MANHATTAN — In 139 combined years of attendance at Kansas State University, the Spare family has been involved in academics, campus activities, athletics and overseas learning. Now, they will continue their legacy as the university’s family of the year.

The Spare family will be recognized as the 2016 Kansas State University Family of the Year at Family Day on Saturday, Sept. 24.

Chimes, the junior honorary, selects the university’s Family of the Year based on three criteria: how the family is affiliated with the university; the way family members show loyalty and pride in the university; and how they define family and fit the description.

“A record number of Family of the Year applications was submitted this year, so it was tough for us to decide between all of the applications,” said Bailey Porter, junior in biochemistry and pre-medicine, Overland Park, and Chimes co-vice president of event planning. “Chimes selected the Spare family because of their representation of K-State’s family values over the many years they have been a part of the university.”

The Spare family represents three generations of K-Staters, beginning with the late Neva Jean Fleener Spare, a 1947 graduate in home economics, and Richard Spare, who returned to Kansas after serving overseas in the U.S. Army during World War II. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture/dairy production in 1950. A Spare family member has attended Kansas State University in every decade since the 1940s.

The Spares’ eight children and seven of their spouses are K-Staters, as are 13 of their grandchildren and four spouses. Two grandchildren are currently enrolled at the university in the College of Veterinary Medicine and in the College of Engineering.

“The Spare family is large, but there has always been room for one more at the table whether it was a neighbor, K-State friend, an international student, a visiting missionary, a hired hand or the new people that just moved in down the road,” said Kathie Weigand Spare, who nominated her family for the award and fondly remembers her mother-in-law’s hospitality and cooking.

Members of the Spare family have shared their purple pride in 21 countries for research, on mission trips, work and other humanitarian efforts.

“I was amazed to read how their family has contributed in spreading K-State values around the globe,” Porter said. “Family members have helped pump water to remote mountain areas in Nepal, served as a veterinary medicine consultant in Russia, worked remotely for a U.S. firm while living in Sydney, Australia; giving back to the community at large just as much as they have given back to the community at home.”

The following members of the Spare family will accept the Family of the Year award on Sept. 24:

Randall and Michelle Spare, Ashland, and their daughter, Anna Hasty and husband, Jordan, and their children JoAnna, Mary and Abraham, Gladstone, Missouri; daughter Bethany Spare, Chicago, Illinois; son Mark Spare and wife, Kayla Spare, Manhattan; daughter Abigail Spare, Kansas City; and son, John Spare, Manhattan. 
Bruce and Cheryl Spare, Assaria, and daughter, Eva Spare, Wichita.

Dan and Margaret Spare, Hesston.

Richard Spare, Hutchinson.

David and Elizabeth Spare, Larned, and their daughters, Larissa Spare, Merriam, and Stasia Martin, and her husband, Michael Martin,Manhattan.

Bernie and Deb Spare, St. John, their daughter, Rachel Spare, Hutchinson, and their son, Aaron Spare, Ellinwood.

Merlyn and Melodie Spare, St. John, and their daughter, Jessica Spare, Salina, and their son, Timothy Spare, St. John.

Marlyn and Kathie Spare, St. John, and their sons, Andrew Spare, Bel Aire, and Nathan Spare, and his wife, Lauren Spare, and their children, Eva and Eleanor, Ellinwood.

 

Donna and Fred Gaalswyk, Rock Valley, Iowa.

 

“This is a wonderful honor to share with Richard, now age 92, who started the Spare K-State tradition so many years ago,” Weigand Spare said. “The Spare family embraces the K-State tradition and plans to be a part of K-State’s future. Go, ‘Cats!”

MANHATTAN —The Capitol Steps, a group of current and former congressional staffers, will put some “mock” in Democracy with “What to Expect When You’re Electing” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, in McCain Auditorium at Kansas State University.

Tickets to this McCain Performance Series event are available at the McCain Auditorium box office, by calling 785-532-6428, or online at k-state.edu/mccain.

The satire troupe’s members together represent 62 years of collective House and Senate staff experience. Through their mix of song parodies and skits, they dig into the political headlines of today and show audiences just how comedic they really are.

The group has recorded more 30 albums, including its latest, “What to Expect When You’re Electing.” The group has been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC and PBS, and can be heard twice a year on National Public Radio stations nationwide during the “Politics Takes a Holiday” radio specials.

The Pasta 58 benefit Ride scheduled for Saturday, September 24th has been postponed due to the risk of inclement weather.

The ride has been rescheduled for October 15th. 

TOPEKA – (September 23, 2016) – A Junction City organization has been awarded a grant for more than $16,000 to provide services for victims of crime, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced today.

CASA of the 8th Judicial District was awarded $16,250 to provide supervision of 100 CASA volunteers, who serve 150 children who have been abused or neglected.

The award was made from the State Crime Victims’ Assistance Fund for Child Abuse and Neglect, which is funded through county court costs, municipal court assessments and State General Fund appropriations.

This year, the attorney general’s office awarded nearly $2.2 million in grants to local and state crime victim assistance organizations. More information on the grant programs and the full list of award recipients is available on the attorney general’s website at www.ag.ks.gov.

The US Army Surgeon General, Lieutenant General Nadja West visited the new Irwin Army Community Hospital on Wednesday, September 14th.

Staff from Geary Community Hospital and Via Christi in Manhattan were invited to tour the facility with West.

The Ribbon Cutting ceremony for the new Irwin Army Community Hospital is tentatively scheduled for October 12th.

The last of two remaining Buffalo Soldiers from the 10th U.S. Cavalry at Fort Riley, Nolan Self, 98, died on September 9.

Community members remembered him during a Going Home Celebration on Friday at the C. L. Hoover Opera House.

Self was drafted into the Army and in March 1941 after serving two terms in the civilian conservation corps he was assigned to the 10th Cavalry at Fort Riley.

His military service included five campaigns in Europe in World War II, 16 months in Korea, and in Panama, three years in the National Geodetic Sciety ( small plane mapping of upper South America and Central American Countries ).

During the service at the Opera House, his son Bill Self, noted that in his time his father endured poverty, great depression, the Jim Crow south, two wars, D-Day, Battle of the Bulge, and fought on three continents. But in remarks his father had asked to make he told the audience the Lord had been good to Nolan Self.

 

The Geary County Historical Society sponsored their Ice Cream Social last Sunday.

The Historical Society Executive Director Katie Goerl said the numbers have been tallied up. Revenue from the event totaled $688.76 after expenses. That topped last year’s total by at least $100.

Nearly 200 people attended the event. Goerl called it, “an unqualified success.”

The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has reported that Deputies responded to Humboldt Creek Road and Zumbrun Road for an injury accident at 6:36 a.m. Friday.

Tyler Flores, Junction City, was traveling south bound in a 2002 Ford F150 when he left the roadway, overcorrected and rolled his vehicle. Flores received minor injuries as a result of the accident.

The election season is here.

Ahead of the November elections, the Geary County Democrats opened their party headquarters at 425 North Washington, Suite B on Thursday.

Shelly Hoyle-Kite, Party Chair, noted they were excited to be opening the Democratic Party headquarters for Geary County. “We have not had a physical site in eight years, so this is going to be our site where we work hard for our candidates. ” Hoyle said the use of the portion of the building designated for party headquarters was due to the generosity of T. Michael Fegan, who allowed them to use the space for the election.

At headquarters volunteers can gather, make telephone calls, recuit people, either volunteer for the party or get out the vote. “It’s also a place for people to meet if they’re going to go walk precincts, and canvass door-to-door to get people encouraged about voting, and tell them about our candidates.”

Democratic candidates present for the headquarters opening includes Geary County Commission candidate Larry Hicks, County Attorney candidate Chris Biggs, and 17th District State Senate candidate Susan Fowler.