July 2013

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Jul 2, 2013 ... Many thanks to her for that service. WPAA NEWSLETTER. WPAA TENTATIVE 2013-14 SCHEDULE ... We used to ride Honda Goldwing motor-.
Western Plains Arts Association - bringing fine music to

WPAA NEWSLETTER Officers elected at annual meeting were Lynn Tacha, President; Sandy Wilks, Presidentelect and Marilyn Meier, Secretary. David Leopold continues as Treasurer. Leona Dickman retired as Secretary after serving five years in that office. Many thanks to her for that service.

2013-14 Season PROGRAM HIGHLIGHS September 15, Pan Jumbies September 29, Goldwing Express October 12, K State Singers October 14-15, Wichita Children’s Theatre October 20, Karen Knotts November 3, Swedish Dancers November 17, Craig Karges December 8, Mac Frampton January 21; Church Basement Ladies February 2, Bertolin and the Stanleytones February 16, Pippa White March 1, Sons of the Pioneers March 23, California Dreaming April 6, Balyeats April 27, Eddy and Robert Hiebert WPAA WEBSITE The WPAA website is an excellent source of information for anyone interested in what’s happening in the Association. The season schedule is posted. Links to scheduled shows are included so that you can acquaint yourself with the performers and their programs. You can see who supports WPAA programing and in some cases you can access their websites, a good tool for business support. You can purchase season tickets or become a supporting member online with payment using PayPal or credit card. We urge the audience to evaluate our shows. Go to the website and click on the “How was the show?” tab and give your evaluation. Your board regularly reviews shows at scheduled board meetings and appreciate public input. http://www.wpaa.us

Northwest Kansas

“A KALEIDOSCOPE OF THE ARTS” Volume 19, Issue 2

July, 2013

WPAA TENTATIVE 2013-14 SCHEDULE

The forty fourth season of Western Plains Arts Association programing begins Sunday September 15, 3:00 p.m. CDT with the sounds of the Caribbean, Pan Jumbies, a steel drum band, presenting a variety of selection. They will perform at the Colby High School Auditorium. Sunday, September 29 at 3:00 p.m., Goldwing Express will present an exciting show of bluegrass/gospel/ and country music at the Goodland H.S. Auditorium. Saturday, October 12 at 7:30 p.m., The K State Singers, will perform at the Hoxie High School Auditorium. October 14 & 15 Wichita Children’s Theatre will perform Goldilocks in the Quinter, Golden Plains, Goodland, Colby, Winona, and Sharon Springs schools. Sunday, October 20, 3:00 p.m., Karen Knotts of the famous Don Knotts’ family will present an entertaining show called All Tied Up in Knotts. The show will be at the Oakley H.S. Auditorium. Sunday, November 3, 3:00 p.m., Dancers from Lindsborg will present a show of traditional Swedish dances at the Quinter High School Auditorium. Sunday, November 17, 3:00 p.m. Experience the extraordinary with global phenomenon, Craig Karges, master of illusion at the C.C.C. Cultural Arts Center Sunday, December 8, 3:00 p.m., Famous pianist Mac Frampton will entertain us with a Christmas show at the Cultural Arts Center, Colby Community College. Tuesday, January 21, 7:30 p.m. Church Basement Ladies in A Mighty Fortress Is Our Basement will present the newest installment in the popular comedy series. The performance will be at the Oakley H.S. Auditorium. Sunday, February 2, 3:00 p.m (2:00 p.m. MST). James Bertolin and the Stanleytones will perform a variety of musical selections at the Sharon Springs H.S. Auditorium. Sunday, February 16, 3:00 p.m., Pippa White will present a history based program called The Story of the Orphan Train at the Atwood High School Auditorium. A school presentation 44th SEASON continued on page 2

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will be given at the Rawlins County Schools the following day. Saturday, March 1, 7:30 p.m. From Branson, the famous Sons of the Pioneers will delight us with a variety of their country and western music classics. The performance takes place at the Oakley H.S. Auditorium. Sunday, March 23, 3:00 p.m. Hyperion Productions will present California Dreaming, a sun-kissed song and dance tribute to the pop music of the ‘60s. The performance is at the Cultural Arts Center, C.C.C. Sunday, April 6, 3:00 p.m., With their warm, versatile style of family fun, the Balyeats will share country, gospel, western and bluegrass music at the Oakley H.S. Auditorium.

land High School Auditorium. Goldwing Express is made up of three Native American brothers and their father. A segment of their performance is dedicated to their Indian Heritage. Each brother wears his very own Native American headdress which represents the Creek Indian Tribe from which their Mother came. This family music show comes from Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Now the family resides in Branson, Missouri producing their own music show along with many appearances throughout the United States and into Canada. Their mother was a full blood Native American Creek Indian from Oklahoma. Along with

Sunday, April 27, 3:00 p.m., Eddy and Robert Hiebert, will perform a variety of selections with their hammered dulcimers at the St. Francis H.S. Auditorium. This is a tentative schedule and all programs are subject to change. Please check the program booklet which will be printed later this summer for more definite information on performances. You may also check the WPAA website for last minute information. http://www.wpaa.us FORTY FOURTH SEASON OPENS SEPT 15 For the season opener, get your Caribbean groove on with Pan Jumbies. Led by acclaimed steel pan artist Don Prorak, Pan Jumbies mixes calypso, soca, reggae, ska, jazz, and more, into a vivid world-beat mosaic. The shimmering brilliance of the steel pans, the warm wooden tones of the marimba, and enigmatic vocals dance on the waves of the dynamic, funky rhythm section. Whether you come to listen, to dance, or just for the Caribbean vibe, Pan Jumbies delivers fun and musical artistry for audiences of all ages. The show begins at 3:00 p.m. at the Colby High School Auditorium. The second show of the fall season will be Sunday September 29, 3:00 p.m. CDT, 2:00 p.m. MDT, at the Good-

their father Bob Baldridge, they both decided to buy instruments for the boys. Twenty five years later, they are headlining most Bluegrass Festivals and various styles of concerts around the United States. The name Goldwing Express came from their mother. We used to ride Honda Goldwing motorcycles in the late 80’s. That’s when Mom decided to name us the “Goldwing Express”.

KANSAS HUMANITIES COUNCIL NEWS The Kansas Humanities Council is the new home for the Poet Laureate of Kansas program. Lon Frahm, KHC board member from Colby and a Friend of the Humanities since 1986, has made a lead gift of $10,000 to get the program started. Quoting Frahm, “The Poet Laureate of Kansas program will benefit the entire cultural life of Kansas and as a sixth generation Kansan, I think that’s important.” Wyatt Townley of Shawnee Mission has been named the 2013-2015 Poet Laureate of Kansas. NEWS continued on page 3

PAST WPAA PRESIDENT HONORED

NEWS

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Joan Wellman – the Constant Professional

Mrs. Wellman, a St Francis resident grew up in Overland Park and graduated from Bethany College in 1949 with a bachelor’s degree in music. One day, while scanning a bulletin board, she saw a notice that a piano teacher was relocating and leaving a large number of piano students without a teacher. The notice said that the need for a teacher was in St. Francis. Her roommate had taken a position in Bird City so that was an incentive for her to move. She said she had realized just how far St. Francis was from Overland Park. Joan decided to take on the challenge and moved to St. Francis where she took over the students of Gene Foss. After a year in St Francis, she grew homesick and decided to go back to Overland Park. However, by that time she had met her future husband, who talked her into coming back. Something Joan always wanted to do was to earn a master’s degree. She began taking classes at Fort Hays State University and, in 1981, she received her master’s degree in music theory. Besides the many piano students she had through the years, she also played the organ for the St Francis United Methodist Church for approximately 62 years. Her talent was shared on Sunday mornings for church services and at so many funerals and weddings that are simply too many to count. Recently Joan told Althea Lebow, one of the St Francis WPAA board members, that she always enjoyed playing and teaching music and it was never work to her. She said it with a genuine smile on her face. It is funny how we take things and people for granted over the years, but when the time comes for them to step down or retire do we truly realize how good they are? Joan was a “Constant Professional”, because she played the organ for the community so well, so long and unassuming and her gift to all was her music. The void left with her retirement will never be filled, only appreciated. So from everyone who had the privilege to hear and know Joan, when you see her the next, time please tell her--THANK YOU!!!! (written by Althea R Lebow - parts of this article were adapted from an article written for the St. Francis Herald by Karen Krien) Joan served as WPAA president in 1992-93 and having served more than ten years was named an honorary board member when she retired from that position in 1995.

She is a fourth-generation Kansan. Her work has been featured on National Public Radio’s THE WRITER’S ALMANAC with Garrison Keillor and in US Poet Laureate Emeritus Ted Kooser’s AMERICAN LIFE IN POETRY column. She has published three collections of poetry: THE BREATHING FIELD, PERFECTLY NORMAL and the AFTERLIVES OF TREES, a Kansas Notable Book and winner of the Nelson Poetry Book Award. “The notion of ‘home’ is a long-held Kansas value, and I’d like to start a conversation around the state about coming home to poetry,” said Townley. “Poetry is a place we can return to in all kinds of weather, with its innate power to heal and comfort, transform and inspire. Its porch light is always on.” In her role as Poet Laureate of Kansas, Townley will promote the humanities as a public resource for all Kansans through public readings, presentations and discussions about poetry in communities across the state.

NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT In the last two newsletters, Eric and Roxie Yonkey listed 76 playlists that they have grouped to embellish their activities, moods and interests. Are there any types of music they DON’T listen to? I think it would be fun to tune in to their conversations about these selections. They encourage us to let our lists “evolve over time to keep them interesting.” Isn’t it great that we have so many choices? The new 2013-2014 WPAA season has at least 17 different artistic styles, and they come to us LIVE!! From sounds of the Caribbean to jazz, bluegrass, gospel, classical, pop, country and western music to programs of illusion, theatre, dance, comedy and story-telling there should be something for everyone. I hope you can join us.

Lynn Tacha

WPAA BOARD MEMBERS Cheyenne County St Francis; Helene Landenberger, *Althea Lebow, Marsha Magley Decatur County Jennings; Lynn Tacha Oberlin; Susan Nelson Gove County Grainfield, *Alma Golden, Denise Packard Grinnell, *Leona Dickman Quinter, Denise and Randy Wittman Logan County Oakley, Evelyn Engel, Connie Singer, Shane Stephenson, *Marguerite Walz Winona, *Jean Lowe, Rawlins County Atwood, Millie Fisher, Carole Luedders, Charles Peckham Sheridan County Hoxie, Bette James *Doreen Kennedy, David Leopold, CPA, treasurer, Marilyn Meier Sherman County Goodland, Curtis Duncan *Eric and Roxie Yonkey Thomas County Colby, Joan Albers, Kenneth Gatlin, Terrel Harrison, Kevin Juene mann, Amie Kendrick, Kathy Sherlock, Sandy Wilks. C C C, Pat Ziegelmeier, Executive Director Rexford, Janell Antholz

Wallace County Sharon Springs, William and *Wilma Mai Wallace, Cecil & Jayne Humphrey Pearce Weskan, Vernon and Mary Beth Akers * denotes community contact person WEBSITES OF INTEREST http://kansasarts.org/ Kansas Citizens for the Arts www.maaa.org/ Mid America Arts Alliance www.kansasartsfoundation.com/ Kansas Arts Foundation www.hppr.org High Plains Public Radio www.colbycc.edu/ Colby Community College The WPAA Newsletter is Published 3 times yearly by Western Plains Arts Association for its members and friends. We welcome your comments and suggestions. Send to WPAA Newsletter, 2160 Field Rd, Sharon Springs, KS 67758 or [email protected] Staff: Bill and Wilma Mai…………....………………..…….…Editors Bill Mai…………………………...…………..………...Publisher Amie Kendrick......................................Media Correspondent Pat Ziegelmeier…………………..…..…….Executive Director Kevin Juenemann……………………………….….Webmaster Web address…….................http://www.wpaa.us

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Colby Community College Western Plains Arts Association 1255 SOUTH RANGE

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID COLBY, KANSAS PERMIT NO. 136