BARTON COUNTY Two people were injured in an accident just before 8p.m. Sunday in Barton County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1998 Mercury Mountaineer driven by Shawn E J Preister, 59, Woodston, was northbound on U.S. 281 just south of Hoisington.

The driver lost control of the SUV when it blew a tire. The SUV traveled off the roadway and overturned in the east ditch.

Passengers Stormi Brooke Preister, 19, and a 10-month old were transported to Clara Barton Hospital.

The driver and a fourth passenger were not injured. Only the child was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

By Barton Community College Agriculture Instructor Vic Martin

There really isn’t much to say regarding the continuing and deepening drought in our area.  Although parts of Kansas did receive some snowfall, the overall pattern isn’t promising over the near term for any meaningful precipitation.  Temperatures are a bit up and down but fortunately more on the cooler rather than warmer side through the coming weekend.  Today, let’s discuss a different drought affecting the agriculture industry – a drought in the workforce.

This past week, Barton Community held Junior Day and this next week a Career Fair.  Last fall there was a Senior Day. The purpose of these events is to expose junior high and high school students to possible career options and the post-secondary education needed to excel.  Out of approximately ninety juniors on campus last week only eight had a career in agriculture as their first or second choice.  And of those eight, most while wanting to work in agriculture were unsure of what they wanted to do or what the options are.

This lack of knowledge of the careers and opportunities in agriculture extend past those in high school.  Many adults who are underemployed or seeking better paying job opportunities with benefits also lack an understanding of the possibilities in agriculture.  First, the industry still suffers from an image that doesn’t match the reality in terms of technology, pay, benefits, and opportunities.  Second, there is another misconception that you have to have a farm background to work in agriculture. Third, there is a misconception that you either need not training or at least a four-year degree to be successful.  And there are other barriers and lacks of understanding.  Lastly, the industry and the post-secondary institutions haven’t found an effective, consistent method for reaching out across age groups.

Here is the reality, we have a significant lack of employees across the industry and it is growing as a significant portion of those now working are at or near retirement age.  In, Kansas, directly and indirectly, agriculture is the largest economic driver for the state.  Wages and benefits are as good as and in often cases better than most other sectors.  Employers want responsible, disciplined employees and they will train them or help pay for their training in many cases.  Finally, we as a state haven’t made the necessary commitment to help the industry address this need.  So what can/must we do?  Possible solutions next week.

It is so much more than horseshoe demonstrations and hay rack rides. The annual Kids Ag Day event has been educating young minds about the importance of agriculture for 25 years, and its legacy in Great Bend and around the State is immeasurable. For that reason, Kids Ag Day received the 2017 Legacy Award from the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development during the organization’s Annual Meeting & Banquet on February 17, 2018 at the Great Bend Events Center.

Many of the original group of ag industry advocates who founded the event over 25 years ago are still active in the thriving event today. Among that list of core volunteers are Kevin Mauler, Ron Koelsch, Jerry Esfeld, Aaron Maresch, David LeRoy, Darrell Touslee, Charles Atkinson, and others.

Over the years, this event for fourth grade students from Barton County has developed quite the reputation for excellence.

“When other school districts and other communities want to teach their students about agriculture, our Kids Ag Day event in Great Bend is almost always one of their first stops,” says Jan Peters, President/CEO of the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development. “Almost every year, we’ve had visitors from other cities come to check out this event, and they’re always in awe at how well organized and how productive the student’s time on the farm can be.”

Kids Ag Day is a one-day event held at a local farm on the first Wednesday in September, designed to expose fourth graders to the various components of agriculture from farming and ranching to beekeeping and veterinary medicine. Over 400 fourth grade students from across Barton County are bused to a host farm. Over the past 25 years, 4M Farms, operated by Kevin Mauler, Brining Farms, operated by the late Roger Brining, and Diamond K Farms, owned by Ron Koelsch, have served as host locations for the event.

“My husband, Taylor, was in one of the first classes to attend Kids Ag Day back in the early 1990s, and I attended as a student as well,” says Kelly Calcara, 4th Grade Teacher at Jefferson Elementary in Great Bend. “Now as an educator, I get to bring my students back to the farm every year and watch their excitement. For some of these students, it’s the first time they’ve seen a tractor up close.”

Once students arrive on the farm, dozens of volunteers help usher the classes to different stations around the farm, some on foot and some on hay rack rides. Students see demonstrations on how crops are grown, how food is made, what animals live on the farm, electrical safety, cattle health and horseshoeing, beekeeping, advancing technology and so much more. The day includes lunch and refreshments. In total, the event requires upwards of 60 volunteers to run smoothly.

“The passionate volunteers who organize this amazing event are really the ones that deserve the recognition,” says Jan Peters. “Without them, there wouldn’t be an event, and this legacy of agriculture education would disappear. We couldn’t be more proud of these dedicated individuals who have been inspiring young students for 25 years.”

The 25th Annual Kids Ag Day event will be held Wednesday, September 5 including a live radio broadcast so the public can hear about the exciting activities held west of Great Bend.

Learn more on the Chamber website at www.greatbend.org. Photos from previous events can also be found on the Chamber’s facebook page.

Previous Legacy Award Recipients

2016 Kari Smith
2015 Skip Yowell

For his selfless dedication to promoting and bettering the Great Bend community, Mark Mingenback earned the 2017 Citizen of the Year award from the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development. Mingenback received this surprise honor during the organization’s Annual Meeting & Banquet on February 17, 2018 at the Great Bend Events Center.

“For anyone who has been involved in the Great Bend community over the years, there are likely a few names that might come to mind when thinking of individuals that tirelessly and selflessly promote the businesses, nonprofit organizations, and amenities that make Great Bend home,” says Jan Peters, President/CEO of the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce & E.D. “But at the top of that list is a person who has given more time and energy to the betterment of Great Bend than most. It is our privilege to award Mark Mingenback the 2017 Citizen of the Year award.”

Mark and his wife, Leslie, both grew up in the Great Bend area. In fact, they often share the story of how they were both born at St. Rose Hospital 22 hours apart. Their names appeared on the same page in the nun’s birth registry. But the two wouldn’t strike up a romance until they were seniors in high school.

While getting his education, Mark was already proving himself as a leader, graduating as an Eagle Scout before graduating with his diploma. After high school, they both attended Kansas State University. Mark graduated in 1973 before moving to Kansas City to work for Macy’s and later decided to pursue a Master’s degree in Marketing from Kansas State University.

In December 1976, the couple welcomed their first child, Andy. Just two months later, Mark and Leslie loaded up their family and moved back to Great Bend, Kansas where Mark was recruited to help with a small start-up company that would later be known as CPI Qualified Plan Consultants. Back then, the enterprise had only 6 employees, and Mark was hired to help them expand their footprint.

When his knack for building relationships and catalyzing sales became well known in the community, Mark was recruited to run a men’s clothing store, known as Brentwood Limited. At the time, the store was located on Lakin Avenue and was struggling financially. With Mark’s creative ideas and charisma selling suits and clothing, things quickly turned around for the young businessman. Mark was featured in a 1979 issue of Menswear Magazine, and won numerous awards within the retail industry.

“Mark was always trying new things, always on the cutting edge of the business world in his industry,” says Leslie Mingenback. “He was one of the first people in town to sell products online, and it started with chocolates. If he decides to try something, he will do the research and figure out how it works. That’s one of the biggest reasons he was so successful at whatever he tried during his career.”

For well over two decades, Mark was the guy you went to for a great quality suit and he was also the guy who could solve a problem, regardless of what it was.

“Numerous times in the past four decades, if Great Bend had a challenge to overcome or a goal to reach, Mark was usually involved helping make it happen,” Leslie recalls. “When we owned the store, Mark organized a huge fundraiser for hurricane victims through the American Red Cross called ‘Return a Favor’ that ended up bringing in more than $25,000 for charity. He is the best promoter, and he really cares about helping people.”

The couple’s second son Matt was born in 1981.

Other examples of Mark’s volunteerism include his service with United Way of Central Kansas. He has been active on their Board of Directors since the 1980s, and served as Chair. When the flood of 1981 devastated much of Great Bend, Mark stepped up with other volunteers in a “Save our City” campaign to organize petitions and educate the public about the importance of flood control. This eventually led to him running and being elected to the Great Bend City Council, a position he served in for 12 years.

Another great example of Mark’s leadership in Great Bend was his role in helping to plan and execute the MyTown project in the downtown district, a board that he still serves on today. His passion for small business made him an exceptional volunteer for Downtown Development, the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce, the Barton County Economic Development Council, the SBA
Southwest Kansas Loan Review Committee, and many other initiatives.

Mark’s impressive resume includes countless professional achievements, including teaching college level business classes for a time, facilitating trainings on customer service and personality assessments for other local businesses, and being selected to participate in Leadership Kansas. But even more impressive is the continued list of volunteer activities he squeezed into his ambitious professional life.

Mark helped establish the Great Bend Foundation which will continue to benefit City projects well into the future. He has served on the Board of Directors for Sunflower Diversified Services, Farmers Bank & Trust, the Kansas League of Municipalities, and Cheyenne District Friends of Scouting to name a few.

Mark’s passion for helping others and promoting his hometown earned him the Who’s Who Among Young Business Executives, the Great Bend Person of the Year 2008, and the Enlightenment Award from retail industry leaders in Chicago. Wherever Mark goes, he is always looking out for Great Bend, promoting its assets and finding ways to make the community better. Those qualities are what convinced the leadership at Central Kansas Medical Center to recruit Mark to the healthcare industry, specifically into physician recruitment. The Mingenbacks closed their retail store at the time when “casual Friday” was starting to change the retail industry, and Mark dove headfirst into selling Great Bend instead. In addition to recruiting more than 38 healthcare providers to the area, Mark was also responsible for raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for the hospital foundation and the cancer center foundation.

In 2016, Mark decided to take his passions for entrepreneurship and small business development and retire from the healthcare industry. His retirement has been busy, though, to say the least. Since retiring, he has assumed numerous roles, helping his son Andy grow his business, Brentwood Builders, which is named after the store that shaped their family for so many years. Mark has also used his healthcare industry experience to consult for a number of nursing homes and healthcare facilities throughout the State of Kansas, and now serves as the Vice President for SunPorch, a company that consults, develops, and manages nursing homes in Western Kansas.

“Mark always likes to say that since he started out in life at St. Rose in Great Bend, it was only fitting that he end his career there too,” Leslie says. “He has poured his entire life into improving the Great Bend community, and winning this award is a monumental and humbling experience.”

When he’s not tackling a community issue or helping other business owners improve their companies, Mark enjoys photography, cooking, traveling, and spending time with his family. Mark, Leslie and their dog Tess live in Great Bend, as do their son, Andy, with wife Tina and daughter Olivia. Their son Matt, lives in Texas with his wife Brooke who is also a Great Bend native, and three children Georgia, Bowen and Rosie.

Citizen of the Year Criteria

The “Citizen of the Year” award is presented by the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development to recognize an individual for their volunteer service. The winner must be creating a meaningful impact as a role model for others, and be seen as a leader who has helped pave the way in their workplace and in the community.

BUSINESS NEWS

Kim Specht’s career as an educator took an unexpected and compassion-driven turn about ten years ago. As an early childhood education (preschool) instructor, Specht had not yet taught a child on the autism spectrum. Her first experience came when a friend asked if she could watch their little boy, who they suspected had some degree of autism.

“I watched him and the entire day he sat in the dirt and played without saying a word,” she said. “He was later diagnosed and I continued to babysit him. Then he was in my class as a preschooler. I read and read and researched autism; however, a lot of my learning came from the experience of working with children with autism.”

Specht watched him grow and develop over the past decade, advancing from nonverbal to initiating greetings and showing sympathy to those around him, offering words of comfort to Specht when she was sad and reminiscent about her son’s senior year in high school.

She is building curriculum to train early education teachers to provide quality care for children with autism. The class will cover the autism spectrum disorder, behavior expectations, social and emotional aspects and early intervention.

“It’s been an amazing journey, and I want to help others unlock those special moments you can have with kiddos who are on the spectrum,” she said. “I had no idea what that meant back then.

“This class is not just for early childhood education majors,” she added, saying her courses are open to the community at large. “This is for anyone who wants to know more about spectrum disorders or whose lives have been touched by them. It’s a very open and welcoming class.”

Specht also teaches a course on parenting, which she said has the same welcoming approach and is available to anyone looking to learn more about the history of parenting and modern techniques. The class will start in the fall.

Instructor and coordinator of the Early Childhood Education program Roni Wertz said she is proud to add the coursework to the program’s curriculum. She said it’s easy coming to work every day knowing how critical early education is to the community and a functional society.

“Research shows good quality childcare by educated professionals generates a lifetime of benefits,” she said. “Our students have invested in the future by joining one of Barton’s Early Childhood Education classes and programs. The community is welcome to take advantage of these offerings and make time to learn, laugh and play each and every day.”

For more information visit earlychildhood.bartonccc.edu or contact Wertz at wertzr@bartonccc.edu or (620) 786-1130.