Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Salina Chamber Annual Banquet Speaker


Chamber Annual Banquet Featured Speaker


John Stossel, Emmy Award-Winning Journalist; Host and Commentator, Fox Business Network; former ABC News Correspondent & Co-Anchor of 20/20; and New York Times bestselling author,  will be the featured speaker at the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet and Membership Meeting, Thursday, February 4, 2016.  (Biography attached)  The banquet will be held in the Arena of the Salina Bicentennial Center beginning at 6:30pm.   A membership networking reception will be held from 5-6pm in Heritage Hall of the Bicentennial Center.  

“We are very excited to have secured John Stossel as the featured speaker for our Annual Banquet,” stated Frank Hampton, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chamber.  “He has a great message regarding the pitfalls of overregulation, and how more freedom can spur innovation---and raise the bar for safety.  We are looking forward to an enlightening and entertaining evening.”

The banquet will be held on the floor of the arena (tables of eight which includes dinner). Tickets for Chamber members are $50 per person for the banquet.  Tickets for non-members are $75 per person for the banquet.  Reservations can be made by Chamber members now through November 30 by calling the Chamber office ticket hotline at 1-785-827-9310, ext. 123, stopping by the Chamber office, 120 W. Ash, or email Sandy Cole at scole@salinakansas.org.  Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning December 1.  Tickets will be reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

A limited number of sponsorships are available.  For details regarding the cost and amenities of the sponsorships, persons can contact the Chamber office. 

The evening will consist of remarks by outgoing Chairman Frank Hampton and incoming Chairman John Gunn, a review of the Chamber’s accomplishments in 2015, and the address by John Stossel.

For more information on the banquet and John Stossel, people can go to the Chamber’s website at www.salinakansas.org.
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Convention and Visitors Director Abilene Kansas

Convention and Visitors Director

Abilene Kansas

 The City of Abilene, Kansas, the proud hometown of President Eisenhower, is seeking dedicated and energetic individuals with knowledge and skills in marketing and tourism who are interest in serving as the Convention and Visitors Bureau Director.

Abilene has a very strong tourism presence with several key attractions such as the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home, the National Greyhound Museum and Hall of Fame, Old Abilene Town, the Abilene Smoky Valley Railroad, and the Dickinson County Heritage Center. Abilene is also the historic terminus of the Chisholm Trail, which is expected to be designated by the National Park Service as a National Historic Trail in the near future.

With over 180,000 annual visitors to the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home, Abilene wants to create a modern tourism renaissance and bring the Eisenhower and Chisholm Trail legacy to tourists throughout the world. The Convention and Visitors Bureau Director will play a critical role in developing and implementing a community marketing plan that successfully draws visitors to Abilene.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau Director reports directly to the City Manager and will be responsible for overseeing a results-oriented, customer-centered approach to tourism-related services. The Director manages the operation of the Civic Center with an annual operating budget of about $370,000. Forward-thinking, a willingness to innovate, and an entrepreneurial philosophy will be paramount for the Director to have success in meeting the community’s tourism needs. The Director will be expected to have a presence in the community, and will be asked to conduct “sales calls” in the community to build rapport and to accomplish goals. Public relations will be a critical skill for this position.

Ideal candidates should have experience in marketing, social media management, customer service, and should be attuned to working with various community stakeholders to develop solutions and approaches for marketing the community and its many attractions. Graphic design, advertising development, website development, and video editing skills are highly desired.

Individuals interested in serving the City of Abilene as the Convention and Visitors Bureau Director should have a Bachelor’s degree in public relations, marketing, business administration, or other related field of study. A minimum of five years of tourism-related experience is preferred. Starting salary is negotiable, based qualifications; the salary range for the position is between $58,094 and $78,624. In addition to salary, the City of Abilene offers a competitive benefits package.

The position will remain open until filled, although the City Manager desires to fill the position by January 1, 2016, or as soon thereafter as possible. Interested persons may apply online at www.hrepartners.com. Questions may be directed to David Dillner at (785) 263-2550.


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Sunday, October 11, 2015

"America Invades" at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum

Author to Discuss "America Invades"

Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum


Bring your lunch and listen to a discussion with author Christopher Kelly at noon on October 16. The brown bag discussion will examine how America has invaded or been militarily involved with nearly every country on the earth. The program will be held in the Visitors Center Auditorium of the Eisenhower Presidential Library.

Kelly is the former Chairman of Chyron Corporation and a retired television executive. He is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley. Kelly has had a lifelong passion for military history. America Invades is his first book.

Following his talk, Kelly will answer questions and sign copies of his book which will be available for purchase in the Presidential Gift Shop.

The Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, a nonpartisan federal institution, is part of the Presidential Libraries network operated by the National Archives and Records Administration. Presidential Libraries promote understanding of the presidency and the American experience. We preserve and provide access to historical materials, support research, and create interactive programs and exhibits that educate and inspire. 

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On Golden Pond - November at Great Plains Theatre

ON GOLDEN POND

written by  Ernest Thompson


Every summer, retired couple Norman and Ethel Thayer visit their cabin in Maine. This particular summer may be their last at their beloved getaway. When their estranged daughter Chelsea shows up for a visit, old wounds are opened while others begin to heal. This heartwarming comedy is full of laughter and tears, a celebration of family and the ties that bind.

"ON GOLDEN POND is a work of rare simplicity and beauty" - NY Daily News

"What courage it must have taken for Mr. Thompson in the 1970s to write a play with so much affection in it!" -The New Yorker.
     
 "...a rare and memorable theatrical experience..." -Variety.

November 13-22

Great Plains Theatre
401 Cottage Street
P.O. Box 476
Abilene, Kansas 67410
(785) 263-4574
www.greatplainstheare.com

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A Traditional Farm Life - Banana Streusel Muffins


A Traditional Farm Life

By Shasta Hamilton

Photo by William Snyder
Greetings from Enterprise, dear friends!   You might find this a little hard to believe, but our boys can turn vegetables into draft horses!

That’s right. A summer of selling vegetables at local farmer’s markets, coupled with lawn mowing and odd jobs around town, have helped our boys secure the chance at buying a team of draft horses.

On Monday our boys, chauffeured by Gary Crump and accompanied by their father, made the long trek to the Amish community near Parsons, Kansas to buy a team of Hofflinger draft horses.  They returned home with “Tom” and “Jerry,” 17 and 13 years of age, respectively. 

At 14 hands high and about a thousand pounds each, these dark sorrel draft horses with flaxen manes have captivated our hearts and fueled our dreams for the future.

Yesterday the boys hitched them up to the people hauler for their “maiden voyage.”   They were headed to the restaurant where Michael was, so their first trip off the farm was to be done completely on their own. 

It turned out they did just fine.  While it didn’t exactly “go off without a hitch,” I was very proud of them for working through the few minor setbacks they had without any adult help.  (They must have been paying attention at the draft horse workshops they’ve attended in recent months.)

Personally, I barely know a bit from a bridle, so it was pretty amazing to watch these young men harness and hitch up their new team.  They left the yard with a flourish, trace chains jangling and the steady clip-clop of horses’ hooves on pavement ringing clearly through the still morning air. 

I stood near the road, silently watching them climb the hill and finally turn the corner, a few mother’s tears slipping from wet eyes . . . My once little boys are quickly becoming men.

With manhood comes responsibility, and it is our prayer as parents that our boys’ taking of responsibility will grow in correspondence with their age. It has always been our philosophy to seek to raise them as future men, even though we like to call them our “boys.”

We had a very pleasant surprise yesterday in the form of two cases of overripe bananas from Zey’s Market in Abilene.  They were quite literally delivered to our doorstep.  We were tickled they thought of us.

Two cases of bananas mean A LOT of banana bread.  They were delivered shortly before we opened for the Wednesday evening meal, so we offered banana-bread-ready bananas to all our customers free for the taking.  Thankfully, we were able to share the blessing and still put most of a case into the deep freeze for future use.

The future ended up being today.  We whipped up a batch of Banana Streusel Muffins by simply putting our favorite banana bread recipe in muffin liners topped with streusel and baking for a shorter period of time. 

So when life gives you overripe bananas, go ahead and make banana bread!
Photo by William Snyder

Banana Streusel Muffins

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 very ripe bananas, crushed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

Streusel Topping
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
3.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well.  Stir in crushed bananas and vanilla extract.
4.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add to banana mixture and stir only until combined.
5.  Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full (1/3 cup batter per muffin). 
6.  For streusel, combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl; cut in butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle evenly over muffins.
7.  Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake.  Cool in pan 5 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.
Yield:  12 muffins.

Copyright © 2015 by Shasta Hamilton

Shasta is a fifth generation rural Kansan now residing in Enterprise, Kansas.  She and her husband own and operate The Buggy Stop Home-Style Kitchen with their six home-schooled children.  You can reach The Buggy Stop by calling (785) 200-6385 or visit them on the web at www.thebuggystoprestaurant.com. 

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LEARN HOW TO WRITE and PUBLISH YOUR OWN eBook


LEARN HOW TO WRITE and PUBLISH YOUR OWN eBook


Published author A.C. Wilson will guide you through the process of getting your work out of your head and into the world.  Some of the things she will cover are writing tips, sharpening your skill, preparing yourself for criticism, seeking out a community of writers and bloggers, publishing eBooks and paperbacks, and marketing your book via the internet. 

This 3 night program is being offered through the
Arts Council of Dickinson County.
Call 263-1884 to sign up or email director@artscouncildc.org
Abilene Public Library on the 2nd floor, 209 NW 4th St.
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Cost is $35.00 for members/$40.00 for nonmembers.
October 15th, 22nd, and 29th (Thursday Evenings).

A Nebraska native, A.C. Wilson now lives in historic Abilene, Kansas with her husband and two boys. Always an avid reader, A.C. first fell in love with historical romances both Regency and Western. The world was a wide open place where adventures could happen even between the pages of a book. Deciding to give the characters in her head some room to breathe, A.C. started typing and hasn't looked back. 

The Black Hills books are contemporary western romances set in the iconic beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota. The Johnson family holds true to their values of love, duty, family, and loyalty.
 

Watch for a new series coming in 2016.

Please feel free to connect with her on social media.
www.facebook.com/acwilson2013
www.facebook.com/blackhillsseries
www.twitter.com/acwilson_author
http://awilsoncornell.wix.com/acwilson *Monthly newsletter signup*
http://www.amazon.com/author/acwilson


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Aaron Davis Presented by Salina Area Chamber of Commerce

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2015 SHRMANAR

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