Cycle Culture | Topeka Magazine spring 2014 edition by Sunflower Publishing

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Spring ’14

Vol. VIII / No. II

from the editor

Editor Nathan Pettengill designer/Art Director

Shelly Bryant

Jason Dailey

chief Photographer

COPY EDITOR

Deron Lee

advertising Teresa Johnson-Lewis representative (785) 832-7109

Ad Designer

Jenni Leiste

contributing Bill Stephens Photographers Deborah Walker Contributing Writers

Tonya Bell Anita Miller Fry Jeffrey Ann Goudie Kim Gronniger Carolyn Kaberline Susan Kraus Christine Steinkuehler Debra Guiou Stufflebean Linda A. Thompson-Ditch Barbara Waterman-Peters

GENERAL MANAGER

Bert Hull

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Topeka Magazine is a publication of Sunflower Publishing, a division of The World Company. www.sunflowerpub.com Please contact us at topekamagazine@sunflowerpub.com for all comments, subscription and editorial queries.

After a winter of cold temperatures and deep snows, isn’t it about time for a bit of spring break? If you agree, we’ve got you covered with stories about Topeka, the people in it and the interests and events they share. And then there’s that giraffe, who comes into our pages courtesy of this edition’s travel story—a road trip to Nickerson, Kansas (the home of giraffes and kangaroos, apparently). We are all about diversions and reading breaks at Topeka Magazine, not only because we’re sharing stories that have caught our interest, but because we feel that the good aspects of the city and surrounding areas sometimes get less attention. Not in these pages they don’t. Whether it’s the good job report from Capper Easter Seals Foundation or the story of Doug Sheafor’s family-inspired art, we believe these stories are as important as any other event in the headlines. And so we share them—and hope you enjoy them this spring.

F ollow us on twitter @TopekaMagazine find us on facebook: facebook.com/topekamag New! purchase photographs from Topeka Magazine at sunflowerpublishingphotos.com

TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’ 14

what's inside TOPEKAMAGAZINE

notables

home life

travel

As Written Words take center stage for director Paul Prece

A Schnitzel Bunch At the Tappan home, family meal time begins with the preparation

Kangaroos in Kansas? A short road trip reveals the ordinary magic of exotic animals

Art-wALk guide

in the studio with...

Quarterly guide to participating venues

Katya Strakhova A Topeka-based artist talks about one of her sculptures and what the process of art means to her

12 Radio Robin … presents his fantastic collection of curtain burners, tubers, chrome beauties and other vintage devices

16 Capper’s Can-Do Crews New adult work programs open career track for special-needs clients

35 ‘The Only Way’ Responding to a growing family, a couple carves out their ideal home on the range: a little bit country, a little bit Caribbean … and a lot of comfort

what’s happening? 22

Meet & Greet Cycle Culture

Events around Topeka for March-may

on the cover

Spring ’14

Topeka Magazine

TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’ 14

CyCle Culture

Topekan Melissa Kramer carries her bike across a field near Clinton Lake.

features 52 Ready, Freddy Give a dog shelter, and he might become a beloved public figure. Fred did.

58 AlBo’s Main Man Introduced to glasswork by his daughter, Doug Sheafor continues creating art from the family forge

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Departments TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’14

We had a chance convergence this edition when we made our final selection of stories. Separately, we had been planning interviews with two Topeka artists: Doug Sheafor and Katya Strakhova. Both were artists we had mentioned briefly or met in previous editions. Both had stories we thought were worth expanding, ideally in the same issue, as they represented separate ends on an artist’s career track: Katya just starting out after graduation and Doug mentoring others after perfecting his art through years of experience. What we didn’t know was that they not only knew one another (no great surprise, really, in Topeka), but had worked together. In fact, Katya continues to apprentice for Doug at his glassworks studio. And, of course, conversations with both Katya and Doug led to suggestions and ideas for future themes. Though those themes are entirely different, we hope and suspect they might contain a delightful Topeka connection as well.

Katya Strakhova holds her sculpture, Mouth, during a photo session for Topeka Magazine.

as written

Radio Robin …

Capper’s Can-Do Crews

Meet & Greet Cycle Culture

A Schnitzel Bunch

‘The Only Way’

Kangaroos in Kansas?

in the studio with ...

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Photography by Jason Dailey Story by Barbara Waterman-Peters

As Written Words take center stage for director Paul Prece

about the

writer TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring â&#x20AC;&#x2122; 14

Barbara Waterman-Peters writes, paints, exhibits, teaches, manages Studio 831 in the North Topeka Arts District (NOTO) and is part-owner of the Collective Art Gallery.

ager theater-goers are filing in, finding seats, shedding jackets, waving at friends and reading their programs. Ticket stubs have been pocketed. Anticipation and a bit of apprehension can be heard in the hushed conversations. The lighting dims and goes dark; music fills the air; a figure slips through a door leading backstage. It is the director—in this case, Paul Prece, chair of Washburn University’s Theatre Department. Amid the nervous energy and backstage bustle, Prece seems preternaturally calm. “The excitement about opening night is this: It’s the first time we are putting in the last piece of the puzzle. I believe the actual performance will only be as good as the process that got us there,” says Prece. “So when people ask me if I’m nervous, I’ll say: ‘No, my water broke last night.’” For a director, a play’s success or failure begins well before the opening. It is determined when auditions are held, when actors are chosen, when sets and costumes are designed, when music is selected, when props are acquired, when decisions are made on staging, blocking and lighting, and throughout rehearsals. But for Prece, a play’s true genesis is in what he calls the “blueprint,” the text.

“I believe the actual performance will only be as good as the process that got us there.” — Paul Prece “I’m a text-based person, and there are some of us around,” says Prece. “There is a meter in the writing. There are the words, and you need to get them exactly like the writer wrote them, because this writer chose these words to express what he wanted to—and your job is to unlock meaning with the words he gave you.” The first words that Prece brought to stage were for a grammar-school musical. The nuns who ran his school in Massachusetts put Prece in the spotlight because, he says, “It was me and five or six other girls—and they didn’t have the high voice.” Prece’s early theatrical recollections include seeing The Sound of Music and West Side Story and finding them “magical.” In high school, he became the prop person for Mrs. Barton, his English teacher, whom he fondly describes as the “outside-the-box bohemian” who encouraged him to study acting. Prece took her advice to heart and did apply to one school for drama, but also to six other schools with six different majors in mind, including speech, journalism, Chinese and Japanese. Accepted at all of the colleges, he settled on speech and drama at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He went on to receive an MFA in theater and directing from Florida State University, where he directed three productions. His doctorate was awarded by the University of Kansas in theory and criticism for theater and film.

Opposite Going up? Paul Prece, the chair of Washburn University’s theatre department, seeks to improve his students’ performances by sharing his years of professional experience, as well as his academic lessons on studying the text of a play.

Throughout his studies, Prece worked in summer repertories in North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan and Colorado. He also worked as the road and stage manager for the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Florida. During two winter breaks as an undergraduate, he joined USO touring shows in Germany, Belgium and Holland. Along the way, Prece developed his own understanding of a director’s role. A director, Prece explains, works with all elements of a production to bring a play script into a final presentation that takes into account the space, the lighting, the dress, the participants and even the audience. It is a four-dimensional composition on a grand scale. “It takes time, and is the melding together of the vision and the practical,” Prece says. By producing many of his works in educational settings (see side story below), Prece has had the opportunity to mount some unusual, even controversial plays. Over the years, he has been involved in and directed such plays as Doubt, Art, Bat Boy, ‘night, Mother, Equus, Waiting for Godot, Fences and La Mujer que Cayo del Cielo. Prece pays particular attention to language. “In directing, you have to have an ability to see and be sensitive to language. Language

has a musicality,” he explains. “Words are what theater is about.” According to Prece, theater relies on words whereas a “successful film has more pictures than words.” For Prece, writing—the backbone of his art—has been “a private activity” for him ever since high school, but it is something he has continued to explore in his theatrical work. His dissertation, Writing Home: The Post Colonial Dialogue of Athol Fugard and August Wilson, is based on the work of two of his favorite playwrights and ties in with his abiding interest in African and African-American drama. Currently, Prece is working on an original script, an adaptation of the Italian absurdist classic Six Characters in Search of an Author. His version plays off many of the same themes as the work that inspired it. The characters on stage, with the help of a director, search for their author—and a written text to give them a voice. It’s an intriguing premise, and one that seems entirely suited to Prece’s brand of theater. “I respect performance art and respect some of these performances that might come from improvisations, but I still think the basis for the theater is the words, ideas—the ideas as they have been written,” says Prece. And yet, this director who puts such an emphasis on the text is so alive with enthusiasm for the living theater. The light in his eyes, the animation of his face, the melodic tones of his voice and the wit of his conversation all convey the wondrous world of performance. Prece’s prodigious knowledge of technical and aesthetic aspects of theater, along with his dedication to the words that make it possible, guarantee audiences will take home a memorable experience as they file out of the theater.

Staging Topeka Paul Prece first came to Topeka when John Hunter invited him to assume the role of artistic director for Washburn University Summer Theatre. Later, Prece worked in the same capacity for Topeka Civic Theatre. Eventually, he was hired as full-time faculty at the university in 1982 and his career has been a creative production since. His list of credits is awe-inspiring, and he keeps up with global theater, a major factor in the sophistication and relevance of his own productions. Travel to see plays in other parts of the world has taken him to several countries in Africa, as well as Australia and Canada, on summer academic sabbaticals. Fresh from seeing 18 plays last year in Boston, London, Stratford and New York, Prece’s excitement at experiencing performances by Helen Mirren, Judi Dench and Daniel Radcliffe is palpable.

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Spring ’ 14

At Washburn, where Prece has chaired his department since 1998, his students have access to a broad-based curriculum, and his staging of a wide variety of plays brings many to the campus to see productions that would not necessarily be staged by commercial theaters. The Washburn Children’s Theatre, which Prece founded and directs, remains a special interest. Each year theater students have the opportunity to put on a play for children which is performed on campus and then moved to the Topeka Performing Arts Center, where it is presented to third-graders. Prece has also been a guest director for such regional theaters as Player’s Company of Topeka, Topeka Civic Theatre & Academy, the Helen Hocker Center for the Performing Arts, The Break Room and the Theatre Lawrence.

Prece believes that the text of a play is one of its most important elements. He is putting that idea to the test as he develops his own original production.

Photography by Bill Stephens Story by Debra Guiou Stufflebean

Radio Robin … presents his fantastic collection of curtain burners, tubers, chrome beauties and other vintage devices

about the

writer TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’ 14

Debra Guiou Stufflebean is the author of four novels and the director of the Shepherd’s Center of Topeka. She and her husband, Mike, live in the College Hill neighborhood with their four dogs and can be found cheering at their grandchildren’s ballgames.

R As long as you respect electricity and avoid standing in a bucket of water, it’s a safe and enjoyable hobby.

Opposite Robin Roeckers is surrounded by the glow of the vacuum tubes in his vintage radios.

obin Roeckers loves collecting old radios. And he loves sharing his hobby, too. But first, he’ll scare you with some morbid tales. “People can and have died from this hobby,” says Roeckers. “If someone gets an old radio at a garage sale, don’t plug it in! You could fry the radio and yourself. Every time I’m working on a radio and plug it in, I remember the instructor drilling into us the ‘pocket rule.’ If you put one hand in your back pocket, then any live current will travel down one side of your body, whereas if you have both hands on the radio, the current will cross through your vital organs. Electrocution was a big risk with earlier radio models that had metal cabinets and no backs so air could get to the vacuum tubes.” And electrocution isn’t the only hazard, explains Roeckers. Old radios from the 1930s and ’40s earned the nickname “curtain burners” because their long cords would frequently heat up and burn curtains that they were set against. But in general, Roeckers says, as long as you respect electricity and avoid standing in a bucket of water, it’s a safe and enjoyable hobby. So far, his family has gone three generations with close radio contact and no radio fatalities. Roeckers’ grandfather was a radiotelevision repairman. His father, attached to Forbes Air Force Base, was the family’s first collector of radios. Roeckers entered the radio world when he became a disc jockey for KBHU, a small station in Spearfish, South Dakota, while attending Black Hills State College. “The station was only a 15-watt transmitter; step outside the city limits and you couldn’t hear it,” says Roeckers. Returning to Topeka in 1979, he got a job at KMAJ, then V-100, spinning vinyl and broadcasting under the handle “Robin in Your Radio.” At about this time, he also acquired his first antique radio, one that

came from his father’s collection and was given to him as a house-warming present for his first apartment. Roeckers has continued to expand, cull, swap out and retro-outfit a growing radio collection. He is particularly proud of his 1929 Atwater Kent, which he repaired to working condition. This radio is considered a primocollectible and a showcase item, with its wooden cabinet manufactured by the Starr Piano Company. Those ornate wooden cases are part of radio history. During the Depression era, some radio manufacturers opted to change from wood to plaskon, a material which sometimes warps when hot, or Bakelite, which withstood heat but frequently cracked with repeated use. Furniture companies saw these design troubles as an opening for radios as decorative furniture. The change to wooden cabinets, not changes to the radio’s interior, was what truly accounted for the difference in radio prices. Cabinets were produced in one of three styles: the cathedral with a rounded top, the taller tombstone, or the box-style mantel. Wood veneer varied from tiger-striped oak to bird’s eye maple. Even the venting on the backs varied from simple holes to cutouts, like on the face of a violin. Of course, serious collectors also value what is inside a radio. Roeckers’ 1929 Atwater Kent, for example, features sought-after 45 tubes. These bulbous, vacuum power sources were later replaced by transistors in most radios, an evolution that was not necessarily welcomed by purists. “Whether the sound quality is better in a tube radio or a transistor is highly debatable— kind of like vinyl records vs. CDs. Most audiophiles think that the vacuum tube—which can still be bought from $1-$150 depending on the type—has a richer sound than the transistor,” says Roeckers.

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Spring ’ 14

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For serious vintage-radio collectors like Roeckers, a device’s aesthetics and functioning can be equally important. Roeckers’ dream find, a 1933 Grigsby-Grunow Majestic, combines both of these as a powerful device with a fancy chrome front. “They made several in that era,” explains Roeckers, “but that model would fit in with the rest of mine.” Of course, he might be even more pleased to stumble upon a non-working model. “I think what I enjoy most about it is if you get one that doesn’t work and you tinker with it and it comes to life,” says Roeckers. “I think about all the people that had anything to do with it, what they might have listened to—broadcasts from D-Day, World War II, the Golden Age of Radio. I think of the people who made it. It was fancy work, skilled craftsmanship, and I’d hate to see anything like that wind up in the trash.”

Intrigued? Robin Roeckers advises anyone interested in vintage radios to do some online research, join some discussion groups and attend a meeting of the Mid-America Antique Radio Club. Usually held in Kansas City, these meetings bring together “doctors, lawyers, car mechanics and all sorts of people who love radio,” says Roeckers. Look for their full schedule of events online.

ABOVE Roeckers enjoys acquiring and preserving vintage equipment. But he takes particular pleasure in being able to restore old radios to working condition.

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Photography by Jason Dailey Story by Kim Gronniger

Capper’s Can-Do Crews New adult work programs open career track for special-needs clients about the

writer TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’ 14

Kim Gronniger is a freelance writer who loves books, movies, quirky attractions, eclectic gift shops and travel. Weekend road trips are better in a clean car, which she will have more often now that she’s discovered affordable detailing services provided through the Easter Seals Capper Foundation work program.

eed a mailing processed, a wedding invitation printed, a lawn mower maintained, a car cleaned or a bedroom beautified with a hardwood headboard to match your décor? If so, persons working in the Easter Seals Capper Foundation employment programs can enthusiastically, efficiently and inexpensively tackle your todo list. Monday through Friday, participants earn wages through jobs such as staining furniture or assembling folders for 50 area businesses, churches and nonprofit agencies. Founded in 1920, the Easter Seals Capper Foundation has continued its general mission of providing services for people with disabilities. But while the foundation focused its efforts on children in its earlier years, it has recently worked to expand opportunities for adults. Chris Ostrander, manager of Adult Day Services, says the agency’s employment programs enable individuals with disabilities the opportunity to learn a skill in a career of their choice, build a resume and find a job elsewhere—a bridge from childhood to mature independence. “They are reliable, good workers who are loyal and willing to learn, and this program helps enhance their quality of life,” Ostrander says. “Social Security covers basic expenses like rent and phone, but they have dreams and wants, as we all do, and they make a point to be here every day.” Personal fulfillment and pride in performance are underpinnings of the employment initiative, so staff members often ask individuals about their career aspirations and strive to make them happen. “We really believe in person-centered planning and giving people an opportunity to select a path that interests them,” says Jim Leiker, president and chief executive officer. “The work programs benefit the entire community, from the people we serve and their parents to the companies and organizations we collaborate with and the customers who use the services provided. When you walk through the work areas, there is a lot of love and laughter, caring and sharing, an overall impression that life is good.” Ostrander agrees. “We strive to change the focus to abilities instead of disabilities. It is so rewarding to see how people prog-

OPPOSITE Brandy Carrillo and Christine Merrifield work at the Business Support Center of the Easter Seals Capper Foundation. ABOVE Chris Ostrander works with Jason Barrett and Justin White on a variety of professional projects, including furniture restoration.

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Get Involved Monday through Friday, the Easter Seals Capper Foundation employment programs are bustling hubs of community commerce, as customers receive high-quality goods and services at reasonable prices while providers enhance their skills, self-confidence and savings. The agency offers four programs ideally suited for business applications and personal needs. Visit www.easterseals.com or call (785) 228-9443 for more information. Business Support Center Employees fulfill a variety of functions beneficial to non-profit and corporate clients, from printing pamphlets and newsletters to processing mailings and scanning documents. The center also prints personalized pieces for weddings, showers, graduations and special events. The Business Support Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Small-Engine Repair The crew fixes lawn mowers, snow blowers, chain saws, weed eaters and other small-engine equipment Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $35 plus parts. Tune-up services are also available. The agency accepts small-engine equipment donations that can be used in training.

ress.” He knows first hand how gratifying gaining a sense of mastery can be for individuals. He and his wife, Mary, ran a Topeka group home for special-needs children for several years and adopted six kids, some of whom needed services for disabilities at various times. Noting that the educational system supports children through age 21, Ostrander says, “It’s hard for parents because the schools have provided guidance and therapy up to that point, but their children still need skill-building services. Parents find comfort in knowing that there are services for their children here.” Brandy Carrillo, coordinator for the adult employment programs, agrees. “More than anything, it is to offer them a working opportunity and the chance to earn a paycheck. An ultimate goal is to have all the adults we serve be out in the community and work at different places, and to have a variety of jobs throughout Topeka.” And, ultimately, Capper can judge its success not only by how it provides work for adult clients, but by how quickly it loses workers to the outside world. Former participants have obtained positions at Dillard’s, Walmart, Olive Garden, Jiffy Lube and other businesses. Just recently, one has expressed an interest in working with a florist. “It’s all about opportunities,” Ostrander says. “The goal is for them to get jobs with benefits and competitive wages, and in return employers will get hard workers they’ll be happy with.”

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Furniture High-quality hardwood pieces perfect for home, office and playroom can be ordered online and custom-stained or painted. Shoppers can also visit the agency’s showroom to make immediate purchases. To view a catalog of available pieces, from children’s chairs and bookcases to bedroom suites, visit the http://whittierwood.com link on the agency’s website. Auto Detailing Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., the Adult Services garage off 10th and SW Orleans Street serves as the site for $15 basic detailing services. Workers will wash, wax and vacuum vehicles with a spot-free, hand-dry finish. Interior-only detailing services are just $5. Allow 45 minutes to an hour and consider booking weekly or monthly standing appointments. Potential Employers Companies interested in employing a well-trained Easter Seals Capper Foundation employee can contact Chris Ostrander, manager of Adult Day Services, at (785) 228-9443. “We will assign someone from our staff to coach the employee on the job until the assistance is no longer needed, and we’ll arrange for the individual’s transportation to and from work,” Ostrander says.

Jason Barrett

Employee of the page

Jason Barrett, 32, is a Topeka native and father of two who worked in retail, food service and other professions before coming to Easter Seals Capper Foundation a year ago. He most often repairs small-engine equipment and details cars, hoping to eventually secure a competitive position with benefits with a local employer. “I make sure customers are happy about how we make their cars look good or fix their lawn mowers right,” Barrett says. “I want to make sure customers come back. If we do a good job, they’ll tell their friends and family, and we’ll get more business.” One repeat customer is Barrett’s mom, who frequently brings her car in to be detailed. “She’s proud of me and sees how much I’ve learned here,” Barrett says. “Sometimes in the community people try to treat us like little kids, like they don’t want to see us grow up. We want to be treated like adults, and we have things to contribute. The staff like how we do things, and customers are happy.”

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Justin White

Employee of the page

Justin White, 25, has collaborated with his friend Jason Barrett not only at work but also as Kansas Special Olympics athletes and ambassadors for the agency’s employment program at its friends-and-family night showroom furniture sale, and at the Topeka Chamber of Commerce Business to Business Expo. In addition to his job at Big Lots, White details cars and paints and stains furniture through the program, recently buying a TV stand and dining table he worked on for his home with his earnings. White describes getting a paycheck as “awesome.” He allocates some of his money for Xbox games and Kansas State University apparel, but he says he also benefits from his job by getting ideas for his goal of opening a health-food supplement store.

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Employee of the page

Christine Merrifield

The paycheck Christine Merrifield, 48, earns at the Easter Seals Capper Foundation allows her to afford small treats, but it’s the sense of purpose and the friendships she’s formed that have kept her on the payroll for nearly two years. “I got hired right away, and I was so excited afterward,” says Merrifield. “I love everything here. I get to do different activities, and people greet me and ask me how I’m doing. I like to stay busy.” She enjoys being able to splurge on fast-food meals, movie tickets and gifts for her two children, and she is saving some of her earnings for a vacation and concert tickets in Branson, Missouri.

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Story by Anita Miller Fry

Photography by Jason Dailey

meet&greet Bicyclists

Spokes People: Topeka Bicyclists on a Roll Topeka’s bicycling culture is rolling. The city now has broad goals to create cycling-friendly infrastructure and encourage cycling in all areas of town. There is an effort to get more bicycle racks placed around the city, and a do-it-yourself bicyclerepair station, recently installed on Kansas Avenue. Add to this an existing system of crosstown trails, multiple bicycling clubs and a community bicycle project that helps recycled bikes get a second life—and you have a growing community of “spokespeople.” Meet three of them.

Melissa Kramer

Age: 46 Profession: Nursing student Bicycler ID: The Year-Round Rider

meet&greet

Bicyclists

What is your current ride? A fullsuspension mountain bike. What is your earliest memory of riding a bike? I was six years old and riding down the street in Akron after it had rained, and I was trying to hit every puddle. I wrecked. I had to be taken to the hospital to have my hand cleaned up. Why do you ride? Exercise. It’s physical health and mental health. It gives me a sense of peace. When I trail-ride, I finish physically spent and emotionally at peace. I also use my bike for commuting. I like biking in every aspect. I love the trails. I love socially being with others on bike rides. What’s your favorite place to ride? Clinton Lake. There are lots of trails. There’s an easy, smooth single track and then really technical, complicated trails. There’s anything you’d want on that trail. How would you describe Topeka’s bike environment? For trail riders it’s pretty decent. The trails at the governor’s mansion are good. There are eight miles of trails between Kaw [River State Park] and MacLennan Park at the governor’s mansion. I can get in a good hour-and-half ride there. It’s not the most challenging, but it is beautiful. There is another seven miles at Dornwood. That’s an impressive amount of trails for a city of this size. Are you involved in any bike programs, clubs or initiatives? I’m on the board of Topeka Community Cycle Project, a member of the Kaw Valley Bike Club, Bike Topeka, and anytime there is a vote at the city council, I try to go to support bike initiatives. I also love to encourage kids to ride bikes. If you could ride your bike anywhere in the world, where would it be? British Columbia, Canada. There are tons of trails there—single-track, technical, challenging, and the trails are gorgeous.

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Spring ’ 14

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Andrew Escandon

Age: 21 Profession: Washburn University senior Bicycler ID: The Two-Wheeled Student

meet&greet

Bicyclists

What is your current ride? I mostly ride a commuter bicycle. How long have you ridden a bike? I’ve ridden a bike since I was about six or seven years old. What is your earliest memory of riding a bike? I grew up in Albuquerque, N.M., and my Dad took me to an empty basketball court at a park. I was bundled up and rode without training wheels. He was holding the seat and helping me out, but I didn’t know how to make a turn, so I fell off. But I got back on and tried again. Why do you ride? It’s a sense of self-efficacy. I have a car, but it’s more worthwhile to get around by being fueled by your own power and your own strength. What’s your favorite place to ride? I like to ride my road bike out to Dover, and I like the governor’s mansion trails in the summer. How would you describe Topeka’s bike environment? It hasn’t evolved as much as some cities. The city would benefit by having more dedicated bike lanes, but I do see some changes being made and I see potential. Are you involved in any bike programs, clubs or initiatives? Involved in the Cyclists at Washburn Club that gets campus cyclists to participate in rides and have done volunteering at Topeka Community Cycle Project. If you could ride your bike anywhere in the world, where would it be? I’ve ridden around Boulder and that’s really great. If I could go anywhere? France or Italy, maybe Spain.

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Spring ’ 14

meet&greet Bicyclists

What is your current ride? My 2012 Specialized Crux. My wife calls it my Skittles bike, because it’s neon yellow and blue. How long have you ridden a bike? I learned when I was a kid, and regularly rode my bike into town from my house out in the country. What is your earliest memory of riding a bike? Riding with my dad around Silver Lake. We would stop by and visit family along the way. After the rides we would pig out on desserts, which is something else he taught me how to do. Why do you ride? I ride for a bit of everything: leisure, exercise and commuting. What’s your favorite place to ride? I really enjoy taking gravel roads on my bike out to Silver Lake, especially in the fall during harvest. A cornfield on a fall night is one of my favorite smells, and it’s really nice when all you hear is your heart pounding and your tires rolling under a harvest moon. How would you describe Topeka’s bike environment? I think we are headed in the right direction. I moved back here three years ago and bought a house with my wife because we wanted to raise a family here. We both believe the improvements like the plan and the extension of the Shunga on the west, the work on Skyline Park, and all the other great improvements are really raising the quality of life in Topeka. Are you involved in any bike programs, clubs or initiatives? I’m involved with the Topeka Community Cycle Project. It’s a nonprofit bike shop which serves all types of cyclists. I’m also involved with the renovation and revitalization of Burnett’s Mound through a partnership between the Kansas Trails Council, Westar Energy and Shawnee County Parks and Rec. I spend a lot of time hiking with my daughter at Skyline Park, and can’t wait to share the trails on a bike with her when she’s a bit older. If you could ride your bike anywhere in the world, where would it be? There’s a ride called “The Great Divide” that’s on my bucket list. It’s around 2,500 miles in total length, and goes from Montana to New Mexico.

TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’ 14

Age: 27 Profession: Software developer Bicycler ID: Pedal Daddy

Kasey Clark

Photography by Bill Stephens Story by Linda A. Thompson-Ditch

A Schnitzel Bunch At the Tappan home, family meal time begins with the preparation

about the

writer TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring â&#x20AC;&#x2122; 14

Linda A. Thompson-Ditchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love for food dates back to times spent watching her grandmother cook in her farmhouse kitchen. A freelance writer for almost two decades, she has contributed to The Boston Globe, The Dallas Morning News, Taste For Life, Better Nutrition, Manhattan Magazine, Shawnee Magazine and Cat Fancy.

n a bright afternoon, all the Tappans are busy in the open kitchen of their Westboro home making Weiner schnitzels. Lucas Tappan is dipping thinly-pounded pork into flour, eggs and bread crumbs. His wife, Katie, is preparing a side dish of red cabbage and apples. Two-year-old Philip watches his parents, adding salt and pepper to the egg mixture when instructed. And fourmonth-old Nicholas contributes in his own way, cooing and chattering from a nearby bounce chair. “I find cooking by myself to be boring,” says Lucas, who works as music director at Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church. “I enjoy cooking with Katie.” “We really complement each other in the kitchen,” concurs Katie. She usually does the side dishes and the baking (which includes a signature Black Forest cake on special occasions), while Lucas handles the main course. “Since the children came along, I’ve been more into simple recipes and Crock-Pot recipes,” Katie notes. “Lucas is more the Julia Child type of cook.” “If I could have met anyone, it would have been Julia Child,” agrees Lucas. The couple met as students at Benedictine College in Atchison, where Katie roomed in the same suite as Lucas’s sister. In 2008, they both started working at Most Pure Heart in the Religious Education department. Once their kids arrived, Katie switched to being a stay-at-home mom as Lucas moved into the music department. Music had always been important to Lucas and his family, whose ancestors are Volga Germans. When he was growing up, his father had a German dance band. People would gather in his parents’ home to make music into the wee morning hours. Now, when friends or family visit his home, the evenings often turn musical. Lucas plays the piano, organ, accordion and bagpipes, while Katie can play the piano by ear. “When we get together,” says Lucas, “we sing, sing, sing.” Lucas’ cooking is also influenced by his German ancestry, though it is a connection he had to more actively cultivate. He learned his Wiener schnitzel recipe from an Austrian friend and modified the dish, substituting pork for the traditional veal. Lucas usually serves it with a spritz of lemon juice and a side dollop of raspberry jam. It’s not the easiest of recipes, but Lucas is drawn to the beauty of a well-prepared meal. “Cooking hot dogs is boring. People say, ‘I want something easy.’ Well, if we did everything easy, we wouldn’t have the Notre Dame Cathedral.” Plus, when the entire family contributes to the cooking, then the process adds to the main event, the meal. “I think sitting down to eat as a family is so important,” says Lucas. “And it is so much fun to eat good food together.”

Opposite Lucas Tappan breaks the eggs for his Weiner schnitzel recipe in a rare moment when he is alone in the kitchen. For most meals, the Tappan family prepares and eats together.

TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’ 14

recipe:

Tappan Family’s Wiener Schnitzel Preparation time 20 minutes Feeds 4 to 8 people, depending on size of pork chops Ingredients: 8 thin-sliced boneless pork chops, excess fat removed 1 1/2 cups flour 3 eggs 1/4 cup milk Salt and pepper, to taste 1 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs Oil, for frying instructions: 1) Pour oil into a large skillet, enough to cover the pork chops. Turn the burner to medium and begin to heat the oil. 2) Pour the flour into a shallow dish. In a second dish, beat together the eggs and milk. In a third dish, pour in the bread crumbs. 3) Rinse each pork chop and pat it dry with paper towels. Pound each chop until it is 1/8-inch in thickness. 4) When the oil is heated, dip a pork chop into the flour to coat, shaking off the excess. Next, dip it into the egg mixture, and then into the bread crumbs. Place the chop into the skillet and fry until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with the remaining chops. Goes with a Schnitzel! The Tappans serve each schnitzel with a spoonful of raspberry jam and a lemon wedge on the side. For a side dish, they advise heated red cabbage and apples, along with potatoes sautéed in butter.

TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’ 14

Pull-Out Guide

Arts Connect of Topeka / Downtown Official First Friday ArtWalk Topeka Map and Guide to Downtown

Happenings and Family Events

Artist Michael Toombs holds his work, Colors. Toombs is a contributing artist to a series of three exhibitions at Mulvane Art Museum that commemorates Brown v. Board of Education and decades of civil rights struggles. Toombs’ painting is an acrylic based on a photograph taken by Gordon Parks in Alabama in 1956. “I was strongly affected by this image,” writes Toombs, “as it reminded me of my mother entering and leaving the ‘colored’ doors at the hospital where she served as a surgical nurse.”

March - May

First Friday First Friday artwalk map

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complete exhibit information available artsconnecttopeka.org completeatexhibit information available at artsconnecttopeka.org

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downtown topeka downtown topeka Kansas Ave Market | 628 S KS Ave 1

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westboro/midtown westboro/midtown Alice C. Sabatini Gallery | 1515 SW 10th Ave 1

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north topeka (noto) Riverfronttopeka Station 802 | 802 N Kansas north (noto)

Warehouse Grace Mulvane Art Warehouse Grace Mulvane Art 414 414 Downtown Downtown Cathedral Cathedral Swinnen Swinnen TSCPL TSCPL Westboro Westboro Museum Museum 5:35 5:38 5:42 5:45 5:58 6:05 5:35 5:38 5:42 5:45 5:50 5:50 5:58 6:05 5:50 5:53 5:57 6:00 6:13 6:20 5:50 5:53 5:57 6:00 6:05 6:05 6:13 6:20 6:05 6:08 6:12 6:15 6:28 6:35 6:05 6:08 6:12 6:15 6:20 6:20 6:28 6:35 6:20 6:23 6:27 6:30 6:35 6:43 6:50 6:20 6:23 6:27 6:30 6:35 6:43 6:50 6:35 6:38 6:42 6:45 6:58 7:05 6:35 6:38 6:42 6:45 6:50 6:50 6:58 7:05 6:50 6:53 6:57 7:00 7:13 7:20 6:50 6:53 6:57 7:00 7:05 7:05 7:13 7:20 7:05 7:08 7:12 7:15 7:28 7:35 7:05 7:08 7:12 7:15 7:20 7:20 7:28 7:35 7:20 7:23 7:27 7:30 7:43 7:50 7:20 7:23 7:27 7:30 7:35 7:35 7:43 7:35 7:38 7:42 7:45 7:58 8:05 7:35 7:38 7:42 7:45 7:50 7:50 7:58 7:50 7:53 7:57 8:00 8:13 8:20 7:50 7:53 7:57 8:00 8:05 8:05 8:13 8:05 8:08 8:12 8:15 8:28 8:35 8:05 8:08 8:12 8:15 8:20 8:20 8:28 8:20 8:23 8:27 8:30 8:43 8:50 8:20 8:23 8:27 8:30 8:35 8:35 8:43

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Topeka Metro Metro shuttle shuttle buses buseswill willbegin beginatat Topeka NOTO at at 5:30 5:30 p.m. p.m.and andwill willfollow followthe the NOTO shown above abovewith withaanew newshuttle shuttle schedule shown every 15 15 minutes. minutes.The Theﬁnal ﬁnalshuttle shuttle arriving every leave NOTO NOTO at at 8:15 8:15p.m. p.m.arriving arrivingatat will leave Art Museum Museum atat8:50 8:50p.m. p.m. Mulvane Art

TopekaArt ArtGuild Guild| 5331 | 5331SW SW22nd 22ndPlace Place4242 Topeka Colorﬁelds| 6826 | 6826SESEStubbs StubbsRdRd(Berryton) (Berryton)4444 Colorﬁelds PaintTherapy TherapyUncorked Uncorked| 5130 | 5130SW SW29th 29thStSt6262 Paint TheToy ToyStore Store| 5300 | 5300SW SW21st 21stStSt6464 The *open & Jan HookahHouse House| 1507 | 1507SW SW21st 21st201 201*open Dec.Dec. & Jan Hookah SouthwindGallery Gallery| 3074 | 3074SW SW29th 29thStSt4343 Southwind Bedsprings&&Burlap Burlap| 3124 | 3124SW SW29th 29thStreet Street Bedsprings

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native american art Many of the pieces in the house are Native American in origin, purchased during the Vandervorts’ travels to Colorado, Alaska and South Dakota. Some of this art is more Americana—such as the cigar-store figure standing guard in the entry way—but Ingrid says authenticity is an important consideration for adding items to her collection.

Photography by Jason Dailey

Responding to a growing family, a couple carves out their ideal home on the range: a little bit country, a little bit Caribbean … and a lot of comfort

Story by Carolyn Kaberline

‘The Only Way’

or more than six years, Jerry and Ingrid Vandervort lived comfortably at an apartment in a stall barn at their Rocking V Ranch outside of Topeka. The 1,000-square-foot quarters had proved comfortable for Jerry, Ingrid and daughter Jordan. But when another youngster was on the way in 2002, living space become more of a necessity. The Vandervorts put together a list of things they wanted in a new home: a sunken living room, an island in the kitchen, a vaulted ceiling, a good-sized deck, and, above all, a lodge look. They also wanted to make sure that both the front and back of the house blended in with the terrain on the east side of their 120 acres, the site they had both selected. “We looked through dozens of books of house plans,” says Ingrid, who works at the Kansas Department of Transportation. “The final plans were designed by Jerry. We sent them out for bids after an architect drew them up; however, we found we couldn’t afford any of them.”

about the

writer

Carolyn Kaberline’s freelance-writing career began in 2006 when she wanted to show her high school journalism students that she wasn’t asking them to do anything she couldn’t do. Since then her articles have appeared in local, regional and national publications.

TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’ 14

The

Vandervort Tips for Home Décor When it comes to acquiring home-décor items, Ingrid Vandervort offers several tips to find the perfect additions for any home. • Artwork and collectibles should reflect the homeowners’ lives and experiences. • Signature pieces should tell a story. • Go slowly, purchase pieces as reminders of trips or big events. • Purchase with an eye on quality and authenticity; authenticity is particularly important for Native American art. • Know your artists. • Collect a variety; don’t tie yourself to one artist or one medium of art. • Let the pieces reflect the bones and the surrounding terrain of the house. • Know when enough is enough. There is a point when collections become clutter.

TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’ 14

Undaunted, Jerry, who teaches welding and vocational agriculture classes at Washburn Rural High School, became the general contractor. Both helped with the finish work. “It wasn’t easy building a house,” Ingrid says, “but it was the only way we could do it.” “We tried to build for the long haul,” Jerry explains. “Energy-wise, the house is designed with south windows to gather the low light during the winter, so it keeps the house warm. During the summer the sun is higher and doesn’t come in.” Those south-facing windows also allow the Vandervorts a clear view of surrounding nature and wildlife, including bobcats, turkey and deer. “This is a great house for us,” says Ingrid of their 3,600-square-foot home. She points out the knotty pine on the vaulted ceiling and the hickory floors and cabinets. “There’s not a lot of wasted space. We wouldn’t want a bigger house. It’s all about function and attractiveness.” Being outside also means finding time to enjoy the in-ground pool on the south side of the house; its artificial palm trees contrast with the lodge look of the rest of the house, but they have their story to tell. “We built it two years ago when there were more than 30 days of 100-plus temperatures,” Jerry says. “This is our Caribbean look.”

western art A large photo of a roan horse, resembling Jerry’s roping horse, Bart, is proudly displayed in the living room. It was created by renowned equine photographer Robert Dawson. Other collectible Western-themed pieces can be found throughout the house—a collection of crosses on the master bedroom walls, NFR (National Finals Rodeo) buckles overlooking the bar in the basement, and autographed photos of past Western greats such as the Lone Ranger, Dale Evans, John Wayne, Annie Oakley and Roy Rogers in the bathroom on the lower level. “The buckle collection was started by Jerry’s dad and has been added to each year,” Ingrid says. “There’s even some dirt from the 50th anniversary of the NFR.” Other Western items have been repurposed as art. A boot once worn by Ingrid to show horses has been changed into a floral piece, while a steer horn purchased at the NFR several years ago has been turned into a floral cornucopia. An old beaded belt has become the center of one of the crosses in the bedroom, and old horseshoes have found new uses as coat- and hat- hooks.

So, part country and part Caribbean—the Vandervort home has seen the couple through more than a decade of family life. And now, as their children grow in the home provided for them, they are adding their own touches as well. Justin, now a fifth-grader at Auburn Elementary, has created a hat rack for the ranch home. Jordan, an eighth-grader at Washburn Rural Middle School, has added wind chimes. Numerous awards earned for 4-H projects and other endeavors by both children are also on display.

“There’s not a lot of wasted space. We wouldn’t want a bigger house. It’s all about function and attractiveness.” — Ingrid Vandervort Although Jerry says he had to talk Ingrid into putting the bedrooms for Jordan and Justin downstairs, the arrangement now gives both the children and their parents some space and privacy. The bedrooms for the young Vandervorts on the lower level have changed through the years as have their tastes: Justin’s room is now decorated with mementos of the Texas Longhorns after a spell of Pirates of the Caribbean interest, while Jordan’s room highlights her interest in the British band One Direction against a background of Breyer horse models. So now the home décor is a bit country, a bit Caribbean, a bit bovine and bit pop-art boy-band … with more changes surely to come as the Vandervorts enjoy the home they created for their growth and life together.

furnishings The openness of the living area serves to highlight the Western-style furniture and variety of collections that enhance the Vandervort home. “A lot of the furniture came from the Lorec Ranch in Oklahoma,” Ingrid says. “The sofa and chair are custom-made. We picked out the hides and covers, and got to see the frame and talk to the builders.”

TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’ 14

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What’s Happening in

march College Wrestling Topeka’s Landon Arena in the Kansas Expocentre will provide the setting for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) 57th Annual Wrestling National Championship for the first time on March 7-8. Wrestlers in 10 weight classes will compete to be national champion. “We are looking forward to having the NAIA Wrestling National Championships in Topeka for 2014 and 2015,” says Jim Carr, NAIA President and CEO. “The city of Topeka has proven that they have hosted successful national events. The NAIA is excited to have this friendly community provide a wonderful experience for all NAIA student-athletes and teams.” Tickets to the NAIA Wrestling National Championships begin at $16 for one adult session, with discounts for students and allsession passes. Tickets can be purchased at the Kansas Expocentre box office or online through ticketmaster.com. Group tickets are available for $10 each and are good for any session. All group packages require a minimum order of 10 tickets. To purchase group tickets, call the Visit Topeka offices at (785) 234-1030.

March 1 | Annual Kansas Silent Film Festival closing night features a 1911 Mary Pickford film that was recently found in a barn in New Hampshire | White Concert Hall, Washburn University | Free admission March 1-2 | Topeka Home Show, with exhibits and vendors for building and renovation | Kansas Expocentre March 2 | Michael “Shinetop Jr.” Sedovic, Kansas City blues and jazz pianist | Marvin Auditorium, Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library | Free March 6 | Gabriel Iglesias Unity Through Laughter tour | Topeka Performing Arts Center March 7 | The Atlanta Guitar Trio performs music from Spain, Italy, England and The Beatles! | Grace Episcopal Cathedral March 8 | Pat Metheny Unity Group | Topeka Performing Arts Center

March 12-15 | 5A State Basketball Girls and Boys championships | Landon Arena, Kansas Expocentre March 15 | St. Patrick’s Parade, 5K Run, Bed Races and Street Party | Downtown Topeka March 15 | Blarney Breakfast, a benefit for Easter Seals Capper Foundation | Texas Roadhouse March 22-23 | Topeka Antique Show and Vintage Market | Exhibition Hall, Kansas Expocentre March 17-21 | Spring Break Camps | Various locations, including Children’s Discovery Center and Topeka Zoological Park March 21-April 6 | Nora’s Ark, a modern jazz musical retelling the biblical tale | Helen Hocker Theater March 28-April 6 | The Hobbit, a youth theatre production | Topeka Civic Theatre’s Oldfather Theatre

March 8 | Children’s magician and comedian Mike Niehaus | Washburn University Andrew J. and Georgia Neese Gray Theater

March 29 | The Topeka Cat Fanciers Association annual show | Kansas Expocentre

March 8 | Dueling Pianos, a fundraiser for LifeHouse Child Advocacy Center | Arab Shrine

March 29 | The Old West, Topeka Symphony Orchestra | White Concert Hall, Washburn University

March 11 | The Pink Floyd Experience | Topeka Performing Arts Center

Text by Tonya Bell

TOPEKAMAGAZINE Photographs courtesy, from left, Shutterstock, Mike Niehaus and Topeka Magazine archives

Spring ’ 14

What’s Happening in

april Bridge to Bridge Get ready to put on your running shoes. Downtown Topeka Inc. (DTI) is sponsoring the second annual Bridge2Bridge 5K Run from 10 a.m. to noon, April 26. The route will take participants over the Kansas River and through the downtown, covering both the Kansas Avenue and Topeka Boulevard bridges. The urban course includes a variety of surfaces, scenes and sounds that are different from other running events. After the running and walking event, awards will be given in eight age categories (ranging from 10-andunder to 61-and-up), plus the top three overall for male and female runners. Both preregistered runners and walkers receive a shirt. Check-in for pre-registered and on-site registration starts at 9 a.m., with race times of 10 a.m. for runners and 10:15 a.m. for walkers. DTI hosts over 30 events in the downtown area each year and depends on fundraising efforts to support many of the free community events. Follow other events at downtowntopekainc.com.

Text by Tonya Bell

April 4-20 | 6th Annual Tulip Time, a longtime tradition started by Jerold Binkley, with more than 100,000 tulips and daffodils in bloom | Ted Ensley Gardens at Lake Shawnee, Doran Rock Garden at Gage Park and Botanical Garden at Old Prairie Town | Free

April 13 | Cliff and the One-O’Clock Jump, Topeka’s very own Dixieland Band in concert | Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Marvin Auditorium | Free

April 4 | 8th Annual Edible Book Festival, showcase of edible masterpieces based on the content or shape of a book | Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Marvin Auditorium | Free

April 18-June 8 | The Printed Image 5, new and challenging works in American contemporary printmaking | Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Sabatini Gallery | Free

April 4-5 | Laugh Lines improv comedy show | Topeka Civic Theatre

April 18-20 | Capital City Quarter Horse Show | Domer Arena of the Kansas Expocentre

April 5-6 | Gun & Knife Show | Exhibition Hall, Kansas Expocentre April 6 | Just What the Doctor Ordered. Local physicians share their musical talents in a benefit for HealthAccess and the Marian Clinic | Free, but donations accepted April 9 | Blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa | Topeka Civic Theatre April 12 | Discover Kansas Archaeology, a demonstration of flintknapping, historic and prehistoric artifacts and excavation tool-kits with local archaeologists | Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Marvin Auditorium | Free

April 18-MAY 3 | William Shakespeare’s The Tempest | Topeka Civic Theatre

April 19 | Earth Day | Topeka Zoological Park holds “Party for the Planet” and Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library hosts a free “Green Fair” April 20 | Easter Eggstravaganza. Zoo animals search for their Easter treats | Topeka Zoological Park April 25-27 | Northeast Kansas Reining Horse | Domer Arena of the Kansas Expocentre April 26 | An Evening as a Child, a fundraiser for Easter Seals Capper Foundation that gives adults an opportunity to reflect on their childhood and revel in activities that made growing up special | Exhibition Hall of the Kansas Expocentre

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Spring ’ 14

Photographs courtesy Shutterstock

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What’s Happening in

may Endangered Species Day The Topeka Zoo hosts World Endangered Species Day on May 17, bringing a strong focus on animals from Kansas whose populations are at risk. The event, running from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., includes special exhibits, scavenger hunts, a poster contest and a display of items that are part of the damaging trade in decorations made at the expense of endangered animals and ecosystems. “Ninety-six African elephants are poached every 24 hours for their ivory,” says Dennis Dinwiddie, the zoo’s curator of education and exhibition. “It’s illegal ivory sold as ‘pre-banned’ ivory because it’s difficult to tell the difference. Don’t buy ivory to remove the demand for the product.” One booth narrates the plight of endangered species found in Kansas, such as the black-footed ferret. “The black-footed ferret is second-most endangered species on the continent. In fact, it was thought to have been extinct,” Dinwiddie says. Fortunately, this was disproven in 1981, when in a dog in Wyoming discovered a black-footed ferret. Its babies were then found and a breeding initiative began. Black-footed ferrets have been released in Logan County, and the Topeka Zoo has been involved in the reintroduction.

May 9-11 | National Barrel Horse Association State Finals | Domer Arena, Kansas Expo Centre May 9-18 | Unnecessary Farce, a comedy of cops, crooks and eight doors | Helen Hocker Theater May 10 | Preserve Topeka— Neighborhood Fair, featuring booths with neighborhood history and information on the National Register and historic preservation | Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library

Text by Tonya Bell

Photographs courtesy, clockwise from upper left, Shutterstock, FBI archives, Nathan Ham Photography and Kansas Historical Society

TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’ 14

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* Manufacturer’s mail-in rebate offer valid for purchases made 2/1/14 – 3/31/14 from participating dealers in the U.S. only. Offer excludes Nantucket™ Window Shadings, a collection of Silhouette® Window Shadings. Rebate will be issued in the form of a prepaid reward card and mailed within 6 weeks of rebate claim receipt. Funds do not expire. Subject to applicable law, a $2.00 monthly fee will be assessed against card balance 7 months after card issuance and each month thereafter. Additional limitations apply. Ask participating dealer for details and rebate form. © 2014 Hunter Douglas. All rights reserved. * Manufacturer’s mail-in used rebate offerare valid purchases made 2/1/14 – 3/31/14 from participating dealers in the U.S. only. Offer excludes Nantucket™ Window Shadings, a collection of Silhouette® Window All trademarks herein thefor property of Hunter Douglas.

Shadings. Rebate will be issued in the form of a prepaid reward card and mailed within 6 weeks of rebate claim receipt. Funds do not expire. Subject to applicable law, a $2.00 monthly fee will be assessed against card balance 7 months after card issuance and each month thereafter. Additional limitations apply. Ask participating dealer for details and rebate form. © 2014 Hunter Douglas. All rights reserved. All trademarks used herein are the property of Hunter Douglas.

Kangaroos in kansas? A short road trip reveals the ordinary magic of exotic animals

Photography by Deborah Walker and Susan Kraus Story by Susan Kraus

lash back to 1995, more or less. I was taking my kids on our annual spring break trip. We had always visited places within a 5-to-6 hour driving radius of home. Over the years, we did St. Louis, Omaha, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and a lot of towns and sights in-between. That year was Wichita and Hutchinson. I’d told the kids we would stay at a hotel with an indoor pool (always a plus) when we got to Wichita, but that for the first night we would stay at a bed-and-breakfast. As usual in driving through Kansas, we passed pastures with cows. Then horses. Then more cows. As we entered a long gravel drive, the kids casually glanced up from their books. Then they snapped to attention. There were fields on either side of the drive, and something—not a cow, not a horse—was racing our car. An animal. A big-right-out-of-the-movies animal. It was an ostrich. And it was winning the race. That was our greeting at Hedrick’s B&B in Nickerson, Kansas, just a tad northwest of Hutchinson. The B&B is part of an exotic animal farm that was started back in 1978 by Joe and Sondra Hedrick. “Joe’s dad had small circuses when Joe was a kid,” explains Sondra. “So he grew up surrounded by weird animals. He’d trained a zebra and buffalo for rodeo shows, and was a rodeo clown. After we were married, we started buying exotic breeding stock.” In 1993, the Hedricks opened their bed and breakfast, and have been hosting families and school groups, birthday parties and clubs, ever since. I returned to Hedrick’s last summer, this time with my now grown-up daughter and my 87-year-old mother. It was even better than I’d remembered. And I think that Grammy had the most fun of all. The B&B is a large, barnlike building with a front that looks like a Wild West movie set. Balconies ring the second story, great to run out on in pajamas in the middle of the night when you hear strange, deep booming noises. (Who knew ostriches could sound like that?) Most rooms are suites designed for families, sleeping up to eight. There is also an apartment that sleeps 10. Rooms are unique and animal-themed: kangaroo, llama, giraffe, camel, bird of paradise. Guests are served evening snacks and hot buffet breakfasts, and there is a big game room to hang out, play cards, foosball or board games.

about the

writer

Susan Kraus is a therapist and award-winning travel writer who believes that travel can be the best therapy. She enjoys helping people create their own “travel therapy” by writing about journeys that anyone can replicate.

TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’ 14

But the most fun comes from the tours included in the cost of a stay. Picture a large enclosure, with a dozen or more kangaroos hopping around. You are not watching from the outside, but right in the middle. You can pet and feed the kangaroos, make goo-goo eyes at the joeys poking their heads out of their mothers’ pouches. Kangaroo fur is startling in its softness, like a bunny’s. But then, both bunnies and kangaroos do hop, so it makes a certain sense. Moving on, you can pet or even kiss a giraffe. Feed a camel. Make a hairy eyeball at an emu or ostrich. Scratch a zebra behind its ears. Play with miniature goats and sheep. There are dozens of different species of animals, and you’ll have the chance to get up-close-and-per-

sonal in ways you never can at a zoo. The tours are chock-full of info to engage the parents. And the kids will love the free camel and pony rides after the morning tour. My advice: Don’t tell the family anything about where you’re going. The surprise factor, with no expectations, makes it more fun. Over the years, we did dozens of road-trip vacations with our kids. And with a lot of them, the memories got lost or flow together. But I know for a fact that the kids have never forgotten that one night at Hedrick’s. Because you can’t forget what it feels like to cuddle a Kansas kangaroo.

what else to do in

Hutchinson?

Cosmosphere (620) 662-2305: This museum houses the largest collection of space artifacts outside the Smithsonian, plus theaters, the astronaut experience, and more. Interactive and familyfriendly. Open daily. Strataca Kansas Underground Salt Museum (620) 662-1425: Descend 650 feet below the prairie to a subterranean world of original mines and unusual exhibits and surprises (such as discovering where old movies are stored). Tram ride and displays. Reservations are helpful, as groups are limited by the size of the elevator. Hutchinson Zoo (620) 694-2693: Compact and kid-friendly, open weekends only October to April. Reno County Museum (620) 662-1184: Features four rotating-exhibit galleries and an Oodleplex which provides interactive fun for kids of all ages. Call for hours. Yoder Amish Community (620) 465-3613: Located south of Hutchinson, this is a step back in time, with shops, family-style restaurants, antiques and more. For info on restaurants and lodging in Hutchinson, or upcoming events, go to visithutch.com. Hedrick’s Bed & Breakfast Inn and Exotic Animal Farm: For reservations and more detailed information on overnight stays, birthday parties, school groups or private family tours, go to hedricks. com or call (888) 489-8039.

TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’ 14

In the studio with ...

Katya Strakhova

his piece is called Mouth. I don’t always have names for my art. The thing about naming your artwork is that it puts an idea into people’s heads. I have been told this piece looks like many things—that it is something sexual or that it looks like smoking pipes—but to me this is just Mouth now. I don’t know what inspires me. I just get an idea in my head it seems like it just falls onto my sketch pad. I see it, then I sketch it out. The idea evolves a little bit, and then I think: “This would look better if I moved it.” And after getting it and sketching it out, I might change it again. But I know I have to create it before I throw away that piece of paper. You have to have ideas before you start using materials—but you have to have materials. With Mouth, the idea came from the material at hand. There were these long glass tubes that had been in the art building for some time. They were donated by someone and no one had ever used them. I thought they looked really cool and I have always liked glass, so I tried to break them into even-length pieces. I filled them with glass frit, the white rocks on the inside. I fuse-fired the glass frit at a very low temperature. They look like they could fall out, but they are actually fused together. And there is always a dichotomy in my work: opaque versus see-through, sharp versus smooth. So I had this piece of wood, three pieces of plywood, stained with china-red. I love wood. My grandpa, whom I’ve never met, used to carve masks out of wood. He lived in Ukraine and Russia. I grew up in Ukraine, in Odessa, and lived there until I was 14. That was when my grandmother married an American guy and brought my mom and me over here. I remember hating the first few years here. I took English in school in Ukraine, but it did not help me at all. I probably think of myself as Ukrainian; that’s my nationality. But it feels like I’ve been here longer. In that sense, I feel like I’m more American. In Odessa, when I was a child, I liked to sculpt with modeling clay and I liked art classes and drafting classes. But if I had not

Katya Strakhova

is a Topeka-based artist, a former Topeka Competition winner who graduated from Washburn University in 2009. Here, she talks with Topeka Magazine about one of her sculptures that she brought into our photo studio, and about what the process of art means to her.

moved here, I probably never would have produced art. I never took a ceramics or sculpture class until I went to Washburn. I think when I started taking sculpture, when I started making three-dimensional art, was when I decided that this was what I wanted to do. My mom and grandma were very supportive. My mom is artistic. She has been working a lot with seashells. Maybe it is because she is from Odessa and she misses the sea--maybe that is why she works with seashells in frames and things like that. But neither my mom nor my grandma trained as artists—I guess I got it from the grandpa I’ve never met. I like being an artist. You get to make something that no one else does. No matter what material you are working with, you are making your own thing. There is no one who can replace you. I’m actually very lucky. I was waitressing for three years before I quit and decided I would try to find something I would be more happy with. Eventually, I began assisting Kymm Hughes, who teaches at Washburn, and I began an apprenticeship at AlBo Glass. Once in a while I assist Michael Hager, and then I work for Jennifer Marsh and her Dream Rocket Project. Even though I’m not making my own art, I am still in the art scene and I still get to be creative. I still get to work with my hands. I would not mind being an assistant to an artist for the rest of my life. I never see myself quitting art. It might take me longer to do a project because I don’t have a deadline, but art isn’t a hobby, for me. With a hobby you can come home, spend a couple of hours with it and then come back to it when you feel like it. With art, it’s in your head and you can’t sit still until it is done. A hobby is something you can take it or leave it. When it is something that is bugging you so much that you have to get it out of your head and make it into a real thing, then that is something more than a hobby. By my definition, that’s art. My art doesn’t have a huge meaning to it. I’m not trying to change lives with it. But these are my babies.

TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ’ 14

Have you seen a dog blink during a photo shoot? Fred did, as you can see here, with an almost human expression and a hint of palpable exasperation. You can’t blame him. Our photo studio, with its slick background and floor covering, was not necessarily made with paws in mind. And what is a dog to make of several people jumping around and calling his name, but not wanting him to approach or at least give a simple yelp of acknowledgment? He’ll have to get used to it. After all, Fred is possibly set to become the state government official with the highest approval rating thanks to his work as the barks-man for emergency preparations. You can read about his work and why he’s a public servant loved on both sides of the political aisle in this section. At the least, Fred won our admiration for his photo-shoot perseverance. And if any dog treats were eaten during the course of the photo shoot … they were well-deserved.

features TOPEKAMAGAZINE

Spring ‘14

Ready, Freddy Give a dog shelter, and he might become a beloved public figure. Fred did.

58 AlBo’s Main Man Introduced to glasswork by his daughter, Doug Sheafor continues creating art from the family forge

TOPEKAMAGAZINE Fred the “Preparedness Dog” poses for his portrait.

Spring ’ 14

Story by Carolyn Kaberline Photography by Jason Dailey

Give a dog shelter, and he might become a beloved public figure. Fred did. 53

It didn’t start out too heroically for Fred. He was simply another, cheerful, curious German Shepherd puppy. He had been recently adopted into the McNulty home. And it was the dog days of August. “He climbed into one of our bathtubs, just because it was a cool place to be,” says Mike McNulty. “But it’s also our storm shelter. My wife took a picture of him because she thought it looked cute because he was in there. One ear was kind of flopped over and he was lying there. She sent me the photo, and I immediately thought: ‘Wow! That’s an animal taking shelter.’” McNulty often has shelter on his mind, you see, because he is the director of Homeland Security Operations with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. But then again, the puppy in his tub and events at work were pointing to a big moment for Fred. “We had that photo, and at the time we had an agency Twitter account, so we shared it,” McNulty says. “It was kind of a novelty that came along for Preparedness Month in 2012. It got a lot of play, and a lot of people were interested in that. We said that Fred was making a plan as to where he could take shelter.” From that moment, the puppy with a fondness for bathtubs had a role to play—“Fred the Preparedness Dog.” And every super-hero needs a kit, so McNulty began assembling one. “We just took our regular family emergency back pack and put it on him—which was interesting—but we got it on him and took his picture and talked about it. That was Fred making his kit, so he’d have everything he needed for an emergency. Finally, we had a little weather radio—which he still has, clipped it to his collar and said he was monitoring the weather situation, so he knows when to get his kit and when to take shelter.” When Preparedness Day rolled around that October, McNulty decided to take Fred to an event at Gage Park to see how his potential new colleague would react to a crowd. “We knew what it was like on the social-media front, but we wanted to see what it would be like in real life,” McNulty says. “He did great. We had a number of kids and families coming up to us. They wanted to know what the dog was doing there and asked about his back pack, and it gave us a chance to engage them in conversation about preparedness.” When national officials from the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Health and Human Services visited McNulty’s office, they suggested expanding Fred’s role to target emergency “at risk” populations: children and elderly. That’s when Fred got a new backpack and started his own social-media campaign. That online campaign includes the standard email, Facebook and Twitter accounts with

Pledge for

Fred!

From the Fred the Preparedness Dog activity book (Developed by Nye and Associates for Kansas Department of Health and Human Environment and, of course, for Fred.)

The F.R.E.D. Pledge (Families Ready for Every Disaster)

I pledge to • Build a Disaster Kit • Create a Plan • Stay Informed • Practice Drills with Family and Pets • Know my Community • Help Others

followers as far away as Chile, Japan and Germany. Fred also has a line of stickers, temporary tattoos based on his likeness, trading cards with his picture and different preparedness messages, and a 20-page activity book aimed at youth ages 5 through 12. In all his products, social-media campaigns and public appearances, Fred is always on-message. “We talk to people about making a kit that has things they’d need for an emergency, making a plan to include the entire family including pets at home and associates at work, staying informed of things going on,” McNulty says. “We try to prepare them for everything.”

The Fred Q+A Like any modern superhero, Fred the Preparedness Dog keeps an active presence on social media. We set up an online exchange to test his virtual charisma, and paw-typing ability. Here’s the transcript. TM (Topeka Magazine): Hi, Fred. I’ve heard a lot about you from your partner, Mike McNulty. Fred: All of it good, I trust. TM: Of course it was. He thinks highly of you. So what do you like best about your job? Fred: Spending time with Mike and getting to meet all the kids. I especially like it when I talk to them about preparedness, and they send me letters and e-mails. TM: You have a purple backpack with silver reflective tape. Are you a K-State fan? Fred: I get asked that a lot. I never went to K-State, but all of Mike’s and Rachel’s family members did. As a Preparedness Dog, I’m prepared to work with people of all school preferences. TM: What’s in your backpack? Fred: I’d love to show you. First of all, I have a light that can be attached to my collar—it flashes so I can be seen. The silver on my backpack helps me be seen too.

As Fred hones his message, he takes it to wider groups. Over the most recent fiscal year, Fred accompanied McNulty in visits that took them over 3,000 miles. “That’s over the length of the United States,” McNulty says. “We’ve basically gone from coast to coast in just six months.” McNulty, his wife, Rachel, and 12-year-old-son, Dahlton, have worked with Fred on basic commands. But Fred has received no special training for his position—he’s a family pet first and foremost, with superpower charisma. “The interactive skills he displays come from him,” McNulty says. “He’s very gentle, very good with kids, and just very personable. If you raise a dog with love and teach them good manners, they will be that way.”

TM: Good safety measure. Fred: I carry a portable water dish and a bottle of water. I also have extra food and treats in there. The other side has my favorite chew toy—I tell students to pack their favorite toy or game in their emergency kit. It’s so comforting to have something familiar in a scary situation. I also have a weather radio and two first-aid kits. I have some little plastic bags in case . . . well, you know. I sometimes have a Red Cross DVD on dog first aid because it’s important for pet parents to know first aid for their animal. Mike also tells people about me being microchipped; that way even if I lose my collar, people will know who I belong to. TM: You seem to be well supplied. Fred: Of course, I’m a Preparedness Dog.

Introduced to glasswork by his daughter, Doug Sheafor continues creating art from the family forge

Story by Christine Steinkuehler

Photography by Bill Stephens

“There are times that you start off to make something and something goes a little haywire and it looks like it is not going to make what you thought it was going to and then you think, well what can I turn this into?” – Doug Sheafor 60

There is a magic to the process. Doug Sheafor seemingly effortlessly twirls a long metal rod with a small clump of molten glass at the end. Alternately shaping, blowing and reheating the wad of molten glass, he transforms it into a beautiful, swirled orb. Though he handles the rod with agility and precision, it weighs heavily and burns brightly at the end. Strength, speed and craft are equally essential for this art of glassblowing. Throughout the process, Doug is calm, lithely moving about a small studio while describing the process. It is a mesmerizing combination of art and precision that sometimes hangs on the ability to respond to the fluid, fiery will of the molten glass. “I always know what I am going to make, and it usually comes out about like I expect it to,” he says. “There are always surprises. If you have really mastered the handling of glass you can make something just about like you intended to. There are times that you start off to make something and something goes a little haywire and it looks like it is not going to make what you thought it was going to. And then you think, well, what can I turn this into?” Glassblowing is not Doug’s primary occupation; he is a full-time practicing psychiatrist who happens to practice his art on evenings and weekends, often late into the night, but not in the mornings when he runs or bikes before going into the office. Doug, who is in his 70s, has run numerous marathons and is still known to compete in an occasional triathlon. “Twenty-four hours in a day isn’t enough,” he says. Glassblowing came into Doug’s life by chance. It was his son, Nathan, who was the first in the family to work with glass. He was studying at the University of Kansas and wanted to enroll in a pottery class. It happened to be full, but by chance the instructor who taught the glass course was standing nearby at the enrollment and talked him into taking a course on blowing glass. Then Alison, Doug’s daughter, got him involved in glassblowing. She spent much of her time as a student at KU making use of the open studio space in early mornings to blow glass. But she needed an assistant—an early-riser assistant. Enter Mom. Their col-

laboration led to the creation of the glass studio “AlBo”—taken from a combination of their names, Alison and Bo. Originally, Bo created the studio by converting the family garage; Alison worked there before moving and operating several glass forges, now one in Washington. After she left, Nathan kept the studio under the same name—he now operates his own forge in Oregon. Bo and Doug’s eldest child, Bram, also helped out with the glasswork and continues to do business and computer consulting for AlBo. With four glass artists in the family, the garage and home were soon overflowing with creations. Orbs, one of the most popular items, were stored in boxes on the home’s third floor. Packing and shipping were done in the front hall. And unsold pieces claimed spots where they could. It was a mom-andpop operation, except it was actually a mom-andpop-and-daughter-and-sons collaboration. Now Doug, after his children have left and his wife has died, operates the studio under the same family name, relying on assistants and apprentices to help create his art. After a renovation in 2007, his expanded garage became a studio and an office. Two walls of the office are filled with wire mesh baskets containing a rainbow of glass orbs. The colors run the gamut from intense reds to a delicately spun gold. There are “tidal pools,” freeflowing shaped vessels, as well as paperweights, teardrop-shaped pieces in colors reminiscent of Tiffany, goblets with delicate stems and a myriad of other pieces filling the bookshelves on the remaining walls. In the center of the room is a work table holding tools and pieces that Doug or one of his assistants is working on. Doug exhibits at art shows and fairs, selling much of his work to galleries and stores. Although he is known for his orbs, which continue to be AlBo’s top seller, Doug enjoys special orders. “I like it when somebody calls up and says ‘make a such-and-such’ that I have never done before. I’ll give it a try and I usually can.” Though he doesn’t have one favorite piece in particular, he does like whirls, his large glass pieces with glass draped along the side, and he is very fond of the feather bowl he entered in this year’s Topeka Competition 31. But what would Doug have done if his kids and wife hadn’t gotten him involved in glassblowing? That theoretical question doesn’t bother the man who began his career by chance, but has continued operating under the family name and pursued it with discipline and grace. “I would have bought a wheel and had a pottery shop.”