The Maple #6 by The Maple/The Maple Weekly

ISSUE #06 LETTERS

I'm absolutely thrilled about this issue because it’s filled with some of my favorite people in Baldwin City—the kiddos! From young athletes to creatives, this edition is a celebration of our local youth.

A huge thank you to our contributors, who live, work, and play right here in Baldwin City. Their dedication brings our community’s stories to life, and we’re so grateful to have them on our team. I’m also excited to announce that Kayla Kohn has joined us as our new Photo Editor! Kayla’s eye for capturing Baldwin City’s spirit is something you won’t want to miss.

Now, we need your help! We’re always looking for fresh stories for The Maple magazine and The Maple Weekly newspaper. Got a tale of a hometown hero or a quirky local event? We want to hear it!

And one more thing…drumroll… The Maple is starting a podcast! The Bacon: A Baldwin City Podcast will be airing in the near future! We’re putting the final touches on our studio at 8th & Grove inside Lovely Flower Co. Stay tuned for more details—big things are coming!

Thank you for being a part of The Maple family. Together we’re making our community’s stories shine, one page, one post, and soon, one podcast at a time.

Jenni Fish

Publisher/Graphic Designer

Owner of Design-o-Saur & The Maple products jenni@baldwinmaple.com

Millennia ago, a wise man noted that children are an inheritance from the Lord, and so it remains. The trouble with children is, they arrive as wild and uneducated dollops of joy who must be lovingly trained and thoughtfully educated into a semblance of civilized, honorable creatures, a task equal parts rewarding and daunting. We dedicated this issue to the children of Baldwin City, the inheritance of our community, but it’s a thinly veiled resource for their caregivers. If you’re in the thick of shaping hearts, channeling energy, and nurturing intellects, I hope you find something within these pages both helpful and hopeful!

Monica Brovont Editor monica@baldwinmaple.com

Hello! I am thrilled and so excited to join The Maple team and take on the role of Photo Editor. I wanted to take the amazing design and stories within this beautiful magazine and help bring them to life even more than they already had been doing with prior issues. A little bit about me: I have been photographing family and newborn portraits in the area for six years with my business Kayla Kohn Photography. I started my business after completing my Bachelors from Baker University in Mass Media and being a photojournalist in the Kansas Air National Guard for nine years. I really hope you enjoy this issue and the images that so many people came together to bring to life!

Kayla Kohn

Photo Editor + Kayla Kohn Photography kaylakohnphotography@gmail.com

letter from the publisher

letter from the editor

letter from the photo editor

Photograph by Keara Torkelson

PUBLISHER

Jenni Fish jenni@baldwinmaple.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Monica Brovont monica@baldwinmaple.com

PHOTO EDITOR

Kayla Kohn

kaylakohnphotography@gmail.com

DESIGN/LAYOUT

Jenni Fish

WRITERS

Monica Brovont

Jessi Gerber

Jackie Hostetler

Ilene Kimsey

Lynn Meador

Angela Robb Kinsley Scott

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Sarah Beth Houser

Kayla Kohn

Frank Perez

Pitts Photography

Keara Torkelson

Ellie Thurlow

COPY EDITORS

Lynn Meador

Dana Mullis

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR COMMUNITY

PARTNERS: The City of Baldwin City

Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce

Baldwin City Library

Baldwin City Recreation Commission Lumberyard Arts Center

INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING?

Reach out to jenni@baldwinmaple.com The

THE MAPLE CONTRIBUTORS

Jessi Gerber Writer See her writing on page 28

Sarah Beth Houser Photographer Crush Model Studio See her photos on page 38

Jackie Hostetler Writer See her writing on page 18 Liz Chapa Sales Rep

Lynn Meador Writer/Copy Editor/City Liaison

her writing on page 40

Frank Perez Photographer See his photo on pages 44 & 46

Susan & Brian Pitts Photographers Pitts Photography

their photos on page 32

Dana Mullis Copy Editor

Angela Robb Writer See her writing on page 38

Kinsley Scott Student Writer See her writing on page 32

Keara Torkelson Photographer See her photos on pages 4, 18

Ellie Thurlow Photographer See her photos on page 40

Photograph by Kayla Kohn Photography

Photograph by Kayla Kohn

Junk The drawer

The Baldwin City Fire Department has given their station a vibrant makeover by painting the three front garage doors. The once boring white doors are now a striking cherry red with black trim, adding a lively touch to the building. This bold transformation has truly made the station pop. If you haven’t driven by yet, definitely take a look!

“The

Our beloved flower shop, Lovely Flower Co., made an exciting move at the end of July 2024! They relocated from their spot along Hwy 56 to the charming building at the corner of Grove & 8th Streets.

Nailed It!

Tucked away in the back half of Seventh Street Hair lies a hidden gem we’re thrilled to share with you! Discover a full nail salon featuring two brand-new pedicure chairs. Katie Gordon invites her clients to enjoy her services in this fantastic space. No need to leave town for a top-notch nail experience—support local and treat yourself right here!

Contact Katie to book an appointment! 785-615-1549

Fresh sushi is now available at the Baldwin City Market! Delivered daily at 10:45 a.m., this delicious and affordable sushi offers a variety of rolls and package sizes to suit every taste. Head straight to the north end of the store to explore the large selection and enjoy the convenience of fresh, tasty sushi right in your local grocery store.

County Line Heating & Cooling came to our rescue. Kyle and Cody were able to help cool our house down quicker than we could have hoped for. We are incredibly grateful for their prompt and efficient service!” -Jenni

Fish,

Publisher

10

spotlight:

USD 348

Baldwin City School District 715 Chapel, Baldwin City, KS (785) 594-2721 www.usd348.com

Dear Baldwin Families,

I sincerely hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful and relaxing summer! There is a strong sense of excitement in anticipation of another school year. We could not be more proud of the students, staff, and families in the Baldwin community. We’ve said it many times—Baldwin is a great place to live and raise a family, and it is an honor for our schools to play a part in what makes Baldwin special.

Each of our schools offers many great opportunities for students, from activities to clubs, and sports to the arts. We take pride in knowing there is something available for everyone. Our staff’s level of compassion and commitment is focused on ensuring all students have access to success while seeking opportunities to grow and learn. We hope you enjoy learning about our various opportunities in this edition of The Maple.

IN THIS ISSUE!

Gardening Club at the Intermediate Center, where young students eagerly dig into hands-on learning about gardening. See pg. 18

Thank you to the Baldwin community for your support, as our bond issue has passed. Over the next several months, we will engage in detailed planning sessions that will result in the construction and remodeling of our Career and Technical Education Facilities and an enclosed breezeway between the high school and junior high. We are also looking forward to the new off-street bus dismissal/pick-up locations, additional parking, and new entrances at BHS.

Over the past several weeks, we have been planning for another great school year. Our staff has returned full of excitement, and our facilities look amazing. We cannot wait to see what the 2024-2025 school year brings to the students, families, and the Baldwin community. Thank you for your continued support as we strive to prepare students to 'positively impact the world through academic, social-emotional, and behavioral success.'

Respectfully, Mark Dodge Superintendent, Baldwin USD 348 #BaldwinBuilt

Photography from top, clockwise: Keara Torkelson, Kayla Kohn, and Frank Perez

The

Graduates proudly toss their hats in celebration of their hard-earned scholarships. See pg. 28

spotlight: LIBRARY

Baldwin City Library

800 7th St, Baldwin City, KS (785) 594-3411

Discover Your Library

800 7th St, Baldwin City KS (785) 594-3411 www.baldwincitylibrary.org

2024 Library

Board of Trustees

baldwin.mykansaslibrary.org

SEPTEMBER

20-21 Mum Sale

LETTER FROM OUR DIRECTOR

Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 10-7 Fri. 10-5, Sat. 10-2

Letter from our Director:

As I’m coming up on my first anniversary as your Director of the Baldwin City Public Library, we just wrapped up another great Summer Library Program. We still have so many more events for children, teens, and adults going on now and into the fall.

Our Friends of the Library BookTalk series resumes in September with ghost stories! Not the truly scary kind, but enough to get you ready for Halloween.

As I’m coming up on my first anniversary as your Director of the Baldwin City Public Library, we’re busy wrapping up another great Summer Library Program But we still have so many more events for children, teens, and adults going on now and into the fall

Local authors Gerard Arantowicz and John Musgrave will be a part of AuthorTalk. Storyteller Danny McMillen will be telling stories for Our Local History series. And Melinda Hipple will be giving a two-part

Megan Lutterll-Guss (exp. ‘25) Chair

Katy Wegnener (exp. ‘26) Vice Chair

Stefanie Culley (exp ‘27)

Secretary

Haiku lesson. We also have our regular programs: Craft Away Your Stress for adults and the Bulldog Afterschool Program and Teen Nite and so much more. I encourage you to check out our events page on our website or follow us on Facebook to keep up with everything we’re doing.

Randy Rezac (exp ‘24)

Treasurer

Frank Foye (exp ‘27)

Member

Marta Jardon (exp ‘27)

Member

I want to thank the patrons, volunteers, staff, Friends of the Library, Board of Trustees, and the community for all of your support. It’s been a wonderful first year serving you, and I look forward to seeing you soon in the library!

Our Friends of the Library BookTalk series resumes in September with ghost stories! Not the truly scary kind, but enough to get you ready for Halloween

Mickey Dick (exp ‘24) Member

Casey Simoneau Member as Mayor

Reguar Programs:

Lisa LaFountain

Ongoing Programs:

BookTalk*

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

OCTOBER

Craft Your Stress Away, Game Time (Bridge), Best Movie Nite, Bulldog Afterschool Program, Teen Nite PROGRAMS

BookTalk*

Upcoming:

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

AUG. 24

AuthorTalk with Gerard Arantowicz 12:30-1:30 pm

NOVEMBER

BookTalk*

AUG. 28 & SEPT. 11

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Haiku series with Melinda Hipple 5:30-7:30 pm

Craft Your Stress Away, Game Time (Bridge), Best Movie Nite, Bulldog Afterschool Program, Teen Nite

2024 LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Megan Lutrell-Guss (exp. ‘25)–Chair

Katy Wegener (exp. ‘26)–Vice Chair

Upcoming:

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Local authors Gerard Arantowicz and John Musgrave will be a part of AuthorTalk Storyteller Danny McMillen will be telling stories for Our Local History series And Melinda Hipple will be giving a two-part Haiku lesson We also have our regular programs: Craft Away Your Stress for adults and the Bulldog Afterschool Program and Teen Nite and so much more I encourage you to check out our events page on our website or follow us on Facebook to keep up with everything we’re doing

Stefanie Culley (exp. ‘27)–Secretary

Frank Foye (exp. ‘27)–Member

Marta Jardon (exp. ‘27)–Member

7/29 -8/14 Beyond Selfies & Snapshots photography series with Wayne Jarvis 6-7:30 pm

Mickey Dick (exp. ‘24)–Member

Casey Simoneau Member as Mayor September MUM SALE (Sept 20-21)

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

*Visit

Randy Rezac (exp. ‘24)–Treasurer

8/24 AuthorTalk with Gerard Arantowicz 12:30-1:30 pm

8/28 & 9/11 Haiku series with Melinda Hipple 5:30-7:30 pm

9/18 Our Local History with Danny McMillen 6-7:00 pm

11/6 AuthorTalk with John Musgrave 6-7:00 pm

SEPT. 18 Our Local History with Danny McMillen 6-7 pm NOV. 6 AuthorTalk with John Musgrave 6-7 pm

*Visit our website or follow us on Facebook for dates and times!

Join Friends of the Library for as little as $10 a year!

Enjoy members-only discounts and early shopping

Scan QR code for more details:

www.baldwincitylibrary.org

CITY

The City of Baldwin City 803 8th St, Baldwin City, KS (785) 594-6427 www.baldwincity.org

SNAPSHOTS OF THE city spotlight:

CLEAN UPGRADES

WATER FLOW

In May, Jersey Street received a huge upgrade with a new culvert under the road to facilitate water drainage. The work went well, and the completed project looks great!

FISHING POND

Several water lines on the east side of town are getting upgraded this year. The Public Works crew started with the lines along High Street, since the new sidewalk was going in this spring also.

Hutson’s Pond was stocked in June for the second time, supplementing the fish initially placed in the pond in the fall of 2023. We’ve heard of a few successful fishing expeditions so far – have you had any luck yet?

ROAD WORK AHEAD

Public Works employees cover a temporary patch on 6th Street with asphalt near the stoplight. The patch was necessitated after a water main broke under the road this spring, forcing City staff to cut a hole in the road to fix the broken pipe.

NEW SIDEWALKS!

11th Street, 2 blocks of High Street, 2nd Street, and 2 blocks of Quayle Street by the Junior High received new sidewalks this spring, filling in some missing pieces in the City’s Safe Routes to School plan.

No matter where your employer-sponsored retirement plan is, we can help ensure it’s working for you.

Meeting with you face-to-face, we’ll listen, ask questions and dig deep to understand your goals. We’ll discuss all your options and help identify solutions that work best for you.

Schedule your review today

Jennifer Hantsbarger, AAMS™, CRPC™

Financial Advisor

723 Eighth Street, Baldwin City, KS 66006

785-594-2910

jennifer.hantsbarger@edwardjones.com edwardjones.com/jennifer-hantsbarger

14 spotlight: RECREATION

Baldwin City Recreation Commission

705 High St, Baldwin City, KS (785) 594-3670 www.baldwinrec.org

SUMMER CONCERT MOVIE SERIES

The Summer Concert Movie Series in Baldwin City was a success, even in the Kansas summer heat. Marking the 40th anniversary of the Baldwin City Recreation Commission, the event featured classic movies also celebrating their 40th year. Bands entertained with live music, setting a relaxed tone for families and friends. OCTOBER 26

LONG LIVE Lumberyard!

Our mission is to enhance community wellbeing through creative experiences, and our vision is to be the home of multidisciplinary arts and innovation in Baldwin City, KS.

We believe that art has the power to transform our community into a more just, equitable, and open place where everyone belongs.

The last four years have seen tremendous organizational and programming growth. Our success comes with the need to bolster human resources capacity and strengthen internal infrastructure. As such, the board of directors set in motion last Fall a strategic planning process that resulted in a long term plan and vision.

BC FASHION SHOW

STILETTOS & BOOTS ON THE BRICKS

Join us for the entertainment event of the year on September 7! The Lumberyard Arts Center, with our partners, is putting on a fashion show that celebrates local retail apparel and the creative fashion industry. The evening includes Kansas City musician, Emma Jo, and her band performing in Sullivan Square. Lining the downtown brick streets include fashion vendors, food trucks, and street artists. This is a ticketed event with proceeds supporting the Lumberyard Arts Center’s operations. For more information, visit lumberyardartscenter.org.

Long Live the Lumberyard! is our 2024-2028 vision to build the arts in Baldwin City through: 1) shoring up operating support; 2) hiring additional staff; 3) programming development with USD 348 career and technical pathway enhancement for students to engage in the arts and; 4) fundraising for building expansion that will serve as a creative catalyst for residents and visitors to be entertained, enriched, and inspired.

LAURA DICKINSON YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Since 2005, $50,000 has been distributed to Baldwin High School graduates pursuing careers in the creative arts industry. Current students receiving scholarship funds include: Sierra Breedlove (music education, Washburn University), Ellis Conover (creative writing, University of Kansas), Kaleigh Griffith (arts education, Benedictine College), Jewel Marsh (arts education, University of Kansas), and Ainsley Weiss (Graphic Design, Allen County Community College). To raise funds for the Program, join us on September 28 for the Baldwin City’s Chamber of Commerce’s Third Friday Markets. The Wheatfield Rebellion will perform to close out the Market. All donations from the concert will go to support student scholarships.

Lindsey Toot & Jewel Marsh

spotlight: BUSINESS

Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce 719 High St, Baldwin City, KS (785) 594-3200 www.baldwincitychamber.com director@baldwincitychamber.com

MISSION STATEMENT:

The Chamber provides leadership for the business community and enhances the quality of life to benefit the community as a whole. It focuses its efforts on economic vitality, promotion of the community’s economic activity, organizing to create strong and sustainable foundations, and enhancing the design of our physical assets.

JOB LISTINGS

Fulfilling our mission statement can be as simple as providing a connection between employers and job seekers. We offer an online presence via our website for local businesses to list job opportunities, and we promote those opportunities through our social media and weekly newsletter.

Here’s what a few of the local businesses had to say about this opportunity:

HERITAGE TRACTOR

“It can be challenging to get the word out about open positions. This added benefit from the Chamber allows us to get maximum visibility in our community.”

Volunteers

BALDWIN STATE BANK

“When a small business is hiring and looking for local people to fill those positions, having the Chamber post our openings has helped us reach more people in the community. We have found great candidates.”

BALDWIN CITY LIBRARY

“The Chamber has been a great support to the Baldwin City Library. Their willingness to post job openings and advertise our programming has been a tremendous help. I am proud the library is a member of the Chamber of Commerce. Thank you for your outstanding service.”

Volunteers are the heartbeat of our community. They keep the city flower beds and gardens looking gorgeous, host and organize the Maple Leaf Festival, support the notfor-profits that bring vibrancy to our town, and so much more! The Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce offers many opportunities to volunteer, but it’s not volunteering for the Chamber, it’s volunteering alongside the Chamber to support a thriving community. Many of the events we host wouldn’t be possible without the giving hearts and busy hands of volunteers. Events such as: Be Well Community Walk, Be Well Capstone Event, Third Friday Markets, Hometown Halloween, Holiday Markets, and Festival of Lights. Thank you to the many volunteers of the past, your service is valued!

Volunteering with the Chamber is not limited to members or businesses. We encourage and invite participation from all ages and vocations!

RANDEE KALLAS

“It was really fun and gave me a chance to help people with their needs. It made me feel nice, generous, and grateful. I liked talking with people and making them laugh! I met new people, and some were even my age/in my grade.”

“We are thankful for volunteering opportunities that help us teach and show our kids how to help the community and how it benefits our community to volunteer. Sophiee’s heart was so full after the Be Well events!”

Keara Torkelson, Jenni Fish, Dana Mullis, and Chris Kallas take a break for a photo at the 2024 Be Well Baldwin City Wellness Festival hosted by the Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce.

Hosted by Jenni Fish & Dana Mullis

EXTRA

-Fun, -Engaging, -Curriculars!

USD 348 students embrace authentic engagement with the world around them

Story by Jackie Hostetler

Photography by Keara Torkelson

It’s no secret that Baldwin City has much to offer its residents. Live music, farmers markets, and festivals might occur on any given weekend. There is always something happening, and always a little something for everyone. The same is true for the younger residents in the community–the students!

Each school building within the Baldwin USD #348 School District offers a variety of clubs, activities, and sports tailored to the strengths and interests of students. As one might expect, the Primary Center starts students slowly by introducing just a few activities.

By the time students enter into the Intermediate Center, they are ready for a bit more responsibility in terms of extracurricular opportunities. One of the most popular extracurricular activities at the Intermediate Center has students playing dirty—literally! Eighteen weeks out of the year, the Garden Club,

sponsored by Intermediate Center librarian, Jill Boyle, allows students the opportunity to get a little dirt under their nails by tending to gardens on the Intermediate Center campus. The club, which has about fifty members, meets for three, six week sessions: one in the fall, one in the spring, and one during the summer months. According to Boyle, the club grows a little bit of everything.

“We grow vegetables and herbs (peas, lettuce, kale, spinach, radishes, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, peppers, squash, zucchini, strawberries, beans, mint, basil, cilantro) and flowers, too. We invested in a lot of pollinator plants in the fall of 2023. We hope to encourage bees, butterflies, and other pollinators to our garden plot,” reports Boyle.

What happens to all of the produce? The students get to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Students are allowed to sample the produce during recess, and

“We hope to encourage bees, butterflies, and other pollinators to our garden plot.”

-Jill Boyle

Garden Club members get to take home produce during the summer. Some of the produce is shared with the food service staff who cook with it during the school year and summer nutrition programs. One example of how they’ve used the produce is adding zucchini grown by the club into muffins and other baked treats. “One year we grew just enough watermelons that every student was able to sample a very small piece when we got back to school in August!” says Boyle.

The hard-working kids of the Intermediate Garden Club (left page; from left to right) Araceli Pinedo, Cooper Moore, Ariani Pinedo and Brelynne Flory (Right page; clockwise) Kaedyn Sloan, Araceli Pinedo, Brayden Dewey, Ariani Pinedo, Kristy Thompson, Cooper Moore; Kristy Thompson; Ariani Pinedo; Brayden Dewey

EDUCATION

EXTRA -Curriculars

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL

As students continue to progress through the school system, extracurricular activities become a richer, more developed experience. By the time kids enter junior high, they are in charge of proposing and running clubs and activities independently, with the support of a district sponsor.

The benefits of such experiences for students are numerous, from learning new skills to cultivating relationships to sharing passions, and perhaps most notably, as Baldwin High School Principal Brant Brittingham states, “Extracurricular activities and clubs are an opportunity for students to be authentically engaged with peers in a scenario void of technology.”

In other words– no phones. And who couldn’t use a little more of that?

USD 348 EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

PRIMARY CENTER: PreK - Grade 2

Events

Back to School Bash

Bullpup Stroll

Fundraiser hosted by the PTO to raise funds for the PTO

STEM Night

Hosted with support of Baker University sororities and fraternities

Book Fair

INTERMEDIATE CENTER: Grades 3-5

Clubs

4th and 5th Grade Choir

HIGH SCHOOL: Grades 8-12

Clubs

Art Club

Anime Club

Chess Club

Dungeons and Dragons (D&D Club)

Environmental Club

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)

Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)

Film Society

FRIENDS

Gay Straight Alliance (GSA)

International Club

Letterman’s Club LINK

Mardis Gras Diversity Day

National Honor Society (NHS)

Stand Up to Cancer

SPEAK

Student Council

Debate/Forensics

Band

Jazz Band

Choir

Student Council

Theater

Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)

Sports

Soccer (boys and girls)

Football

Volleyball

Wrestling (boys and girls)

Basketball (boys and girls)

Track (boys and girls)

Golf (boys and girls)

Dance Team

Cheer

Tennis

Intermediate Center librarian and Garden Club sponsor, Jill Boyle, works side-by-side with students, fostering a love for gardening and learning.

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

AGRICULTURE/ AGRITOURISM

AD ASTRA ALPACAS

168 E 1700 Rd., Baldwin City 785-594-6767 grampaca168@gmail.com adastraalpacas.com

HORNBERGER FARMS

Baldwin City 620-380-1392 hornbergerfarms@gmail.com

ARCHITECTURAL & ENGINEERING

LANDPLAN ENGINEERING, PA 1310 Wakarusa Dr., Ste. 100, Lawrence 66049 785-843-7530 jessn@landplan-pa.com landplan-pa.com

ARTS AND CULTURE

LUMBERYARD ARTS CENTER

718 High St., Baldwin City 785-594-3186 director@lumberyardartscenter.org lumberyardartscenter.org

ASSISTED LIVING SERVICES

VINTAGE PARK AT BALDWIN CITY 321 Crimson Ave., Baldwin City 785-594-4255 vintageparkassistedliving.com

AUTOMOTIVE

GREGG BRUCE AUTO AND PERFORMANCE

601 High St., Baldwin City 785-594-4088 greggbruceauto@gmail.com greggbruceauto.com

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

BALDWIN CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

P.O. Box 501, Baldwin City 719 High St., Baldwin City 785-594-3200 director@baldwincitychamber.com baldwincitychamber.com

EUDORA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE P.O. Box 725, Eudora 66025 admin@eudorakansaschamber.com eudorakansaschamber.com

GARDNER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 109 E Main St., Gardner 66030 913-856-6464 info@gardnerchamber.com gardnerchamber.com

LAWRENCE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

718 New Hampshire St., Lawrence 66044 785-865-4411 info@lawrencechamber.com lawrencechamber.com

OTTAWA AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

109 E. 2nd St., Ottawa 66067 785-242-1000 chamber@ottawakansas.org ottawakansas.org

BALDWIN CITY

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

719 High St, Baldwin City KS (785) 594-3200

www.baldwincitychamber.com jenni@baldwincitychamber.com

WELLSVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

P.O. Box 472, Wellsville 66092 785-816-0406 wellsvillechamberofcommerce@ hotmail.com wellsvillechamber.org

CHURCHES

IVES CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

1018 Miami St., Baldwin City 785-594-6555 iveschapelumc.org

CLUBS/NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

BALDWIN CITY BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL WOMEN

Debra Marsh, President P.O. Box 503, Baldwin City 785-212-0273

BALDWIN CITY LIONS CLUB P.O. Box 543, Baldwin City hazejl@hotmail.com

DOUGLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 900 Mass. St., Ste. 406, Lawrence 66044 785-843-8727 chipblaser@dccfoundation.org dccfoundation.org

FRIENDS OF THE BALDWIN CITY LIBRARY

P.O. Box 565, Baldwin City 785-594-3411 friendsofbaldwinlibrary@gmail.com baldwin.mykansaslibrary.org/friends

HEADQUARTERS KANSAS

Jessica Davis, Development Officer: 785-592-7635

Admin Line: 785-841-9900

Local Crisis Line: 785-841-2345

Suicide and Crisis Line (call or text): 9-8-8 ksphq.org

SANTE FE TRAIL HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.

P.O. Box 379, Baldwin City santafetraildouglas.org

SENIOR RESOURCE CENTER FOR DOUGLAS COUNTY

745 Vermont St., Lawrence 66044 785-842-0543 contact@yourSRC.org yoursrc.org

THE WILLOW DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CENTER

1920 Moodie Rd., Lawrence 66046 785-218-3671 24/7 Help Line 785-843-3333 admin@willowdvcenter.org willowdvcenter.org

WATKINS MUSEUM OF HISTORY

Douglas County Historical Society 1047 Massachusetts St., Lawrence 66044

785-841-4109 watkinsmuseum.org

CONSULTING

CAREER ADVANTAGE RESUMES

P.O. Box 532, Baldwin City 785-865-8528

ashley@careeradvantageresumes.com careeradvantageresumes.com

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

BALDWIN CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

P.O. Box 4, Baldwin City 785-766-1306 dhill@mid-americabank.com

EDUCATION

BAKER UNIVERSITY

615 Dearborn St., Baldwin City 785-594-8308 office@bakeru.edu bakeru.edu

BALDWIN CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 348 715 Chapel St., Baldwin City 785-594-2721 usd348.com

BALDWIN EDUCATION FOUNDATION

P.O. Box 67, Baldwin City 785-594-2121 ext. 111 bef@usd348.com baldwineducationfoundation.org

BALDWIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLINTERMEDIATE CENTER

100 Bullpup Ln., Baldwin City 785-594-2446 usd348.com/schools/besic

BALDWIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL –PRIMARY CENTER

500 Lawrence St., Baldwin City 785-594-2444 usd348.com/schools/bespc

BALDWIN HIGH SCHOOL

415 Eisenhower St., Baldwin City 785-594-2725 usd348.com/schools/bhs

BALDWIN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

400 Eisenhower St., Baldwin City 785-594-2448 usd346.com/schools/bjhs

THE DWAYNE PEASLEE TECHNICAL TRAINING CENTER, INC.

2920 Haskell Ave., Ste. 100, Lawrence 66046 785-856-1801 andrea.chavez@peasleetech.org peasleetech.org

EAST CENTRAL KANSAS COOPERATIVE IN EDUCATION (ECKCE)

600 High St., Baldwin City dwray@eckce.com svandertuig@eckce.com 785-594-2737 eckce.com

THE RAINBOW EXPERIENCE PRESCHOOL

115 6th St, Baldwin City 785-594-2223

rainbowexperiencebaldwin@yahoo.com rainbowexperiencepreschool.org

EVENTS FACILITIES

BALDWIN CITY LIBRARY

800 7th St., Baldwin City 785-594-3411

director@baldwin.lib.ks.us baldwincitylibrary.org

BALDWIN GOLF ASSOCIATION

1102 Main St., Baldwin City 785-979-9491 jake@baldwinstatebank.com baldwincitygolf.com

LUMBERYARD ARTS CENTER

718 High St., Baldwin City 785-594-3186 director@lumberyardartscenter.org lumberyardartscenter.org

THE LIGHT CENTER

1542 Woodson Rd., Baldwin City 785-255-4583 info@lightcenter.info lightcenter.info

TIMBER’S EDGE PARTY

BARN & EVENT SPACE

1558 N. 600th Rd., Baldwin City 913-669-6424 booking@timbersedge.com timbersedge.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES

ABC SERVICES 620-629-7332 ronda widener@yahoo.com

BALDWIN STATE BANK

721 High St., Baldwin City 112 8th St., Baldwin City 785-594-6421 baldwinstatebank.com

HALLMARK HOME MORTGAGE

622 High St., Baldwin City 913-233-9176 rstoll@1hallmark.com ryanstollmortgage.com

KANSAS STATE BANK

602 Ames St., Baldwin City 785-594-7500 mykansasstatebank.com

MID AMERICA BANK

802 Ames St., Baldwin City 785-594-2100 jhill@mid-americabank.com mid-americabank.com

NEW FRONTIER TAX & BUSINESS SERVICES

810 High St., Ste. #3, Baldwin City 785-594-1204 newfrontiertbs.com

RCB BANK

3300 W. 6th St., Lawrence 66049 785-330-7739 jared.todd@rcbbank.bank rcbbank.bank

FOOD AND DRINK

BALDWIN CITY BEER COMPANY

520 High St., Baldwin City 785-594-3535 baldwincitybeer@gmail.com

GAMBINO’S PIZZA

721 8th St., Baldwin City 785-553-3979 gambinospizza.com/ locations/baldwin-city-ks

HOMESTEAD KITCHEN AND BAKERY

719 8th St., Baldwin City 785-766-3442 lori@homestead.cafe homestead.cafe

PIZZA HUT BALDWIN CITY

130 US-56, Baldwin City 785-594-3230 www.pizzahut.com

THE BULLPEN

811 8th St., Baldwin City 785-594-1170

THE CORNER LIQUOR STORE, LLC

310 Ames St., Baldwin City 785-594-3555 csmann91@gmail.com

Z & M TWISTED VINES

24305 Loring Rd., Lawrence 66044 531-600-8187 zmtwistedvines@gmail.com zmtwistedwines.com

FUNERAL SERVICES

PRAIRIE CITY CEMETERY ASSOCIATION

207 East 1600 Rd., Baldwin City 785-594-3094 prairiecity.cem@gmail.com

HEALTH/WELLNESS

AUBURN PHARMACY

400 Ames St., Baldwin City 785-594-0340 baldwin@auburnpharmacies.com auburnpharmacies.com/baldwin-city-ks

BALDWIN CITY DENTAL

Dr. Chris Leiszler

414 Ames St., Baldwin City 785-594-9834 cleiszlerdds@sunflower.com baldwincitydental.com

BERT NASH COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER

200 Maine St., Ste. A, Lawrence 66044 785-830-1854 mangell@bertnash.org bertnash.org

OMGROWN YOGA & WELLNESS COLLECTIVE

816 High Street, Baldwin City 785-816-0207 omgrownyogacollective@gmail.com omgyc.com

PK THERAPY LLC

811 Grove St., Baldwin City 816-868-8909 matt@pktherapyot.com pktherapyot.com

RODROCK CHIROPRACTIC

603 Ames St., Baldwin City 785-594-4894 chirorock.com

THE LIGHT CENTER

1542 Woodson Rd., Baldwin City 785-255-4583 info@lightcenter.info lightcenter.info

Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce

HOME IMPROVEMENT/ CONSTRUCTION

HOMETOWN

CONSTRUCTION 785, LLC

1403 9th St., Baldwin City

785-979-0043

hometownconstruction785@gmail.com hometownconstruction785.com

WHEATFIELD FLOORING

785-424-3696

wheatfieldflooring@gmail.com

INDIVIDUALS

BRUCE EVELAND

GERALD SANDEN

JIM WILSON

LINDA BALLINGER

INSURANCE

A & D HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS

Aleshka Haas

913-245-1253

ahaas@myhst.com

Dustin Haas

913-787-3041

dhaas@myhst.com

AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE

KIM HOWER & ASSOCIATES

913-649-2002

khower@amfam.com amfam.com/agents/kansas/overland-park/kimberly-hower

CODY ANNO - STATE FARM

208 Baker St., Ste. A, Baldwin City 785-594-0270

cody@codyismyagent.com codyismyagent.com

FARM BUREAU

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Kelly Neufeld, Agent 714 8th St., Baldwin City 785-594-1055

kelly.neufeld@fbfs.com kellyneufeld.fbfs.com

INTEGRITY MIDWEST

INSURANCE LLC

2500 W. 31st St., Ste. B, Lawrence 66047 785-856-5100

clint@integritymw.com integritymidwestins.com

JARDON INSURANCE

705 8th St., Baldwin City 913-486-0061

galen@jardoninsurance.com jardoninsurance.com

INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER

CLEARWAVE FIBER

713 High Street, Baldwin City P.O. Box 815, Baldwin City 913-439-6080 clearwavefiber.com

MEDIACOM

COMMUNICATIONS CORP

785-594-2216 mediacomcable.com

LIBRARY

BALDWIN CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY

800 7th St., Baldwin City 785-594-3411

director@baldwin.lib.ks.us baldwincitylibrary.org

LODGING

ROOMS2STAY

703 9th St., Baldwin City 913-683-1758 cathenry.ch@gmail.com rms2stay.com

THE LIGHT CENTER

1542 Woodson Rd., Baldwin City 785-255-4583 info@lightcenter.info lightcenter.info

MANUFACTURING

CUSTOM MOBILE EQUIPMENT, INC.

439 E. High St., Baldwin City 785-594-7474 sales@versa-lift.com versa-lift.com

RICE PRECISION MANUFACTURING

401 E. High St., Baldwin City 785-594-2670 sales@rice-precision.com rice-precision.com

Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce

MEDIA/PRODUCTION/ PUBLISHING

BALDWIN CITY LIVING/ SUNFLOWER PUBLISHING

785-832-7264 jmorgan@sunflowerpub.com sunflowerpub.com

BALDWIN CITY MADE BY GREAT PLAINS PROMO

707 8th St., Baldwin City 785-594-5171 greatplainspromo@gmail.com

BALDWIN SPORTS LIVE varsitysportslive.com

DESIGN-O-SAUR

785-764-9114 jennimfish@gmail.com design-o-saur.com

FULLY PROMOTED

303 W. 11th St., Ste. B, Lawrence 66044 785-856-5160

chad.dick@fullypromoted.com Fullypromoted.com/ locations/Lawrence-ks

IMPERIUM PUBLISHING

Baldwin City, KS 316-833-6111

niki@imperiumpublishing.com imperiumpublishing.com

THE MAPLE

785-764-9114

jenni@baldwinmaple.com baldwinmaple.com

THE MAPLE WEEKLY

785-764-9114

jenni@baldwinmaple.com baldwinmaple.com

SOLAR

SANDROCK MUSIC COMPANY, LLC

1705 N. 600th Rd., Baldwin City 913-940-3766

info@sandrockmusic.com sandrockmusic.com

REAL ESTATE/RENTALS

BALDWIN CITY PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Baldwin City 785-813-1293 baldwincity4rent@gmail.com baldwincity4rent.com

BALDWIN RETIREMENT APARTMENT COMPLEX (BRAC) 1016 Orchard Lane, Baldwin City 785-594-6996 brac@housingforbaldwin.com housingforbaldwin.com

GOLD LEAF SENIOR LIVING 904 Ridge Rd., Baldwin City 785-766-7500 jhill@mid-americabank.com

LIVING SPACE, LLC

715 High St., Ste. A, Baldwin City 785-766-5849 amy@livingspacellc.com livingspacellc.om

REAL ESTATE

FOUNDATIONS

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Kirsten Flory 800 New Hampshire, Ste. 120, Lawrence 66044 785-766-6568 info@foundationscommercial.com foundationscommercial.com

HAYDEN OUTDOORS REAL ESTATE

Shad Sheldon

785-821-2666 shad@haydenoutdoors.com

Penny Sheldon 785-821-2011

penny@haydenoutdoors.com haydenoutdoors.com

STEPHENS REAL ESTATE, INC.

600 Lawrence Ave., Lawrence 66049 785-841-4500

Chris Earl chrisearl@stephensre.com

Oliver Minnis oliverminnis@stephensre.com 703 High St., Baldwin City Robyn Elder 785-331-9898 robynelder@stephensre.com stephensre.com

RECREATION/ ENTERTAINMENT

BALDWIN CITY RECREATION COMMISSION

705 High St., Baldwin City 785-594-3670 matt@baldwinrec.org baldwinrec.org

BALDWIN GOLF ASSOCIATION 1102 Main St., Baldwin City 785-979-9491 jake@baldwinstatebank.com baldwincitygolf.com

SHOPPING/RETAIL/GIFT

BALDWIN CITY MADE 707 8th St., Baldwin City 785-594-5171 greatplainspromo@gmail.com baldwincitymade.com

BALDWIN FEED COMPANY 1600 High St., Baldwin City 785-594-3351 bfeed92@yahoo.com

HERITAGE TRACTOR, INC.

915 Industrial Park Rd., Baldwin City 785-594-6486 jganoung@heritagetractor.com heritagetractor.com

LOVELY FLOWER CO.

703 8th St., Baldwin City 785-251-0689 info@lovelyflowerco.com lovelyflowerco.com

QUILTERS’ PARADISE

713 8th St., Baldwin City 785-594-3477 quiltfabsupply@yahoo.com quiltingfabricsupply.com

SOLAR

SOLAR PLANET

890 E. 1600 Rd., Baldwin City 785-331-7510 jae@solarplanteinc.com solarplanetinc.com

STORAGE FACILITIES

3G SELF STORAGE

280 E. 1260 Rd., Baldwin City 785-764-4661 3gselfstorage@gmail.com

OUT WEST STORAGE

1704 High St., Baldwin City 785-418-2770 gatorhorsedee66@gmail.com

UTILITIES

CITY OF BALDWIN CITY, KANSAS

803 8th St., Baldwin City 785-594-6427 baldwincity.org

Legacies Live on Through Scholarships

Education - a gift that keeps on giving

May 17, the Baldwin High School Senior Awards Ceremony took place, awarding graduating seniors with scholarships for the next chapter in their lives. Approximately forty scholarships are local to Baldwin City, which brings meaning to the scholarships beyond money. These scholarships show how much the people, businesses, and organizations truly love Baldwin City. Many scholarships are set up to continue a legacy, to remind us of what came before us, and how impactful we can be as citizens.

One of the longstanding scholarships is the Anna K. and Lester E. Hey Scholarship. Anna and Lester were longtime residents of Baldwin City who valued education. Since 2005, the scholarship has provided over $30,000 in scholarships to twenty Baldwin High School graduating seniors. Due to its longevity, this scholarship has become

one of the more prestigious scholarships offered.

The Spielman Sportsmanship Scholarship is a new scholarship offered this year. This scholarship was started by George Letner and dedicated to coaches Angie and Mike Spielman upon their retirement. Letner decided that a scholarship would be a great option to honor the couple’s time in Baldwin City, while also continuing their legacy of giving opportunities to the youth in Baldwin City.

“The best educators will have an impact on their students long after they have graduated and left the classroom,” Letner explained. “The impact that the Spielmans had on my formative years is something that is shared amongst many of their former athletes and pupils. They were dedicated coaches who knew how to inspire their athletes and how to teach them the fundamentals of

hard work, dedication, and patience. They led with a warmth and honesty which made their teams feel like a family and helped foster lifelong friendships. They pushed their athletes to new levels which taught independence and leadership. The Spielmans lived the many values that they taught and were living examples that hard work, education, and resilience will, in time, lead to prosperity.”

The Spielmans coached for thirty years, and in 2022 the cross country course was named after them. The impact they have had on the Baldwin City youth is hard to measure. Yes, we can count the twenty plus state championships, dozens of trophies, medals, and titles, but what they did to help build the character of the Baldwin High School students is truly remarkable.

There are many scholarships set up in memory of loved ones who have passed, and this includes the Coach Brenda Shawley Memorial Scholarship. Talk about another coach that made an impact on students - Coach Brenda Shawley did just that!

The Coach Brenda Shawley Memorial Scholarship held special meaning this year as the class of 2024 was the last class to be coached

Bailey Smith, Harper Schoendaller, Avery Bergan, and Lily Brecheisen, four scholarship recipients in 2024.

Story by Jessi Gerber | Photography by Kayla Kohn

EDUCATION

and taught by her. The scholarship was started by Shawley’s family and partner, Kala Loomis. Coach Shawley was a junior high teacher and coach who taught up until she passed of colon cancer in March 2020. Junior high can get a bad reputation, but Coach Shawley loved teaching that level and enjoyed going to work every day.

“Her legacy deserves to keep going,” Loomis said about Coach Shawley. She was truly one of a kind. Not only did she teach and coach, but she also made Bulldog bars and keychains for her players. In her spare time she loved canning blackberry jelly and cross stitching. Loomis added that she would never stop talking about Brenda and what a wonderful person she was. No matter what, Brenda wanted

Governor’s Award - Bailey Smith

Spielman Sportsmanship Scholarship - Lily Brecheisen, Samantha Scraper, Harper Schoendaller, Bailey Smith & Talan Torrez

Baldwin Lions Club - Paige Soper & Ethan Enright

Olathe Health Systems - Lily Brecheisen

Curtis W. Coffman Memorial & Baldwin Alumni Assoc. - Lily Brecheisen & Maris Flory

Baldwin Golf AssociationBailey Smith & Samantha Scraper

Charles E. Hill Memorial Scholarship - Nora Prather

Knights of Columbus - Claire Johnson

NCCC Scholarship - Makayla Brown

Luke Bryan ScholarshipLillian Judy & Emma Searl

everyone to be kind and become a better person each day. Loomis wasn’t joking either; what I thought would be about a 15 minute conversation, ended up lasting almost an hour. I left the call wishing I had got to meet Coach Shawley.

These few paragraphs are a small snapshot of the impact these people have had on the youth in Baldwin City. Each one

could have its own article and still there would be more to write; not to mention the roughly thirty-five other scholarships with stories of their own.

To the Class of 2024, congratulations and we applaud you for all of your hard work! May the legacies behind the scholarships keep guiding you to be the best versions of yourself.

2024 SENIOR AWARDS

Ivan & Margaret Boyd Scholarship - Saylor Currie & Dylan Miller

Baldwin Education Association Scholarship - Samantha Scraper

Dewey Ehling Memorial Scholarship - Jillian McLaren, Bailey Smith, Talan Torrez, & Ainsley Weiss

Boy Scouts of America Special Recognition - Savanah Hancock

Roger W. O’Neil Memorial Scholarship - Paige Soper

BEF Leadership ScholarshipHarper Schoendaller

Merle & Steve Venable Memorial Scholarship - Gentry Graham, Ricardo Jimenez & Liz Underwood

League of Women Voters - Lily Brecheisen

Anna K. & Lester E. Hey Scholarship - Bailey Smith

Scott Gaylord Excellence AwardAvery Bergan & Bailey Smith

Laura Dickinson Arts ScholarshipAinsley Weiss

Baldwin City Wrestling ClubConner Murry & Jaden Wharton

Wilma & Wilson Counts Memorial Scholarship (Baker) - Nora Prather & Dylan Williams

Ellis Foundation - Paige Soper & Lily Brecheisen

Baldwin High School Student Council Scholarship - Harper Schoendaller

Richard & Mildred Allen Memorial Scholarship -Bailey Smith

Cynthia Beall Friends of the Baldwin City Library Scholarship - Bailey Smith & Harper Schoendaller

Carl Butell Friends of the Baldwin City Library ScholarshipSamatha Scraper

Baldwin Business & Professional Women Scholarship - Alexandrea McBride

American Legion Citizenship AwardPaige Soper & Ethan Enright

Kansas Masonic Foundation Exemplary Teacher and Student Award - Danielle Balsman (Teacher)

Kansas Masonic FoundationLucy Gardner & Bailey Smith (Students)

Order of the Eastern Star - George Conover

Baldwin Rotary Club - Alexandrea McBride

Coach Brenda Shawley Memorial Scholarship - Fisayo Afonja, Avery Bergan, Alyssa Reichard, Harper Schoendaller & Bailey Smith

KSHSAA Citizenship AwardsTalan Torrez & Gentry Graham

Community Service Hours - Brant Brittingham

Dale Dennis Principal’s Excellence in Education - Bailey Smith

One and Two Bedroom Apartments

in Growing Adventures

New shoots and strong roots nurture a family business

Story by Kinsley Scott, 7th Grade Student at BJHS Photography Pitts Photography

Editor’s Note:

A special thank you to our junior-high guest writer, Kinsley Scott, for this article and to Patricia Lenning who forged the connection between The Maple and Kinsley.

Enright Gardens started when Lauren Enright’s grandparents, Steve and Sue Enright, started growing vegetables that they sold at the Kansas City Market, which is where they met. Eventually they switched to selling plants and quit selling vegetables. Steve and Sue are growing a family legacy alongside the plants. “We have a park that people get married in that we plant some flowers in; the park is called Lauren Park, which is named after me,” Lauren explains. “My sister, whose name is Brooklyn, had Brooklyn Hall named after her, but Ethan got jealous, so he had a greenhouse named after him.”

Lauren helps out both in the greenhouses and at the event spaces. “I supervise in the hanging baskets and set up chairs when setting up for a wedding in Lauren Park,” she says. “I help with anniversary parties, weddings, my brother’s graduation, and pretty much anything that happens at Brooklyn Hall.” At the greenhouses Lauren helps pull flats which they load onto trucks and take to places that sell the flowers and helps with the retail and stocking. Enright Gardens has a second location in Turner, KS, and on Saturdays they sell at the Kansas City Market.

Lauren’s parents and grandparents tell her not to disturb the workers too much. “If people have questions, then I will have to answer them,” she clarifies. Most of the employees are high school age who want a job. Lauren says her grandparents ask them a bunch of questions during the interview and they just answer, ‘Sure.’ Enright Gardens employees about fifteen workers.

Growing the flowers includes a lot of work. Lauren’s grandmother has a seeder that she puts the seeds in. She waters them constantly and keeps them on heated benches. Once those seedlings grow big enough, they can go into their own pots. Inside the greenhouse are transplanting tables which have the bigger pots on them. “We poke holes in the bigger pots, put the plants in there, and tag them,” Lauren explains. “We water them a lot.” The hanging baskets are planted in late March, and they start blooming in April. Some of these pretty baskets can be seen along the streets in Baldwin City’s downtown area during the summer.

If all the plants don’t sell, they aren’t wasted. “We have multiple uses for some of the leftover plants, and one example is that my grandma has some flower beds around her house that we plant them in,” Lauren says. “My grandpa decided to let kids plant the random plants that we find around, ones we forgot to plant or missed. We put them in smaller pots, put them in a separate house, and then hand them out to kids.”

During Covid, Lauren’s dad, Bo Enright, realized that a lot of people didn’t know much about plants. He decided to start a YouTube channel, making videos with Lauren’s family. “Eventually my family didn’t want to do it, so it was just me and him doing crazy stuff!” Lauren reflects. If you visit the gardens when they are filming a video, you will find Lauren and her dad video recording and talking about plants. “We’ll say if they like the sun or shade and where they do well and then what you can put in with them and sometimes, I’ll even meet crazy plants.” Lauren says they occasionally have a plan for what they will discuss, but most of the time they improvise by walking around the greenhouses to find something they like and discussing that.

Lauren enjoys watching the plants grow from tiny to big and blooming. “I’ll probably have to own the business because my brother and sister won’t be around to own it,” Lauren says.

Lauren Enright films a video inside the greenhouse for Enright Garden’s YouTube channel.

35 COMMUNITY

Matt & Ally Wendt

WISDOM YOUTH of Refreshing

Life as a teen in Baldwin City

Story by Ilene Kimsey | Photography by Kayla Kohn

Telling it like it is – a youth’s natural approach. Third generation Baldwinites, Matt and Ally Wendt, possess this straightforward and sincere manner. When asked, “What is it like being a teen in Baldwin?” Ally responded, “I’ve only been a teen in Baldwin, so I have nothing to compare it to!”

Laughter followed this simple wisdom with the exclamation, “I’m enjoying this period in my life.”

Matt added his perspective of what is important, “I like to see people feeling comfortable or happy. You have to put your own ‘happy’ within that mix. You can’t sacrifice your happiness for others. It's interesting to see what makes people happy, because it’s not always the same thing.”

“You can’t sacrifice your happiness for others. It's interesting to see what makes people happy, because it’s not always the same thing.”

-Matt Wendt

Like many thirteen-year-olds, the Wendt twins’ schooling was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Both attended school on-line for two years. Ally began all day, in-person school in 2023-2024. Matt studied on-line for an additional year, taking one in-person class at the beginning of the 2023 school year. He started all day attendance in January. “I enjoy inperson school. I’ve met a lot of friends and my teachers have done a really good job teaching me. Also, I love the emotional support dogs.”

“This is my first year in-person in middle school,” said Ally. “I’m surrounded by people that I really love and I’m thankful for that. I’m a very social person. I like being around people so (in-person school has) been helpful for me. I especially like my art teacher, Miss Buckland. She’s really nice to me. Also, she laughs at my jokes!”

WHAT IT IS

A youth led Lumberyard Arts Center program that is an agent of positive growth and change in our community through the creativity and leadership of 11 - 24 year old youth.

HOW/WHY IT STARTED

It began in 2019 through a DCCF grant to promote youth mental/ emotional well-being. Twelve high school and college student leaders were selected to facilitate a fiveweek creative arts program for elementary age youth supporting mental/emotional well-being.

PURPOSE

To provide a creative environment full of learning, mutual respect, sharing, and exploration. To offer resources and actions steps to build a healthy and inclusive community, providing opportunity to make friends and connect with others. Events contribute to positive change individually and within the community.

WHO IT’S FOR

Baldwin City youth 11-24 years old. Supportive adults contribute and benefit through collaboration and connection.

CONTACT/INFO

bckunited@lumberyardartscenter.org facebook.com/bckunited

Family provides a foundation. Friends and school expand a youth’s world, and community offers support for safe exploration. Parents, Brian and Kelsey Wendt, and brother Keytin are held in high esteem by the twins. “I really value my family,” said Matt. “My parents love me a lot and so do my extended family members.”

“I would pretty much do anything for my family,” Ally said. “I really love my immediate family and my chosen family, too (which includes) my best friend, Laney Brittingham. She’s like my sister!”

When inquiring about life as a twin, Ally shared that she likes being a twin because “You always have a person you can go to. Sometimes it’s annoying and all twins are going to say that. I love Matt!”

“Well, I’m two minutes older,” Matt announced. “I feel I’m a lot closer to Ally than if she were just my regular sister. I enjoy her company. We talk to each other about stuff. A twin is very nice. Someone who typically always supports you. I feel closer to her than if she wasn’t my twin.”

Some of the school classes and activities that have expanded the Wendts’ world are Career and Life Planning, art, basketball, track, and choir. Ally notes that in her Career and Life Planning class she has gotten a little peek into adult life. She is very glad she doesn’t have to deal with ‘any of that’ yet!

Matt acknowledged his admiration of the adults’ commitment in the community. “Thanks for doing stuff! Those people that work at the Community Garden, the Library, and the downtown areawithout them our town would be a little chaotic. I would really like to thank the adults who work on the murals. They really give the town life. I would love to help with murals!”

the community,” she explained. “We’ve gotten grants to have events for Junior High and High School students here in town. It’s a gathering for well-being and we have food and activities. I love BCK United! It’s helped me to feel more confident talking to people because I’ve had to do that when we’ve had events. I feel like I’ve really made an impact on the community.”

“I love BCK United! It’s helped me to feel more confident talking to people because I’ve had to do that when we’ve had events. I feel like I’ve really made an impact on the community.”

-Ally Wendt

“BCK is a very supportive group,” Matt said. “My friends are there. It makes me happy because I know I’m helping the community at the same time the BCK United community helps me. I really like it.”

Ally wears a turquoise BCK United t-shirt with the quote, ‘I see you, I hear you, I respect you, I value you.’ “BCK United is a group that focuses on wellness for

Dreams are a natural part of life exploration. “I have a lot of dreams,” Ally said. “I know I want to change the world in some way. I like being creative so maybe – music or teaching. I love music and singing. I’m in choir at the Baldwin Junior High. I feel like I’ve always had a

37 COMMUNITY

connection to music. Also, I love kids. Especially little ones. My Mom’s friend Jamie Inzer, a Kindergarten teacher, told me about teaching. Sounds like something I would enjoy.”

Matt’s dreams have their focus in visual arts. “It’s always been a dream of mine to be an animator,” he said. “Working on a TV show would be cool. I feel like there are some things that animation does that have a positive impact. I’m interested in inspirational stuff.”

Speaking of inspiration, the twins each offered some thoughts for their community. “Having an open mindset is important,” Ally said. “Being inclusive of everyone despite what they look like or who they love. I have seen the opposite and it breaks my heart because I think everyone should be supportive of everyone. The world needs a little bit of changing.”

“Be yourself,” Matt offered. “Keep doing what you enjoy. A lot of people don’t end up following their dreams and that makes me a bit sad. It’s achievable! It may take you a bit longer than you expect. I have to work on my art portfolio for college. Of course, I’m a bit nervous to do that. I’m going to do the best I can so I can get to my dream college, Rhode Island School of Design. I want other people to do the same for what they enjoy.”

In conclusion, lyrics from the song ‘The Greatest Love of All’ offer some heartfelt wisdom.

“I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.”

Matt & Ally Wendt

Friends, Animals, COMMUNITY

Exploring new interests with 4-H, feathers, and fur

Story by Angela Robb

Photography by Sarah Beth Houser

39 BC FURBABIES

Vinland Valley 4-H Club—Jace Hunsaker

Are you curious about 4-H and wondering what it is about? Joining the Vinland Valley 4-H club this year has been a new learning experience for Jace Hunsaker—one that he has truly loved!

Joining 4-H was a decision his family made so he could become more involved in the things in which he is interested. Right now, those interests are rabbits and chickens! Learning the ins and outs of raising and caring for rabbits and chickens has been both fun and rewarding for Jace. His family currently cares for a total of eleven rabbits and eleven chickens, which they love like family members and enjoy spending time with.

After doing a little research, they picked breeds that were not the most popular and would be easily handled. Jace felt like choosing smaller animals was a good way to get into showing livestock but he hopes to show larger animals in the future.

Jace attends monthly 4-H meetings at which a topic is discussed that is helpful for members who are learning more about animals. One example of information he learned is that the color of eggs a chicken lays can be determined by looking at the color of their ears. At these meetings, members also learn everything they need to know about showing their animals.

Jace was excited to show four rabbits and two chickens for the first time at the Douglas County Fair in August! The fair also provided an opportunity for him to watch other kids who have more experience showing animals.

Cookie and Binky are Mini Rex rabbits which is a small breed topping out at 4.5 pounds in weight. They come in a variety of colors with fur that is velvet to the touch! They are known to bond with those who care for them and can also get along well with other house pets like cats and dogs, if properly introduced and closely monitored. Cookie came home with a white ribbon in the junior class and Binky with a blue ribbon in the senior class.

COLORS OF A 4-H RIBBON:

Purple: Outstanding on all standards

Blue: Exceeds minimum standards, minor improvements can be made

Red: Meets minimum standards, need improvements

White: Fails to meet minimum standards

Rabbits Petunia and Baxter are a Champagne d’Argenté doe/buck duo. This breed is born with pure black fur that changes over time into a beautiful silver. Their super sweet and docile nature makes them amazing pets. Both rabbits were entered into the junior class. Petunia won a purple ribbon and was named the champion. The judges named Baxter the reserve champion and gave him a blue ribbon.

Jace’s Rhode Island Red hen named Chicken Nugget won a purple ribbon in the young pullet category. This breed is reddish brown in color and known to be hearty, great egg layers, energetic, and friendly. She is all of these and loves snacking on mealworms.

WHAT DOES 4-H STAND FOR?

HEALTH

Wanda, the second chicken that Jace entered into the fair competition, is a young Ameraucana. This breed lays pretty eggs in a range of blue green hughes. Her temperament is curious but docile. They are a dual purpose breed, meaning they are suitable as egg layers and meat birds. Wanda won a blue ribbon in the young pullet category.

Making new friends, learning about animals, and being a part of a wonderful organization has been a good experience for Jace! He had a great time at the fair and is looking forward to doing it again next year… hopefully with a pig as well.

Publisher’s Note:

We are deeply saddened to share that Angela, the talented writer of this Furbaby article, experienced the unexpected loss of her beloved furbaby, Maggie, in July. Our hearts go out to Angela, Dan, Petey, and the other furfriends during this difficult time. Please join us in sending them our heartfelt condolences. Rest in peace, dear Maggie.

Kid Zones GREEN SPACES and

Story by Lynn Meador

Photography by Ellie Thurlow

Fresh air, nature, and play, just a stone’s throw away

Russell Bahner knows his way around Baldwin City. The parks around town are his stomping grounds, the places he goes to play, catch bugs in the fields, and race his hot wheels down the slides. When we asked what his favorite park was, he said the Firetree Park because it has Hutson’s Pond.

Baldwin is a family and event friendly town, with six parks owned and maintained by the City, along with several recreational spaces owned and maintained by USD 348 and the Recreation Commission. Sullivan Square is the newest space, created from an empty lot on High Street and finished in the fall of 2019. It’s become a ubiquitous part of downtown, a place to let kids run through the splash pad in the summer while parents chat on the art mural benches. The City has an agreement with the Recreation Commission to handle scheduling of the space for concerts and event rentals, and the City and Rec split maintenance duties. It was named for the first woman mayor of Baldwin City, Lucy Sullivan, who took office with her all-woman Council in 1890. She once lived in the house that used to be in the empty lot, until it was moved a couple decades ago.

Another park named for the same group of women is the Women’s Bridge Park, more commonly known as Yogi Bear Park. Located several blocks west of Sullivan Square on High Street, Yogi Bear has restrooms, two sets of play equipment, a pavilion, and stone tables as well as a basketball court and some lovely open space to run free. This park has an ADA accessible ramp with a history marker explaining the purpose and story behind the arched stone Women’s Bridge commissioned by the group of1890 elected officials.

Before we leave High Street on our little written tour of parks, let’s pop in at Tom Swan park, a tiny garden park sequestered behind the old gas station that’s now an Ice Cream stand and the

fountain in front. This park is maintained by the Douglas County Master Gardeners, with some support from the City’s Public Works Department. Also named for a Baldwin City icon, this park feels instantly welcoming and homey no matter what time of year. Small benches and even a table squeeze between foot paths and lovely overhanging tree branches, while native shrubs and flowers add color and texture to the space.

Moving to the north side of town, we find the Firetree Park, appropriately located inside the Firetree neighborhood. This park also has a restroom, play equipment, and a pavilion. New in the last couple of years, the City made improvements to the marshy area on the south side of the park, turning it into a fishing pond named Hutson’s Pond for the boy who proposed the project to City Council. This is a stocked lake, and the fish are just beginning to get large enough to make for good fishing.

41 THE CITY Green Spaces & More DID YOU KNOW? it’s not actually called ‘Yogi Bear Park’? The official name of this beloved park is ‘Women’s Bridge Park’.

The last municipally-owned park on our list is actually outside City limits, and used to be the town’s sole water supply. It’s called Spring Creek Park, or the City Lake, located in the 1820s on N 100 Road. This park is probably the oldest park, and although still regularly mowed and maintained, it’s showing age. The dam that created the lake is broken, and

“There are lots of good bugs there. You just have to know where to find them.”

-Russell Bahner

All state fishing laws are observed for this pond. There is a gazebo with seating on the bank of the pond that makes a nice place to sit and watch a sunset or eat sandwich.

In the summertime, the most popular park by far is the Pool Park, located back on the south east side of town on Fremont Street. There is a large play area, two good sized picnic spaces, swings, restrooms, and a walking path across the creek in addition to the pool. Some maps call the Pool Park Grove Street Park, although we’re unable to confirm if that was ever an official name.

the lake has drained to more of a marshy area. There is a frisbee golf course that we’ve heard is quite good, a number of circus-tent style pavilions great for picnicking, and lots of space and paths for walking or playing. It’s the largest of the City-owned recreational spaces, and used to be a very popular place to go. These days, it’s usually pretty quiet but it’s still lovely in its own way.

As Russell says about Baldwin City parks, “There are lots of good bugs there. You just have to know where to find them.” What do you find in our recreation spaces?

Baldwin City youth in motion

Story by Monica Brovont

Game Changers

baldwin Youth Football & Cheerleading Game Changers

“Football is football, and talent is talent, but the mindset of your team makes all the difference,” says Robert Griffin III, free agent quarterback. Local football coach Brian Hamrick also knows this. He launched a flag football league in 2019 for second to sixth grade boys with a vision for the players to build football skills while emphasizing learning and improving. This single team became Baldwin Youth Football and Cheerleading in 2023 and recently totaled 130 participants in tackle football, flag football, girls flag football, and cheerleading. Throughout this rapid growth, the mission has remained the same: “providing the Baldwin youth with an opportunity to grow and develop their skills both on and off the field.”

Coach Hamrick’s coaching style reflects the league’s mission by providing an environment of constructive grace. “We coach to accept mistakes,” he says. It’s okay for the players to make mistakes, but the coaches want the players to be aware of those weaknesses. This strategy includes helping the players to forgive themselves for their blunders, choosing instead to focus on improvement.

It’s a concept that is proving effective. In June of 2023, the 12U and 14U girls flag football teams won the regional bracket and competed nationally at the NFL FLAG Football Championship. “We weren’t successful, but it was a good experience. There were a lot of lessons learned,” Hamrick says about the national competition.

The 13U boys flag football team returned home as regional champions in 2024 and continued on to play at the national NFL FLAG Football Championship. The team didn’t win nationals, but Hamrick says they were playing the best of the best of every region, and knowing they were that close is pretty cool.

The newest addition to the league is the Cheer Program which Danielle Maley and Savannah Leahy set in motion in the fall of 2023. They started with a summer cheer camp to gauge local interest. It was well attended by eighty participants and over thirty-nine registered for the fall season. Cheer practice occurs once a week for an hour. The group cheers for a total of seven, weekend football games. During the last season, they were thrilled to cheer for a junior high football game. “We are a new program but excited to start another fun season!” says Danielle. “We work all season with the high school cheerleaders. The little cheerleaders look up to the high schoolers! It’s great to see them build a bond, and growing our community even closer.”

Playing with Baldwin Youth Football and Cheerleading is about improving sports skills, but it’s also about developing stable relationships within the Baldwin City community. Hamrick puts it this way, “It’s creating a football family, bonding, building a core group of kids that are going to grow and play together.”

Harrison Haefner

Age: 12

Time with BYFC: 5 years

“I have learned how to become a player and teammate. I also have earned the opportunity to compete at a regional and national level with my flag football team, which is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Austin Packard Age: 9 Time with BYFC: 2 years

“I like how I get to showcase to my coaches how athletic I am becoming, and I get to play with my friends, and learn to play on a team.”

Phyla Gordon Age: 12 Time with BYFC: 1 year

“I can cheer people on so they can be proud of themselves and think that they are going to crush it! I like being with my friends who do cheer, and I can cheer for my friends who are playing.”

Photography by Kayla Kohn (left), courtesy of BYFC (above)

baldwin city recreation Commission

785-594-3670 | baldwinrec.org

Photography by Frank Perez

youth sports

1984 was a good year for Baldwin City. What began as a volunteer baseball/softball organization operating from the back of a station wagon in the early ‘80s, was transformed by a community vote into the Baldwin City Recreation Commission. Parents wanted more than baseball and softball for their children. Forty years later BCRC is locally and broadly recognized for epic events, a range of sports for all ages, and a lively 50 plus program.

Throughout all the changes, growth, and years, BCRC’s purpose has held

steady: creating recreational opportunities for Baldwin City and its surrounding community. “We’ve definitely broadened our programming and evolved into what we feel is a well-rounded organization that caters to everyone from those new on this earth to those who have been around a few decades!” Director, Matt McClure says.

The recreational programs for children and youth of all ages include baseball, softball, t-ball, basketball, flag football, volleyball, soccer, tennis, golf, and aquatic sports. Other youth services are available such as Summer

Camp and a Before/After School Program. The staff and volunteers at BCRC give their effort and heart for a philosophy that reaches beyond occupying people’s schedules and time. “We feel strongly that active communities are healthy communities, and that doesn’t mean just physically,” McClure explains. “BCRC is a firm believer that mental health can be managed by being physically active, socially active, and being a participant in everyday life. We strive to provide those opportunities in Baldwin City, and be a catalyst for physical, mental, and emotional health.”

There are many ways to be part of the BCRC family such as volunteering, participating in events and programs, serving as a board member, or cheering others onward. Current information for BCRC is easily accessible through a variety of ways. Their website is loaded with information. For those who need information delivered directly to their inbox, the newsletter is an unobtrusive resource. Signing up is easy, simply give them a call! Their social media accounts are active and can be found on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube. And of course, visiting the office is always an option if

you aren’t partial to digital information.

The presence of BCRC during the past forty years has unquestionably contributed to the community’s welfare, and the prospect of another forty such years is one to look forward to! “We strive to work with all local entities in making Baldwin City a great place to work, live, and play,” McClure says. “We hope that we have not only provided a source of fun and enjoyment, but also proved to be a generator of great memories and family and community bonding.”

Landon Wright Age: 11

Time playing Rec sports: 8 years

“I love the chance to play and have fun with my friends. I have signed up for every sport that I could sign up for: soccer, t-ball, little sluggers, baseball, flag football, and basketball.”

Photography by Shaunacee Wilkinson

baracudas

Swimming with The Barracudas fosters confidence and builds strength in the Baldwin City youth. Competition serves as a driving force for us humans to become better, stronger, and faster than our peers, but Coach Melissa Stultz views it as a tool for personal improvement rather than the objective. “Swimming is an independent sport,” she says, “you race against the clock.”

The Barracudas have been fortunate to have Coach Stultz at the helm since 2017. She began swimming at the age of five and it has served her well, even providing a full ride scholarship to the University of Louisville. Throughout her lifetime she has been a lifeguard, coach, and swimming lesson teacher.

“This program is a very nice introduction to competitive swimming,” Coach Stultz says. “You can really get a taste of what it is to be part of a swim team.” Stroke judges are perhaps the most significant difference between competitive swimming and The Barracudas. Stroke judges monitor competitors’ strokes, and if they are incorrectly executed, a competitor can be disqualified. “In this program, there’s no fear of doing things wrong. It’s about improving and getting better,” she explains.

Qualifying to join the team and placement in a lane is based on ability rather than experience, swim lessons, or age. An interested swimmer must be able to swim twenty-five yards without aid. That is tested during the first practice of the season. Coach Stultz used her daughter, Lily, as an example of this ability based qualification. At nine years old, she competes and practices with twelve and thirteen year old swimmers.

“That [age gap] can be very intimidating,” Coach Stultz acknowledges. “A five year old and eighteen year old isn’t necessarily in the same lane, but they’re there.” Through instruction and encouragement she and the other coaches help the students conquer this intimidation and other fears and swim with confidence. “We’ve had swimmers who knew how to swim, but were scared to get in and swim,” she explains. “We’ve also had kids who were really excited until they got to a swim meet. Then they were really scared because it’s scary to jump in the water by yourself and swim with everybody watching you.” The difficulties are the very things which build the swimmers’ confidence and strength.

There are secondary benefits to joining the swim team such as a full body workout – perfect for channeling all that young, summer energy - and socialization. Most of the swimmers swim only in the summer, and they look forward to those seven weeks with their friends each year.

Until recently, The Barracudas were part of a league and swam against other teams. This year they competed against each other. While it’s not imperative to compete against other teams, they are considering a restructure for 2025 and gaining outside competition.

The Barracudas meet for seven weeks in the summer. Week one is for training followed by six weeks of swim meets. That seven weeks is already over for 2024, but will begin again in 2025. Interested swimmers can register via the Baldwin City Recreation Commission, and more information can be found on their website.

“Swim and the other rec sports has improved my confidence, allowing me to explore different options, and taught me how to compete with a passion.”

Naomi Goodwin Age: 12 Time with the Barracudas: 8 years

baldwin City Creative Arts

Photography by Frank Perez

Baldwin City’s youth have been dancing since Stacy’s Dance Studio opened in the ‘90s. Sixteen years ago it became the Baldwin Academy of Dance and Voice when Courtney Williams purchased it. On July 1, 2024, Angela Murray became its official owner and renamed it Baldwin City Creative Arts. “Our focus is creating an arts education experience,” Angela says. “It’s about the learning objectives and experiences that the students are having, not just the performance.”

Angela has danced her way through life, previously owning a studio in Dallas, TX, during college where she earned a PhD in education. Both of her adult children grew up attending dance classes and learning from their mother in various studios, including Stacy’s.

Angela’s daughter, Amelia Murray, is the Assistant Studio Director and Director of Ballet Programs. “I am very excited to return to the place where I fell in love with dance and share that passion with the next generation of young dancers,” Amelia says. “I think the perspective that I gained training with the Kansas City Ballet School and at the University of Oklahoma’s school of dance will be exciting for Baldwin dancers who are

eager to join the wider world of dance. This feels very much like a full circle moment for me to work with my mom (my first ever dance teacher) in our new roles back where this all started.”

Changes are inevitable with new beginnings. A reinvigorated ballet program includes additional ballet classes during the week for ages three to adult, advanced ballet classes, and a return of the Nutcracker performance. Angela hopes to collaborate with Baker University’s Cheer coach and introduce additional upper level tumbling and cheer classes.

Many things will remain as they are such as the All Star team, upper level Jazz classes taught by Courtney Williams, and private voice lessons offered by Kelley Bethell-Smith.

Who is dance for? Besides those with an affinity for it, dance is ideal for athletes of all kinds. “Dance develops coordination, strength, and flexibility in different ways that can compliment sports,” Angela explains. BCCA plans to offer scholarships for dancers whose budget doesn’t have room

for classes. “We want to make dance accessible,” Angela says. She talks of feeling frustrated and helpless when the world seems like a crazy place, but making a difference in her community eases that burden. “I’m having so much fun it’s just disgusting,” she chuckles. “Realizing there’s plenty of opportunities to make a difference in our community is part of what makes it fulfilling for me.”

Time with BADV + BCCA: 10 years

“My favorite thing about BADV is coming to dance and using it as my safe place, a place I can go where all stress and worry disappear, and I just have fun.”

Kellyn Shrimplin Age: