on both sides of the coin; first, as a vendor for her salon and spa business, and also as a Soroptimist member, which she joined after participating in her first Women’s Show.

“Of all the things, my involvement in the Women’s Show and makeover has brought me the greatest pleasure.”

– Kathy McGillivray

“My passion is fulfilled in my profession … making people feel good about themselves and their purpose,” McGillivray says. “Of all the things, my involvement in the Women’s Show and makeover has brought me the greatest pleasure. What a cool thing to be a part of—a girl party with a purpose.” Educating the visitors Candace Anderson Dixon sees the Women’s Show from a different perspective than that of a vendor. Instead of future business, she sees the show as a way to raise awareness for the Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Center in Hutchinson, where she’s the executive director. “It’s one of the most interactive fairs that we do,” Dixon says. “There are a lot of times when people will see our booths at other fairs and walk right around it. But the Women’s Show mixes vendors with agency booths, so we have a lot of people coming by every year.”

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

ABOVE Ann Hoffine receives a chair massage from Ed Guies at the Health Fair. OPPOSITE PAGE TOP A booth for the Sexual Assult/Domestic Violence center in Hutchinson. BOTTOM LEFT Jack Jacobs, of Y’et Yet salsas, also enjoys the opportunity to offer taste tests. BOTTOM RIGHT From clothing to jewelry, services to food, the Women’s Show is a one-stop shop for those wanting to know more about what’s available in their community.

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if you go:

The 2012 Hutchinson Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Show and Spring Health Fair will take place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at the Kansas State Fairgrounds. Tickets are $2 at the door. Details can be found at http://sites. google.com/site/siofhutchinson/ home

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

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The Edge Salon and Day Spa provides services for the makeover honoree.

Dixon says she’s amazed each year at the stories women are willing to share when they see her and her staff. “We have women who come up and say they wish they had the shelter when they were younger, or they pick up information for someone they know to pass along to,” she says. “I am amazed at the number of women who don’t know about the shelter or the fact that it has been functional for 25 years, I feel bad about that,” says Dixon. “The Women’s Show gives us the opportunity to get that important information out.” Brown says it’s this mixture of fun and awareness that give a unique twist to their show. Even better, Brown says, is that the Soroptimist club selects local agencies to donate some of its funds to each year. “We do this as both a fundraiser and a service project,” she says. Dixon sees the benefit of doing both. “We appreciate the fact [Soroptimists] do it and then have a chance to be on the receiving line of their efforts,” she says. “It’s a win-win.”

Get Involved

Want to become a member of Soroptimist? For details and contact information of group members, visit: https://sites.google.com/site/siofhutchinson/home

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

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Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

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Plowing through history Great Plains Antique Tractor Club tends to Kansasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; agricultural relics S to ry by A my B i ck e l Ph oto g r aph y by A a r o n E a s t

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

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andy Ball could tell the old tractor had seen better days. For several decades the 1950 Case DC-4 had sat next to the chicken house on his inlaws’ farm, overtaken by a mass of trees as it rusted away from the weather. Parts were missing, the fenders bent, and it hadn’t been started in years. In essence, it had been left for dead. As technology advances, there’s no need for such antiquity. Yet, where most would see hunk of scrap iron, Ball saw promise and a link to Kansas’ rural past. “I just wanted to save a part of history,” Ball says. The south Hutchinson resident is not alone in his quest to breathe a second life into old machinery. Ball is among more than 70 members from Reno and surrounding counties who make up the Great Plains Antique Tractor Club. They meet monthly to talk tractor and plan events like tractor pulls and shows. However, their main purpose is to preserve agriculture heritage—turning old tractors into something that an implement dealer back in the day would have proudly displayed. “We’re rescuing them from death row,” says Jim Barlow, 67, a member who has seven antique tractors at his home near Inman. “It’s a shame to let them die and rust away.” The members’ passion offers a glimpse into a simpler time when machinery was smaller and farmers planted fewer acres. These days, most farmers’ assets spread across thousands of acres, and tractors are now air-conditioned and run through computer systems. So, like Ball, they have plucked these antique tractors from the edge of farm fields, tree rows and the back of sheds to preserve equipment that helped shape Kansas’ economy. Some were buried deep in the weeds on a family farmstead or were disposed in a creek bed. Some might have been one their father or grandfather drove, or at least it looked like one. After all, these old tractors—John Deeres, Allis-Chalmers, Olivers and Massey-Harrises—aren’t just chronicles of Kansas’ past, members say. They each have a story. Hutchinson resident and club president George Bell, 64, says the first tractor he restored was his father-in-law’s 1935 John Deere Model D. It hadn’t been used in several years. That was in 1991 and the tractor that began his hobby. “My dad farmed with it,” says Bell’s wife, Florence, reminiscing how the family drove it home from the farm on a cold, rainy day. At 4 miles an hour, it took awhile to get the tractor from the Buhler area to Hutchinson. However, she says of her father, Herb G. Franz’s, John Deere, “It was great to see it fixed up.” Now Bell, who grew up on a farm near St. John, has six John Deere tractors, which he restored at his home. The machines are among the other tractors he and club members have saved from extinction. Bell says he took a 1937 John Deere B tractor off a farm not far from his house. That tractor had sat in the weather

OPPOSITE For members of the Great Plains Antique Tractor Club restoring old tractors is more than a hobby, it’s a chance to preserve the past. TOP George Bell began restoring tractors with his father-in-law’s 1935 John Deere Model D.

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

Clockwise from top left Great Plains Antique Tractor Club member Jim Barlow. A 1935 John Deere D. A 1938 John Deere G. A 1928 Ford Doodle Bug.

for 15 years. The body was rusted and the rims shot. Meanwhile, a 1936 John Deere D, purchased from a Colwich man, was missing a front tire, the flywheel was on backward, the fenders bent, there was concrete in the wheels, and it didn’t run. Fixing them up can be a daunting task, Bell notes. It sometimes takes more work than just dusting off dirt and adding a fresh coat of paint. Some need the engine overhauled. Some need parts. However, he says, “I see pieces of history that can’t be lost—something to show the next generation what farmers used to do. It’s a waste of history, in my opinion, to let them sit.” Others have taken longer to resurrect. Barlow, who farmed a 1,000 acres near Holcomb before retiring to Inman, says he had long admired the 1941 John Deere B that sat near his neighbor’s shop.

“We’re rescuing them from death row. It’s a shame to let them die and rust away.”

– Jim Barlow

Barlow tried to buy it a decade ago to no avail until the man called him up one day, saying he was moving to a nursing home and offered to sell the tractor. “I always wanted a two-cylinder,” Barlow says, explaining that these tractors, manufactured from the 1920s to 1958, were typically called Johnny Poppers because of the two cylinders’ distinctive put-put sound. Barlow moved to McPherson County in 2002 and brought his antique tractors with him. He learned about the club and joined in 2005 as a way to meet people with similar interests. He keeps some of the tractors he restores, and he sells some, he says. Moreover, he always is looking for more old machinery to restore. “The fun is in the hunt,” says Barlow. “I want to save them if I can.” MORE INFO

Great Plains Antique Tractor Club members meet for dinner at 6 p.m. the third Thursday of every month at South Hutchinson’s Plaza Go Truck Stop. Meetings begin at 7 p.m. www.greatplainsantiquetractorclub.com April 21 – Tractor display at Newell’s Truck Stop in Newton April 29 – Tractor pull in Otis May 19 – Abbyville parade and tractor pull June 2 – Tractorcade. Members will drive their antique tractors from Inman to Moundridge for lunch, then come back. July 4 – Sterling Parade July 4 – Hutchinson Parade July 8 – Tractor pull at Great Bend July 14 – Plow day by Nickerson (weather permitting) September 22-23 – Club’s sixth annual show in connection to Santa Fe Days at Inman. Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

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Living structure of faith St. Teresa of Avila Parish has become a local symbol of architectural beauty s to ry by Pat s y T e r r e l l ph oto g r aph y by A a r o n E a s t

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

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entury-old stained-glass windows, beautiful statuaries and European-style carved altars greet visitors to St. Teresa of Avila Parish “Everything is original,” says Father Nicholas Voelker, the priest who serves St. Teresa’s. “God inspired the people to keep this church up.” Adding to its marvelous appearance, the Catholic Church celebrated 100 years at its current location in May 2011. Local retiree Bob Arpin, who has attended St. Teresa’s for 54 years, says, “The way it’s built and what they’ve done to maintain it means it will be here a lot longer. It’s part of the community, really the roots of the community.” St. Teresa’s was the first Catholic church in Reno County, and in 1872 a missionary delivered the first Mass. Ten years later a pastor was installed in a church building. “It’s a great icon for the city of Hutchinson. It’s a treasure,” says Voelker; but despite its history, “St. Teresa’s church is not a museum. It’s a symbol of faith.” Helen “Julie” Rodriguez attends Mass at St. Teresa’s, as well as Our Lady of Guadalupe, where she and her husband are members. “When I enter St. Teresa’s, I immediately feel a strong presence of God. The church is traditional and yet timeless in its symbolism and character,” she says. Voelker, who has lived in Hutchinson four years, says, “Some of the best people I have served have been here at St. Teresa’s and the Hutchinson Catholic community. There’s been no higher honor in my priestly journey than to serve them.”

“At certain times of day, this church becomes a house of gold the way the sun shines through.” – Father Nicholas Voelker

Altar The St. Teresa’s altar features Romanesque-style arches and domes, and includes at least four different kinds of marble. The intricate carving of the Last Supper on the lower part of the altar table is in Italian Carrara marble, which was created by the del Prado Statuary Company of Chicago. Boasting Italian roots, del Prado altars are still coveted for their imaginative, elaborate lines. “I like it when you walk in, you look up and see the big altar,” says Arpin. “It’s a lot like the church in Clyde I was baptized in and grew up in. Older churches are so much nicer.” The altar includes statues of St. Rita, The Saint of the Impossible, and St. Teresa of Avila, the patron saint of the church. “My favorite place in the church would be the altar. It is the center of the church both physically and spiritually,” says Rodriguez. “The architecture combined with the statues of angels and arches is stunning.”

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

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Stained Glass Stained glass has been used since the Middle Ages to teach people faith; during this era, most people were uneducated, and the stained glass was a way to tell the stories of the church. The church has stained glass in all directions. “At certain times of day, this church becomes a house of gold the way the sun shines through. It’s a living structure of faith,” says Voelker.

chalice Parishoners taking communion at St. Teresa’s every Sunday may not know they are participating in family history. Voelker serves communion from a chalice he had made when he became a priest. In addition to the beautiful red color and the other decoration, it includes his grandmother’s engagement diamond near the base. His father’s mother, Marian Schilling Voelker, hoped that one of her seven sons would become a priest, but it was not to be. When Father Nick, as he’s known to parishioners, became a priest, his aunt gave him his grandmother’s diamond. “The chalice is sacred in the Mass. It must meet many standards and is usually given to a new priest by his family,” says Rodriguez. “The priest will carry this chalice with him throughout his whole life. It represents a strong family tie, which I believe represents the ties of the Catholic faith.”

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

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Stations of the Cross Fourteen oil paintings of the Stations of the Cross hang on the walls among the stained-glass windows. The paintings came from Italy and were in place when the church was dedicated May 21, 1911. The Hutchinson News reported 1,500 people were in the church, with an additional 1,000 outside at the dedication. One near the entrance is a favorite of Voelker’s. “When people come in, sometimes they are burdened by crosses in their lives. We all have crosses to bear. People are under enormous pressure,” he says.

Baptismal Font The baptismal font at St. Teresa’s has been in continuous use for a hundred years. “It’s my favorite baptismal font. It’s the most gorgeous. I believe something in the church not only has to be beautiful, but it has to be functional,” says Voelker. It’s a Europeanstyle font that includes carvings of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and has been located in a variety of places inside the church. It used to be near the entrance and contained the holy water people would cross themselves with when they entered, but it is now near the altar. Although other receptacles now hold holy water near the entrance, it’s a reminder of the importance of baptism.

visit

St. Teresa of avila parish 211 East 5th (620) 662-7812

Smaller altar The altar addressing the congregation looks as if it were from a matched set; however, it came from a church in Turon. When the Turon church closed, members decided it would be respectful to bury the altar. Father John Mullen at St. Teresa’s heard about it only days before the scheduled burial. At the time he was using an altar made of plywood due to the Pope’s decision that priests would now face the congregation instead of saying Mass facing the altar. Mullen and five other men picked up the altar, which is the same style and appearance, and includes a Last Supper carving just like the original St. Teresa’s altar. Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

health&fitness

Gold standard: Jonathan Hilton Qualifying for the Olympics is a dream come true for this track star

S to ry by A my Co n k l i n g

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

Ph oto g r aph y by D e b o r a h Wa l k e r

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rack runs in Jonathan Hilton’s family—literally. Jonathan’s father, Jim, was a high jumper growing up. His brother and sister were successful high school track athletes, and both were competitive at the collegiate level as well. So it came as no surprise when Jonathan appeared as a high school and collegiate track star. After graduating from Central Christian High School in Hutchinson in 2005, he went on to compete in track and field at Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in business management, graduating in 2009. What may be the surprise, though, is how the man from a small town rose to be among the best decathletes in the nation and is now making a name for himself as he attempts to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Trials this June in Eugene, Oregon. “Track is what my family has always done,” Jonathan says. Small school, large benefit Jonathan attributes much of his collegiate drive and success to his humble upbringings. Growing up in Buhler and attending the smallest high school in Reno County, he says it was actually the small school that helped him define his path. “Central gave me the opportunity to play as many sports as possible,” he says. “I probably would have been a one-sport athlete at any school larger than Central. It helped me develop a broad range of talents rather than specializing too early.”

“It was great to try several sports rather than find one I was good at and focus on it. If you start specializing in one sport too soon, you attain a lower level of performance sooner.”

– Jonathan Hilton

That variety carried over to track and field season. Because of the small number of participants competing, he tried a number of events.

Jonathan Hilton, a Buhler native, is now training and working in Oklahoma as he sets his sights on the Olympic Trials in the decathlon.

Collegiate milestones

Jonathan admits that coming out of high school he was a decent recruit for track and field, but not a great one. “I was just all-around at several things—good at them, but not great at any of them,” he says.

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

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Stay connected

Keep up with Jonathan Hilton and his endeavors www.watchjonrun.com. Jonathan updates followers, family and friends each week with his training, schedule and competition results leading up to the 2012 Olympic Trials.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

His head coach at Oklahoma Baptist University, Ford Mastin, recommended that he try the heptathlon during his first indoor season. It was, to say the least, an eye-opener. “The shot put was the thing that got me. I wasn’t strong enough and wasn’t where I needed to be training-wise to do well in it,” Jonathan says. “I backed off and did high jump for the rest of the indoor and then the outdoor season.” But Ford didn’t give up on Jonathan or the multi-event competitor that he would eventually become. He gave Jonathan a pole, making him try out the pole vault, and then kept going with the other decathlon events. “I ended up qualifying for nationals and then placed second that year as a sophomore,” Jonathan says. “It was a meet that I look back on and realize how close I was to first place. If I would have pushed the last race a bit harder, I probably could have won that year.” That near-win gave Jonathan the drive he needed to compete better. He went on to win the national title in the indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon his junior year and repeated his performance his senior year. The Olympics came into Jonathan and Ford’s minds in 2008; however, they didn’t realistically look into it until after Jonathan’s college graduation in 2009. Post-graduation he took a graduate assistant job with the OBU track and field team, which allowed him to train daily with his former head coach. “Most athletes dream of great things, and for track athletes, the Olympics is the biggest thing you can dream of,” Ford says. “The vast majority have absolutely no chance. Even for Americans, it is very difficult to make our Olympic team. It’s a more realistic goal to try to qualify just to

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compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials. From the scores of Jonathan’s best performances, he has a good chance to compile a high enough score in the decathlon to reach the Olympic Trials standard, which is approximately the best 20 athletes in that event for the U.S.” The Olympic Trials dream is becoming more and more of a reality in the weeks leading up to the Trials. And although Jonathan suffered a slight hip flexor injury in late fall, he’s optimistic he’ll train smart enough to compete well in June. “I’m stronger than I’ve ever been,” he says. “I don’t feel that this injury is going to affect what I’m doing later. When outdoor season rolls around in May, we’re going to be smart through this and make sure all of the work we put into the preseason isn’t wasted.” Ford agrees. “Jonathan is a good student of the sport and picks up all of the techniques and principles easily,” Ford says. “He is analytical, consistent and even-tempered, which helps him move from event to event, no matter how things go in the last event. This is an important quality for the multi-event athlete.”

Want to exercise like an Olympian? You have to train like one. Here’s a glimpse of Jonathan’s weekly workout, which includes five-plus hours of intensive training each day. (This is a sample week from Jonathan’s specific preparation phase.) Monday: Go in at 2 p.m. and do high jump/hurdle work, plyometrics, medicine ball routine, weight lifting, out by 7:30 p.m. Tuesday: Shot put, discus, javelin, pole vault work; conditioning run Wednesday: Weight lifting, plyometrics, medicine ball routine, hurdle/high jump session (lighter, recovery day) Thursday: Repeat of Tuesday Friday: Weight lifting, long interval run Saturday: Clean-out run of 30-45 minutes Sunday: Day off Jonathan purposely takes Sundays off for a complete day of rest—not only for the body, but also for the mind. “Take off to go to church and rest the body and mind, the mind more than anything,” Jonathan says. “Your brain needs time to shut off and do something fun with your friends and to maintain sanity. If you beat it to death, you won’t get as much out of your training and workouts as you need.”

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

Q&A

ames and Betty Taylor are super volunteers with quintessential green thumbs. The pair have always had a passion for horticulture, and today they spend a great deal of time with the Hutchinson Horticulture Club. After meeting at Emporia State University, they moved to Hutchinson, where James taught biology at Hutchinson Community College. In May 1984, James and Betty became involved in the Horticulture Club, which was started by Marty Clark in March of that year. “We were impressed by the club and have been involved in various roles ever since,” says Betty. Currently, James is chairperson for the Beautification Committee, and Betty is chairperson for the Education Committee and the Plant Sale Committee.

HM: What are the initiatives and mission of the Hutchinson Horticulture Club? betty: The purpose of the Club is to gather

people who are interested in horticulture so they may learn more about plants for their own benefit and benefit the community through projects. Besides having monthly meetings and programs, which are open to the public, the club has both beautification and educational projects for the community. The beautification project is planting and maintaining a 50-by-15 feet flowerbed at the Main Street entrance to Carey Park. The educational project is the Gathering for Gardeners. HM: Tell me a little about Gathering for Gardeners. betty: The first Gathering for Gardeners was

held in 1990 at the Hutchinson Mall. The club co-sponsored the event with the Reno County Extension Office. The club rented 100 chairs and set up an area in an empty storefront across from the food court. We used local speakers for topics that year and realized we needed more chairs before the first presentation was finished. The next year, we added some Kansas State University specialists to our local talent and again had a great crowd. Each year, we would cover different topics so the audience could return to learn something new. In 1998, we didn’t have a Horticulture Agent at the Extension Office, so the Horticulture Club sponsored the event by ourselves and have been doing so ever since. We still try to

present different topics from year to year and search for the best speakers for the topics. We try to provide valuable information for both the novice and the experienced gardeners because we can all learn something from others. We publish the schedule in advance so individuals can attend any or all topics that interest them. Last year, we had 370 people register, and they represented 39 cities. HM: How have you seen the club grow since its beginning? betty: In 1984, the club had around 20 members, and today we have 82 members. As a working organization, members sign up to work on various club projects. One important project is the club’s annual plant sale, and it has really developed through the years. Club members divide perennials or grow extra plants to contribute to this sale. The funds from the sale cover the club’s expenses for the Gathering for Gardeners and other projects. Ph oto g r aph y by A a r o n e a s t

James & Betty Taylor Hutchinson Horticulture Club

What tips do you have for beginning gardeners?

1. Don’t plant an area that’s larger than you have time to weed and water. Better to start small and be successful. 2. Visit the Reno County Extension Office or K-State’s website (k-state.edu) for lawn and garden publications. 3. Attend Gathering for Gardeners and/or some of the Horticulture Club’s programs. 4. Observe and learn the plants that others are growing and that do well in this area. 5. Don’t select your plants just because they have pretty flowers.

HM: The climate and land in Hutchinson are unique. What challenges are there for gardeners? betty: Last summer, heat was the biggest challenge. Unless the plants were heat lovers, they probably didn’t do very well. Drought and wind can also be big challenges. Depending on the location, gardeners can create windbreaks to slow the wind, or the other option is not growing tall plants. Some plants require less water and are more tolerant of drought conditions. Matching the right plants for the right places can be done if one researches the plant’s requirements. Our soils can be too sandy or contain too much clay; amending the soil with organic matter can help both of these conditions. Do not add sand to clay soil or you will make concrete. Drainage can also be an issue because few perennials like cold, wet roots in the winter. HM: Gardens can bring people together. How do you see this in Hutchinson? Betty: Flower gardens make the landscape more inviting. I’ve often said—trees, shrubs and grass are nice, but flowers add a special touch and show visitors that we care more. Flowers can add some serenity to any location. K-State personnel have pointed out that flowers can draw people to an area and they will linger longer. Just think about downtown Hutchinson. Don’t the flowers make that environment more inviting? Interview conducted, condensed and edited by Katy Ibsen.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

travelideas

Center of the Universe New York City makes for an iconic destination for any travel enthusiast s to ry by g lo r i a g a l e

Ph oto g r aphy co ur t e s y o f NYC & Co m pa n y

ake a bite out of the Big Apple and visit these can’t-miss attractions. New York City looms like a surreal postcard. Regardless of the vantage point, this skyline, pinpointed with images of the Empire State building, the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty, is instantly recognizable. This is where stars shine, food and fashion trends begin, and real estate is ridiculous. You’ll soon discover you probably can’t get a cab in the rain but you’re guaranteed to get a bagel and schmear regardless of the hour. Memories are made among New York’s concrete canyons—here’s a few that will last a lifetime.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

The view from Central Park. Photo by Will Steacy

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Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

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Gotham’s greatest

The lay of the land begins and ends on the orderly grid of Manhattan, one of the city’s five boroughs, including Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. To really get a taste of the city, which 8.4 million people call home, act like a New Yorker—this town is made for walking. Uptown or downtown, there’s a constant buzz as a cacophony of traffic and babble swarms around each corner. Begin your journey at 34th and Fifth Avenue right in the heart of the city. Now, look up. Few would quibble that NYC’s familiar silver spire, the Empire State Building, is the city’s most iconic skyscraper and signature landmark since its completion in 1931. Obligatory for tourists and residents alike, this 102-story streamlined, deco dazzler offers the most majestic panorama of the city. The breathtaking view from the 86th floor observatory’s coin-operated telescopes

encompasses an 80-mile visible radius (not bad for 25 cents). It goes without saying, on a clear day you really can see forever, but dusk is popular, and evenings are magical. Avoid the throngs if you can; this attraction lures 3 million visitors annually, and buy tickets in advance online. www.esbnyc.com A few blocks north is an equally awe-inspiring building, Grand Central Terminal. This 1913 Beaux-Arts train station is one of the most beautiful public spaces in the city. Stroll through a maze of notable shops, slurp oysters at the Oyster Bar and gaze at the amazing architecture (125-foot astrological ceiling mural upstairs and Rafael Guastavino’s vaulted ceiling downstairs). The cheapest and most interesting spectacle, however, is people-watching as 750,000 crisscross the main concourse daily. The perch from the staircase gives you the best view. www.grandcentralterminal.com Another public gathering spot is Rockefeller Center just west between 49 th and 59 th streets. It looks just like a movie set with a gilded statue of Prometheus overlooking the famous ice skating rink (winter only). Surrounded by a flank of United Nations flags and skyscrapers, Rockefeller Plaza is one of the most indelible images of New York City. If traveling in December plan to ice skate under the glittering Christmas tree, then catch the famous Rockettes at nearby Radio City Music Hall. www.rockefellercenter.com World-class museums are readily available in New York City; the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Guggenheim, Museum of Natural History and Cooper-Hewitt, to name a few. As one of the largest museums in the Western Hemisphere, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is home to 2 million masterpieces of art. If you only allot time for one museum, this is the place. A Museum Highlights Tour, offered daily, will provide an overview of the magnificent collections contained in the one of the world’s greatest museums. www.metmuseum.org Catch the subway or bus downtown to Battery Park, where ferries leave every 20-40 minutes for two popular destinations, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island located in New York Harbor. Lady Liberty’s French heritage and towering attributes are explained in detail with free tours. The Staten Island Ferry not only gives you a spine-tingling view of the statue, but Wall Street skyscrapers and the Brooklyn Bridge as well.

TOP The iconic New York skyline. Photo by Jen Davis

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

A bustling Grand Central Terminal. A shot of the Museum of Modern Art. Photos by Alex Lopez

CENTER INSET

travelideas

It goes without saying, on a clear day you really can see forever, but dusk is popular, and evenings are magical.

A view from the Staten Island Ferry. Photo by Joe Cingrana

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

travelideas In the same day, visit Ellis Island. Our country’s diversity in large part is due to the 12 million immigrants who arrived at the turn of the century through this gateway to realize the American dream. Today visitors can trace their family’s lineage at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum where free, ranger-guided tours are offered daily. www. ellisisland.org, www.nps.gov/stli/index.htm Before a jaunt back uptown, stop in lower Manhattan and take time to explore Greenwich Village, China Town and SoHo. These densely crowded neighborhoods are filled with a patchwork of boutiques, trend-setting restaurants and blocks of brownstones where you’ll find a hip, quintessential New York vibe. Jog down to the Financial District for a visit to the new World Trade Center Memorial. Two reflecting pools, both inscribed with names of those lost on 9/11, are set within the footprint of the original twin towers. www.911memorial.org Before you end your journey, no visit is complete without a walk in Central Park. Find a bench, unwrap a mountain of pastrami on rye and indulge as you watch the world go by. Strolling along in the West Village. Photo by Will Steacy

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

family

Springtime with the family Get out of the house this season with these fun activities S To ry by A my Co n k l i n g

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

family

reak free from the wintertime blues and bust out of cabin fever with these fun, family activities in Hutchinson this spring. These are kid-friendly, free (or mostly free) and provide plenty of energyzapping fun for the kiddos, which means great naps and early bedtimes—also known as precious quiet time for parents. Cheney State Park and Reservoir

Pack up the kids for a memorable spring break get-away or a weekend trip from home with just a short drive to Cheney Reservoir. The state park, covering 1,913 acres in three counties, features more than 400 primitive camp sites, a group camping area, two nature trails, seven modern cabins, 22 boat-launching lanes, shelter houses, nine restrooms with showers and more. Its reservoir features 9,537 acres of water with plenty of opportunities to fish, swim, sail, jet ski and play other water sports during the warmer late spring and summer months. More importantly, the State Park allows families to disconnect with the gadgets and busyness of life—just time to enjoy

the simplicity of the outdoors. Creating family memories and children’s interest in preserving the outdoors is an added benefit to this family activity. Just ask Kingman resident Hollie Judd. Judd, her husband, Jerry, and their three children, ranging from 9 months to 8 years old, visit Cheney for a variety of activities throughout the year. The Judds camp as a family and frequent the lake in the summer; Jerry also takes the kids camping for special “dad’s time” on the weekends. Cheney has also become a central meeting place for Hollie’s extended family. “We had a big cousins gathering there a couple of years ago, and we just enjoyed time talking, playing games and being outdoors,” Hollie says. “It’s great to be able to have the kids run around and enjoy the wide open outdoors.”

Set up camp: For more information on campsites or Cheney State Park, visit http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/StateParks/Locations/Cheney or call (316) 542-3664 for the Park Office. Cabin reservations may be made at www.reserve. ksoutdoors.com. Cost varies.

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

family

Dillon Nature Center’s Playscape

Dillon Nature Center may be known for its beautiful hiking trails, fishing pond and Visitor Center, but the popular natural attraction in Hutchinson has one more family-friendly feature to be completed this spring—a natural playscape. The playscape—geared toward toddlers, preschoolers and grade-schoolers—gives kids an outlet to explore, entertain and get good, dirty and use their imaginations. “That’s what we want,” says Jim Smith, the Nature Center’s superintendent. “We tell parents to bring a change of clothes or towels for their little ones, because if they’re having fun, they’re going to get dirty as they explore.” The two-year project is nearing completion as it now features a sand play area, a garden, a stage and musical area, plenty to keep little hands and curious minds busy with natural entertainment. “It’s already so rewarding and fun to watch the children using the area even before it is completed. We will continue to improve the area over the next few months and years,” Smith says adding that the project was made possible by the Think of the Possibilities Grant from the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund.

Start Playing: Stop by the Nature Center at 3002 E. 30th Ave. or call (620) 663-7411. For more information, visit www.dillonnaturecenter.com.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

family

Reno County Museum & The Oodleplex

Spring’s rainy days are the perfect chance to head to the Reno County Museum and take a step or two back in time. All exhibits and galleries are family-friendly, but it’s the museum’s Oodleplex that attracts families with young children, according to Linda Schmitt, executive director of the Reno County Historical Society. The Oodleplex features a wooden boat, an old-time grocery store, telephone booth and more. “It provides a great variety of activities for children, and it’s centered on historic Reno County themes,” Schmitt says. “My 5-yearold granddaughter particularly likes to lock me away in the jail or sit with me in the large tepee and beat drums. It was purposely built for creative and educational play.” Older children enjoy the museum’s five exhibition galleries, gift shop, a public research room and outdoor activities that include a real claim house that depicts how early settlers lived in 19th century Reno County, complete with a jail cell and outhouse.

fun activity

Psst. On your way to one of these fun filled outings, let the kids color in these Hutchinson Magazine outdoor scenes and characters.

oodles of fun: The Reno County Museum is located near downtown Hutchinson at 100 South Walnut and Avenue A. For more information on exhibits and museum hours, go to www.renocomuseum.org. Free.

Spring 2012 | Hutchinson Magazine

family Hutchinson Zoo

It may be more popular during the warmer times of the year, but Jana Durham, director of the Hutchinson Zoo, says those families who want to get kids out during winter and spring’s cooler and wetter weather are in for a special treat. “Many of our animals thrive and are very active during what we may consider inclement weather,” Durham says. The Hutchinson Zoo, located in the heart of Carey Park, is free to the public and features a variety of both Kansas and non-native animal species. It also has the Prairie Thunder Railroad and a gift shop that’s open year-round. “Families are attracted to the Zoo because it provides a special look into the lives of many animals that we all love,” Durham says. “It fulfills a curiosity and allows both children and adults to learn and explore in an unrestricted, fun environment.” And there will be even more to explore in the coming months. Durham says 2012 is a year for updates, including renovation of the existing raccoon and opossum exhibit as well as construction of a new viewing deck by the pronghorn and deer. Friends of the Zoo Board and staff also plan to start fundraising for a new underwater viewing exhibit for the North American river otters. “The river otter are one of the most popular animals at the Zoo, and we’re anxious to get them back out for the public to enjoy,” Durham says.

Critter Curiosity: For more information on Zoo hours, go to www.hutchgov.com/zoo. The Friends of the Zoo Gift Shop is open 10 a.m.-4:45 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 1-4:45 p.m. Sunday. Prairie Thunder Railroad hours vary–individuals are encouraged to call ahead at (620) 694-2693.

more info

Special Springtime Events: Chalk Fest: May 17, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Families are invited to participate in a sidewalk chalk art contest and oldfashioned games. Get Everyone Outdoors Month: Several family events will take place during the month of April, as Dillon Nature Center and others in the Hutchinson community encourage families to get outdoors. More information is available in the Hutchinson Recreation Commission’s Spring/Summer Activity Guide, available at www.hutchrec.com. Read to Rover: On the second Tuesday of each month, the Hutchinson Public Library hosts this unique special event that allows children to read to dogs from the Hutchinson Kennel Club/Therapy Dogs Incorporated. Children are asked to sign up by calling the Library at (620) 663-5441. Additional children and family events can be found at www.hutchpl.org.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

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mar-may 2012

march March 3-31 | Parade of Quilts. Celebrate the 12th annual Parade of Quilts the

entire month of March at area merchants in Yoder. These beautiful quilts are made from Amish and Mennonite community members. www.yoderkansas.com

March 10 | Monster Garage Sale. Shop this epic sale at the Meadowlark building on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

March 17-18 | Home and Garden Show. Prepare for spring with this

amazing showcase sponsored by The Hutchinson News and Hutchinson Builders Association. Admission is $3 for adults, children 12 and under is free. At the Meadowlark building on the Kansas State Fairgrounds.

March 29-31 | Charley’s Aunt. The Hutchinson Theatre Guild presents Charley’s Aunt at the High School Performing Arts Center. Follow the antics of two young students who wait for an aunt’s visit to propose marriage to two young women. Begins at 7:30. www.hutchtheatre.com

March 31 | Pleasantview Spring Celebration. Enjoy a day of free fun

activities in Pleasantview. Door prizes will be offered from local merchants as well as events for children. www.pleasantviewkansas.com, (620) 663-1269

april April 5 | Taste of Home Cooking School. The Hutchinson Sports Arena

will turn into a culinary venue. To purchase tickets stop by The Hutchinson News or order online at hutchshops.com. Doors open at 4 p.m., show starts at 6:45.

April 19 | Homeschool Space Adventure. Homeschool Days kicks off at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center. Select days in the spring and fall will welcome home-school educators and students to an “out-of-this-world” space adventure. Reservations required with ticket, $8 per person. Begins at 9 a.m. www.cosmo.org. To register or find out more about Homeschool Days, contact Kyla Gaston, (620) 665-9304

April 21 | Jerry Barlow Celtic Guitar. Jerry Barlow Celtic Guitar returns

for a live performance. Blending traditional Celtic tunes with history, humor and legends makes for a splendid event. Begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Civic Theatre. Tickets are $10. (620) 459-4600

April 26 | Arlo Guthrie Boys Night Out! Three generations of the Guthrie boys will wow audiences at the Historic Fox Theatre. Arlo, Abe and Krishna will share the storytelling tunes so many have come to love. Begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $35 to $40. www.hutchinsonfox.com

April 28 | Lesser Known Lovelies Plant Sale. The Dillon Nature Center

hosts this unique plant sale featuring more obscure plants. Proceeds will go to the Nature Center. Begins at 8 a.m. (620) 663-7411

may May 3 | Brewmasters Dinner for TECH. City Beverage hosts this

celebrated event featuring a five-course dinner paired with special craft beers. A brewmaster will be on hand to share more about the flavors and pairings. Begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Hutchinson Town Club. Tickets are $100. www.techinc.org

May 4 | Main Street Hops for TECH. Stroll through downtown

Hutchinson, sampling 15 different beers at 15 different locations while also enjoying heavy appetizers. Tickets are $40. www.techinc.org

May 18-19 | Abbyville Frontier Days Rodeo & BBQ. This family event

celebrates everything wonderful with Frontier Days. A nightly rodeo kicks off at 8 p.m. Saturday welcomes a parade, BBQ, games and plenty of entertainment. 100 East Avenue F, Abbyville. Tickets are required. (620) 669-7325

May 19 | Reno County Farmer’s Market. A new season begins at the Farmer’s Market Pavillion. Market hours are 7:30 a.m.-noon Saturdays. (620) 669-0033

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2012

Please submit event information to: hutchinsonmagazine@sunflowerpub.com (Dates and times subject to change)