Topeka Magazine
Dorothy’s Back! A Modern MakeOver for a Local Hero
Summer’ 12 | sunflowerpub.com
$5
Summer ’12
Vol. VI / No. III
from the editor If there ever was a local hero, it’s Dorothy, the well-behaved and intrepid Kansas orphan from Frank L. Baum’s 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, who has inspired dozens of book and movie adaptations. Dorothy’s timeless appeal is understandable. With only the support of her loyal dog and the muscle-work of her fantastical B-team sidekicks, the young Dorothy manages to outsmart sinister forces and return to the home she loves. She never gives up. And her friends never give up on her. Who wouldn’t want to walk a mile in her magical shoes?
Editor Nathan Pettengill designer/Art Director
Shelly Bryant
chief Photographer
Jason Dailey
COPY EDITOR
Christy Little
advertising Kathy Lafferty representative (785) 224-9992
Ad Designer
contributing Photographer
Wicked witches, beware … Dorothy’s back in this summer edition of Topeka Magazine.
Jenni Leiste Bill Stephens
But I think Dorothy has also been a hero for all times because her character has enough of a background to be familiar, but not too much to be rooted in any one time. Each generation can recreate the person behind the gingham dress and reassess what it takes to grow up, make friends, defeat baddies and return home. We hope you’ll enjoy the collaboration of writer Kim Gronniger and photographer Jason Dailey as they envision five possible movie scenarios featuring the updated hero living in modern Topeka and representing current themes, values and struggles. Our Dorothy re-do inspired other stories in this issue that focus on the journey and rituals marking the coming of age for contemporary young women. Anita Miller Fry guides us through a Topeka quinceañera that integrates Mexican heritage and Topeka traditions to help a family honor its 15-year old on the cusp of adulthood. Carolyn Kaberline lines up to two women softball teams on opposite age ends of the historic 1972 federal law that brought women’s sports closer to equal status. And Carolyn also introduces us to local Girl Scouts celebrating their organization’s 100th anniversary and its mission of guiding girls as they grow into adults. Because our magazine is dedicated to covering many aspects of Topeka, this issue also includes our regular stories on interesting artists, upcoming events, inspired homes, dedicated civic groups and travel ideas. We hope you take time to enjoy all sections of this summer edition as you root for and are inspired by the Dorothys in your life.
Contributing Writers Anita Miller Fry Jeffrey Ann Goudie Kim Gronniger Carolyn Kaberline Susan Kraus Karen Ridder Christine Steinkuehler Debra Guiou Stufflebean Barbara Waterman-Peters GENERAL MANAGER
Bert Hull
Subscriptions $22 (tax included) for a one-year subscription to Topeka Magazine. For subscription Christopher J. Bell information, (800) 578-8748 please contact: Fax (785) 843-1922 cbell@ljworld.com
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.
a big
Story by Kim Gronniger
Photography by Jason Dailey
briGadier
Jason’s winning portrait, a profile of Brigadier General Deborah Rose—then serving as the Kansas National Guard’s Director of the Joint Staff— appeared in the summer 2011 edition of Topeka Magazine with design work by Topeka Magazine art director Shelly Bryant.
After a few false starts in life, an Overbrook native serves, takes command and dishes out order, discipline and chocolates
Rose General
24
F ollow us on twitter @TopekaMagazine find us on facebook: facebook.com/topekamag
Topeka Magazine wishes to congratulate our chief photographer, Jason Dailey, for taking first place in the magazine portrait category of the 2012 Great Plains Journalism Award.
congrats
TOPEKAMAGAZINE Summer 2011
Deborah Rose stands in her Brigadier General uniform at the Topeka headquarters of the Joint Forces of the Kansas Army and Air National Guard.
TOPEKAMAGAZINE Summer 2011
25
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
3
In the Heart of NOTO 845 N. Kansas Avenue Topeka, KS 66608
www.artsconnecttopeka.org
ToPeKa arT Guild and Gallery A great place to shop for unique gifts by local Kansas artists. Open 11 am-5 pm Wed. - Sat. Join us every First Friday from 5 pm-8 pm for 10% off
May featured artist: Ye Wang Serving Our Artists and Supporting the Local Arts Community 5331 SW 22nd Place | Fairlawn Plaza | Topeka, KS 66614
first friday evening of every month
July 6 August 3 September 7
The Collective Art Gallery Celebrating 25 Years! Join us on the First Friday Art Walk! (and during our regular business hours)
Wednesday-Friday 12-5 • Saturday 10-3 We’re On Facebook! 3121 SW Huntoon, Topeka, KS 66604 • 785-234-4254 www.thecollectiveartgallery.com
785-235-5616
First Friday
visit our website to get Exhibit Information
Topeka. A Great Arts Town. TCTA Presents:
The 39 Steps
(A comedy especially for Hitchcock fans) June 1 – June 23, 2012
The Shape of Things* (A drama from the TCT Studio Series)
June 22 – 30, 2012
The Sound of Music (The beloved family classic)
July 13 – August 11, 2012
Pinkalicious
(A musical from the TCT Academy)
August 10 – 19, 2012 *The Shape of Things contains strong language and adult themes.
For tickets and information call 785-357-5211 or visit www.TopekaCivicTheatre.com
The serviCes people need, when They need Them, in The plaCe They Call home.
The ConvenienCe of Care in The ComforT of home
Brewster at Home is a single source for help with many of life’s demands. Services include:
• Passport to Brewster Place for social, cultural and wellness activities. • Access to a network of providers for in-home services such as cleaning, lawn care, snow removal, meal delivery and companionship. • Transportation to Brewster Place for exercise programs, therapy, social events and to doctor’s appointments in the community. • Discrete technology-based health and safety monitoring services including the remote monitoring system. Caregivers can remotely monitor daily activities by computer and be notified of emergent situations.
Call 785-274-3303 today! www.brewsterplace.org
features TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ‘12
Kaitlyn Petra Ruiz shows off the back of her quinceañera dress.
48
58
Dorothy’s Back!
The Quinceañera Girl Woman
Five imaginary movie scenarios update the legend of one of Kansas’ biggest cinema stars
With a few adaptations, a traditional Latino ceremony attracts new generations and broader communities such as Kaitlyn Petra Ruiz and her family
about the
writers
Kim Gronniger prefers gabardine to gingham, but sometimes she does click her heels as she writes.
Native Topekan Anita Miller-Fry missed her own quinceañera when she was 15, but she enjoyed writing about this one.
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
7
departments TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’12 Members of the 45 and Older Ladies’ Softball League of Topeka take the field at Shawnee North Community Park.
notables
Meet&Greet Topeka Girl Scouts
13
28 The Bensons 29 Abby McDaniel 30 Tracey Funk
40
16
home life
42
Hager’s Moments An artist’s ambitious, aggressive style is rooted in two key events in his life
37
Spirit of Kansas Fireworks Technical crew puts the “Boom” in the Fourth
The Can-Do Gentleman Bob Harder has brought a lifetime of civility to politics and service
20 Sisterhood of Softball Washburn University’s Lady Blues softball program features homegrown talent for an increasingly popular national sport
on the cover Summer ’ 12
45 Topeka Railroad Festival Great Overland Station invites community to celebrate five years on the right track
travel 66
Cat Match Fever Nonprofit group works to rescue cats and pair them with new, loving people
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
The 15th-Annual Grape Escape Wine plus cuisine equals support for the arts at TPAC’s annual event
Dog-and-Daylily Days of Summer An abundance of sunlight leads to new plantings and new discoveries in Judy Briggs’ garden
24
8
what’s happening?
North, to Nebraska A short journey across the state line offers a natural retreat for family fun and rejuvenation
Topeka Magazine
Michelle De La Isla, executive director of Topeka Habitat for Humanity, steps into the role of Dorothy Gale from the movie The Wizard of Oz. Photograph by: Jason Dailey with location styling by Shelly Bryant.
photo: Jason Waite
The FlinT hills Discovery cenTer explores The geology, biology anD culTural hisTory oF The FlinT hills – Through permanenT anD Temporary exhibiTs.
Let Your expLoration Begin Here a family-focused interactive learning center exploring the science and history of the Flint Hills
AdMiSSion RAteS: adults: $9 Military, Students & Seniors (65+): $7 Youth: $4 (ages 2-17) infants under 2 get in free.
HouRS of opeRAtion: Memorial day – Labor day Monday–thursday: 10am – 8pm Friday–Saturday: 10am – 5pm Sunday: 12 noon – 5 pm Labor day – Memorial day Monday–Wednesday: 10am – 5pm thursday: 10am – 8pm Friday–Saturday: 10 am – 5pm Sunday: 12 noon – 5pm
For more information, please visit:
www.flinthillsdiscovery.org 315 S. 3rd Street, Manhattan KS 66502 • 785.587.2726 Like us on Facebook!
Follow us on twitter @DiscoverFHDC
notables TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
13
The Can-Do Gentleman
16
Hager’s Moments
20
Sisterhood of Softball
24
Cat Match Fever
Meet&greet
Topeka girl Scouts 28.................................... The Bensons 29................................Abby McDaniel 30.................................... Tracey Funk
TOPEKAMAGAZINE Entropy by Michael Hager
Summer ’ 12
11
Photography by Jason Dailey Story by Jeffrey Ann Goudie
The Can-Do Gentleman Bob Harder has brought a lifetime of civility to politics and service
I
n his long career, Bob Harder has answered many calls to public service in Kansas state government. The veteran public servant has a robust roster of accomplishments: secretary of Social Welfare, later Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, under five governors, as well as a stint as secretary of the Department of Health and Environment. He’s also the former director of the Topeka Office of Economic Opportunity. These are but a few bullet points on his resume.
about the
writer
Jeffrey Ann Goudie published her first piece in Topeka Magazine in 2007. She enjoys profiling Topekans who are making a positive impact on their community.
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
13
But the humble Harder merely says of himself: “I was the right rat at the right hole at the right time.” Leave it to others to polish the paeans. Lee Wright, assistant director of development for Washburn University’s public television station, KTWU, says he considers public health crusader Dr. Samuel Crumbine and Bob Harder the two most outstanding civil servants in Kansas history. Wright is a member of a Sunday school class taught by Harder. State Senator Laura Kelly, D-Topeka, puts it simply: “He’s a saint.” The gentlemanly Harder was born in Horton in 1929. His father was working on a farm at the time. When Harder was 2, his father was called to the ministry, and the family moved to Auburn, then Corning, Centralia, Meriden, Perry and De Soto, before landing in Troy, where Harder graduated from high school. Not surprisingly, since he was the son of a Methodist minister, Harder attended Baker University, affiliated with the United Methodist Church, where he met his future wife, Dottie Lou Welty. When he was in graduate school at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Dottie joined him, and they married. Harder credits his wife with challenging him to broaden his horizons: “She’s the one that really moved me along, because I might have returned to Kansas without having continued my education after SMU.” Instead the couple headed for Boston University. “We’re Kansas kids, and this was a whole new world for us. When we pulled away from her folks’ house, we both had a sense of awe about what we were embarking on.” At BU, Dottie received a master’s degree in education, then taught fifth grade in the Newton, Massachusetts, school system. Harder was doing his doctoral dissertation on the ministry of the laity, so he set up interviews with lay groups, and he and Dottie traveled in Western Europe over a five-and-a-half month period. Having grown up in small towns and wanting something different, Harder had been asking the church higher-ups for an urban setting. An opportunity arose, and the couple returned to Kansas in 1958, where Harder took his first pastoral post at East Topeka Methodist Church, at Seventh and Lime. After a couple of years, a precinct committeeman from the Democratic Party approached Harder about running for the Kansas Legislature. Harder was interested and received the blessing of the church hierarchy to run for office. Harder won the position and began serving in the Legislature during the week, earning $5 a day, and delivering sermons on Sunday.
14
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
above Bob Harder, a longtime Topeka politician and public servant, continues to volunteer for children’s reading programs and at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library.
“There was no handicap,” says Harder. “I was really diligent about visiting people in the hospital. If something came up I could be reached by phone, and I was halfway to the hospital because I was at the Statehouse.” Harder remembers that one of his parishoners told him his sermons improved after he was elected: “I had a better sense of what was going on in the world because I’d been bumping up against real, live issues.” In 1964 Harder went to work at the Menninger Clinic as a research associate on a neighborhood study of East Topeka. Menninger loaned him out a year later to become the head of the Topeka Office of Economic Opportunity. The national office thought he shouldn’t be a legislator and also run the poverty program, so he chose not to run for a fourth term in the Legislature. As a minister, Harder is apt to frame his story in religious terms. “I don’t believe in advance planning,” he says, “but I believe in the Holy Spirit.” Whether luck or something more, not being a legislator enabled Harder to work for Robert Docking as technical assistance coordinator when Docking was elected governor in 1966. After two years, Harder went to work for the League of Kansas Municipalities before becoming the director of Social Welfare. In 1973, Docking created the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services to replace the Department of Social Welfare. Harder became its first secretary and served until August 1987. Governor Joan Finney drafted him back for seven months in 1991, after which he worked for over two years as secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, also under Finney. He briefly considered retiring. Dottie was working as director of admissions at the Washburn Law School, and Harder offered to do the housework. He says he did for a while but then began to volunteer as a lobbyist. Harder’s volunteer work for a variety of organizations has focused on poverty issues, as well as on delivering services to people with physical disabilities. His unpaid budget work for the Statewide Independent Living Council of Kansas comes naturally to him after years of serving as a cabinet-level secretary. The active Harder also serves as treasurer of the Board of Trustees for the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, and he reads once a week to a class of first-graders at Lowman Hill Elementary across the street from the library. He says his pastoral training informs his teaching of an adult Sunday School class at First United Methodist Church, which he’s done for over 30 years. At 83, Harder stays fit by doing the stationary bike six days a week. From April until November he also canoes every morning at Lake Shawnee. He and Dottie have two grown children. When asked for his personal motto, he says simply: “Service.” Harder is a vanishing breed: a humble, can-do gentleman in the hurly-burly world of politics.
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
15
EllE Salon 808 Magazine ’s T o p 100 Salon offerS itS cuStomerS a full array of Salon ServiceS, the fineSt StyliStS, and a commitment to perSonalized attention.
Color - Highlights - Perms - Haircuts Updos - Facial Waxing - Manicures Pedicures and Shellac
Photography by Jason Dailey Story by Barbara Waterman-Peters
Hager’s Moments An artist’s ambitious, aggressive style is rooted in two key events in his life about the
16
writer TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
above Michael Hager
Barbara Waterman-Peters writes, paints, exhibits, teaches, manages STUDIO 831 in the North Topeka Arts District (NOTO) and is part-owner
C
reating large-scale prints on huge sheets of paper from heavy pieces of wood, then mounting some of the prints on multifaceted wooden structures, presents little technical challenge to Michael Hager, a tall, stocky artist who moves comfortably among printing presses and power tools. In his career as an artist, he also fluidly navigates between roles of artist and teacher, considering all of it to be part of the process of his art. Born in Freeport, Illinois, Hager and his family moved to Wichita, where his dad worked for Boeing, and then to Topeka in 1972 where Hager, a second-grader, discovered his love for art. “I could always draw,” recalls the artist, who was then often working through a box of felt tip markers each day. “I was the ‘artist’ in school and was encouraged by my teachers. I remember making my own coloring books.” Hager remained in Topeka through his childhood, graduating from Topeka West High School in 1982. Then, he began a formal art education that would include an associate certificate in technical drafting from the Kaw Area Vocational Tech (now Washburn Tech), three semesters of commercial graphics at Pittsburg State University, a bachelor’s of fine art at Washburn University—along with the prestigious Pollak Award and the distinction of having his sculpture, Tracker, permanently installed on the university campus—a master of arts at the University of Iowa and finally a master of fine arts, also at Iowa, in 1999. These long years of study were essential to Hager’s development, and they created the context for what he calls two “moments” that defined his understanding of himself as an artist. The first was at Washburn while working on a printing project. “I was standing looking down at a print at 3 a.m., and it occurred to me that I needed to work on the piece for the piece itself and not for the grade,” says Hager. “Now, I tell my students that it goes from working on a project to working on art.” Hager’s second moment came during his graduate studies at the University of Iowa. At an early critique of one of his works, someone observed the linear quality of Hager’s prints and asked: “Why do you print?” The implication was that drawing could conceivably accomplish the same thing. As the artist struggled to find the answer, one of his professors gave him a semester to figure that out. Hager says this second defining moment provided an opportunity to understand the reasons behind his own aesthetic approach. The style and focus that Hager developed move easily between two media, incorporating prints into his sculpture and using sculpting techniques for his printing. Using carving tools, the artist cuts lines into the wood surface. This makes an aggressive line that is strong and dark when inked because of the resistant grain of the wood. The process itself is not for the faint of heart. There are physically easier ways to achieve a print. Hager’s printmaking is a process-oriented art form, difficult and demanding. And Hager, whose works are ambitious and large-scale, makes prints that are physically and mentally exacting. A consummate printmaker, Hag-
of the Collective Art Gallery. Her occasional attempts to wear so many hats simultaneously create awkward fashion statements and cause total chaos in her very interesting and rewarding life.
17
Family
educatiOn
retirement
travel
Whatever life has planned We seek to exceed your expectations and to build an enduring relationship with you. We want to get to know you, your personal goals, your struggles and challenges around money. Our recommendations are tailored so you can create an abundant and worry-free financial life.
DESIGN/buIlD www.Staufferlawn.com
IrrIGatIoN
outDoor lIVING
MaINtENaNCE
785.256.7300
Music is in the Air Let the summer fun begin with a new piano from Mid-America Piano!
Affordable vintage Steinways, “like new” pianos by Yamaha, Baldwin, Kawai, Mason & Hamlin, and many more... even player grand pianos with full accompaniment! Ask about adding a player system to your current piano.
Your local piano store
Mid-America Piano 241 Johnson Road Manhattan, KS 66502
800-950-3774 www.Piano4u.com
er considers himself a woodcut artist who loves the line. His flawless prints with their lush surfaces pull the viewer in for a closer look even as they inspire wonder at the degree of skill required. The focus of Hager’s imagery has been the human body. Sparked by the performance art of a fellow student while in graduate school, Hager developed an idea of using a model covered in paint to leave impressions on large pieces of wood. Areas not painted are carefully cut away, the paint removed and the block of wood inked. Paper is laid on the wood block, and it is run through a press. With each additional color the block is re-inked and the process repeated. Because he has “always seen prints as objects,” Hager decided to combine them with his sculpture by affixing the lifesize prints to large wooden box forms that hang on the wall, sit on the floor or occupy space in various configurations.
“I tell my students that it goes from working on a project to working on art.” — Michael Hager Hager’s work has attracted attention and been shown all over the region and in a number of states. A joint exhibit called Objects of Interest/Interest of Objects with Fernando Pezzino will be shown at the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center in Kansas City in the near future, and a solo exhibition in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is scheduled. Since returning to Topeka in 1999, Hager has curated exhibitions of artists such as Keith Achepohl and Stephen T. Johnson. He has collaborated on projects with several others on, including Stan Herd. Hager has worked in many of the town’s galleries and museums before settling into a full-time faculty position at Washburn University, where he teaches printmaking and sculpture. Speaking of his own graduate school years as “irreplaceable experience,” Hager says he tries to instill in his students something of that environment by teaching good studio habits and time management. “I get to teach mid to upper level and give them graduate experience whether they like it or not. “Teaching and making art are a vocation, a lifestyle,” adds Hager.” My mindset and world view have changed. Art was something to be made, created. Now that I am immersed in the art world, a fundamental alteration has occurred. It is such a strong commitment that it is now part of me.”
Working from his studio at Washburn University, Hager, above, creates his signature, large-scale prints such as Pusher, top inset, and Celeste, bottom inset.
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
19
Photography by Jason Dailey Story by Carolyn Kaberline
Sisterhood of Softball Washburn University’s Lady Blues softball program features homegrown talent for an increasingly popular national sport
about the
20
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
above Shawnee Heights High School graduate Kacy Covert has just finished her senior year with the Lady Blues.
writer
Carolyn Kaberline’s freelancewriting career began in 2006 when she wanted to show her journalism students that she wasn’t asking
C
ries of “Ball, ball!” come from the outfield as members of the Washburn University softball team run to catch the fly balls sent from the automatic pitching machine operated by their coach, Vanessa Becerra. Even after four hours of practice, the girls eagerly go after the balls, which sail through the air in rapid succession. From the smiles and occasional laughs, it’s obvious that they love the sport that has become a big part of their lives and the lives of other women across the country. For Washburn senior Britny Cushing, a Seaman High School graduate, the sport’s popularity is easy to fathom. “It’s the competitiveness,” she says, adding that she’s been playing softball since she was 7 years old. “A friend who played softball asked me to come to one of her practices, and the rest is history.” Her Lady Blues teammates tell similar stories of starting early in the game and staying with it through their college years for sport, competition and camaraderie. Washburn’s softball program is old by the standards of many women’s collegiate sports. It began with a five-game season in 1970, two years before the federal Title IX legislation that effectually mandated equal collegiate sports programs for men and women. This was some 20 years before the current team members were born. Many of them say they have never heard of the landmark ruling.
BIAO Designs is a full service design and retail store ready to help you create the home of your dreams.
“You won’t be successful if you don’t have a team behind you.” — Vanessa Becerra
them to do anything she couldn’t do. Since then her articles have appeared in local, regional and national publications. A full-time high school teacher, she enjoys reading and working with her horses.
21
From floor to ceiling, let us help you select everything from floor coverings, to furniture, to accessories, art, and even light fixtures and ceiling fans. BIAO Designs also offers custom florals for everyday as well as seasonal. And we are your local Hunter Douglas window covering dealer. Let us do the footwork to pull together the look you have always wanted for your home.
ab
For the squad and their coach, who is in her first year with the team, softball has always been a next step after T-ball. College softball championships are televised, and its advocates continue to lobby for a restoration of the Olympic status it enjoyed from 1996 to 2008. The current Washburn team draws heavily from Topeka-area graduates who played the sport at local fields from their earliest ages. Their high schools include Seaman, Shawnee Heights, PerryLecompton, Baldwin and Lawrence. Cushing, a utility player, says that players face a big adjustment with collegiate-level softball. “You really have to have a love for the game,” says Cushing. “It’s a full-time job.” Some team members, such as utility player Mallorie Monhollon, increase the demands on their time by combining sports in the academic year. The Shawnee Heights graduate plays softball in the spring and soccer in the fall. Playing a 30-game schedule in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), the Lady Blues finished this year with an overall 19-24 season, and with an impressive historic record of 21 postseason appearances in 22 years of MIAA play.
Located in Downtown Lawrence at 825 Massachusetts St., Suite A 785-856-2426 Find us on:
For coach Becerra, the game provides lessons for life as well. “You can fail a lot in this sport,” she says. “For every 10 times a girl is up to bat, she’ll fail five times. People like the teamwork aspects—you won’t be successful if you don’t have a team behind you. A lot of lifelong friendships are made here. There’s also an adrenalin rush in playing the sport. Those that play the game have a true passion for it.”
Extra Innings
On Their Side
The teams have names like Aches and Pains, the Iron Maidens, the Loose Screws, Still Got Game and the Classics. With ages ranging from 45 to 78, the softball players on these teams are a little older than the Washburn softball players, but they are every bit as committed to the sport. Of course, seniority allows for a few concessions. A player in the 45 and Older Ladies’ Softball League of Topeka can have a substitute runner if she reaches first base safely. There is also a five-run limit per inning—perhaps so a middle-age team does not feel too self-conscious about being pummeled by hard-hitting 70-year-old sluggers. But otherwise, the teams play softball as it was meant to be—intense and competitive. The idea for the league came from Arlene Marshall, now 75, who simply wanted to play softball in 2004. “I had gone to the national senior games the year before,” Marshall says. “I got the wives of the men in the senior leagues to play and searched for other ladies.” At the beginning, the senior squad faced off against younger women’s teams for practice. Soon, the older players were looking for opponents their age. Marshall said that several people chipped in to find team members. After an article appeared in the Topeka CapitalJournal newspaper, enough women showed up to create 10 teams that played weekly, weather permitting, at Shawnee North Community Park. The numbers have remained high since. Although the senior games require players to be 50 or older, Marshall believes that opening the league to those over 45 has encouraged many of those “younger” players to continue participation during their true senior years. League play usually begins in mid-April each year. There are no practices, no medals, no trophies, and no one keeps records or stats of the games. “We toss those in the trash on our way out,” Marshall admits. And with five games per night—everyone gets a chance to play; in fact, if a team is short the 11 needed players on any given night, members from other teams fill in the vacant spots. Marshall, who’s since organized 45-and-over volleyball and basketball leagues, is quick to sum up the real reason people like softball: “It’s a lot of fun.”
22
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
TOP Arlene Marshall, center, takes the field with fellow players, from left, Sandy Meneley, Cecelia Muckenthaler, Glenda Cafer and Pat Denzler. BOTTOM Shelby Erickson takes a practice swing for the Washburn University Lady Blues.
Photography by Bill Stephens Story by Debra Guiou Stufflebean
Cat Match Fever Nonprofit group works to rescue cats and pair them with new, loving people
“H
ot Rod likes anything that rattles and crinkles, whereas Miles is a catnip junkie,” says Diane Barnes, who spends enough time with each feline at the Cat Association of Topeka (CAT) to know their individual traits and describe them to potential adoptive families. Barnes began volunteering for the nonprofit group in 1997 and has worked as the organization’s retail manager for three years. In addition to ringing up sales, she operates a reference desk, of sorts, as she tells about the cats and greets visitors, hoping to find new homes for her friends. CAT formed in 1988 when a couple of anonymous friends decided to run an ad in the paper to see whether there were others who shared their concern for cats and a desire to create a no-kill shelter in Topeka. At first, volunteers housed cat foster homes across the city. Then the organization rented various locations until arriving at its present home of 1719 SW Gage. Here, the shelter was built in stages and can now house a crowd of 75 cats. Yet the need for foster homes has not gone away. With the shelter normally at capacity, there are 35-40 cats presently in foster care and an additional 200 cats on a waiting list. Jeannie Blanck-Griffith, president of the CAT board, says a poor economy has decreased people’s ability to bring cats into their home. Where the shelter had been placing 120-130 cats per year, only 85 cats left for adoptive homes in 2011. She says the shelter has also seen an influx of cats brought in by owners who can no longer afford to take care of their pets. Blanck-Griffith talks openly about the inherent difficulty in finding owners for their mature animals. “Many of our cats have been someone’s life companion; they’re older cats,” she says. “Just like people, as
about the
24
writer TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
Debra Guiou Stufflebean is the author of four novels and the director of the Shepherd’s Center of Topeka. She and husband Mike live in the College Hill neighborhood with their four dogs and can be found cheering at their grandchildren’s ballgames.
Fine Arts
Unique • Affordable • Functional Featuring the original handmade works of local, regional and national artisans. • Pottery • Blown Glass • Jewelry • Woodwork • Textiles and much more
Visit us in beautiful downtown Lawrence, Kansas! 825 Massachusetts street Lawrence Ks - 785.843.0080
www.phoenixgalleryks.com info@phoenixgalleryks.com
The Cats of CAT Q-Tip: CAT officials describe this 10-year old cat as a “sweetie pie” whose owner passed away. Q-Tip requires daily medications and prefers not to be held. Q-Tip became an in-house cat in 2012. Goodman: Originally a stray, this cat was adopted for 10 years, then returned when his owner went to an assisted living community. Goodman prefers homes without other pets, is very smart and is a dapper fellow with attitude. Astra: CAT’s official in-house resident kitty. Rhoda: Approximately 3 years old, this cat likes to be held and petted. Rhoda’s owner was forced to relinquish her due to finances. Miles: This 14-year old was adopted from CAT as a kitten, but he recently returned because he requires daily medications. Miles loves catnip. Oreo Jr. (O.J.): A transfer from Helping Hands Humane Society in Topeka, this one-year old is a bit shy but very playful. Bobbin: Another transfer from Helping Hands, the one-year old has a condition that causes poor motor function, which does not getter better or worse with age. Most cats with this condition, cerebellar hypoplasia, live a normal life span. Hot Rod: A littermate of Bobbin and shares the same condition. However, CAT staffers say cats with cerebellar hypoplasia often learn to compensate for their disability. For now, Hot Rod and Bobbin would do best in an easy, relaxed environment.
26
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
above As retail manager for the Cat Association of Topeka, Diane Barnes spends her days surrounded by the nonprofit’s community of cats.
some cats age they may require a daily medicine; but that doesn’t mean they are ready to be euthanized.” In order to provide an incentive for adopting older cats, the center cuts by half its regular adoption fee of $60-$65 for those choosing cats older than 10. Some of the mature cats, however, are unfit for adoption. Though the center does not accept cats known to have feline immunodeficiency virus or feline leukemia, it does take in strays, some of whom are found to have severe, terminal illnesses. These cats are quarantined and cared for with dignity. “We give them the best life we can for as long as they live,” Barnes says. Presently, there are eight FIV cats at the shelter.
ething for all ta som stes, bu dgets and occasions
Fine Gifts & Collectibles
A ‘Must Shop’
hidden treasure
Locally owned & operated in Topeka for over 30 years!
“We give them the best life we can for as long as they live.” — Diane Barnes
How to Help CAT
And then there are cats who simply cannot handle the stress of adjusting to another new home. Astra originally came to the shelter after being abandoned in a carrier left outside; the second time she came was when her owner had to move in with relatives who had a family member allergic to cats. Any cat adopted from the shelter will be accepted back at the shelter. “We don’t want to see any of our cats neglected or abandoned. If they no longer want the cat, it’ll always have a home with us,” Blanck-Griffith says. The staff decided Astra had earned her stripes and declared her the official house cat. Regardless of the circumstances from which they came or the number of months they will be there, the other cats share the space according to age and condition. Older cats enjoy a room with less climbing apparatuses, but they enjoy plush beds and sunny windows. Younger cats live in a room with scratching posts, ladders and hiding places. The only thing the shelter has left to provide is a person for each cat.
1. Donations can be mailed to: 1719 SW Gage Blvd. Topeka, Kansas 66604 2. Donations can be made online at www.topekacat.org 3. Attend special annual events to benefit CAT. A calender of events is listed at www.topekacat.org 4. Volunteers, especially those who can lift 25 pounds or more, are welcome to receive training and then work with the cats. 5. Aluminum items can be dropped off at the shelter for recycling 6. Purchases of cat food, litter, toys, supplies and gift items can be made at the on-site shop.
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
27
LArGe vArieTy oF unique, quALiTy iTeMS!
Exquisite Art Glass • Crislu Designer Jewelry Jim Shore Figures • Willow Tree Angels Decadent Gourmet Chocolates
and MuCH More!
785.354.7017 3410 SW 10th Ave Topeka, KS 66604
Mon - Fri: 10am - 5:30pm Sat: 10am - 5pm
www.WhitehallGifts.com Find us on Facebook, Whitehall Fine Gifts
Follow us:WhitehallGifts
Sometimes, the toughest subjects are the most important. Dealing with changes that occur as people age can be challenging for everyone involved. That’s why so many people count on us to help them understand retirement living and how it can help their loved one live a more fulfilled life. Taking the next step usually starts with a question. We welcome yours. Just ask. Call today for our free brochure. Together, we’ll find the answers.
Contact Marsha Anderson at 785.272.6510 for more information or to schedule a tour of the community.
4712 South West Sixth St Topeka, Kansas 66606 www.justaskpresbyterianmanors.com
meet&greet
The Bensons
Topeka Girl Scouts
Two (and possibly more to come) Scouting Generations
As the Girl Scouts of America celebrate 100 years as an organization, numerous families across the United States mark their own milestone of the scouting tradition passing from mother to daughter. Terri Benson’s first experience with scouting came when she was growing up in Topeka’s Oakland neighborhood. Now as an adult, she volunteers with the regional organization and as leader of her oldest daughter’s troop. “It’s a great opportunity for kids to learn outside the classroom, to make lifelong friends and to know their community better,” she says. “The girls get to try new opportunities, and there’s something for everyone.” Terri points out that while girls can still earn badges in traditional homemaking skills, they can also select from programs that focus on science, technology, engineering and math. “We still have camping activities, too,” Terri says, “but we may do geocaching and have science and computer camps.” Terri’s daughters, Kayla, a seventhgrader at Shawnee Heights Middle School, and Karli, an ninth-grader at Shawnee Heights High School, are members of Troops 7202 and 7208 respectively. They plan to stay with the Girl Scouts as long as they can, and Karli hopes to be a Girl Scout troop leader if she has a daughter in the organization. “My mom’s a leader, and I plan to keep the tradition going,” Karli says.
Story by Carolyn Kaberline Photography by Jason Dailey
28
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
above The Benson family of Girl Scouts includes, from left, Karli, Terri and Kayla Benson.
Abby McDaniel
meet&greet
Topeka Girl Scouts
Brownie Scout
For Abby McDaniel, a third-grader at Shawnee Heights Elementary School, being a Brownie Scout means doing fun activities with her friends. “I liked making birdhouses since I’m interested in animals and nature,” says Abby, a member of Troop 1588. That interest in nature and the outdoors has also led to campouts with her troop, although cold weather drove the scouts inside at one outing. “It ended up being a Girl Scout slumber party,” Abby explains. Other favorite events for Abby include field trips to Great Wolf Lodge and Coco Key Water Resort, both near Kansas City. The Brownie Scouts remain the organization’s most popular age division for girls across the United States. In all, the Girl Scouts claim 3.2 million members as active scouts and leaders. All age groups share a common focus of selfeducation, leadership and community service. Even as a member of one of the youngest Girl Scout divisions, Abby’s programs include community outreach. One of her favorites was taking cards, gifts and snow globes to residents in a local long-term care facility. “It made me feel nice doing it,” says Abby. “It’s nice because you can help other people while doing fun stuff.”
Story by Carolyn Kaberline Photography by Jason Dailey
TOPEKAMAGAZINE above Abby McDaniel stands in front of a birdhouse that she built as part of a Brownie project.
Summer ’ 12
29
meet&greet
Tracey Funk
Topeka Girl Scouts
Senior Girl Scout
Although she’s a busy tenth-grader involved in marching band, jazz band, Model UN and soccer as well as serving as the sophomore class president at Shawnee Heights High School, Tracey Funk still finds time for Girl Scouts. Tracey says she originally joined the organization in kindergarten, mainly because her older sister was in Girl Scouts and it “looked like a lot of fun.” She still has fond memories of those early years, including running obstacle courses in the school cafeteria and playing with parachutes, but those early activities soon gave way to earning badges in such fields as outdoor adventures, outdoor surroundings, managing cookie sales and wildlife. She’s also enjoyed field trips to places such as the Omaha Zoo. “We went there as an overnight trip,” Tracey says. “We spent the night in the aquarium and woke up next to the penguins. We also went on a midnight hike around the zoo.” As a member of Troop 7250, Tracey helps organize Brownie Fun Days to assist the second- and third-grade scouts earn badges. “It’s a lot of fun working with the younger girls,” Tracey says. Across the nation, Girl Scouts have struggled to retain high-school girls who have numerous clubs and activities available to them at school and through church, civic and sports groups. But Tracey says she is glad she stayed with the organization. “I’ve had a lot of opportunities in the Girl Scouts that I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise,” she notes. “And I’ve been able to help my community.”
Story by Carolyn Kaberline Photography by Jason Dailey
30
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
above Tracey Funk continues to participate in Girl Scouts as she balances several high school activities, including bands and sports.
Downtown Events First Friday Art Walk Top City Thursdays Live Entertainment Amazing Food Upscale living Locally Owned Shops For more information check our website:
Westside Stamps & Awards ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
✯✯✯
Quick
Turnaround ✯✯✯
Sport Trophies Corporate Awards Promotional Items Plaques Wedding Specialties ADA Signage Custom & Personalized Items
2030 SW Fairlawn Road Topeka, KS 66604 (785) 272-7242 www.wssapromo.com
“A GREAT PLACE TO
live, WORK AND play� Walk to work. Downtown Topeka currently has more than 1,300 residents with new condominium/ lofts units being built all the time.
Changes Topeka of
llc
NoN-INvasIve solutIoNs for Body aNd face: -
cellulite sagging skin excess fat varicose veins stretch Marks
1 session = 3 hours in the gym go ahead and try it. the first visit is on us.
Downtown Topeka Inc www.downtowntopekainc.com
807 S. Kansas Ave., Ste. C | Topeka, KS See what others are saying about their results getChanges4u.com
785.233.6600
The Alternative to Plastic Surgery or Injections.
Loose Diamonds Diamond Jewelry Colored Stone Jewelry Full Service Repair Department Pearl and Bead Restringing
Home Owned Since 1940 downtown Topeka 734 South Kansas Avenue 785-357-4438
Gold Silver Watches In-House Jeweler Watch Batteries
We Buy Old GOld
Hours: Monday - Saturday 9:30am-5:30pm
A GreAt MArketinG tool for your Business
to advertise contact Kathy Lafferty klafferty@sunflowerpub.com | 785.224.9992
Welcomes Patricia Klassen, MD Welcoming New Patients Newborn to Geriatric Family Care Extended office hours Multi-Provider Coverage Walk-in Immediate Care Clinic After-hours on-call service to provide access to medical needs 24 hours / 7 days a week / 365 days a year On-Site Lab Services X-Ray On-Site
785-234-0880 | 601 SW Corporate View Road | Suite 200 | Topeka 66615
home life TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’12
37
Dog-and-Daylily Days of Summer
Tanner and Judy Briggs
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
35
785.246.3733
Accepting New Medicare Patients sunflower Primary Care Call today for an appointment Iris Gonzalez, MD • Josie Norris, MD • Finette Gress, ARNP-C
785.246.3733 3405 NW Hunters Ridge Terrace, Suite 100
Topeka, Ks 66618
www.sunflowerpc.com
Photography by Jason Dailey Story by Christine Steinkuehler
dog-and-daylily days of summer
An abundance of sunlight leads to new plantings and new discoveries in Judy Briggs’ garden
A
pproximately 10 years ago, Judy Briggs was at a crossroads in her life. Up until that time, she had been commuting daily to Lawrence from Topeka and had often considered moving out of her house. But when a new job at Cotton O’Neil Clinic opened, Briggs fell back in love with her home in south-central Topeka—it had good bones, was in a good neighborhood … and the necessary removal of a large shade tree from her backyard had opened up a flood of sunlight and a world of gardening possibilities. Briggs started by planting several spruce trees to replace the old tree and provide structure and year-round interest. She then re-evaluated the yard. Originally, the home’s backyard was terraced with a low stonewall and steps perfect for a garden. But the area was always in shade and often wet to the point of bogginess because of a downside slope. With the tree gone, the wet and sunny conditions proved ideal for new perennials, such as Raspberry Wine. This variety of bee balm, one of Briggs’ favorites, has a wonderful, almost fuchsia color. It attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, but it does not suffer from powdery mildew as many bee balms do. Some perennials took almost too well to the new, open space. Gooseneck loosestrife, with its small, arched white blooms, began to spread like an underground runner and required constant thinning. Other living things took a new liking to the sun-drenched backyard as well. Briggs’ dog, Tanner, was one of those. His favorite haunt seems to be anywhere near Briggs, but also along the vegetable garden and its short picket fence with an arbor that sports clematis and climb-
ing roses. Apparently a fan of healthful eating, Tanner has been known to steal the remains of discarded stems and outer leaves and enjoy them for an afternoon snack. Tanner seems content to share his bounty with area rabbits. Until recently, Briggs had never noticed a problem with rabbits raiding her plantings. But she speculates the foxes, which she often used to see crossing her front lawn, have left the area and given the rabbits free roam. This past spring, Briggs’ garden has been nibbled to the ground, and its stunted stalks bear tell-tale bunny nibble-marks. Tanner chooses not to chase his fellow vegetable aficionados, perhaps a testimony to his gentle
about the
writer
Christine Steinkuehler has contributed to Topeka Magazine since 2007. She lives in Topeka with her husband, twins and an ever-changing menagerie of pets. Christine likes old things, rainy days and books—especially if there is coffee.
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
37
“My yard is somewhat of a challenge for things to grow, but daylilies do very well in my yard.” — Judy Briggs nature that Briggs says comes from the golden retriever’s work as a therapy dog, or perhaps from oversight. “He mauled a few bunnies in his day,” clarifies Briggs. “I think he might not realize they are out there.” Though they ravage the greens, the rabbits and Tanner leave alone Briggs’ favorite garden plantings—her daylilies. Briggs had known about daylilies for years but had never been excited about them because of their short-lasting blooms. That was until she visited a friend’s home and discovered a seemingly endless variety of daylilies in a range of sizes and colors. Each plant produced so many buds that the stem would bloom for at least a month. And, Briggs learned, if you plan the plantings correctly, it is possible to have daylilies blooming in your garden from May through August. Briggs was hooked. “My yard is somewhat of a challenge for things to grow, but daylilies do very well in my yard,” she says. Now, her garden features some 200 distinct daylilies with a prominent display of her favorites, the spiders, which have large blooms with long, narrow, separate petals. Briggs credits much of her success to the support of fellow members from the Topeka Daylily Club. It was other club members who taught her to use a 46-0-0 urea fertilizer and to broadcastspread it in March and again in the fall. “It smells bad when you first put it down and gets wet,” says Briggs. But that is a short-lived detractor. The fertilizer’s benefits are apparent in the summer— more, bigger blooms and healthier foliage. Briggs says that another benefit of the club is touring the gardens of other members and coming back with new ideas and a renewed love for daylilies and gardening. The club members often trade daylilies and share their blooms with the public at an annual sale every August at the downtown farmers’ market. Club members donate their extra plant divisions for the sale and then donate the proceeds to fund two scholarships for area college students and to support daylily beds in public gardens throughout the city. For Briggs, the daylilies have provided a reason to stay in her home throughout the year, but particularly in the long days of summer as she and Tanner enjoy the sunlight and the blooms it brings.
38
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
top This daylily variety, Primal Scream, is one of Judy Briggs’ favorites. Above left Briggs’ arbor features clematis and climbing roses in the summer. Above right A decorative frog shares the garden space with Briggs’ dog, Tanner, and several rabbits.
W
eller’s Grill & Bar
• North Topeka’s only sports grill and bar • Over 416 inches of TV • Daily food and drink specials • Great appetizers and menu • 18 beers on tap including micro-brews • Steaks and pasta
222 NW Independence Ave.
Commercial & Residential
Serving Topeka
Since 1999
for Call e e a FR te a estim
(785) 478-9805
Pruning | removal StumP grinding emergency Service lot clearing
Cell: (785) 221-7550
www.CustomTreeCare.org Licensed & Insured
785-783-3191
Mention this ad in Topeka Magaz ine & get a Free Gift wi your Vera Bradle th y purchase! While supplies last Now thru June 25
Vera Bradley GOld dealer June 28: Get Back to School Style at our Fall Vera July 10:
Bradley Preview Launch & Promotion Join us for the complete Signature Launch & Specials
Text picketfences to 22828 to join our Mailing list!
913-651-4142
2531 4th Street Leavenworth, Kansas 66048
www.picketfencesandpetals.net Mon - Thur 10-6 Fri & Sat 10-5
What’s Happening?
The 15th-Annual Grape Escape Wine plus cuisine equals support for the arts at TPAC’s annual event
The Grape Escape was one of the first large wine-tasting events in the state. This year’s event will be at 6:30 p.m. August 3 at the Topeka Performing Arts Center (TPAC). Attendees will have the chance to taste some of 160 wines from around the world selected by wine distributor Glazer’s of Kansas. Over the years, The Grape Escape has become the major fundraiser for the TPAC,
raising nearly $100,000 a year through ticket sales, a silent auction and a live auction. TPAC Executive Director Barbara Wiggins says the money from ticket sales and the event will sponsor educational outreach programming and events for nonprofit groups. Tickets range in price from $60 to $95 and are available in advance from the TPAC box office, 214 SE Eighth Ave.
Tips for the tasting:
limited number of tasting tickets. Save a few so you have a chance to go back and get a second glass of your favorites.
• Check your list: Wines are grouped according to geographic region. Walk through the event and look through the program to which wines are available to try before you start testing. • Ask for help: The on-hand pourers and other Glazer’s employees can recommend wines that are similar to your favorites. • Save some tickets: Each participant has a
Story by Karen Ridder
Photography by Bill Stephens
• Don’t eat ahead of time: The event also showcases the best of Topeka cuisine with 14 local caterers providing foods designed to complement the wines. • Try the beer: If you don’t like wine, a beer garden is available, featuring a variety of German and Belgium beers.
ABOVE Barbara Wiggins, the executive director of TPAC, shows off some of the wine varieties that will be available at her organization’s annual fundraiser, The Grape Escape.
about the
40
writer TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
Karen Ridder has lived in Topeka with her family for the past eight years. She writes for a variety of publications, including the state’s official travel blog, www.travelks.com.
Are you looking for AFFORDABLE full-service childcare with a preschool curriculum? NOWING LL ENRO ges
For a ears ks-5 y w 2 ee
3909 SW Burlingame Rd Suite B. Topeka, KS 66609 Call Jessica or Cammy at (785) 862-0772 to set up a tour or visit our website minimastersla.com. We look forward to your family becoming a part of ours!!!
www.newcityonline.biz
Like us on Facebook
4005 SW GaGe Center Drive | tOPeKa, KS | 785-271-8646
The
“PROVIDING PEACE OF MIND FOR WORKING PARENTS”
Woodwa rd Inns on Fillmore
Topeka's Luxury Lodging |Party Destination Block
one GoThIc mansIon • Three sTaTely execuTIve Inns • Three FamIly Inns |sInce 1994| The WoodWard Inns on FIllmore
(785) 354-7111 • www.TheWoodward.com
What’s Happening?
Spirit of Kansas Fireworks Technical crew puts the “Boom” in the Fourth A love of “blowing stuff up” while keeping the crowds safe and delighted is what drives the man behind the Capitol Federal Spirit of Kansas fireworks and his crew of local pyrotechnicians. Their custom-designed display can be seen every Independence Day at Lake Shawnee. “Everyone on the crew is a Topekan,” says lead technician Marty Flickinger. “I think we all have a lot more ownership in it because of that. We want to make sure we execute 100 percent because it’s our hometown.”
Story by Karen Ridder
42
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
Photography by Bill Stephens
The fireworks are the culmination of the daylong Spirit of Kansas event at Lake Shawnee. Activities include the third annual Spirit of Kansas Blues Festival, sponsored by the Topeka Blues Society. A craft show and car show start at 9 a.m. around Tinman Circle. Fireworks shoot at 10 p.m. and are simulcast to music on Country Legends 106.9.
What you see: A custom-designed show with a custom-designed soundtrack for Topeka audiences. Between 5,000 to 7,000 individual shots: 1,500 large aerial shells in five different sizes and 42 devices on the lake with hundreds of shots each.
How it happens: The semi-automatic show has shots connected to electric charges, which are fired manually during the event and watched over by Flickinger’s crew to keep everything on schedule. “Something always goes unplanned,” says Flickinger. “ A human operator can improvise and make the show still fit the music even if something doesn’t go as planned.” Three electronic boards are used to manage the shots.
A director and three shooters follow a written script to ensure blasts coincide with the music. Most large blasts have to be shot several seconds ahead of the musical beats they are to accompany.
What you don’t see: A crew of eight people needs a dayand-a-half to set up the charges. During the show, the shooting crew sits about 100 feet from the charges at Shelter House 3. “Where we are sitting it is 10 times louder than where anyone else sits,” says Flickinger. “It’s always interesting to see the new guys and their reaction when it starts.” After the show crew members spend hours cleaning up any potentially live material. They return at daylight to finish the job.
ABOVE Marty Flickinger shows some of the firepower and technical equipment that he and his crew will use to create the city’s annual Fourth of July fireworks display at Lake Shawnee.
OrthoKansas,PA proudly announces the addition of
Stephan L. pRô, M.D., Kansas native and Sports Medicine Surgeon, to their medical staff beginning in August 2012. Dr. Prô is fellowship-trained in sports medicine and specializes in:
• SpecialiSt in Hip artHroScopy • Knee & SHoulder artHroScopic Surgery • poSterior cruciate ligament reconStruction (pcl’S) • HamString tearS • advanced artHroScopic SHoulder procedureS • cartilage reStoration
Your Comprehensive Orthopaedic Care... In One Convenient Location.
Richard G. Wendt, • M.D. Jeffrey C. Randall, M.D. • Neal D. Lintecum, M.D. • Douglass E. Stull, M.D. Ryan M. Stuckey, M.D. • Stephan L. Prô, M.D. • William A. Bailey, M.D. • Sean A. Cupp, M.D.
David Murdie
Dolores Torrez of the BNSF Women’s Club
T. A. Hamilton
Great Overland Station interior
The All Veterans Memorial in front of Great Overland Station
What’s Happening?
Topeka Railroad Festival Great Overland Station invites community to celebrate five years on the right track
The Great Overland Station opens its doors for its Fifth Annual Railroad Festival on August 18. This event has grown steadily since the museum resurrected an old Topeka tradition in 2008. Executive Director Bette Allen says the event is about teaching local history: “The railroads were really important to the starting of Topeka.” The event features displays about railroads and gives retired and veteran railroaders a chance to gather and talk about old times.
Memorabilia: The BNSF Women’s Club, a group of current and retired employees, sells
railroad memorabilia and merchandise as part of fundraising efforts to support local charities.
History: Re-enactors like David Murdie, who demonstrates historic rope-making, will be on hand. A Civil War encampment and Wild West show are also scheduled.
Entertainment: Magician T.A. Hamilton is among the performers lined up for the three stages of entertainment. Other activities include a children’s activities tent, pony rides and a “trackless” train, all included in the price of admission.
Location and additional information: Story by Karen Ridder
Photography by Bill Stephens
The festival is at the Great Overland Station, 701 N. Kansas Ave., from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door, and the $5 admission includes all games and rides for the kids.
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
45
’t a n o D
i r y o ur D
irt y
l aunDry!
Summer iS here!
Drop off your king size comforters, blankets, sleeping bags and more. We’ll wash and bag for storage. Or, do it yourself in our large washers & dryers.
The Laundry Chute
Southwest corner of Brookwood Shopping Center 29th and Oakely
Fine pre-owned clothing and furniture
Linens & Accessories Home Fragrance & Toiletries
ll Buy / seise / appraues iq t n a
Topeka’s Oldest Antique Shop
Now opeN iN Brookwood ShoppiNg CeNter Antiques
785-233-7107
2900 SW Oakley, Suite N Topeka, Kansas 66614
2841 SW 29th • 272-9344 Open 7 days a week. Locally owned and operated.
HOURS
MON-SAT 11:00AM - 5:00PM Continuous operation since 1982
Michelle De La Isla as Dorothy
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Genre: drama
Plot After starting her career as an insurance company actuary, Dorothy Munoz takes a buyout to open a small bakery that makes bicycle deliveries to customers and residences within a three-mile radius. Recently divorced, Dorothy forgoes her helmet during a three-block muffin delivery so she won’t flatten her hair in anticipation of an internet speed dating event that night at Glinda’s Martini Bar. She takes a bad spill, lands on her head and suffers amnesia. Later at Glinda’s, she encounters a charming male nurse training for a Habitat for Humanity charity bike ride who comes to her rescue. “Spokes fly” as they work together to rebuild Dorothy’s memory.
Plot Following repeated combat deployments, Air Force pilot Dorothy Airhart returns to Topeka where she forges an unlikely friendship with a cantankerous Korean War veteran and joins his long-odds team in a round-the-world vintage airplane race.
Also appearing The Tin Man The hopelessly heartsick scrap metal supplier who makes personal deliveries to Dorothy’s shop each week not only to enjoy the Emerald City’s best Danish but also to dish with Dorothy about local happenings. The “Munchkin” Dorothy’s petite, perky loyal friend who earned her nickname during her college days with Dorothy at Washburn University where the duo spent afternoons studying and evenings dancing at retro-disco clubs followed by late-night doughnut hole runs. The Lion Dorothy’s first husband and the pony-tailed lead singer for the Judy Garland Band, a popular opening act for casino headliners, who hopes Dorothy’s amnesia will work in tandem with his recent sobriety to win her back. Over the Rainbow Dorothy’s still-in-the-works signature multicolored coffee cake ring combining the best of Mexican and American baking traditions and liberal amounts of cinnamon.
50
Also appearing The Wizard Patrick “The Wiz” O’Reilly, a decorated Korean War pilot famous for offending everyone equally at veterans’ events and rare family gatherings. But in Dorothy, he finds for the first time a friend and a pilot who is his equal in skill, gumption and Guinness consumption. Tornado Dorothy’s nickname for their high-mileage, dented World War II vintage plane, awash in Mars candy bar wrappers, Fritos bags and heavily highlighted books on Irish history. Over the Rainbow How Dorothy feels when she flies, unfettered by her emotional burdens. Scarecrow The farmland icon that Dorothy focuses on whenever a flight faces enemy fire or engine trouble. Oz A potent veggie, fruit and herb concoction Dorothy buys at the Downtown Topeka Farmers Market and spikes with a liberal shot of Irish whiskey to toast with the Wizard as they head off on what might be a fool’s mission, a brave venture or both.
Photographs Courtesy Hair and styling courtesy Francie Worthing, Salon 808 (Sing, My Pretty) and Victoria Benson, Victoria’s (A Gardener’s Tale). Location courtesy Gary Gilbert (Dorothy’s Back), The Edge at Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library (Sing, My Pretty), Topeka Combat Air Museum (Fear of Flying), Absolute Tattoo (The Girl with the Flying Monkey Tattoo) and the Steinkuehler family (A Gardener’s Tale). Costuming courtesy Tony Naylor and the Washburn University Theatre Department (Sing, My Pretty). Location styling by Shelly Bryant.
Sing, My Pretty Genre: Musical Drama Plot Disenchanted with the Austin music scene, aspiring songwriter Dorothy Prescott finds purpose and passion in the Emerald City by renovating an empty Kansas Avenue storefront into a nightclub, Ruby’s. Using reclaimed lumber and recycled materials culled from disaster sites and demolished buildings, the plucky songstress rebuilds her life and finds her voice.
Also appearing The Tin Man The heartless, taciturn backup vocalist who can rock an audience but has a tin ear when it comes to realizing that Dorothy has a crush on him. Tornado A legendary, brooding mandolin player with a dark past who is charmed and intrigued enough by Dorothy to come out of retirement and storm the stage. Glinda, the Good Witch The banker who loans Dorothy the money to make the storefront transformation possible, her own early aspirations rekindled as she sifts through a trunk full of scrawled song lyrics about heartbreak and hope, pondering whether collaboration could be possible. Toto Dorothy’s best friend from high school, Tonette Totelli, a broadcast journalist known for her big heart and bigger hair, who introduces Dorothy around town to create buzz for the project. Scarecrow An anonymous investor who buys the properties flanking Ruby’s, but is the investor betting for or against Dorothy’s establishment’s success?
53
The Girl
with the Flying Monkey Tattoo
Genre: Thriller Plot When a disgruntled state IT employee with the handle of “the Wizard” plots to crash the entire computer system of state revenue records, authorities turn to a young, impish rogue hacker to safeguard the treasure trove of information. But the fiercely independent single mother has plans of her own …
Also appearing The Lion Dorothy’s tattoo artist and silent business partner who bankrolled Dorothy past the first crucial, Ramen-noodles year of business and transforms the milestones of her life into skin art. Cyclone The virus set to bring down the state’s computer systems. Toto The prototype internet search engine that Dorothy developed during her junior year of high school that she recodes as “Toto, Fetch!” to track down and disable Cyclone. The Yellow Brick Road Dorothy’s circuitous, highly secretive, global route of connections that allows her to move undetected into tightly guarded computer systems … leaving mysterious, windfall deposits in the accounts of the local women’s shelter and other organizations that she supports.
54
a
Gardener's tale Genre: Family drama Plot A married, harried mother of three and grandmother of seven, Dorothy Bennett receives a financial windfall and quits her Department of Commerce job to develop cosmetics and custom scents using sunflowers and snapdragons raised in her expansive home garden. As her business begins to bloom, she is dealt her greatest challenge—a rare diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s.
NERS
FURNACE & AIR CONDITIO DUCTWORK R WHOLE HOUSE GENERATO
also appearing The Wizard A retired botanist who helps Dorothy perfect an emerald-green beauty balm cream that garners a segment on Sunflower Journeys and a feature story in O, Oprah Winfrey’s magazine. Unknown to Dorothy, he is now working nonstop to research and develop herbal remedies for Dorothy’s disease.
CONTACT US TODAy TO KEEp yOUR HOmE COmFORTAbLE ALL yEAR LONG.
1520 SE 10th | 785-232-2916 www.debackersinc.com
Define Your Smile.
The Lion Dorothy’s husband, who would have preferred to funnel his wife’s windfall into buying a boat for family outings at Lake Sherwood and who struggles to emulate his wife’s courage in facing her diagnosis and preparing their family for a future without her. Munchkins The neighborhood kids who keep Dorothy’s spirits up with hugs, humor and enthusiastic—if not always effective—gardening assistance.
You deserve the beautiful smile that you have always wanted. The office of Dr. Michael Michel is ideally suited for patients with significant dental needs. What we do best is help patients who are afraid of losing their teeth, embarrassed about the appearance of their teeth, disappointed in their ability to chew or speak, or who have fear related to dental care.
Tornado The laid-off, fifty-something medical clinic manager turned housekeeper who furiously unleashes midlife frustration on all the hard surfaces in Dorothy’s home but has a soft spot for her employer, freely dispatching marketing and personal advice along with the dust bunnies.
Providing complete dental care for the whole family!
The Wicked Witch of the east A bored, embittered former fashion model from the East Coast married to a local attorney who befriends Dorothy at a hot yoga class, intrigued by her game-face gumption and gingham scarves.
Whitening and Cosmetic services available
785-273-0801 57
Michael E. Michel, DDS, PA 2951 SW Wanamaker Dr ive Topeka, Kansas Email micheldds@yahoo.com w w w.micheldental.com
Quin t h e
l W r i g
Story by
Anita Miller Fry
Photography by
Jason Dailey
ncea単era
W o m a n With a few adaptations, a traditional Latino ceremony attracts new generations and broader communities such as Kaitlyn Petra Ruiz and her family
In many ways, it is a lot like being royalty for a day. But a quinceañera, the coming-of-age-ceremony for a girl turning 15, is also a venerated tradition steeped in culture, ethnicity and religious commitment. Rooted is
in
Catholicism
now becoming
cultures Petra enjoyed
and
Ruiz, and
and
culture,
it
more widely practiced across
congregations. who
Latino
recently
danced
her
Just
ask
planned, way
Kaitlyn stressed,
through
her
own celebration. “The reason I wanted to do it is because of a connection to my Latin culture,” says the slender, dark-haired Washburn Rural High School sophomore. “I have spent a lot of time with my dad’s side of the family and been around the culture. “It’s not all about me, but about everything and everyone who has grown up with me. There is a spiritual aspect to it. You grow up with your parents and they tell you about God, and when you’re a teenager you have to make choices,” the teen continues. “It is like being a princess for a day, all eyes are focused on you, but it’s more.” Kaitlyn began researching quinceañeras approximately two years prior to the actual event March 24, her 15th birthday. Her mother, Linda, agreed to help Kaitlyn but wanted her daughter to also be a big part of the planning. Intensive planning—similar to planning a wedding—started about 10 months prior to the event, and Kaitlyn and her mother both used binders to keep all the information they needed about the program, banquet, dresses, flowers, decorations and food. Kaitlyn said the first order of business was to select a theme for the event, and she chose a Tinkerbell theme from the Peter Pan story, where the children never grow up. “This is a ceremony to show I am growing up, but I’m always going to be a kid at heart,” Kaitlyn says. Almost as important as the theme is the dress. A traditional quinceañera dress is white, but that has changed and now a girl may select any color she wants. Kaitlyn looked in stores in Topeka, Kansas City and online. “It was pretty hard to find,” Kaitlyn says of her dress. “There are 50 million dresses in the world, and there was only one that was for me.” She ultimately found a shimmering purple formal that looked perfect for a formal red carpet event, but the kid in her was still present. Right after her ceremony, when Kaitlyn lifted the full-length skirt, she revealed a pair of purple Chuck Taylor sneakers on her feet. However informal, the Chuck Taylors do play an important role in the ceremony, because the quinceañera girl must wear a pair of flats during the program. Then before the first dance, there is a “shoe ceremony” in which she changes into a pair of shoes with a heel, another symbol of her transformation to a young woman.
Kaitlyn Petra Ruiz stands in her quinceañera dress outside her school, Washburn Rural High School.
61
“ It’s not all about me, but about everything and everyone who has grown up with me.” —Kaitlyn Petra Ruiz
home heAlth And rehAbilitAtion 1800 SE 21st St. Topeka, KS 66607 785-234-2700 www.kansasvna.org
All your home cAre needs under one roof
Kaitlyn broke new ground with her quinceañera, the first ever at Countryside United Methodist Church, a denomination more familiar with baptisms and dedications. The Rev. Fritz Clark, who officiated his first quinceañera program for Kaitlyn, says he found many similarities in the quinceañera and the Protestant tradition of confirmation for young members. “It’s a ceremony of life passage,” says Clark, “of a life based in faith, of affirming your faith, a life in God and your family relationships.” For Kaitlyn, it is also a combination of her cultural and religious heritage. “For my ceremony it is all the same traditions, except with a Methodist twist,” she says. That Methodist twist included a bell choir for the traditional church service that began the celebration. Otherwise, the ceremony was a traditional quinceañera call to worship, an explanation of the meaning of the celebration, prayers, music and a scripture reading. Clark asked Kaitlyn to rededicate herself to her faith. The entire program was personalized for Kaitlyn, including the music written for her by Topeka musician Janelle Cruz. Photo displays of Kaitlyn, from birth to present, were displayed around the church. During the ceremony, Kaitlyn was joined by her court, six girls and six boys, including her younger brother, Austin, who would support and escort her throughout the day. “They’re all decked out in tuxes and dresses,” Kaitlyn explains. Tradition calls for seven boys and seven girls as attendants, but Kaitlyn wanted only six of each. The court escorted Kaitlyn and her guests to a banquet prepared by Kaitlyn’s grandmother and friends. The food was traditional: tacos, Spanish rice and other Hispanic foods. But Kaitlyn substituted the customary quinceañera cake with cupcakes. At the banquet, Kaitlyn made the traditional thankyou speech for her guests and sponsors and then presented two dolls wearing clothing similar to hers to two younger cousins, a symbol that she is growing up and leaving behind childhood toys. Shortly afterward, Kaitlyn would reinforce that theme by symbolically changing her shoes from flat to heels before dancing with her mother and then
Kaitlyn’s quinceañera included many modifications of the traditional ceremony. For example, instead of serving her guests a traditional cake, Kaitlyn offered cupcakes. And, of course, the responsible hostess ensured their quality with a pre-ceremony tasting at Pink City Catering.
It’s your time to smile! a s s i dy Orthodontics Second generation of providing orthodontic services to Topeka residents. 600 Governor View | Topeka, Kansas | 785.233.0582
Exclusive dealer of Manufaktura Polish Pottery
Cookware • Bakeware • Linens Stoneware • Cutlery • Recipe-Keepers Bar Accessories • Gourmet Foods Gift Certificates Inside Fairlawn Plaza Mall • 21st & Fairlawn 273-6436 • Hours: M-Sat 10-6, Sun 12-5 www.kitchengallerytopeka.com
her father, Roman. She then joined her court in a waltz that they practiced for several weeks prior to the event. Quinceañeras have always involved planning and coordination. “Traditionally, the community comes together and chips in and helps through sponsorships and with the party,” Linda says. “Families come together and rally around the girl. Like a village would plan this. You invite them, and you ask people to participate. It’s about a community coming together.” But recently, as quinceañeras have grown in popularity in the United States, so, too, have the magnitude and planning involved in preparing for them. Kaitlyn’s quinceañera—with approximately 175 guests, including local friends, church members and relatives from California and the East Coast—was a modest celebration in comparison to others. Even an average quinceañera can cost a family approximately $4,000. Linda, who had never planned a quinceañera before, said she was not familiar with the idea of having sponsors for the event, but she said she understood why it was important. And as the growing popularity of quinceañeras seems to attest, more families and communities see a profound reason to celebrate a girl’s coming of age in a ceremony that focuses equally on the young woman and the values she has chosen to embrace. Kaitlyn says an aunt asked her why she wanted to have a quinceañera. She told her, “Probably because it’s a party, and wow, it will be fun. But really it’s because everyone has my back as I grow up and it lets me connect more with my culture and God.”
During a quinceañera program, the girl of honor receives gifts that symbolize new responsibilities she will be taking on and remind her of the support she has. Often, the gifts are sponsored by family or friends, who present them during the ceremony. Tiara or headpiece: Symbolizes that she is a princess in God’s eyes. It can also represent the achievement of leaving childhood and the strength to face upcoming challenges. Bracelet: Represents the circle of life. Ring: The metal symbolizes the religious expression of faith. Earrings: Remind the girl to listen to God’s word. They can also be considered a reminder to listen to the world around her. Bible: Encourages a young woman’s continued religious growth. Scepter: Symbolizes the girl’s new responsibilities but also her new power as a woman.
64
Here I am, Standing at the crossroad. Here I am, Of my yesterdays and tomorrows. Here I am, Just a girl with great big dreams, A princess turning into a queen. Here I am, Looking back where I once stood. Here I am, In the memories of my childhood. Here I am, Holding all that’s precious to me. I close my eyes and this is what I see. From “The Woman Inside of Me” Music and words by Janelle Cruz for Kaitlyn Petra Ruiz’ quinceañera
Story by Susan Kraus
North, to Nebraska
A short journey across the state line offers a natural retreat for family fun and rejuvenation
about the
66
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
The Lied Lodge, above, is part of the Arbor Day Farm complex that includes nature excursions, top right, and a treehouse, right.
writer
Susan Kraus is a therapist and award-winning travel writer who believes that travel can be
I
am in a magnificent lodge, sitting on a gliding rocker in a sunroom behind a massive stone fireplace where flames dance above crackling logs. In my hand is a glass of pinot gris, and a thick novel lies in my lap. But I’m too lazy to pick it up and keep reading. I just sit, listening to the soft inhale and exhale of my own breath, thinking about … nothing. I am, I realize, with no small satisfaction, at rest. The Lied Lodge at Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City is a place I’ve come to often over the last 17 years, and not only in winter, when the warming fire appeals, especially after a walk in the snow, but in spring when trees bud and slim green flower stems break ground, and summer, when the orchards are rich with blossoms and fruit, and fall, the season of harvest and changing leaves.
Lied Lodge
and conference Center
Arbor Day Farm 2700 Sylvan Road | Nebraska City, Nebraska (800) 546-5433 | www.liedlodge.org Room reservations start at approximately $130 per night and go up to approximately $400 with the inclusion of various family and spa options.
Relax with us on a 7 day Pacific wine coast cRuise aboaRd the saPPhiRe PRincess on
OK, I wax prosaic. Sappily prosaic. But I can’t help myself. I really like this place. Every time I walk into the arching lobby, under massive Douglas fir timbers, face the three-story fireplace, sit in the familiar leather sofas, I feel my body go “ahhhhhhh.” I think people can actually hear the letdown, like air leaving an overinflated, type-A, stressed-out balloon. The Lied Lodge is a straight shot, just a two-hour drive up Highway 79 from Topeka. It’s a trip that leads to a focus on nature because Lied Lodge is home to the National Arbor Day Foundation, surrounded by orchards, forest trails, a state historical park, tennis and, of course, a golf course. Just adjacent to Lied Lodge is the “Tree Adventure,” a low-tech exploration of forest life, with a canopy treehouse, Discovery Ride, movie, trails and playscapes. It’s interactive in a pre-digital sense, as kids touch, build, feel, smell, listen and get down-and-dirty with nature. The foundation’s adjacent Apple Farm offers children and adults cold cider or a piece of homemade pie and ice cream. This is fun the way fun was before screens took over.
May 11-18, 2013 Package includes:
• Cruise fare and port taxes • All meals & entertainment on board • Group premium wine tasting on-board • Pre-paid Gratuities • Travel Insurance (with concierge service)
date 11 May 2013 12 May 2013 13 May 2013 14 May 2013 15 May 2013 16 May 2013 17 May 2013 18 May 2013
Port/city Los Angeles, CA Santa Barbara, CA San Francisco, CA At Sea Astoria, OR Seattle, WA Victoria, BC Vancouver, BC
If you have a passion for wine like we do, join us on this unique, once a year itinerary. We are sailing on the Sapphire Princess for seven days up the Pacific Coast from L.A. to Vancouver. We will port and access some great wine areas around: Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Seattle and also view the scenic beauty of Astoria, OR and Victoria BC.
Cruise Holidays the best therapy. She enjoys helping people create their own “travel therapy” by writing about journeys that anyone can replicate.
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ‘12
67
of
Topeka
5967 SW 29th St., Ste. 260 Topeka, KS 66614 785-271-9889 | 800-995-0928 Cruise@CruiseXcel.com www.CruiseXcel.com
In Nebraska City: Nebraska City Museum of Firefighting 1320 Central Ave. | (402) 873-4403 www.ncmuseumoffirefighting.net Lewis and Clark Missouri River Visitors Center 100 Valmont Dr. | (402) 874-9900 www.mrb-lewisandclarkcenter.org Mayhew Cabin and Historic Village and John Brown Cave 2012 4th Corso | (402) 873-3115 www.mayhewcabin.org
In Lincoln: Children’s Museum 1420 P St. | (402) 477-4000 www.lincolnchildrensmuseum.org Nebraska History Museum 15th and P St. | (402) 471-4754 Lincoln Children’s Zoo and Botanical Gardens 1222 S. 27 St. | (402) 475-6741 www.lincolnzoo.org Sunken Gardens 27 and Capital Parkway | (402) 441-8258 Ager Play Center 2740 A St. | (402) 441-7847 Capitol 1445 K St. | (402) 471-0448 www.capitol.org Haymarket Blocks around N. 8 and Q St. www.lincolnhaymarket.org
In Omaha: Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium 3701 S. 10 St. | (402) 733-8400 www.omahazoo.com Children’s Museum 500 S. 20 St. | (402) 342-6164 www.ocm.org Strategic Air and Space Museum I-80 Exit 426 | Ashland, NE (800) 358-5029 | www.sasmuseum.com Joslyn Art Museum 2200 Dodge St. | (402) 342-3300 www.joslyn.org Old Market Blocks surrounding Jackson and 12th St. www.oldmarket.com
Lied Lodge is dedicated to conservation and sustainability, so it’s pretty darn green in every sense of the word. Fruits and veggies are grown on-site for the dining room; meat and fish are as locally sourced and organic as possible. Recycling is a mandate. Staying here feels like providing a public service. But I would never have returned without the personal gratifications. A day is not complete without a walk, an afternoon swim in the Olympic-size pool, a nap (preferably with a breeze and the sounds of birds chirping in the background), a pre-supper wine with a book in the lobby, being catered to in the Timber Dining Room and perhaps wrapping up the day with a late-night soak in the Jacuzzi. No “to-do” lists. It’s a trip for nature, but it gives you the gift of time for reflection and restoration.
In the Region You do not have to surrender your car keys once you reach the Lied Lodge. The region provides a great base camp. At 50 miles south of Omaha and east of Lincoln, it is a midpoint for exploring the region of southeastern Nebraska. In Omaha, the Henry Doorly Zoo offers the world’s largest indoor desert inside the world’s largest geodesic dome, adjacent to the world’s largest indoor rainforest. The zoo also has some darn cute penguins in addition to approximately 900 other animal species. A must-do is the Skyfari, a ski-lift ride over what feels like a piece of Africa. For little ones, there is the Omaha Children’s Museum. If you have kids who love the military or planes, the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland, just southwest of Omaha, is a winner. Art abounds: Joslyn Art Museum for mostly 19th-20th century works; Bemis Center for contemporary; El Museo Latino for Hispanic; and the Durham Museum for art deco—more history than art, actually, at this last stop. Old Market is a historic section, cobblestone streets lined with galleries, shops and
Photographs courtesy Arbor Day Farm Lied Lodge and Conference Center, R. Neibel, Nebraska City Tourism and Commerce, Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau and Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
69
Convenient Medical Care. . . Convenient Location. . . Convenient Hours. . . 29th & Gage (4011 SW 29th) Topeka Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-8:30pm Saturday 9:00am-5:30pm, Sunday 9:00am-5:00 pm
restaurants. Along the Missouri River, north of Old Market, is the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, an impressive site, especially at night, with a fiber-optic wave sculpture, dancing waters and River Critters playground for children. Nebraska’s capital has a Lincoln Children’s Museum, the Nebraska History Museum and the Lincoln Children’s Zoo (pony rides and mini-train). The Sunken Gardens, an oasis of terraces, waterfalls, winding paths and flora, is just around the corner from the zoo. If the kids need to just work off some excess energy, the Ager Play Center is a giant indoor playground (little kids go bananas) and perfect if you encounter a rainy day. There is a splendid state Capitol building (mosaics, Venetian glass murals and impressive Supreme Court building). The Haymarket district is a pedestrian area with shops and dining. The Saturday farmers’ market also has international crafts and food. Nebraska City also offers plenty of attractions, including the unusual Nebraska City Museum of Firefighting, where children can dress in gear and climb aboard a retired engine. The Lewis and Clark Missouri River Visitors Center offers trails for birding and hiking and a full-size replica of a Native American earth lodge. You might want to coordinate your visit to watch one of the center’s re-enactments on the second Sunday of each month (from May to October). The Mayhew Cabin and Historic Village and John Brown Cave complex is also open seasonally and provides a historical connection to the abolitionist from Kansas.
70
TOPEKAMAGAZINE
Summer ’ 12
Downtown Omaha includes a river walk, top, as well as artwork such as the 32,500square-foot mural, Fertile Ground.
r e m m su s p m A dAy c • Nature • sports • adveNture • teeN • theater
• fuN zoNe • soccer • preschool • adaptive recreatioN
look for our summer cAtAlog.
it’s loaded with affordable family fun parksandrec.snco.
us
fu n y l i m A f AffordAble Call us today (785) 267-1156