Valentine’s Day on a Budget

Valentine’s Day on a Budget

by Cecilia Harris 

Celebrating Valentine’s Day means spending a bundle of money on flowers, chocolates and fine dining, right? Not necessarily. Lovers desiring to be more frugal can still celebrate romance without breaking the budget. These suggestions of free activities in the surrounding area put the focus of your date on your relationship by helping you connect with your sweetheart for only the cost of the gas to get there. And with lower gas prices, perhaps you can afford to purchase a souvenir to remind your loved one of your special Valentine’s Day adventure. Just remember to check for hours of operation before starting your trip.

Bundle up and play in the park.

Take advantage of all Brown’s Park south of Abilene has to offer. Enjoy nature as you walk hand in hand towards the splashing sound of the waterfall, then meander to the iron bridge to linger on its wood-planked floor. Those of you who like a little competition can enjoy a spirited Frisbee Golf match, with the loser owing the winner a massage once you return home. More ambitious? Bring your bike for a ride through the park or hike the Nature Trail. (785.263.2351)

Brown's Park Nature Trail - photo by Cecilia Harris

Brown's Park Waterfall - photo by Cecilia Harris

In Salina, snuggle together in the gazebo while viewing the wildlife on the pond at Jerry Ivey Park, sled in Indian Rock Park or pitch horseshoes in Sunset Park with the winner cooking that night’s dinner. (http://www.salina-ks.gov; 785.826.7275)

Jerry Ivey Park Salina, Kansas

Spend the day taking cell phone selfies in front of all the monuments in Junction City’s parks including the one of Spanish explorer Francisco Vazquez de Coronado in Coronado Park, the Kansas Vietnam Memorial and the Civil War Memorial arch in Heritage Park, and the Buffalo Soldier Memorial. Frame the photos to remember your day. (www.junctioncity-ks.gov/; 785.238.3103)

Vietnam Memorial

Buffalo Soldier Memorial

Civil War Memorial arch in Heritage Park

Share childhood memories and family stories while visiting a museum.

Learn about the only United States President from Kansas at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, Abilene. Watch a short film about Eisenhower in the Visitors Center, view his final resting place in the Place of Meditation, enjoy a World War II exhibit in the Library, and stroll the grounds. (http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/; 785-263-6700 or 877 RING IKE)

Step inside a full-size dugout and run your fingers through buffalo fur at Salina’s Smoky Hill Museum that explores the area’s history (www.smokyhillmuseum.org; 785.309.5776) or discover the agricultural and cultural antiques of the Great Plains, from old tractors to a one-room schoolhouse, at the Central Kansas Flywheels Yesteryear Museum, Salina. (http://yesteryearmuseum.org/; 785.825.8473)

Gain knowledge on the colorful history of the American mounted horse soldier by visiting the Calvary Museum at Fort Riley (http://www.junctioncity.org; 785.239.2737) or view a farm kitchen, train depot ticket office, and Victorian parlor among the exhibits at the Geary County Historical Society and Museum, Junction City. (www.gchsweb.org;785.238.1666).

Hit the trail together.

Snowmobile, walk, jog, bike, or ride your horse along the River Walk Trail in Junction City. The 4.8 mile trail winds along the Republican River from the Milford Lake outlet tubes, links to the Lake’s new equestrian trails, and ends at the Washington Street entrance to Fort Riley.  (http://www.junctioncity-ks.gov/; 785.238.3103).

Jump in the car and trek the Eisenhower Quilt Trail in Abilene or drive out into the country along the Dickinson County route to see the painted quilt blocks of all sizes installed on various structures. (http://www.abilenecityhall.com/index.aspx?NID=304; 785.263.2231)

Follow the Salina Hike and Bike Trail Map along wide concrete paths through the city from residential areas to business corridors or trek the ag-lime and flat trail that follows the flood control levees and connects to several parks, some of which have nature trails you can explore. (http://www.salina-ks.gov/).

Indulge in a special interest.

Get creative making a Valentine’s Day card for your sweetheart at The ARTery, a free, interactive arts lab where you can experiment with art materials and techniques at the Salina Art Center, recognized for its innovative exhibitions featuring local, regional and national artists. Some of the art making exercises relate to the current exhibition you won’t want to miss viewing. (salinaartcenter.org; 785.827.1431)

Birdwatchers can meander through the wildlife habitat at the Junction City Wetlands and then dance on the dock as the sun goes down or linger in the gazebo. The .7 mile walking trail includes an observation area and a pier extending over the water. (www.junctioncity-ks.gov/; 785.238.3103). Or, bring your binoculars to look for the eagles and other wildlife at Milford Lake (kdwpt.state.ks.us/; 785.238.3014).

Love dogs? Pet the greyhound greeters at the Greyhound Hall of Fame, Abilene. Then watch a film about greyhounds, view greyhound art, and tour the exhibit galleries (admission by donation) to learn more about these speedy canines. (greyhoundhalloffame.com; 800.932.7881 or 785.263.3000)

Have your own favorite low cost Valentine’s Day adventure? Share it with us by commenting below

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MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN ABILENE RECOGNIZED FOR PATIENT SAFETY

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL RECOGNIZED FOR PATIENT SAFETY 

 

ABILENE- Memorial Hospital has been recognized by the Kansas Hospital Association and the Healthcare Collaborative for its participation in a three-year national Partnership for Patients initiative known as the Hospital Engagement Network.

Memorial Hospital and 99 other hospitals collectively prevented an estimated 3,800 safety events. The Department of Health and Human Services reported that the national efforts to improve patient safety resulted in an estimated 1.3 million fewer patient safety events, 50,000 lives saved, and $12 billion in health spending avoided.

“Memorial Hospital’s health care team is devoted to safe, high quality care delivery,” said Brenda Moffitt, Memorial Health System Chief Nursing Officer. “We are proud of the collaboration with our peers across the state, our patients, and the impact our work has made to improve patient safety. We appreciate the physicians, nurses, and other key staff who contributed to this successful initiative.” Moffitt said.

Memorial Hospital has been a consistent leader in focusing on safety across the board with strong engagement in the patient safety focus areas since the beginning of the project. Some major accomplishments to demonstrate this engagement are:

There have been no catheter-associated urinary tract infections since December 2013.

There have been zero surgical site infections since January 2013.

Since April 2013, there have been no early elective deliveries. The OB area has adopted tools that have created reliable and efficient processes for ensuring scheduled OB procedures are medically appropriate.

Memorial Hospital prevented more than 80 readmissions. At an average cost of $8,808 per readmission, estimated health care cost savings exceeded $704,000.

For more information about Memorial Hospital and patient safety initiatives, please contact Moffitt at 785-263-6612.

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Be Our Guest ...The Hair Loft

Be Our Guest

The Hair Loft & Tina Marie Lanoue

Photo by Amber Hoskins

By Karilea Rilling Jungel

Success often begins with family, and good work ethics are gleaned from the fabric of that family. Mix family and business with foresight, vision, colors and styles, dedication to education, verve for life, and you have

The Hair Loft

Located at 1330 West Crawford Street, Salina, Kansas, Lioba and Jimmy Boykin started a business in 1940, originally known as Boykin Style Shop. In 1975, Tina’s mother and father, Shirley and Kenny Jorgensen, acquired the business in 1975, renaming it The Hair Loft. Shirley came in with a partner and services provided at the time were cutting and styling hair. “There was a lot of backcombing at the time. I wish I had kept all of her books and photos of schedules and styles to show how crazy it could be. They relied on 15 minute time slots though some appointments would extend to 30 minutes.” Later on there were days that Tina would see 17 people in one day.

During those first years Shirley’s service was to maintain the styles for the women who wore their hair the same way week after week. She was one of the best stylists and color formalists, updating her techniques frequently and utilizing her artistic skills. Shirley expanded her business in the mid 1980’s to include manicures and pedicures with the coming of Tammy Taylor acrylic nail products. The ‘salon and spa’ portion of the business was introduced when Shirley and Tina made a remodel in 1998.

Pedicure Area - Photo by KRJ

Tina Reminisces

Tina Lanoue - Photo by KRJ

As family owned businesses were often operated by parents and their children, at the age of 12 Tina worked alongside Shirley and the stylists, sweeping floors and organizing supplies. There was no opting out; her parents’ rules were law.  Tina felt at times that she wasn’t being given time to associate with her friends, but in the end her mother knew best. Now and then a friend would be hired to work alongside, and “Oh, the things we had to do sometimes, I tell you! We cleaned up, organized, reorganized, and we did it very well. We had the best time; people would say ‘oh, I wish I could take you home with me’ because we’d be rearranging things and making it look nicer. I cannot remember not having a good time when I worked alongside my friend.”

Products and Gifts - Photo by KRJ

Shirley often reminded Tina as she got older that Tina would “talk to people as I worked, about maybe getting their ears pierced, and how they would need to do it.” It was apparent to Tina how the clients back then felt about her mother, Shirley, and why she felt as if everyone who came to the shop loved her as well. Shirley didn’t treat Tina as a silver-spoon child, rather as a respected employee, as she did for all who worked with her. It was a little confusing at times, this division of status from daughter to employee, but as Tina grew up, she came to recognize the value of the lessons her mother taught her.

Tina later attended college and took general courses, and not knowing what she really wanted to head for, thought Physical Therapy would be a good occupation, though she didn’t know what it entailed but “it sounded good.” It was not too much later when she had a feeling about her future and questioned herself – why wasn’t she doing something she loved, and knew she was good at? “I literally woke up the next morning and called my mother immediately, and we went from there.”

Ahh…hands on head…Magic! - Photo by KRJ

“Shirley was a little apprehensive for me when I started beauty school. At that time, turnaround was 15 minutes, allowing for long hours. It was controlled chaos. But the direction in which Shirley was taking the salon, and the involvement of new techniques and ideas, which she had done from day one, was now moving forward on a faster pace. People were coming in more often as styles changed.

“The love of people is not taught – that stems from one’s character. When one has an overall education of how people like to be cared for, it becomes natural to do it for everyone you meet.

One of the things dad always said was ‘you can’t have a crutch, so don’t open up a newspaper and determine what your business is going to do and how you’re going to run it.’ The challenges were in getting our systems intact and how they could work seamlessly. Sometimes this industry is not as structured as it should be. You had to show up to work on time. You couldn’t miss days. You had to continue education. At first to get people to realize this is what we had to do to grow in order to change. We also had to alter our presentation."

When asked if she was a replica of her mother, or a good clone, Tina insists “I’m a good combination of the both of them, adapting their business sense, people sense and overall values and combining the old school/new school philosophies. Young people come in, bring a new vision, which we combine with our foundation and knowledge.

Tina’s Turn

“I couldn’t have had better coaches.” Tina refers to her mother’s business acumen as well as Shirley’s ability to never fall short on any aspect of her business and clientele. Tina came into the business in 1993 and worked alongside Shirley until 2003. “I started backing out from behind the chair and took time to work for my stylists to create more opportunities and better lives for them. This hadn’t been an option earlier.” By 2007 she purchased the business. Shirley’s legacy and spirit remains within the four walls and throughout the community. One of the “Shirley-isms” that remains is the gift bags made up for purchases – with their trademark long and curly ribbons. Tina, however, stays innovative in other ways, as in the form of current and up-to-date changes when it comes to their gift certificates. “We are not so set that we can’t make changes, because we want to make sure our guests are getting the level of satisfaction that they require; not because it is a 20-year old tradition.”

Every day is important to Tina. “Hair Loft was my mother’s name for the business. We later added ‘Salon and Spa.’ My journey is always evolving. Stagnation drives us, as a team, nuts. We can’t stand still. We are very active and doing something different in our positions at all times. We are stylists first – but we assist one another if time and opportunity permits.”

During the first years she attributes the ability to recover her sanity following work to her amazing husband. “There was a time when the children were young that I could come home, sometimes as late at 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. and sometimes later, and immediately take a bath – wash the entire day off of me. I was fortunate - my husband had dinner ready for me, and our two eldest children were taken care of, fed, bathed, put to bed. Nine hours later, I was out the door again.”

When Rudy Giuliani came to Salina Chamber of Commerce to speak, Tina recalls his comment that “‘…at that time we weren’t prepared for 9/11. But everything we practiced prior to that time, we pulled together.’” Tina explained, “That’s what we do here. One instance in 2010 was when our computer crashed and we lost everything. With immediate action we all inherently pulled together, calling people, explaining the situation. We didn’t lose any spots – or customers. We lost our color formulas, most everything else. But the full team strived and worked as one cohesive unit. We never missed a beat. We know not to panic. Since then we’ve formed groups that know to take specific measures in case of emergencies. We have an education committee to grow our associates program, and become better educators.”

Makeup Products - Photos by KRJ

Be Our Guest

Choose your flash! - Photos by KRJ

 “We want to keep some of the traditions of the past. We always know what our foundation is, but our primary concern is that the guest comes first, then the stylists, then the salon. When all three ‘win’, then we know that we’ve made another good decision.” Other little things, like specializing colored towels to either male or female, are thoughtful touches that Tina utilizes. “Because,” Tina adds, “the salon is not for women only.” Men and families come in frequently. “That transformation has been wonderful! Men have been integrated into the salon as far back as the middle ‘70’s, when they had their own area within the salon. Styles have evolved for men as well, including lightly covering those gray areas. Men like to have their eyebrows shaped, and at times, hair removal as well.”

As to competition between other salons, “there is none, per se,” Tina states. “There are enough guests, via a survey, as outlying townsfolk come in to Salina for their needs.” Tina senses that every salon is hitting their marks. “People don’t have time to run from one place to another; they need a one stop station for their personal needs.” In this light, Tina’s stylists also offer makeup tips and engage the guest into learning more about what is best for their face shape, skin tones, in helping to fit their life style and profession. In other words, “we’re giving our guests a ‘complete image’”. “When a husband wants to buy his wife a gift, he knows where to come for products or spa appointments.”

A guests’ first experience with the Hair Loft is quite similar to that of “coming home.” The terms “clients” or “customers” no longer applies in Tina’s studio. Everyone is a guest, and a very welcomed one at that.

Top Row: Becky Howey, [upper] Taylor Gallagher, Tina Lanoue [Owner], Michelle Green, 

Donna Polich, Jennifer Middleton, Madie Worthey, Blair Choitz.   

Bottom Row: Morgan Belt, Michelle Snell, Kelly Heller, Anna McKenna, Lana Carmona, Sara Baird, Amber Hoskins 

© 2015 Hair Loft Salon & Spa - Photo taken by Susan Haynes (guest of the salon)

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Poetry Out Loud

Poetry Out Loud [Its Beginnings – With No End in Sight] 

By Karilea Rilling Jungel

It is not recent, this practice of reciting poetry. We learn it from our parents’ knees; from our first years in school reciting the National Anthem. But how old is poetry, really? If you have a young person in your home, share this little fact with them: Poetry is as old as – gasp – the very first Olympics! There was a day in ancient Greece that poetry and sport went hand in hand at athletic festivals and sportsmanship. Poets sang the praises of the champions, and oftentimes poets competed in their own official events.

“The ancient Greeks very much sought perfection in the body and the intellect – they saw it totally connected.” – Tony Perrottet (2004)

However, poetry’s connection with the Olympic games waned after 1948. Then around some twenty years ago the (age-old) question was going around (again) “Is poetry dead?”

The answer to that question is a resounding “No!” And…writing poetry is not just for girls, either. Boys, whether they admit it or not, enjoy reading and writing poetry. This, I know. I’ve been the recipient of poetry from my grandchildren.

­­Poetry Out Loud

People like Garrison Keillor, [Prairie Home Companion; author of  “Lake Woebegone” and other books] promotes “The Writer’s Almanac” and shares a special poem every day in addition to writing historical insights on people, places and things, and has done so for several years now. Poetry Out Loud has been in existence for only ten years, a national program that is open to high school students, and initiated by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. As a scholarship program, it encourages young people to learn great poetry through memorization and recitation – embodying the poetry and bringing it once again to life, as the authors had once imagined it might do one day.

There is a specific rubric used by the judges that incorporate six levels from Weak to Outstanding in performance, with emphasis on physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, level of (the poem’s) complexity, evidence of understanding, and overall performance. These ratings, taken in conjunction with the ratings performed by an accuracy judge combine to give a balanced score and oftentimes, the scores are very close.

Salina South High School 

Three students from Salina South High School competed against one another on January 8. They were Alexcis Barnes, a junior, reciting “A Poison Tree” by William Blake and “Mourning Poem for the Queen of Sunday” by Robert Hayden. Nathan Endreshek, a junior, recited “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley and “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Sophomore Shantell Mogollon’s first recitation was Lord Byron’s epic poem “She Walks in Beauty,” and followed it up with “Grief” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Shantell Mogollon is proceeding to Regionals.

Salina South High Students, Salina

Center top: Alexcis Barnes, Jr.

Bottom L-R: Shantelle Mogolloon, Soph., Nathan Endreschek, Jr.

(Photo by K.R. Jungel)

Alexcis Barnes indicated that “I just liked the style of poetry; it was darker and more complex. I’ve been writing poetry since my freshman year. Mrs. (Jody) Eves (Debate/Forensics) suggested that I might want to compete in this since I’m in Debate and Forensics.”

Nathan Endreshek chose his pieces for good reason. “In my AP World History class, I was introduced to this historical period in time, and “Ozymandias” had a lot of meaning to it; even though I am not into free verse. I have also been in some theatrical productions since my freshman year.”

Shantelle Mogolloon explained that her choices were by accident. “I stumbled on these pieces in English class and really liked the comparisons. But ‘Grief’ took on a very personal and dark meaning to me.”

Salina Central High School

Two polished students from Salina Central High School competed just days before the Regional competition. Hannah Janzen chose “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth and “Their Bodies” by David Wagoner. Chally Miller picked “Echo” by Christina Georgina Rossetti and “Enough” by Suzanne Buffam. Hannah Janzen is proceeding on to Regionals.

 

Chally Miller, Sophomore, wants to major in Psychiatry, and took time to share with me that she is “In theater and forensics and saw this opportunity as good for me in forensics. To practice, I use my mirror and repeat my poems over and over – especially practicing my enunciation. The moral of my choices deal with feminism and how it is seen in society.”

Salina Central High Students

L-R

Hannah Janzen, Soph., Chally Miller, Soph.

(Photo by K.R. Jungel)

Hannah Janzen, Sophomore, looks forward to being a biochemist major, and began studying forensics just this year. “I love poetry and speaking; public speaking is always important in the world and one can appreciate the beauty of language in their world. It allows me to express myself more eloquently.”

Solomon High School

Four students from Solomon High School took part on December 8, 2014, in their first ever competition for Poetry Out Loud. Kristen Tetters read “All Hallows’ Eve” by Dorothea Tanning; Katie Daily recited “Dirge in Woods” by George Meredith; Alexia Maddy’s choice was “Catch a Little Rhyme: by Eve Marriam and Shaelynn Cross recited “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus.

Solomon High School Students

L-R Kristen Teeters, Soph., Katie Daily, Fr.,

Alexia Maddy, Fr., & Shaelynn Cross, Fr.

(Photo by Mrs. Olga Silverman)

Shaelynn Cross won the right to represent Solomon High School at Regionals. The poems she will deliver on Sunday, February 18, will be “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, and “The Film” by Kate Northrop.

Shaelynn Cross, Fr., Solomon High School

Shaelynn told me that she “likes memorizing and recitation” and that she had not been introduced to poetry until her freshman year. “I plan on either studying for nursing or teaching, maybe government, because I spent time as a page at the Capitol.”

December through February …

Between December and February for the past ten years, high school classes around the nation have embraced this form of teaching speech, memorization and recitation; first by competition at the high school level and then again at Regionals, all in the hope of a potential scholarship, and sometimes there is a more personal reason.

By March 1, 2015 in Salina Kansas, seven regions will have one student from each region poised for the State competition which will be held at 2:00 p.m. at the Salina Community Theater within the Sunflower Financial Theater.

Judges for the Kansas State Competition include: Wyatt Townley, current Kansas Poet Laureate; Andy Anderson, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Johnson County Community College; Suzanne E. Myers-Ortel, Kansas State Dept. of Education Literary Consultant; and Ruth Moritz, KSU-Salina, Salina Public Library Spring Poetry Series Director.

In the last nine years, the State competition has been held in Lawrence, Kansas. This is the first (and hopefully not last) year that the State finals will be held in Salina. There is no charge to attend. Please be part of the audience!

… Lead to April

Along comes spring and April, known as Poetry month, when the 10^th Annual Poetry Out Loud National Finals will take place on the 28^th and 29^th of 2015, at the Lisner Auditorium, George Washington University in Washington, DC. The winner of the state contest will represent Kansas at the national competition to be held in Washington, D.C., arriving in D.C. on the 27^th.  In addition to receiving an all-expense-paid trip (with an adult chaperone) the winner receives $200. The state winner’s school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. One runner-up in each state will receive $100; his or her school will receive $200 for the purchase of poetry books.

A total of $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be given at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals, including a $20,000 award for the National Champion.

If you, as a parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent or guardian haven’t been aware of this outlet for your child, please call your school. Students, if you wish to participate, show this to your teacher. Grandparents, if you, as the wise one in your family know of a child, any child, who might benefit from such an experience, well you already know what to do. The gift of poetry and memorization is ours to pass on to others. So do it, pass it on…it’s just that easy. That’s how stories, and poetry, will stay in our and your children’s lives.

Links to view for videos and further information include the following:

http://www.poetryoutloud.org/poems-and-performance/watch-video

https://www.youtube.com/user/poetryoutloudvideos

http://www.poetryoutloud.org/teaching-resources/teacher-preparation

Kansas Regions include:

Region 1 Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Douglas, Jackson, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Lyon, Marshall, Nemaha, Osage, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee, Wabaunsee.

Region 2  Chase, Clay, Cloud, Dickinson, Ellsworth, Geary, Jewell, Lincoln, Marion, McPherson, Mitchell, Morris, Ottawa, Republic, Saline, Washington.

Region 3 Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, Rawlins, Rooks, Russell, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Thomas, Trego, Wallace

Region 4 Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Elk, Franklin, Greenwood, Labette, Linn, Miami, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson, Woodson

Region 5  Barber, Barton, Butler, Comanche, Cowley, Edwards, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Kiowa, Pawnee, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Rush, Sedgwick, Stafford, Sumner

Region 6 Clark, Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearny, Lane, Meade, Morton, Ness, Scott, Seward, Stanton, Stevens, Wichita

Region 7 Johnson, Wyandotte

 

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"History Is Made By People...An Exhibit To Honor Them All"

 

Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home Builds An Exhibit To Honors The People Who Made History

Photo courtesy of Eisenhower Presidential Museum

by

 Cecilia Harris

One man sweeps up sawdust as three fellow workers finish screwing together the wooden framework for a case that will display the identification card and lapel pin belonging to German youngsters in their early teens who were members of Adolph Hitler’s Youth organization defending Berlin at the end of World War II. Another display case being built at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home in Abilene will tell the story of a brave United States sergeant who single-handedly held a strategic post, keeping it from falling into the hands of an advancing German army during the Battle of the Bulge.

The museum’s new exhibit now under construction will open on Jan. 24, the 70^th anniversary of the end of the Battle of the Bulge, which is one of three topics featured in the display. On that Saturday, the Kansas Chapter of Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge will hold its annual gathering at the Eisenhower Museum, making the exhibit’s opening an extra-special – and personal – event.

“History is made up of people,” says William Snyder, supervisory museum curator at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home. ““We’re telling the personal side of things in our exhibits, both from our side and the other side. When we can tell the history on a personal level is when it will grab people’s attention and they will think about it and get insight into human nature.”

Just like the machinists who built the rifles and tanks men used on the front lines, Snyder and fellow staff members, Matthew Thompson, registrar, Troy Elkins, museum technician, and Jeff Nelson, intern museum technician, work behind the scenes creating the majority of the exhibits at the Eisenhower complex.  An exhibit takes years of strategic planning, from its first stage as a simple idea to research and development, the acquisition of artifacts, and the final construction of the display visitors see in the gallery.

Photo courtesy of Eisenhower Presidential Museum

The new exhibit, which also focuses on the Berlin Strategic Offensive (Battle of Berlin) and the two major island invasions of Okinawa and Iwo Jima in the Pacific, supplements the temporary exhibits World War II Remembered: Leaders, Battle & Heroes in the museum and Be Ye Men of Valour: Allies of World War II in the library that will continue to be displayed through December of 2016.

“We refer to those as our anchor exhibits, trying to tell the broader, overall story of World War II,” Snyder says. “What we’ve been using this gallery for is supplements that target specific 70^th anniversaries of the war - the major battles and major events within the war.“

 Exhibits typically are planned five years in advance, ensuring important upcoming anniversaries are celebrated. Also discussed during the planning stages are other topics that “have a story to be told” and are relevant to Eisenhower which, of course, is the museum’s mission, Snyder says. The museum was dedicated in 1954 as a memorial to all members of the Armed Services per Eisenhower’s request.

The most important aspect of the job, Snyder adds, is to honor the veterans and tell their stories, whether they were soldiers on the front lines or the people working back home in the industrial effort of fighting the global conflict.

Creating exhibits from beginning to end is quite an undertaking for the smallest staff in the Presidential Library system. The expertise of each member is relied upon to achieve a common goal. Behind doors marked “Staff Only,” the four historians discuss a concept that develops into the displays seen today in the museum. Research of the topic and the development of a script is the first step.

“Basically, each one of them (Thompson, Elkins and Nelson) has taken a section of this exhibit and done the research and writing for it, and then we go through an editing process,” Snyder says. “They have done a phenomenal amount of work. Fortunately, they are all military historians, which is fantastic; they have found some great stories and wonderful photographs that will be included in the exhibit.”

Once a script is developed, the search begins for eye-catching artifacts to tell the story of, in this case, the major battles that are the focus of the exhibit.

“We are, of course, using our own collections,” Snyder says. “We do have an extensive World War II collection, we’re not just about the presidency. And we are literally borrowing artifacts from all over the world, from other museums and private collectors. It’s really fantastic that we get to bring these things here for people to see and help tell the story of World War II.”

Each acquisition requires paperwork regarding such important issues as the Eisenhower Museum’s security and environment, specific shipping requirements, and insurance.

“All those things are done behind the scenes six months to a year in advance,” Snyder says, adding it is well worth the effort. “It’s important to use our own collections, but it’s also important to bring in artifacts from elsewhere so return visitors can see something new.”

Snyder, who also has a background in architecture and graphic design, then develops a floor plan and designs the exhibit so that it ties visually and thematically with other exhibits in the museum. He also does graphic design and production of the informative panels that tell the stories.

The exhibits are layered to please all types of visitors, which Snyder says museum curators call “streakers, strollers and scholars” who spend anywhere from an hour to a whole day at the museum. Streakers move quickly through the museum, typically only reading the subject titles, artifact labels, and photo captions that grab their attention. Strollers take more time, reading the written text and other information they find interesting to learn something new.  Scholars spend the most time, gaining as much knowledge as possible by reading in-depth, detailed information.

Construction begins just a couple of weeks prior to the exhibit opening, with consideration given to the environment.

“We try to be as green as possible for our temporary exhibits, so we reuse as much as we possibly can,” Snyder says. “All of the studs are screwed together so we can unscrew it when it comes down, we can completely reconfigure the space and then screw it all back together to match the new design.”

Photo courtesy of Eisenhower Presidential Museum

Everything is created internally, which is no small job. In the past three-and-a-half years, more than 10,000 square feet of display space has been designed - the two anchor exhibits total almost 6,000 square feet and the temporary exhibit space occupying 2,500 square feet will change four times over that time period, according to Snyder.

“We even do things like large graphics that we design and create here in-house,” he says. “Since they are two-sided, we can always flip it over and use the other side of the board. It’s green and it is cost effective.”

Cost is an important issue, as all funds used to build exhibits come from private donations.

“A point I want to stress is we do not receive any federal funding to do exhibits and programs; no tax dollars are spent on creating these exhibits,” Snyder says. “All Presidential Libraries have their own private 501(c)(3) non-profit foundations. We have the Eisenhower Foundation here that is responsible for raising the money for us to be able to run over to, for instance, Webb Lumber to buy a few more 2x4s or RHV for a gallon of paint.”

The Eisenhower Presidential Library Museum and Boyhood Home is located at 200 Southeast Fourth Street in Abilene. For more information, visit http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/, email Eisenhower.library@nara.gov or phone 877 RING IKE (877.746.4453)  or 785.263.6700.

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