Tallgrass, May-July 2015
Tallgrass is produced by the Flint Hills Discovery Center and is published quarterly. Tallgrass is produced by the Flint Hills Discovery Center and is published quarterly.
MAY-JULY 2015 I VOLUME 1 TALLGRASS 3 Kelley Hunt performs at Flint Hills Discovery Center last weekend of April! 5 Doc Gizmo to perform science experiments for Kids’ Science Theater in May! 9 Marty Vanier & Bob Krause’s generous donation to FHDC. Congratulations to Jim and Cathy Hoy who received the ‘Friend of the Flint Hills’ award! WWW.FLINTHILLSDISCOVERY.ORG 315 S. 3RD ST. MANHATTAN, KS 66502 785.587.2726
- Page 2 and 3: FLINT HILLS DISCOVERY CENTER 315 SO
- Page 4 and 5: Connecting with the Flint Hills Pur
- Page 6 and 7: On Exhibition Midwest Wild Weather
- Page 8 and 9: Recognition Friend of the Flint Hil
- Page 10 and 11: Volunteering A Partnership of Talen
- Page 12: FLINT HILLS DISCOVERY CENTER OPEN 3
MAY-JULY <strong>2015</strong> I VOLUME 1<br />
TALLGRASS<br />
3<br />
Kelley Hunt performs at<br />
Flint Hills Discovery Center<br />
last weekend of April!<br />
5<br />
Doc Gizmo to perform<br />
science experiments for Kids’<br />
Science Theater in <strong>May</strong>!<br />
9<br />
Marty Vanier & Bob Krause’s<br />
generous donation to FHDC.<br />
Congratulations to Jim and Cathy Hoy who<br />
received the ‘Friend of the Flint Hills’ award!<br />
WWW.FLINTHILLSDISCOVERY.ORG 315 S. 3RD ST. MANHATTAN, KS 66502 785.587.2726
FLINT HILLS DISCOVERY CENTER<br />
315 SOUTH 3RD STREET<br />
MANHATTAN, KANSAS<br />
785.587.2726<br />
Direction<br />
Celebrating Accomplishments<br />
It is with great<br />
pleasure that I<br />
write what is the<br />
first of many<br />
<strong>Tallgrass</strong><br />
newsletter articles<br />
as the director of<br />
the Flint Hills<br />
Discovery Center.<br />
<strong>Tallgrass</strong> allows us to celebrate what<br />
we have accomplished as an<br />
organization with your support and lets<br />
you look into our future for additional<br />
opportunities to utilize, engage and tell<br />
others of the incredible Flint Hills as<br />
America’s last great grassland. In every<br />
issue the reader will be made aware of<br />
an interesting part the Discovery Center<br />
that works to fulfill our mission every day.<br />
The past months have proved<br />
eventful for the Discovery Center. The<br />
FHDC Foundation received the largest<br />
gift to date from Marty Vanier and Bob<br />
Krause with a $750,000 contribution<br />
to name the Immersive Theater as the<br />
Horizon Ranch Flint Hills Immersive<br />
Experience Theater.<br />
The five year gift will be used for<br />
reducing the bond debt for our<br />
exhibition’s fabrication, serve as a<br />
semi endowment for the upkeep and<br />
maintenance of the Immersive<br />
Experience and make monies available<br />
for the FDHC Foundation’s future<br />
PARTNERSHIPS<br />
Thank you!<br />
• City of Manhattan Parks &<br />
Recreation Department<br />
• Chick-fil-A<br />
• ESB Financial<br />
• FHDC Foundation<br />
fundraising activities.<br />
We are excited about our summer<br />
exhibition offering of In the Dark which<br />
will focus on ecosystems found in caves,<br />
deep sea, the forest and underground.<br />
Visitors will see the Flint Hills in contrast<br />
with peer regions of the nation that live<br />
and recreate in and manage a unique<br />
eco system.<br />
This year’s Flint Hills Festival provides<br />
opportunities for guests to enjoy music<br />
and food from the region. Our featured<br />
musical performers are Annie Wilson<br />
and the <strong>Tallgrass</strong> String Band and Kelley<br />
Hunt. This event has continued to grow<br />
from 2014 and we anticipate it<br />
continuing to do so in the future.<br />
Many of you have taken part in a<br />
number of new programs developed<br />
by our education staff. The debut of the<br />
Prairie Chicken booming experience<br />
program is one that provided a true front<br />
row seat to a natural phenomena that<br />
was once witnessed in many regions of<br />
the nation but now is part of the tallgrass<br />
experience. Make plans next year to be<br />
an active spectator for one of the Flint<br />
Hills’ most unique occurrences.<br />
Best regards,<br />
Fred W. Goss, Director<br />
• Manhattan Convention &<br />
Visitors Bureau<br />
• The Nature Conservancy<br />
• Steel & Pipe Supply<br />
• Strecker Nelson<br />
MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION<br />
membership.fhdc@cityofmhk.com<br />
flinthillsdiscovery.org<br />
HOURS OF OPERATION<br />
OPEN 363 DAYS A YEAR<br />
Memorial Day - Labor Day<br />
Mon. Wed.: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.<br />
Thurs.: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.<br />
Fri. & Sat.: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.<br />
Sun.: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.<br />
Labor Day - Memorial Day<br />
Mon. Wed.: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.<br />
Thurs.: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.<br />
Fri. & Sat.: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.<br />
Sun.: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.<br />
ABOUT<br />
<strong>Tallgrass</strong> is produced by the<br />
Flint Hills Discovery Center<br />
and is published quarterly.<br />
The Flint Hills Discovery Center<br />
is a division of the City of<br />
Manhattan’s Parks & Recreation<br />
Department.<br />
OUR MISSION<br />
The Flint Hills Discovery Center<br />
inspires people to celebrate,<br />
explore, and care for the Flint Hills.<br />
ON THE COVER:<br />
Jim Hoy and former<br />
U.S. Senator, Nancy Kassebaum<br />
Photo by Evert Nelson<br />
2 WWW.FLINTHILLSDISCOVERY.ORG MAY - JULY <strong>2015</strong>
Flint Hills Festival<br />
Music and food of the Flint Hills<br />
Two beloved Kansas musicians will<br />
celebrate the heart of the Flint Hills<br />
with performances during Flint Hills<br />
Festival at the Flint Hills Discovery Center<br />
on Sunday, April 26 from 12-6 p.m.<br />
Kansas balladeer, Annie Wilson,<br />
and the <strong>Tallgrass</strong> Express String Band<br />
kick off the day’s festivities at noon and<br />
play until 3:45 p.m. Annie and<br />
the band perform original ballads<br />
about the land and life of the Flint Hills<br />
along with bluegrass favorites, Western<br />
swing tunes and Celtic melodies.<br />
Kelley Hunt, Americana blues<br />
pianist, singer and songwriter, performs<br />
at 4 p.m. at the Manhattan Conference<br />
Center at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel.<br />
Hunt’s CD, “Heartland” is currently<br />
being sold in the Flint Hills Discovery<br />
Gift Store and will also be available<br />
that day to purchase.<br />
A variety of attractions will be held<br />
inside the Flint Hills Discovery<br />
Center throughout the day from noon<br />
to 6 p.m. Local storyteller, Steve Keck,<br />
“Mr. Steve,” will be in the classroom to<br />
perform three 30-minute performances<br />
of stories and sing-a-longs for younger<br />
children at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m.<br />
Children of all ages can decorate an<br />
apron and build their own guitar to<br />
take home. Food vendors include KSU<br />
Meat Science Club, Sweet Granada<br />
and many more.<br />
Follow the day’s festivities and<br />
participate in the fun by sharing family<br />
photos using the hash tag<br />
#flinthillsfest.<br />
In addition to the two temporary<br />
exhibitions, all permanent exhibits,<br />
the Immersive Experience Theater and<br />
the Family Fun Zone are included with<br />
paid admission. The Gift Store will also<br />
be open during the festivities for visitors<br />
to purchase something to remember<br />
the day.<br />
All activities, including the concert,<br />
are included in the general admission<br />
price. Admission tickets are on sale<br />
now. Visit http://www.flinthillsdiscovery.<br />
org/programs/featured-programs to<br />
purchase general admission tickets or<br />
call 785-587-2726.<br />
ABOVE: KELLEY HUNT,<br />
AMERICAN BLUES PIANIST,<br />
SINGER AND SONGWRITER<br />
WILL PERFORM AT 4 P.M. AT<br />
THE MANHATTAN<br />
CONFERENCE CENTER.<br />
RIGHT: ANNIE WILSON AND<br />
TALLGRASS STRING EXPRESS<br />
BAND PERFORM FROM<br />
NOON TO 3:45 P.M.<br />
Flint Hills Festival is sponsored by<br />
Manhattan CVB.<br />
MAY - JULY <strong>2015</strong> WWW.FLINTHILLSDISCOVERY.ORG 3
Connecting with the Flint Hills<br />
Pursue an adventure with the entire family!<br />
Go See It!<br />
Plan your next adventure in Kansas<br />
with a little help from the Flint Hills<br />
Discovery Center. Go See It! lectures<br />
provide information on destinations,<br />
activities, historical and cultural events<br />
in and around the Flint Hills.<br />
Go See It! lectures are scheduled<br />
from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Flint<br />
Hills Discovery Center and are free.<br />
Pre-registration is not required.<br />
Go See It! with a little inspiration<br />
from these four sessions. For more<br />
information on upcoming lectures,<br />
please visit www.flinthillsdiscovery.org.<br />
Go See Cottonwood Falls<br />
and Chase County, KS<br />
<strong>May</strong> 21, All ages<br />
With the largest undisturbed swath<br />
of the Flint Hills, including the federally<br />
protected <strong>Tallgrass</strong> Prairie National<br />
Preserve, Chase County continues to<br />
captivate visitors and travelers who made<br />
the Flint Hills their home.<br />
On <strong>May</strong> 21, a historian from the<br />
Chase County Historical Museum will<br />
present the sites, attractions, events and<br />
places with historical significance in and<br />
around Cottonwood Falls.<br />
There will be plenty of time for<br />
questions to help you plan your visit to<br />
get inspired by the Flint Hills or commune<br />
with local artists and musicians.<br />
Winemaking in the Flint Hills<br />
June 18, Ages 21+<br />
Proof of a growing wine scene<br />
in the Flint Hills can be found in<br />
two words—enology and viticulture.<br />
Hear more about the science of wine<br />
and the resulting local business from<br />
CHASE COUNTY COURTHOUSE<br />
IMAGE COURTESY OF KANSASSAMPLER.<br />
Host an Event at FHDC<br />
A variety of rental options from birthdays to weddings<br />
Experience why Manhattan’s Flint<br />
Hills Discovery Center is the most unique<br />
venue in town! Discover the iconic<br />
architecture and unique design that exists<br />
within our space located in the heart of<br />
downtown. Enjoy the breath-taking views<br />
from our Rooftop Terrace, or explore the<br />
ever-changing exhibits in our atrium.<br />
Whether it’s a business meeting or a<br />
birthday celebration, we have the perfect<br />
venue to fit your special event. From<br />
elegant weddings to casual gatherings,<br />
our accommodating staff is here to make<br />
your vision a reality. Reserve an intimate<br />
space for day time meetings, luncheons<br />
and celebrations. After hours, host the<br />
ultimate, exclusive event – a private<br />
evening in our exhibits and galleries.<br />
Located near exceptional restaurants,<br />
magnificent hotels and great shopping<br />
destinations, the Flint Hills Discovery<br />
Center not only offers convenience, but a<br />
chance to escape and catch your breath.<br />
Our gorgeous three-story, green facility<br />
will serve as an extraordinary backdrop<br />
for any event!<br />
Please contact our Event Sales<br />
Coordinator at 785.587.2729, ext. 208<br />
or email events.fhdc@cityofmhk.com.<br />
Dominic Martin, winemaking<br />
instructor and winery manager at<br />
Highland Community College in<br />
Wamego, Kansas. Then, plan a trip<br />
to the Highland Community College<br />
winery here in the Flint Hills.<br />
Homebrewing in the<br />
Flint Hills<br />
<strong>July</strong> 16, Ages 21+<br />
Ever wanted to brew your own<br />
beer? Learn the science and<br />
techniques behind the homebrewing<br />
process from Manhattan’s largest<br />
homebrewing club.<br />
Local and Sustainable Food<br />
in the Flint Hills<br />
August 13, All ages<br />
Do you like fresh, local food as<br />
well as supporting regional farmers<br />
and ranchers? Come learn about your<br />
local and sustainable food options in<br />
the Flint Hills from the People’s<br />
Grocery Co-op.<br />
4 WWW.FLINTHILLSDISCOVERY.ORG MAY - JULY <strong>2015</strong>
Education<br />
Kids’ Science Theater<br />
Parents, leave the kids with us for the<br />
evening for Kids’ Science Theater.<br />
On Saturday, <strong>May</strong> 2 from 5:30-9<br />
p.m., Doc Gizmo will educate and<br />
entertain with demonstrations and<br />
science experiments. Doc Gizmo has<br />
provided Science Assemblies for the past<br />
16 years to over 236,000 students.<br />
Through our latest interactive<br />
exhibition, Wild Weather, and Doc<br />
Gizmo’s experiments, children will learn<br />
about thunder and lightning and radar<br />
tracking along with how to understand<br />
and prepare for a storm.<br />
The program is geared towards<br />
kindergarten through 8th grade.<br />
Children will create their own lip balm to<br />
protect their lips from the weather, a rain<br />
gauge to keep track of the rain at home<br />
and a weather vane to keep an eye on<br />
wind changes in their area.<br />
The program includes a child’s<br />
dinner and is sponsored by Chick-fil-A,<br />
Manhattan. Pre-registration is<br />
required. Limited space is<br />
available. FHDC Members pay $20<br />
and non-members pay $25.<br />
Register online at www.flinthillsdiscovery.<br />
org or call 785.587.2726.<br />
DOC GIZMO WILL BE AT THE FLINT HILLS DISCOVERY CENTER ON SATURDAY,<br />
MAY 2, 5:30 - 9 P.M. TO PERFORM SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS FOR KIDS.<br />
Primitive Skills Workshops<br />
Ancestral lifestyles require unique<br />
skill sets that few of us utilize today.<br />
Spend a day in the Flint Hills with<br />
veteran instructor, Daniel Schapaugh,<br />
developing cross cultural skills related<br />
to daily living and survival that were<br />
employed by ancestral peoples. These<br />
courses raise participants’ awareness<br />
of historically accurate methods, true<br />
human needs, and interactions with<br />
natural resources found in the Flint<br />
Hills that sustain those needs.<br />
These are field courses, so come<br />
prepared to spend the duration outside<br />
in the Flint Hills. Roundtrip<br />
transportation from the FHDC will be<br />
provided. You may also drive your<br />
personal vehicle to the workshop site<br />
located 20 minutes outside Manhattan.<br />
Daniel Schapaugh, an Education<br />
Specialist at the Flint Hills Discovery<br />
Center, has taught a variety of outdoor<br />
skills workshops and credit courses<br />
through K-State, Kansas Department of<br />
Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, Boy Scouts<br />
of America and UFM Community<br />
Learning Center.<br />
Choose between three sessions;<br />
Primitive Skills I is held on June 20 and<br />
August 15. Primitive Skills II is held <strong>July</strong><br />
18. All run from 12-8 p.m. The fee for<br />
FHDC members is $55 and $65 for<br />
non- FHDC members. For ages 16 &<br />
up. Youth ages 12-15 may be<br />
accompanied by an adult.<br />
Enrollment is limited to 12<br />
participants per session.<br />
Call 785-587-2726 or visit http://<br />
www.flinthillsdiscovery.org/programs/<br />
adult-education to register.<br />
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN<br />
• Gain hands on experience<br />
with primitive technologies<br />
including fire, cordage,<br />
containers, tools and<br />
thermoregulation.<br />
• Develop an awareness<br />
of nature-based decision<br />
making.<br />
• Explore opportunities to<br />
apply techniques during the<br />
course in order to foster<br />
perspective on the<br />
procurement and utilization<br />
of resources in the prairie<br />
environment.<br />
All act<br />
Hunt’s<br />
in the<br />
MAY - JULY <strong>2015</strong> WWW.FLINTHILLSDISCOVERY.ORG 5
On Exhibition<br />
Midwest Wild Weather<br />
Now through <strong>May</strong> 13<br />
Explore science concepts such as<br />
evaporation, condensation, heat,<br />
pressure, tornadoes, electric charges and<br />
climate in an unforgettable way. Visitors<br />
can interact with the exhibit by creating<br />
a bolt of lightning, calculating the<br />
distance of a thunderstorm and<br />
observing differences between the<br />
speed of light and sound.<br />
The exhibit was designed by the<br />
Midwest Wild Weather Project, with<br />
major funding from the National Science<br />
Foundation through a tour organized by<br />
the Evansville Museum of Arts, History<br />
and Science. The last day to experience<br />
Midwest Wild Weather is Wednesday,<br />
<strong>May</strong> 13.<br />
Save the Last Dance<br />
Now through <strong>May</strong> 17<br />
The dance of North American<br />
grassland grouse, from the<br />
impressive courtship of<br />
prairie-chickens to the bizarre behaviors<br />
of sage-grouse, are known to nature<br />
lovers as one of the most impressive<br />
wildlife displays in North America. Save<br />
the Last Dance shares images by<br />
award-winning photographer, Noppadol<br />
Paothong, from his dazzling book, Save<br />
the Last Dance—A Story of North<br />
American Grassland Grouse.<br />
Don’t miss the last few weeks of the<br />
exhibit to experience these beautiful<br />
images or the chance to purchase a<br />
signature image from the collection.<br />
A portion of the sales support<br />
FHDC programs and exhibits.<br />
Coming Soon<br />
Flint Hills Masters<br />
October 3, <strong>2015</strong> - January 17, 2016<br />
CONNECTING KIDS TO NATURE<br />
Bring the entire family to the Flint Hills<br />
Discovery Center, Sunday, <strong>May</strong> 17, 2-3 p.m.<br />
Noppadol Paothong will share some of his<br />
most funny, scary and outrageous moments<br />
photographing these amazing birds.<br />
This is your final opportunity to see the<br />
Save the Last Dance exhibit and meet the<br />
man behind the stunning photographs.<br />
Presentation is included with regular<br />
admission.<br />
In the Dark<br />
Opens <strong>May</strong> 23<br />
Be immersed in worlds of<br />
darkness. In the Dark explores the<br />
natural evolutionary selective pressure<br />
that has caused plants and animals to<br />
adapt to ecosystems found in caves,<br />
deep sea, the forest at night and<br />
underground.<br />
Creatures have adaptations that<br />
allow them to dwell and thrive in<br />
darkness and since prehistoric times,<br />
humans have invented ways to<br />
acclimate to dark conditions. In the<br />
Dark investigates this phenomenon<br />
and explores these mysteries via<br />
electronic, mechanical and computer<br />
interactives, immersive dioramas, and<br />
lifelike models. In the Dark is<br />
sponsored by Steel & Pipe Supply in<br />
Manhattan and the Manhattan<br />
Convention and Visitors Bureau.<br />
A special exhibit preview for FHDC<br />
members is Friday, <strong>May</strong> 22 from<br />
5:30-7 p.m. The preview is free to<br />
members but registration is requested.<br />
Call 785-587-2726 or email<br />
membership.fhdc @cityofmhk.com<br />
to RSVP. The exhibit opens to the<br />
public on Saturday, <strong>May</strong> 23.<br />
Sponsored by:<br />
6 WWW.FLINTHILLSDISCOVERY.ORG MAY - JULY <strong>2015</strong>
National Day of the Cowboy<br />
Join the Flint Hills Discovery Center on Saturday, <strong>July</strong> 25 to Celebrate!<br />
Dust off your boots and brush up your<br />
cowboy hat for a celebration of the<br />
cowboy spirit at the Flint Hills<br />
Discovery Center’s second annual<br />
National Day of the Cowboy event on<br />
Saturday, <strong>July</strong> 25 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.<br />
Cowboy traditions have long been part<br />
of the American landscape and culture<br />
and today’s cowboys and cowgirls<br />
continue to strive to preserve this<br />
unique element of America’s heritage.<br />
The FHDC celebration includes stick<br />
pony barrel racing, branding and roping<br />
for kids, buckboard rides, bull riding, rodeo<br />
clowns and bullfighters, rodeo queens,<br />
take home projects and more. <strong>May</strong>or<br />
Karen McCulloh will be present at the start<br />
of the event to read an official<br />
proclamation issued on behalf of the City<br />
of Manhattan. Regular Flint Hills Discovery<br />
Center admission fees apply.<br />
National Day of the Cowboy is<br />
sponsored by Capitol Federal and<br />
Manhattan CVB.<br />
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR<br />
SATURDAY, JULY 25, 10 A.M. - 2 P.M.<br />
FOR NATIONAL DAY OF THE COWBOY<br />
AT FLINT HILLS DISCOVERY CENTER.<br />
PHOTOS FROM LAST YEAR’S NATIONAL DAY OF THE COWBOY EVENT.<br />
THE EVENT IS HELD EVERY YEAR, THE FOURTH SATURDAY IN JULY.<br />
MAY - JULY <strong>2015</strong> WWW.FLINTHILLSDISCOVERY.ORG 7
Recognition<br />
Friend of the Flint Hills<br />
The Flint Hills Discovery Center<br />
Foundation recognized Jim and<br />
Cathy Hoy as the fourth recipient<br />
of the Foundation’s annual Friend of the<br />
Flint Hills Award, Sunday, April 12 in<br />
Manhattan.<br />
“Jim and Cathy are the epitome of<br />
stewardship of the Flint Hills and richly<br />
deserving of this recognition,” said<br />
Bruce Snead, President of the<br />
Foundation.<br />
“The Hoys have contributed through<br />
so many ways to raise awareness of this<br />
unique and fragile eco-system.”<br />
The Hoys are longtime residents<br />
and defenders of the Flint Hills. Their<br />
personal dedication to the conservation<br />
and preservation of the Flint Hills is<br />
demonstrated by a conservation<br />
easement on their family land near<br />
Cassoday with the Ranchland Trust of<br />
Kansas, thus ensuring that the Flying H<br />
will remain grassland in perpetuity.<br />
Jim was a consultant during the<br />
planning and development of the<br />
Discovery Center and the Hoys believe<br />
the Discovery Center has become a<br />
powerful catalyst in informing people<br />
about the tallgrass prairie and<br />
promoting the Flint Hills to residents<br />
of the region, state and nation.<br />
The Hoys accepted their award at<br />
the annual reception and recognition<br />
dinner on April 12 at the Flint Hills<br />
Discovery Center.<br />
JIM AND CATHY HOY AT THE ‘FRIEND OF THE FLINT HILLS’<br />
AWARD RECEPTION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 12, <strong>2015</strong>.<br />
8 WWW.FLINTHILLSDISCOVERY.ORG MAY - JULY <strong>2015</strong>
Shopping<br />
Head for the Hills this summer!<br />
Gear up with some handy tools<br />
from the Flint Hills Discovery<br />
Center Gift Store for a fun<br />
day trip in the rolling pastoral<br />
landscape of the Flint Hills this season.<br />
Whistle Creek Walking Stick company’s<br />
walking stick made of Hickory or<br />
Sassafras wood with a leather strap<br />
and a rubber tip will help you keep<br />
your balance on uneven terrain, as<br />
well as give you something to lean on<br />
and pull you along on the steepest of<br />
hills.<br />
Be sure to shade your face with<br />
one of our Advice from Nature ball<br />
caps, which in addition to being a<br />
useful tool, are a reminder of nature’s<br />
wisdom.<br />
Quench your thirst with an FHDC<br />
logoed sport bottle, keep your hunger<br />
at bay with a Kansas made<br />
sunflower seed snack from<br />
Visitor Experience<br />
At Your Service<br />
“<strong>May</strong> I help you” means more at the<br />
Flint Hills Discovery Center. Members of<br />
the FHDC Visitor Services and Gift Store<br />
staff have recently completed the Kansas<br />
Council on Travel and Tourism Division's<br />
customer service program, Kansas At<br />
Your Service.<br />
This statewide standardized training<br />
emphasizes the importance of quality<br />
customer service in the tourism and<br />
hospitality industry and equips the<br />
Kansas workforce with tools and<br />
resources to better serve our visitors.<br />
This is just one way we are working to<br />
provide FHDC guests with an exceptional<br />
visitor experience.<br />
Sunflower Food Company<br />
and take along a must-have<br />
guide book. We carry a great<br />
selection of pocket guides<br />
to wildlife and birds, and<br />
wildflower identification<br />
books for nature enthusiasts.<br />
The Gift Store is open<br />
during regular operating<br />
hours including Thursday<br />
evenings until 8 p.m.<br />
THE GIFT STORE<br />
OFFERS SOMETHING FOR<br />
EVERYONE. CHECK OUT<br />
ITEMS MADE IN KANSAS,<br />
TRINKETS FOR KIDS AND<br />
INFORMATION FOR ADULTS.<br />
CHELSEA RENNER AND KEMBERLY MILLS, TWO MEMBERS OF THE VISITOR<br />
SERVICES TEAM WHO RECENTLY COMPLETED “AT YOUR SERVICE” TRAINING.<br />
MAY - JULY <strong>2015</strong> WWW.FLINTHILLSDISCOVERY.ORG 9
Volunteering<br />
A Partnership of Talents<br />
When you ask for the Lindquists<br />
to help with a project, you get<br />
two dedicated and talented<br />
volunteers who focus their combined<br />
energy to partner with staff working to<br />
fulfill FHDC’s mission.<br />
In fact, Lindy and Jack Lindquist’s<br />
life together has been a partnership<br />
from the beginning. They have the same<br />
interests and backgrounds and have<br />
learned when to rely on Lindy’s<br />
organizational skills and Jack’s<br />
leadership training. These skills<br />
were developed early in their careers<br />
working full-time for 4-H in various<br />
leadership roles at local, state and<br />
national levels in Kansas.<br />
Lindy retired from her responsibilities<br />
JACK AND LINDY LINDQUIST, TWO OF THE VOLUNTEERS AT FHDC.<br />
Do you want to volunteer?<br />
Volunteers play a huge role in the<br />
continuing success of the Flint Hills<br />
Discovery Center. Come join us and<br />
be a part of this incredible team.<br />
Volunteers serve as interpreters,<br />
greeters, support and so much<br />
more. Becoming a volunteer is easy!<br />
assist with general orientation and<br />
provide any information they may<br />
need. Service includes providing<br />
assistance with the Flint Hills<br />
Gateway Kiosk which helps visitors<br />
as K-State’s Research and Extension 4-H<br />
Youth Development state and national<br />
events coordinator and currently works<br />
part-time at the Sensory Analysis Center.<br />
Jack’s career led him from president<br />
and program director with Kansas<br />
Agriculture and Rural Leadership Inc.<br />
(KARL), to his current part-time<br />
position as graduate director with KARL,<br />
Inc. He admits being a little jealous<br />
when Lindy retired, so when they heard<br />
a call for volunteers for the then new<br />
Flint Hills Discovery Center, they put<br />
their usual commitment into practice.<br />
In addition to working their volunteer<br />
schedule, they currently serve on<br />
FHDC’s Day of the Cowboy event<br />
planning committee.<br />
The Lindquists added, “When<br />
community residents who have lived in<br />
the area all their lives appreciate what<br />
they see on their first visit to the<br />
Discovery Center, or visitors from as far<br />
away as Argentina find common values<br />
and concepts in how our ecoregion is<br />
presented, we know we made the right<br />
choice to be a part of FHDC.”<br />
locate information on destinations<br />
throughout the Flint Hills region.<br />
Guest guides also play an integral role<br />
by assisting visitors in the Gift Store.<br />
Opportunities include:<br />
• Exhibit Interpreters: Communicate<br />
additional information to visitors<br />
regarding permanent and temporary<br />
exhibits and guide them to additional<br />
topics and information throughout<br />
the facility (main floor and temporary<br />
exhibit gallery).<br />
• Stepping Into the Prairie: Interact<br />
with younger guests and their families<br />
through hands-on play and learning<br />
activities.<br />
• Guest Guides: Welcome visitors,<br />
VOLUNTEERS CAN ASSIST IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT AREAS INCLUDING<br />
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS.<br />
10 WWW.FLINTHILLSDISCOVERY.ORG MAY - JULY <strong>2015</strong>
Generosity<br />
FHDC’s First Naming Opportunity Gift<br />
The Flint Hills Discovery Center’s<br />
Immersive Experience Theater will<br />
soon be known as the Horizon Ranch<br />
Flint Hills Immersive Experience Theater. The<br />
name change is the result of a generous gift<br />
of $750,000 from Marty Vanier and Bob<br />
Krause. Over a five year period, $500,000<br />
of the gift will be earmarked for the City<br />
of Manhattan, $220,000 will establish a<br />
semi-endowment fund for upkeep of the<br />
Flint Hills Discovery Center’s Immersive<br />
Experience Theater, and $30,000 will<br />
support the FHDC Foundation.<br />
Marty and Bob live and work in the Flint<br />
Hills and have a long history of philanthropy<br />
in supporting numerous community and<br />
regional organizations. Their love of the<br />
tallgrass prairie and a deep appreciation<br />
for its role in shaping Kansas values and<br />
underpinning a significant sector of our<br />
agricultural history led them to want to<br />
encourage others to care as well.<br />
Dr. Marty Vanier is a third generation<br />
Kansas rancher whose sense of place and<br />
commitment comes from having been<br />
raised on a central Kansas ranch that bred<br />
both registered and commercial horned<br />
Hereford cattle. Vanier received her B.S. in<br />
Agriculture (Animal Science) and her D.V.M.<br />
from Kansas State University.<br />
Long involved in community and<br />
professional organizations as both a<br />
founding member and leader, professionally<br />
Dr. Vanier is a member of several veterinary<br />
specialty associations and will serve as<br />
President of the Kansas Veterinary Medical<br />
Association in <strong>2015</strong>-2016. Having served<br />
as director of operations at KSU’s National<br />
Agricultural Biosecurity Center, Dr. Vanier<br />
began new responsibilities in April as senior<br />
program manager for strategic<br />
partnership development for the National<br />
Bio and Agro-defense Facility (NBAF) with<br />
the Department of Homeland Security’s<br />
Science and Technology Directorate.<br />
Bob Krause has over 35 years of<br />
experience in key executive leadership<br />
positions in higher education and even<br />
though he refers to himself as a “transplant,”<br />
he considers the Flint Hills home. Since<br />
retiring in 2009 from KSU with 23 years<br />
of service that included Vice President for<br />
Institutional Advancement and a stint as<br />
Athletic Director, Krause has remained active<br />
in consulting with private for-profit,<br />
not-for-profit and governmental<br />
organizations.<br />
Krause serves as Chair of the Board of<br />
Directors of NutriJoy, Inc., serves on the<br />
Board of Directors of the Soaring with Eagles<br />
Foundation and the Mercy Community<br />
Health Foundation. He also serves on the<br />
advisory board of the Snyder Leadership<br />
Legacy Fellows at the K-State Staley School<br />
of Leadership Studies.<br />
Both Marty and Bob feel a responsibility<br />
to be good stewards of the land and pass<br />
that appreciation of the Flint Hills onto future<br />
generations of young people.<br />
MARTY VANIER AND BOB KRAUSE DONATED $750,000 TO FLINT HILLS DISCOVERY CENTER.<br />
MAY - JULY <strong>2015</strong> WWW.FLINTHILLSDISCOVERY.ORG 11
FLINT HILLS DISCOVERY CENTER<br />
OPEN 363 DAYS A YEAR<br />
315 SOUTH 3RD STREET<br />
MANHATTAN, KANSAS<br />
(785) 587-2726<br />
WWW.FLINTHILLSDISCOVERY.ORG<br />
CALENDAR OF EVENTS<br />
Sunday, April 26<br />
12 - 6 p.m.<br />
Flint Hills Festival<br />
Tuesday, <strong>May</strong> 5<br />
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.<br />
Preschoolers in the Flint Hills<br />
Saturday, <strong>May</strong> 9<br />
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.<br />
$2 discount on regular<br />
adult admission; Free<br />
admission for military<br />
Wednesday, <strong>May</strong> 13<br />
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.<br />
Last day to view<br />
Wild Weather exhibit<br />
Sunday, <strong>May</strong> 17<br />
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.<br />
Last day to view<br />
Save the Last Dance exhibit<br />
Thursday, <strong>May</strong> 21<br />
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.<br />
Go See It! Cottonwood Falls<br />
and Chase County<br />
Friday, <strong>May</strong> 22<br />
5:30 - 7 p.m.<br />
Members preview In the Dark<br />
exhibit<br />
Saturday, <strong>May</strong> 23<br />
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.<br />
In the Dark exhibit opens to the<br />
public<br />
Monday, <strong>May</strong> 25<br />
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.<br />
Memorial Day<br />
FHDC Summer Hours begin<br />
Thursday. June 18<br />
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.<br />
Go See It! Winemaking<br />
in the Flint Hills<br />
Saturday, June 20<br />
12 - 8 p.m.<br />
Primitive Skills Workshop I<br />
Thursday, <strong>July</strong> 16<br />
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.<br />
Go See It! Homebrewing<br />
in the Flint Hills<br />
Saturday, <strong>July</strong> 18<br />
12 - 8 p.m.<br />
Primitive Skills Workshop II<br />
Saturday, <strong>July</strong> 25<br />
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.<br />
National Day of the Cowboy<br />
celebration<br />
Thursday, August 13<br />
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.<br />
Go See It! Local & Sustainable<br />
Foods in the Flint Hills<br />
Saturday, August 15<br />
12 - 8 p.m.<br />
Primitive Skills Workshop I<br />
Visit<br />
www.flinthillsdiscovery.org/calendar<br />
for more information about<br />
upcoming events at the<br />
Flint Hills Discovery Center<br />
or call 785.587.2726