On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.growhays.com/">Grow Hays</a>&nbsp;executive director Doug Williams discusses The Grove, a housing project in Hays designed for senior living.

<div><iframe title="The Grove to provide ’right-sized’ homes for seniors in Hays" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=435bc-14276c9-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.growhays.com/">Grow Hays</a>&nbsp;executive director Doug Williams discusses The Grove, a housing project in Hays designed for senior living.

🎙 Post Podcast: The Grove to provide 'right-sized' homes for seniors in Hays

🎤 Forward Ever: State Library of Kansas director of reference Cindy Roupe

As work continues inside the home of the <a href="https://www.echshays.org/">Ellis County Historical Society</a>, 100 W.
Seventh, the group will give visitors an opportunity to see two exhibits for
free during extended summer hours.

Executive Director Amanda Rupp said she is very excited to have the museum open to the public seven days a week. 

“We are
going to be usually open almost every day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and then even on
Thursdays, we're going to be open until 7 p.m.," Rupp said. “If you'd like to
come to do some research and you work during the day, [you can] come to visit us during
the evening hours. We're even going to be open Saturdays and Sundays.
Sundays, we will be from 1 to 5 p.m.”

The
extended hours are thanks, in part, to additional staff, including Patty Nicholas, she
said.

“I was
able to hire a part-time archivist assistant, and she has been putting those
into our new Past Perfect system,” Rupp said. “So now, if you come down, and
you want to look up some family history, she's going to be able to assist you
in going through the things that we have in archives.”

She said
Court Docket books being entered now – dating back to the 1860-70s – are
particularly noteworthy.

“All
written in hand, that nice calligraphy, they are docket books about notices to
appear or criminal actions, they vary from the city of Hays to other
townships in the county,” Rupp said. “Some of them are pretty interesting to
read if you can read the calligraphy, but she's going to put those in our
system so that you don't have to thumb through them all by hand.”

Nicholas
has a history with the Fort Hays State University Forsyth Library, the Hays
Public Library and Historic Fort Hays, Rupp said.

“She's
really in her element,” Rupp said. "She knows archives in and out and how to put
those systems into order so that they can be useful to other people. I'm
excited about having her ...”

Now that
the society has been working on the archives, they plan to start going through artifacts
that will be put into a storage area to accommodate work on the upstairs of the
building.

Work on a disabled-accessible bathroom is near completion, and work on an accessible entrance is expected
later this year.

“Hopefully,
mid-fall, I think, is when they can get there with their crews,” Rupp said. “So
yeah, we just keep on moving. You blink your eyes. You're going to miss it.”

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/9acd7c52-251f-4e4b-90ae-281f2a884f22">That
work is being funded in part with a Heritage Trust Fund Grant awarded to the
society from the Kansas State Historic Society.</a>

HVAC
replacement is also expected to begin this year.

Two area
students also will serve the society as interns during the summer, along with
their four staff members. The society will utilize community volunteers during work nights every
second Tuesday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m.

“One of
them is returning from last year, and she was a senior this year at Fort Hays State,”
Rupp said. “Another one is a high school student here through Hays. They both come to us through the <a href="https://www.nex-generation.org/">Next
Generation Roundup for Youth</a>
programs.”

While the new staff acclimates to their positions and
repair work is underway, the society will host two exhibitions over the summer,
including a traveling exhibit from Salina’s Smoky Hill Museum.

“It is supposed to be about
the notorious – I don't want to say outlaws – notorious people of the plains in
the Wild West era of this area,” Rupp said.

The Sternberg Firearms
Collection will again be on display, with some additions to last summer’s exhibition.

“The Sternberg Firearms Collection
got so much attention last summer that we have decided to keep it up,” Rupp
said. “It had been in storage for so long, why not keep showing it around?”

The society’s outbuildings will
be available to view as well.

“We want to get the
excitement going for our community and see what we have to offer, so please
come down and visit us,” Rupp said. “Even if you only have 30 minutes and you
want to get the kids out of the house for a minute.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685640084520.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostAs work continues inside the home of the <a href="https://www.echshays.org/">Ellis County Historical Society</a>, 100 W.
Seventh, the group will give visitors an opportunity to see two exhibits for
free during extended summer hours.Executive Director Amanda Rupp said she is very excited to have the museum open to the public seven days a week. <div><iframe title="Ellis County Historical Society summer exhibit ushers in expanded hours" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=9er77-1420ffa-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>“We are
going to be usually open almost every day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and then even on
Thursdays, we're going to be open until 7 p.m.," Rupp said. “If you'd like to
come to do some research and you work during the day, [you can] come to visit us during
the evening hours. We're even going to be open Saturdays and Sundays.
Sundays, we will be from 1 to 5 p.m.”The
extended hours are thanks, in part, to additional staff, including Patty Nicholas, she
said.“I was
able to hire a part-time archivist assistant, and she has been putting those
into our new Past Perfect system,” Rupp said. “So now, if you come down, and
you want to look up some family history, she's going to be able to assist you
in going through the things that we have in archives.”She said
Court Docket books being entered now – dating back to the 1860-70s – are
particularly noteworthy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685640154774.jpeg" alt="The "Notorious" exhibition is open now at the Ellis County Historical Society. Photo by James Bell/Hays Post." />
 <figcaption>The "Notorious" exhibition is open now at the Ellis County Historical Society. Photo by James Bell/Hays Post.</figcaption>
 </figure>“All
written in hand, that nice calligraphy, they are docket books about notices to
appear or criminal actions, they vary from the city of Hays to other
townships in the county,” Rupp said. “Some of them are pretty interesting to
read if you can read the calligraphy, but she's going to put those in our
system so that you don't have to thumb through them all by hand.”Nicholas
has a history with the Fort Hays State University Forsyth Library, the Hays
Public Library and Historic Fort Hays, Rupp said.“She's
really in her element,” Rupp said. "She knows archives in and out and how to put
those systems into order so that they can be useful to other people. I'm
excited about having her ...”Now that
the society has been working on the archives, they plan to start going through artifacts
that will be put into a storage area to accommodate work on the upstairs of the
building.Work on a disabled-accessible bathroom is near completion, and work on an accessible entrance is expected
later this year.“Hopefully,
mid-fall, I think, is when they can get there with their crews,” Rupp said. “So
yeah, we just keep on moving. You blink your eyes. You're going to miss it.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685640116082.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/9acd7c52-251f-4e4b-90ae-281f2a884f22">That
work is being funded in part with a Heritage Trust Fund Grant awarded to the
society from the Kansas State Historic Society.</a> HVAC
replacement is also expected to begin this year.Two area
students also will serve the society as interns during the summer, along with
their four staff members. The society will utilize community volunteers during work nights every
second Tuesday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m.“One of
them is returning from last year, and she was a senior this year at Fort Hays State,”
Rupp said. “Another one is a high school student here through Hays. They both come to us through the <a href="https://www.nex-generation.org/">Next
Generation Roundup for Youth</a>
programs.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685641275637.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>While the new staff acclimates to their positions and
repair work is underway, the society will host two exhibitions over the summer,
including a traveling exhibit from Salina’s Smoky Hill Museum.“It is supposed to be about
the notorious – I don't want to say outlaws – notorious people of the plains in
the Wild West era of this area,” Rupp said.The Sternberg Firearms
Collection will again be on display, with some additions to last summer’s exhibition.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653503381018.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>“The Sternberg Firearms Collection
got so much attention last summer that we have decided to keep it up,” Rupp
said. “It had been in storage for so long, why not keep showing it around?”The society’s outbuildings will
be available to view as well.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685640289439.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The summer exhibitions are
free to view.“We want to get the
excitement going for our community and see what we have to offer, so please
come down and visit us,” Rupp said. “Even if you only have 30 minutes and you
want to get the kids out of the house for a minute.”

🎙 Ellis County Historical Society summer exhibit ushers in expanded hours

The Hays City Band will return this summer,
bringing musicians young and old together for a series of concerts downtown.

“It
doesn't matter if you're a person who regularly plays or if you've got an
instrument that's been sitting in a closet collecting dust, no better time to
break it out and make sure that thing still works,” said director Matt Rome,
who during the school year serves as the Hays High School band director.

Work in
other district buildings will drive rehearsals to his regular practice location.

“The
high school is where we're going to be hosting rehearsals this year,” Rome
said. “Last year, those of you may remember, we had to be at his middle school as
they were ripping the AC unit out of my ceiling. So no falling debris this time.
That'll be fun.”

And
returning to Hays High allows participants to use their band instruments, for
those in need, especially larger instruments like tubas, he said.

Like
previous years, practices will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays through June.

Performances
are set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays on June 13, 20 and 27 in the downtown Hays pavilion
and run for around an hour.

“I just
really want to encourage anyone and everyone who's maybe been on the fence,
maybe you've come out to a concert or something and thought it might be fun to
join in, please do,” Rome said. “Just give it a shot. The beautiful thing about
the city band is it really is comprised of everything from amateurs and
students in the area all the way up to teachers and professionals. And then, of
course, everything in between.”

And
while attending the entire season of practices and performances is ideal, he
said, those who can participate for a limited time are also welcome.

So far,
those pledging to attend have created a good blend of performers from the
community.

“I think
we've got a really good mix of college students, high school students, and a handful
of middle school students are even stepping up,” Rome said. “A bunch of Fort
Hays faculty I've talked to, and it sounds like they're in. I mean, it just
sounds like it's going to be a really, really good band. And I just want as
many people to experience that as we can.”

He said
the music selections reflect the ability typical of an advanced middle school
student.

“We kind
of know that advanced middle school into like high school repertoire, we might
have one or two things that stretch just a little beyond that, but most of its going
to sit in that in that kind of range.”

“And
like last summer, what I've tried to do is pick just a really broad variety of band
literature, written as early as 1909,” Rome said. “And then up to, in fact, I
think we'll play a couple that were copywritten in 2022.

“So, a
really wide variety of really diverse variety of music, some classics, some new
things, but like I said, really trying to stick into that, that kind of generic
high school level of, of repertoire so that hopefully nobody's too stressed out
trying to sit in.”

For the
listener, that level of music also means it is enjoyable to most audiences. And
with the performances set in the pavilion, attendees will find a relaxed
atmosphere to enjoy the selections.

“People
can bring their lawn chairs and just relax and enjoy an evening of some really
quality, but easy listening band music,” Rome said.

And
while Rome will serve as the principal director, he said others will join in.

“I'm
happy to step off the podium and give some other people the chance to do that,”
Rome said.

Among those others that will take the podium are Hays High principal
Shawn Henderson, TMP band director Hector Hernandez and members of the FHSU
faculty.

If you have questions, he said he can be contacted via email at <a href="mailto:mrome2@usd489.com">mrome2@usd489.com</a>, otherwise, performers
can simply attend the rehearsals.

The Hays
High School band room can be accessed by parking in the main student parking
lot in front of the building.

“I'll
have signs to guide you in, but there's a door directly in, so you don't have
to go through the building,” Rome said.

<div><iframe title="Strike up the band: Area musicians to gather for summer sessions" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=js8bx-1411ff3-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594154454880.jpeg" alt="The Downtown Pavillion at 10th and Main will host the upcoming Hays City Band concerts in June. File photo" />
 <figcaption>The Downtown Pavillion at 10th and Main will host the upcoming Hays City Band concerts in June. File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostThe Hays City Band will return this summer,
bringing musicians young and old together for a series of concerts downtown.“It
doesn't matter if you're a person who regularly plays or if you've got an
instrument that's been sitting in a closet collecting dust, no better time to
break it out and make sure that thing still works,” said director Matt Rome,
who during the school year serves as the Hays High School band director.Work in
other district buildings will drive rehearsals to his regular practice location.“The
high school is where we're going to be hosting rehearsals this year,” Rome
said. “Last year, those of you may remember, we had to be at his middle school as
they were ripping the AC unit out of my ceiling. So no falling debris this time.
That'll be fun.”And
returning to Hays High allows participants to use their band instruments, for
those in need, especially larger instruments like tubas, he said.Like
previous years, practices will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays through June.Performances
are set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays on June 13, 20 and 27 in the downtown Hays pavilion
and run for around an hour.“I just
really want to encourage anyone and everyone who's maybe been on the fence,
maybe you've come out to a concert or something and thought it might be fun to
join in, please do,” Rome said. “Just give it a shot. The beautiful thing about
the city band is it really is comprised of everything from amateurs and
students in the area all the way up to teachers and professionals. And then, of
course, everything in between.”And
while attending the entire season of practices and performances is ideal, he
said, those who can participate for a limited time are also welcome.So far,
those pledging to attend have created a good blend of performers from the
community.“I think
we've got a really good mix of college students, high school students, and a handful
of middle school students are even stepping up,” Rome said. “A bunch of Fort
Hays faculty I've talked to, and it sounds like they're in. I mean, it just
sounds like it's going to be a really, really good band. And I just want as
many people to experience that as we can.”He said
the music selections reflect the ability typical of an advanced middle school
student.“We kind
of know that advanced middle school into like high school repertoire, we might
have one or two things that stretch just a little beyond that, but most of its going
to sit in that in that kind of range.”“And
like last summer, what I've tried to do is pick just a really broad variety of band
literature, written as early as 1909,” Rome said. “And then up to, in fact, I
think we'll play a couple that were copywritten in 2022.“So, a
really wide variety of really diverse variety of music, some classics, some new
things, but like I said, really trying to stick into that, that kind of generic
high school level of, of repertoire so that hopefully nobody's too stressed out
trying to sit in.”For the
listener, that level of music also means it is enjoyable to most audiences. And
with the performances set in the pavilion, attendees will find a relaxed
atmosphere to enjoy the selections.“People
can bring their lawn chairs and just relax and enjoy an evening of some really
quality, but easy listening band music,” Rome said.And
while Rome will serve as the principal director, he said others will join in.“I'm
happy to step off the podium and give some other people the chance to do that,”
Rome said.Among those others that will take the podium are Hays High principal
Shawn Henderson, TMP band director Hector Hernandez and members of the FHSU
faculty.If you have questions, he said he can be contacted via email at <a href="mailto:mrome2@usd489.com">mrome2@usd489.com</a>, otherwise, performers
can simply attend the rehearsals.The Hays
High School band room can be accessed by parking in the main student parking
lot in front of the building.“I'll
have signs to guide you in, but there's a door directly in, so you don't have
to go through the building,” Rome said.

🎙 Strike up the band: Area musicians to gather for summer sessions, concerts in downtown Hays

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>, <a href="https://www.growhays.com/">Grow Hays</a>&nbsp;Director of Business Development and Special Projects,&nbsp;

James Robben shares information about the&nbsp;E-Community program.

<div><iframe title="Grow Hays e-community programs helps entrepreneurs achieve goals" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=jqyh3-141b3e3-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>, <a href="https://www.growhays.com/">Grow Hays</a>&nbsp;Director of Business Development and Special Projects,&nbsp;

James Robben shares information about the&nbsp;E-Community program.

🎙 Post Podcast: Grow Hays e-community programs helps entrepreneurs achieve goals

The <a href="https://haysartscouncil.org/">Hays
Arts Council </a>will once again offer summer art classes to area youth, with
classes scheduled through June and July.

“We've
got our theater class starting the first week in June,” Brenda Meder, executive director, said. “They'll culminate after two weeks with a performance, plenty of
room in those classes yet, and those are the only theater classes we're
offering for that age group.”

Two Acting
and the Theater sessions are for ages 8-11 and 11-14 and will run June 5-8 and June 12-16, kicking off the classes.

“So, if
you're interested in your young person, especially those that have just come
out of Famous Figures, those are a few of them, who we've seen signing up for
this, please check into that,” Meder said.

Another performance-based
class is set for July 10-13; however, registration for Acting It Out has
already been filled, according to the council’s website.

But various
artistic disciplines will follow, with classes featuring visual arts, fashion
and more.

“Some
things that will be more, sort of art education lessons, some things that'll
just be the free expression of arts and crafts and having the opportunity to
just paint or just create or just get your hands into the paper mâché or
whatever it might be, but a good variety of those things,” Meder said.

Those
classes run from one-day sessions to a series of days.

“We've
got several sessions of a two-hour a day, to two-day workshops, two hours a day,”
Meder said. “We know that in the times that we're in now, kids are very mobile
in the summer. And they don't always have big periods to commit to a week or
two weeklong class, or they come and visit grandma and grandpa or their cousins
for short periods of time. So, we threw those in.

“It's
just a great way to get lots of arts and crafts fun and not just be in and out
real fast. And they're not drop-ins, they are scheduled organized classes.”

Students
will learn more than just painting basics in the scheduled painting classes.

“Instead
of just learning all that sort of traditional sort of clean and very
representational methods, (we will be) playing around with some unusual
painting forms…so they're going to get a little art history, or the very kind
of unencumbered style of like Pollock with the paint and doing some of those
different kinds of projects and styles of painting.”

The
annual favorite Call of the Wild class is also set to return, allowing
participants to learn about animals with hands on experiences from the
collection at Sternberg Museum and use that as a basis for artistic endeavors.

And
around the Fourth of July, patriotism will be on display.

“We've
got a one-day class right before the Fourth of July called Red, White and Blue,”
Meder said. “So, anybody that's in town that Monday, visiting family, or is
here, it's a great class to just go let's plug something in for that little
bridge between Tuesday's Fourth of July activities, our Paper Doll Fashion Fun
class again, which is the coolest thing.

To
engage as many students as possible, Meder said the council works to keep costs
low.

“There are
no extra taxes, there are no extra supplies, we want to be able to pay our
instructors, something that's at least not disrespectful, but nobody's getting
rich on these,” Meder said.

“We want
them to work with decent quality materials, depending on what the class is,”
Meder said. “So, we have a lot of behind-the-scenes expenses, but we keep the
classes very affordable and decently sized.

“And so
it's a really good experience. And it's not just drop-in, and it's not
glorified babysitting. There really are planned, detailed, organized projects
within the idea that the kids will be kids ..."

The schedule,
class availability and registration form are on the <a href="https://haysartscouncil.org/summer-classes">Hays Arts Council</a>’s website.

Along
with the Summer Arts Classes, the council is preparing for the upcoming Summer
Art Walk, set for June 16.

“That
one will be on a Friday night, it will be at least a three-hour Artwalk,” Meder
said. “I'm already getting emails and information from folks who want to be on
the Artwalk.”

“If you
want to be on the Arts Council as a location, as an artist who says I've always
wanted to set up for something like that, there is no fee. It's not a difficult
process. We can even help if you need easels and pedestals or whether tabletop
or standing. We can even assist with things like that.”

She said
she can also help artists contact area businesses that want to participate.

The
Hays Young Professionals are again planning activities in the downtown pavilion to
accompany the event, she said.

“Get in
touch with me within the next couple of weeks if it's something you want to
participate in. If not, just keep watching so that you won't miss the fun when
that one gets closer,” Meder said.

The Hays Arts Council can be reached at 785-625-7522. You can also follow the council on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063746254684">Facebook</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621625981132.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The <a href="https://haysartscouncil.org/">Hays
Arts Council </a>will once again offer summer art classes to area youth, with
classes scheduled through June and July.“We've
got our theater class starting the first week in June,” Brenda Meder, executive director, said. “They'll culminate after two weeks with a performance, plenty of
room in those classes yet, and those are the only theater classes we're
offering for that age group.”Two Acting
and the Theater sessions are for ages 8-11 and 11-14 and will run June 5-8 and June 12-16, kicking off the classes.“So, if
you're interested in your young person, especially those that have just come
out of Famous Figures, those are a few of them, who we've seen signing up for
this, please check into that,” Meder said.Another performance-based
class is set for July 10-13; however, registration for Acting It Out has
already been filled, according to the council’s website.But various
artistic disciplines will follow, with classes featuring visual arts, fashion
and more.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685023507686.png" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“Some
things that will be more, sort of art education lessons, some things that'll
just be the free expression of arts and crafts and having the opportunity to
just paint or just create or just get your hands into the paper mâché or
whatever it might be, but a good variety of those things,” Meder said.Those
classes run from one-day sessions to a series of days.“We've
got several sessions of a two-hour a day, to two-day workshops, two hours a day,”
Meder said. “We know that in the times that we're in now, kids are very mobile
in the summer. And they don't always have big periods to commit to a week or
two weeklong class, or they come and visit grandma and grandpa or their cousins
for short periods of time. So, we threw those in.“It's
just a great way to get lots of arts and crafts fun and not just be in and out
real fast. And they're not drop-ins, they are scheduled organized classes.”Students
will learn more than just painting basics in the scheduled painting classes.“Instead
of just learning all that sort of traditional sort of clean and very
representational methods, (we will be) playing around with some unusual
painting forms…so they're going to get a little art history, or the very kind
of unencumbered style of like Pollock with the paint and doing some of those
different kinds of projects and styles of painting.”The
annual favorite Call of the Wild class is also set to return, allowing
participants to learn about animals with hands on experiences from the
collection at Sternberg Museum and use that as a basis for artistic endeavors.And
around the Fourth of July, patriotism will be on display.“We've
got a one-day class right before the Fourth of July called Red, White and Blue,”
Meder said. “So, anybody that's in town that Monday, visiting family, or is
here, it's a great class to just go let's plug something in for that little
bridge between Tuesday's Fourth of July activities, our Paper Doll Fashion Fun
class again, which is the coolest thing.<div><iframe title="Hays Arts Council plans summer activites" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=86p5u-1411fb5-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315"></iframe></div>To
engage as many students as possible, Meder said the council works to keep costs
low.“There are
no extra taxes, there are no extra supplies, we want to be able to pay our
instructors, something that's at least not disrespectful, but nobody's getting
rich on these,” Meder said.Costs
run from $11-$39.Supplies
are also provided.“We want
them to work with decent quality materials, depending on what the class is,”
Meder said. “So, we have a lot of behind-the-scenes expenses, but we keep the
classes very affordable and decently sized.“And so
it's a really good experience. And it's not just drop-in, and it's not
glorified babysitting. There really are planned, detailed, organized projects
within the idea that the kids will be kids ..."The schedule,
class availability and registration form are on the <a href="https://haysartscouncil.org/summer-classes">Hays Arts Council</a>’s website.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623877479116.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Summer Art
Walk</h2>Along
with the Summer Arts Classes, the council is preparing for the upcoming Summer
Art Walk, set for June 16.“That
one will be on a Friday night, it will be at least a three-hour Artwalk,” Meder
said. “I'm already getting emails and information from folks who want to be on
the Artwalk.”“If you
want to be on the Arts Council as a location, as an artist who says I've always
wanted to set up for something like that, there is no fee. It's not a difficult
process. We can even help if you need easels and pedestals or whether tabletop
or standing. We can even assist with things like that.”She said
she can also help artists contact area businesses that want to participate.The
Hays Young Professionals are again planning activities in the downtown pavilion to
accompany the event, she said.“Get in
touch with me within the next couple of weeks if it's something you want to
participate in. If not, just keep watching so that you won't miss the fun when
that one gets closer,” Meder said.The Hays Arts Council can be reached at 785-625-7522. You can also follow the council on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063746254684">Facebook</a>.&nbsp;

🎙 Hays Arts Council preparing for Summer Art Classes, Art Walk 

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with Eber Phelps about the Habitat for Humanity program.

<div><iframe title="Forward Ever: Eber Phelps discusses Habitat for Humanity" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=54864-1419f46-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315"></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with Eber Phelps about the Habitat for Humanity program.

🎤 Forward Ever: Eber Phelps discusses Habitat for Humanity

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.haysusa.com/232/Fire-Department" target="_blank">Hays Fire Department</a> Chief Ryan Hagans shares summer safety tips.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Stay safe this summer with these tips from the Hays Fire Department" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=h9paf-1419d03-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.haysusa.com/232/Fire-Department" target="_blank">Hays Fire Department</a> Chief Ryan Hagans shares summer safety tips.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎙 Post Podcast: Stay safe this summer with these tips from the Hays Fire Department

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/">Cottonwood Extension District </a>agent Stacy Campbell discusses the upcoming Ellis County Wheat Demonstration Plot Field Day.

More from the <a href="https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/" target="_blank">K-State Research and Extension District:</a>

The <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c09ba6de-efe7-4d5b-9f0c-0ef29e34fca9" target="_blank">Ellis County Wheat Plot Field Day</a> will be Thursday, June 1, beginning at 6 p.m.

A complimentary meal and refreshments will be provided courtesy of sponsors. RSVPs are appreciated by Friday, May 26, to help with meal count. 

Please register at <a href="https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_77nUUU6CSmIqJN4" target="_blank">https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_77nUUU6CSmIqJN4</a> call 785-628-9430 or email Theresa&nbsp;tam3@ksu.edu

Neil Gottschalk is the farmer cooperator. 

The location is at the intersection of Golf Course Road and 180th Avenue, turn south onto 180th Avenue and go 1.5 miles.

In case of inclement weather, it will be held at the Agricultural Research Center, Hays Auditorium, 1232 240th Avenue.

<div><iframe title="Ellis County Wheat Demonstration Plot Field Day set for June 1" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=88uej-1418798-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/">Cottonwood Extension District </a>agent Stacy Campbell discusses the upcoming Ellis County Wheat Demonstration Plot Field Day.More from the <a href="https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/" target="_blank">K-State Research and Extension District:</a>The <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c09ba6de-efe7-4d5b-9f0c-0ef29e34fca9" target="_blank">Ellis County Wheat Plot Field Day</a> will be Thursday, June 1, beginning at 6 p.m.A complimentary meal and refreshments will be provided courtesy of sponsors. RSVPs are appreciated by Friday, May 26, to help with meal count. Please register at <a href="https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_77nUUU6CSmIqJN4" target="_blank">https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_77nUUU6CSmIqJN4</a> call 785-628-9430 or email Theresa&nbsp;tam3@ksu.eduNeil Gottschalk is the farmer cooperator. The location is at the intersection of Golf Course Road and 180th Avenue, turn south onto 180th Avenue and go 1.5 miles.In case of inclement weather, it will be held at the Agricultural Research Center, Hays Auditorium, 1232 240th Avenue.

🎙 Post Podcast: Ellis County Wheat Demonstration Plot Field Day set for June 1

In an effort to protect one of Hays’ most vital and limited
resources, water, summer restrictions will again be put in place within the
city beginning June 1.

Before Sept. 30, outdoor water use will be prohibited from
noon to 7 p.m. in addition to the year-long restrictions against washing hard
surfaces and letting water flow off the property.

“Water conservation is critically
important to making sure that when we turn the faucet on, we've got water on
tap,” said <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/369/Police">Hays Police Department</a>
Lt. Brandon Wright. “We've had laws in place since, I think, the 1990s,
controlling and trying to promote water conservation.

As the enforcement agency of
the restrictions, he said the department has escalating penalties for
violations.

A first violation will result
in a warning. A second will incur a $50 fine, a third will incur a $200 penalty,
and further infractions will generate a $250 fine.

“It is
not very common for us to get to that point where we're writing those tickets
that have a $250 tag on them,” Wright said. “Most of the time, it's resolved
way before that. We don't have that happen very often. So, people are overall
pretty understanding, I think, once we explain how important it is.”

While
educational in nature, the enforcement will be from members of the police department,
with Community Service Officers especially looking for violations while on patrol.

“That's
one of their primary functions is to look for and address water wasting issues,”
Wright said.

While water restriction enforcement comes up daily for the
department, Wright said education is their main priority. Still, the ordinance will
be enforced as needed.

“Officers don't enjoy writing
citations for water wasting,” Wright said. “That's not something that they
enjoy doing. But the police department is the primary enforcement agency for
making sure that these ordinances are followed.

“Most
typical enforcement comes from a contact from one of our police officers or one
of our community service officers. It may be an educational stop, but if
there's a violation, (we) try to be consistently firm and fair with the enforcement
or the ordinance.”

For
those special use cases, Wright said, permits are issued through the city of
Hays.

“I know
of a lot of commercial entities that do that for maintenance on their
properties, but that's got to be permitted,” Wright said. “So, if you need to
do something like that, you've got to contact city hall, the clerk's office, I
believe, to look for a permit.”

Restrictions
are also applied to those using well water.

Water conservation specialist
Holly Dickman said that importance is a feature of the water sources that serve
Hays.

“We rely
on eluvial aquifers around the Smoky Hill River primarily and Big Creek,” Dickman
said. “Those are fairly shallow aquifers. And so, as you might acknowledge, is
that when we do not get significant rainfall, then those well levels can
decline over time.”

In 2023
the <a href="https://www.hays.k-state.edu/weather/index.html">K-State Research and Extension</a> office recorded 3.04 inches of rain for the
year, under the average 4.57 inch total. Last year they reported Hays received 7.17
under the average 23.46 inches.

“We are
currently in exceptional drought,” Dickman said. “The last time we were in
exceptional drought was back in 2012-2013. So just because we get a little bit
of rain doesn't mean that we're instantly out of drought. It will take
significant rainfall to bring us out of that.”

Long-time
conversation efforts helped negate the drought then, meaning the extreme
measures in the '90s were not needed.

“Back in
the '90s, they were telling people there was no outdoor watering allowed,”
Wright said. “Then, they had a program where they were encouraging people not
to flush their toilets, the water levels were so low. So, we don't want to ever
get back to that place.”

And
Dickman said despite limited water resources, Hays remains in great shape thanks to ongoing conservation efforts.

“We are
the only municipality with more than 15,000 people that is not located near a
sustainable source of water,” she said. “So that's why water conservation is such
a big deal here.”

Generally, Hays residents have
been receptive to the need, according to Hays Police Department Chief Don Scheibler.

“It has
become a way of life for the Hays community,” he said. “The city of Hays has
changed the culture on how we conserve water. ... That's been very huge for us. And
people understand the rules now, and they're receptive to that. They understand
the importance of it, and they support it. So, we do appreciate the community's
willingness to comply with these restrictions.”

The fear
of the taps running dry, dating back nearly 30 years, spurred those
conversations, Dickman said.

“That's
when water conservation took off. And speaking to that, we tried to talk to all
age groups,” she said. “Speaking to kids through adults, we're talking
about it all the time. The city of Hays has become a leader in water
conservation because of all those efforts throughout the years.”

It
is more than just using less water, she said, as the city actively promotes using
water as efficiently as possible through various programs.

“There's
a lot more stuff on the (c<a href="https://www.haysusa.com/160/Water-Conservation">ity of Hays</a>) website
about other conservation approaches that are just as important or more
important,” Wright said.

“If
you're saving it, you can use it for something else,” Dickman said.

Those
programs include rebates for water smart appliances, low-flow adapters, and turf
conversation rebates.

“Fescue
lawns, which aren't very well suited to the area, take a lot of water to keep
green,” Wright said. “A lot of conversion over to warm season grasses are going
on and from that to the low-flow toilets and faucets, and all of those things.
There's lots of stuff on the website about water conservation as a whole.”

With
the success of Hays programs, other cities are turning to Hays as an example of
using water efficiently.

“Other municipalities
are coming to us now for advice,” Dickman said. “That's always a good thing. It
just goes to show how, since the early '90s, we've been focused on this, and it
really has paid off.

“A lot
of the history and the questions about some of those topics, <a href="https://www.watersmarthays.com/">watersmarthays.com</a> kind of goes into
some of that, as far as our rebate programs linked to the financial side of
things with our water rates and those sorts of things. Watersmarthays.com is
a good starting point to answer some of those questions. And, of course, people
can always contact me if they have further questions or are interested in some
of the rebate programs.”

And even
with recent developments in the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/021a5674-353e-46c4-b816-42284ec8514b">R9 Ranch
water project</a> that will bring an additional water source into Hays, conservation
will remain a focus in the Hays community.

“The R9 Ranch
provides a lot more possibilities that will help us, but our way of conserving
is not going to diminish, and we're not going to change anything there,”
Dickman said. “We're always going to take that seriously. But it will provide
the additional water source will provide a lot of opportunities that we can't
pursue now.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684247338476.jpg" alt="&nbsp; Image by&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com/users/distelapparath-2726923/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=4778601">Markus Distelrath</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=4778601">Pixabay</a>" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp; Image by&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com/users/distelapparath-2726923/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=4778601">Markus Distelrath</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=4778601">Pixabay</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostIn an effort to protect one of Hays’ most vital and limited
resources, water, summer restrictions will again be put in place within the
city beginning June 1.Before Sept. 30, outdoor water use will be prohibited from
noon to 7 p.m. in addition to the year-long restrictions against washing hard
surfaces and letting water flow off the property.“Water conservation is critically
important to making sure that when we turn the faucet on, we've got water on
tap,” said <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/369/Police">Hays Police Department</a>
Lt. Brandon Wright. “We've had laws in place since, I think, the 1990s,
controlling and trying to promote water conservation.<div><iframe title="Hays summer water restrictions to begin June 1" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=qgbpe-1416d69-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315"></iframe></div>As the enforcement agency of
the restrictions, he said the department has escalating penalties for
violations.A first violation will result
in a warning. A second will incur a $50 fine, a third will incur a $200 penalty,
and further infractions will generate a $250 fine.“It is
not very common for us to get to that point where we're writing those tickets
that have a $250 tag on them,” Wright said. “Most of the time, it's resolved
way before that. We don't have that happen very often. So, people are overall
pretty understanding, I think, once we explain how important it is.”While
educational in nature, the enforcement will be from members of the police department,
with Community Service Officers especially looking for violations while on patrol.“That's
one of their primary functions is to look for and address water wasting issues,”
Wright said.While water restriction enforcement comes up daily for the
department, Wright said education is their main priority. Still, the ordinance will
be enforced as needed.“Officers don't enjoy writing
citations for water wasting,” Wright said. “That's not something that they
enjoy doing. But the police department is the primary enforcement agency for
making sure that these ordinances are followed.“Most
typical enforcement comes from a contact from one of our police officers or one
of our community service officers. It may be an educational stop, but if
there's a violation, (we) try to be consistently firm and fair with the enforcement
or the ordinance.”Violations
are tracked for 24 months.For
those special use cases, Wright said, permits are issued through the city of
Hays.“I know
of a lot of commercial entities that do that for maintenance on their
properties, but that's got to be permitted,” Wright said. “So, if you need to
do something like that, you've got to contact city hall, the clerk's office, I
believe, to look for a permit.”Restrictions
are also applied to those using well water.Water conservation specialist
Holly Dickman said that importance is a feature of the water sources that serve
Hays.“We rely
on eluvial aquifers around the Smoky Hill River primarily and Big Creek,” Dickman
said. “Those are fairly shallow aquifers. And so, as you might acknowledge, is
that when we do not get significant rainfall, then those well levels can
decline over time.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684858807455.png" alt="The&nbsp;<a href="https://drought.unl.edu/">National Drought Mitigation Center</a>, a collaboration between&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?KS">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a>, <a href="https://www.usda.gov/">the United States Department of Agriculture</a> and the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>, shows Ellis County and much of Northwest Kansas in exceptional drought conditions.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The&nbsp;<a href="https://drought.unl.edu/">National Drought Mitigation Center</a>, a collaboration between&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?KS">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a>, <a href="https://www.usda.gov/">the United States Department of Agriculture</a> and the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>, shows Ellis County and much of Northwest Kansas in exceptional drought conditions.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>In 2023
the <a href="https://www.hays.k-state.edu/weather/index.html">K-State Research and Extension</a> office recorded 3.04 inches of rain for the
year, under the average 4.57 inch total. Last year they reported Hays received 7.17
under the average 23.46 inches.“We are
currently in exceptional drought,” Dickman said. “The last time we were in
exceptional drought was back in 2012-2013. So just because we get a little bit
of rain doesn't mean that we're instantly out of drought. It will take
significant rainfall to bring us out of that.”Long-time
conversation efforts helped negate the drought then, meaning the extreme
measures in the '90s were not needed.“Back in
the '90s, they were telling people there was no outdoor watering allowed,”
Wright said. “Then, they had a program where they were encouraging people not
to flush their toilets, the water levels were so low. So, we don't want to ever
get back to that place.”And
Dickman said despite limited water resources, Hays remains in great shape thanks to ongoing conservation efforts.“We are
the only municipality with more than 15,000 people that is not located near a
sustainable source of water,” she said. “So that's why water conservation is such
a big deal here.”Generally, Hays residents have
been receptive to the need, according to Hays Police Department Chief Don Scheibler.“It has
become a way of life for the Hays community,” he said. “The city of Hays has
changed the culture on how we conserve water. ... That's been very huge for us. And
people understand the rules now, and they're receptive to that. They understand
the importance of it, and they support it. So, we do appreciate the community's
willingness to comply with these restrictions.”The fear
of the taps running dry, dating back nearly 30 years, spurred those
conversations, Dickman said.“That's
when water conservation took off. And speaking to that, we tried to talk to all
age groups,” she said. “Speaking to kids through adults, we're talking
about it all the time. The city of Hays has become a leader in water
conservation because of all those efforts throughout the years.”It
is more than just using less water, she said, as the city actively promotes using
water as efficiently as possible through various programs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684859817553.jpeg" alt="Water conservation efforts by the city of Hays' Water Resources Department are detailed at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.watersmarthays.com/">watersmarthays.com</a>" />
 <figcaption>Water conservation efforts by the city of Hays' Water Resources Department are detailed at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.watersmarthays.com/">watersmarthays.com</a></figcaption>
 </figure>“There's
a lot more stuff on the (c<a href="https://www.haysusa.com/160/Water-Conservation">ity of Hays</a>) website
about other conservation approaches that are just as important or more
important,” Wright said.“If
you're saving it, you can use it for something else,” Dickman said.Those
programs include rebates for water smart appliances, low-flow adapters, and turf
conversation rebates.“Fescue
lawns, which aren't very well suited to the area, take a lot of water to keep
green,” Wright said. “A lot of conversion over to warm season grasses are going
on and from that to the low-flow toilets and faucets, and all of those things.
There's lots of stuff on the website about water conservation as a whole.”With
the success of Hays programs, other cities are turning to Hays as an example of
using water efficiently.“Other municipalities
are coming to us now for advice,” Dickman said. “That's always a good thing. It
just goes to show how, since the early '90s, we've been focused on this, and it
really has paid off.“A lot
of the history and the questions about some of those topics, <a href="https://www.watersmarthays.com/">watersmarthays.com</a> kind of goes into
some of that, as far as our rebate programs linked to the financial side of
things with our water rates and those sorts of things. Watersmarthays.com is
a good starting point to answer some of those questions. And, of course, people
can always contact me if they have further questions or are interested in some
of the rebate programs.”And even
with recent developments in the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/021a5674-353e-46c4-b816-42284ec8514b">R9 Ranch
water project</a> that will bring an additional water source into Hays, conservation
will remain a focus in the Hays community.“The R9 Ranch
provides a lot more possibilities that will help us, but our way of conserving
is not going to diminish, and we're not going to change anything there,”
Dickman said. “We're always going to take that seriously. But it will provide
the additional water source will provide a lot of opportunities that we can't
pursue now.”

🎙 Water conservation restrictions for summer begin in Hays June 1; drought persists

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://hayschamber.com/" target="_blank">Hays Chamber</a> president and CEO Sarah Wasinger and Hays Public Library communications coordinator Callie Kolacny discuss the upcoming Book Club sessions featuring <a href="https://www.amazon.com/When-Everyone-Leads-Toughest-Challenges/dp/1885167903" target="_blank">When everyone leads the toughest challenges get seen and solved.</a>

<div><iframe title="Hays Chamber and Library team up for Leadership Book Club" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=6n2a4-14159ce-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://hayschamber.com/" target="_blank">Hays Chamber</a> president and CEO Sarah Wasinger and Hays Public Library communications coordinator Callie Kolacny discuss the upcoming Book Club sessions featuring <a href="https://www.amazon.com/When-Everyone-Leads-Toughest-Challenges/dp/1885167903" target="_blank">When everyone leads the toughest challenges get seen and solved.</a>

🎙 Post Podcast: Hays Chamber and Library team up for Leadership Book Club

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/" target="_blank">Fort Hays State University</a>'s Drew Gannon shares ways to take advantage of summer for health.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Warmer weather presents outdoor fitness opportunities" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=6bpcs-1411f2c-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/" target="_blank">Fort Hays State University</a>'s Drew Gannon shares ways to take advantage of summer for health.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎙 Post Podcast: Warmer weather presents outdoor fitness opportunities

&nbsp;On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>, the <a href="https://hayschamber.com/" target="_blank">Hays Chamber</a>s' new vice president of membership, Leigh Purdy and president and CEO Sarah Wasinger discuss the role of the position in the community.

Read more at <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a76cf850-6657-4e4a-9f35-922b8ee324c1" target="_blank">Hays Chamber announces new VP of membership</a>.

<div><iframe title="🎙 Post Podcast: Hays Chambers welcomes new VP of membership" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=e7vx8-140f0eb-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>&nbsp;On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>, the <a href="https://hayschamber.com/" target="_blank">Hays Chamber</a>s' new vice president of membership, Leigh Purdy and president and CEO Sarah Wasinger discuss the role of the position in the community.Read more at <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a76cf850-6657-4e4a-9f35-922b8ee324c1" target="_blank">Hays Chamber announces new VP of membership</a>.

🎙 Post Podcast: Hays Chambers welcomes new VP of membership

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,<a href="https://www.hfehays.org/"> Holy Family Elementary</a> principal Rachel Wentling discusses the end of the school year and the preparations for next year.

<div><iframe title="Holy Family Elementary wraps school year" allowtransparency="true" height="600" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=cggbj-140cf68-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=600" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,<a href="https://www.hfehays.org/"> Holy Family Elementary</a> principal Rachel Wentling discusses the end of the school year and the preparations for next year.

🎙 Post Podcast: Holy Family Elementary wraps school year

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.growhays.com/" target="_blank">Grow Hays</a> executive director Doug Williams shares updates on area projects.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.growhays.com/" target="_blank">Grow Hays</a> executive director Doug Williams shares updates on area projects.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><iframe title="Grow Hays director shares area project updates" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ch9rf-1408cd7-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

🎙 Post Podcast: Grow Hays director shares area project updates

As the Cottonwood Extension District
completed its Walk Kansas programing, a part of the program will be featured at
an upcoming community event.

MED instead of MEDS, a program
that helps introduce the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, will be
featured at noon, May 24, at the extension district office at 601 Main.

“We have had
some good discussions after the webinars and taste-tested a few recipes,” said family
and consumer wellness agent Monique Koerner.

The program was featured in watch
parties during Walk Kansas, and Koerner said she hopes to spur additional
interest with the upcoming session.

“To kind
of wrap up Walk Kansas, we're going to be doing a Mediterranean taste-testing
party,” she said. “The MED instead of MEDS program is basically focusing on
your diet.”

The program
helps participants focus on healthy eating, which can stave off the need for
medical interventions.

“Some of
those things that they have included is, for instance, eating lots of fruits
and vegetables,” Koerner said. “Research shows that if you have nine or more servings
of fruits and vegetables, it results in a 60 percent reduction in
cardiovascular disease.”

She said
the significant impact could be a motivator to try the diet.

“More
aspects of the program are eating whole grains, eating more fish and seafood,
eating nuts and seeds for snacks, replacing solid fats with olive oil, using
herbs and spices,” Koerner said. “And then, of course, they also throw in there
things like physical activity, enjoying your meals, really focusing on family
and friends and slowing down the mindful eating and then limiting sugar.”

The
webinars provided different focuses, with practical ways to incorporate a Mediterranean
diet.

“Sometimes
it can be overwhelming when we think about having to change our whole diet,”
Koerner said. “But really, you can take bits and pieces out of this. And I
think it's important to maybe try smaller steps along the way rather than
trying to overhaul everything in our lives all at once. Because then it gets
overwhelming. And we tend to slide back into our old routines.”

Overall
the program provided a continuum for users to follow.

“It's not
that you have to do this or have to do that,” Koerner said. “It's a look at
your whole menu and where could you maybe stick a few more, fish meals, or
maybe switch up your snacks to eat a fruit or a vegetable or nuts or seeds, rather
than some of those sweet treats.”

“It's
eat more of this and less of this. So, it's not like you have to cut a certain
thing out of your diet. And I think That's where we kind of get into trouble
too. If we remove all of the good things out of our diet, or we remove certain
food crew or something we like, then we tend to fall back the other way, when
we have a little bit of stress or some little hiccup in life happens.”

Other topics
include meal planning, using leftovers, reducing food waste and portion sizes, she
said.

And Koerner
will present some of the best “tips, tricks and hacks,” she said during the
upcoming event.

RSVPs
are required and can be made by contacting the Cottonwood Extension District at
(785) 628-9430.

<div><iframe title="Area residents offered opportunity to explore MED instead of Meds" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=f7bpj-140736f-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By JAMES BELL Hays PostAs the Cottonwood Extension District
completed its Walk Kansas programing, a part of the program will be featured at
an upcoming community event.MED instead of MEDS, a program
that helps introduce the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, will be
featured at noon, May 24, at the extension district office at 601 Main.“We have had
some good discussions after the webinars and taste-tested a few recipes,” said family
and consumer wellness agent Monique Koerner.The program was featured in watch
parties during Walk Kansas, and Koerner said she hopes to spur additional
interest with the upcoming session.“To kind
of wrap up Walk Kansas, we're going to be doing a Mediterranean taste-testing
party,” she said. “The MED instead of MEDS program is basically focusing on
your diet.”The program
helps participants focus on healthy eating, which can stave off the need for
medical interventions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683829012182.jpeg" alt="Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>“Some of
those things that they have included is, for instance, eating lots of fruits
and vegetables,” Koerner said. “Research shows that if you have nine or more servings
of fruits and vegetables, it results in a 60 percent reduction in
cardiovascular disease.”She said
the significant impact could be a motivator to try the diet.“More
aspects of the program are eating whole grains, eating more fish and seafood,
eating nuts and seeds for snacks, replacing solid fats with olive oil, using
herbs and spices,” Koerner said. “And then, of course, they also throw in there
things like physical activity, enjoying your meals, really focusing on family
and friends and slowing down the mindful eating and then limiting sugar.”The
webinars provided different focuses, with practical ways to incorporate a Mediterranean
diet.“Sometimes
it can be overwhelming when we think about having to change our whole diet,”
Koerner said. “But really, you can take bits and pieces out of this. And I
think it's important to maybe try smaller steps along the way rather than
trying to overhaul everything in our lives all at once. Because then it gets
overwhelming. And we tend to slide back into our old routines.”Overall
the program provided a continuum for users to follow.“It's not
that you have to do this or have to do that,” Koerner said. “It's a look at
your whole menu and where could you maybe stick a few more, fish meals, or
maybe switch up your snacks to eat a fruit or a vegetable or nuts or seeds, rather
than some of those sweet treats.”“It's
eat more of this and less of this. So, it's not like you have to cut a certain
thing out of your diet. And I think That's where we kind of get into trouble
too. If we remove all of the good things out of our diet, or we remove certain
food crew or something we like, then we tend to fall back the other way, when
we have a little bit of stress or some little hiccup in life happens.”Other topics
include meal planning, using leftovers, reducing food waste and portion sizes, she
said.And Koerner
will present some of the best “tips, tricks and hacks,” she said during the
upcoming event.RSVPs
are required and can be made by contacting the Cottonwood Extension District at
(785) 628-9430.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683828383563.jpg" alt="Courtesy Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎙 Area residents offered opportunity to explore MED instead of MEDS

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/" target="_blank">Fort Hays State University</a>&nbsp;professor of finance Tom Johansen and Alumni Association alumni engagement strategist Carolyn Tatro discuss the FHSU <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/solution/bloomberg-terminal/" target="_blank">Bloomberg Terminals.</a>&nbsp;

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/de9a0ea1-8a21-4c96-8e55-5b5279f9e3d5">Read more- Anonymous donations provide Bloomberg Terminals to FHSU</a>

<div><iframe title="Bloomberg terminals help give FHSU students real world experience" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=xf8fx-1407354-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/" target="_blank">Fort Hays State University</a>&nbsp;professor of finance Tom Johansen and Alumni Association alumni engagement strategist Carolyn Tatro discuss the FHSU <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/solution/bloomberg-terminal/" target="_blank">Bloomberg Terminals.</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/de9a0ea1-8a21-4c96-8e55-5b5279f9e3d5">Read more- Anonymous donations provide Bloomberg Terminals to FHSU</a>

🎙 Post Podcast: Bloomberg terminals help give FHSU students real world experience

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/" target="_blank">Fort Hays State University </a>president Tisa Mason and chief communication officer, Scott Cason discuss the President's Innovation Grants.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="FHSU President’s Innovation Grants announced" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=nxs2w-13fdc11-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/" target="_blank">Fort Hays State University </a>president Tisa Mason and chief communication officer, Scott Cason discuss the President's Innovation Grants.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎙 Post Podcast: FHSU President's Innovation Grants announced

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.growhays.com/" target="_blank">Grow Hays</a> executive director Doug Williams discusses the Grow Hays 2022 Annual Report.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Grow Hays 2022 annual report out now" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=exj77-13fdbb7-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.growhays.com/" target="_blank">Grow Hays</a> executive director Doug Williams discusses the Grow Hays 2022 Annual Report.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎙 Post Podcast: Grow Hays 2022 annual report out now

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.usd489.com/o/hays-high" target="_blank">Hays High</a> assistant principal Fred Winter discuss end-of-the-year plans at the school.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Hays High prepares for graduation as school year wraps" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=7pv7s-13fdd06-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">Post Podcast&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.usd489.com/o/hays-high" target="_blank">Hays High</a> assistant principal Fred Winter discuss end-of-the-year plans at the school.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎙 Post Podcast: Hays High prepares for graduation as school year wraps

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with First Care Clinic medical director Christine Fisher.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uYEFnAY2uu8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with First Care Clinic medical director Christine Fisher.

🎤 Forward Ever: First Care Clinic medical director Christine Fisher

Last
week six area residents were presented with the opportunity to share their business
ideas with a panel of judges at <a href="https://www.growhays.com/">Grow Hays</a>’ Pitch It event.

Six
ideas were presented during the event at BriefSpace, the Grow Hays-operated
co-working space in downtown Hays.

“It
was a great event. It really came off better than I ever would have thought,”
said Doug Williams, Grow Hays executive director. “We had some great
participants and some young people with good ideas and good work ethics. And it
was really great to see.”

“The
event was&nbsp;a competition for prospective startups or existing business
owners to present their business idea to three judges and an audience,” according
to a release from Grow Hays. “The six ‘pitches’ consisted of a five-minute oral
presentation followed by three minutes of Q and A similar to a ‘Shark Tank’
presentation.”

Judges
included <a href="https://www.networkkansas.com/">Network Kansas</a>’ Christy Preston, <a href="https://www.kansassbdc.net/">Kansas Small Business Development
Center</a>’s Laurie Pieper and Ameriprise Financial Services’ Michael Schaeffer.

“Prizes were funded by the Robert E. Schmidt Entrepreneurship
Series sponsored by <a href="https://schmidtfoundation.net/">Robert E. and Patricia A. Schmidt Foundation </a>and Network
Kansas,” according to Grow Hays.

Initially, two cash prizes were set to be awarded, but during the event, Network Kansas
decided to include a third-place prize of $250.&nbsp;

Taking
first place was Trevor Fischer with his idea for TKO, Total Knock Out Fighting
Arcade. As envisioned, the business would be a location that
includes training support and a space for those interested in learning and
developing arcade fighting game skills.

While
his idea came out on top, Fisher said he only developed it for the event recently.

“I didn't
really know about this until about a month and a half ago, and I kind of had a
vague idea of something, I think, could really have a positive impact in the community, especially for the high school and college-age people,” he said.

Fisher
said arcade fighting games have helped bring him closer to friends and
associates and could be a benefit to others.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683051876709.jpeg" alt="Chris Henderson opens his pitch for DJ service <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067864911624&amp;locale=hi_IN">True2You</a> with a short performance. Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Chris Henderson opens his pitch for DJ service <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067864911624&amp;locale=hi_IN">True2You</a> with a short performance. Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostLast
week six area residents were presented with the opportunity to share their business
ideas with a panel of judges at <a href="https://www.growhays.com/">Grow Hays</a>’ Pitch It event.Six
ideas were presented during the event at BriefSpace, the Grow Hays-operated
co-working space in downtown Hays.<div><iframe title="Grow Hays Pitch It event generates entrepreneurial ideas" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=3gf56-13f9cdc-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315"></iframe></div>“It
was a great event. It really came off better than I ever would have thought,”
said Doug Williams, Grow Hays executive director. “We had some great
participants and some young people with good ideas and good work ethics. And it
was really great to see.”“The
event was&nbsp;a competition for prospective startups or existing business
owners to present their business idea to three judges and an audience,” according
to a release from Grow Hays. “The six ‘pitches’ consisted of a five-minute oral
presentation followed by three minutes of Q and A similar to a ‘Shark Tank’
presentation.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683051725322.jpeg" alt="Pitch It judges and participants&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Pitch It judges and participants&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Judges
included <a href="https://www.networkkansas.com/">Network Kansas</a>’ Christy Preston, <a href="https://www.kansassbdc.net/">Kansas Small Business Development
Center</a>’s Laurie Pieper and Ameriprise Financial Services’ Michael Schaeffer.“Prizes were funded by the Robert E. Schmidt Entrepreneurship
Series sponsored by <a href="https://schmidtfoundation.net/">Robert E. and Patricia A. Schmidt Foundation </a>and Network
Kansas,” according to Grow Hays.Initially, two cash prizes were set to be awarded, but during the event, Network Kansas
decided to include a third-place prize of $250.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683051752221.jpeg" alt="Pitch It event winner Trevor Fischer with Grow Hays executive director Doug Willaims (left) and director of business development and special projects James Robben (right).&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Pitch It event winner Trevor Fischer with Grow Hays executive director Doug Willaims (left) and director of business development and special projects James Robben (right).&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Taking
first place was Trevor Fischer with his idea for TKO, Total Knock Out Fighting
Arcade. As envisioned, the business would be a location that
includes training support and a space for those interested in learning and
developing arcade fighting game skills.He
was awarded a $1,000 cash prize.While
his idea came out on top, Fisher said he only developed it for the event recently.“I didn't
really know about this until about a month and a half ago, and I kind of had a
vague idea of something, I think, could really have a positive impact in the community, especially for the high school and college-age people,” he said.Fisher
said arcade fighting games have helped bring him closer to friends and
associates and could be a benefit to others.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683051814549.jpeg" alt="Pitch It winner Trevor Fischer describes his idea,&nbsp;TKO, Total Knock Out Fighting Arcade, to the judges.&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Pitch It winner Trevor Fischer describes his idea,&nbsp;TKO, Total Knock Out Fighting Arcade, to the judges.&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>“That's
just something I wanted to expand on in the Hays community and give people an
opportunity to get that sense of community and feeling love, improving, and
just grow stronger together,” Fisher said.And while
the idea took the top prize, launching the concept would require a bit more
work.“I might need a little bit more for what I'm looking to do, but it's a good start,” Fisher said. “A $1,000 isn't really anything to
scoff at, so here's hoping that one day my idea comes to fruition.”Taking the second-place prize was another conceptual idea, RanchEd.
Presented by Tanner Werth, the platform would be a system to help ag producers
connect to resources.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683051850635.jpeg" alt="Second-place winner Tanner Werth describes his idea, RanchEd.&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Second-place winner Tanner Werth describes his idea, RanchEd.&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Third place was awarded to Wyatt Kirkpatrick and Carter
Lang with Pressure Pros, an already existing business in Hays.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683051838005.jpeg" alt="Third-place winners Wyatt Kirkpatrick and Carter Lang describe their business idea to expand Pressure Pros.&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Third-place winners Wyatt Kirkpatrick and Carter Lang describe their business idea to expand Pressure Pros.&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>While the competition was open to the general public, all participants
were high-school to college age.“That's what's really kind of
cool when you see this stuff, as you've got some young people who are actually
out there doing things,” Williams said. “A couple of guys who had a power washing
business that is out there, doing jobs, power washing fences, or driveways, or
whatever it might be.&nbsp; A lot of them are actually out doing what
they are presenting for “It's exciting to
see that as we continue to try and build this culture locally of
entrepreneurship because we feel it's so important. It's really great to see that
there are actually kids and people out there doing things, starting businesses
and serving needs within the community.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683051861963.jpeg" alt="Edgar Garcia speaks about his idea, Your Future Leaders.&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Edgar Garcia speaks about his idea, Your Future Leaders.&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Williams said a culture of entrepreneurship
is vital to maintaining a growing and stable area economy.“When we
look at our community, and we talk about the economic environment today,
really in a lot of places, we really are not in a position to recruit a company
to our community that's going to employ 200 people,” Williams said. “We just
don't have the people.”But when
a business grows organically, it will mold to meet a community's needs and take
advantage of resources that are available.“Entrepreneurship
becomes very important because we need to grow our own and have companies that
can start small, and then grow organically over time and add people
incrementally as opposed to these big one-time hits,” Williams said. “We'd love
to have them, but I just don't know how we would handle these large one-time
hits. Entrepreneurship becomes very important.”He
added the area is lucky to have resources that create homegrown businesses.“We're
very fortunate in Ellis County,” Williams said. "<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/">Fort Hays State </a>has a lot of
entrepreneurial type of activities ..."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683051787803.jpeg" alt="Pitch It participants await the judges' decision.&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Pitch It participants await the judges' decision.&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683051886883.jpeg" alt="Evyn Cox describes her idea, Between Us Kids.&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Evyn Cox describes her idea, Between Us Kids.&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>