The Dorrance PYW-FCE soup feed will be held Sat., Nov. 14 at the Dorrance Community Shop Building.&nbsp;

Homemade chicken and noodle soup, chili soup, ham and bean soup, vegetable soup, sandwiches, pies and drinks will be served. Even the noodles are homemade!

Bring the whole family to enjoy their favorite soup.

This is the opening day of pheasant season and we invite everyone to come join us for a good cup of hot soup.&nbsp;

Our EHU unit helps support different activities in the community.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603908099493.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Dorrance PYW-FCE soup feed will be held Sat., Nov. 14 at the Dorrance Community Shop Building.&nbsp;Soup's on from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Homemade chicken and noodle soup, chili soup, ham and bean soup, vegetable soup, sandwiches, pies and drinks will be served. Even the noodles are homemade!Bring the whole family to enjoy their favorite soup.This is the opening day of pheasant season and we invite everyone to come join us for a good cup of hot soup.&nbsp;Our EHU unit helps support different activities in the community.

Dorrance PYW-FCE soup feed is Nov. 14

Don’t forget this Saturday is the Annual Jim Thoman Halloween Parade in downtown Russell.

 Line-up begins at 10:15 a.m. at 9th and Main. Parade begins at 10:30 a.m. Parade ends in the south parking lot of the courthouse. 

Several businesses will have goodies after and Post Rock Family Services, Inc. will have their annual trunk or treat at the courthouse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603906812260.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Don’t forget this Saturday is the Annual Jim Thoman Halloween Parade in downtown Russell. Line-up begins at 10:15 a.m. at 9th and Main. Parade begins at 10:30 a.m. Parade ends in the south parking lot of the courthouse. Several businesses will have goodies after and Post Rock Family Services, Inc. will have their annual trunk or treat at the courthouse.

Downtown Russell Halloween parade Saturday morning

Hoxie Fall Festival costume parade Friday

&nbsp; Fort Hays State University Science Café presents: 

“Landing on Mars: The 1975 Viking Project and the 2020 Perseverance Rover ” Compare the designs and technologies used for the 1975 Viking 1 Mars Lander and the 2020 Perseverance Mars Rover. 	Presenter: John Ross, Sunflower Electric, Strategic Change Administrator <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fhsu.edu/smei" rel="nofollow">www.fhsu.edu/smei</a> Sponsored by Science and Mathematics Education Institute&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603902647100.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp; Fort Hays State University Science Café presents: “Landing on Mars: The 1975 Viking Project and the 2020 Perseverance Rover ” Compare the designs and technologies used for the 1975 Viking 1 Mars Lander and the 2020 Perseverance Mars Rover. 	Presenter: John Ross, Sunflower Electric, Strategic Change Administrator <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fhsu.edu/smei" rel="nofollow">www.fhsu.edu/smei</a> Sponsored by Science and Mathematics Education Institute&nbsp;&nbsp;

FHSU Virtual Science Café presents 'Landing on Mars' Nov. 16

Due to possible weather conditions that not good for travel, we are&nbsp;“CANCELLING”&nbsp;“Healing After Loss of Suicide” (HALOS)&nbsp;for tonight Wednesday, Oct. 28.

The post cards have gone out and the meetings in November are on the 4th and 18th due to having to schedule around holidays. (Normally we meet on the 2nd and 4th Wed. of the month).

Due to possible weather conditions that not good for travel, we are&nbsp;“CANCELLING”&nbsp;“Healing After Loss of Suicide” (HALOS)&nbsp;for tonight Wednesday, Oct. 28.The post cards have gone out and the meetings in November are on the 4th and 18th due to having to schedule around holidays. (Normally we meet on the 2nd and 4th Wed. of the month).

HALOS cancels Wednesday meeting

Want a creative way to be of service this week? Wear your Halloween costume and an appropriate face covering (no, a werewolf mask doesn’t count!) to give blood! 

Now for a treat…<a href="http://t.givebloodtoday.redcrossblood.org/r/?id=h4f92148c,176248d0,163ae315&amp;med=email&amp;source=bioadobe&amp;campdesc=EM_BHQ_MO_WB_ABO_ADP4_NA1_Act_102620&amp;cid=381723316&amp;did=PRDDM98974&amp;bid=1334973580&amp;subj=Your%20Blood%20Donation%20Is%20Critically%20Needed%20(Thank%20You%20Gift%20Inside)&amp;prty=normal&amp;nat=recruitment&amp;prod=wholeblood&amp;sender=American%20Red%20Cross&amp;delvId=392317136" target="_blank">to thank you for making time to donate by November 11, we’ll send you a&nbsp;$5 Amazon.com&nbsp;Gift Card* via email courtesy of&nbsp;Suburban Propane.**</a> Because of health concerns related to the global pandemic,&nbsp;trick-or-treating&nbsp;and Halloween parties may not be an option. But there is still reason to celebrate our generous&nbsp;Red Cross&nbsp;community. Your single donation may help save more than one life! And if you arrive in your regular clothes, that’s cool by us – just don’t forget that face covering for&nbsp;COVID-19 safety. Will you help meet the critical need of patients in&nbsp;your community?&nbsp;&nbsp;

Schedule your donation <a href="https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=Hays&amp;med=email&amp;source=bioadobe&amp;campdesc=EM_BHQ_MO_WB_ABO_ADP4_NA1_Act_102620&amp;cid=381723316&amp;did=PRDDM98974&amp;bid=1334973580&amp;subj=Your%20Blood%20Donation%20Is%20Critically%20Needed%20(Thank%20You%20Gift%20Inside)&amp;prty=normal&amp;nat=recruitment&amp;prod=wholeblood&amp;sender=American%20Red%20Cross&amp;delvId=392317136">here</a>.

&nbsp;All donations are tested for COVID-19 antibodies. Results available within one to two weeks via your donor account on both&nbsp;<a href="http://t.givebloodtoday.redcrossblood.org/r/?id=h4f92148c,176248d0,163ae320&amp;med=email&amp;source=bioadobe&amp;campdesc=EM_BHQ_MO_WB_ABO_ADP4_NA1_Act_102620&amp;cid=381723316&amp;did=PRDDM98974&amp;bid=1334973580&amp;subj=Your%20Blood%20Donation%20Is%20Critically%20Needed%20(Thank%20You%20Gift%20Inside)&amp;prty=normal&amp;nat=recruitment&amp;prod=wholeblood&amp;sender=American%20Red%20Cross&amp;delvId=392317136" target="_blank">RedCrossBlood.org</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="http://t.givebloodtoday.redcrossblood.org/r/?id=h4f92148c,176248d0,163ae321" target="_blank">Blood Donor&nbsp;App.</a> The Red Cross follows the&nbsp;<a href="http://t.givebloodtoday.redcrossblood.org/r/?id=h4f92148c,176248d0,163ae322&amp;med=email&amp;source=bioadobe&amp;campdesc=EM_BHQ_MO_WB_ABO_ADP4_NA1_Act_102620&amp;cid=381723316&amp;did=PRDDM98974&amp;bid=1334973580&amp;subj=Your%20Blood%20Donation%20Is%20Critically%20Needed%20(Thank%20You%20Gift%20Inside)&amp;prty=normal&amp;nat=recruitment&amp;prod=wholeblood&amp;sender=American%20Red%20Cross&amp;delvId=392317136" target="_blank">highest standards of safety and infection control.</a>&nbsp;In accordance with CDC guidelines,&nbsp;all donors are required to wear a face covering&nbsp;or mask.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603838969203.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Want a creative way to be of service this week? Wear your Halloween costume and an appropriate face covering (no, a werewolf mask doesn’t count!) to give blood! Now for a treat…<a href="http://t.givebloodtoday.redcrossblood.org/r/?id=h4f92148c,176248d0,163ae315&amp;med=email&amp;source=bioadobe&amp;campdesc=EM_BHQ_MO_WB_ABO_ADP4_NA1_Act_102620&amp;cid=381723316&amp;did=PRDDM98974&amp;bid=1334973580&amp;subj=Your%20Blood%20Donation%20Is%20Critically%20Needed%20(Thank%20You%20Gift%20Inside)&amp;prty=normal&amp;nat=recruitment&amp;prod=wholeblood&amp;sender=American%20Red%20Cross&amp;delvId=392317136" target="_blank">to thank you for making time to donate by November 11, we’ll send you a&nbsp;$5 Amazon.com&nbsp;Gift Card* via email courtesy of&nbsp;Suburban Propane.**</a> Because of health concerns related to the global pandemic,&nbsp;trick-or-treating&nbsp;and Halloween parties may not be an option. But there is still reason to celebrate our generous&nbsp;Red Cross&nbsp;community. Your single donation may help save more than one life! And if you arrive in your regular clothes, that’s cool by us – just don’t forget that face covering for&nbsp;COVID-19 safety. Will you help meet the critical need of patients in&nbsp;your community?&nbsp;&nbsp;Schedule your donation <a href="https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=Hays&amp;med=email&amp;source=bioadobe&amp;campdesc=EM_BHQ_MO_WB_ABO_ADP4_NA1_Act_102620&amp;cid=381723316&amp;did=PRDDM98974&amp;bid=1334973580&amp;subj=Your%20Blood%20Donation%20Is%20Critically%20Needed%20(Thank%20You%20Gift%20Inside)&amp;prty=normal&amp;nat=recruitment&amp;prod=wholeblood&amp;sender=American%20Red%20Cross&amp;delvId=392317136">here</a>.&nbsp;All donations are tested for COVID-19 antibodies. Results available within one to two weeks via your donor account on both&nbsp;<a href="http://t.givebloodtoday.redcrossblood.org/r/?id=h4f92148c,176248d0,163ae320&amp;med=email&amp;source=bioadobe&amp;campdesc=EM_BHQ_MO_WB_ABO_ADP4_NA1_Act_102620&amp;cid=381723316&amp;did=PRDDM98974&amp;bid=1334973580&amp;subj=Your%20Blood%20Donation%20Is%20Critically%20Needed%20(Thank%20You%20Gift%20Inside)&amp;prty=normal&amp;nat=recruitment&amp;prod=wholeblood&amp;sender=American%20Red%20Cross&amp;delvId=392317136" target="_blank">RedCrossBlood.org</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="http://t.givebloodtoday.redcrossblood.org/r/?id=h4f92148c,176248d0,163ae321" target="_blank">Blood Donor&nbsp;App.</a> The Red Cross follows the&nbsp;<a href="http://t.givebloodtoday.redcrossblood.org/r/?id=h4f92148c,176248d0,163ae322&amp;med=email&amp;source=bioadobe&amp;campdesc=EM_BHQ_MO_WB_ABO_ADP4_NA1_Act_102620&amp;cid=381723316&amp;did=PRDDM98974&amp;bid=1334973580&amp;subj=Your%20Blood%20Donation%20Is%20Critically%20Needed%20(Thank%20You%20Gift%20Inside)&amp;prty=normal&amp;nat=recruitment&amp;prod=wholeblood&amp;sender=American%20Red%20Cross&amp;delvId=392317136" target="_blank">highest standards of safety and infection control.</a>&nbsp;In accordance with CDC guidelines,&nbsp;all donors are required to wear a face covering&nbsp;or mask.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603839219852.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Upcoming blood drives in Hays

If you love music from the 50s and 60s, mark Saturday, November 14 on your calendar for an event you don't want to miss. 

Jimmy Dee and The Fabulous Destinations will be performing live 7-10 p.m. at the Vesper Community Center in Vesper Township in Lincoln County.&nbsp;

Proceeds earned from the concert will go towards a new floor for the&nbsp; Vesper Community Center,&nbsp; which is run by an all volunteer run 501c3 organization.&nbsp;

The admission price includes a delicious dinner, dessert and snacks along with music from the Kansas Music Hall of Fame cover band. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. 

Only 80 tickets will be sold to allow for very spacious table seating for all guests and provide for a very large dance floor 4,800 sq. ft. facility.

 The Vesper community center was formerly a 1960s era high school school gymnasium/auditorium and was converted years ago into the largest banquet meeting hall in the county, preserving the original curtained stage for performance arts use with grants and donations from the public. 

Dane G. Hansen and the Post Rock Community Foundations have updated the facility with modern HVAC and recently provided for other improvements - new tables and comfortable chairs. 

The facility is located at 1247 N. 120th Road in Vesper Township,&nbsp; Lincoln, located right off Highway 18. 

Get more info and your tickets here&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jimmy-dee-and-the-fabulous-destinations-dinner-dance-and-concert-nov-14th-tickets-120459867707" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jimmy-dee-and-the-fabulous-des…</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603834885733.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>If you love music from the 50s and 60s, mark Saturday, November 14 on your calendar for an event you don't want to miss. Jimmy Dee and The Fabulous Destinations will be performing live 7-10 p.m. at the Vesper Community Center in Vesper Township in Lincoln County.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603835341391.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Proceeds earned from the concert will go towards a new floor for the&nbsp; Vesper Community Center,&nbsp; which is run by an all volunteer run 501c3 organization.&nbsp;The admission price includes a delicious dinner, dessert and snacks along with music from the Kansas Music Hall of Fame cover band. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Only 80 tickets will be sold to allow for very spacious table seating for all guests and provide for a very large dance floor 4,800 sq. ft. facility. The Vesper community center was formerly a 1960s era high school school gymnasium/auditorium and was converted years ago into the largest banquet meeting hall in the county, preserving the original curtained stage for performance arts use with grants and donations from the public. Dane G. Hansen and the Post Rock Community Foundations have updated the facility with modern HVAC and recently provided for other improvements - new tables and comfortable chairs. The facility is located at 1247 N. 120th Road in Vesper Township,&nbsp; Lincoln, located right off Highway 18. Get more info and your tickets here&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jimmy-dee-and-the-fabulous-destinations-dinner-dance-and-concert-nov-14th-tickets-120459867707" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jimmy-dee-and-the-fabulous-des…</a>Questions? call 785 524 2466

Concert, dance to benefit Vesper Community Center

Come visit the Sternberg Museum on Halloween to pick up your goody bags! *Limited supply*

Location: Sternberg Museum's lobby, 3000 Sternberg Drive, Hays Time: 2-4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 31. Come in costume if you'd like!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603834187709.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Come visit the Sternberg Museum on Halloween to pick up your goody bags! *Limited supply* Location: Sternberg Museum's lobby, 3000 Sternberg Drive, Hays Time: 2-4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 31. Come in costume if you'd like!— Submitted

Sternberg Museum Trick or Treat features goody bags

Stockton United Methodist Church, 204 N. Elm Street, Stockton

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603833918086.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>3rd Annual Trunk or TreatStockton United Methodist Church, 204 N. Elm Street, StocktonFriday, Oct. 30&nbsp; 5:30-7 p.m.

Trunk or Treat at Stockton United Methodist Church Friday

Wednesday, November 11, 2020, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m .

Come join the United Way at the Golden Q, 809 Ash Street, on Wednesday, November 11.

Order the Cheeseburger special to benefit the United Way! Dine in or call for Carry Out at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=golden+q+hays+ks+menu&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS831US831&amp;oq=golden+q+hays+ks&amp;aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0.6224j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8#">785-625-6913</a>!&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603832830577.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Wednesday, November 11, 2020, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m .Come join the United Way at the Golden Q, 809 Ash Street, on Wednesday, November 11. Order the Cheeseburger special to benefit the United Way! Dine in or call for Carry Out at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=golden+q+hays+ks+menu&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS831US831&amp;oq=golden+q+hays+ks&amp;aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0.6224j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8#">785-625-6913</a>!&nbsp;&nbsp;

Golden Q to host United Way Dine Out Day Nov. 11

Shop our one-of-a-kind Christmas trees and holiday décor -- just what you need to cultivate that holiday spirit AND support the Hays ARC Park! We have unique, beautiful themed Christmas trees, fall décor, centerpieces, porch pots, home décor, and so much more! 

As a bonus, several items come with awesome mystery gift cards to area businesses!

Each tree is beautifully decorated with donated ornaments handpicked exclusively from The Arc Thrift Store. 

Themes include: Chiefs, KU, KSU, Nativity, Wizard of Oz, patriotic, rustic, farmhouse, mermaids, nutcrackers, John Deere, pheasants, dogs, homespun, southwest, and so much more! 

Gorgeous centerpieces, shelf displays, porch pots, and other décor for Thanksgiving and Christmas round out the auction.

The online auction opens NOVEMBER 6 at 9 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. NOVEMBER 10. It will be open for bidding ANYTIME between those dates.

Come see the trees in person at The Arc activity room, 600 Main St. The Arc will be open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (Nov. 6-7, 9-10). Buy it now is available! Or, just stop by to see the beautiful items and get inspired

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603811278530.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Shop our one-of-a-kind Christmas trees and holiday décor -- just what you need to cultivate that holiday spirit AND support the Hays ARC Park! We have unique, beautiful themed Christmas trees, fall décor, centerpieces, porch pots, home décor, and so much more! As a bonus, several items come with awesome mystery gift cards to area businesses!Each tree is beautifully decorated with donated ornaments handpicked exclusively from The Arc Thrift Store. Themes include: Chiefs, KU, KSU, Nativity, Wizard of Oz, patriotic, rustic, farmhouse, mermaids, nutcrackers, John Deere, pheasants, dogs, homespun, southwest, and so much more! Gorgeous centerpieces, shelf displays, porch pots, and other décor for Thanksgiving and Christmas round out the auction.The online auction opens NOVEMBER 6 at 9 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. NOVEMBER 10. It will be open for bidding ANYTIME between those dates.Come see the trees in person at The Arc activity room, 600 Main St. The Arc will be open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (Nov. 6-7, 9-10). Buy it now is available! Or, just stop by to see the beautiful items and get inspired

Festival of Trees fundraiser for Hays ARC Park

Downtown Hays Development Corporation is excited to bring an ice skating rink to Downtown this winter!

We hope you'll come celebrate the GRAND OPENING with us on November 5th. Free hot chocolate and cookies will be available while supplies last.

The rink will be a synthetic material so no matter what mother nature throws at us, the rink will be open! Located under the beautiful Downtown Pavilion, the environment will be covered and monitored at all times.

Ticket sales this week will in part benefit the FHSU Cheer Team. Ticket purchases include skate rental.

Stay active outdoors while enjoying a fun time with family and friends in Downtown Hays this winter!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603812427655.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Downtown Hays Development Corporation is excited to bring an ice skating rink to Downtown this winter!We hope you'll come celebrate the GRAND OPENING with us on November 5th. Free hot chocolate and cookies will be available while supplies last.The rink will be a synthetic material so no matter what mother nature throws at us, the rink will be open! Located under the beautiful Downtown Pavilion, the environment will be covered and monitored at all times.Ticket sales this week will in part benefit the FHSU Cheer Team. Ticket purchases include skate rental.Stay active outdoors while enjoying a fun time with family and friends in Downtown Hays this winter!

Grand opening Nov. 5 of downtown Hays ice skating rink

October 29 is a fifth Thursday of the month. Therefore, there will not be a Hays City Commission work session that evening

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574093858004.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>City of HaysOctober 29 is a fifth Thursday of the month. Therefore, there will not be a Hays City Commission work session that evening

No city commission work session Thursday

The mission of Letters From Home is to honor veterans, celebrate people, and unite the nation through music. Western Plains Arts Association brings this patriotic celebration to the Hoxie High School, Sunday, Nov. 1, at 3 p.m. Central. Admission is by WPAA season ticket or adults $20, students $10. This program is made possible through the generous support of area business and individual sponsors, including a special grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Logan, Kan.

Letters&nbsp;From&nbsp;Home was started by Erinn Dearth at the suggestion of her late father, Pat Dearth, a veteran of the United States Coast Guard. Since that time, the group has made its mark performing in venues across the United States, touching the hearts and caressing the memories of hundreds of thousands nationwide with their mission to honor our veterans, active military heroes and their families.

The show is now performed in theaters, for air shows, cruise ships, schools, patriotic celebrations,&nbsp;military bases, VA hospitals, VFWs, American Legions and many other venues. A television documentary on Letters&nbsp;From&nbsp;Home by&nbsp;OurState&nbsp;Television won the Emmy for best magazine documentary in 2017. The duo performed in Normandy, France to perform for the 75th&nbsp;Anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2019.

Erinn Dearth found her love of tap dancing at&nbsp;Franel&nbsp;School of Dance when she was three years old. She won her first national tap competition at five, and has been making noise ever since. For years, Dearth did musical theatre and performed on cruise ships, and when she returned to her home city of Winston-Salem, she founded First in Flight Entertainment which now books entertainers all over the world. Producing Letters&nbsp;From Home was a perfect way of combining her love of production and being onstage, while spreading a message of hope and patriotism.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, proverbial worlds away, New York-based actor Dan Beckmann was photographing penguins in Antarctica when he was approached by Dearth, who had discovered him through a YouTube video. She expressed interest in having him aboard, and before but another word was uttered, Beckmann packed up his lenses and hopped the next jet to Winston-Salem to accept his role within the LFH team.

Together, Dearth and Beckmann take audiences on a trip down memory lane with 1940s-1960s music, singing, tap dancing, comedy, audience interaction and a variety of other surprises along the way.

Dearth is&nbsp;the creator, founder and choreographer of Letters From Home. As an actress and producer, she has worked on over 200 theatrical productions and has toured with Cirque Productions. She is a published author, and founder of First in Flight Entertainment and the NC Triad Theatre League. Dearth is also the founder and Executive Director of the youth-inspired Spring Theatre in Winston-Salem, N.C. which is currently in it's ninth season of producing live theatre, classes and camps. Earlier this year (alongside Beckmann) she produced a socially-distanced film called “Lock-In” with 100 cast members filming all over the world in quarantine.

Dearth is half of "riley," an artistic umbrella of creativity that produces blogs, songs, talk shows and screenplays with the mission of playing with purpose. Each week, you can catch her and Beckmann on their weekly online “riley” talk show, and you can keep up with all of their endeavors big and small on <a href="http://www.itsriley.com/">www.ItsRiley.com</a>.

Beckmann is an actor, singer, director and photographer from Minneapolis, Minn. He holds a BFA in acting from the University of Minnesota, Duluth and is a member of Actor’s Equity Association. Beckmann is the Artistic Director of Spring Theatre in Winston-Salem, N.C. Addicted to laughter from an early age, Beckman has been entertaining since he could first make noise. He has collaborated with Tony-nominated directors and Broadway legends on regional and Off-Broadway productions, concerts, national tours, cruise ships and international venues across the globe.

Band Leader John Trotta’s first “gig” was polyphonic organist at St. Gregory’s Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio at age 16. &nbsp;He went on to gradate from Xavier University in Cincinnati with a BS degree in Philosophy.&nbsp; While at Xavier, he participated in ROTC and in September 1969, he became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army with a six-year commitment. He fulfilled two years of active duty in Germany and Vietnam. He was honorably discharged at a First Lieutenant in 1975. Trotta has been involved in community theater and a number of local bands throughout the years in Ohio and North Carolina, including polka and Dixieland.

Soon after attending a post- 9/11 concert, he joined the “Kings of Swing” as their piano player.&nbsp; He formed “The Likewise Jazz Trio” a year later. Currently, he plays piano with the NC Revelers Big Band and the Holzhackern Tyrolean Band during Oktoberfest season. His other activities include conducting, arranging, vocal coaching and jazz concertizing. Joining “Letters from Home” is John’s way of honoring his fellow veterans.&nbsp;Lynn “Win” Roberts has been performing&nbsp;professionally since the age of 14.

He majored in&nbsp;music at the University of Nebraska and was a&nbsp;featured vocalist and instrumentalist with many&nbsp;swing bands including Guy Lombardo and Jimmy Dorsey. In 1964, Roberts started developing his&nbsp;musical variety act, playing more than a dozen&nbsp;instruments and singing. He began impersonating&nbsp;stars after hearing that he sounded or looked like&nbsp;them. Roberts's favorite impersonations are&nbsp;Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Red Skelton, Jimmy&nbsp;Durante, W.C. Fields and Frank Fontaine. Roberts&nbsp;has won a Cloney Award for his impersonation and&nbsp;tribute to Bob Hope, the Bea Foggleman&nbsp;Lifetime Achievement Award, and the&nbsp;Lifetime Achievement Award from the American&nbsp;Federation of Musicians. For the past&nbsp;16 years, Roberts has been touring the U.S. and Canada doing his tributes.

Gerald “Jerry” Bryant, concert producer, completed an accountant degree in 1974. During his college years, he joined the Army Reserves with the intention of getting a job and continuing to go to night school. However, this plan was upended when his Reserve Unit was activated and he found himself in the midst of the Vietnam War. He served out his time as a Medical Lab Tech at Kenner Army Hospital at Fort Lee, Va. After separating from the Army, and returning to the Reserves, he returned to his job at General Electric, finished college, and then completed the Financial Management Program at GE, spending a long career with GE. In 2013 he transitioned from the corporate life to becoming a business manager at his local Catholic church. He met the performers of Letters from Home at a church event, and soon was named concert producer.

See <a href="http://www.lettersfromhomesingers.com">www.lettersfromhomesingers.com</a> for more information, high-resolution pictures and YouTube videos.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603290296734.jpeg" alt="Dearth and Beckmann / courtesy WPAA" />
 <figcaption>Dearth and Beckmann / courtesy WPAA</figcaption>
 </figure>WPAAThe mission of Letters From Home is to honor veterans, celebrate people, and unite the nation through music. Western Plains Arts Association brings this patriotic celebration to the Hoxie High School, Sunday, Nov. 1, at 3 p.m. Central. Admission is by WPAA season ticket or adults $20, students $10. This program is made possible through the generous support of area business and individual sponsors, including a special grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Logan, Kan.Letters&nbsp;From&nbsp;Home was started by Erinn Dearth at the suggestion of her late father, Pat Dearth, a veteran of the United States Coast Guard. Since that time, the group has made its mark performing in venues across the United States, touching the hearts and caressing the memories of hundreds of thousands nationwide with their mission to honor our veterans, active military heroes and their families.The show is now performed in theaters, for air shows, cruise ships, schools, patriotic celebrations,&nbsp;military bases, VA hospitals, VFWs, American Legions and many other venues. A television documentary on Letters&nbsp;From&nbsp;Home by&nbsp;OurState&nbsp;Television won the Emmy for best magazine documentary in 2017. The duo performed in Normandy, France to perform for the 75th&nbsp;Anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2019.Erinn Dearth found her love of tap dancing at&nbsp;Franel&nbsp;School of Dance when she was three years old. She won her first national tap competition at five, and has been making noise ever since. For years, Dearth did musical theatre and performed on cruise ships, and when she returned to her home city of Winston-Salem, she founded First in Flight Entertainment which now books entertainers all over the world. Producing Letters&nbsp;From Home was a perfect way of combining her love of production and being onstage, while spreading a message of hope and patriotism.&nbsp;Meanwhile, proverbial worlds away, New York-based actor Dan Beckmann was photographing penguins in Antarctica when he was approached by Dearth, who had discovered him through a YouTube video. She expressed interest in having him aboard, and before but another word was uttered, Beckmann packed up his lenses and hopped the next jet to Winston-Salem to accept his role within the LFH team.Together, Dearth and Beckmann take audiences on a trip down memory lane with 1940s-1960s music, singing, tap dancing, comedy, audience interaction and a variety of other surprises along the way.Dearth is&nbsp;the creator, founder and choreographer of Letters From Home. As an actress and producer, she has worked on over 200 theatrical productions and has toured with Cirque Productions. She is a published author, and founder of First in Flight Entertainment and the NC Triad Theatre League. Dearth is also the founder and Executive Director of the youth-inspired Spring Theatre in Winston-Salem, N.C. which is currently in it's ninth season of producing live theatre, classes and camps. Earlier this year (alongside Beckmann) she produced a socially-distanced film called “Lock-In” with 100 cast members filming all over the world in quarantine.Dearth is half of "riley," an artistic umbrella of creativity that produces blogs, songs, talk shows and screenplays with the mission of playing with purpose. Each week, you can catch her and Beckmann on their weekly online “riley” talk show, and you can keep up with all of their endeavors big and small on <a href="http://www.itsriley.com/">www.ItsRiley.com</a>.Beckmann is an actor, singer, director and photographer from Minneapolis, Minn. He holds a BFA in acting from the University of Minnesota, Duluth and is a member of Actor’s Equity Association. Beckmann is the Artistic Director of Spring Theatre in Winston-Salem, N.C. Addicted to laughter from an early age, Beckman has been entertaining since he could first make noise. He has collaborated with Tony-nominated directors and Broadway legends on regional and Off-Broadway productions, concerts, national tours, cruise ships and international venues across the globe.Band Leader John Trotta’s first “gig” was polyphonic organist at St. Gregory’s Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio at age 16. &nbsp;He went on to gradate from Xavier University in Cincinnati with a BS degree in Philosophy.&nbsp; While at Xavier, he participated in ROTC and in September 1969, he became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army with a six-year commitment. He fulfilled two years of active duty in Germany and Vietnam. He was honorably discharged at a First Lieutenant in 1975. Trotta has been involved in community theater and a number of local bands throughout the years in Ohio and North Carolina, including polka and Dixieland.Soon after attending a post- 9/11 concert, he joined the “Kings of Swing” as their piano player.&nbsp; He formed “The Likewise Jazz Trio” a year later. Currently, he plays piano with the NC Revelers Big Band and the Holzhackern Tyrolean Band during Oktoberfest season. His other activities include conducting, arranging, vocal coaching and jazz concertizing. Joining “Letters from Home” is John’s way of honoring his fellow veterans.&nbsp;Lynn “Win” Roberts has been performing&nbsp;professionally since the age of 14.He majored in&nbsp;music at the University of Nebraska and was a&nbsp;featured vocalist and instrumentalist with many&nbsp;swing bands including Guy Lombardo and Jimmy Dorsey. In 1964, Roberts started developing his&nbsp;musical variety act, playing more than a dozen&nbsp;instruments and singing. He began impersonating&nbsp;stars after hearing that he sounded or looked like&nbsp;them. Roberts's favorite impersonations are&nbsp;Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Red Skelton, Jimmy&nbsp;Durante, W.C. Fields and Frank Fontaine. Roberts&nbsp;has won a Cloney Award for his impersonation and&nbsp;tribute to Bob Hope, the Bea Foggleman&nbsp;Lifetime Achievement Award, and the&nbsp;Lifetime Achievement Award from the American&nbsp;Federation of Musicians. For the past&nbsp;16 years, Roberts has been touring the U.S. and Canada doing his tributes.Gerald “Jerry” Bryant, concert producer, completed an accountant degree in 1974. During his college years, he joined the Army Reserves with the intention of getting a job and continuing to go to night school. However, this plan was upended when his Reserve Unit was activated and he found himself in the midst of the Vietnam War. He served out his time as a Medical Lab Tech at Kenner Army Hospital at Fort Lee, Va. After separating from the Army, and returning to the Reserves, he returned to his job at General Electric, finished college, and then completed the Financial Management Program at GE, spending a long career with GE. In 2013 he transitioned from the corporate life to becoming a business manager at his local Catholic church. He met the performers of Letters from Home at a church event, and soon was named concert producer.See <a href="http://www.lettersfromhomesingers.com">www.lettersfromhomesingers.com</a> for more information, high-resolution pictures and YouTube videos.

Letters From Home set to perform in Hoxie

The Ellis County Joint Planning Commission will meet Wed., Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. in the Ellis County Administrative Center.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593005347050.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Ellis CountyThe Ellis County Joint Planning Commission will meet Wed., Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. in the Ellis County Administrative Center.The agenda is below.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603745499156.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Ellis Co. Joint Planning Commission meets Wednesday

For some, the holiday season brings feelings of sadness, disappointment, loneliness or loss. This simple service acknowledges those feelings and provides a space of quiet holiness, a vocabulary of prayer and song and a reminder that we are not alone.&nbsp;

This service is an offering of Trinity Lutheran Church and St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. For more information, contact Pastor Brenda Roger at tlcpr@eaglecom.net or Rev. Shay Craig at rev.shay.craig@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602858292306.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>For some, the holiday season brings feelings of sadness, disappointment, loneliness or loss. This simple service acknowledges those feelings and provides a space of quiet holiness, a vocabulary of prayer and song and a reminder that we are not alone.&nbsp;All are welcome.This service is an offering of Trinity Lutheran Church and St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. For more information, contact Pastor Brenda Roger at tlcpr@eaglecom.net or Rev. Shay Craig at rev.shay.craig@gmail.com.— Submitted

Blue Christmas service scheduled at St. Michael's

Oakley Boo at the Businesses Oct. 30

The Fort Hays State University American Democracy Project provides numerous civic and political engagement activities that challenge and encourage students, faculty, staff, and community members to find their place and make a difference. FHSU ADP values the importance of presenting unbiased information to students, faculty, staff, and community members.

ADP’s “Let’s Civil Discourse” event is an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and others to address and debate issues in a civil manner. It will also be a place where proper decorum as well as common ground building will happen and will be reminded of throughout the entirety of the session.

The event will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27. 

It will be an online Zoom event. Register for the event here:&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMqdO6qqTwuHNRjb8_1RPWNTqbMUoEZZ4tU">https://fhsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMqdO6qqTwuHNRjb8_1RPWNTqbMUoEZZ4tU </a>

Questions should be directed to Brad DeMers (adp@fhsu.edu).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602535081528.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Fort Hays State University American Democracy Project provides numerous civic and political engagement activities that challenge and encourage students, faculty, staff, and community members to find their place and make a difference. FHSU ADP values the importance of presenting unbiased information to students, faculty, staff, and community members.ADP’s “Let’s Civil Discourse” event is an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and others to address and debate issues in a civil manner. It will also be a place where proper decorum as well as common ground building will happen and will be reminded of throughout the entirety of the session.The event will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27. It will be an online Zoom event. Register for the event here:&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMqdO6qqTwuHNRjb8_1RPWNTqbMUoEZZ4tU">https://fhsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMqdO6qqTwuHNRjb8_1RPWNTqbMUoEZZ4tU </a>Questions should be directed to Brad DeMers (adp@fhsu.edu).— Submitted

FHSU ADP to host civil discourse event October 27

KansasWorks virtual job fairs Oct. 27-29

Mutts & Monsters 5K Walk and Run for dogs and their humans

COVID has canceled the annual Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat food drive coordinated for move than two decades by Hays High School DECA. 

This annual activity, which mobilizes volunteers from many youth, Fort Hays State University, church, and civic organizations from across the community, benefits the Community Assistance Center.

 Even though we can’t go door-to-door, we can ask the members of our community to come to us with their food donations.

Collection sites open Saturday, Oct. 24, 8 a.m. until noon, will be both Dillons stores, Walmart, Genuine Appliance and the Community Assistance Center.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603210386700.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>COVID has canceled the annual Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat food drive coordinated for move than two decades by Hays High School DECA. This annual activity, which mobilizes volunteers from many youth, Fort Hays State University, church, and civic organizations from across the community, benefits the Community Assistance Center. Even though we can’t go door-to-door, we can ask the members of our community to come to us with their food donations.Collection sites open Saturday, Oct. 24, 8 a.m. until noon, will be both Dillons stores, Walmart, Genuine Appliance and the Community Assistance Center.

HHS DECA drive-by Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat food drive Saturday morning

ABILENE - The next Lunch &amp; Learn program with the Eisenhower Museum and Library is Thursday, October 22 at noon central time. The virtual program will begin right at noon, so please sign in 10 minutes early.

Learn more about the "Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote" exhibit at the National Archives Museum. Learn directly from Curator Corinne Porter how this exhibit was curated using holdings from the archives and tells the story of women getting the right to vote. 

This exhibit is part of the 19th Amendment Centennial Commemoration.

The National Archives houses a wealth of records and information documenting the women's rights movement in the United Sates. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001r1Z_lmbIJMhYk_0m8BJh5QfMpMUDWkyBqvHbr1xYerg6hiZzbsjdI1wOor8N5Sb92A5P2zCVAiUKCETd7EScpsJKNusq4R_ENut_Vs9tbROis_Em-66jPrAGeB_hQagbWpPZmv_NTGuWycyOORoldw==&amp;c=tBer2NlaTcM02Xxcq86Qo66TaZyc1ioF5GpNyvFmG7G1mZc8iCmA_w==&amp;ch=tZPIUmKR8fprjjy2j6HEwBrYlufT0WOhzuMwrlwvU0Qo2SgPRKNCOQ==" target="_blank">www.archives.gov/women</a>to learn more. JOIN US ONLINE:

Google Meet URL:&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001r1Z_lmbIJMhYk_0m8BJh5QfMpMUDWkyBqvHbr1xYerg6hiZzbsjdI0jB452SK_8KWp-jguY2l6A1PaPjRVQeYLgazUNc0sgpnDrpAZ6SPD4FXmXbBAeJUu-n1oi5N58eOPzIDKg7drEuDVA4wlpSQSkxbqsY_Bxu&amp;c=tBer2NlaTcM02Xxcq86Qo66TaZyc1ioF5GpNyvFmG7G1mZc8iCmA_w==&amp;ch=tZPIUmKR8fprjjy2j6HEwBrYlufT0WOhzuMwrlwvU0Qo2SgPRKNCOQ==" target="_blank">meet.google.com/nfb-yjkm-sun</a> Telephone: 617-675-4444‬ (PIN: ‪511 045 556 7306#) Please join 10 minutes early so the program may begin on time.

The 2020&nbsp;Lunch &amp; Learn&nbsp;series is made possible courtesy of the Eisenhower Foundation and the Union Pacific Foundation.



<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603209795440.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ABILENE - The next Lunch &amp; Learn program with the Eisenhower Museum and Library is Thursday, October 22 at noon central time. The virtual program will begin right at noon, so please sign in 10 minutes early.Learn more about the "Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote" exhibit at the National Archives Museum. Learn directly from Curator Corinne Porter how this exhibit was curated using holdings from the archives and tells the story of women getting the right to vote. This exhibit is part of the 19th Amendment Centennial Commemoration.The National Archives houses a wealth of records and information documenting the women's rights movement in the United Sates. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001r1Z_lmbIJMhYk_0m8BJh5QfMpMUDWkyBqvHbr1xYerg6hiZzbsjdI1wOor8N5Sb92A5P2zCVAiUKCETd7EScpsJKNusq4R_ENut_Vs9tbROis_Em-66jPrAGeB_hQagbWpPZmv_NTGuWycyOORoldw==&amp;c=tBer2NlaTcM02Xxcq86Qo66TaZyc1ioF5GpNyvFmG7G1mZc8iCmA_w==&amp;ch=tZPIUmKR8fprjjy2j6HEwBrYlufT0WOhzuMwrlwvU0Qo2SgPRKNCOQ==" target="_blank">www.archives.gov/women</a>to learn more. JOIN US ONLINE:Google Meet URL:&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001r1Z_lmbIJMhYk_0m8BJh5QfMpMUDWkyBqvHbr1xYerg6hiZzbsjdI0jB452SK_8KWp-jguY2l6A1PaPjRVQeYLgazUNc0sgpnDrpAZ6SPD4FXmXbBAeJUu-n1oi5N58eOPzIDKg7drEuDVA4wlpSQSkxbqsY_Bxu&amp;c=tBer2NlaTcM02Xxcq86Qo66TaZyc1ioF5GpNyvFmG7G1mZc8iCmA_w==&amp;ch=tZPIUmKR8fprjjy2j6HEwBrYlufT0WOhzuMwrlwvU0Qo2SgPRKNCOQ==" target="_blank">meet.google.com/nfb-yjkm-sun</a> Telephone: 617-675-4444‬ (PIN: ‪511 045 556 7306#) Please join 10 minutes early so the program may begin on time. The 2020&nbsp;Lunch &amp; Learn&nbsp;series is made possible courtesy of the Eisenhower Foundation and the Union Pacific Foundation.

Virtual Lunch & Learn 'Rightfully Hers' with Eisenhower Library and Museum

Donations being accepted for annual Coat Drive on Nov. 7

The deadline for letters related to the November general election is noon Oct. 26.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582642737344.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The deadline for letters related to the November general election is noon Oct. 26.

Election letter deadline is Oct. 26

WAKEENEY — As a Halloween treat, WaKeeney Public Library will sponsor a free performance of&nbsp;Murder at the Wolf Hotel&nbsp;on Sunday, October 25, at 1 p.m. at Jake &amp; Chet’s Café,&nbsp;233 S. 1st Street in WaKeeney.&nbsp; The show is open to customers who have already come for lunch and also to members of the community who just want to see the show.&nbsp; All audience members will enjoy a free dessert and coffee, tea or soda, compliments of the Library.&nbsp;&nbsp;

When Chris McCord, owner of the Historic Wolf Hotel in Ellinwood, KS called performing artist Brett Crandall, it didn’t take long for the two to realize they have a lot in common. They are both passionate entrepreneurs. Both have very big ideas. But the two also share a unique, personal drive to showcase the wholesome, yet gritty charm of the Sunflower State to the world.&nbsp; After a brief meeting and tour of the well-preserved landmark, Crandall began to piece together a comedy riddled with crimes inspired by&nbsp;Ellinwood’s colorful history.&nbsp;&nbsp;The result was&nbsp;Murder at the Wolf Hotel, a new interactive murder-mystery play in which a bumbling detective sleuths out which of the suspects, volunteers from the audience, is guilty.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brett Crandall is an actor, writer, producer and puppeteer who received his formal acting training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.&nbsp; He then appeared in plays in New York as well as in tours of children’s shows with the Traveling Lantern Theatre&nbsp;Company in the Northeast.&nbsp;&nbsp;He played multiple characters in&nbsp;Robin Hood, Pinocchio,&nbsp;A Christmas Carol, and&nbsp;The Caterpillar Hunter&nbsp;forlibraries and elementary schools.&nbsp;

A few years ago, Brett created his own production company, Brett Crandall Studios, to bring “performance opportunities for both artists and audiences” to different parts of the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;His recent productions include&nbsp;The Wizard of Oz, Oliver Twist, and&nbsp;A Christmas Carol.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For this new original play, inspired by Kansas history during the Prohibition Era, Crandall researched the town of Ellinwood.&nbsp; It was originally a stop along the Santa Fe Trail and attracted many German and Austrian immigrants.&nbsp; It expanded as a popular rest station for cowboys on the Cox Cattle Trail with up to eleven saloons by the turn of the century in an&nbsp;underground complex of barber shops, blacksmith shops, brothels and other stores built under the town’s main streets.&nbsp; “The Underground” is now a tourist destination along with the refurbished Wolf Hotel.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Since its debut,&nbsp;the play&nbsp;has been performed in Satanta, Garden City, Lawrence, Liberal, and Crandall’s hometown of Deerfield.&nbsp; Crandall explains one of his goals is to shed light on the lives of disenfranchised Kansans of the past, such as interracial and LGBTQ+ couples, by offering a diverse representation and historical context left out of the history books.&nbsp; He hopes to “dispel myths about what minorities experienced 100 years ago and may still experience today.”

Murder at the Wolf Hotel&nbsp;will be performed in the lounge area and side room at Jake &amp; Chet’s Cafe which has plenty of atmosphere to evoke the hotel speakeasy setting.&nbsp; There is also room for spacing of tables and groups to observe the social distancing and precautions for Covid-19 that is already the norm at the restaurant.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Library will also be offering free face masks, hand sanitizer, and cool door prizes for attendees.

For more information, contact the Library at 785-743-2960.&nbsp;&nbsp;To book a stay at The Historic Wolf Hotel, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://historicwolfhotel.com/">historicwolfhotel.com</a>. To learn more about Brett Crandall Studios, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://brettcrandallstudios.com/">BrettCrandallStudios.com</a>.&nbsp; The WaKeeney Public Library website is:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://wakeeney.nwkls.org/">wakeeney.nwkls.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603139852218.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy WaKeeney Public Library" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WaKeeney Public Library</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedWAKEENEY — As a Halloween treat, WaKeeney Public Library will sponsor a free performance of&nbsp;Murder at the Wolf Hotel&nbsp;on Sunday, October 25, at 1 p.m. at Jake &amp; Chet’s Café,&nbsp;233 S. 1st Street in WaKeeney.&nbsp; The show is open to customers who have already come for lunch and also to members of the community who just want to see the show.&nbsp; All audience members will enjoy a free dessert and coffee, tea or soda, compliments of the Library.&nbsp;&nbsp;When Chris McCord, owner of the Historic Wolf Hotel in Ellinwood, KS called performing artist Brett Crandall, it didn’t take long for the two to realize they have a lot in common. They are both passionate entrepreneurs. Both have very big ideas. But the two also share a unique, personal drive to showcase the wholesome, yet gritty charm of the Sunflower State to the world.&nbsp; After a brief meeting and tour of the well-preserved landmark, Crandall began to piece together a comedy riddled with crimes inspired by&nbsp;Ellinwood’s colorful history.&nbsp;&nbsp;The result was&nbsp;Murder at the Wolf Hotel, a new interactive murder-mystery play in which a bumbling detective sleuths out which of the suspects, volunteers from the audience, is guilty.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brett Crandall is an actor, writer, producer and puppeteer who received his formal acting training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.&nbsp; He then appeared in plays in New York as well as in tours of children’s shows with the Traveling Lantern Theatre&nbsp;Company in the Northeast.&nbsp;&nbsp;He played multiple characters in&nbsp;Robin Hood, Pinocchio,&nbsp;A Christmas Carol, and&nbsp;The Caterpillar Hunter&nbsp;forlibraries and elementary schools.&nbsp;A few years ago, Brett created his own production company, Brett Crandall Studios, to bring “performance opportunities for both artists and audiences” to different parts of the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;His recent productions include&nbsp;The Wizard of Oz, Oliver Twist, and&nbsp;A Christmas Carol.&nbsp;&nbsp;For this new original play, inspired by Kansas history during the Prohibition Era, Crandall researched the town of Ellinwood.&nbsp; It was originally a stop along the Santa Fe Trail and attracted many German and Austrian immigrants.&nbsp; It expanded as a popular rest station for cowboys on the Cox Cattle Trail with up to eleven saloons by the turn of the century in an&nbsp;underground complex of barber shops, blacksmith shops, brothels and other stores built under the town’s main streets.&nbsp; “The Underground” is now a tourist destination along with the refurbished Wolf Hotel.&nbsp;&nbsp;Since its debut,&nbsp;the play&nbsp;has been performed in Satanta, Garden City, Lawrence, Liberal, and Crandall’s hometown of Deerfield.&nbsp; Crandall explains one of his goals is to shed light on the lives of disenfranchised Kansans of the past, such as interracial and LGBTQ+ couples, by offering a diverse representation and historical context left out of the history books.&nbsp; He hopes to “dispel myths about what minorities experienced 100 years ago and may still experience today.”Murder at the Wolf Hotel&nbsp;will be performed in the lounge area and side room at Jake &amp; Chet’s Cafe which has plenty of atmosphere to evoke the hotel speakeasy setting.&nbsp; There is also room for spacing of tables and groups to observe the social distancing and precautions for Covid-19 that is already the norm at the restaurant.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Library will also be offering free face masks, hand sanitizer, and cool door prizes for attendees.For more information, contact the Library at 785-743-2960.&nbsp;&nbsp;To book a stay at The Historic Wolf Hotel, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://historicwolfhotel.com/">historicwolfhotel.com</a>. To learn more about Brett Crandall Studios, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://brettcrandallstudios.com/">BrettCrandallStudios.com</a>.&nbsp; The WaKeeney Public Library website is:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://wakeeney.nwkls.org/">wakeeney.nwkls.org</a>.

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