Understanding
the value of connecting community leaders, the Hays Chamber is bringing back a
leadership program after the first of the year.

“Oftentimes, we talk about kind of keeping your
bucket full after attending a leadership class and just those moments of
opportunity to engage with other people who have been trying to tune their
leadership muscles and just keeping those conversations going,” said Hays Chamber
president and CEO Sarah Wasinger.

The new program, Igniting
Leadership, is similar to the Konza leadership group, an organization that regularly
brought together graduates of Ellis County leadership programs.

Laurie Kennedy will
spearhead the program.

“It's
open to anybody, but especially people that want to flex their leadership
muscles,” Kennedy said. “So, anybody that's taken Leadership Hays, Dale
Carnegie, really anything in the community, just to keep that conversation and
the spark going about leadership.”

The
meetings are free to attend and open to the public.

“It might
be a great opportunity for you to learn just enough to maybe make you want to
take the class or figure out what your next step in your leadership journey
might look like,” Wasinger said.

She said
it is also designed to establish mentorships and can help those looking for
leadership opportunities.

“We have
our Hays Young Professionals program,” Wasinger said. “We've got our Ambassadors
and our Chamber Board of Directors if you've done all those things, and maybe
you're like, ‘Well, what's that next thing? Where do I fit in?’ We thought that
this program … would be nice for folks who have served in other capacities to
still have a place where they can come in and make a difference.”

But
while those organizational meetings and educational opportunities may serve as a
basis for the group, Kennedy said the group would reflect those participating.

“We’re
wanting it to be very organic and grow as the people who attend [decide] what
they want this to be,” she said. “It's not going to be structured specifically.
Just kind of wherever it leads us. If people have ideas or challenges they've
been facing and want to get different perspectives, they can bring it to us, or
we can bring it up at a later date.”

The
monthly meetings will rotate from lunch to evening to accommodate as many
people as possible.

The
first class is scheduled for noon Jan. 11 at The Press, 230 E. Eighth.

“And
then the rest of the noon times will be March 8, May 10, July 12, Sept. 13, and
Nov. 8,” Wasinger said. 

The
evening sessions are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Defiance Brewing Co. Downtown,
111 W. Seventh, on Feb. 8, April 12, June 14, Aug. 9, Oct. 11, and Dec. 13.

<a href="https://hayschamber.com/events/igniting-leadership">To register, visit
the Hays Chamber website, hayschamber.com.</a>

“You are
still more than welcome to go if you miss that registration link, but that way,
we kind of get a headcount to make sure we have enough space and be a little
prepared for what's coming up,” Kennedy said.

“We're
very grateful to have the opportunity to help facilitate and bring that class
to the city of Hays, but just in general, sometimes I feel like we feel lost
after we have those [leadership class] opportunities,” Wasinger said. “And so
this is the place to stay engaged and communicate with people who are like-minded,
who maybe want to make a difference in our community. And who knows, maybe the
next great idea that the Chamber needs to tackle will happen right in the
conversations that will occur in that space.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672002782312.jpg" alt="Image courtesy Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostUnderstanding
the value of connecting community leaders, the Hays Chamber is bringing back a
leadership program after the first of the year.“Oftentimes, we talk about kind of keeping your
bucket full after attending a leadership class and just those moments of
opportunity to engage with other people who have been trying to tune their
leadership muscles and just keeping those conversations going,” said Hays Chamber
president and CEO Sarah Wasinger.The new program, Igniting
Leadership, is similar to the Konza leadership group, an organization that regularly
brought together graduates of Ellis County leadership programs.Laurie Kennedy will
spearhead the program.<div><iframe title="Ellis Co. leadership program returns with new direction, name" 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=7x9e2-134822a-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>“It's
open to anybody, but especially people that want to flex their leadership
muscles,” Kennedy said. “So, anybody that's taken Leadership Hays, Dale
Carnegie, really anything in the community, just to keep that conversation and
the spark going about leadership.”The
meetings are free to attend and open to the public.“It might
be a great opportunity for you to learn just enough to maybe make you want to
take the class or figure out what your next step in your leadership journey
might look like,” Wasinger said.She said
it is also designed to establish mentorships and can help those looking for
leadership opportunities.“We have
our Hays Young Professionals program,” Wasinger said. “We've got our Ambassadors
and our Chamber Board of Directors if you've done all those things, and maybe
you're like, ‘Well, what's that next thing? Where do I fit in?’ We thought that
this program … would be nice for folks who have served in other capacities to
still have a place where they can come in and make a difference.”But
while those organizational meetings and educational opportunities may serve as a
basis for the group, Kennedy said the group would reflect those participating.“We’re
wanting it to be very organic and grow as the people who attend [decide] what
they want this to be,” she said. “It's not going to be structured specifically.
Just kind of wherever it leads us. If people have ideas or challenges they've
been facing and want to get different perspectives, they can bring it to us, or
we can bring it up at a later date.”The
monthly meetings will rotate from lunch to evening to accommodate as many
people as possible.The
first class is scheduled for noon Jan. 11 at The Press, 230 E. Eighth.“And
then the rest of the noon times will be March 8, May 10, July 12, Sept. 13, and
Nov. 8,” Wasinger said. The
evening sessions are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Defiance Brewing Co. Downtown,
111 W. Seventh, on Feb. 8, April 12, June 14, Aug. 9, Oct. 11, and Dec. 13.<a href="https://hayschamber.com/events/igniting-leadership">To register, visit
the Hays Chamber website, hayschamber.com.</a>“You are
still more than welcome to go if you miss that registration link, but that way,
we kind of get a headcount to make sure we have enough space and be a little
prepared for what's coming up,” Kennedy said.“We're
very grateful to have the opportunity to help facilitate and bring that class
to the city of Hays, but just in general, sometimes I feel like we feel lost
after we have those [leadership class] opportunities,” Wasinger said. “And so
this is the place to stay engaged and communicate with people who are like-minded,
who maybe want to make a difference in our community. And who knows, maybe the
next great idea that the Chamber needs to tackle will happen right in the
conversations that will occur in that space.”

Ellis Co. leadership program returns with new direction, name

With just days left in 2022, the Heartland Community
Foundation reported this week grant awards this year total more than any
previous year.

“We were founded in 2007, and when we
look at our total numbers for the year, this was our most amount granted year,”
said executive director Sarah Meitner. “We granted $429,772 in our fiscal year
2022, which is an astounding number.”

Those grant awards were distributed across their three-county
service area, including Ellis, Rooks and Trego counties and included various
projects.

“It was to 67 organizations for 129 projects,” Meitner said,
noting some organizations, like USD 489, for example, received grants for more
than one project.

Along with the yearly benchmarks, she said their overall
giving also reached a notable milestone.

“When we look at that total number, since 2007, we had a
really big milestone at Heartland, we passed the $3 million mark. So, for
projects altogether, we've granted out $3,205,263,” Meitner said. 

And those dollars have helped various groups and impacted a
wide variety of area residents, she said.

“It is to everything,” Meitner said. “It's to healthcare,
it's to schools, it's to victims organizations or to impoverished groups or to
churches. That really touches every element.”

“I like to say to people, you've probably been impacted by a
Heartland Community Foundation grant, you just don't realize it,” she
continued. “We are really truly behind the scenes, helping to give these grant
dollars to our local organizations. And they're the ones doing the amazing
work, they're the ones with feet on the ground, but they can't do it if they
don't have the funds and the support. And that's where we can help.”

She said often area non-profit organizations rely on
organizations like the Heartland Community Foundation to implement initiatives and
programs.

“They have great ideas,” Meitner said. “Our local
organizations are doing such incredible work. And sometimes they know what they
want to do to take it to the next level or to increase their capabilities or
increase their capacity, they just need a little bit of extra dollars to do it.”

And while many generous donors help fund those projects, combined
donations can be even more powerful, she said.

“They can depend on charitable dollars, they can depend on
our local donors who are so generous,” Meitner said. “But when you put that
power of endowment to work, it can really fill the gap.” 

“We were granting some pass-through dollars from the Dane G.
Hanson Foundation, which we’re really, really fortunate to have that
partnership,” she said. But those legacy dollars rely on fundraising to grow.

“These are the dollars that we are fundraising for every
February, and it's right around the corner,” Meitner said. “We fundraise during
what we call match month, and as we boost those funds, we can grant even more.”

And as the year ends, she said time remains to put charitable
dollars to work and receive the tax benefit for 2022.

“I always say talk to your financial advisor, but if there
is a need to lower your taxable income, a great way to do that is to make a
charitable gift,” Meitner said. “And you can open a donor-advised fund with the
Heartland Community Foundation, you get that gift for 2022. But you can decide
later where you want those charitable dollars to go.”

She added gifts could be accepted up to the end of the year
as long as they are postmarked by Dec. 31.

“But the benefit is that you get that tax deduction for 2022,”
she continued. “You don't even have to make the charitable gift to 2023, you
can make it at any point in the future, which is a really, really kind of neat
way to slide in there and get that donation when you don't quite know where you
want those dollars to go.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671823082996.jpg" alt="Image courtesy Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostWith just days left in 2022, the Heartland Community
Foundation reported this week grant awards this year total more than any
previous year.“We were founded in 2007, and when we
look at our total numbers for the year, this was our most amount granted year,”
said executive director Sarah Meitner. “We granted $429,772 in our fiscal year
2022, which is an astounding number.”Those grant awards were distributed across their three-county
service area, including Ellis, Rooks and Trego counties and included various
projects.<div><iframe title="Heartland community foundation wraps biggest grant year yet" 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=i6mer-1346d64-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>“It was to 67 organizations for 129 projects,” Meitner said,
noting some organizations, like USD 489, for example, received grants for more
than one project.Along with the yearly benchmarks, she said their overall
giving also reached a notable milestone.“When we look at that total number, since 2007, we had a
really big milestone at Heartland, we passed the $3 million mark. So, for
projects altogether, we've granted out $3,205,263,” Meitner said. And those dollars have helped various groups and impacted a
wide variety of area residents, she said.“It is to everything,” Meitner said. “It's to healthcare,
it's to schools, it's to victims organizations or to impoverished groups or to
churches. That really touches every element.”“I like to say to people, you've probably been impacted by a
Heartland Community Foundation grant, you just don't realize it,” she
continued. “We are really truly behind the scenes, helping to give these grant
dollars to our local organizations. And they're the ones doing the amazing
work, they're the ones with feet on the ground, but they can't do it if they
don't have the funds and the support. And that's where we can help.”She said often area non-profit organizations rely on
organizations like the Heartland Community Foundation to implement initiatives and
programs.“They have great ideas,” Meitner said. “Our local
organizations are doing such incredible work. And sometimes they know what they
want to do to take it to the next level or to increase their capabilities or
increase their capacity, they just need a little bit of extra dollars to do it.”And while many generous donors help fund those projects, combined
donations can be even more powerful, she said.“They can depend on charitable dollars, they can depend on
our local donors who are so generous,” Meitner said. “But when you put that
power of endowment to work, it can really fill the gap.” “We were granting some pass-through dollars from the Dane G.
Hanson Foundation, which we’re really, really fortunate to have that
partnership,” she said. But those legacy dollars rely on fundraising to grow.“These are the dollars that we are fundraising for every
February, and it's right around the corner,” Meitner said. “We fundraise during
what we call match month, and as we boost those funds, we can grant even more.”And as the year ends, she said time remains to put charitable
dollars to work and receive the tax benefit for 2022.“I always say talk to your financial advisor, but if there
is a need to lower your taxable income, a great way to do that is to make a
charitable gift,” Meitner said. “And you can open a donor-advised fund with the
Heartland Community Foundation, you get that gift for 2022. But you can decide
later where you want those charitable dollars to go.”She added gifts could be accepted up to the end of the year
as long as they are postmarked by Dec. 31.“But the benefit is that you get that tax deduction for 2022,”
she continued. “You don't even have to make the charitable gift to 2023, you
can make it at any point in the future, which is a really, really kind of neat
way to slide in there and get that donation when you don't quite know where you
want those dollars to go.”

🎙 Heartland Community Foundation awards largest amount of grants in 15 year history 

It’s not uncommon for
entertainment industry professionals to work under a stage name. 

But one Ellis County-based comedian,
magician and DJ will soon take that common practice a bit further by legally
changing his name to highlight his chosen profession.

Buzz The Entertainer knows some may giggle at the new name, but for him becoming Buzz has been a long time
coming and offers a unique opportunity to express his passion for his field.

While the change has been a longtime goal, the process hasn't been without its difficulties.

“The
first step that you have to do is obviously pick a name," Buzz said. "I would not recommend
it for anyone. It is not for the faint of heart."

Born Bryan&nbsp;Jacob Snyder-Brown, Buzz said after settling
on a list of potential names, his next step was vital&nbsp;— getting his mother on board.

“I've asked my mother for the last, I would say I think it's five or six years. I've asked her every year for Christmas,” Buzz said. “I wanted her permission to legally change my name because I told her that I would either wait until two weeks after she'd passed to get started or when I had her permission.”

Among the list of names potential names, one stood out.

“I sent
my mother the list of names, and she just ultimately decided Buzz The Entertainer
was probably the best one, and that was the most fitting,” Buzz said.

The new
name, while reflecting his work as a multifaceted entertainer, also had roots
in his past.

“I was
given the nickname Buzz back in high school from a teacher,” Buzz said.

And so, the work began to make the name legal began.

“I went
on to do some research and found out what all you have to do,” Buzz said. 

He then
proceeded with the steps to start the process, filling in the required
paperwork and paying to have a legal notice published and court costs.

As a
part of the process, he said he also was required to inform everyone he does business
with.

“And
this year, I finally had an attorney looking over with me and make sure that we
were good to go and have a court date now,” Buzz said.

The
hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 28.

After,
Buzz The Entertainer will be his new legal name, something he sees as an asset
to his entertainment career.

As a longtime Ellis County resident, he said he had embraced various avenues of entertainment over the last five years of professional performances.

“I do
comedy magic / hypnosis shows as a combination," Buzz said "I've also DJ'd a lot of weddings
out here."

Recently, he has also started traveling to Kansas City for drag performances there.

“I have a
couple of good friends out in Kansas City, who are big-name entertainers in the
LGBTQ market,” Buzz said. “So, it was pretty easy for me to call them. … And
I've met a lot of great people in Kansas City who have given me a lot of
advice on breaking into that market.”

And
while he hopes the name change helps generate some new attention for his shows,
he also said he knows the value of hard work.

“You
also have to do a lot of the backend work, which nobody ever likes to do,” Buzz
said. “Because the backend work of doing anything is never the fun stuff.”

But that work had paid off, as he has become known locally for his various performances, he said.

“I have
a friend of mine who called me 'Hays famous,' ” Buzz said. “If I ever go to a bar ... most people know me as the guy who does magic. So, I almost
always have a deck of cards on me.”

When he
can, he engages with those local fans.

“I'll
show you a magic trick because you don't get into magic because you enjoy being
a shy person,” Buzz said. 

He also
enjoys meeting area residents from all walks of life.

“I got
to meet a lot of people doing magic that I otherwise wouldn't have met,” Buzz
said.

He hoped the new name would continue that trend as the new year approaches and more area residents discover Buzz and
his entertainment enterprises.

Read more about Buzz and his
company, Assassin Entertainment, at <a href="https://www.assassinentertainment.com/">assassinentertainment.com.</a>

He can also be reached at (844) Go-4-Buzz.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671222317481.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostIt’s not uncommon for
entertainment industry professionals to work under a stage name. But one Ellis County-based comedian,
magician and DJ will soon take that common practice a bit further by legally
changing his name to highlight his chosen profession.Buzz The Entertainer knows some may giggle at the new name, but for him becoming Buzz has been a long time
coming and offers a unique opportunity to express his passion for his field.While the change has been a longtime goal, the process hasn't been without its difficulties.“The
first step that you have to do is obviously pick a name," Buzz said. "I would not recommend
it for anyone. It is not for the faint of heart."Born Bryan&nbsp;Jacob Snyder-Brown, Buzz said after settling
on a list of potential names, his next step was vital&nbsp;— getting his mother on board.<div><iframe title="Local entertainer generates ’buzz’ with name change" 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=fyspu-133e1da-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>“I've asked my mother for the last, I would say I think it's five or six years. I've asked her every year for Christmas,” Buzz said. “I wanted her permission to legally change my name because I told her that I would either wait until two weeks after she'd passed to get started or when I had her permission.”Among the list of names potential names, one stood out.“I sent
my mother the list of names, and she just ultimately decided Buzz The Entertainer
was probably the best one, and that was the most fitting,” Buzz said.The new
name, while reflecting his work as a multifaceted entertainer, also had roots
in his past.“I was
given the nickname Buzz back in high school from a teacher,” Buzz said.And so, the work began to make the name legal began.“I went
on to do some research and found out what all you have to do,” Buzz said. He then
proceeded with the steps to start the process, filling in the required
paperwork and paying to have a legal notice published and court costs.As a
part of the process, he said he also was required to inform everyone he does business
with.“And
this year, I finally had an attorney looking over with me and make sure that we
were good to go and have a court date now,” Buzz said.The
hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 28.After,
Buzz The Entertainer will be his new legal name, something he sees as an asset
to his entertainment career.As a longtime Ellis County resident, he said he had embraced various avenues of entertainment over the last five years of professional performances.“I do
comedy magic / hypnosis shows as a combination," Buzz said "I've also DJ'd a lot of weddings
out here."Recently, he has also started traveling to Kansas City for drag performances there.“I have a
couple of good friends out in Kansas City, who are big-name entertainers in the
LGBTQ market,” Buzz said. “So, it was pretty easy for me to call them. … And
I've met a lot of great people in Kansas City who have given me a lot of
advice on breaking into that market.”And
while he hopes the name change helps generate some new attention for his shows,
he also said he knows the value of hard work.“You
also have to do a lot of the backend work, which nobody ever likes to do,” Buzz
said. “Because the backend work of doing anything is never the fun stuff.”But that work had paid off, as he has become known locally for his various performances, he said.“I have
a friend of mine who called me 'Hays famous,' ” Buzz said. “If I ever go to a bar ... most people know me as the guy who does magic. So, I almost
always have a deck of cards on me.”When he
can, he engages with those local fans.“I'll
show you a magic trick because you don't get into magic because you enjoy being
a shy person,” Buzz said. He also
enjoys meeting area residents from all walks of life.“I got
to meet a lot of people doing magic that I otherwise wouldn't have met,” Buzz
said.He hoped the new name would continue that trend as the new year approaches and more area residents discover Buzz and
his entertainment enterprises.Read more about Buzz and his
company, Assassin Entertainment, at <a href="https://www.assassinentertainment.com/">assassinentertainment.com.</a>He can also be reached at (844) Go-4-Buzz.

🎙 Local entertainer generates 'Buzz' with name change

By JAMES BELL 
Hays Post

Ellis County residents are generally satisfied with the
quality of life in Ellis County across various indicators, according to a
recent survey commissioned by the Imagine Ellis County Committee.

The Docking Institute’s Center for Survey Research conducted
the survey from September 16 to October 27. 

“One of the things we felt
like we needed to do was kind of level set, do a survey as to where things
stand,” said Grow Hays executive director Doug Williams. “We were fortunate
enough to get a grant from the Schmidt Foundation to give us some money to
engage the Docking Institute to do a quality-of-life survey for us.”

Finding that baseline is essential
for the committee to address the desires and needs of Ellis County residents,
he said.

“This is a survey that the
Imagine Ellis County Committee, which is a committee that we started, which includes
a pretty large group of local citizens who got together and are trying to look
at what shortcomings we have in Ellis County and identify our strengths or
weaknesses and opportunities,” Williams said.

Overall satisfaction with the quality of life in Ellis
County is high, as well as high in six specific aspects of living in the county,
according to the report’s executive summary. 

“I think the number one thing
is that there's a very high satisfaction among people who live here,” Williams
said. 

The survey found that 90 percent of respondents are
satisfied or very satisfied with Ellis County as a place to live.

The report found dissatisfaction was also low on all six
items specific aspects questioned in the survey but noticeably higher in two
areas, recreation and citizen engagement.

As a place to enjoy diverse recreational opportunities, 27.1
percent reported being dissatisfied, according to the survey.

“If
there was dissatisfaction, it's with recreational things to do,” Williams said.
“We always hear that there's not enough for youth to do, and they'd like more
things in terms of recreation, hiking trails, and walking paths.”

As a place where citizens can be engaged in public
decision-making, 26.1 percent reported being overall dissatisfied.

Only 5.2 percent of respondents reported being very
dissatisfied.

Satisfaction
with Ellis County as a place to retire was generally rated high, with 15.3
percent overall reporting dissatisfaction.

“I think
it gives me a little bit of direction,” Williams said.

He
credits the dissatisfaction as a function of housing.

“You
know, we believe we have a lot of very positive things for retirees here with
the amazing health care and that type of thing,” Williams said. “But at the
base, the foundational thing is housing. And we've got to have more appropriate
housing for retirees. And that's one of the things we're working diligently on
to try and get more of.”

Dissatisfaction operating a
business in Ellis County ranked fourth in terms of discontent, with less than
10 percent overall reporting dissatisfaction.

The category was affected
significantly, however, as a majority of respondents, 51.2 percent, responded
they did not know the impact due to a lack of experience running a business.

As a place to work, 90.7 percent
of respondents reported being satisfied or “didn’t know. 

The lowest dissatisfaction found in the six areas was with
Ellis County as a place to raise a family, with less than four percent
reporting dissatisfaction overall.

Highest areas of desired improvement found in retail,
outdoor recreation 

In an open response category asking
for up to five enhancements, they would like to see in Ellis County, adding retail
stores was listed most, at 10.9 percent, and outdoor recreation was second, being
noted in 7.5 percent of responses. &nbsp;

Creating off-street walking and hiking trails had the greatest
amount of respondents list them as a priority, with 40.4 percent rating it as a
very high or high priority, according to the study. Further, about “35 percent
consider increasing indoor recreation options and creating off-street bicycle
trails at least a high priority. Enhancing playgrounds has 32.8 percent rating
it at least a high priority, but this item also has the largest single
percentage rating it a moderate priority.”

Williams said the desire for
additional outdoor recreational opportunities like walking paths was valuable
feedback and reinforced anecdotal evidence reported in the community.

“That
was a bit of a surprise,” he said. “But a good direction. “If that's important
to people, I'm glad we're working on plans to try and resolve some of those
things and add some things to the community in that area.”

Expanding
retail and restaurant options as a desire of Ellis County residents has been a long-time
effort, Williams said, but this survey supports that work.

“This
proves that people want more choices when it comes to retail, and they want
more choices when it comes to dining out and the type of food services that we
have here,” Williams said. “The good news is, there's a lot going on in the
restaurant world right now. Several new (restaurants) have either opened or
will be opening pretty soon, with a little more diversity and in the type of
food that they offer. And shopping, we've got some good prospects.”

“I think
over the next couple of years, we'll see some expansion in that area,” he
continued. “Maybe not to the point where people have everything they want, but
some additional options. And then you look downtown. There have been some new
stores opened downtown, and in the mall, so we're making some headway in all
those areas.”

The survey
found the top recreational priorities also included additional indoor recreation,
bike trails, and enhanced playgrounds among respondents' top priorities.

Overall, Williams said the survey
would shape the focus of development efforts in Ellis County.

“I think
it validates some of the activity we're working on all the time,” he said. “Whether
it be housing or retail recruitment, or restaurant recruitment, it's good to
have that validation that that is indeed what people want.”

“It
tells us on the recreational side that we maybe need to be focusing a little
bit more on – we talk about things like a trampoline park or go-kart place or
more things for kids to do,” he continued. “And I think we maybe need to heed
some of what it is saying.”

But even
as the direction of economic expansion efforts is better defined with the
survey, Williams said bringing the desired improvements to Ellis County is a
slow process.

“A lot
of it is just to stay the course in what we're doing and try and achieve some
results on the efforts that we're already putting forth out there in the market
and try and get some of these things brought to fruition,” he said. “Whether
it's housing development or commercial development, nothing happens very
quickly. It's a slow process. It's maddening how long it takes, but you've just
got to show up every day and try and keep working on it and, bit by bit, you
may have some successes and get to where you're trying to get to, which takes
more time than you would like.”

The full survey results are
expected to be released on the Grow Hays website,<a href="https://www.growhays.com/"> growhays.com, soon.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671413203614.jpg" alt="Image courtesy Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL 
Hays PostEllis County residents are generally satisfied with the
quality of life in Ellis County across various indicators, according to a
recent survey commissioned by the Imagine Ellis County Committee.The Docking Institute’s Center for Survey Research conducted
the survey from September 16 to October 27. “One of the things we felt
like we needed to do was kind of level set, do a survey as to where things
stand,” said Grow Hays executive director Doug Williams. “We were fortunate
enough to get a grant from the Schmidt Foundation to give us some money to
engage the Docking Institute to do a quality-of-life survey for us.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671413856257.png" alt="Survey results. Image courtesy Grow Hays." />
 <figcaption>Survey results. Image courtesy Grow Hays.</figcaption>
 </figure>Finding that baseline is essential
for the committee to address the desires and needs of Ellis County residents,
he said.“This is a survey that the
Imagine Ellis County Committee, which is a committee that we started, which includes
a pretty large group of local citizens who got together and are trying to look
at what shortcomings we have in Ellis County and identify our strengths or
weaknesses and opportunities,” Williams said.<div><iframe title="Survey finds high satisfaction with life in Ellis Co., highlights priorities" 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=8mmf3-133fd88-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>Overall satisfaction with the quality of life in Ellis
County is high, as well as high in six specific aspects of living in the county,
according to the report’s executive summary. “I think the number one thing
is that there's a very high satisfaction among people who live here,” Williams
said. The survey found that 90 percent of respondents are
satisfied or very satisfied with Ellis County as a place to live.The report found dissatisfaction was also low on all six
items specific aspects questioned in the survey but noticeably higher in two
areas, recreation and citizen engagement.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671413683492.png" alt="Survey results. Image courtesy Grow Hays." />
 <figcaption>Survey results. Image courtesy Grow Hays.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Recreation</h2>As a place to enjoy diverse recreational opportunities, 27.1
percent reported being dissatisfied, according to the survey.“If
there was dissatisfaction, it's with recreational things to do,” Williams said.
“We always hear that there's not enough for youth to do, and they'd like more
things in terms of recreation, hiking trails, and walking paths.”<h2>Citizen engagement</h2>As a place where citizens can be engaged in public
decision-making, 26.1 percent reported being overall dissatisfied.Only 5.2 percent of respondents reported being very
dissatisfied.<h2>Retirement</h2>Satisfaction
with Ellis County as a place to retire was generally rated high, with 15.3
percent overall reporting dissatisfaction.“I think
it gives me a little bit of direction,” Williams said.He
credits the dissatisfaction as a function of housing.“You
know, we believe we have a lot of very positive things for retirees here with
the amazing health care and that type of thing,” Williams said. “But at the
base, the foundational thing is housing. And we've got to have more appropriate
housing for retirees. And that's one of the things we're working diligently on
to try and get more of.”<h2>Business operations</h2>Dissatisfaction operating a
business in Ellis County ranked fourth in terms of discontent, with less than
10 percent overall reporting dissatisfaction.The category was affected
significantly, however, as a majority of respondents, 51.2 percent, responded
they did not know the impact due to a lack of experience running a business.<h2>Work </h2>As a place to work, 90.7 percent
of respondents reported being satisfied or “didn’t know. <h2>Family life</h2>The lowest dissatisfaction found in the six areas was with
Ellis County as a place to raise a family, with less than four percent
reporting dissatisfaction overall.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671414016559.png" alt="Survey results. Image courtesy Grow Hays." />
 <figcaption>Survey results. Image courtesy Grow Hays.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Highest areas of desired improvement found in retail,
outdoor recreation </h2>In an open response category asking
for up to five enhancements, they would like to see in Ellis County, adding retail
stores was listed most, at 10.9 percent, and outdoor recreation was second, being
noted in 7.5 percent of responses. &nbsp;Creating off-street walking and hiking trails had the greatest
amount of respondents list them as a priority, with 40.4 percent rating it as a
very high or high priority, according to the study. Further, about “35 percent
consider increasing indoor recreation options and creating off-street bicycle
trails at least a high priority. Enhancing playgrounds has 32.8 percent rating
it at least a high priority, but this item also has the largest single
percentage rating it a moderate priority.”Williams said the desire for
additional outdoor recreational opportunities like walking paths was valuable
feedback and reinforced anecdotal evidence reported in the community.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671414106483.png" alt="Survey results. Image courtesy Grow Hays." />
 <figcaption>Survey results. Image courtesy Grow Hays.</figcaption>
 </figure>“That
was a bit of a surprise,” he said. “But a good direction. “If that's important
to people, I'm glad we're working on plans to try and resolve some of those
things and add some things to the community in that area.”Expanding
retail and restaurant options as a desire of Ellis County residents has been a long-time
effort, Williams said, but this survey supports that work.“This
proves that people want more choices when it comes to retail, and they want
more choices when it comes to dining out and the type of food services that we
have here,” Williams said. “The good news is, there's a lot going on in the
restaurant world right now. Several new (restaurants) have either opened or
will be opening pretty soon, with a little more diversity and in the type of
food that they offer. And shopping, we've got some good prospects.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671414213999.png" alt="Survey results. Image courtesy Grow Hays." />
 <figcaption>Survey results. Image courtesy Grow Hays.</figcaption>
 </figure>“I think
over the next couple of years, we'll see some expansion in that area,” he
continued. “Maybe not to the point where people have everything they want, but
some additional options. And then you look downtown. There have been some new
stores opened downtown, and in the mall, so we're making some headway in all
those areas.”The survey
found the top recreational priorities also included additional indoor recreation,
bike trails, and enhanced playgrounds among respondents' top priorities.Overall, Williams said the survey
would shape the focus of development efforts in Ellis County.“I think
it validates some of the activity we're working on all the time,” he said. “Whether
it be housing or retail recruitment, or restaurant recruitment, it's good to
have that validation that that is indeed what people want.”“It
tells us on the recreational side that we maybe need to be focusing a little
bit more on – we talk about things like a trampoline park or go-kart place or
more things for kids to do,” he continued. “And I think we maybe need to heed
some of what it is saying.”But even
as the direction of economic expansion efforts is better defined with the
survey, Williams said bringing the desired improvements to Ellis County is a
slow process.“A lot
of it is just to stay the course in what we're doing and try and achieve some
results on the efforts that we're already putting forth out there in the market
and try and get some of these things brought to fruition,” he said. “Whether
it's housing development or commercial development, nothing happens very
quickly. It's a slow process. It's maddening how long it takes, but you've just
got to show up every day and try and keep working on it and, bit by bit, you
may have some successes and get to where you're trying to get to, which takes
more time than you would like.”The full survey results are
expected to be released on the Grow Hays website,<a href="https://www.growhays.com/"> growhays.com, soon.</a>

🎙 Survey finds high satisfaction with life in Ellis Co., highlights priorities

On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Virtual School director Oliva Rice shares details about the program.

<div><iframe title="Hays Virtual School celebrates graduates" 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=5t25g-133e00c-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>On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Virtual School director Oliva Rice shares details about the program.

Hays Virtual Schools celebrate graduates

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Cottonwood Extension District agent Monique Koerner introduces 4-H Youth Development agent Tamara Robertson.

<div><iframe title="Cottonwood Extension District hires new 4-H Youth Development agent" 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=ev3ug-133dfc6-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>On this episode of the Post Podcast, Cottonwood Extension District agent Monique Koerner introduces 4-H Youth Development agent Tamara Robertson.

🎙 Post Podcast: Cottonwood Extension District hires new 4-H Youth Development agent

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Hays Police Department Lt. Tim Greenwood shares ways to stay safe while shopping for gifts this holiday season.

<div><iframe title="Stay safe while holiday shopping with these tips from the Hays Police Department" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=5k6aa-133dfaa-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>On this episode of the Post Podcast, Hays Police Department Lt. Tim Greenwood shares ways to stay safe while shopping for gifts this holiday season.

🎙 Post Podcast: Stay safe while holiday shopping with these tips from the Hays Police Department

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with Kansas Governor Laura Kelly.

<div><iframe title="Forward Ever: Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly" 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=4pmny-133dea0-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>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with Kansas Governor Laura Kelly.

🎤 Forward Ever: Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Glen McNeil shares information about holiday snacking during our Nutrition, Health and Wellness report.

<div><iframe title="Holiday treats okay, when eaten in moderation" 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=nkwkg-133c0ce-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>On this episode of the Post Podcast, Glen McNeil shares information about holiday snacking during our Nutrition, Health and Wellness report.

🎙 Post Podcast: Holiday treats OK — in moderation

On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Public Library Communications Coordinator, Callie Kolacny shares information about upcoming library activities and events.

<div><iframe title="Hays Public Library wraps year with family friendly events" allowtransparency="true" height="600" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=un3kf-133965b-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=600" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Public Library Communications Coordinator, Callie Kolacny shares information about upcoming library activities and events.

🎙 Post Podcast: Hays Public Library wraps year with family friendly events

This weekend, Fort Hays State University is set to celebrate
the accomplishments of more than 1,100 fall graduates through in-person and online ceremonies
over two days.

“It's the culmination of a lot
of blood, sweat and tears and the joy you see on the faces of those folks as
they walk across the stage and shake President (Tisa) Mason's hand, and then they
embrace their families,” said Scott Cason, chief communications officer. “There's
nothing quite like it. It really reinforces the good work we do at Fort Hays
State University.”

At
9 a.m. Friday in Gross Memorial Coliseum, the ceremony for undergraduate,
master’s and Ed.S. candidates from the Robbins College of Business and
Entrepreneurship, the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, and the Werth
College of Science, Technology and Mathematics is set to take place.

At 11 a.m., graduates from the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
and College of Education undergraduate, master’s and Ed.S. candidates will
take the stage.

On
Saturday, the university is set to honor graduate students in a virtual
ceremony at 9 a.m. and undergraduates at 11 a.m.

“One of the things we learned really from the COVID experience was, we had to break our one major
ceremony into several smaller ones, just to make it, we thought safer and
things like that, so there was a model that really worked for us,” Cason said.
“And so we're going to do it again.”

This year’s fall commencement
marks only the second time FHSU has had a December graduation ceremony.

“We're doing it again, it was
so successful last year,” Cason said. “We break into several ceremonies that
are smaller, more intimate, and they're quicker. It's not quite the huge event
that it once was.”

“This enables us to pretty
much get folks in and out of a ceremony within an hour,” he said. “So,
it's been really well received. We're going to keep with that model again, here
in the fall, and then again in the spring.”

And adding the virtual event allows the thousands of
students that attend FHSU online to be celebrated as well.

“Adding virtual ceremonies, as
we've done recently, helps for those folks who can't make it,” Cason said. “But
there's always a great story about somebody. Often it's somebody who's a member
of the military service who finds a way to get back and participate in the
ceremonies. But we try to offer as many options as we can ... to
give everybody we can as much of a commencement celebration as we can.”

The graduation ceremonies
will be broadcast on FHSU’s Tiger Media Network, <a href="http://tmn.fhsu.edu/">tmn.fhsu.edu.</a>

“With the way we’ve broken up our ceremonies, it’s a lot easier to watch,” Cason said.
“You can go right to your ceremony and watch it right there, get in and out. It
really lends itself to folks who don't have all the time in the world to sit on
their YouTube channel.”

For those attending in person, he said it is easier than ever to find parking near the coliseum, but shuttles will again run from other campus parking areas.

“Faculty
and staff are encouraged to park on campus and make the trip to cross Big
Creek over to Gross Memorial from campus parking,” Cason said. “The biggest
challenge I think we have is that transition space between the ceremonies when
folks get out of the parking lot and open up the spaces for the next group
coming in. We really encourage folks not to linger too long.”

For
more information about the commencement ceremonies, visit <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/commencement/">fhsu.edu/commencement</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639768586894.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="FHSU to celebrate Fall graduates this weekend" allowtransparency="true" height="600" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=w9mkx-133966f-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=600" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By JAMES BELL Hays PostThis weekend, Fort Hays State University is set to celebrate
the accomplishments of more than 1,100 fall graduates through in-person and online ceremonies
over two days.“It's the culmination of a lot
of blood, sweat and tears and the joy you see on the faces of those folks as
they walk across the stage and shake President (Tisa) Mason's hand, and then they
embrace their families,” said Scott Cason, chief communications officer. “There's
nothing quite like it. It really reinforces the good work we do at Fort Hays
State University.”At
9 a.m. Friday in Gross Memorial Coliseum, the ceremony for undergraduate,
master’s and Ed.S. candidates from the Robbins College of Business and
Entrepreneurship, the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, and the Werth
College of Science, Technology and Mathematics is set to take place.At 11 a.m., graduates from the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
and College of Education undergraduate, master’s and Ed.S. candidates will
take the stage.On
Saturday, the university is set to honor graduate students in a virtual
ceremony at 9 a.m. and undergraduates at 11 a.m.“One of the things we learned really from the COVID experience was, we had to break our one major
ceremony into several smaller ones, just to make it, we thought safer and
things like that, so there was a model that really worked for us,” Cason said.
“And so we're going to do it again.”This year’s fall commencement
marks only the second time FHSU has had a December graduation ceremony.“We're doing it again, it was
so successful last year,” Cason said. “We break into several ceremonies that
are smaller, more intimate, and they're quicker. It's not quite the huge event
that it once was.”“This enables us to pretty
much get folks in and out of a ceremony within an hour,” he said. “So,
it's been really well received. We're going to keep with that model again, here
in the fall, and then again in the spring.”And adding the virtual event allows the thousands of
students that attend FHSU online to be celebrated as well.“Adding virtual ceremonies, as
we've done recently, helps for those folks who can't make it,” Cason said. “But
there's always a great story about somebody. Often it's somebody who's a member
of the military service who finds a way to get back and participate in the
ceremonies. But we try to offer as many options as we can ... to
give everybody we can as much of a commencement celebration as we can.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639774136591.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The graduation ceremonies
will be broadcast on FHSU’s Tiger Media Network, <a href="http://tmn.fhsu.edu/">tmn.fhsu.edu.</a>“With the way we’ve broken up our ceremonies, it’s a lot easier to watch,” Cason said.
“You can go right to your ceremony and watch it right there, get in and out. It
really lends itself to folks who don't have all the time in the world to sit on
their YouTube channel.”For those attending in person, he said it is easier than ever to find parking near the coliseum, but shuttles will again run from other campus parking areas.“Faculty
and staff are encouraged to park on campus and make the trip to cross Big
Creek over to Gross Memorial from campus parking,” Cason said. “The biggest
challenge I think we have is that transition space between the ceremonies when
folks get out of the parking lot and open up the spaces for the next group
coming in. We really encourage folks not to linger too long.”For
more information about the commencement ceremonies, visit <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/commencement/">fhsu.edu/commencement</a>. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575759417336.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎙 Fort Hays State to celebrate fall graduates this weekend

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger and vice president of membership Rhonda Meyerhoff share the importance of shopping local during the holiday season.

<div><iframe title="As area shoppers search for Christmas gifts Hays Chamber promotes shopping locally" allowtransparency="true" height="600" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=5yq34-133961c-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=600" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast, Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger and vice president of membership Rhonda Meyerhoff share the importance of shopping local during the holiday season.

🎙 Post Podcast: As area shoppers search for Christmas gifts Hays Chamber promotes shopping locally

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with Kidney donor and Hays Middle School assistant principal Shauna Zweifel.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oruRTdNgg2U" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with Kidney donor and Hays Middle School assistant principal Shauna Zweifel.

🎤 Forward Ever: Kidney donor, Hays assistant principal Shauna Zweifel

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with Teacher, coach and author Rick Keltner.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rr0JlNypUF0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with Teacher, coach and author Rick Keltner.

🎤 Forward Ever: Teacher, coach and author Rick Keltner

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University dean of the College of Education Paul Adams shares information about FHSU Christmas festivities.

<div><iframe title="FHSU Christmas traditions return for 2022" 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=ymjy8-1327d28-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>On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University dean of the College of Education Paul Adams shares information about FHSU Christmas festivities.

🎙 Post Podcast: FHSU Christmas traditions return for 2022

On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Chamber President and CEO Sarah Wasinger, and Kaley Conner, Manager, Outreach, Education and Marketing at High Plains Mental Health Center discuss mental health during the holiday season.

<div><iframe title="Help available for those dealing with the ’Holiday Blues’" 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=dpyuf-13268e6-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>On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Chamber President and CEO Sarah Wasinger, and Kaley Conner, Manager, Outreach, Education and Marketing at High Plains Mental Health Center discuss mental health during the holiday season.

🎙 Post Podcast: Help available for those dealing with the ’Holiday Blues’

By JAMES BELL 
Hays Post

As area families make plans for this holiday season, nonprofit
organizations look to gather funds that will be used for projects throughout
the following year during “the giving season.”

The end of the year has historically been when the overwhelming
majority of donations to nonprofits are received, with days like Giving
Tuesday, the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and National Philanthropy Day driving awareness.

“Eighty percent of charitable giving happens during the
months of November and December,” said Heartland Community Foundation Executive Director Sarah Meitner.

She said while many give as a part of their seasonal traditions,
there is a more practical measure for some.

“One, it's just the spirit of the holidays, and people are
feeling more generous,” Meitner said. “But from a practical sense to, of
course, there's maybe some tax liabilities that people are facing, and they
might want to lower that taxable income and make it a charitable gift. And
that's a great way to do it.”

This year looks to be no different, but as residents deal
with rising prices due to inflation and the continued economic uncertainty brought
by it, those organizations are hoping donors can continue giving at levels
similar to, or higher than in the past as those non-profits struggle to deal
with those same economic factors.

Meitner said while she understands the impact on personal budgets,
she hopes residents understand the importance to the community of those
donations and look to give what they can.

“I would still encourage you to do something,” Meitner said.
“Still model that for your kids. Still set that aside.”

Grow Hays Executive Director Doug Williams said it is also
important for the community to understand while large gifts may be more noteworthy,
small donations can have a significant impact as well.

“It's not about the celebration and the notoriety of giving
a large gift. It's about the actual giving and what that gift does,” Williams
said. “It's not that the large gifts are not great, and it does some amazing
things – I mean, we've got some amazing things at Hays Med, wings of the
hospital that wouldn't be there if it wasn't for people who really stepped up and
made those contributions – but most people can't do that. But people can
participate. And the level of participation is not as important as the actual
active participation and the giving of whatever they can.”

And for those new to donating to non-profit organizations, organizations
like the Heartland Community Foundation and Grow Hays can help.

“At Heartland, we have a number of different fund types, but
one we have a donor-advised fund, and this allows a donor to direct money for
charitable giving at the very end of the year when they might not quite know
where they want that money to go yet, but they can direct it designated as
charitable giving, take that deduction on their tax in their taxable income.
And then they can decide later where it goes,” Meitner said.

After the money is in the fund, she said she can help guide
the final decision on where those dollars would go. 

“They can have that discussion with myself or with one of our
board members and things about what projects in town they might want to steer
that money toward. We have great relationships with our non-profit directors in
town, and that then allows us to kind of know a little bit about what they have
going on. And so, when people might not know where they want their money to go,
we can be a resource. We can let them know about some of those projects.”

Williams said Grow Hays could also be a resource for making charitable
giving choices.

“We would be happy to talk to anybody regarding what we know
about these organizations,” Williams said. “We all have causes that are kind of
near and dear to us. It might be domestic violence, it might be children or
whatever the case might be. And so, a little bit of research can go a long way
on knowing which of those organizations might fit your personal mission as to
who you want to support.”

He said a popular choice in Ellis County is the United Way.
As an umbrella organization, they give to other area non-profit organizations.
As an organization with a large footprint, they can then combine those small
donations into powerful action.

“I think all of them will tell you that there's no gift
that's too small,” Williams said. “Obviously, they have budgets, and they have
dollars they need to raise, but steady contributions from a large group can be
very meaningful. … I think sometimes people say, ‘Well, I can only give X amount
of dollars.’ That's not the important thing, the important thing is the gesture
and the act of giving. And if we all do a little bit, it becomes a big deal.”

Last year, Heartland Community Foundation gave out about
$350,000 to other local nonprofits, Meitner said, but it is important to note that
money cannot be used for operating costs.

“So, our nonprofits depend on their holiday appeals,” she
said. “You might get the letters in the mail, their holiday appeal time to
really make up the difference for closing those gaps for their operating
budget. Looking ahead for the coming year, it's vital to their being able to
keep the lights on and the doors open to do the good work that they're doing.”

Alongside the philanthropic work of area non-profits, Williams
said there is an impact on the greater area economy.

“It's that buy local mentality, support local,” he said. “That's
what we want to do as much as possible, and for the most part, I think our
community is doing a great job of doing that. I think we have strong supporters
of many of these organizations. And fortunately, we have good people who will
step up.”

Those efforts then create a more inclusive and supportive
community.

“When you give locally, and to some of the organizations
we've been talking about, the vast majority end up going to where you would
hope they go as a donor, to helping people,” Williams said. “And that's what
really matters at the end of the day, helping people, helping victims of
domestic violence, helping people who are homeless, helping people who have
lost their job and they've been evicted from their apartment or about to get
evicted from their apartment. That's what matters in a community because you
don't want people to suffer needlessly if it can be avoided.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669498962377.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL 
Hays PostAs area families make plans for this holiday season, nonprofit
organizations look to gather funds that will be used for projects throughout
the following year during “the giving season.”The end of the year has historically been when the overwhelming
majority of donations to nonprofits are received, with days like Giving
Tuesday, the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and National Philanthropy Day driving awareness.“Eighty percent of charitable giving happens during the
months of November and December,” said Heartland Community Foundation Executive Director Sarah Meitner.<div><iframe title="As Giving Tuesday approaches area non-profits look to community for support" 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=tfrda-1323c34-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>She said while many give as a part of their seasonal traditions,
there is a more practical measure for some.“One, it's just the spirit of the holidays, and people are
feeling more generous,” Meitner said. “But from a practical sense to, of
course, there's maybe some tax liabilities that people are facing, and they
might want to lower that taxable income and make it a charitable gift. And
that's a great way to do it.”This year looks to be no different, but as residents deal
with rising prices due to inflation and the continued economic uncertainty brought
by it, those organizations are hoping donors can continue giving at levels
similar to, or higher than in the past as those non-profits struggle to deal
with those same economic factors.Meitner said while she understands the impact on personal budgets,
she hopes residents understand the importance to the community of those
donations and look to give what they can.“I would still encourage you to do something,” Meitner said.
“Still model that for your kids. Still set that aside.”Grow Hays Executive Director Doug Williams said it is also
important for the community to understand while large gifts may be more noteworthy,
small donations can have a significant impact as well.“It's not about the celebration and the notoriety of giving
a large gift. It's about the actual giving and what that gift does,” Williams
said. “It's not that the large gifts are not great, and it does some amazing
things – I mean, we've got some amazing things at Hays Med, wings of the
hospital that wouldn't be there if it wasn't for people who really stepped up and
made those contributions – but most people can't do that. But people can
participate. And the level of participation is not as important as the actual
active participation and the giving of whatever they can.”And for those new to donating to non-profit organizations, organizations
like the Heartland Community Foundation and Grow Hays can help.“At Heartland, we have a number of different fund types, but
one we have a donor-advised fund, and this allows a donor to direct money for
charitable giving at the very end of the year when they might not quite know
where they want that money to go yet, but they can direct it designated as
charitable giving, take that deduction on their tax in their taxable income.
And then they can decide later where it goes,” Meitner said.After the money is in the fund, she said she can help guide
the final decision on where those dollars would go. “They can have that discussion with myself or with one of our
board members and things about what projects in town they might want to steer
that money toward. We have great relationships with our non-profit directors in
town, and that then allows us to kind of know a little bit about what they have
going on. And so, when people might not know where they want their money to go,
we can be a resource. We can let them know about some of those projects.”Williams said Grow Hays could also be a resource for making charitable
giving choices.“We would be happy to talk to anybody regarding what we know
about these organizations,” Williams said. “We all have causes that are kind of
near and dear to us. It might be domestic violence, it might be children or
whatever the case might be. And so, a little bit of research can go a long way
on knowing which of those organizations might fit your personal mission as to
who you want to support.”He said a popular choice in Ellis County is the United Way.
As an umbrella organization, they give to other area non-profit organizations.
As an organization with a large footprint, they can then combine those small
donations into powerful action.“I think all of them will tell you that there's no gift
that's too small,” Williams said. “Obviously, they have budgets, and they have
dollars they need to raise, but steady contributions from a large group can be
very meaningful. … I think sometimes people say, ‘Well, I can only give X amount
of dollars.’ That's not the important thing, the important thing is the gesture
and the act of giving. And if we all do a little bit, it becomes a big deal.”Last year, Heartland Community Foundation gave out about
$350,000 to other local nonprofits, Meitner said, but it is important to note that
money cannot be used for operating costs.“So, our nonprofits depend on their holiday appeals,” she
said. “You might get the letters in the mail, their holiday appeal time to
really make up the difference for closing those gaps for their operating
budget. Looking ahead for the coming year, it's vital to their being able to
keep the lights on and the doors open to do the good work that they're doing.”Alongside the philanthropic work of area non-profits, Williams
said there is an impact on the greater area economy.“It's that buy local mentality, support local,” he said. “That's
what we want to do as much as possible, and for the most part, I think our
community is doing a great job of doing that. I think we have strong supporters
of many of these organizations. And fortunately, we have good people who will
step up.”Those efforts then create a more inclusive and supportive
community.“When you give locally, and to some of the organizations
we've been talking about, the vast majority end up going to where you would
hope they go as a donor, to helping people,” Williams said. “And that's what
really matters at the end of the day, helping people, helping victims of
domestic violence, helping people who are homeless, helping people who have
lost their job and they've been evicted from their apartment or about to get
evicted from their apartment. That's what matters in a community because you
don't want people to suffer needlessly if it can be avoided.”Cover image courtesy Pixabay.

🎙 Giving Tuesday: Nonprofits look to community for support

The turkey has been carved, and soon Christmas trees will be lit and holiday
festivities will pepper calendars. 

Among those favorite annual traditions in Hays is the Hays Arts Council’s Winter Art Walk, which will once
again provide area residents to enjoy local artists at locations inside shops
and restaurants across downtown Hays and beyond.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 3. The day
follows the format developed during the pandemic to allow attendees to explore
the installations along with downtown shops and restaurants while avoiding the
crowds that form during the Friday night schedule, a hallmark of other arts
walks throughout the year.

“We
moved them to the Saturday to dilute the audience a little bit, let people feel
very comfortable being out,” said Hays Arts Council Executive Director Brenda
Meder. “But then you realize that it's such a great time to be downtown. You
know that our downtown's beautiful. We have incredible retail places and other
merchants and spaces that look festive. 

"And it's just a lovely experience — great restaurants and coffee houses and the whole nine yards.”

She said
the daylong event, while more work for the arts council, is a boon for the
city.

“I know
it's a good thing for our community. People can come downtown and spend more
time, look at whatever art you want, and then go have coffee, then go to this
place that's not even on the art walk. But they're open because it's Saturday,
and you'll shop there,” Meder said. “And then maybe go back and look at
something else, or head down to the college and catch that exhibit before it
closes it too.”

It's a great way to settle into the community and enjoy arts and
culture, retail and business establishments while not feeling rushed to see all
the art walk locations, she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623877479116.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostThe turkey has been carved, and soon Christmas trees will be lit and holiday
festivities will pepper calendars. Among those favorite annual traditions in Hays is the Hays Arts Council’s Winter Art Walk, which will once
again provide area residents to enjoy local artists at locations inside shops
and restaurants across downtown Hays and beyond.The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 3. The day
follows the format developed during the pandemic to allow attendees to explore
the installations along with downtown shops and restaurants while avoiding the
crowds that form during the Friday night schedule, a hallmark of other arts
walks throughout the year.“We
moved them to the Saturday to dilute the audience a little bit, let people feel
very comfortable being out,” said Hays Arts Council Executive Director Brenda
Meder. “But then you realize that it's such a great time to be downtown. You
know that our downtown's beautiful. We have incredible retail places and other
merchants and spaces that look festive. "And it's just a lovely experience — great restaurants and coffee houses and the whole nine yards.”<div><iframe title="Hays Arts Council readies for 2022 Winter Art Walk" 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=69c54-13208ba-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>She said
the daylong event, while more work for the arts council, is a boon for the
city.“I know
it's a good thing for our community. People can come downtown and spend more
time, look at whatever art you want, and then go have coffee, then go to this
place that's not even on the art walk. But they're open because it's Saturday,
and you'll shop there,” Meder said. “And then maybe go back and look at
something else, or head down to the college and catch that exhibit before it
closes it too.”It's a great way to settle into the community and enjoy arts and
culture, retail and business establishments while not feeling rushed to see all
the art walk locations, she said.“Chestnut Street Kitchens
is on the Winter Art Walk. Again, I'm so excited that they were back on that. They're a fabulous place to go during the holidays. And they are going to be
hosting some middle school art from here in our community.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638486703873.jpeg" alt="2021 Five State Photography entries.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>2021 Five State Photography entries.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The Five
State Photography competition will again anchor this year’s Winter Artwalk,
marking its 39th year.“One of
the big key features is the anchor and is the reason that we get a lot of out-of-town
visitors that day,” Meder said. “That's why it's cool to have our downtown to
celebrate not just for our own community but for these guests that come in. And
I want them to take advantage of that.”This year, the popular multistate competition received 549 entries. Only 150
made it to the exhibition.April
Watson, photography curator at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, was selected as
the judge for this year’s exhibition. With so
much work coming in, Meder said that many otherwise deserving entries would not
make the show.“This
year's competition is so steep, there's going to be a lot of truly not just
good work, but really brilliant work that just won't make it into the show,”
Meder said. “It's one person's opinion. We hire a qualified judge of integrity
and reputation. … And so, I know we're going to get a wonderful show. But I
also know that a lot of brilliant work will never see the light of day.”The
sting of rejection might remain for those not selected, but she said the high
level of competition would create an exceptional show for visitors as they
explore the locations and partake in other Hays amenities.“There's
just going to be a lot of fun options, but the heart and soul of that day will
be the Winter Artwalk anchored by that big Five State Photography,” Meder said.
“So we really do want to get people to get that on your calendar. It's going to
be a wonderful day.”