Latest news with #PositiveConnections
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Park City community garden brings positivity, peace, and connection
PARK CITY, Kan. (KSNW) – After nearly 15 years in the corporate world, Donnie Young decided it was time to step away and spend more time with his family, doing something he enjoyed. 'I've always loved gardening, but I haven't always had time to maintain a garden,' Young said. He wanted that hobby to serve more than just himself, so he started a community garden to feed people who needed it. Local elementary students working on tiny home project 'I really wanted to do kind of a community garden,' Young said. 'Help my neighbors out because the price of produce is high. We give all of our produce away for free. We do videos to try to teach people how to grow because we want people to learn how to grow stuff. We want them to see you can do it in a smaller space because we don't own a whole lot, we rent.' Donnie works in partnership with his son Donnie Young IV, so their farm is named D Squared. They have given out dozens of plants already. 'It's kind of like a father-son project,' Young IV said. 'It's kind of nice to be a part of something that's bigger than just me.' Their hope is for people to come and take a plant from the yard, but also to stop and talk. Many neighbors have been donating to Young and giving him ideas. 'I've gotten to know everybody,' Young said. 'Spending time with people, I didn't know my neighbors, I didn't know anybody, and I've been here for 10 years. I've gotten to know my entire neighborhood, like I know everybody now. Being able to talk with people, too much is spent on social media. People with their faces in the phone. I'm trying to encourage people to come up and meet them. Just getting to talk to people has probably been my favorite part.' 'Having everybody on this street contribute and talk, I kind of like that,' Young IV said. Local automotive teacher empowers young women with skills and knowledge Stephanie Circle lives down the street and says she plans to utilize their community garden. 'I just think it's wonderful that they are donating so much time, money, and effort to doing this for the community,' Circle said. 'It just shows their big heart for the community, and they've put a lot of work into it.' They fund the project by building and selling planters. Young says he hopes more people will do this type of thing. 'If you can imagine if every yard had a couple items of produce, you could drive down the road and not spend a ton of money on produce,' Donnie said. 'You get free produce everywhere. I'm trying to start a gardening movement. Bring people together, share the love, and feed people. It's really important right now because there's a lot of bad stuff going on. You got to try to counter that with good stuff, so I'm trying to bring the good stuff.' Their garden is located at 1526 W. Frontenac in Park City. To nominate a person or business for Positive Connections, fill out KSN's online contact form. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘I just love what I do': 100-year-old Kansan still working as reflexologist
EL DORADO, Kan. (KSNW) — Virginia Ball has been a reflexologist her entire life, working on the nerve endings in the feet. At 100 years old, she is still packed with clients. 'I have found out through the years that people retire, if they don't do anything, they sit at home, watch TV, go to sleep, and do nothing,' Ball said. 'You're just dying. You have to keep busy. When you're busy and helping someone else, you feel good. You don't think about your aches or anything.' It all began when Ball was young. Her husband was hurt when he fell off a horse. He went to doctors and chiropractors, but nothing was helping. He couldn't work for months. A friend suggested he get his feet rubbed, but he was skeptical. 'He said, 'My feet don't hurt, it's my back,'' Ball recalled. 'He took four treatments in a row. That man went back to work and had not worked in three months. Still today, I do not understand this.' Park City community garden brings positivity, peace, and connection In the 1970s, Ball went to school and studied to be a reflexologist. She took out a loan to pay for school in Emporia but had trouble paying it back. 'I couldn't do it at first,' Ball said. 'I couldn't get my fingers to move. I started crying because I couldn't do it. For some reason, I got down on my knees, and I said, 'God, please help me with my hands to help people.' I don't know why He was so good to me, but the next day my hands moved, and I could feel.' Working is what keeps Ball going. 'I can work and be happy,' Ball said. 'In fact, when I don't work, I don't feel so good. I just love what I do, and I know it helps. I wouldn't like it if it didn't help people.' Local elementary students working on tiny home project Frankie Smith is one of Ball's many patients. She says she was pain-free after just a few sessions. 'Every Monday,' Smith said. 'It has to be something really bad for me not to show up. I look forward to it. It's one of my favorite times of the week.' Smith says beyond feeling good physically, she is encouraged by Ball. 'She amazes me,' Smith said. 'She's absolutely amazing. So smart, so with it, so sharp. I know people a lot younger who don't have near the mental or physical capacity she has. It's amazing. Of course, I love the treatments, but I love the fellowship and just visiting her. We laugh a lot. We joke a lot. Sometimes she even sings for me. Ball says she loves life and helping others feel better. 'I think what I'm gonna do is talk to the Lord and maybe live another six more years!' Ball said. To nominate a person or business for Positive Connections, fill out KSN's online contact form. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Community steps up to create pep band with no band teacher
BUCKLIN, Kan. (KSNW) — The Bucklin School District found themselves without a band teacher this school year, leaving the students without the opportunity. 'It was actually really sad,' eighth grader Abby Pinkney said. 'I love band so much that it was just heartbreaking to know that we weren't gonna have a band.' When there's a problem in the small town, they come together and fix it. Local teacher makes deal with students, joins band 'Everybody tries to help each other when you have to, you know, step up and do something when you have to,' school board member Slade Tilley said. He, along with others in the community, put together their own community pep band. 'We just hated the thought of the gym being quiet during basketball games,' parent Chambre Breuer said. 'And he said, what if we got together people from the past and to see if they want to play pep band?' Community members began reaching out to one another to fill in the gaps. The band is made up of alumni, community members and current students. 'It's so awesome,' Pinkney said. 'I love playing with the adults because they make so many funny jokes, and they're always having a good time, and they know when to be serious and know what they're doing, and they're just so good.' The oldest member is a 1968 alumna. 'It's been really fun because I hadn't played since about 40 years,' alumna Kathy Feikert said. 'So to pick up a cornet again and start playing was tough. The music was there, but my lip wasn't ready. Music has always been a big part of my life, so it kind of filled a void.' The district is still looking for a 5-12 band teacher. 'We need a band director, and we hope there's somebody out there that fills the need,' Feikert said. We would sure support them.' If you're interested in applying, click here. If you would like to nominate a person or business for Positive Connections, fill out KSN's online contact form. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
McPherson girl gets life-saving donation from a stranger
MCPHERSON, Kan. (KSNW) — Brooklynn St. John is an 11-year-old from McPherson. In December 2022, she was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. 'It was confusing, it was hard, very stressful,' Brooklynn's mom, Riki Phillips, said. St. John missed the majority of 4th grade due to her illness. St. John's family members got tested to see whether they were a match. Not long after, a stranger named Justin Bradshaw became their hero. 'It's an amazing deal,' Phillips said. 'It was awesome. I was excited. I was happy. I couldn't really even put it into words. I was relieved.' Bradshaw is a dad and first responder in Texas. When he started at the fire department, he got swabbed in case this day came. 82-year-old Wichitan brings in smiles working as a barback 'It took about five years,' Bradshaw said. 'I got a phone call from DKMS, and they told me I was a match for Brooklynn.' In March 2023, Bradshaw donated his bone marrow to St. John. 'I didn't know anything about Brooklynn,' Bradshaw said. 'All I knew was I was donating to a 9- year-old girl. In the firefighting business, we're here to help people and save lives and property. So why not be able to do that in a different way? Then, when I heard it was a kiddo, me having kids around the same age, I figured I would want somebody to do the same thing if one of my kids had some kind of blood cancer. So, why not?' Eventually, Bradshaw, St. John and Phillips got to meet at a DKMS gala in New York. 'It was breathtaking,' Phillips said. 'I told him he was our hero, and I gave him a hug twice.' 'I hope that she grows up and has a long and healthy and happy life,' Bradshaw said. 'I hope she is able to pursue all of her dreams if she wants to go to college or get married and have a big family, just all the things that you take for granted when you're not sick as a kiddo.' Local 13 year old's business, Crafts for Cancer, gives to St. Jude Bradshaw encourages everyone to consider getting tested because you could potentially save a life. 'It's pretty easy,' Bradshaw said. 'It's a cheek swab. It doesn't take any time at all, and you could have the potential or saving somebody's life. I would just encourage people to go out there and get swabbed, and maybe they can help somebody.' The two say they hope to continue staying in contact. For more information on getting swabbed, click here. If you would like to nominate a person or business for Positive Connections, fill out KSN's online contact form. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
82-year-old Wichitan brings in smiles working as a barback
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Bronx Pizza and Pints opened 2 years ago in west Wichita. Not long after opening, they gained an employee that would turn work into a home. 'I'd just come in, and I'd eat or something, and one day, there was tables out there that needed bussed,' Judy Goetzinger said. 'So I just asked Lindy, 'Can I go bus tables?' And she said, 'Well, I guess!' She said, 'Would you be interested in a part-time job?' I said, 'Well, yeah.' Goetzinger is 82 and works at the restaurant bussing tables, cleaning dishes and engaging with customers. 'I enjoy it,' Goetzinger said. 'I enjoy visiting with the people. They make me happy. The kids come in. I like to watch them for their first piece of pizza. We show them how to fold it and eat it instead of cutting it up. I go around and visit with them. Ask them how the pizza is.' 'She brings a lot of people in,' General Manager Paul Guitierrez said. 'People come in to see her quite a bit. I tell her this all the time. I wish I had more staff that showed up and worked as hard as she does at her age. It's unbelievable to watch her work.' She has built relationships with both the customers and her coworkers. 'I laugh with them, I cry with them, I pray for them. You get to know them. I didn't used to be a talker, but it just feels like family here, ya know? It makes me feel good to see a smile on their face when they leave,' Goetzinger said. 'Miss Judy is somebody you can talk to any time you're here,' said Guitierrez. 'Our staff, they, like any other job, we have a lot of staff that goes through certain personal issues and stuff like that, and I constantly see them turning to Miss Judy to say 'Hey!' And I think it's that experience that she's had through life.' Towanda farm has been in the family since 1869 Most people she sees at work call her mom. 'I'm old enough to be their moms, so I enjoy all of them,' Goetzinger said. 'It's family. You work together for so long, so many hours a day it just becomes natural. You care for them when they hurt and when they're sad. It makes me feel good. I'm not just sitting at home loafing. It gives me something to do.' 'This place is really warm when she's here. It's inviting. She's just amazing to work with. I'm fortunate to have her working with us,' said Guitierrez. People come in expecting to see Goetzinger and asking for her. 'Judy is amazing,' employee Angela Purviance said. 'Everybody here loves her. They come in sometimes just to see Judy, I think.' If you would like to nominate a person or business for Positive Connections, fill out KSN's online contact form. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
