VICTORIA&nbsp;—&nbsp;Only 18
months ago, members of the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">Victoria
community gathered</a> to share ideas, stories and an overwhelming desire to
find a use for the St. John’s Rest Home building after a decade of neglect.

In those
intervening months, the nonprofit <a href="https://www.victoriakscommunity.com/">Victoria Community Coalition was
created,</a> the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4166ab8a-4a19-48cc-b7c9-2f7327e05bf8">building
was transferred</a> to that organization, a name was created — <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4166ab8a-4a19-48cc-b7c9-2f7327e05bf8">St. John’s
Place</a> — plans were drawn, and countless hours of work done to secure funding
for the project, which would create apartments, a child care center, a satellite museum
for the <a href="https://www.echshays.org/">Ellis County Historical Society</a>
and a community center in the over 40,000-square-foot-facility.

This
week the project surpassed another major milestone, with two grant award
announcements totaling $1.35 million dedicated to making those plans a reality.

Jeff
Pfeifer, Victoria Community Coalition chair, who originally purchased the
building for the project at a tax sale in 2021, updated the <a href="https://victoriaks.com/">Victoria City Council</a> at their regular
monthly meeting Monday on the first grant announcement.

“We
heard from (the <a href="https://danehansenfoundation.org/?playlist=7c12057&amp;video=9e6dc4e">Dane
G. Hansen Foundation</a>) on our grant application, and we were &nbsp;awarded the full amount of $500,000,” Pfeifer
said. “So that is huge.”

He said
the award is a “good place to start” and will be used for Phase One of the
project, that will create 12 apartments and the childcare center.

“We
think that's going to be in the $3-3.5 million range,” Pfeifer said. “So, we
still have a lot of room to make up.”

He also
informed the council several other grant applications had been submitted.

“Unfortunately,
we did not get the (<a href="https://kshousingcorp.org/category/programs/moderate-income-housing/">Moderate
Incoming Housing</a>) grant, which you all applied for on our behalf,” Pfeifer
said.

The coalition plans to reapply in June, he said.

“They're
allowing us to apply three times this year and again next year,” Pfeifer said. “Obviously,
we hopefully won't have to do it that often.”

During the meeting, he said the coalition was expecting to
hear award recipients from another application submitted to <a href="https://www.kansascommerce.gov/2023/01/department-of-commerce-announces-40-million-in-new-housing-and-tourism-grant-programs/">the
ARPA Building Opportunities for the Disabled and Elderly (ABODE) program</a>,
funded by the <a href="https://covid.ks.gov/spark-information/">Strengthening
People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK)</a> Executive Committee and approved by
the State Finance Council to address housing issues faced by high-need
populations, according to the office of <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor/">Gov. Laura Kelly</a>.

St. John’s Place Apartments were announced as the
recipient of $850,000 in an announcement from Kelly’s office Friday.

“Safe and accessible residential communities
for elderly and disabled Kansans are necessary for living independently,”&nbsp;Kelly said.&nbsp;“These awards will increase housing options that meet
the needs of these communities.”

The St. John’s Place grant was the only fund recipient in
Western Kansas out of the $9.8 million awarded.

“All Kansans deserve quality housing,”&nbsp;said <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/about-the-office/lt-governor/">Lt. Gov. and Secretary of Commerce David Toland</a>. “The ABODE awards will not only
increase housing stock in communities across the state but will help improve
the quality of life for thousands of deserving Kansans.”

“ABODE applications included health and safety renovations
to existing buildings or the construction of new multi-housing units that
accommodate individuals who are elderly and/or disabled,” according to the award
announcement. “Project design, engineering costs, and architectural designs
were also permitted as eligible expenditures. Awardees will have two years to
complete their projects and utilize all awarded funds.”

Kansas Legislature leadership praised the award.

“These ABODE grants will help counteract rising housing
costs and help ensure elderly and disabled Kansans have a safe and quality
place to live,” said&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/members/sen_masterson_ty_1/">Senate
President Ty Masterson</a>.

“High-needs populations already were struggling with housing
access and availability before COVID-19,”&nbsp;said <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/members/rep_hawkins_daniel_1/">House
Speaker Dan Hawkins.</a> “The pandemic only intensified those issues. Using ARPA
funding to help resolve them makes perfect sense.” &nbsp;

Prior to the announcement, Pfeifer said he had
hoped for an award from the fund.

“That's the one I would rather have at this point
if I had to pick one or the other because that's a one-time thing,” he said. “So,
I would rather take that and then get-go after the MIH again.”

And
while the two major donations are sure to kick start ongoing efforts, the coalition
hopes other applications bring in further funding to fulfill the
anticipated Phase One total.

“Another
grant that we worked with the Ellis County Historical Society on applying for
was – 

"They
call it the Sprint Grant,” Pfeifer said. “It's some COVID money for economic
development through tourism. And the museum applied for a multimillion-dollar
application. So even if they just get a portion of that, it would be huge.”

“We're
still working, there are other grants out there for childcare,” he continued. “So,
we're still going after them. And we feel like we're in a good place. … We can get
an architect starting to move on the design now and just assume that the
funding will come, and pray and seek it out. We do a lot of work seeking it out.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660869675268.jpeg" alt="St. John's Place.&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>St. John's Place.&nbsp;Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostVICTORIA&nbsp;—&nbsp;Only 18
months ago, members of the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">Victoria
community gathered</a> to share ideas, stories and an overwhelming desire to
find a use for the St. John’s Rest Home building after a decade of neglect.In those
intervening months, the nonprofit <a href="https://www.victoriakscommunity.com/">Victoria Community Coalition was
created,</a> the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4166ab8a-4a19-48cc-b7c9-2f7327e05bf8">building
was transferred</a> to that organization, a name was created — <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4166ab8a-4a19-48cc-b7c9-2f7327e05bf8">St. John’s
Place</a> — plans were drawn, and countless hours of work done to secure funding
for the project, which would create apartments, a child care center, a satellite museum
for the <a href="https://www.echshays.org/">Ellis County Historical Society</a>
and a community center in the over 40,000-square-foot-facility.This
week the project surpassed another major milestone, with two grant award
announcements totaling $1.35 million dedicated to making those plans a reality.Jeff
Pfeifer, Victoria Community Coalition chair, who originally purchased the
building for the project at a tax sale in 2021, updated the <a href="https://victoriaks.com/">Victoria City Council</a> at their regular
monthly meeting Monday on the first grant announcement.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682106637821.png" alt="St. John's Place preliminary floor plan. (Courtesy image)" />
 <figcaption>St. John's Place preliminary floor plan. (Courtesy image)</figcaption>
 </figure>“We
heard from (the <a href="https://danehansenfoundation.org/?playlist=7c12057&amp;video=9e6dc4e">Dane
G. Hansen Foundation</a>) on our grant application, and we were &nbsp;awarded the full amount of $500,000,” Pfeifer
said. “So that is huge.”He said
the award is a “good place to start” and will be used for Phase One of the
project, that will create 12 apartments and the childcare center.“We
think that's going to be in the $3-3.5 million range,” Pfeifer said. “So, we
still have a lot of room to make up.”He also
informed the council several other grant applications had been submitted.“Unfortunately,
we did not get the (<a href="https://kshousingcorp.org/category/programs/moderate-income-housing/">Moderate
Incoming Housing</a>) grant, which you all applied for on our behalf,” Pfeifer
said.The coalition plans to reapply in June, he said.“They're
allowing us to apply three times this year and again next year,” Pfeifer said. “Obviously,
we hopefully won't have to do it that often.”During the meeting, he said the coalition was expecting to
hear award recipients from another application submitted to <a href="https://www.kansascommerce.gov/2023/01/department-of-commerce-announces-40-million-in-new-housing-and-tourism-grant-programs/">the
ARPA Building Opportunities for the Disabled and Elderly (ABODE) program</a>,
funded by the <a href="https://covid.ks.gov/spark-information/">Strengthening
People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK)</a> Executive Committee and approved by
the State Finance Council to address housing issues faced by high-need
populations, according to the office of <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor/">Gov. Laura Kelly</a>.The wait was short.St. John’s Place Apartments were announced as the
recipient of $850,000 in an announcement from Kelly’s office Friday.“Safe and accessible residential communities
for elderly and disabled Kansans are necessary for living independently,”&nbsp;Kelly said.&nbsp;“These awards will increase housing options that meet
the needs of these communities.”The St. John’s Place grant was the only fund recipient in
Western Kansas out of the $9.8 million awarded.“All Kansans deserve quality housing,”&nbsp;said <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/about-the-office/lt-governor/">Lt. Gov. and Secretary of Commerce David Toland</a>. “The ABODE awards will not only
increase housing stock in communities across the state but will help improve
the quality of life for thousands of deserving Kansans.”Other awards included:<ul>
 <li>Cottonwood Falls
 Housing Authority, Cottonwood Falls, $1,000,000</li><li>Derby Senior
 Living, Derby, $1,500,000</li><li>Maple Gardens
 Village, Wichita, $1,190,000</li><li>Menninger Clock
 Tower Apartments, Topeka, $637,500</li><li>Sunflower Flats,
 Manhattan, $1,500,000</li><li>Villas at
 Pinnacle Pointe, Ottawa, $1,080,000</li><li>Wiswell
 Farms Senior Villas, Spring Hill, $1,468,800</li><li>WK
 Housing, Meade, $548,250</li>
 </ul>“ABODE applications included health and safety renovations
to existing buildings or the construction of new multi-housing units that
accommodate individuals who are elderly and/or disabled,” according to the award
announcement. “Project design, engineering costs, and architectural designs
were also permitted as eligible expenditures. Awardees will have two years to
complete their projects and utilize all awarded funds.”Kansas Legislature leadership praised the award.“These ABODE grants will help counteract rising housing
costs and help ensure elderly and disabled Kansans have a safe and quality
place to live,” said&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/members/sen_masterson_ty_1/">Senate
President Ty Masterson</a>.“High-needs populations already were struggling with housing
access and availability before COVID-19,”&nbsp;said <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/members/rep_hawkins_daniel_1/">House
Speaker Dan Hawkins.</a> “The pandemic only intensified those issues. Using ARPA
funding to help resolve them makes perfect sense.” &nbsp;Prior to the announcement, Pfeifer said he had
hoped for an award from the fund.“That's the one I would rather have at this point
if I had to pick one or the other because that's a one-time thing,” he said. “So,
I would rather take that and then get-go after the MIH again.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632526823044.jpeg" alt="Jeff Pfeifer, Victoria Community Coalition chair, discusses the future of the former St. John rest home with community members shortly after its purchase in 2021. Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Jeff Pfeifer, Victoria Community Coalition chair, discusses the future of the former St. John rest home with community members shortly after its purchase in 2021. Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>And
while the two major donations are sure to kick start ongoing efforts, the coalition
hopes other applications bring in further funding to fulfill the
anticipated Phase One total.“Another
grant that we worked with the Ellis County Historical Society on applying for
was – "They
call it the Sprint Grant,” Pfeifer said. “It's some COVID money for economic
development through tourism. And the museum applied for a multimillion-dollar
application. So even if they just get a portion of that, it would be huge.”“We're
still working, there are other grants out there for childcare,” he continued. “So,
we're still going after them. And we feel like we're in a good place. … We can get
an architect starting to move on the design now and just assume that the
funding will come, and pray and seek it out. We do a lot of work seeking it out.”

Victoria's St. John's Place receives grants totaling $1.35 million

St. John’s Place gifted to Victoria Community
Coalition, 501(c)3 granted

VICTORIA — As efforts to find a use for the former rest home
in Victoria continue, plans have solidified and currently include apartments, a
child care center, a community center, a park and space for the Ellis County Historical
Society — all under the banner St. John’s Place.

But while excitement builds, Victoria Community Coalition
Chair Jeff Pfeifer shared the significant investment needed to see those plans
come to fruition with the Ellis County Commission during its regular meeting Tuesday.

He opened his comments by noting the facility had originally
served all of Ellis County. 

“Residents came from the entire area, and employees came
from the area,” Pfeifer said. “It was a huge asset to the county. It provided
jobs, provided activities for school kids. It was a great resource as a
community asset.”

Since 2012, it has been unoccupied after the rest home closed
and residents were moved to a facility in Hays.

The closing “had a huge impact on the community,” Pfeifer said.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">After
Pfeifer purchased the building in 2021, the coalition was formed and developed
plans for use.</a>

“We have had a huge community effort to get something going,”
he said. “I think everybody was tired of seeing the building sitting there and
have talked about what a waste it was.”

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2ac039a1-30b9-4f98-870a-c2724081446d">Following a
series of community meetings discussing the potential of the building,</a> the coalition
received its non-profit 501(c)3 designation in December, and Pfeifer
transferred ownership of the property to the community-focused group.

“The VCC is the owner of a 40,000-square-foot building, 6-and-a-half
acres and a lot of potential for Ellis County,” Pfeifer said.

Through the process of the meetings and an effort to find
the best use of the building, housing and childcare space were determined to be
potential options for the building, leading to the development of a phased plan
that will include those priority uses and more, he said.

“We have got to start somewhere,” Pfeifer said.

The current plans for At St. John’s Place include 20 apartments
for seniors, a child care center for up to 24 children, a community/senior
center, a park and space for the Ellis County Historical Museum.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/bcc44562-c5a5-4f88-b16b-9a25fe00c875">The
society had announced plans to utilize space in the facility for storage and a satellite
location that would focus on the area’s Volga German heritage in October.</a>

While the society had initially hoped to be moving items into
the space before the end of 2022, the plan was delayed.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b11df2d8-2d8b-4ad9-b90b-5a869678e54f">“We are
still working on that,” said Ellis County Historical Society Executive Director
Amanda Rupp during the annual meeting of their board of directors. “When it
goes silent, a little bit people assume or get a little nervous, but we are
still working on that with the (Victoria Community Coalition.)</a>

“That’s not going away, it’s just a timing issue. We’ve been
held up a little bit with insurance,” Pfeifer said. “It’s still in the works,
and we’re pretty excited about it. It’s a huge opportunity for the county.”

Rupp said they hope to be inside the location and open
within a year.

While the society continues in its efforts, the coalition looks
to begin work on the facility's north side during the first phase of building
rehabilitation.

Work during phase 1 will be located in the newest part of
the building and includes a studio apartment, six one-bedroom apartments, four
two-bedroom apartments, common areas, a new north entrance, parking and the
child care center.

Cost is anticipated at around $3 million for phase 1.

The coalition hopes to secure around $1.35 million from state
grants and other funds, $1 million from large foundation grants and the remaining
$650,000 from community donors.

“I think it’s ambitious, but a building this size, an opportunity
this size, warrants it,” Pfeifer said.

A community donor campaign is planned for March, and the coalition
plans to apply for a $650,000 Moderate Income Housing grant this week. The Victoria
City Council unanimously voted last month to approve the application, as MIH
grants go exclusively through local governments.

“This is a competitive grant,” Pfiefer told the Victoria
council. “Just submitting is not a done deal.”

But this year, extra money has been earmarked for those
grants.

“It's really exciting because they put in $20 million,” said
Justine Benoit,&nbsp;Northwest Kansas Planning and Development economic development
coordinator. “Usually, the pot was like $3-4 million. So there's a lot more
money in there.”

She also said that even if the application is not approved, it
can be submitted again, and the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation – the agency
that oversees the grants – would offer guidance to strengthen future
applications.

Pfeifer asked the county commission to pen a letter of
support that would accompany the application.

The commission approved the support unanimously. They also unanimously
approved waiving landfill fees for materials removed from the building during
ongoing demolition.

To stay up to date with the Victoria Community Coalition or to find links to donate to the project, visit&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.victoriakscommunity.com/">victoriakscommunity.com.</a>

<h2>St. John’s Place gifted to Victoria Community
Coalition, 501(c)3 granted</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660869675268.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostVICTORIA — As efforts to find a use for the former rest home
in Victoria continue, plans have solidified and currently include apartments, a
child care center, a community center, a park and space for the Ellis County Historical
Society — all under the banner St. John’s Place.But while excitement builds, Victoria Community Coalition
Chair Jeff Pfeifer shared the significant investment needed to see those plans
come to fruition with the Ellis County Commission during its regular meeting Tuesday.He opened his comments by noting the facility had originally
served all of Ellis County. <div><iframe width="350" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/us9SthTs-qE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>“Residents came from the entire area, and employees came
from the area,” Pfeifer said. “It was a huge asset to the county. It provided
jobs, provided activities for school kids. It was a great resource as a
community asset.”Since 2012, it has been unoccupied after the rest home closed
and residents were moved to a facility in Hays.The closing “had a huge impact on the community,” Pfeifer said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632526823044.jpeg" alt="Jeff Pfeifer discusses ideas for the former Victoria rest home during the first community meeting following his purchase of the building in the fall of 2021." />
 <figcaption>Jeff Pfeifer discusses ideas for the former Victoria rest home during the first community meeting following his purchase of the building in the fall of 2021.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">After
Pfeifer purchased the building in 2021, the coalition was formed and developed
plans for use.</a>“We have had a huge community effort to get something going,”
he said. “I think everybody was tired of seeing the building sitting there and
have talked about what a waste it was.”<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2ac039a1-30b9-4f98-870a-c2724081446d">Following a
series of community meetings discussing the potential of the building,</a> the coalition
received its non-profit 501(c)3 designation in December, and Pfeifer
transferred ownership of the property to the community-focused group.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676401212203.jpeg" alt="Slide from the Victoria Community Coalition's presentation to the Ellis County Commission." />
 <figcaption>Slide from the Victoria Community Coalition's presentation to the Ellis County Commission.</figcaption>
 </figure>“The VCC is the owner of a 40,000-square-foot building, 6-and-a-half
acres and a lot of potential for Ellis County,” Pfeifer said.Through the process of the meetings and an effort to find
the best use of the building, housing and childcare space were determined to be
potential options for the building, leading to the development of a phased plan
that will include those priority uses and more, he said.<h2>At St. John’s Place-PHASE 1</h2>“We have got to start somewhere,” Pfeifer said.The current plans for At St. John’s Place include 20 apartments
for seniors, a child care center for up to 24 children, a community/senior
center, a park and space for the Ellis County Historical Museum.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676400870323.jpeg" alt="Slide from the Victoria Community Coalition's presentation to the Ellis County Commission." />
 <figcaption>Slide from the Victoria Community Coalition's presentation to the Ellis County Commission.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/bcc44562-c5a5-4f88-b16b-9a25fe00c875">The
society had announced plans to utilize space in the facility for storage and a satellite
location that would focus on the area’s Volga German heritage in October.</a>While the society had initially hoped to be moving items into
the space before the end of 2022, the plan was delayed.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b11df2d8-2d8b-4ad9-b90b-5a869678e54f">“We are
still working on that,” said Ellis County Historical Society Executive Director
Amanda Rupp during the annual meeting of their board of directors. “When it
goes silent, a little bit people assume or get a little nervous, but we are
still working on that with the (Victoria Community Coalition.)</a> “That’s not going away, it’s just a timing issue. We’ve been
held up a little bit with insurance,” Pfeifer said. “It’s still in the works,
and we’re pretty excited about it. It’s a huge opportunity for the county.”Rupp said they hope to be inside the location and open
within a year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675445911503.jpeg" alt="Ellis County Historical Society executive director Amanda Rupp updates the board on efforts to utilize storage and exhibition space in St. John's Place during their annual meeting." />
 <figcaption>Ellis County Historical Society executive director Amanda Rupp updates the board on efforts to utilize storage and exhibition space in St. John's Place during their annual meeting.</figcaption>
 </figure>While the society continues in its efforts, the coalition looks
to begin work on the facility's north side during the first phase of building
rehabilitation.Work during phase 1 will be located in the newest part of
the building and includes a studio apartment, six one-bedroom apartments, four
two-bedroom apartments, common areas, a new north entrance, parking and the
child care center.Cost is anticipated at around $3 million for phase 1.The coalition hopes to secure around $1.35 million from state
grants and other funds, $1 million from large foundation grants and the remaining
$650,000 from community donors.“I think it’s ambitious, but a building this size, an opportunity
this size, warrants it,” Pfeifer said.A community donor campaign is planned for March, and the coalition
plans to apply for a $650,000 Moderate Income Housing grant this week. The Victoria
City Council unanimously voted last month to approve the application, as MIH
grants go exclusively through local governments.“This is a competitive grant,” Pfiefer told the Victoria
council. “Just submitting is not a done deal.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676402167018.jpeg" alt="Jeff Pfeifer asks the Victoria City Council to support the submission of a Moderate Income Housing grant application during their regular January meeting.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Jeff Pfeifer asks the Victoria City Council to support the submission of a Moderate Income Housing grant application during their regular January meeting.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>But this year, extra money has been earmarked for those
grants.“It's really exciting because they put in $20 million,” said
Justine Benoit,&nbsp;Northwest Kansas Planning and Development economic development
coordinator. “Usually, the pot was like $3-4 million. So there's a lot more
money in there.”She also said that even if the application is not approved, it
can be submitted again, and the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation – the agency
that oversees the grants – would offer guidance to strengthen future
applications.Pfeifer asked the county commission to pen a letter of
support that would accompany the application.The commission approved the support unanimously. They also unanimously
approved waiving landfill fees for materials removed from the building during
ongoing demolition.To stay up to date with the Victoria Community Coalition or to find links to donate to the project, visit&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.victoriakscommunity.com/">victoriakscommunity.com.</a>

Work to bring life back into former Victoria rest home continues

VICTORIA — One of Ellis County's most beloved holiday traditions, the annual Christmas concert in the St. Fidelis Basilica is set to return at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 11.

"It's a big deal with us, and we'd like to see the big crowd come in and fill up St. Fidelis. It usually does," said Terry Crull, Fort Hays State University director of choral activities.

This year's concert marks the 36th year of the free event.

"That's the gift from St. Fidelis and the Fort Hays Choirs," Crull said.

During the concert, attendees will enjoy music provided by FHSU faculty and ensembles and other guest musicians, along with the Fort Hays Singers and Concert Choir, Smoky Hill Chorale and the Hays High School Chamber Singers, according to the event announcement.

"Our special guests this year is the TMP-Marian pop singers," Crull said. "Alexandra Rome (TMP-Marian Choir director) is a former singer of mine, and her choir is going to come and be our guest choir. They're going to combine on a number with the Hays High Chamber Singers.

"We've got the Fort Hays Brass Ensemble, and the Hays symphony orchestra is playing this year," he continued. "They're doing a suite of airs and dances, and then they're also accompanying the Fort Hays Singers on a traditional piece that my generation would know 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and All Through the House,' that old poem from years ago set to music by Harry Simone, and so they're going to have a little fun with that."

Returning again this year are carols of the season performed by the assembled crowd.

"We're going to give them a chance to stand and stretch and sing some of the joyous carols of Christmas," Crull said.

Fort Hays State University music professors Ivalah Allen, Ben Cline and Irena Ravitskaya, along with accompanist Pam McGowan, will also be featured during the concert.

"It's a full program, but we keep it moving because while the interludes, the brass ensemble, etc., are playing, that's when choirs move on and off quietly so as not to disturb the performance," Crull said. "But that way, as soon as one musical item is done, the next one can start."

As the event typically fills the cathedral, he said choir members would help direct the audience to fill the pews.

"There's no bad seat in the entire sanctuary," he said. "Anywhere you sit, and anywhere you sing from, the sound is just glorious. ... I've been in Italy, with choir tour, singing in some of the great cathedrals there in Rome. The sound is just as good in St. Fidelis. Maybe there aren't as many statues by Michelangelo or Raphael. And if you go to Spain, there's a little more gold all over the place than there is in St. Fidelis, but it's a beautiful sound."

He said the concert would be around 90 minutes, allowing ample time to enjoy the annual Frost Fest parade in downtown Hays at 6 p.m.

"It's a busy time of year," Crull said. "So we think it's a great way to start the holiday season. Second Sunday of Advent this year — Dec. 11 at 3:30 p.m. and free. Absolutely free. "

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670010791180.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostVICTORIA — One of Ellis County's most beloved holiday traditions, the annual Christmas concert in the St. Fidelis Basilica is set to return at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 11."It's a big deal with us, and we'd like to see the big crowd come in and fill up St. Fidelis. It usually does," said Terry Crull, Fort Hays State University director of choral activities.This year's concert marks the 36th year of the free event."That's the gift from St. Fidelis and the Fort Hays Choirs," Crull said.During the concert, attendees will enjoy music provided by FHSU faculty and ensembles and other guest musicians, along with the Fort Hays Singers and Concert Choir, Smoky Hill Chorale and the Hays High School Chamber Singers, according to the event announcement.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670010759211.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"Our special guests this year is the TMP-Marian pop singers," Crull said. "Alexandra Rome (TMP-Marian Choir director) is a former singer of mine, and her choir is going to come and be our guest choir. They're going to combine on a number with the Hays High Chamber Singers."We've got the Fort Hays Brass Ensemble, and the Hays symphony orchestra is playing this year," he continued. "They're doing a suite of airs and dances, and then they're also accompanying the Fort Hays Singers on a traditional piece that my generation would know 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and All Through the House,' that old poem from years ago set to music by Harry Simone, and so they're going to have a little fun with that."Returning again this year are carols of the season performed by the assembled crowd."We're going to give them a chance to stand and stretch and sing some of the joyous carols of Christmas," Crull said.Fort Hays State University music professors Ivalah Allen, Ben Cline and Irena Ravitskaya, along with accompanist Pam McGowan, will also be featured during the concert."It's a full program, but we keep it moving because while the interludes, the brass ensemble, etc., are playing, that's when choirs move on and off quietly so as not to disturb the performance," Crull said. "But that way, as soon as one musical item is done, the next one can start."As the event typically fills the cathedral, he said choir members would help direct the audience to fill the pews.But Crull said any seat is good."There's no bad seat in the entire sanctuary," he said. "Anywhere you sit, and anywhere you sing from, the sound is just glorious. ... I've been in Italy, with choir tour, singing in some of the great cathedrals there in Rome. The sound is just as good in St. Fidelis. Maybe there aren't as many statues by Michelangelo or Raphael. And if you go to Spain, there's a little more gold all over the place than there is in St. Fidelis, but it's a beautiful sound."He said the concert would be around 90 minutes, allowing ample time to enjoy the annual Frost Fest parade in downtown Hays at 6 p.m."It's a busy time of year," Crull said. "So we think it's a great way to start the holiday season. Second Sunday of Advent this year — Dec. 11 at 3:30 p.m. and free. Absolutely free. "

Sounds of Christmas return to Ellis County with annual Cathedral Concert

VICTORIA — There will be six homes open for a Victoria home tour from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3rd&nbsp;from 5-9pm.&nbsp; From 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, there will be seven homes open to tour.&nbsp; All homes are in or around the Victoria community.&nbsp; 

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. There will also be a raffle. Every admission ticket automatically receives one raffle ticket with the opportunity to purchase more.&nbsp;

Tickets can be purchased from one of the following people or from the parish office in Victoria.&nbsp;

Rosie Kreutzer 785-656-3298 Marcie Pray 785-259-0289 Brenda Dreiling 785-735-4141 Connie Windholz 785-735-8095 Andrea Schmidtberger 785-656-2208

All proceeds from this event will go to the Victoria Community Coalition, which is currently focusing on the restoration of the former St. John Rest Home.&nbsp; The rest home is now known as St John’s Place.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670007058144.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>VICTORIA — There will be six homes open for a Victoria home tour from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3rd&nbsp;from 5-9pm.&nbsp; From 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, there will be seven homes open to tour.&nbsp; All homes are in or around the Victoria community.&nbsp; Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. There will also be a raffle. Every admission ticket automatically receives one raffle ticket with the opportunity to purchase more.&nbsp;Tickets can be purchased from one of the following people or from the parish office in Victoria.&nbsp;Rosie Kreutzer 785-656-3298 Marcie Pray 785-259-0289 Brenda Dreiling 785-735-4141 Connie Windholz 785-735-8095 Andrea Schmidtberger 785-656-2208All proceeds from this event will go to the Victoria Community Coalition, which is currently focusing on the restoration of the former St. John Rest Home.&nbsp; The rest home is now known as St John’s Place.&nbsp;— Submitted

Victoria home tour kicks off Saturday

Victoria Community Coalition plans Holiday Home Tours fundraiser

By JAMES BELL 
Hays Post

VICTORIA — This month, Victoria residents heard updates
from the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">Victoria
Community Coalition as they continue in their effort to repurpose the former St.
John’s Rest Home.</a>

Coalition chair and <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">building owner Jeff Pfeifer </a>opened
the meeting by highlighting progress already been made to bring the
beloved building back to life under the proposed name St. John’s Place.

<a href="https://heartlandcommunityfoundation.org/">The
Heartland Community Foundation</a>, Pfeifer said, awarded the project a $5,000
grant for architectural work and set up an account for the organization to accept
tax-deductible donations. An application that would secure the organization as
a not-for-profit 501(c)3 is also underway and associated media explaining the
project has been developed, including the launch of a <a href="https://www.victoriakscommunity.com/">coalition website.</a>

During the meeting, the coalition also shared the results
of a completed survey that would qualify the project for grants. They
reported responses from 73 percent of homes in the city with active meters.

The survey highlighted the city’s largest
employers out of the 49 listed — the Victoria school district, Nex-Tech and
Frank’s Oilfield Service — and other economic data, but some of the most telling data centered around the workforce in the city.

“We are a retirement community,”
said Victoria Community Coalition Treasurer Marilyn Braun. “Out of the 979 people that we actually surveyed,
there are 228 that are 66-plus years of age. Out of those 228, 226 are actually
retired, doing nothing. They are retired.”

Further, they found a significant portion
of the available Victoria workforce works outside the city.

“Of that percentage that we
talked to, 50 percent had a worker in Hays,” Pfeifer said. “Of that, 25 percent
had two or more people working in Hays.”

He said that amounts to 70
percent of homes with working individuals are working in Hays.

“Basically, what it told me
was, Victoria provides housing for Hays employers, and Hays provides employment
for Victoria residents,” Pfeifer said.

He said those findings reflect
a mutually beneficial situation.

“I don't see any reason not
to reach out to Hays and see how we can work together,” Pfeifer said. “And I've
been trying to do that.”

He noted the coalition has
been working with Hays-based economic development organizations such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.growhays.com/">Grow Hays</a> and the <a href="https://hayschamber.com/">Hays Chamber,</a> along with their continued work
with the Northwest Kansas Planning and Development Commission <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/93f2e61e-a2e0-43d8-9f38-f7beacb841b5">after the
city of Victoria signed up earlier this year.</a>

“We're a bedroom community to
Hays,” Braun said. “We are a retirement community, and we got to do something to
bring families in and make housing available for them. It was very clear in the
interviews with the employers that finding housing within Victoria is problematic.
That was stated by a couple of the employers interviewed. But that's where we
are.”

Outside of giving the coalition
a clear view of the housing and workforce needs in the city, the survey allows
the coalition to apply for Moderate Income Housing program grants available
for cities with populations under 60,000 in Kansas.

“This will be our foundation
for when we apply to the MIH grant,” Pfeifer said. “We're going to ask for
$650,000 from the state that is for housing.”

Homes owned in the community
totaled 321, with 117 above the median home value of $172,700 — 204 homes were
below the median.

The survey found 71 renters in
the city, paying an average rent of $730 monthly. Eighty-three percent reported rent
under that amount.

“So, the rent in town is fairly
low,” Braun said.

The survey also
reported that many currently living in the community would qualify for housing
developed in the facility.

“We did find out that for the MIH grant that we were looking at, for 100 percent of income, one person could
have $60,600 income, two people could have $69,300 in income and still qualify
to live in an MIH moderate-income housing facility,” Braun said.

She said 171 Victoria
households are under that threshold.

“What this did was support
the need for affordable housing,” Pfeifer said. “So, that leads us to our plan.”

As envisioned currently, the
former rest home would include 20 rental units, comprised of studio, one- and
two-bedroom apartments, a childcare center large enough for 20-25 children and open
community space. Rent is being roughly projected at $1 per square foot for the
apartments.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4e8ad16c-9ee2-43ac-bfc0-857f715636e6">The Ellis
County Historical Society had previously announced they would create a satellite
museum in the building as well and would occupy around 9,000 square feet of the around 40,000 square foot facility.</a>

In the proposed agreement, currently being finalized, the society will receive 10 years
of free rent. At the same time, they are responsible for the cost of repairing and updating
their portion of the building.

“It's
good for them, and it's good for our community, good for Ellis County,” Pfeifer
said. “They want to focus on the church, the history of the Church, on the
artifacts of the church, and they want to focus on the Volga German heritage.”

Moving forward, Pfeifer said the
most pressing issue is repairing the aging roof of the entire facility. Due to
its current state and the building’s design, nearly all of the whole top will need to be replaced at one time.

He estimates $500,000 to $650,000
would be needed to repair the roof entirely. 

Once the roof is secured, Pfeifer said
the project would be split into phases, with the total project expected to cost less than $3 million.

Phase
one would include the construction of 11 apartments in the newest part of
the building, along with the child care center.

But everything is dependent on the
current ability of the coalition to raise funds, and while much of the project
cost is hoped to be covered by grant and organizational funding, community
efforts will be important to demonstrate “buy-in” from Victoria residents.

“They want to see what you're
bringing to the table with what you're requesting,” said Heartland Community
Foundation Executive Director Sarah Meitner. “They'll see the time that the
community has put in the time and it counts for something.”

Time and effort, along with the influx of community dollars
into a project, project the overall desire of residents to see a project
completed, she said.

“And that's why we're here,”
Pfeifer said. “The last piece tonight is, 'How do we do that?' ”

He said currently the coalition
has three efforts underway, including a donor campaign, physical work at the facility
and fundraisers.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/9020a3c3-5787-4198-8ef6-638ce2acd105">One
fundraiser has been planned featuring homemade popcorn balls.</a>

While those fundraisers might generate relatively small amounts compared to the total project cost, Hansen
Foundation Facilitator Betty Johnson said it demonstrates more than just a financial
commitment.

“It's important for even a Hanson or Schmidt Foundation or Patterson Foundation that the residents of Victoria
have financially invested,” Johnson said. 

But she said a long list of
small contributions matters far more than just a few very large ones.

And it can help leverage the support
of the community.

“All
you're doing is presenting an opportunity,” Johnson said. “We have an
opportunity to talk to them about what's going on in their community, letting
them know, and giving them an opportunity to invest and be a part of some great
things going on.

“It [shows]
the community cares, and that they believe, and they care and lead by putting
dollars in,” she continued. “That's the way Hansen looks at it, is that there's
other skin in the game.”

And with
the holiday season being a typically more fruitful time for philanthropic
giving, Meitner said the push to the end of the year to raise funds for the
roof can be successful with a high level of involvement.

“Something
like 80-ish percent of charitable giving happens during the month of November
and December,” she said. “So, it's the time to get this project out in the
community and abroad and even further through alumni or through even into Hays
or rural areas and start telling them why this is important and how this
benefits the community.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666403002211.jpeg" alt="Victoria Community Coalition chair Jeff Pfeifer and treasurer Marilyn Braun share information developed from a recent community survey during a recent community on Oct. 5. Photo by James Bell/Hays Post." />
 <figcaption>Victoria Community Coalition chair Jeff Pfeifer and treasurer Marilyn Braun share information developed from a recent community survey during a recent community on Oct. 5. Photo by James Bell/Hays Post.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL 
Hays PostVICTORIA — This month, Victoria residents heard updates
from the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">Victoria
Community Coalition as they continue in their effort to repurpose the former St.
John’s Rest Home.</a>Coalition chair and <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">building owner Jeff Pfeifer </a>opened
the meeting by highlighting progress already been made to bring the
beloved building back to life under the proposed name St. John’s Place.<a href="https://heartlandcommunityfoundation.org/">The
Heartland Community Foundation</a>, Pfeifer said, awarded the project a $5,000
grant for architectural work and set up an account for the organization to accept
tax-deductible donations. An application that would secure the organization as
a not-for-profit 501(c)3 is also underway and associated media explaining the
project has been developed, including the launch of a <a href="https://www.victoriakscommunity.com/">coalition website.</a>During the meeting, the coalition also shared the results
of a completed survey that would qualify the project for grants. They
reported responses from 73 percent of homes in the city with active meters.The survey highlighted the city’s largest
employers out of the 49 listed — the Victoria school district, Nex-Tech and
Frank’s Oilfield Service — and other economic data, but some of the most telling data centered around the workforce in the city.“We are a retirement community,”
said Victoria Community Coalition Treasurer Marilyn Braun. “Out of the 979 people that we actually surveyed,
there are 228 that are 66-plus years of age. Out of those 228, 226 are actually
retired, doing nothing. They are retired.”Children in the city totaled
218.Further, they found a significant portion
of the available Victoria workforce works outside the city.“Of that percentage that we
talked to, 50 percent had a worker in Hays,” Pfeifer said. “Of that, 25 percent
had two or more people working in Hays.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660869675268.jpeg" alt="The former St. John's Rest Home in Victoria. File Photo" />
 <figcaption>The former St. John's Rest Home in Victoria. File Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>He said that amounts to 70
percent of homes with working individuals are working in Hays.“Basically, what it told me
was, Victoria provides housing for Hays employers, and Hays provides employment
for Victoria residents,” Pfeifer said.He said those findings reflect
a mutually beneficial situation.“I don't see any reason not
to reach out to Hays and see how we can work together,” Pfeifer said. “And I've
been trying to do that.”He noted the coalition has
been working with Hays-based economic development organizations such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.growhays.com/">Grow Hays</a> and the <a href="https://hayschamber.com/">Hays Chamber,</a> along with their continued work
with the Northwest Kansas Planning and Development Commission <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/93f2e61e-a2e0-43d8-9f38-f7beacb841b5">after the
city of Victoria signed up earlier this year.</a> “We're a bedroom community to
Hays,” Braun said. “We are a retirement community, and we got to do something to
bring families in and make housing available for them. It was very clear in the
interviews with the employers that finding housing within Victoria is problematic.
That was stated by a couple of the employers interviewed. But that's where we
are.”Outside of giving the coalition
a clear view of the housing and workforce needs in the city, the survey allows
the coalition to apply for Moderate Income Housing program grants available
for cities with populations under 60,000 in Kansas.“This will be our foundation
for when we apply to the MIH grant,” Pfeifer said. “We're going to ask for
$650,000 from the state that is for housing.”Homes owned in the community
totaled 321, with 117 above the median home value of $172,700 — 204 homes were
below the median.The survey found 71 renters in
the city, paying an average rent of $730 monthly. Eighty-three percent reported rent
under that amount.“So, the rent in town is fairly
low,” Braun said.The survey also
reported that many currently living in the community would qualify for housing
developed in the facility.“We did find out that for the MIH grant that we were looking at, for 100 percent of income, one person could
have $60,600 income, two people could have $69,300 in income and still qualify
to live in an MIH moderate-income housing facility,” Braun said.She said 171 Victoria
households are under that threshold.“What this did was support
the need for affordable housing,” Pfeifer said. “So, that leads us to our plan.”As envisioned currently, the
former rest home would include 20 rental units, comprised of studio, one- and
two-bedroom apartments, a childcare center large enough for 20-25 children and open
community space. Rent is being roughly projected at $1 per square foot for the
apartments.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4e8ad16c-9ee2-43ac-bfc0-857f715636e6">The Ellis
County Historical Society had previously announced they would create a satellite
museum in the building as well and would occupy around 9,000 square feet of the around 40,000 square foot facility.</a>In the proposed agreement, currently being finalized, the society will receive 10 years
of free rent. At the same time, they are responsible for the cost of repairing and updating
their portion of the building.“It's
good for them, and it's good for our community, good for Ellis County,” Pfeifer
said. “They want to focus on the church, the history of the Church, on the
artifacts of the church, and they want to focus on the Volga German heritage.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666403285864.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Next Steps</h2>Moving forward, Pfeifer said the
most pressing issue is repairing the aging roof of the entire facility. Due to
its current state and the building’s design, nearly all of the whole top will need to be replaced at one time.He estimates $500,000 to $650,000
would be needed to repair the roof entirely. Once the roof is secured, Pfeifer said
the project would be split into phases, with the total project expected to cost less than $3 million.Phase
one would include the construction of 11 apartments in the newest part of
the building, along with the child care center.But everything is dependent on the
current ability of the coalition to raise funds, and while much of the project
cost is hoped to be covered by grant and organizational funding, community
efforts will be important to demonstrate “buy-in” from Victoria residents.“They want to see what you're
bringing to the table with what you're requesting,” said Heartland Community
Foundation Executive Director Sarah Meitner. “They'll see the time that the
community has put in the time and it counts for something.”Time and effort, along with the influx of community dollars
into a project, project the overall desire of residents to see a project
completed, she said.“And that's why we're here,”
Pfeifer said. “The last piece tonight is, 'How do we do that?' ”He said currently the coalition
has three efforts underway, including a donor campaign, physical work at the facility
and fundraisers.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/9020a3c3-5787-4198-8ef6-638ce2acd105">One
fundraiser has been planned featuring homemade popcorn balls.</a>While those fundraisers might generate relatively small amounts compared to the total project cost, Hansen
Foundation Facilitator Betty Johnson said it demonstrates more than just a financial
commitment.“It's important for even a Hanson or Schmidt Foundation or Patterson Foundation that the residents of Victoria
have financially invested,” Johnson said. But she said a long list of
small contributions matters far more than just a few very large ones.And it can help leverage the support
of the community.“All
you're doing is presenting an opportunity,” Johnson said. “We have an
opportunity to talk to them about what's going on in their community, letting
them know, and giving them an opportunity to invest and be a part of some great
things going on.“It [shows]
the community cares, and that they believe, and they care and lead by putting
dollars in,” she continued. “That's the way Hansen looks at it, is that there's
other skin in the game.”And with
the holiday season being a typically more fruitful time for philanthropic
giving, Meitner said the push to the end of the year to raise funds for the
roof can be successful with a high level of involvement.“Something
like 80-ish percent of charitable giving happens during the month of November
and December,” she said. “So, it's the time to get this project out in the
community and abroad and even further through alumni or through even into Hays
or rural areas and start telling them why this is important and how this
benefits the community.”

Victoria Community Coalition shares updates on former St. John’s Rest Home project

The Victoria Community Coalition is sponsoring a Popcorn Ball fundraiser.&nbsp; 

We will be making Brenda Dreiling's wonderful homemade popcorn
balls for Halloween Treats for all your little spooks and goblins. 

Cost is $25
for a Baker's Dozen and must be ordered in advance due to need for ordering
supplies.&nbsp;

 The Popcorn Balls will be ready for pick-up after 5:00 pm on
Friday and Saturday, October 28th and 29th at the Victoria High School
Cafeteria. 

Delivery can be arranged in special circumstances. This must be
communicated at the time of ordering.&nbsp;

When you contact us, please leave a phone number so that we can call back
and verify your order.&nbsp; 

Thanks for helping us to improve "St. John's
Place".

SubmittedThe Victoria Community Coalition is sponsoring a Popcorn Ball fundraiser.&nbsp; We will be making Brenda Dreiling's wonderful homemade popcorn
balls for Halloween Treats for all your little spooks and goblins. Cost is $25
for a Baker's Dozen and must be ordered in advance due to need for ordering
supplies.&nbsp; The Popcorn Balls will be ready for pick-up after 5:00 pm on
Friday and Saturday, October 28th and 29th at the Victoria High School
Cafeteria. Delivery can be arranged in special circumstances. This must be
communicated at the time of ordering.&nbsp;When you contact us, please leave a phone number so that we can call back
and verify your order.&nbsp; Thanks for helping us to improve "St. John's
Place".

Victoria Community Coalition plans Popcorn Ball fundraiser

The Victoria Community Coalition will&nbsp;host a&nbsp;community
meeting&nbsp;Wednesday, October 5th, 6:00 pm&nbsp;at the VFW.&nbsp;

This
gathering is open to the public and will include an update on the redevelopment
of the former St. John's Rest Home building.

Presentations will include a
summary of the community housing assessment conducted this past summer, the
architect's initial plans and estimated construction costs, and where we plan
to go from here.

SubmittedThe Victoria Community Coalition will&nbsp;host a&nbsp;community
meeting&nbsp;Wednesday, October 5th, 6:00 pm&nbsp;at the VFW.&nbsp;This
gathering is open to the public and will include an update on the redevelopment
of the former St. John's Rest Home building. Presentations will include a
summary of the community housing assessment conducted this past summer, the
architect's initial plans and estimated construction costs, and where we plan
to go from here.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664813356808.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Victoria Community Coalition meeting scheduled for Oct. 5

The Imagine Ellis County Committee continues their work to strengthen area communities, from Grow Hays, Executive Director Doug Williams stops by to share with us the latest on this episode of the Post Podcast.

For more about the Post Podcast, including a full list of episodes and episode transcripts click here.

The Imagine Ellis County Committee continues their work to strengthen area communities, from Grow Hays, Executive Director Doug Williams stops by to share with us the latest on this episode of the Post Podcast.<div><iframe title="Imagine Ellis County Committee continues strengthening area communities" 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=29djh-12d8106-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>For more about the Post Podcast, including a full list of episodes and episode transcripts click here.

🎙 Post Podcast:  Imagine Ellis County Committee continues strengthening area communities

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with District 111 Representative Barbara Wasinger.&nbsp;

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with District 111 Representative Barbara Wasinger.&nbsp;<div><iframe title="Forward Ever: District 111 Representative Barbara Wasinger" 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=fvb49-12d80de-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

🎤Forward Ever: District 111 Rep. Barbara Wasinger

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Tuesday night, fire crews were dispatched to Fork That Bakery, 201 E. Main, Victoria, for a report of smoke coming from the roof of the building.

No one was in the building at the time of the fire, and no one was injured.

Brooke Olson is the owner of the bakery, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0abc8fc6-d062-4860-aa27-84c74eda9b1f">which opened in 2021</a>.

The family posted the message below on Facebook this morning.

Hays Post will post more information as it becomes available. Fire officials were still on the scene surveying damage as of Wednesday morning.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostTuesday night, fire crews were dispatched to Fork That Bakery, 201 E. Main, Victoria, for a report of smoke coming from the roof of the building.No one was in the building at the time of the fire, and no one was injured.Brooke Olson is the owner of the bakery, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0abc8fc6-d062-4860-aa27-84c74eda9b1f">which opened in 2021</a>.The family posted the message below on Facebook this morning. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664378693217.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hays Post will post more information as it becomes available. Fire officials were still on the scene surveying damage as of Wednesday morning.

Fire burns popular restaurant, Fork That Bakery, in Victoria

<div><iframe title="KS-111th District election debate set for Oct. 12" 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=x3q3b-12d3fd2-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>For more about the Post Podcast, including a full list of episodes and episode transcripts click here.

🎙 Post Podcast: KS-111th District election debate set for Oct. 12

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Former Hays High standout Tradgon McCrae is this week's Co-MIAA Golfer of the
Week.

McCrae led the way for Missouri Southern at this week’s Arch Cup in St.
Louis. The Lion’s senior shot a one-under par 70 in round one and two under par
69 in round two to finish three-under par for the tournament at 139. 

McCrae had
three birdies in each round to finish tied for eighth place individually while
the Lions finished sixth.

Hays PostKANSAS CITY, Mo. - Former Hays High standout Tradgon McCrae is this week's Co-MIAA Golfer of the
Week.McCrae led the way for Missouri Southern at this week’s Arch Cup in St.
Louis. The Lion’s senior shot a one-under par 70 in round one and two under par
69 in round two to finish three-under par for the tournament at 139. McCrae had
three birdies in each round to finish tied for eighth place individually while
the Lions finished sixth.

⛳ Former HHS standout named MIAA Men's Golfer of the Week

VICTORIA&nbsp;—&nbsp;As efforts to find new uses for the former St. John’s Rest Home
building continue, one of the ideas generated during initial conversations
will soon come to pass.

During the annual Herzogfest last week, the Ellis County Historical
Society announced they plan to open a satellite museum in the building, providing
the organization with much-needed storage space and a location to share Ellis
County history with more area residents and travelers than ever before.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">The idea
of using the location to house a museum was introduced by Mary Kay Schippers,
Ellis County Historical Society Museum Space Committee chair and trustee,
during a meeting last September shortly after Jeff Pfeifer purchased the
building during a meeting discussing the future of the facility.</a>

“The location is absolutely perfect,” Schippers said. “It's
right down the street from the Basilica, which gets thousands of visitors every
year. And we're hoping to tie into that.”

Along with the benefits to the society, she said the
community would benefit from increased traffic, bringing outside dollars into Victoria.

“The longer you can keep a tourist in town, the more money
they're going to spend,” Schippers said. “I said this last September that the
difference between a community that survives and a community that thrives is
that the community that thrives is bringing in outside dollars.”<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b9828fea-e8ae-4cb0-8cdf-fe1760f225e0"></a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b9828fea-e8ae-4cb0-8cdf-fe1760f225e0">The move comes as the society
works to sort and centralize the museum’s collection and share that collection with
the public at their main campus at Seventh and Main in Hays.</a>

“We're going to be moving all of our exhibits that deal with
the community outside of Hays,” Schippers said. “We're going to be moving those
to the Victoria site, and that way, at the Hays site, we will be able to focus
more on the Hays history.”

The Wild West history of Hays could focus on the main site,
while the Volga-German heritage that permeates the county could be a highlight
of the new location, she said.

“We want to make both of them fantastic,” Schippers said.

Using the rest home building to showcase Ellis County
history can help honor the history of the building as well, she said, as it
remained an integral part of life in Victoria and Ellis County for decades.

“When we approached the Ellis County Historical Society
board about this idea, one of the board members commented, he said, ‘I remember
pushing my grandma in a wheelchair down that hallway,’ ” she said. 

“And I think that's the thing. That building is just filled
with memories. I have my own memories of grandparents in that facility. And so
no one wanted to see it demolished.”

While the society’s plan will use a portion of the space,
she said other efforts continue to bring senior housing, recreation facilities
and more into the facility.

“When that building was built, it was to facilitate and to
help the community stay connected,” said Ellis County Historical Society
executive director Amanda Rupp. “And the people that were first involved in
that still have a lot of connection to the community."

By finding new uses for the building their legacy can carry on, she said.

And Rupp hopes that desire will translate to volunteers as the museum works to move into the location.

As the larger plans come together for the satellite museum,
area residents will see work begin soon.

“We're going to start on the second floor, which was another
reason why the historical society loved this site. We are really having a space
crunch here in Hays for artifacts,” Schippers said. “The second floor of that
building is going to strictly be used for historical society artifacts. And so the
renovation of that part of it is going to begin here in September.”

Demolition in the 2,700 square-foot upstairs area is set to begin September 19.

Part of that renovation includes securing the roof. During years of non-use, it has deteriorated, allowing water to damage portions of
the building. 

Rupp said that roofing above the area set to be used by the
society soon could be repaired separately from the rest of the 40,000-square-foot
building.

“The Victoria Community Coalition is going to raise funds to
try and help the entire roof area for the other part of the projects, but our
specific project is on that second story. Because it's its own roof structure,
we can start with that almost right away.”

Along with the benefit the location will bring to Victoria, Rupp
said the second location would be a benefit to the society’s ongoing need for
space to house the museum’s collection.

“We have now pulled everything that was out in various
storage units outside of our campus back to our campus last year, and we have
started sorting through those things, putting like things together,” Rupp said.


“And so right now we are shuffling, we need to work on one
space,” she continued. “We're shuffling it over here, and then we move it back
because we need to work on that area. But there has been a lot moved already, and
those two rooms in the basement are going to be empty pretty soon because we
are now focusing on bringing our staff back to that red brick building by the
end of the year.”

To accommodate the staff’s return, she said remodeling work
would soon begin in that area.

Following the weekend announcement, Schippers presented to
the Victoria City Council at their regular meeting, asking to waive the permit
fee for the upcoming work.

“We plan to be a very, very vibrant, visible part of this
community,” Schippers told the council.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1653503337583.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostVICTORIA&nbsp;—&nbsp;As efforts to find new uses for the former St. John’s Rest Home
building continue, one of the ideas generated during initial conversations
will soon come to pass.During the annual Herzogfest last week, the Ellis County Historical
Society announced they plan to open a satellite museum in the building, providing
the organization with much-needed storage space and a location to share Ellis
County history with more area residents and travelers than ever before.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">The idea
of using the location to house a museum was introduced by Mary Kay Schippers,
Ellis County Historical Society Museum Space Committee chair and trustee,
during a meeting last September shortly after Jeff Pfeifer purchased the
building during a meeting discussing the future of the facility.</a><div><iframe title="Ellis County Historical Society to establish satellite museum in Victoria" 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=uryhf-12a0c7e-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>“The location is absolutely perfect,” Schippers said. “It's
right down the street from the Basilica, which gets thousands of visitors every
year. And we're hoping to tie into that.”Along with the benefits to the society, she said the
community would benefit from increased traffic, bringing outside dollars into Victoria.“The longer you can keep a tourist in town, the more money
they're going to spend,” Schippers said. “I said this last September that the
difference between a community that survives and a community that thrives is
that the community that thrives is bringing in outside dollars.”<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b9828fea-e8ae-4cb0-8cdf-fe1760f225e0"></a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b9828fea-e8ae-4cb0-8cdf-fe1760f225e0">The move comes as the society
works to sort and centralize the museum’s collection and share that collection with
the public at their main campus at Seventh and Main in Hays.</a>“We're going to be moving all of our exhibits that deal with
the community outside of Hays,” Schippers said. “We're going to be moving those
to the Victoria site, and that way, at the Hays site, we will be able to focus
more on the Hays history.”The Wild West history of Hays could focus on the main site,
while the Volga-German heritage that permeates the county could be a highlight
of the new location, she said.“We want to make both of them fantastic,” Schippers said.Using the rest home building to showcase Ellis County
history can help honor the history of the building as well, she said, as it
remained an integral part of life in Victoria and Ellis County for decades.“When we approached the Ellis County Historical Society
board about this idea, one of the board members commented, he said, ‘I remember
pushing my grandma in a wheelchair down that hallway,’ ” she said. “And I think that's the thing. That building is just filled
with memories. I have my own memories of grandparents in that facility. And so
no one wanted to see it demolished.”While the society’s plan will use a portion of the space,
she said other efforts continue to bring senior housing, recreation facilities
and more into the facility.“When that building was built, it was to facilitate and to
help the community stay connected,” said Ellis County Historical Society
executive director Amanda Rupp. “And the people that were first involved in
that still have a lot of connection to the community."By finding new uses for the building their legacy can carry on, she said.And Rupp hopes that desire will translate to volunteers as the museum works to move into the location.As the larger plans come together for the satellite museum,
area residents will see work begin soon.“We're going to start on the second floor, which was another
reason why the historical society loved this site. We are really having a space
crunch here in Hays for artifacts,” Schippers said. “The second floor of that
building is going to strictly be used for historical society artifacts. And so the
renovation of that part of it is going to begin here in September.”Demolition in the 2,700 square-foot upstairs area is set to begin September 19.Part of that renovation includes securing the roof. During years of non-use, it has deteriorated, allowing water to damage portions of
the building. Rupp said that roofing above the area set to be used by the
society soon could be repaired separately from the rest of the 40,000-square-foot
building.“The Victoria Community Coalition is going to raise funds to
try and help the entire roof area for the other part of the projects, but our
specific project is on that second story. Because it's its own roof structure,
we can start with that almost right away.”Along with the benefit the location will bring to Victoria, Rupp
said the second location would be a benefit to the society’s ongoing need for
space to house the museum’s collection.“We have now pulled everything that was out in various
storage units outside of our campus back to our campus last year, and we have
started sorting through those things, putting like things together,” Rupp said.
“And so right now we are shuffling, we need to work on one
space,” she continued. “We're shuffling it over here, and then we move it back
because we need to work on that area. But there has been a lot moved already, and
those two rooms in the basement are going to be empty pretty soon because we
are now focusing on bringing our staff back to that red brick building by the
end of the year.”To accommodate the staff’s return, she said remodeling work
would soon begin in that area.Following the weekend announcement, Schippers presented to
the Victoria City Council at their regular meeting, asking to waive the permit
fee for the upcoming work.“We plan to be a very, very vibrant, visible part of this
community,” Schippers told the council.She also noted the benefit of bringing workers to the city
for the work as they utilize stores and restaurants in Victoria.“They will be bringing some revenue to the community right
at the very beginning, Schippers said.And future developments will also have a further positive
economic impact, with the opening of a gift shop and the ability to host large
gatherings as part of the society’s mission, she said.With the fee expected to be under $200 Schippers said it
would only be a minor impact to the city’s revenue but would signal the city’s
support for the project. The measure passed unanimously.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660869675268.jpeg" alt="Former St. John Rest Home" />
 <figcaption>Former St. John Rest Home</figcaption>
 </figure>