Extension Master Gardeners
Riley County Extension Master Gardeners and guests met for a potluck dinner and meeting on July 14 in Pottorf Hall. The couples who shared their gardens at the June 10 Garden Tour were special guests Linda and Winston Letterman; Robert and Pamela Russell; Susan and Lynn Tolley; and Kate and Brian Soloman.
Three EMGs who received scholarships to attend the International EMG Conference in Overland Park, June 18-22, gave presentations. Maria Beebe talked about several of the Search for Excellence winners: Garden to Table, Oregon; Partnership with Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, Georgia; Using Nature Themed Scavenger Hunts and Geocaching Activities to Bring Horticulture to Youth and Families, Virginia; Working with Incarcerated Youth: Gardening and Giving Back to the Community, Washington; and Delaware Highland Assisted Living Horticulture Therapy, Wyandotte County, Kansas.
Colleen Hampton shared information on Hostas: Everything You want to Know About America’s Most Popular Perennial. Karen Ericson spoke about Native Medicinal Plants of the Prairie.
After a short break, President Dan Brown called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Minutes of the May membership meeting were unanimously approved. Carol VanNahmen gave the treasurer’s report for Mike Hufnagel.
Solar Kiwanis
The Manhattan Solar Kiwanis Club met at noon on July 25 at the Blue Hills Room. There were 16 members present and three guests (Roene Bartle, Karissa Tepe, Malley Sisson). Club President Chad Tepe led the meeting. Charlie Sargent led the song, Karl Dean led the pledge and Ron Williams gave the invocation.
We had four club members with a birthday before our next meeting: Mary Scharfe (July 26), Ron Jackson (July 26), Cheryl Jones (July 26), Phil Anderson (July 31). We had one club member with a wedding anniversary before our next meeting: Warren Prawl and Nancy (July 27).
Announcements were made by President Tepe. Our club has donated $200 to the newly formed Concordia Kiwanis Club to help with club startup expenses. The Concordia Club is in our Division 4. Our club also donated $100 to the Kansas District Kiwanis YCPO (Young Children Priority One) designated project, Flint Hills Foster Teen Camps. This is an older age group of foster children than the Royal Family Kids’ Camp who we also support. We have two new Solarians! Brent and Cheryl Jones have submitted applications and the Solar Kiwanis Board of Directors have unanimously accepted both Brent and Cheryl as Solar Kiwanians.
Tepe turned the meeting over to Solarian Tim Lindemuth who showed photos and talked about his recent trip to Europe. Tim spent 4.5 weeks earlier this summer in France, Scotland and Ireland.
Solar Kiwanis meets at noon on Tuesdays at the Blue Hills Room next to RC McGraw’s in the Blue Hills Shopping Center. Our next meeting will be Aug. 1, and Solarian Naci Pelis will provide some trivia. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.
Manhattan
Duplicate Bridge
The Manhattan Duplicate Bridge Club held an 8 table North American Pairs game July 24. North/South winners were Nancy Ryan and Carol Reinsch. Mory Mort and Jim Masilamani tied for second with Janette Johnson and Gary Stemple, and Suzanne Crawford and Mike Grant were fourth.
East/West winners were Linda Schottler and Elizabeth Jankord. Judy Hildreth and Dianne Childs tied for second with Georgia Reynolds and Nancy Gugler, and Li Gilman and Jim Flesher were fourth.
The Duplicate Club meets each Monday at 1 p.m. at the Seniors’ Center and invites all bridge players. For partnerships, call Pam at 785-456-3117.
Manhattan
Rotary Club
President Mitzi Richards opened the July 20 meeting welcoming guests Adrienne Yoxall and Darren Juenemann from Anderson Knight Architects, David Janasek, grandson of Ron Janasek, Katie Allen with McRel International, and Kirk Lowell.
Richards recognized Tom Fryer for 41 years of service as a Rotarian, he joined Rotary on July 21, 1982. Past-President Steven Graham recognized Rebecca Gould with the President’s Paul Harris Fellow. Rotarian of the Year and Past-President Robbin Cole recognized Jennifer Francois with a Rotary Blue and Gold award. Twenty-five nonprofit agencies picked up products at the Community Cares Chest.
Janet Lowell introduced Lowell May, who discussed Camp Concordia, a WWII internment camp for German Prisoners of War (POW) and one of 17 in Kansas. The Department of Defense purchased the land in December of 1942 and established the camp in 90 days. The first POWs arrived in July 1943. At one point the camp housed over 4,000 prisoners.
In honor of Lowell’s presentation, the book, “Rough Patch,” was donated to Marlatt Elementary. The Manhattan Rotary Club meets on Thursdays at noon at the Manhattan Country Club.
Welcome Club
The Welcome Club of Manhattan met July 20 at the Blue Hills Room for the monthly luncheon and meeting with President Sharon Stemple presiding.
Sonia Gregoire, Manhattan High School resource officer, presented the program.
Treasurer Bobbi Schesser gave the financial report. Jane Gates won the free lunch ticket. Aurora Cutter was the guest of Maurine Pruitt.
The club welcomed new members Ann Foster, the guest of Carolyn White, and Mary Evans, the guest of Ilse Smallwood. President Sharon presented delphiniums to birthday celebrants Connie Schmidt, Becky Ward and Pat Peugh.
The Welcome Club is open to all new and current members of the Manhattan community. For more information call Sharon Zierlein, membership chair, 785-282-0594, or Sharon Stemple, president, 480-220-1340, for club activities or reservations.