When I mentioned to Larry Freeze, recently retired editor of this magazine, that I had big shoes to fill, he responded in his trademark, unas-suming way, “I wear a size 12.”

Well, I wear a size 7 and am quite sure my feet stopped growing decades ago. I will never fill Larry’s shoes−both literally and figuratively−however, I’m honored to have been chosen to follow in his footsteps.

My main goal as editor of Kansas Country Living is to bring you com-pelling content that enhances your life, including energy-saving ideas and information about industry issues affect-ing your pocketbook. We will continue to highlight the best of rural living and Kansans whose stories inspire others, tempt you with mouth-watering recipes you can add to your collection, and feature unique Kansas travel destinations.

And speaking of unique places to visit, be sure to peruse the special travel section in this issue. In fact, pass along the information to your family and friends. No child will dare say this summer, “I’m bored!” with a straight face. From weeklong heritage celebrations to water fun, sports, music and carnivals, you won’t have enough time to experience all Kansas has to offer this summer−but try!

When you do plan that road trip, remember to buckle up. The Seat Belt Convincer high-lighted in this issue is used by organizations worldwide to demonstrate the importance of using seat belts. Plus, it’s built in Kansas.

If you’re traveling with family on Father’s Day or anytime this month, I wish you safe travels without the infamous inquiry “Are we there yet?”

V I C K I E ST E S , E D I TO R

Pack up the Family, it’s Time for a Kansas Road Trip

E D I TO R’ S L E T T E R

Before the kids become bored with summer, plan a Kansas road trip to experience everything from fishing derbies to rodeos.

2 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

Bruce GrahamChief Executive Officer

Doug ShepherdVice President, Management Consulting

Shana ReadDirector of Communications

Vicki EstesEditor

Bob JenningsManager of Publishing Services

Carrie KimberlinCommunications Specialist

Heidi TrautmanCommunications Intern

Officers Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc.

Ralph PhillipsPresident

Kathleen O’BrienVice President

Keith McNickleSecretary

Patrick RileyTreasurer

Cooperatives You receive Kansas Country Living as a communications service of these electric cooperatives:Alfalfa, Cherokee, OKBluestem, WamegoBrown-Atchison, HortonButler, El DoradoCMS, MeadeCaney Valley, Cedar ValeDS&O, SolomonFlint Hills, Council GroveKaw Valley, Topeka Lane-Scott, DightonLJEC, McLouthLyon-Coffey, BurlingtonNinnescah, PrattPioneer, UlyssesPrairie Land, NortonRadiant, FredoniaRolling Hills, MankatoSedgwick County, CheneySumner-Cowley, WellingtonTwin Valley, AltamontVictory, Dodge CityWestern, WaKeeneyWheatland, Scott City

Kansas Country Living (ISSN 0091-9586) is pub-lished monthly for $10 per year (tax included) by Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc., P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604. Periodicals postage paid at Topeka, KS and additional entry offices. For members of Kansas rural electric systems, subscription cost is $5.70 per year. This cost is part of your electric service billing. Editorial offices: P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604-0267. Phone 785-478-4554. Fax 785-478-4852.

Address Changes Please report any change in address to your local electric cooperative.

Postmaster Send address changes to Kansas Country Living, P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604-0267.

Advertisers Contact National Country Market: 512-441-5200. Or see www.nationalcountrymarket.com. Acceptance of advertising by Kansas Country Living does not imply endorsement by the publisher or Kansas’ electric cooperatives of the product or services advertised.

Kansas Country Living assumes no respon-sibility for unsolicited material. Submissions must be accompanied by self-addressed envelopes with sufficient postage to be returned. The publication does not guarantee publication of material received and reserves the right to edit any material published.

(ISSN 0091-9586)JUNE 2015 VOL. 65, NO. 6© KANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES, INC., 2015WWW.KEC.COOP

JUNE

D E PA RT M E N T S

2 | Editor’s Letter Plan a road trip

4 | Around Kansas Authors featured

6 | Commentary Energy issues spotlighted

8 | Guest CommentaryAg questions answered

10 | Cut Your Utility Bills How to build efficiently

36 | Cook’s Library Age doesn’t matter

O N T H E CO V E RBret Lanz of Advanced Manu-facturing Institute tries the Seat Belt Convincer.P H O T O B Y L A R R Y F R E E Z E

“LIKE” Kansas Country Living on Facebook to view monthly extras and submit your story ideas.

12 | Convinced? Seat Belt Convincer drives home need to buckle up.

14| Co-op Careers Internships and apprenticeships open doors to future careers.

22| Travel Kansas Plan your Kansas summer road trips and activities.

22JUNE 2015 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING 3

14

T H I N G S TO D O

Harvey County Museum Offers Two New Exhibits in 2015ONGOING | The Harvey County Historical Museum in Newton is offering two new exhibits this year. COLORFUL KITCHEN: 100 YEARS OF PYREX and FANCY-DRESS KITCHEN: APRONS will be on display through 2015. See www.hchm.org or call 316-283-2221.

Progressive Era Exhibit Represents 1900-1917THROUGH JUNE 24 | The Orphan Train Complex in Concordia hosts, THE PROGRESSIVE ERA: CREATING MODERN AMERICA, an exhibit illustrating America’s transformation into a modern, industrial society. Call 785-243-4471 for more information.

Pair of Artists Featured at Art Museum in PrattTHROUGH JULY 25 | The Vernon Filley Art Museum in Pratt will host a TWO-PERSON EXHIBITION through July 25. Various works of Roger Williams and Robin Laws will be featured. Call 620-933-2787 or see www.vernonfilleyartmuseum.org for additional information.

Leavenworth City Market Includes Variety of Vendors THROUGH OCT. 10 | Shop the second Saturdays through October, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine, in HISTORIC DOWNTOWN LEAVENWORTH for antiques, collectibles, artisan crafts and overstocked items. Vendors are welcome. Visit www.leavenworthmainstreet.com, call 913-682-3924 or email director@leavenworthmainstreet.com.

Race for Down Syndrome Awareness in SalinaJUNE 5 | The North Central Kansas Down Syndrome Society will host the 5TH ANNUAL RACING FOR DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS at the Salina Speedway. Discounted tickets and

T-shirts are available. For more information call 785-275-1777 or email nckdssbuddywalk@yahoo.com.

Travel Along K-96 for Annual June Jaunt JUNE 5-7 | Visit each community along K-96 from Tribune to Ellinwood to experience authentic rural fun including art, antiques, crafts, cuisine, garage sales, music and more. Look for BARN QUILT SQUARES along the route. Contact Christina Hayes for more information at 620-793-4111 or visit k96junejaunt.com.

Mini Sappa Antique Thresher & Engine Show in its 35th YearJUNE 6 | Bring the family to this fun and educational day at the OBERLIN FAIRGROUNDS. The Decatur County Mini Sappa Antique Thresher and Engine Show includes classic cars, hot rods, petting zoo, train rides, tasty food and more.

Entertainment Set for Grassland Heritage FestivalJUNE 6-13 | The Grassland Heritage Festival in Elkhart will kick off with a FREE FISHING DERBY AT CIMARRON NATIONAL GRASSLAND for ages 16 and under and 55 and older. Festival highlights include Wild and Sweet, Kurt Corsair, a cowboy singer and storyteller, the Redhead Express and a free kids day. See www.ghf.mtcoks.com or call 620-697-2833.

Wildflower Tour Planned at Maxwell Wildlife RefugeJUNE 6 | Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, located north of Canton in McPherson County, will host a spring WILDFLOWER TOUR on June 6. Call 620-628-4455 for reservations.

Rock and Country Bands to Perform in WinfieldJUNE 4-6 | ROCK ‘N COUNTRY FEST, a three-day outdoor festival featuring both rock and country bands, will take

PRAIRIE TALK TO FEATURE NOTED AUTHORS JULY 11 | Guests will have the opportunity to listen to Authors Roy J. Beckemeyer and Kimberly Beer read selections of their works published in Kansas City Voices magazine. After the program, readers and Whispering Prairie Press board members will discuss writing and answer questions on how to have your literary voice published. The program will begin at 1:30 p.m. with a picnic lunch served at noon (reservations requested for lunch). For more information or to make lunch reservations, contact Lynn Smith at 620-753-3484 or email lynn@pioneerbluffs.org. The ranch is located one mile north of Matfield Green on Highway K-177.

Roy J. Beckemeyer, a poet and retired aeronau-tical engineer, will read selections from his work published in Kansas City Voices magazine.

4 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

place at the Winfield Fairgrounds. For more details, see www.rockncountryfest.com.

Fishing Derby Scheduled at Lake Scott State ParkJUNE 6 | The Scott City Area Chamber of Commerce will host a CARP DERBY from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Lake Scott State Park. For entry information and other details, see www.scottcityks.org or call 620-872-3525, ext. 1.

Lincoln to Hold Citywide Garage SalesJUNE 6 | The community of Lincoln will hold its CITYWIDE GARAGE SALES on June 6. Call the Lincoln Area Chamber of Commerce Monday through Thursday at 785-524-4934 for more information.

Great Plains Theatre Presents ‘Damn Yankees’ JUNE 12-21 | The production of this CLASSICAL 1950s MUSICAL COMEDY will take place at the Abilene High School Auditorium. Call Great Plains Theatre at 785-263-4574 for tickets.

Art in the Spotlight at Pioneer Bluffs Open RanchJUNE 13 | Guests can have their likenesses recreated in caricature, view art exhibits and enjoy a picnic lunch during Pioneer Bluff’s OPEN RANCH from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For lunch reservations, call Lynn Smith at 620-753-3484 or email lynn@pioneerbluffs.org. The ranch is one mile north of Matfield Green on Highway K-177.

Planes to Partake in Great Plains Fly In JUNE 13 | GREAT PLANES ON THE GREAT PLAINS FLY IN, 8 a.m. to noon, Hays Regional Airport, 3950 E. 8th St. A variety of demonstrations are offered,

including the Seat Belt Convincer. Call 785-628-7370 for more information.

St. Marys City Market Celebrates America JUNE 13 | The St. Marys CITY MARKET will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the George J. Perry Memorial Armory, 110 S. 5th St. Interested in being a vendor? Visit the event Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/stmaryscitymarket and ask to join.

Celebrate Lecompton’s History as the Capital of KansasJUNE 19-20| Lecompton celebrates its days as the TERRITORIAL CAPITAL OF KANSAS with historical re-enactments, 5K run, parade, musical entertainment, carnival, large quilt display and food and craft vendors. Call 785-887-6148 or visit Lecomptonterritorialdays.com for more information.

Wheatstock Offers Acoustic and Bluegrass MusicJUNE 20 | Old Prairie Town at Ward-Meade Historic site in Topeka will host the annual Wheatstock Concert from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. featuring acoustic and bluegrass music. BRING YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR LAWN CHAIRS. Park in lot at 1st and Clay streets. http://parks.snco.us.

Old Jefferson Town to Host ‘Haying with Horses’JUNE 26-27 | The Jefferson County Historical Society will be hosting “HAYING WITH HORSES” at the Native Prairie Grass Field just south of Old Jefferson Town in Oskaloosa. Cutting the hay will be on June 26 and raking the hay on June 27.

Walnut Valley Triathlon JUNE 28 | This USAT-sanctioned race will begin at 7 a.m. at the Winfield Aquatic Center near Island Park. SWIM 400 METERS, BIKE 10 MILES AND RUN 3.1 MILES. For more information, visit http://ozendurance.net/events/walnut-valley-triathlon.

Las Vegas-Style Concert includes FireworksJULY 4| The Caldwell Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a LAS VEGAS-STYLE CONCERT featuring Marshall Matthews, an international Elvis tribute artist, and The Memphis Kings with guest artist Debi Cay. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at the football field with a fireworks display at 10 p.m. Concessions will be available. Visit www.caldwellks.com.

Sedgwick County Fair Scheduled in CheneyJULY 8–11 | The SEDGWICK COUNTY FAIR will be held at the Cheney fairgrounds from July 8 to 11. Find the schedule of events at www.ourcountyfair.com.

ACT Ottawa Community Theater Presents ‘Sylvia’JULY 9-12 | ACT Ottawa Community Theater will present “Sylvia” at Larry D. Peter’s Memorial Auditorium, Ottawa University. Performance times vary. Visit www.actottawa.org or call 785-418-4770 for tickets. The production is also a fundraiser for Prairie Paws animal shelter. See the wishlist at http://prairiepaws.org/wishlist.

Miss McCracken Rodeo Queen and Princess Pageant SetJULY 10-11 | The pageant in McCracken begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 11 with QUEEN AND PRINCESS CORONATION on Saturday evening.

For more statewide events, see our annual summer travel section beginning on page 22.

Continued on page 21

JUNE 2015 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING 5

Co-ops Discuss Critical Issues at D.C. Summit B Y B R U C E G R A H A M

Bruce Graham

CO M M E N TA RY

In every visit, we

encourage common

sense solutions to

aggressive regulatory proposals.

On May 4-5, employees and directors from electric cooperatives in Kansas met with the state’s Congressional Delegation and their staff in Washington, D.C. We were there as part of a jam-packed Legislative Conference agenda organized annually by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The two-day summit gives co-op officials from across the country the latest information on issues critical to the delivery of electric service to 42 million co-op members nationwide.

With a focus on the snarl of environmental rules, NRECA CEO Jo Ann Emerson told par-ticipants they are in an ideal position to explain the impact of regulatory overreach to members of Congress.

“You’re a leader in your community because you care enough to help bridge the humon-gous gap between your town and Washington,” Emerson said. “There is no other way to do it than to pack up a suitcase full of common sense and deliver it yourself.”

For Kansas, that suitcase was stuffed with a plea for common sense regarding the Lesser Prairie Chicken (LPC) listing as a threatened species. Kansas has the largest recognized habitat area for the LPC and, without a doubt, the decision is beginning to throttle economic activity. While conservation of the species is important, the protection rules developed by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agen-cies (WAFWA) need refinement and represent a classic unfunded mandate that will raise elec-tric rates. We support legislation that will keep species recovery as a goal but give interested parties time to implement a plan that won’t endanger the economy of our state.

This year’s Legislative Conference program featured education sessions to download the latest on the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, restrictions contained in the Waters of the U.S. proposal, and the expanding role of renewable energy for resi-dential applications.

In addition, the Legislative Conference was keynoted by guest speakers including FERC Commissioner Colette Honorable, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Rep. Luke Messer (R-IN) and our own Sen. Jerry Moran.

Sen. Moran brought the crowd to their feet! He is a dynamic orator who understands clearly how these regulatory challenges threaten our mission to deliver a reliable and affordable power supply in the future.

Sen. Moran stressed the importance of visits like this as public policy is developed. So during our stops to the six Kansas Congressional offices, cooperative representatives were on a mission to: f Seek co-sponsors for the Ratepayer Protec-

tion Act, H.R. 2042, which would provide a legis-lative stay to the EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan until legal challenges run their course. Fol-lowing our visits, the Senate introduced com-panion legislation called the Affordable Reliable Energy Now Act (ARENA), and a lead sponsor is Sen. Pat Roberts.f Seek action on bipartisan measures that

would halt the Waters of the U.S. rule and require more input from small stakeholders, such as co-ops.f Thank our delegation for their support of the

Rural Utilities Service budget and water heater legislation that was approved by the President on April 30.

In every visit, we encouraged common sense solutions to aggressive regulatory proposals. The water heater legislation is a prime example. The EPA had recently announced restrictions on large capacity electric resistance water heaters. Not a big deal? Well in many parts of the country, utility load management programs cycle water heaters off and on during peak energy demand periods and larger units assure hot water when needed. The benefit is a lower electric bill for the consumer and the utility may defer building new generation.

It’s a shame we have to get Congressional intervention to enable such win-win programs to continue. And heads up! The EPA is evaluating standards for icemakers and recently funded a study targeting the pollution caused by backyard grills and related grease flare-ups! I have a feeling that if they mess with iced tea and grilled brats this summer, those Congressional offices could get pretty crowed with concerned citizens. KCL

BRUCE GRAHAM is Chief Executive Officer of Kansas Electric Cooperatives (KEC), Inc., Topeka.

6 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

Ag Answers are at Your Fingertips B Y C H A R H E N T O N

Char Henton

G U E ST TA L K

Mediation service

provides help for

Kansas farmers.

Who knew a Colorado farm girl headed for school in Dodge City would become a caregiver of the plains? Linda Hessman fell in love with a Kansas farmer and centered her life around faith, family, agriculture and rural communities. Linda experienced firsthand the roadblocks and challenges of many rural families during the agricultural downturn of the 1980s. During that time, she became a certified media-tor for Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services and continues to assist farm families in resolving financial problems and other issues.

Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services (KAMS) is a farm assistance program admin-istered through K-State Research and Exten-sion. We have served the Kansas ag community since 1988, helping producers with the financial and legal effects of managing their businesses. Our staff understands that everyone faces chal-lenges managing their operations and may need a listening ear. While we are available to help resolve difficult issues, we can also answer, clarify and provide resources for many types of ag-related questions.

Addressing a legal, financial or business management concern starts by calling the KAMS hotline. Over the years, we have assisted thousands of producers, whether helping them to refinance, manage family communications, or simply point them in the right direction regard-ing other ag-related questions such as estate planning or lease agreements. We are available to listen to any type of question, confidentially and at no cost. Questions about paperwork, transferring the operation, USDA programs, loan denials and ag law are just a few of the types of calls we receive.

KAMS is part of the Coalition of Agriculture Mediation Programs (CAMP). CAMP are offi-cially certified agricultural mediation programs funded by the USDA. In addition to Kansas, over 35 states assist agricultural producers, their creditors and various USDA agencies in address-ing loan problems, USDA adverse decisions and other disputes. The mediation programs do this in a confidential and non-adversarial setting outside the traditional legal process of appeals

and litigation.Mediation aids in restoring communica-

tion and fostering relationships in a supportive setting. Linda and other KAMS mediators have a wealth of experience working with produc-ers and their families. Many have worked with KAMS for over 25 years and have been involved firsthand with rural agriculture. They guide mediation participants as they identify options and generate mutually acceptable solutions to complex problems.

Linda is a valuable asset to the KAMS program. When knee-deep in issues, she has developed negotiation techniques to deal with complicated agricultural situations. She helps to strengthen, empower, and improve relationships within rural families.

KAMS also teams up with support ser-vices located throughout the state, dedicated to assisting producers with the mediation process. Information is provided by experts who have experience working with agriculturists. Access to resources like farm financial counseling and legal assistance prepares mediation participants so they have the right tools as they meet with other parties.

Agricultural financial counseling analyzes the farm or ranch operation so alternative, finan-cially feasible plans can be developed, if neces-sary. Knowing the profitability of the operation is important for the mediation process, but it can also help farmers identify changes that may benefit their operations and bottom lines. Legal assistance is provided by attorneys with knowl-edge in ag law. Their expertise helps participants understand the laws and regulations governing the mediation issue, including rights, obligations and legal options.

Managing a farm or ranch is no easy task. When financial, legal or management concerns arise it is important to know that KAMS is ready to answer questions and provide support, con-fidentially. We are just a call or click away: 800-321-3276 or www.ksre.k-state.edu/kams. KCL

CHAR HENTON is the Mediation Coordinator with Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services.

8 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

C U T YO U R U T I L I T Y B I L L S

QUICK TIP

Large overhangs keep the summer sun from pouring in through the windows and protect your home from the elements.

Efficient, Strong Home Construction Methods

The channels along the edges of the panels are interconnected with rein-forced steel for extreme strength

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Once the insulated forms are erected and the rein-forced steel is installed, the concrete is pumped in from the top.

BY J A M E S D U L L E Y

Dear Jim: We are empty nesters and have decided to build our dream home. What are some of the most efficient home con-struction methods? Severe weather is a concern in our town, so options that offer strength and ruggedness would be best. - Ian P.

Dear Ian: There are several relatively new home construction methods that are much stronger and effi-cient than typical insulated, wood framing built to code. Some of these methods use more than double the insulation value of typical framed walls and can even withstand hurricane- and tornado-force winds.

If you decide on a wood-framed house, use staggered, double-stud walls on 24-inch centers. This construction method not only provides double the insulation value, but by staggering the wall studs, it minimizes thermal bridges (direct non-insulated heat flow paths from indoors to outdoors through the wood studs).

For a wood-framed home, install rigid foam wall sheathing on the exterior so that all of the lumber’s thermal mass is inside of the insula-tion envelop. This can be covered with any type of exterior finish, such as siding, brick or stucco. Use a relatively square or circular shape to minimize the exterior wall and roof area. With similar insulation levels, a wall that is twice as big as another will lose about twice as much heat. Generally, square and circular shaped

homes resist the forces of storm winds best. This is why animals typically build round nests and dens, which can withstand major storms.

The “stay-in-place” home construction method uses concrete and rigid foam insula-tion; this method is efficient and strengthens the home. The insulation forms, which hold the wet concrete, are not removed, and they provide the insulation and substrate surface for install-ing the interior and exterior wall coverings. Wall insulation values are as high as R-40 when

10 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

Generally, square and circular shaped homes resist the forces of storm winds best.

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this method is used.A similar method uses hollow foam blocks

made to fit your home’s plans. The blocks are designed so there is an open cavity throughout the inside. Concrete is pumped into the openings at the top of the walls and flows throughout the blocks, which creates a strong, efficient structure.

Structural insulated panel (SIP) systems are a subset of standard foam insulated panels, which have a thick foam core sandwiched between two rigid sheets of various materi-als. The standard panels are often used for the exterior walls to enclose post and beam-framed and steel-framed homes for some of the highest insulation levels possible.

The rigid sheets in SIP panels are unique because they are made of oriented strand board (OSB), which creates a strong, highly insulated panel. The panel is self-supporting and does not require additional basic wall framing. Once the panels are attached to the foundation and are connected, the SIP panels support themselves, the floors, ceiling and roof.

Steel-framed construction is an excellent construction method if strength is the goal. Steel is strong. It does not burn or change shape over time as lumber does, and each steel piece is nearly identi-cal. Also, much of the steel used today in home con-struction is recycled from scrap materials.

From an efficiency standpoint, steel is supe-rior to most other framing materials. Although steel is not a good insulator, its strength allows for thinner studs and wider spacing. This leaves much more room for additional insula-tion inside the walls and fewer thermal bridges.

Efficient straw bale homes date back more than a century in the United States. When placed on its

side, each three-string bale is about 23 inches wide. When packed to a normal density, it produces an insulation value greater than R-50. The bales are stacked and bolted to a concrete foundation with vertical threaded rods. Prop-erly compressed straw bales are fire resistant when the exterior is covered with materials such as concrete or stucco. Soft plaster and gypsum interior finishes are attractive and durable. The plaster has a comfortable feel and is easy to work with. When completed, other than thick open-ings at windows and doors, they look like any conventional framed house.

Although they may look unusual, a geodesic dome design makes for an efficient and strong home. The most efficient models are constructed with thick foam panels. Concrete is sprayed over the exterior, completely covering the panels and filling the gaps between panels for strength. Another plus–the spherical exterior allows high storm winds to flow smoothly over it without damage. KCL

Send inquiries to James Dulley, Kansas Country Living, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.

This super-efficient straw bale home uses PV solar cell panels to generate electricity. When com-pleted, straw bale homes look like any conventional framed house.

JUNE 2015 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING 11

The volunteer climbs into the seat

about five feet in the air and straps

on the seat belt. A lever is released

and the seat slides down an 18-foot

incline and stops abruptly with a

loud thud. Thanks to the

seat belt, the rider is jolted

but not sent airborne.Depending on the passenger’s

weight, impact occurs at what would seem to be a docile five- to seven- miles per hour. Even at that low speed, the point is made.

“Imagine the impact at 60 miles per hour,” observed onlooker Bret Lanz.

This exercise in a staged collision is meant to drive home the impor-tance of seat belts every time drivers and passengers enter a vehicle.

Lanz knows the importance of buckling up. He is the Commer-cialization Manager at Advanced Manufacturing Institute (AMI). This department within the College of Engineering at Kansas State Univer-sity in Manhattan builds the machine appropriately known as the Seat Belt Convincer.

AMI, located in a 22,000-square-

foot facility on the east side of Manhattan, has worked with a wide range of industries to design, test and launch new products. In a span of 25 years, the list includes more than 700 companies and 2,500 products and projects.

AMI’s facility is a combination of offices, engineering design labs and a fully equipped prototype shop where custom components and

A Kansas-Made Device Reinforces the Importance of Seat Belts

Prepare for Impact

Bret Lanz of Advanced Manufacturing Institute in Manhattan displays a Seat Belt Convincer built for use in Saudi Arabia.

12 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

machines can be designed, fabricated and tested.

KSU students receive no aca-demic credit but are paid to work on design, engineering, construc-tion, marketing and sales for various projects.

The Seat Belt Convincer became an AMI project about 10 years ago. The Kansas Highway Patrol had been using a similar product but needed a replacement model. AMI personnel made improvements and designed a new, more user-friendly model.

“Since then, we’ve produced more than 200 units,” said Lanz. “A lot of law enforcement departments in the U.S. have ordered them. But, we have probably sold just as many to international clients.”

Indeed, two bright red units, adorned in a combination of English and Arabic wording, were awaiting shipment recently to the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia. Units have previously been shipped to Iraq, Lebanon and other Middle East locales.

The Middle East is a major destination for the convincer. Oil companies, such as British Petroleum and Shell, use the device in driver education programs for their fleets, Lanz said.

“The seat belt usage rate in the U.S. is 85 to 90 percent,” Lanz said. “In a lot of the Middle Eastern coun-tries it’s under 50 percent. Many large corporations over there are trying to do education programs to promote driver safety and seat belt usage.”

Lanz, a Bluestem Electric Cooper-ative member, said each convincer takes between four to six weeks to build.

“Every unit is custom fabricated in our shop,” he said. “The customer picks their own graphics and colors. We use local vendors around Manhattan to supply us with our products.”

Kansans have the opportunity to see the convincer in action across the state. The Kansas Highway Patrol has seven machines that are maintained at the various troop installations. These are in frequent use at schools, busi-nesses, fairs and community events.

Troop D in Hays, for example, will have its convincer in action June 13 at the Great Planes on the Great Plains Fly-in at the Hays Regional Airport.

Each 1,400-pound machine, though operating at a slow speed, delivers a big message time after time: following the short ride, passengers become convinced about the impor-tance of buckling up. For more infor-mation, see www.k-state.edu/ami. KCL

STATE SEAT BELT USAGE AT ALL-TIME HIGH The highest-ever percentage of buckled drivers and passengers in Kansas was recorded in 2014, according to Kansas Transportation Secretary Mike King.

“Eighty-six percent of drivers and front seat passengers were buckled up. That’s a five per-centage point increase from the previous year,” King said.

In 2003, a year after the observed seat belt rate was only 61 percent, Kansas implemented the safety campaign, “Click it. Or ticket.” which combines education and enforcement with the help of Kansas law enforcement agencies.

Kansas Highway Patrol Colonel Mark Bruce said the future of safety is moving in the right direction.

“This tells us that we are doing something right,” Bruce said. “We are seeing progress in the form of more people taking the initiative to protect themselves and buckle up.”

In 2014, Kansas lost 34 teens (ages 13-19) in crashes, with 63 percent of those victims not being properly restrained.

Law enforcement works with the KDOT-sponsored program, the Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office (KTSRO), and uses their high school-based education program, Seat Belts Are For Everyone, or SAFE, to get the message to new drivers.

The SAFE program began in six high schools in Crawford County. Today it is in 128 schools in 60 counties, and reaches more than 100,000 stu-dents, according to KTSRO project director Nor-raine Wingfield. SAFE is a cooperative effort to highlight the importance of wearing seat belts and decrease risky driving behaviors of teens.

Wingfield said the observed teen rate for seat belt usage has been increasing at a greater rate than any other age group, and counties that have the SAFE program increased the seat belt rate for all ages.

“This shows that when drivers are buckled up, the occupants of the car are buckled up,” Wingfield said.

Students from Landon Middle School in Topeka experience the Seat Belt Convincer during a safety demonstration presented by the Kansas Highway Patrol.

JUNE 2015 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING 13

Entry-level employees at electric coopera-tives–whether interns, apprentices or part-time summer help–experience from day one the coop-erative core principle of Concern for Commu-nity. They see firsthand how co-ops focus on members’ needs and how they work for the sus-tainable development of their communities. It’s this initial experience that can open minds to the possibilities a co-op career can offer and doors to a future with endless possibilities.

Meet three electric co-op employees who began their careers an interns or in entry-level positions and have discovered the co-op differ-ence in charting their career paths.

Gary Benisch, Line Foreman, Western Cooperative Electric

Gary Benisch’s plan after completing his first year of college was to find summer work, earn some money and return to college the follow-ing fall. He found that summer job at Western Cooperative Electric Association maintaining the yard and helping as needed in the shop. His original intention morphed into a 37-year career with the co-op, where he now works as a line foreman.

“As the summer went along, I started watching what the linemen did in the morn-ings, loading materials and planning their day,” Benisch explained. “I became intrigued with all the storms, or what seemed like a lot

of storms but I suppose it was just a normal Kansas summer,” he chuckled. “I’d come in the morning and the trucks would be all muddy, the guys were cleaning stuff off and there would be broken pieces of this and that laying everywhere. I remember thinking, ‘Wow, I wonder what all they had to do.’”

Benisch says he hadn’t decided what to major in at college yet, so when fall approached he talked with the line superintendent at the time about continuing his employment. Although the co-op didn’t need full-time help in a permanent position, they told Benisch he could stay on and help trim trees and do grounds work. “As time went on, I got more and more interested in the work and started running a digger truck (truck with an auger and boom to dig and set poles in the ground).” Within two years, Benisch became a full-time lineman. He later was promoted to crew foreman and eventually moved up to his current position of line foreman.

The best part of working at the co-op for Benisch is the variety of the work. “You’d think it would be all generic–it’s all electrical–but one day you might be trimming trees, the next day you might be in a bucket truck fixing insula-tors or changing out poles while the line is still energized or building a quarter mile line to a new house.”

On-call situations offer Benisch even more

UPFrom the Ground

Electric co-op

internships and entry-level jobs

open doors and minds

to career possibilities.

Continued on page 16

Gary Benisch, Line Foreman for Western Cooperative Electric, works from a bucket truck to make repairs.

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variety, which he craves. “It might be one person out of power that has a bad connection on a transformer and you have to trace that. Or there might be a section of line off and you’ve gotta figure out what’s causing the problem. That there’s always something different going on is the main thing I like.”

Benisch says that the electric co-op’s busi-ness model of member ownership is an impor-tant factor in job satisfaction for him.

“The way it’s set up–the cooperative way- the members are the owners and we are building and maintaining their line for them. All the guys take pride in the work they do and work to build a good stable line for everybody, troubleshoot when outages come in and try to get them back on in a timely manner.”

Jeff Hubbell, Electrical Engineer at The Victory Electric

As a child, Jeff Hubbell liked to build things, and then take them apart. When it came time for college, he said he had no idea what he wanted to pursue until his grandfather, who had watched

Hubbell dismantle and rebuild things as a child, offered a suggestion. “Grandpa recommended I become an engineer,” Hubbell recalls. He began his studies at Kansas State University in general engineering and then sampled classes in the various engineering disciplines.

“I liked the idea of electrical so that’s what I went with,” he said.

Hubbell says he turned to his grandfather again for advice on finding an internship close to his family’s home in Spearville the summer after his sophomore year. His grandfather suggested he contact Victory Electric Cooperative.

He secured an internship at Victory Electric and spent most of his time mapping, which he explains is maintaining the computer model of the electrical grid.

The mission of the co-op soon impressed Hubbell. “It seemed like the co-op was always doing something for and with the community,” Hubbell noted.

Hubbell interned at Victory Electric during his winter and summer breaks the next three years. As graduation approached, Hubbell knew he wanted to find employment close to family and friends. And after interning at Victory Electric, he was hopeful they would offer him a position.

“On my dad’s side, we are four generations deep farming in Spearville,” Hubbell says. “I specifically looked to find employment in or around where I grew up.”

Jeff Hubbell, Electrical Engineer for Victory Electric, checks the impedance of an overhead transformer.

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The best part of working at Victory Electric, Hubbell says, is the feeling he gets when he is able to help a farmer or customer and make their day by just doing his job. “It helps that it’s a co-op so we’re not out there to make money; we’re out there to help people.”

Now settled in his own home near family and friends, Hubbell looks forward to the next phase of his life and his work at Victory Electric. “It’s definitely a good place to work and it offers a future. It’s not just a job to me, it’s a career. There’s a lot of potential here.”

Dennis Deines, Manager of Member Services, Western Cooperative Electric

Dennis Deines says he was a “walk in the back door” applicant at Western Cooperative Electric when he applied for a job 31 years ago. After working a series of agricul-ture-related jobs, he joined the co-op in July 1984 as an apprentice lineman. “It’s been wonderful,” Deines said of his experience at Western. “We reach out and work with each other and for each other at the co-op.”

From groundman to a manager, Deines’ employ-ment path at Western continues to surprise and challenge him. Less than two years after being hired as an appren-tice lineman, Deines moved into a ware-house position and later became the materials manager. His career at the co-op took another turn when he was offered the opportunity to serve as manager of member services. In this role, Deines develops and implements member services and compliance programs.

“The opportunities are endless within the co-op world. All you need is to recognize them,” Deines explained. “The exposure to technology is a good example. You don’t nec-essarily have to be knowledgeable but willing to learn, have a good work ethic, be open to new ideas, and spread your wings yourself.”

Deines praises the benefits offered to co-op employees and says they are hard to beat. “The country’s electric co-ops act as one big group which allows them to offer solid benefits. They recognize the important work of co-op employees, so if you are going to give out an effort, they are too.”

Although three decades have passed, Deines maintains a youthful enthusiasm for his work−and his employer−as he did the day he was first offered a job.

“Overall, when I look back and reflect, there are still opportunities for long-term employees, still great opportunities out there.” KCL

JUNE 2015 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING 17

Favorite Number?Your what’s

Do you have a favorite number? Mine has been the number three for as long as I can remember. Many great things come in threes. The Three Stooges. The Three Musketeers. Rock, paper, scissors.

B Y J A C O B R O S E

Jacob Rose served as the Kansas representative of the Youth Leadership Council (YLC) at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) after participating in the 2014 Youth Tour. DS&O Electric Cooperative sponsored Rose for the Youth Tour trip.

There are three branches to our government, and everything thing you see is made up of three primary colors. Most importantly for me, three is the number of my favorite NASCAR driver, Dale Earnhardt.

But while on the Youth Tour, my favorite number changed, and trust me, I learned a lot of numbers while in DC!

For example, I learned that the Pentagon has five sides, five floors, 17.5 miles of hallways, 284 bath-rooms, was built in 18 months, has approximately 23,000 people working in 3,705,793 square feet, has 131 stairwells, 691 water fountains, 4,200 clocks, no photography allowed in its 16 parking lots that hold 8,770 cars, and you can walk to any point in the building in four to seven minutes.

I discovered more than just interesting facts about the Pentagon.

At Mount Vernon and at the Capital building, I realized that the founding fathers had an idea for a new kind of nation: one governed by the people, for the people. Their motto for this nation was, “E pluribus unum: Out of many, one.” And this is where I started to rethink the math of our great nation.

Because out of many states, we are one country. Out of many cultures, one community. Out of 314 million people, one society. Sure, many of us have different ways of thinking. We live in different environments, have different cultures, and we eat different foods. But, we are all American, no matter where we live, how we talk, or even what our definition of sweet tea is. Our differences can help each other grow as individuals like the many roots that hold up a mighty oak. We are not a single nation, but a celebra-

18 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

tion of many nations working together. Out of many, one.

The Youth Tour has taught me how impor-tant electric cooperatives have helped shape this country in the last 80 years. Not just because they provide electricity to everyone who needs it, but because we’re not only treated as customers, but also like friends and neighbors.

Co-ops are about service, by the people, for the people and for the good of the community. They provide extraordinary service and “that little extra,” such as funding programs like the Youth Tour and developing new local communi-ties. They aren’t just putting up power lines, they are serving America by investing in leaders of the future. Our electric cooperatives are helping to light our communities.

So after learning all of this on the Youth Tour, how have I changed? I have embraced the vision that the Founding Fathers had for my country and now have a true passion to keep it alive by teaching future generations about that vision. Sitting back and watching the government from a distance is no longer an option. I will accept the responsibility to take action and to be heard, to be a better citizen who is more active in my community. The Youth Tour experience ignited a desire within to share this new perspec-tive with the world, to pass on this torch, so to speak. Youth Tour taught me that anyone can make this world a better place, and that I can be that anyone.

So again I ask, “What is your favorite number? Mine is now an equation: E pluribus unum: Out of many, one. KCL

Youth Tour Heads to D.C.Thirty-seven Kansas high school students will attend the annual Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., June 11-18. The delegation, sponsored by Kansas’ electric cooperatives, will join more than 1,700 high school students from 45 states.

Attendees learn about cooperatives, history and government. They will visit with legislators, attend educational seminars and see the sights around Washington.

During their week-long stay in Washington, D.C., attendees will learn about cooperatives, history and government. They will also tour many sites including the White House, the Capitol, Smithso-nian Institute, Mt. Vernon, and the many memorials.

Chaperones are Shana and Randy Read, Kansas Electric Coop-eratives, Topeka; and Travis and Amanda Griffin, Butler Electric Cooperative. Participating students and their cooperatives are:

Kinsey Ackerman, Midwest Energy Gaby Amparan, Southern Pioneer BreAnn Anshutz, Midwest Energy Nolan Brey, Nemaha-Marshall Ashley Broxterman, Kaw Valley Andrea Buss, Midwest Energy Malia Clouse, Alfalfa L.T. Coburn, Western Alec Cowley, Brown-Atchison Garrett Davis, DS&OEmma DeMaranville, LJEC Derian Garrison, Wheatland Jalen Gifford, Victory Leah Gorges, Sedgwick County Rachel Hawkins, Lyon-Coffey Christian Isch, Lyon-Coffey Derek Leiblie, Sumner-Cowley Nick Lucas, Ninnescah Brooke McNickle, Ark Valley

Gavin Mitchell, Kaw Valley Zalma Molina, Victory Quinlee Niblock, Midwest Energy Gracie Paul, Southern Pioneer Alexis Peck, Lane-Scott Mark Persinger, Pioneer Essie Ratzlaff, Wheatland Mica Ratzlaff, Pioneer Santana Reeves, Prairie Land Donald Riffel, Prairie Land Harley Schuster, Rolling Hills Samantha Stover, Twin Valley Josh Stucky, Butler Ashlyn Taylor, Heartland Morgan Tucker, Lane-ScottFaith Tuttle, WesternAlex Wohler, Prairie LandKirsten Zerr, Midwest Energy

This 2014 Youth Tour delegation from Kansas toured our nation’s Capitol and other historic venues, as will this year’s participants, who are listed at right.

JUNE 2015 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING 19

Tim Steffensmeier

B Y T I M S T E F F E N S M E I E R

People came

together and worked

for the common

good.

Democracy in ActionTrio of Communities Work Together to Mold a Future

At first glance, the communities of Concep-tion, Conception Junction, and Clyde appear unnoteworthy. Approximately 500 people live in these northwest Missouri towns that are con-nected in the shape of a triangle. Only a handful of businesses dot their main streets, municipal government is minimal, and the county seat (Marysville) seems like a distant relative.

Upon a second, deeper look, a different image appears. A band of citizens organized under a “Tri-C” banner of “partners for prog-ress,” work on behalf of the common good. The steering committee often meets at Conception Abbey, an active Benedictine monastery.

Tri-C started in 2010 when a small group of people engaged Public Square Communities, LLC about wanting to keep the area a viable place for future generations. Mary Lee Meyer, who co-leads the Tri-C steering committee with Father Daniel Petsche, attributes the ongoing effort and success to the group’s vision: A healthy community working toward a common good–building on untapped gifts, full potential of youth, a sense of pride, and economic opportuni-ties, pulling together for future generations.

Tri-C is democracy in action. People came together and figured out if there was “a common good” that might sustain the long work, there would be progress. That’s a different move com-pared to initiatives that assume “the common good” is known and shared by all. Tri-C created its vision through a series of resident interviews and conversations with people from all sectors of the public square. That, too, differs from initiatives that are organized and managed by a primary institution, such as a school, business or hospital.

While Tri-C used a third-party facilitator (Public Square Communities) to initiate and facilitate the first two years of the process, Tri-C

is in year four of being led and financed by volunteers.

Their approach has yielded early fruit. For example, at the community conversations resi-dents lamented having so few businesses. But an action team on economic development went door-to-door and discovered 37 active busi-nesses, most operating out of homes. Publicizing that fact generated public support of those busi-nesses and communicated to entrepreneurs that it is possible to make a living in the Tri-C area.

Another action team took aim on enhanc-ing the natural beauty of these communities nestled in fertile, rolling hills by organizing a community-wide cleanup. Repeated annually, while getting rid of trash and junk, it noticeably enhanced community pride. Moreover, during the cleanups, organizers heard of residents wanting to recycle but thinking there were no practical options. The action team found solu-tions, and flyers are distributed at the dumpsters. Not surprisingly, recycling is on the rise.

Besides co-convening Tri-C’s steering team, Mary Lee capitalizes on her network of former English students by penning a community blog on Tri-C efforts. “We try not to take on big things we know we cannot complete,” she says. That’s reflected in the successes Tri-C has logged in five-plus years.

Could it be that Tri-C is reviving the genius of our American society? When rural communi-ties come together to build a preferred future, they are trumpeting an idea that animates our times. It’s our core belief in the power of the citi-zenry. It is democracy in action. KCL

TIM STEFFENSMEIER is a Public Square Communities Colleague and Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Kansas State University.

20 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

Around KansasContinued from page 5

Proudly Representingthe Cooperative Employees of:

Ark Valley Electric Cooperative Inc DS&O Electric Cooperative Inc Flint Hills Rural Electric Cooperative IncLeavenworth-Je� erson Electric Cooperative IncLyon-Co� ey Electric Cooperative Inc Midwest Energy IncRadiant Electric Cooperative Inc Sunfl ower Electric Power CorporationVictory Electric Cooperative Assn Inc Western Cooperative Assn IncWheatland Electric Cooperative Inc

Proudly Representing

Leavenworth-Je� erson Electric Cooperative Inc

www.ibew304.org

For more information call Becky Benoit at 785-639-3990 or email at roo41908@gmail.com.

Tour Includes Home with VineyardJULY 12| The Clay County Historical Society and Museum will be sponsoring a Garden Show from 2 to 7 p.m. THE TOUR INCLUDES FOUR HOMES–one with a vineyard–and Utility Park. The starting point will be the new museum at 518 Lincoln Ave. Contact Diana Shaner at 785-632-3786 or email ccmuseum@twinvalley.net for more information.

Tractors, Engines Featured at Meriden Threshing Show JULY 17–19 | The 39th annual MERIDEN THRESHING SHOW invites guests to 8275 K-4 Highway for threshing, antique tractors, gasoline engines, antique tractor pull, garden tractor pull, parade, flea market, blacksmithing, flour milling and live music. Contact Jess at 785-633-9706 or see www.meridenthreshers.org to learn more.

Hamilton County Fair Offers ‘Smashing’ Good TimeJULY 26-AUG. 2 | Hamilton County Fair is home to DEMO DERBY’S STILL SMASHIN’ AND CRASHIN’ IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS! New events this year include summer craft fair, beard and mustache contest, best Mexican dish contest and mud volleyball. For more information visit www.hamiltoncountyfairgrounds.com or call 620-384-5433.

Topeka Symphony to Perform on the Oregon Trail SEPT. 6 | Alcove Spring Historic Park will host Orchestra on the Oregon Trail, where MUSIC MEETS THE MEADOW. Park gates will open at 1 p.m. and the Topeka Symphony will take the stage at 6 p.m. Visit www.ooot.org or call 844-252-6830 for tickets. KCL

Send items for your free listing in Around Kansas to Kansas Country Living, P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604 by the fifth of the month prior to publication. Or email vestes@kec.org. Please include a contact phone number.

JUNE 2015 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING 21

July 24-August 2Dodge City Days, Dodge City

A month-by-month guide to the many fun and exciting things you can do when you Travel Kansas from June through August.

Travel KansasYOUR GUIDE TO SUMMER 2015

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For more information and additional listings please visit www.travelks.com

JUNETHROUGH JUNE 20 Plenty of Personality Aprons Display, Goessel. A show of the “Ordinary, the well- loved, and maybe, the brand new.” Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum, 200 N. Poplar, 620-367-8200, goesselmuseum.com.

THROUGH JUNE 27 Queen of the Mountain Exhibit, Chanute. This collection contains a wealth of images and records with a global significance. Teamed with our core photographic holdings of hometown heroine Osa Johnson, Lizzie’s collection transforms our museum into a preeminent center for the study of pioneer photography and the achievements of ground- breaking women around the world. Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum, 111 N. Lincoln Ave., 620-431-2730, SafariMuseum.com.

THROUGH JULY 30 Summer Street Stroll, Great Bend. Stroll the square for homegrown produce, from-scratch baked goods and hand-made wares. Jack Kilby Courthouse Square, 620-793-4111, visitgreatbend.com.

JUNE 2-JULY 28 Municipal Band Concerts, Hutchinson. Bring your lawn chair, find a shady spot, and enjoy the weekly concert by the Hutchinson Municipal Band. Farmer’s Market Pavilion, 2nd and Washington, 620-694-2677, downtownhutchinson.com.

JUNE 4-6 Flint Hills Rodeo, Strong City. Endorsed by the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association, this rodeo holds the distinction of being the oldest consecutive rodeo in Kansas using the same arena and grounds built for the event back in 1948. Flint Hills Rodeo Arena, Highway 50, 620-273-6480, FlintHillsRodeo.net.

JUNE 4-6 Old Settlers Reunion, Ness City. The reunion starts with a breakfast and

parade and includes three days of entertainment, food vendor booths, carnival rides and just plain fun. Ness City, 102 W. Main, 785-798-2413, nesscountychamber.com.

JUNE 4-13 “The Odd Couple,” Garnett. Enjoy a delicious dinner and dessert served by the cast at the Thelma Moore Community Playhouse, then watch the female version of “The Odd Couple.” Chamber Players Community Theatre, 140 W. 5th Ave., 785-304-1683, thechamberplayers.org.

JUNE 5 Big Blue BBQ Championship, Marysville. Held in conjunction with the Marysville Auto Fest and Big Blue River Days, this KCBS-sanctioned event, with more than $10,000 in cash and prizes, is limited to 30 participants. Downtown Marysville, 7th and Broadway, 785-562-8374, bigbluebbqmarysville.com.

JUNE 5 Sundown Film Festival–Little Women, Topeka. Bring blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy this PG-rated movie. Admission is free. Popcorn, candy, soda, and water will be available for purchase. Kansas Historical Society, 6425 SW. 6th Ave., 785-272-8681, kshs.org.

JUNE 5-6 Orphan Train Celebration, Concordia. This year’s Orphan Train Celebration will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a renovated 1860s wooden passenger train car. National Orphan Train Complex, 300 Washington, St., 785-243-4471, orphantraindepot.com.

JUNE 5-6 Rock N’ Country Festival, Winfield. Friday night bands: Terry Quiett Band, Paramount, Saliva, and Linnaberry Wine. Saturday night performances: KSOK Texaco Showdown, Wild and Wooly Bull Ride, Turn Back Creek, Mike Kennon, Riverbilly, Chris Cagle, and Thomas Martinez. Winfield Fairgrounds, 1105 W. 9th Avenue, 620-229-0470, rockncountryfest.com.

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Courtland

June 13-14Flint Hills FolkLife Festival,

Cottonwood Falls

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TravelKansas

JUNE 5-7 Big Blue River Days, Marysville. A weekend of entertainment including a Poker Run and Friday Night Cruisin’ to oldies (families welcome); Blues, Brews and BBQ featuring KC/DC (an AC/DC Cover Band); the Big Blue BBQ Championship, Kids Que Grilling Competition; and the Footloose Dance Recital, plus a ton more. Downtown Marysville, 7th and Broadway, 785-562-3101, visitmarysvilleks.org/events.

JUNE 5-7 Chingawassa Days, Marion. Concerts featuring nationally known bands, contests, rides, games, animals, races, prizes and food in shady park. Central Park, 501 E. Main, 620-382-3425, chingawassadays.com.

JUNE 5-7 Open Tennis Tournament, Garden City. Compete in singles, doubles and mixed doubles from beginners to advanced competition. Trophies awarded. Participants will receive a free T-shirt if registered before the deadline. Garden City HS, 2720 Buffalo Way Blvd, 620-290-1999, gcksschools.com.

JUNE 5-14 Beef Empire Days, Garden City. One of Kansas’ largest beef festivals, live and carcass shows and rodeos of its kind. Enjoy barbecue, ranch horse competition, ranch rodeo, feeder cattle challenge, people’s choice auction, intercollegiate meats contest, and cutting horse competition plus PRCA rodeo events and performances. Finney County Fairgrounds and Campground, 311 N. 9th, 620-276-6807, beefempiredays.com.

JUNE 6 Auto Fest, Marysville. More than 300 vehicles of all makes and models, plus vintage tractors. Vehicles will be judged; special categories and awesome trophies to be awarded including $500 cash giveaway. Preregistration not required. Also enjoy rides, games, food, novelty vendors and a barbecue cook-off. Downtown Marysville, 7th and Broadway, 785-562-3101, VisitMarysvilleKs.org/events.

JUNE 6 Dairy Days, Basehor. The festival, which pays homage to the city’s rich dairy history, includes live entertainment, dairy memorabilia, carnival games, food, crafts, cow milking machine, Old West Town carnival games, pie baking contest and more for the family to enjoy. Basehor City Park, 15940 Leavenworth Rd., 913-662-1246, basehordairydays.com.

JUNE 6 Carp Derby, Scott City. Registration at 9 a.m. and event ends at 6 p.m. Cash prizes and dinner provided by Security State Bank for entered teams and individuals. Lake Scott State Park, 620-872-3525 Ext. 1, scottcityks.org.

JUNE 6 Crazy Cow 5K Run/Walk, Basehor. Race Day Registration is available beginning at 6:30 a.m. at the Crazy Cow 5K table in the southeast corner of Basehor City Park. Please no pets. Basehor City Park, 15940 Leavenworth Rd., 913-662-1246, basehordairydays.com/crazy-cow-5k-race-information.

JUNE 6 Ghost Tour, Lucas. See if there are ghosts at the Garden of Eden. 785-425-7350, catchaghosttoursofkansas.com.

JUNE 6 Dodge City Law Arena Football vs Sioux City Bandits, Dodge City. Champions indoor football bringing hard-hitting, fast-paced, “so close you can feel it” action to Southwest Kansas. United Wireless Arena, 4100 W. Comanche, 620-371-7240, unitedwirelessarena.com.

JUNE 6 Family Day at the Zoo, Hutchinson. It’s family, food, and fun all wrapped into one. Admission includes meal, movies, games, train rides, and more. Proceeds help with zoo improvements. Hutchinson Zoo, 6 Emerson Loop E, 620-680-2119, hugchgov.com/zoo.

JUNE 6 Good Ol’ Days, Fort Scott. This town-wide festival is about outdoor recreation then and now. Fort Scott National Historic Site, 1 Old Fort Blvd., 620-223-0310, nps.gov/fosc.

JUNE 6 Heartland Military Day, Topeka. Military equipment and Civil War displays, demonstrations, World War II battle re-enactments, panel presentations from the Iraqi and Afghan War, band concerts, pancake feed, and memorial ceremony on the War on Terrorism. Free. Kansas Guard Museum, 125 SE. Airport Dr., 785-862-1020, kansasguardmuseum.org.

JUNE 6 High Plains Rugby Invitational, Garden City. Eight to 10 teams participate from Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado. The club will march in the Beef Empire Days parade before tournament. Round robin format with a championship bracket for trophies and cash prizes. Esquivel Soccer Complex, 1702 E. Mary St., 517-980-6384, www.gcrec.com.

JUNE 6 Auto Fest, Marysville. More than 300 vehicles of all makes and models, plus vintage tractors. Vehicles will be judged; special categories and awesome trophies to be awarded including $500 cash giveaway. Preregistration not required. Also enjoy rides, games, food, novelty vendors and a barbecue cook-off. Downtown Marysville, 7th and Broadway, 785-562-3101, VisitMarysvilleKs.org/events.

JUNE 6 National Biplane Fly-In, Junction City. A celebration of antique, vintage and modern biplanes. Watch the biplanes flying, or take a ride with one of the pilots. Vendors, booths and more including Chris Cakes Pancake Feed, sponsored by the Junction City Sertoma Club. Freeman Field, 540 Airport Rd., 785-210-7500, nationalbiplaneflyin.com.

JUNE 6 Rollin’ Nostalgia Super-Cruise on Broadway, Pittsburg. Sixties-style cruising on Broadway. Dash plaques, trophies, music. Hot dogs and pop for participants are all free. Downtown Pittsburg, 401 N. Broadway, 620-231-8343, sites.google.com/site/rollinnostalgia.

JUNE 6 Spring Wildflower Tour, Canton. Board the tram for a tour of the prairie to view wildflowers and buffalo. Self-guided walking tour with flowers labeled. 2565 Pueblo Rd., 67428, 2565 Pueblo Rd., 620-628-4455, cyberkraft.com/Maxwell.

JUNE 6 Storm the Dam, El Dorado. The double loop marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K all begin with a storm up the dam and great

lake views as you run along the lakeshore. Start times vary by race. El Dorado State Park, 618 NE. Bluestem Rd., 316-321-7180, kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks/Locations/El-Dorado.

JUNE 6 Wine in the Wild, Manhattan. Stroll the zoo’s trails, sample a variety of wines and heavy hors d’oeuvres, enjoy live music and the zoo’s wild animal residents. Sunset Zoo, 2333 Oak St., 785-587-2737, sunsetzoo.com.

JUNE 6-7 Free Fishing Weekend, Statewide. It’s free fishing weekend at all Kansas public waters. No fishing license required. You must still have a vehicle permit if you enter a Kansas State Park. Statewide, 785-842-8562, ksoutdoors.com.

JUNE 7 Legends Triathlon, Lawrence. Participants will swim from the far west boat ramp, then bike out of the state park onto county roads and then back into the state park. Clinton State Park, 798 N. 1415 Rd., 636-399-2589, ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman-70.3/kansas.aspx#axzz2F3SHkhPM.

JUNE 7 Soap Making Workshop, Great Bend. Learn cold-process soap making. Kansas Wetlands Education Center, 877-243-9268.

JUNE 11-13 Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo, Garden City. This PRCA rodeo is part of a community-wide event celebrating Garden City’s Western heritage and the role of the cattle industry. The event includes a week of riding, roping and bull riding. Finney County Fairgrounds and Campground, 311 N. 9th, 620-765-5216, beefempiredaysrodeo.com.

JUNE 12 Friday Flix: “Jurassic Park,” Pittsburg. Fantasy becomes reality as dinosaurs are genetically re-created for the ultimate theme park in this adaptation of Michael Crichton’s best-selling novel. Colonial Fox Theatre, 407 N. Broadway, 620-235-0622, colonialfox.org.

JUNE 12 Kansas Cowboy Poetry Contest, Alma. This annual contest invites those poets who qualified at one of the state’s regional qualifying contests to complete in two categories: serious and humorous. Winners will receive the Governor’s Buckle; top three receive gift certificates. Volland Store, 24098 Volland Rd., 785-765-4655, cowboypoetrycontest.com.

JUNE 12-14 Paradise Creek Festival and Rodeo, Plainville. This family event includes a professional rodeo, games, craft show, stage shows and more. Downtown and Rodeo grounds, 785-434-2841, plainvillerodeo, plainvilleks.com.

JUNE 12-14 Summer Sizzling Dinger Derby, Garden City. Four age divisions compete in this baseball tournament: 16 and under, 14 and under, 12 and under and 10 and under. The tournament attracts teams from Liberal, Dodge City, Ulysses, Scott City, Lakin, Great Bend and Hays and recruits teams from Oklahoma and Colorado. 310 N. 6th, 620-276-1200, garden-city.org.

JUNE 12-26 “West Side Story,” Salina. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported

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to modern-day New York City, as two young idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of hate, violence, and prejudice is one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching and relevant musical dramas of our time. Salina Theatre, 303 E. Iron Ave., 785-827-3033, salinatheatre.com.

JUNE 13 Can-U-Cruise Charity Cruise Night, Garnett. Enjoy the fun and inviting atmosphere while benefitting the local food pantry. This event attracts rides from the four-state area. Anderson County Courthouse, 100 E. 4th Ave., 785-448-6767, lakegarnettcruisers.com.

JUNE 13 Car Show, Paola. Visit Historic Town Square and view some of the state’s greatest old time cars. Bring family and friends for fun competitions and to enjoy several vendors. Historic Town Square, 6 W. Peoria, 913-294-4335, paolatourism.org.

JUNE 13 Cedar Bluff OK Kids Day, Ellis. Bring your fishing pole and smart phone or GPS for this family day of fun. Join us for the fishing derby and the biggest fish contest and stay for a shed hunt, deer feed, geocache trap shooting, shotgun safety and shooting instructions. Worms will be provided, or bring your own magic bait. Cedar Bluff State Park, 32001 147 Hwy, 785-726-3212, kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks/Locations/Cedar-Bluff.

JUNE 13 Cow Creek Bluegrass Festival, Pittsburg. Hosting several bands to promote the style of bluegrass, gospel, folk and old-time music. Lincoln Park, 813 Memorial Dr., 620-231-8310, cowcreekbluegrassfestival.com.

JUNE 13 Great Planes on the Great Plains Fly-In, Hays. View airplane and helicopter static displays, fire safety demonstrations, remote control planes, military aircraft displays, and model rockets, plus Ident-A-Kid through the Hays Police Department and the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Seat Belt Convincer. Hays Regional Airport, 3950 E. 8th, 785-628-7350, flyhays.com.

JUNE 13 Little Apple Duck Dash, Manhattan. Adopt a duck and join the Little Apple Duck Dash where 5,000 toy ducks race

across Tuttle Creek River Pond. Who will be the lucky duck to win some great prizes? Proceeds support Boys and Girls Club of Manhattan youth. Tuttle Creek State Park, 5800A River Pond Rd., 785-539-1947, kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks/Locations/Tuttle-Creek.

JUNE 13 Quilts of Valor, Holton. Quilts of Valor and a military band headline the event at the courtyard and gazebo on the square, where you can also shop local boutiques and market venues. Historic Downtown Holton Square, 400 New York Square, 785-364-3963, exploreholton.com.

JUNE 13 Weekly Racing Series, Dodge City. Satisfy your need for speed and cheer on your favorite driver. DCRP sprint cars, IMCA modifieds, IMCA sport modifieds, IMCA stock cars, hobby stocks all race at this premier track. Dodge City Raceway Park, Hwy 56 and 14th St., 620-225-3277, dodgecityraceway.com.

JUNE 13-14 Flint Hills FolkLife Festival, Cottonwood Falls. Historic presenters in period dress demonstrate skills necessary for life on the Kansas Prairie in the 1860s. See rope, soap, and butter made. Also, basket weaving, stone masonry, spinning, dyeing, weaving, Mountain Man Encampment, cooking, story telling, and more. Bluegrass music and items produced by historical presenters are for sale. Chase County Courthouse, 620-273-6053, facebook.com/FlintHillsFolkLifeFestival.

JUNE 15-19 AJGA 2015 Junior Golf at Buffalo Dunes, Garden City. The AJGA National Kansas Junior Golf Association will be hosting this 3rd annual golf tournament. Buffalo Dunes Golf Course, 5685 S. US Highway 83, 620-276-1210, buffalodunes.org/golf/proto/buffalodunes.

JUNE 18 Third Thursday Art Tour, Hutchinson. Featuring numerous artists, refreshments, entertainment and socializing for the whole family. Downtown Hutchinson, 620-694-2677.

JUNE 18-21 Smallville Festival, Hutchinson. Featuring an art walk, live music, vendors, superhero-themed items, spider-climbing wall, and more. Various locations throughout Downtown, 620-694-2677, smallvilleks.com.

JUNE 18-21 “It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman,” Hutchinson. The comic comes alive as Superman must defeat Dr. Abner Sedgwick, while still maintaining his secret identity. This show will run during the annual Smallville Celebration. Family Community Theater, 310 N. Main, 620-662-1601, shopkansas.net/fct/index.html.

JUNE 19 June Art Walk, Pittsburg. The Art Walk features food venders, music, art demonstrations and beautiful work from local artists. Downtown Pittsburg, 401 N. Broadway, 620-231-1212, facebook.com/pittsburgartwalk.

JUNE 19-20 Echoes of the Trail, Fort Scott. Hear prize-winning cowboy singers and story tellers

SMOKY HILL RIVER FESTIVAL IN SALINA

JUNE 11-14 In its 39th year, River Festival 2015 features four stages of live music, roving entertainers, more than 130 unique fine art and craft exhibitors, food, and the Artyopolis kids’ area with crafts, games, face painting and more. Admission by Festival button only; available at 39 locations in Salina and 18 regional cities. Oakdale Park, next to the Salina Bicentennial Center, 785-309-5770, riverfestival.com.

The 2015 Smoky Hill River Festival will be held June 11-14 at Oakdale Park in Salina.

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TravelKansas

paint pictures of the Old West with their beautiful voices. Trail rides and pie-baking contest. Plenty of cowboy tales and music, real chuckwagon cooking and family fun. 2108 South Horton St., 620-223-0736, echoesofthetrail.com.

JUNE 19-20 Southeast Kansas Old Time Gas Engine and Tractor Club Show, Pittsburg. The show features operating exhibits, old gas engines, antique tractors, antique farm machinery, antique and classic cars, corn grinding demonstration, and model steam engines. Events for all ages including a women’s skillet toss, rolling pin contest and a turtle race. Crawford County Historical Museum, 651 U.S. 69, 417-927-3254, sekgasenginetractorclub.com.

JUNE 19-20 SWAN Arts Festival, Ottawa. This two-day regional event highlights the arts that exist in the area, as well as introduces regional and national artists. Discover fine arts, live music, children’s activities, delicious food, art demonstrations, vendors and more. City Park, Fifth and Main streets, 785-242-1411, swanartsfestival.com.

JUNE 19-21 Washunga Days, Council Grove. Council Grove, once the site of a Kaw reservation, honors the last full-blooded Kaw chief, Washunga with a Kaw Inter-tribal Pow Wow. Other activities include re-enactments, parade, 5K run, arts and crafts, flea market, classic car show and live entertainment. Kaw Mission Historic Site, 207 W. Main St., 620-767-5413, councilgrove.com.

JUNE 20 Bluegrass at the Lake, Marion. Annual bluegrass at the lake. Come enjoy music, food and the great outdoors. Marion County Park and Lake, 1 Office Dr., 620-382-3240, marioncountyparkandlake.com.

JUNE 20 Classic and Antique Car and Truck Show, Goessel. Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum, 200 N. Poplar, 620-367-8200, goesselmuseum.com.

JUNE 20 Lavender Harvest Festival, Bennington. Prairie Lavender Farm’s annual event includes farm tours, demonstrations, plant sales, live music, artists painting ‘plein aire’ and lavender accented food. Gift shop is open with drawings for gifts. Prairie Lavender Farm, 69 Alpine Ridge Lane, 785-488-3371, prairielavenderfarm.com.

JUNE 20 Prairie Sun Outdoor Market, Cheney. Acres of local artisans, food, produce, antiques and collectibles from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Souders Farm Museum, 39925 W. 39th St. S., 316-542-3296.

JUNE 20 Midsummers Festival and Kubb Tournament, Lindsborg. Celebrate Swedish Lindsborg heritage on this “longest day of the year.” Join in the fun of Swedish dancing, food, children’s games, music, live entertainment, raising of the Midsummer Pole, 5K/2-mile walk and Kubb Tournament . Downtown Lindsborg, 104 E. Lincoln St., 888-227-2227, midsummersfestival.com.

JUNE 20 Reel Paddling Film Festival, Manhattan. Showcasing the world’s best paddling films and is designed to inspire exploration of rivers, lakes and oceans, and an appreciation for the wild places that paddle enthusiasts frequent. This film contest awards winning films in 10 categories. Flint Hills Discovery Center, 315 S. 3 Rd., 785-776-8829, reelpaddlingfilmfestival.com.

JUNE 20 Mid-America Cruise-In, Belleville. Car show in Belleville City Park and downtown parade at 11:30. Also, Friday night cruise-in and races on the Belleville High Banks on Saturday night. Bellevilleks.org.

JUNE 20 Secret Garden Tour, Fort Scott. Six gardeners will open wide their garden gates for this event sponsored by the Bourbon County Master Gardeners and Garden Club. Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, 231 E. Wall St., 800-245-3678, fortscott.com.

JUNE 20 Territorial Days, Lecompton. Celebrating Lecompton’s national and state history. Historic re-enactments, pioneers skills demonstrators, craft and food booths. All museums open. Throughout Lecompton, 319 Elmore St., 785-887-6520, lecomptonterritorialdays.com.

JUNE 20 Hog Roast, Junction City. Enjoy roasted pig between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., a pie auction, bake sale and craft sale. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 9719 Clark’s Creek Rd., 785-482-3213.

JUNE 20 Ghost Tour, Lucas. See if there are ghosts at the Garden of Eden. 785-425-7350, catchaghosttoursofkansas.com.

JUNE 20 Van GO “What Floats Your Boat” Fundraiser, Lawrence. Dance under the stars, eat delicious barbecue and bid on unique outdoor art to benefit Van Go’s job-training programs. Clinton State Park, 798 N. 1415 Rd., 785-842-3797, app.etapestry.com/hosted/VanGoMobileArts/EventRegistration.html.

JUNE 20-21 Smallville ComicCon, Hutchinson. Guests attending this celebration will be Billy Dee Williams, Kathy Garver, Katrina Law, Lee Meriwether, Manu Intiraymi and Vernon Wells. Special attractions and entertainment include

TONGANOXIE DAYS IN TONGANOXIE

JUNE 13 Events include 5K/10K run, arts and food vendors, car and truck show, mini train rides, petting zoo and much more. Appearance by Yogi Bear and entertainment will include magician Bob Phillips, The Good Sam Club Band, Stranger Creek and Mike Warehime. Downtown Tonganoxie, 913-845-5183, tonganoxiedays.com. Vendors line the streets at the 2014 Tonganoxie Days event.

The 2015 event is scheduled for June 13.

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26 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

C4 Charity movie cars and Clearly Guilty. Kansas State Fairgrounds, 2000 N. Poplar, 620-669-3600, smallvillecomiccon.com.

JUNE 21 Lake Tri, El Dorado. The races will start in the Walnut River area of the park, just below the dam, with the swim course at Walnut River Beach and the bike route beginning at the Walnut River campground. Plenty of parking and camping will be available in the race area. El Dorado State Park, 618 NE. Bluestem Rd., 316-321-7180, kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks/Locations/El-Dorado.

JUNE 21 Father’s Day Car Show, Salina. Wild wheels and wildlife are featured at this event designed just for dads. See 150 cars, trucks, and motorcycles vying for top honors at this year’s show. Check out all the animals too, and cool off in the air-conditioned wildlife museum with another amazing experience awaiting you. Rolling Hills Zoo, 625 N. Hedville Rd., 785-827-9488, rollinghillszoo.org.

JUNE 22-JULY 10 Western Kansas Art Hang-In’, Montezuma. Are you interested in showing off your original art? Student, amateur and professional artists are encouraged to participate in this exhibit. All media two and three dimensional are eligible to participate. All art pieces will be accepted on a first hang and display basis. Stauth Memorial Museum, 111 N. Aztec St., 620-846-2527, stauthmemorialmuseum.org.

JUNE 25-28 Jim Clanton Memorial Baseball Tournament, Garden City. Three age divisions compete: 19 and under, 16 and under, and 14 and under. Compete with teams from Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. Garden City Recreation Commission, 310 N. 6th, 620-276-1200, garden-city.org.

JUNE 26 Bellator MMA, Mulvane. Former Featherweight World Champion Pat Curran takes on submission ace Goiti Yamauchi in the Featherweight feature fight. Plus, Derby’s own David “The Caveman” Rickels returns to fight John Alessio in the Lightweight feature fight. Kansas Star Arena, 777 Kansas Star Drive, 800-745-3000, kansasstareventcenter.com/events/bellator-mma-139.

JUNE 26 Moore Ranch Branding, Bucklin. Try your hand at gathering the longhorns and help with a branding. Learn to rope and drag calves to the fire with the other cowboys or help the ground crew with the vaccinations and putting the brands on the calves. There are no put-ons here. This is honest-to-goodness cowboy life. Included in the cost is the use of horse, tack, equipment, all meals and lodging. Moore Ranch, 2933 CR E, 620-826-3649, moorelonghornranch.com.

JUNE 26-27 Buffalo Dunes Ladies Golf Tournament, Garden City. The tournament begins early in the morning and includes both golf and a social event in the evening. Funds raised

provide scholarships for Hook a Kid on Golf, funds the Garden City High School Girls Golf Team and prizes for Ladies Golf Association tournament and league play. Buffalo Dunes Golf Course, S. Hwy 83, 620-640-5147, buffalodunes.org/golf/proto/buffalodunes.

JUNE 27 Festival of the Arts, Bonner Springs. Enjoy Kansas City-area arts, crafts, music, performances, food, and more in support of the Bonner Springs Arts Alliance. Event is held in conjunction with Bonner Blast Independence Day Celebration, which includes an ice cream social, Patriotic City Band Concert and fireworks. Downtown Bonner Springs, 126 Cedar St., 913-558-9669, bonnerspringsartsalliance.com.

JUNE 27 Shared Stories of the Civil War: Compromise to Conflict: Missouri Compromise and Kansas-Nebraska Act, Fort Scott. As the United States expanded into the West, the question of slavery remained unresolved. Fort Scott National Historic Site, 1 Old Fort Blvd., 620-223-0310, nps.gov/fosc.

JUNE 27 Steve King Memorial Race at DCRP, Dodge City. Satisfy your need for speed and cheer on your favorite driver. NCRA vs ASCS 360 Sprint Cars and URSS 305 Sprint Cars all at this premier track while we remember local driver Steve King who put racing in Southwest Kansas on the map. Dodge City Raceway Park, Hwy 56 and 14th St., 620-225-3277, dodgecityraceway.com.

JUNE 27-28 Beef Empire Days National Cutting Horse Summer Show, Garden City. This event will offer two days of nationally sanctioned cutting horse competition with youth scholarships worth $1,000 to be awarded. A feedlot cutting class will be held each night and trophy buckles will be awarded in all classes. Finney County Fairgrounds and Campground, 209 Lake Avenue, 620-664-7230, finneycounty.org.

JULYJULY 1-4 Sundown Salute, Junction City. The largest free multi-day Independence Day celebration in Kansas with vendors, crafts, animals, carnival, car show, food vendors, fireworks extravaganza, bands playing nightly, a parade and more. Heritage Park, 6th and Washington St., 785-238-3103, sundownsalute.org.

JULY 1-4 Wild West Festival, Hays. Enjoy open-air concerts by national recording artists, spectacular fireworks show, parade, carnival, food/drink vendors, family activities, sporting events, fishing contest, soccer tournament, 5K run/walk, mechanical bull, baseball tournament and citywide promotions. Hays Municipal Park, 1st and Main, 785-623-4476, wildwestfestival.com.

JULY 2-3 Short Cattle Drive, Bucklin. Drive Moore Ranch longhorns over the prairie and behold some very beautiful and peaceful scenery. This is a

shorter drive for those who are a little concerned about sitting in the saddle for a long period of time. This is honest-to-goodness cowboy life. Moore Ranch, 2933 CR E. Moore Ranch, 620-826-3649, moorelonghornranch.com.

JULY 3 Libertyfest, Garnett. Enjoy a free outdoor band concert by the Garnett Area Community Band, followed by a large public fireworks display over Lake Garnett. Camp or picnic and experience one of Garnett’s unique family friendly events. North Lake Park, 700 North Lake Rd., 785-448-6767, garnettchamber.org.

JULY 3-5 HutchFest 2015, Hutchinson. Teen dance, car show, entertainment, food, live music, talent show, dirt track racing and fireworks. Kansas State Fairgrounds, 2000 N. Poplar, 620-259-9434, hutchfest.org.

JULY 4 Patriots Parade, Hutchinson. Parade starts at 10 a.m. at Avenue A and Main and will proceed up Main Street to 12th Avenue. Downtown Hutchinson, Avenue B and Main, 620-662-4486, eagleradio.net.

JULY 4 4th of July Celebration, Fort Leavenworth. Events include concessions, games, concert, “Salute to the Union” and fireworks at dusk over Merritt Lake. In case of rain, fireworks at dusk on July 5. Merritt Lake, Grant Ave., 913-684-2580, fortleavenworthfmwr.com.

JULY 4 All American Fourth, Salina. Celebrate the Fourth of July with a patriotic picnic with free hot dogs, chips and ice cream. Play old-fashioned games, win prizes and ribbons. Listen to the bands play patriotic songs and watch more entertainment on Eric Stein Stage. Stay for Skyfire fireworks. Oakdale Park, Oakdale Dr and Center, 785-309-5765, salina-ks.gov/parks_rec.

JULY 4 Old Fashioned Fourth of July, Lindsborg. Old-fashioned fun on the band shell featuring Morgan Roets Salute to the Armed Forces and other musical entertainment. Afterwards, head to Coronado Heights to watch fireworks from the surrounding communities. Lindsborg, 104 E. Lincoln St., 888-227-2227, visitlindsborg.com.

JULY 4-5 Highlights in History, Fort Scott. Features talks, tours, demonstrations and living history programs about Fort Scott’s role in the pivotal events of American History. Fort Scott National Historic Site, 1 Old Fort Blvd., 620-223-0310, nps.gov/fosc.

JULY 7-11 Dinner Theater, Russell. It’s every drama group’s worst nightmare when the Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society hits the stage. Collapsing scenery, missing cues, forgotten lines and bungled special effects are just some of the challenges facing this group of amateur thespians. Between giggles, you’ll also enjoy a murder mystery quiz and fashion show. Before the night’s over the mystery will be solved. Russell Elks Lodge, 510 S. Front St., 785-483-4057.

For more information and additional listings please visit www.travelks.com

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TravelKansas

JULY 9-12 “Pinkalicious,” Hutchinson. The theater’s season–A Season of Hopes and Dreams, presents: Pinkalicious who eats so many pink cupcakes she turns pink. Will she be able to recover from pinkitis? Family Community Theater, 310 N. Main, 620-662-1601, familycommunitytheatre.com.

JULY 10 “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” Pittsburg. Enigmatic candy manufacturer Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) stages a contest by hiding five golden tickets in five of his scrumptious candy bars. Whoever comes up with these tickets will win a free tour of the Wonka factory, as well as a lifetime supply of candy. Colonial Fox Theatre, 407 N. Broadway, 620-235-0622, colonialfox.org.

JULY 10 Honey Badger 100-mile Ultra Road Race, Cheney. 100-mile foot race, beginning at Cheney State Park Harding Hill Parking Lot and traveling through Kingman County, returning to the park with the finish line being in the Giefer Creek/Harding Hill area. Cheney State Park, 16000 N.E. 50th St., 316-258-9602, kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks/Locations/Cheney.

JULY 10 Ladies Night Out, Council Grove. Partake in an evening of food, fun, shopping and giveaways in historic Council Grove. Merchants will offer discounts and specials just for the ladies. 207 W. Main St., 620-767-5413, councilgrove.com.

JULY 10 Shop the Night Away, McPherson. The downtown stores will be open until 10 p.m., so “shop the night away.” Enter the drawing for a $500 shopping spree. Take in the free movie at Opera House, and other entertainment for the whole family. Downtown McPherson, Main St., 620-241-7430, mcphersonks.org.

JULY 10 Sundown Film Festival, “Lincoln,” Topeka. Join us for the movie “Lincoln” (2012), starring Daniel Day Lewis and rated PG-13. Bring blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy the movie

outdoors. Popcorn, candy, soda and water will be available for purchase. Kansas Historical Society, 6425 SW. 6th Avenue, 785-272-8681, kshs.org.

JULY 11 Art and Wine Stroll, Paola. Take a stroll through the town square while enjoying local artist’s works, local wines and a live band. Historic Town Square, 6 W. Peoria, 913-294-4335, paolatourism.org.

JULY 11 Classic Cruiser Car Show and Races, Norton. The show features beautiful old to newer classics on display in downtown with food vendors and followed by cruiser races at the airport. Downtown Norton, 205 S. State, 785-877-2591, DiscoverNorton.com.

JULY 11 Southwest Kansas Art, Craft, Antique Festival and Flea Market, Garden City. This outdoor festival features vendors of art, crafts, antiques, collectibles and food across the lawn south of the Finney County Museum in Funnup Park. Funnup Park, 403 S. 4th, 620-272-3664, finneycounty.org/history.asp.

JULY 11 Tractor Daze and Touch-A-Truck, Bonner Springs. Kids can climb and explore trucks of all shapes and sizes from fire trucks to tractors, as well as many other kid-friendly activities. National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame, 630 N. 126th St., 913-721-1075, aghalloffame.com.

JULY 11-12 Western Kansas Swim Club Combined Swim Meet, Garden City. This two-day championship swim meet hosts 13-15 swim teams from surrounding states. Garden City Big Pool, 504 Maple, 620-874-5233, garden-city.org/index.aspx?nid=372.

JULY 12 Taste of Adventure, Salina. The evening includes social time, a self-guided tour of the Wildlife Museum with a visit to the Earl Bane Gallery to see the latest exhibit, a delectable dinner and a presentation by the featured expert on the subject. Rolling Hills Zoo, 625 N. Hedville Rd., 785-827-9488, rollinghillszoo.org.

JULY 15-18 Rodeo, Pretty Prairie. Kansas’ Largest Night Rodeo is sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association. The event is a 75-plus year tradition for this community. Booster Club Arena, 202 Elm St., 620-664-6093, pprodeo.com.

JULY 16-19 Franklin County Fair and Rodeo, Ottawa. Come for the rodeo, demolition derby, 4-H displays, carnival and livestock auction. Each day event-goers can view exhibits, enjoy the carnival and rides and sample the hearty fair food. Franklin County Fairgrounds, 220 W. 17th St., 785-242-1411, visitottawakansas.com.

JULY 16-19, 23-26 “The Savannah Disputation,” Hutchinson. “The Savannah Disputation,” by Evan Smith, tells the story of two elderly sisters who forget all about Southern charm when a young door-to-door evangelist comes knocking. Performed by the Hutchinson Theater Guild. Hutchinson Theatre, 9 South Main, 316-350-7529, hutchtheatre.com.

JULY 17 Zoo Keeper Zone, Salina. Kick off National Zoo Keeper Week with an indoor “Drive-In Movie” night, pizza, and a cardboard car contest. Rolling Hills Zoo, 625 N. Hedville Rd., 785-827-9488, rollinghillszoo.org.

JULY 17-18, 24-25 Broadway RFD presents “Wizard of Oz,” Lindsborg. Broadway RFD, the longest running outdoor theater in Kansas, presents “The Wizard of Oz” for the 2015 summer musical production “under the stars” on the Swensson Park Band Shell. Shady Creek Veteran’s Point Campground, 888-227-2227, visitlindsborg.org.

JULY 17-18 Rodeo, Junction City. Come watch the saddle broncs, bareback riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping and bull riding. Kids’ event will include the calf scrambles, mutton busting, mini bull riding and junior barrel racing. Junction City Rodeo Association, 1025 S. Spring Valley Rd., 785-210-6536, junctioncity.org.

JULY 17-19 Four State Farm Show, Pittsburg. With approximately 700 exhibits, the 25-acre event features all of the major lines of farm machinery and equipment as well as innovative products from agribusiness firms across the country. Rural Pittsburg, 800-356-8255, farmtalknewspaper.com/fourstatefarmshow/x546173797/local-story-108142952-html.

JULY 17-19 Kansas Veterans and Family Reunion, Lindsborg. Military families from across the nation gather in Shady Creek Veteran’s Point Campground for a weekend of events and displays. Activities are open to the general public. Enjoy nightly music and fireworks shows. Shady Creek Veteran’s Point Campground, 618 NE. Bluestem Rd., 316-321-3150, kvfr.us.

JULY 17-19 Threshing Show, Meriden. Check out the tractors, threshing, baling, tractor parades, history, antique cars and tractor pulls. Tour Cottonwood Station, a reproduction living history of an early day Kansas town. Enjoy live music Friday and Saturday nights, as well as on-site camping, modern restrooms and on-site concessions. Meriden Antique Engine and Threshers Association, 8275 K-4 Hwy, 785-633-9706, meridenthreshers.org.

JULY 18 Modified Stampede at DCRP, Dodge City. Satisfy your need for speed and cheer on your favorite driver. IMCA Modified ($1,200 to win), IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stocks and Hobby Stocks all at this premier track. Dodge City Raceway Park, Hwy 56 and 14th St., 620-225-3277, dodgecityraceway.com.

JULY 18-19 Ethanol Hydroplane Shootout, NBRA Boat Races, Garnett. Experience full-throttle racing with more than 25 national championship drivers guaranteed to be at this exciting event. A Dash for Cash event is scheduled each day. Cedar Valley Reservoir, 20499 NW. 1500 Rd., 785-448-5496, experiencegarnettks.net.

JULY 18-19 Mowbray Metric Bicycle Ride, McPherson. This family event begins with a

28 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

short breakfast ride in the morning. Explore the county during the day and then join the group for an evening ride with an ice cream social following. Sunday offers distances of 20, 40 and 62 miles with SAG support provided by the local Amateur Radio Club. Lunch in air conditioning awaits the riders when they return. This is a fun ride and not a race. McPherson, 210 N. Elm St., 620-241-0350, centralkansastrails.org.

JULY 18-25 Grant County Fair, Ulysses. This year’s fair theme is “Putting All The Pieces Together.” Grant County Fairgrounds, 620-356-1808, grantcoks.org.

JULY 19 “Float Your Boat” Contest, Webber. Participants must design and build a cardboard boat that can float through the designated course without sinking. The boat’s “captain” must be aboard to qualify. Lovewell Reservoir, State Park, and Wildlife Area, 2446 250 Rd., 785-753-4971, kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks/Locations/Lovewell.

JULY 19 Norton County Fair, Norton. Bring the family for entertainment that includes music, 4-H shows, car races and other fun activities. Norton Elmwood Park, Norton, 785-877-2501, DiscoverNorton.com.

JULY 19 Sand Castle Contest, Webber. Teams must register and create their best sand castle or sculpture for judging. Prizes awarded. Lovewell Reservoir, State Park, and Wildlife Area, 2446 250 Rd., 785-753-4971, kdwp.state.ks.us.

JULY 20-OCTOBER 30 Suited for Space, Montezuma. American ingenuity, innovation, and determination made the race into space possible. And it is that ingenuity and innovation that is explored and celebrated in the SITES exhibit Suited for Space. Through rare and original photography, including unique, new X-ray images of the interiors of the spacesuits, the exhibit reveals how the modern technological marvel enables astronauts to live and work in space. Stauth Memorial Museum, 111 N. Aztec St., 620-846-2527, stauthmemorialmuseum.org.

JULY 21-25 Cloud County Fair, Concordia. 4-H exhibits, rodeo, tractor pull, midway and much more. Cloud County Fairgrounds, 615 Industrial Road, 785-243-4303, cloudcountytourism.com.

JULY 22-26 Finney County Free Fair, Garden City. The Finney County Free Fair will have two headliner bands performing: State Line Drive and Big Grain Company (new to the country music industry). Finney County Fairgrounds and Campground, 209 Lake Avenue, 620-290-1758.

JULY 23-26 “Evita,” Pittsburg. Tickets available for matinee and evening performances online or by phone. Pittsburg Community Theatre, 503 N. Pine, 620-231-7827, memorialauditorium.org.

JULY 23-27 Cal Ripken Kansas State Championship Baseball Tournament, Garden City. This eight-team tournament consists of a host team, the six Kansas district winners and one wild card team of 12-year-olds. The winner of this tournament will represent the State of Kansas in the Regional Tournament . Garden City Recreation Commission, 310 N. 6th, 620-276-1200, garden-city.org.

JULY 23-27 Riley County Fair, Manhattan. Can’t you just taste the sugary-sweetness of a funnel cake or the mouth-watering morsels of a home-made apple pie? Summer isn’t complete without a stop at the county fair. Riley County Fairgrounds, 1101 Fremont St., 785-537-6350, rileycountyfair.com.

JULY 24 First Responder Night/URSS Sprint Cars at DCRP, Dodge City. Satisfy your need for speed and cheer on your favorite driver. URSS Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stocks and Hobby Stocks all race at this premier track. Dodge City Raceway Park, Hwy 56 and 14th St., 620-225-3277, dodgecityraceway.com.

JULY 24-25 Courtland Fun Day, Courtland. Friday events are 5 p.m. to midnight and Saturday 7 a.m. to midnight. Events for all ages including

fun run, bake sale, sand volleyball, barbecue contest, parades, train rides, belly slide, corn pile, live music, street dance and more. Downtown Courtland, facebook.com/courtlandfunday, @CourltandFunDay.

JULY 24-AUGUST 2 Dodge City Days, Dodge City. Consistently named a top 100 event in America, event highlights include the Dodge City Days Rodeo, classic car show, arts and craft show, KidFest, professional barbecue contest, a western parade and the crowning of Miss Rodeo Kansas and Miss Rodeo Kansas Princess. Dodge City, 311 W. Spruce, 620-227-3119, dodgecitydays.com.

JULY 25 Bubble Run, Kansas City. Participants run, walk, dance and play across three miles of absolute fun, including colored foam. All levels of runners, walkers, twirlers, dancers and strollers are welcome. Wear white, and enjoy being a kid again. Kansas Speedway, 400 Speedway Blvd., 303-926-1017, VisitKansasCityKS.com.

JULY 25 Cider Mill Century, Louisburg. Twenty-five-, 50-, 70- and 100-mile bicycle tour routes. Louisburg Cider Mill, Inc, 14730 K-68 Hwy, 913-294-4045, kcmbc.org.

JULY 25 Tracy Lawrence with James Otto, Dodge City. Start your evening with great country music from James Otto. Stick around for one of the most recognizable voices of country music when Tracy Lawrence takes the stage. A special beer garden will be set up inside the arena. Dodge City Roundup Arena, 608 S. 14th, 620-225-2244, dodgecityroundup.org.

JULY 25 Hot Rod Truck and Tractor Pull, Garnett. This Missouri State Tractor Pullers Association-sanctioned event brings hot rod tractors and trucks from all over the Midwest. Enjoy the thrill of mega horsepower pounding down the strip. North Lake Park, North Lake Rd., 785-448-6767, andersoncofair.com.

JULY 25 Show N’ Shine Truck and Car Show, Bonner Springs. This annual car

KUSTOM KEMPS OF AMERICA’S LEADSLED SPECTACULAR IN SALINA

JULY 23-26 America’s oldest running custom car and truck association offers the Spectacular Sundown Cruise Parade, Run Whatcha Brung Drags, more than 1,500 Ol’ Skool Kustoms, Hotrods and Drag Machines and rock bands. It’s America’s Hotrodding Playground. Oakdale Park, 730 Oakdale Dr., 417-847-2940, kustomkempsofamerica.com.

This year’s Leadsled Spectacular will be July 24-26 in Salina’s Oakdale Park featuring more than 1,500 vehicles.

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show is sponsored by the Genuine Chevy GMC Truck Club of KC. There will be dash plaques and door prizes, Top 60, Best of Show, living history demonstrations, and miniature train rides. National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame, 630 N. 126th St., 913-721-1075, aghalloffame.com.

JULY 25 Tri Trail Benefit, Lyndon. A family friendly opportunity to experience the wonderful Kansas trails. Salt Creek Ranch, 4215 E. 245th St., 785-215-2296, yourequineadventure.com.

JULY 25 West Fest: National Day of the Cowboy, Topeka. Calling all cowboys at heart. Other outdoor activities include cowboy obstacle course, campfire sing-a-long, roping and horse care demonstrations, panning for gold, rope making, photo opportunities with cowboy props, stagecoach rides and great food. Kansas Historical Society, 6425 SW. 6th Ave., 785-272-8681, kshs.org.

JULY 25-AUGUST 1 Hamilton County Fair, Syracuse. Reconnect with your roots and enjoy real down-home entertainment, a variety of exhibits and family friendly activities including a ranch rodeo, barnyard Olympics, antique tractor wheat threshing and haystack dive, dog agility contest, blacksmith presentation, horseshoe tournament and a parade. Hamilton County Fairgrounds, 806 S. Main, 620-384-5433, hamiltoncountyfairgrounds.com.

JULY 25-AUGUST 8 Musical “Bye, Bye Birdie,” Leavenworth. Musical production performed

by the River City Community Players in the historic 1930s Art Deco Theater located in historic downtown Leavenworth, the “First City in Kansas.” Art Deco Theater, 500 Delaware, 913-651-0027, rccplv.com.

JULY 27-31 Trailblazers Workshop, Fort Scott. Kids ages 9-12 learn about protecting, preserving and interpreting our nation’s National Parks in this week-long workshop. Fort Scott National Historic Site, Old Fort Blvd., 620-223-0310, nps.gov/fosc.

JULY 28 PRCA Xtreme Bull Riding Tour, Dodge City. This event showcases the PRCA’s top bull riders and some of the rankest bulls the world has to offer. Included are the top riders from the PRCA World Standings, as well as contestants who advance through Xtreme Bulls qualifying events. Dodge City Roundup Arena, 608 S. 14th, 620-225-2244, dodgecityroundup.org.

JULY 29-AUGUST 1 Crawford County Fair, Pittsburg. Livestock exhibitions, arts and crafts exhibitions, competition between county FFA and 4-H clubs, livestock auction, rodeo and live music. The most popular event is the demolition derby on the final night of the fair. Crawford County Fairgrounds, 249 E. 47 Hwy, 620-724-4092.

JULY 29-AUGUST 2 PRCA Rodeo, Dodge City. Appropriately named “The Greatest Show on Dirt,” this Wrangler Pro Tour Rodeo is one of the highlights of the entire Dodge City Days Festival. Five nights of nonstop action under bright lights on prairie nights. Dodge City Roundup Arena, 608 S. 14th, 620-225-2244, dodgecityroundup.org.

JULY 30-AUGUST 1 Wallace County Fair, Sharon Springs. A great, inexpensive small-town experience that showcases the best rural Kansas has to offer: 4-H animals, foods, fashion show, Little Britches Rodeo, Turtle Race, home-owned carnival of vintage rides, run by community members. Enjoy a free barbecue and a 4-H Sale. Wallace County Fairgrounds, 214 W. Park, 785-852-4285, facebook.com/WallaceCountyFair.

JULY 30-AUGUST 2 Cowley County Fair, Winfield. Free admission and parking. Exhibits, prizes, concessions, games, free stage on midway nightly, demolition derby and rodeo. Winfield Fairgrounds, 1105 W. 9th Ave., 620-221-1088, cowleycountyfair.com.

JULY 30-AUGUST 2 Emancipation Day Celebration, Hutchinson. This celebration offers something for every member of the family: Youth Night, Concert in Avenue A Park, Parade, Picnic in the park, boxing, and other activities, plus the “Old School Jam” at the Fairgrounds Encampment building and Gospelfest at HCC Stringer Fine Arts Center. Hutchinson, Various locations, 620-474-2213.

JULY 31-AUGUST 2 Country Threshing Days, Goessel. This event features the old-fashioned country threshing demonstrations. More than 100 exhibitors from a seven-state area display and demonstrate antique equipment related to farming during the past century. Additional demonstrations and ethnic Mennonite food are provided in conjunction with the Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum. Wheat Hall, 201 N. Poplar, 620-386-0719, wheatco.org.

AUGUSTAUGUST 1 Lovewell Fun Day, Webber. Join any or all: 5K run/walk, co-ed mud volleyball tournament; sand pile treasure hunt; and rock/paper/scissors tournament. Lovewell Reservoir, State Park, and Wildlife Area, 2446 250 Rd., 785-753-4971, kdwp.state.ks.us.

AUGUST 1 Smoky Valley Classic Car Show, Lindsborg. Awards for best club participation for the largest paid registration from a single club, the Long Haul Award for the furthest distance traveled by the car, Police Chief’s Choice and Sheriff’s Choice for the cars most likely to be stopped by those agencies, and the Kansas Highway Patrol award for the car most likely to be stopped for no reason at all. Food vendors, dining and galleries galore. Downtown Lindsborg, 104 E. Lincoln St., 888-227-2227, visitlindsborg.com.

AUGUST 3-6 Trusted Choice Big “I” National Championship, Hutchinson. The Trusted Choice Big “I” National Championship is the nation’s largest junior stroke-play golf tournament and also one of the premier junior golf events attracting elite junior golfers from 43 states. Prairie Dunes Gold Course, 4812 E. 30th Ave., 620-662-0581, prairiedunes.com.

AUGUST 3-7 Trailblazers Workshop, Fort Scott. Kids ages 9-12 learn about protecting, preserving, and interpreting our nation’s National Parks in this week-long workshop. Fort Scott National Historic Site, Old Fort Blvd., 620-223-0310, nps.gov/fosc.

AUGUST 3-8 Anderson County Fair, Garnett. “Country Pride, County Wide” is this year’s theme, and activities include carnival rides, draft horse pull, 4-H judging, parade, rodeo, pie baking contest, petting zoo, livestock show, demolition derby and great food, exhibits and fun. 600 North Lake Rd., 785-448-6767, andersoncofair.com.

AUGUST 4 Cherokee County Fair, Columbus. Carnival and entertainment each evening plus 4-H and Open Class entries and livestock shows. Cherokee County Fairgrounds, 116 E. Country Rd., 620-429-3281.

For more information and additional listings please visit www.travelks.com

30 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

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AUGUST 4-9 Tri Rivers Fair and Rodeo, Salina. This annual event showcases the 4-H clubs of Saline county and kicks off with the Tri Rivers Fair Parade. A carnival runs nightly, and demolition derbies are scheduled. Bicentennial Center, 900 Greeley, Livestock and Expo Center, 785-827-4425, tririversfair.org.

AUGUST 5-9 Southwest Kansas Pro-Am Tournament, Garden City. This tournament raises thousands of dollars each year for the New Born Intensive Care and Pediatric Units of St. Catherine Hospital. Great tournament play, social events and festivities. Buffalo Dunes Golf Course, 5685 S. Hwy 83 5685 S. Hwy 83, 620-276-1210, southwestkansasproam.org.

AUGUST 6-9 “A Few Good Men,” Hutchinson. The Family Community Theatre presents “A Few Good Men,” the story of two marines accused of murder. Should their lawyers plea bargain or risk their careers in exposing a conspiracy? Family Community Theater, 310 N. Main, 620-662-1601, familycommunitytheatre.com.

AUGUST 7-8 Get Fit TRYathlon and Get Fit 5K/10K, Pittsburg. The event offer activities for all ages and fitness levels and includes a youth “tryathlon,” 5K/10K race and a mixed team relay. Proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Crawford County. Lincoln Park, 708 W. 9th, 620-704-1396, getfittryathlon.weebly.com.

AUGUST 7-8 Herzogfest, Victoria. Herzogfest is a free family-oriented festival with entertainment and fun for all ages. Victoria, 600 Main St., 785-735-2352, herzogfest.com.

AUGUST 8 Animal Show-n-Tell at Outdoor Kansas Kid’s Day, Lawrence. Get a close up look at live snakes, turtles and a scorpion. Learn how to identify and avoid venomous snakes and enter for a chance to win many prizes. Clinton State Park, 798 N. 1415 Rd., 785-842-8562, kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks/Locations/Clinton.

AUGUST 8 Arkansas Trails Triathlon, Garden City. This event will include a lap swim around the perimeter of the Big Pool, creating an open-water-type event in an area where open-water triathlons are non-existent. The cycling portion will follow Old Highway 83 out and back,

and finish with a trail run along the Arkansas River bed. The Arkansas Trails Triathlon is the final leg to the Triple Threat Triathlon Series. The Big Pool, 310 N. 6th, 620-277-7894, garden-city.org.

AUGUST 8 Demolition Derby, Garnett. The Anderson County Fair Association does a bang-up job in bringing a fun-filled night of entertainment to Garnett’s North Lake Park. If you delight in destruction, this event is a must-see. North Lake Park, Lake Garnett, North Lake Rd., 785-448-6767, andersoncofair.com.

AUGUST 8 Kids Fishing Derby, Lawrence. Improve your casting skills and learn how to bait your hook. Kids will fish for a chance to win prizes. Fishing poles and bait provided, but you can bring your own equipment. Clinton State Park, 798 N. 1415 Rd., 785-842-8562, kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks/Locations/Clinton.

AUGUST 8 OK Kids Day–Archery, Lawrence. Instructors will be on hand to give your child the knowledge and confidence to try out this exciting sport. All targets and equipment provided. Goody bags for attendees. Clinton State Park, 798 N. 1415 Rd., 785-842-8562, kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks/Locations/Clinton.

AUGUST 8 Run for the Hills., Salina. Join us for a 5K run through the zoo or try the one-mile run. Awards ceremony will follow the one-mile race. Rolling Hills Zoo, 625 N. Hedville Rd., 785-827-9488, rollinghillszoo.org.

AUGUST 8 Stage 9 Live, Hutchinson. Fund raiser Concert Series presents The Vogts Sisters. This sister duo will leave you speechless with their original takes on classics and their self-penned songs. Hutchinson Theatre, 9 South Main, 316-350-7529, hutchtheatre.com.

AUGUST 8-9 Back to School Blast, Salina. Help say good-bye to summer with fun activities throughout the zoo for kids of all ages. Visitors receive half-price admission. Rolling Hills Zoo, 625 N. Hedville Rd., 785-827-9488, rollinghillszoo.org.

AUGUST 14 Friday Flix: “How to Train Your Dragon,” Pittsburg. Hiccup, a Viking teenager who doesn’t fit in with his tribe’s long-standing tradition of heroic dragon slayers, encounters a

dragon that challenges him and his fellow Vikings to see the world from a different point of view. Colonial Fox Theatre, 407 N. Broadway, 620-235-0622, colonialfox.org.

AUGUST 14 Sundown Film Festival, “Gone With the Wind,” Topeka. Bring blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy this G-rated movie outdoors. Admission to the movie is free. Popcorn, candy, soda, and water will be available for purchase. Kansas Historical Society, 6425 SW. 6th Avenue, 785-272-8681, kshs.org.

AUGUST 14 Zoo Brew, Salina. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy an evening in the zoo with great brew, wine cooler, water, soda, food, and live music. Must be 21. Rolling Hills Zoo, 625 N. Hedville Rd., 785-827-9488, rollinghillszoo.org.

AUGUST 14-16 K&O Steam and Gas Engine Show, Winfield. The show includes tractors, working exhibits, flea market, tractor rodeo, garden and antique tractor pulls, arts and crafts show and a variety of other attractions. Winfield Fairgrounds, 1105 W. 9th Ave., 620-326-8729, kosteamgas.org.

AUGUST 15 Campground Christmas, Webber. Decorate your campsite in yuletide theme, register for the contest, and possibly win a prize. Or just come out and view the decorated campsites. Lovewell Reservoir, State Park, and Wildlife Area, 2446 250 Rd., 785-753-4971, kdwp.state.ks.us.

AUGUST 15 Float Your Boat Cardboard Boat Races, Milford. Build a boat out of cardboard and duct tape that is capable of holding two people and launched and paddled on a set course. Held in conjunction with the Milford Lake Extreme Outdoor Water Festival. Milford State Park South Boat Ramp, 3612 State Park Rd., 785-238-2885, junctioncity.org.

AUGUST 15 Hot Alma Nights, Alma. Started as a fun way to earn money for Relay For Life of Wabaunsee County, this event has grown with 400 cars registered in 2014 and a downtown packed with people. Downtown Alma KS, 200 Main St., 785-410-2934, hotalmanights.com.

AUGUST 15 Kansas Bass Nation–Youth Division Fishing Tournament, Lawrence.

COWGIRL GETAWAY IN BUCKLIN

AUGUST 13-14 Girls, leave your cowboys at home and head out with another gal to the ranch. Enjoy the ranching life by learning skills, riding horseback, moving longhorns, watching for wildlife, cooking with dutch ovens, harnessing a team of horses and then driving them. Moore Ranch, 2933 CR E. Moore Ranch, 620-826-3649, moorelonghornranch.com.

Learn ranching skills at Moore Ranch in Bucklin

JUNE 2015 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING 31

Fishing tournament launching from Boat Ramp #3 at the West end of the State Park. Clinton State Park, 798 N. 1415 Rd., 785-246-0243, kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks/Locations/Clinton.

AUGUST 15 United Way Triathlon, McPherson. Event distances include a 200-meter swim, a seven-mile bike ride and a two-mile run. Register online. Lakeside Park, 510 Lakeside Drive, 620-241-5152, unitedwaymcpherson.org.

AUGUST 15 Youth Outdoor Festival, Hays. Expert mentors will be on hand to assist with the safe and proper handling of shotguns, small bore rifles, muzzleloaders, air rifles, BB guns and archery equipment. Hunter education certification is not required to attend this free event for youth ages 17 and under. Adults must accompany youth shooters. Hays City Sportsman’s Club, 5810 230th Ave , 785-726-3212, haysusa.net.

AUGUST 15-16 Blacksmiths and Pioneer Days, Summerfield. Blacksmithing, broom making, hand-made dream catcher, marble blowing, dutch oven cooking and more. The Homestead and the Windy River Dulcimer Clubs will be playing. Bring your lawn chair and watch the gun fights. Transue Bros. Blacksmith Museum, 309 Main St., 402-520-0694, transueblacksmith.org.

AUGUST 16 Twin Rivers Bass Tournament, Lawrence. Fishing tournament launching from Bloomington boat ramps on the southwest side of the lake. Clinton State Park, 798 N. 1415 Rd., 785-842-8562, kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks/Locations/Clinton.

AUGUST 21 Art Walk, Pittsburg. Featuring food venders, music, art demonstrations, and work from local artists. Downtown Pittsburg, 401 N. Broadway, 620-231-1212, facebook.com/pittsburgartwalk.

AUGUST 21 Brew at the Zoo, Manhattan. Relax in the wild of Sunset Zoo and enjoy samples of cold brews, yummy appetizers, great entertainment and live encounters with Sunset

Zoo’s animal ambassadors. Sunset Zoo, 2333 Oak St., 785-587-2737, sunsetzoo.com.

AUGUST 22 Santa Fe Days, Canton. This celebration of the Santa Fe Trail includes an evening bison tour with meal following. Presentation by Historian representing prairie life in the 1800’s. Reservations only. Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, 2565 Pueblo Rd., 620-628-4455, cyberkraft.com/Maxwell.

AUGUST 22 USAC Southwest Sprint Cars Freedom Tour, Dodge City. Satisfy your need for speed. USAC Southwest Non-Wing Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stocks and Hobby Stocks, K.A.R. Everett Isaac Tribute all at this premier track. Dodge City Raceway Park, Hwy 56 and 14th St., 620-225-3277, dodgecityraceway.com.

AUGUST 22 Yoder Heritage Day, Yoder. Visitors and locals are entertained by tractor pulls, horse-drawn events and the annual parade down Main St., quilt auction, buggy races, great food and entertainment. Historic Downtown Yoder, KS, 9816 S. Main, 620-960-0439.

AUGUST 22-23 KART Go-Kart Road Races, Garnett. If you have a need for speed, Lake Garnett is the place to see some of the best kart racers in the Midwest compete on Lake Garnett’s road course. North Lake Park (Lake Garnett), North Lake Rd., 785-448-6366, garnettksonline.com/Kart_Track.html.

AUGUST 25 Street Dance, Lindsborg. You know the boogie-down routine with King Midas and the Muflers. We have been doing this for years. Downtown Lindsborg, 104 E. Lincoln St., 888-227-2227, visitlindsborg.com.

AUGUST 28-29 Roots Festival, Paola. Join us for two amazing days of a barbecue competition, live music, and vendors on the square. Historic Downtown Square, 6 W. Peoria, 913-294-4335, paolatourism.org.

AUGUST 28-29 Tiblow Days Festival, Bonner Springs. Enjoy a variety of activities and entertainment at this festival, plus Mayor’s Banquet, musical bands, food and sanctioned barbecue competition. Centennial Park, 126 Cedar St., 913-422-5044, bsedwchamber.org.

AUGUST 28-29 When Pigs Fly BBQ Contest and Fly In, McPherson. Come for a variety of activities and maybe pick up a few tips on special rubs, secret sauce ingredients and perfect smoke techniques. McPherson Airport, 1000 S. Hwy 81 Bypass, 620-241-3303, mcphersonchamber.org/calendar/when-pigs-fly.

AUGUST 29 Boston in Concert, Dodge City. An iconic classic rock band, Boston generated hits such as “More Than a Feeling,” and “Peace of Mind.” United Wireless Arena, 4100 W. Comanche, 620-371-7390, unitedwirelessarena.com.

AUGUST 29 Fall Post-Wide Yard Sale, Fort Leavenworth. Gigantic yard sale. U.S. picture ID required upon entry. Fort Leavenworth, Grant Ave., 913-684-1674, fortleavenworthfmwr.com.

AUGUST 29 Salt City Open Disc Golf Tournament, Hutchinson. The tournament is part of the Kansas Disc Golf Association Oz Tour. Multiple divisions ranging from recreational player to pros across the state. Carey Park, 5 Emerson Loop, 620-694-1900, careyparkgolf.com.

AUGUST 29 Sport Modified Mayhem, Dodge City. Cheer on your favorite driver. IMCA modifieds, IMCA sport modifieds, IMCA stocks and hobby stocks. Dodge City Raceway Park, Hwy 56 and 14th St., 620-225-3277, dodgecityraceway.com.

AUGUST 29 Tiara Tri, El Dorado. This is a sprint-distance triathlon for women of all ages and consists of a 400 meter swim, 9.5-mile bike, and 3.1-mile run. El Dorado State Park, 618 NE. Bluestem Rd., 316-321-7180, kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks/Locations/El-Dorado.

BLUES BLAST CONCERT IN CHANUTE

AUGUST 8 Enjoy a night of Blues music held outside at the historic Martin Johnson Airport. Performers will be Katy Guillen and The Girls, Rachelle Coba and the Danielle Nicole Band. Gates open at 6 p.m. Music begins at 7 p.m. Food can be purchased on site. Martin Johnson Airport, 800 S. Country Club Rd., 620-431-3350, chanutechamber.com.

The Dustin Pittsley Band was the headliner at the 2014 Chanute Blues Blast held at the historic Martin Johnson Airport in Cha-nute. The 2015 event is scheduled for August 8.

TravelKansas

For more information and additional listings please visit www.travelks.com

32 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

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JUNE 2015 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING 33

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34 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

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JUNE 2015 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING 35

Let’s Be Happy with Our ‘Vintage’ B Y P A T S Y T E R R E L L

Patsy Terrell

CO O K ’ S L I B R A RY

8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1/2 tsp. vanilla 2 tbs. lemon juice

1 cup small marshmallows 1 cup blueberries 1 cup pineapple tidbits 1 cup cut-up peaches 1 cup whipped cream, beaten stiff

FROSTY FRUIT MOLD

Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon juice until smooth. Fold into whipped cream. Place marshmallows, pineapple, blueber-ries and peaches into a large bowl. Fold cream mixture gently into fruit. Pour into a 6-cup mold and freeze. Thaw 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

In going through some photo files recently, I ran across a vision collage I’d done on retreat a couple of years ago. I stopped flipping through photos to look at it closely and noticed the center, which included a pair of bright red lips and near them the phrase, “the perfect vintage.”

As is often the case with these collages, I didn’t notice the juxtaposition when I glued them down. However, the friends I was doing the retreat with pointed it out. I was thinking of “vintage” with regard to my love of vintage things. Friends made me see it could also be an age reference. It made me start contemplating how I felt about my age as I had recently entered my fifth decade.

For whatever reason, I’d never given much thought to getting older. I have never under-stood people wanting to relive childhood, when no decisions are your own. Outside of that, no one in my world speaks much about age, and I hadn’t ever given it much thought.

But after that collage, I started thinking more about it. I’m very content with my age. I always think of myself as 27-28, but the calendar tells me that’s more than a couple of decades off. However, I certainly don’t long to be that age, or any age other than what I am.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized how little patience I have with people who bemoan their age. So many people never get a chance to live that long, however long it may be. It seems like a terrible waste to spend any of our “one wild and precious life” as poet Mary Oliver says, on that sort of foolishness.

Instead, we can surround ourselves with loved ones, gather around the table, share some wonderful home cooking and soak up the moments. This month’s book celebrates the joy of being surrounded by such happiness. Gra-cie’s Girls Cooking was created by seven sisters, daughters of Grace, affectionately known as Gracie.

The book has about 350 recipes–all tried and true–from these seven sisters. Some of their mom’s and aunt’s recipes found their way into the pages, too. Order your copy to make memo-ries with your own family. Cost is only $12, plus $3 shipping and handling. Order from Carolyn Herber, 3839 199th St., Dorrance, KS 67634. KCL

If you would like to feature your cookbook here, please send a non-returnable copy for consideration to Patsy Terrell, 906 E. Ave. A, Hutchinson, KS 67501-3007. Send e-mails to: patsy@patsyterrell.com or access www.patsyterrell.com. Provide ordering information and cost,

including shipping and handling charges.

36 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

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JUNE 2015 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING 37

Honey D

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4 (6-oz.) skinless, bone-less chicken breast halves

1/3 cup horseradish Dijon m

ustard (or regular Dijon m

ustard)

3 tbs. honey

1 tbs. parsley flakes

Salt, to taste

Pepper to taste

Preheat grill or grill pan on medium

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edium. In sm

all bowl, combine m

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taste with salt and pepper. Place chicken on grill for 3 minutes, then flip over and brush chicken

with sauce. Grill an additional 2-3 minutes, then rem

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Let rest for 5 minutes before enjoying. Serve with any additional sauce on side for dipping.

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1 cup frozen shelled edam

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1 cup cherry tom

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1 cup carrots, shredded

1 can (6 ounces) tuna, water packed, drained

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1/4 cup bottled, reduced-fat Italian salad dressing

Pita bread or whole grain

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Nutrition per 1 cup serving: 210 calories; 3 g fat (0 g saturated fat); 16 g protein; 27 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 25 m

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4 T-Bone Steaks

2 tbs. cooking oil

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Dipped Ice Cream

Cones

1 bag (12 ounces) w

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Sugar ice cream cones

Assorted colored sugars and sprinkles in patriotic colors

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ooth, and sprinkle with colored sugars and sprinkles. Position cone in cone rack. Let chill, about 10–15 m

inutes.

Add ice cream scoops at party and serve in cone rack. M

akes 12 ice cream cones.C

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NC

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OM

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ESOU

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4 tbs. coarse sea salt or kosher salt

1 tbs. coarse ground black pepper

1 tbs. coarse dehydrated onion flakes

1/2 tbs. coarse dehyrated garlic

1/2 tbs. crushed red pepper

1 tsp. w

hole dill seed

1 tsp. dried whole thym

e

1 tsp. w

hole cumin (toasted

and crushed coarse)

1 tsp. w

hole coriander (toasted and crushed coarse)

Combine all and m

ix well. Store in air tight container or zip lock bag for up to 6 months.

Note: To prepare cumin and coriander, toast by placing in dry pan over m

edium heat,

shaking pan about 2-3 minutes until seasonings start to brown. Crush using bottom

of pan on cutting board or with m

ortar and pestle.

38 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 2015

JUNE 2015 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING 39