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Mark Breault, Tailwind Pole Vault Club

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University

Stand out above the crowd – in fact, 14 feet above the crowd. What makes this possible? Pole vaulting. Today we will learn about an innovative rural Kansan who is coaching and mentoring young people in pole vaulting and in life.

Mark Breault
Mark Breault

Doctor Mark Breault (pronounced “bro”) is the founder and operator of Tailwind Pole Vault Club. Mark grew up at Concordia, attended Cloud County Community College and then chiropractic college in Iowa before returning to open a chiropractic practice in his hometown. As a doctor of chiropractic, he became known locally as Doc Bro. He retired in 2014.

“I had pole vaulted in high school,” Doc said. “When my son got into school, there was no coach for that event. My old coach was still the head track coach there, so I volunteered to coach the pole vaulters.” Continue reading “Mark Breault, Tailwind Pole Vault Club” →

Inga Ojala, artist

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University

It was the opening scene of the TV show “Gunsmoke.” Marshal Dillon stepped into Hollywood’s version of Dodge City’s Front Street for a quick-draw showdown with an unnamed gunman. That unnamed gunman was in fact a technical advisor for many major western stars. His daughter, an accomplished artist, would eventually find her way to the real Dodge City in Kansas.

Inga Ojala
Inga Ojala

Inga Ojala is an accomplished artist and art teacher. She is the daughter of Arvo Ojala, the gunman from the opening scene of “Gunsmoke.” Arvo Ojala’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from Finland and settled on a ranch in Washington state. It was rugged country.  Arvo said he learned to shoot by shooting the heads off rattlesnakes. That would certainly provide an incentive to shoot quickly and accurately!

By the early 1950s, Arvo was working as a Hollywood stuntman. He observed the cowboy movie stars and designed a special type of holster which enabled them to draw their guns more quickly. Arvo practiced his skills to the point that he could draw in one-sixth of a second. Continue reading “Inga Ojala, artist” →

Cassidy Cage, Halle Schindler – C&H Designs

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University

“Home is where the Herd is.” Wait, that’s supposed to say, “Home is where the ‘Heart’ is,” right? For two creative young women who grew up working in agriculture, both of those statements could apply. These women have used their creative talents to develop a business which is marketing products across Kansas and beyond.

From left, Halle Schindler and Cassidy Cage
From left, Halle Schindler and Cassidy Cage

Cassidy Cage and Halle Schindler are founders and business partners in the company named C&H Designs, after their first initials. Both are students at Kansas State University.

Cassidy Cage grew up at Muleshoe, Texas, and came to K-State where she is a student in Animal Sciences with a communications and marketing emphasis. She also joined the Sigma Kappa sorority.

Halle Schindler is studying agribusiness at K-State and joined the Sigma Kappa sorority at K-State as well. In fact, the two were paired together when Halle became Cassidy’s little sister within the sorority. The two became great friends and eventually roommates. Both of their families are involved in producing cattle. Continue reading “Cassidy Cage, Halle Schindler – C&H Designs” →

Eve Albert, Schoen’s Bridal World

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

The wedding gown is gorgeous, white and flowing. Brides will go a long way to find a dress like this one. In this case, the wedding dress came a long way too. This wedding dress is from halfway around the globe, and it is only available in one place in the United States: A bridal shop in the middle of rural Kansas.

Schoen’s Bridal World
Schoen’s Bridal World

Last week we learned about a flower business in Downs. Today we’ll learn of another remarkable business in this community.

Eve Albert is the owner of Schoen’s Bridal World in Downs. Eve is short for Evgeniya.  She is originally from Russia. Eve grew up with an interest in clothing and fashion. She studied clothing design at two colleges in Russia. There she learned about sewing, custom work, and business management. Then she met a Kansan and in 2000, came to America. He was originally from Beloit and was living in Lucas at the time.

In 2009, Eve learned that Schoen’s Bridal World in nearby Downs was up for sale. This business had been founded in 1972. It had been serving brides for more than 30 years. Continue reading “Eve Albert, Schoen’s Bridal World” →

Glennys Doane, Prairie Field Flowers

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

Let’s sign up for a subscription – not just for your local newspaper, or for Netflix, or for groceries, but for flowers. Today we’ll meet an entrepreneurial Kansan who is growing beautiful flowers and then distributing them by subscription.

Glennys Doane
Glennys Doane

Glennys Doane is the founder of this innovative business known as Prairie Field Flowers. Glennys and her husband Gary live west of Downs. Gary farms and Glennys is a longtime volunteer in local schools.

Glennys’ mother came from the rural community of Alden, population 148 people. Now, that’s rural. Glennys attended Sterling College and then got a master’s at Kansas State University, where she met Gary.

“My mom always had flowers,” Glennys said. “Gary’s mom always had flowers.” For years, the Doanes sold their own sweet corn direct to consumers from the farmstead west of Downs, so they were used to retail customers. “We enjoy working with the public,” Glennys said. Continue reading “Glennys Doane, Prairie Field Flowers” →

Sandy Kruse, Gypsum Pie Festival and Car Show

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

Tasty pies and classic cars. That sounds like a recipe for a fun weekend. Today, we’ll learn about a rural community which combines those things for a big community festival every year.

Sandy Kruse is the mayor of Gypsum, Kansas. She is also a key volunteer with the annual event now known as the Gypsum Pie Festival and Car Show.

Gypsum car show
Gypsum car show

Sandy was born in Salina. In 1961, she and her husband moved to Gypsum where she’s lived ever since. Sandy is now semi-retired from her position as a registered nurse at Tammy Walker Cancer Center in Salina. She was also elected Mayor of Gypsum in 2017.

Several years ago, Sandy and her family had a big Memorial Day picnic. They invited friends to bring their classic cars. It was so much fun that this has become an annual event, put on by a committee of volunteers from the community. Continue reading “Sandy Kruse, Gypsum Pie Festival and Car Show” →

Kevin and Julie Kirkwood, Kirkwood Kreations – Part 2

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

Lights, camera, action! The cameras roll as the actors say their lines, and the commercial is recorded. That’s a frequent occurrence in a Hollywood studio, but this filming took place in a rural Kansas barn.

Barn in TV commercial
The barn pictured in this photo was selected to be the site for filming of a Coca-Cola commercial

Last week we met Kevin and Julie Kirkwood of Kirkwood Kreations Photography. Kevin and Julie are farmers and award-winning photographers who specialize in farm and ranch landscape scenes.

One day in 2013, Kevin learned of an unusual request. Marci Penner’s Kansas Sampler Foundation and the Kansas Barn Alliance sent the word that a New York film director was looking for a picturesque barn in which to film a Coca-Cola commercial. People were encouraged to submit photos of suitable barns.

Kevin realized that he and Julie had a photo of a barn which would be ideal. The photo had been taken when Kevin was out for a ride in Dickinson County with Julie and her father and stepmother, Larry and Donna Schlappi. “We were drivin’ down some road and as we drove by this barn, Larry said, ‘Hey Julie, your grandfather and your great-grandfather and I used to farm that land and we used that barn,’” Kevin said. Continue reading “Kevin and Julie Kirkwood, Kirkwood Kreations – Part 2” →

Kevin and Julie Kirkwood, Kirkwood Kreations

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

Picture this: Imagine a series of gorgeous images depicting beautiful views of natural landscapes. Today we’ll meet a rural Kansas couple who specialize in producing photographs of beautiful landscapes in Kansas and beyond.

Kevin and Julie Kirkwood
Kevin and Julie Kirkwood

Kevin Kirkwood is the founder of Kirkwood Kreations Photography. Kevin grew up in eastern Kansas and studied farm and ranch management at Colby Community College. In 1996, his daughter was playing club volleyball. As a proud dad, Kevin took photos of her playing. The pictures were so excellent that other parents wanted them.

When it was time for his daughter’s senior pictures, Kevin took those too. They turned out so well that when she showed them to friends at school, her friends wanted Kevin to take their senior pictures as well. This became a side business for Kevin, as he did commercial and sports photography while working in agriculture.

“Rural agriculture has been part of my life for the last 30 years,” Kevin said. He is now plant manager for McGraw Fertilizer in Tonganoxie. His wife Julie grew up in Lawrence, raised her family in Manhattan, and now works at an insurance agency in Lawrence. They live outside Tonganoxie, a rural community of 5,583 people. Now, that’s rural. Continue reading “Kevin and Julie Kirkwood, Kirkwood Kreations” →

Marilyn Jones, Sunflower Theatre

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

This year, 2021, is the national year of the sunflower. That’s nice recognition, especially because the pretty, golden sunflower is the state flower of Kansas. In one rural community, this has served as inspiration for a beautification initiative. Coincidentally, this is also a year when that community is working to save its historic theater downtown. The building is named – what else? – the Sunflower Theatre.

Sunflower Theatre
Sunflower Theatre

Last week, we met Dr. Susan Mayo, who is part of the effort to save the historic Sunflower Theatre in downtown Peabody. Among the others joining in that effort is Marilyn Jones, who has also taken on a project of community beautification.

Marilyn is originally from the rural community of Dexter, population 278 people. Now, that’s rural. After attending Oklahoma State University, she and her husband, Gary, came to Peabody in 1961. That’s where Gary began a long-time career as an ag teacher. Their son, Mike, and daughter, Lynn, earned degrees from Kansas State University. Marilyn operated a greenhouse business in the area for some 55 years before retiring. Continue reading “Marilyn Jones, Sunflower Theatre” →

Susan Mayo, Flint Hills Counterpoint

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

Point, counterpoint. That sounds like a debate, but in this case, it uses a term that describes a project which is bringing multiple perspectives together to honor the Flint Hills of Kansas.

Renowned musician Dr. Susan Mayo and multiple county partners have launched a project called Flint Hills Counterpoint.

Dr. Susan Mayo
Dr. Susan Mayo

Susan is originally from Arizona. After studying music in college in California and while performing professionally, she went to Wichita State University to participate in the special music-education program. She later earned a doctorate in cello performance at the University of Kansas and plays cello in the Wichita Symphony.

“We were looking for a place in the country,” Susan said. She and her husband bought 14 acres north of Peabody which serve as home base for her music and composing career. In addition to classical music, she is part of alternative music ensembles that have performed around the world – in places such as Scotland, France and Croatia. Continue reading “Susan Mayo, Flint Hills Counterpoint” →