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Ask A Kansan is a podcast where we're amplifying, connecting and uncovering stories across Kansas.
Every week, Gus and Sydney sit down with the people who actually make this state run — museum directors and ranchers, founders and historians, zookeepers and woodcarvers. From Kansas City to Kinsley, WaKeeney to Wichita, we go where the story is.
You'll leave each episode knowing something you didn't about the state we call home. It's not a history lecture and it's not a business show. It's a real conversation with a Kansan worth knowing.
New episodes weekly. askakansan.com
Ep77
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Homemade Halloween Roots
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[00:00:00]
Sydney Collins: My mom made all of our Halloween costumes. Like, every- And I still have-
Gus Applequist: Respect ...
Sydney Collins: all of them. I still have a good chunk of them. I think the only one I don't have was when, is the mop one, which is, I think my grandma actually made, but it was a monster costume made out of mops that were dyed green. Like, mo- like, mop heads.
Gus Applequist: That's a lot of mops.
Sydney Collins: Like, the legit, like, cotton string-
Gus Applequist: Wow
Sydney Collins: ... like, mop heads. It was heavy, and it was hot, and it was sick.
Gus Applequist: If only you had had-
Sydney Collins: Gross ...
Gus Applequist: one of those dogs that looks like
that.
Sydney Collins: Exactly. If only I had one of those dogs. So of course, I had to keep the tradition alive, and I made every single costume Madeline has ever made.
Or has ever had. Um, and s- my older kids too, when, when I can. And so this year she w- she, o... I kept asking her and asking her, 'cause I have to start in September. So I started this in September, early September. I ask her over and over and over, "What do you wanna be? What do you wanna be? What do you wanna be?"
Gus Applequist: And Madeline has some interesting ideas.
Sydney Collins: And she has lots of interesting ideas. We've gone [00:01:00] cheetah. We've gone cat. We've gone all kinds of different ways. And so finally she, a- and I have to ask her over and over, 'cause it, I know the ideas when they stick in her head and which ones will stick in her head. And so this year she wants to be a vampire bat queen, and the only reason the queen is on there is 'cause she wants a tiara. 'Cause, like, last year was mermaid princess because she wanted a tiara. And so But she was very specific on her colors. It has to be blue and purple and black, but she wants red jewelry, so it has, has to have, like, hints of red in it. So it's gotten to the p- This is so specific. It's very specific. And, um, maybe we could put the picture up, but, like, we had to... We draw, we draw it out with the colors, and then she tells me everything she wants in her hair and all the jewelry she wants and all these things.
Gus Applequist: Bless you.
Sydney Collins: So what we do, w- it kinda gets pared down from there, but at least sh- we have the big picture of everything she wants.
Thrifting Gothic Jewelry
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Sydney Collins: So this past [00:02:00] weekend we went to, um... There's... We have rreally good thrift stores and flea markets in McPherson. So we went to one of 'em that is known for their jewelry, and they know us because Madeline usually gets a piece of jewelry or something. And so we get in there l- and they usually ask people, you know, "Have you been here before?"
And they're like, "Oh, hey, welcome back." And I'm like, we've been here." And I go, "I need Gothic, Halloween- ... vampire jewelry. What do you got?" And the best thing is, is these ladies, like, brought vats of jewelry. Like... And I go, "Okay, I need clip-on earrings." They're like, "Oh we got clip-on earrings." Specific box of clip-on earrings, boom.
And so... And then Madeline is just in heaven of getting all her different things, and so... And it's all-
and it's super cheap stuff too. It's like cheap costume jewelry ...
Gus Applequist: So if any listeners out there need some bat things.
Sydney Collins: So just thrift before you go on Amazon, 'cause I- probably got all of her jewelry, plus, like, some fun, like, pendants and stuff, li- with, had, [00:03:00] like, red, like, rhinestones in it and stuff like that. I think, what, I only spent, like, 35 bucks all together.
Gus Applequist: And it would've been more than that new for
sure.
Sydney Collins: And so if, I think new, if I looked it on Amazon, of all the things that she wanted, it was gonna be, like, $75.
Gus Applequist: Wow.
Sydney Collins: And I was like, "Ugh." She did pick out a couple of rings that were, like, 30 bucks, and I was like, "Madeline, I love you." "But no. Let's pare it down." And then you could see the ladies behind the counter like, maybe only shop from this section." We're like, "Noted."
Gus Applequist: They, they played well with you. That's good.
Guest Intro
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Gus Applequist: Welcome to Ask a Kansan
Sydney Collins: a podcast where we're amplifying, connecting, and uncovering stories across Kansas. [00:04:00]
Gus Applequist: And today we're welcoming back an organization that we covered about a year ago, I think. Probably. About a year and a half, Um, the Kansas Sampler Foundation. We had Marci Penner on, who is sort of the founder of- of Kansas Sampler, and has had a big outsize impact across the state. But- we, today our guest is Simone Elder from, uh, Kansas Sampler. Uh- she's-
Sydney Collins: She's the new executive director. She took over for Marci. Um, but the, the cool thing about Simone is that she is a true western Kansas girl, woman, sorry, and so she has a very, um, kinda different outlook, and kinda conversation points than Marci did, so that's why we wanted to bring her back.
Gus Applequist: So without any further ado, here's our conversation with Simone.
Sydney Collins: Hello.
Gus Applequist: Welcome.
Simone Elder: Morning.
Gus Applequist: Good morning
Sydney Collins: How's it going?
Simone Elder: Good. How are you?
Sydney Collins: Good.
Gus Applequist: I'm great.
Sydney Collins: Get comfy here.
Simone Elder: Get it up,
up here.
Sydney Collins: You got it.
Simone Elder: Get, get friendly.
Sydney Collins: Oh see, you, you've got this.
Simone Elder: Okay.
Sydney Collins: You
got it. Um, well welcome. Thanks [00:05:00] for joining us
today.
Simone Elder: Thank you. Thanks for having me.
Simone’s Career Path
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Simone Elder: I'm glad to be here
Sydney Collins: ... can you, can you introduce yourself, uh, for our audience?
Simone Elder: I'm Simone Elder. I'm the executive director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation.
Sydney Collins: Perfect.
Gus Applequist: How long have you been with- Kansas Sampler?
Simone Elder: So I've been on staff for three years, and I've been in this position since January.
Gus Applequist: Wow
Sydney Collins: Now what-
Gus Applequist: We're big fans.
Sydney Collins: we're big fans.
what did you do, uh, previous?
Simone Elder: Most of my experience has been in rural economic development across the state. I got my start really in high school with economic development in Rawlins County where I grew up. But, uh, professionally I started in Wichita County, which is Leoti, not- of course, not, uh, city of Wichita, and then worked for Network Kansas for a few years, um, with their E-Communities program, and then had a, a small stint in banking before joining the Sampler Foundation team.
Sydney Collins: You said h- um, you said high school, so I'm gonna, I wanna bring it up. How did you get your start in economic development in high school?
Simone Elder: Um, in Rawlins County they [00:06:00] were starting a, a platform, and they were following a framework that engaged youth specifically. So the economic development, um, board had a, a program, it was called YCIP, Youth Community Improvement Program. And they invited a couple of high school students to be ask- they asked us questions.
"What do you wanna see in our community? What kind of things can we bring?" And so I was able to start serving on their, as a youth board member-
Sydney Collins: Oh, cool
Simone Elder: ... which then evolved into, uh, an internship early on right after I graduated high school, and, um, lots of really cool experiences. But they were asking, "What do you want?
What do you see for our community?"
Sydney Collins: Is that kinda what got the ball rolling for you in just economic development in general?
Simone Elder: I think so. I, um, my dad, my parents, I grew up on a f- family farm. Um, my dad is also a financial planner, so I had sort of that entrepreneurial slant. Um, I also had a babysitter who, without realizing it, like she was also an entrepreneur.
Like, she was always finding side jobs and, and so but that, that [00:07:00] was really the start for me getting involved in rural community development, so.
Sydney Collins: Is there like a specific passion about... 'Cause economic development is this big, giant- I don't know, house, I guess. Is there a specific room in economic development That,
that
you kinda gear towards or that you like or what motivates you?
Simone Elder: I mean, I'm, I'm not a, I guess, a traditional economic developer- by any means. I'm really passionate about the community development and the entrepreneurial focus. I went to college for business management and entrepreneurship, and I really actually thought I was going to be an entrepreneur myself and return to Atwood and- follow that path. But instead I've, um, spent a lot of time helping small businesses and entrepreneurs over my career path, so.
Why Western Kansas Matters
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Sydney Collins: Do you think grow- 'cause you are f- not necessarily the first, but one of the first, like, true Western Kansas folks- that have been on the podcast.
Gus Applequist: You don't get much more Western than Atwood.
Like,
Sydney Collins: So is there, [00:08:00] um... Well, 'cause we, we... I guess a little background is, like, we... yes, we w- are, we have a lot of guests throughout Kansas, but, I think the farthest west we've had is probably Scott City. And so-
so you are even more west than that, um, and especially Atwood-
Gus Applequist: What's life like out there?
Simone Elder: What is life out there?
Sydney Collins: So is there... is there a specific, like, passion or anything from specifically western Kansas? 'Cause you're rural, rural out there.
What makes western Kansas special?
Simone Elder: That's a great question. So I grew up in Atwood. Um, went, went, to the University of Kansas and then returned to Leoti. And now I'm actually in Greeley County, so I am... I touch Col- I, I could touch Colorado.
Sydney Collins: You're like- you're west west.
Simone Elder: We are west west. What makes western Kansas special? You know, I have always thought a lot about the pioneers. Like, wh-
Sometimes it feels like- ... why would someone choose this place? It is very flat. That is true about western Kansas. It's not true about all of Kansas. Um, but the, the people are [00:09:00] amazing. And it's this, uh, sense that we can make a difference here that I think... So there are landscapes. There's- from Atwood, like, it is not flat. My favorite view- and the, the thing that makes me feel like, "Oh, I went home," when I go to visit my parents, I am home, is you get to the crest coming, north on 25.
And you're at this crest, and there lies Atwood down in the valley below. And it is... it's, it's not flat. It's... it makes my heart swell to then go down, go to the lake. Um, but western Kansas is special because I think people underestimate us.
There's a lot of farm ground. There's a lot of ranching, but there's also a lot of manufacturing that you don't expect.
Um, some really unique things. Again, I'll use, 'cause it's home home, in Atwood Char... uh, excuse me, Carlson Choke Tubes. It's a... if you're hunters will know. [00:10:00] What a, the purpose of a-
Gus Applequist: Enlighten us, yeah.,
Simone Elder: The, the purpose of a choke tube is to change the pattern of the shot when it comes out of the shotgun.
Sydney Collins: Oh, okay.
Gus Applequist: Oh, wow.
Simone Elder: De- depending on, um- there's a story for you. Anyway, they're s- they're sold in Cabela's, like, and manufactured in Atwood. So, like, it's a really cool... There's a lot of unique manufacturing and industry that people don't expect.
Sydney Collins: Brilliant.
For some reason that just reminds me of Duck Dynasty.
It's just- ... all they make is duck calls, but they're like a, probably a really fun- place to work. Anyway. Sorry.
Gus Applequist: This has
been a side note from
Sydney.
Sydney Collins: A side note from Sydney.
Choosing Rural Power Ups
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Sydney Collins: How has it been, or I guess what is your, what are your thoughts on trying to get... 'Cause Kansas Sampler is choosing rural, right?
Simone Elder: Yes.
Sydney Collins: So, um, for that it's a lot of trying to coax young families or young adults to choose rural.
Is there any, like conversation around that or kind of w- [00:11:00] what are your opinions about that? Or how do, how do we get, get to that point?
Simone Elder: I think when people are choosing rural, so well, under the Kansas Sampler Foundation, um, and I know Marcie had talked about this on the show previously, but we have what are called Power Ups.
We've, we've named this special group of 21 to 39-year-olds who are rural by choice Power Ups. And we believe that when that group of people is engaged in rural communities, they're invited to the table, asked to give their opinion, but then also not told, "Oh, well we tried that before" it can really make a difference for the whole community. And, and so as far as like how do we recruit those people, uh, in 2021 we, we, Marci produced the Power Up and Go report after she interviewed 175 Kansans, surveyed almost 500, Kansans that were 21 to 39 year old, years old at the time. And what they said was, "You know, we things as simple as salads and sidewalks.
Can we have fresh food [00:12:00] and a place that we can push our stroller on a sidewalk- when we're walking our kids instead of, instead- of in the middle of the street?" And I think, though, all of that, and I, I'd like to think I'm, I've been an example of this idea of creating the choir, which was also in this Power Up and Go report.
So how do we start with the K through 12 age group and help them feel connected to the place that they grow up? How do we help them see that they have a role now as, you know, 14 or 18 year olds before they go home and appreciate that place? But then how do we then make sure they know the door is open?
Like, go off, go to college, get an experience, but also bring those skills and talents and experiences back, to invest in the place that you love. And so I think communities, the- there's communities that are doing that really well, leaving the door open, um, engaging young people, saying, "Hey," one example.
In Humboldt, um, we had [00:13:00] a big Kansas road trip there this last May. And we worked with them to do a community service project that if you haven't heard about, the Humboldt Promise, um, that, that's a whole program on its own, but these students were spending the day along with visitors from the big Kansas road trip painting a mural.
So they, they're leaving their mark on their community, and it's something they can be proud of.
Gus Applequist: It Strikes me, there's few things going on in Kansas that are as important as keeping people in Kansas. And when you look at these projections of 1 to 3% population loss over, I'm not sure.
I don't, my, my data isn't very good. But I remember seeing a map recently that said that, and, um, wow, thank you for all you're doing. It's just incredible that, um, starting young seems important. Engaging those people that are entering the, the prime of their life. Wow.
Simone Elder: And I, and I think reminding people, like, you have a choice. Um, and sometimes you just have to illuminate ways that that [00:14:00] choice is possible for you to choose rural. And I think one of the programs that's really, really valuable in that way across the state is the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge that Network Kansas puts on. Yep. Um, and I, I was involved in a version of that in high school before it officially became a sanctioned event by Network Kansas.
And so again, like being able to think through what could make a difference here, and working through, even if you, even if they don't nail the steps and really have a full, full idea of what's financially possible, um, it, it gets them thinking. When I was in economic development in Wichita County, there were a couple of students, and I kinda had a three or four-year window when I was doing youth entrepreneurship fairs, where we were we consistently were talking positive about opportunities.
We want you to come home, but feel free to go away. And I had the, the honor to be a graduation speaker for the class of [00:15:00] 2015, and we gave them mailboxes. We did the mailbox thing where we say, "Hey, you're invited back. Here's, here's a mailbox that says Wichita County Kansas on it with your name on it." And I can drive around town in Leoti, and there's a handful of those mailboxes-
that are up, and those students came back, and some of them started businesses. Some of them are working for other people. But it's, it's really cool to see that in action, but it's-
Gus Applequist: What a great idea.
Simone Elder: And, you know, I'm, I'm grateful for Marcy, you know, over a decade ago, identifying the value of Power Ups and helping to talk to communities about how do you sh- shift that power. It's, we don't want the older generation to lose our power entirely, but, like, there's this transfer of knowledge that needs to also happen in a, a thoughtful way for communities. So, I'm, I'm grateful that she started that work, and then the ways that we can bring in my experience from youth entrepreneurship and [00:16:00] that kind of thing, I'm really excited to see what we can do for rural Kansas.
Taking Over After Marci
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Gus Applequist: I feel like you've already, like, answered this sort of, but, but I wanna name it more clearly. You, you have some big shoes to fill with Marci. I mean, Marci, Marci is- Yes ... it's incredible to us how many people we have talked to on the podcast who mention Marci as a- as a, you know-
Sydney Collins: They're like, "Oh, you should have Marci on."
We're like, "Oh we did."
Gus Applequist: But, you know, as, as, uh, as you, um, have done that and as you continue to do that, um, what are, what are some of the, the sort of echoes that Marci continues to have throughout the state, but how are you also leaving your own foot- or your own mark on this job?
Simone Elder: That, that's a good question.
I'm still figuring it out a, a few months in, nine months in. But I'm grateful first for Marci for, you know, this has been her baby. Like, 30, over 30 years of championing Kansas, talking about rural. Um, so I, I, I am grateful for the opportunity, [00:17:00] and I think some of the things I can bring to the table, though, are this mix of entrepreneurial experience and how do we help communities remember they can be more entrepreneurial without... Sometimes it turns into businesses, and that's great for, again, going back to, like, what, how, what room am I in in economic development? Like, that's really important. Um, but it's also helping, continuing to help Kansans see themselves differently. I, I want Kansas, all of Kansas, but rural especially, to remember we are more than a flyover state.
We... Like, the people who think that have not seen real Kansas, and I, I love the Kansas Explorers Club for that reason, 'cause we're encouraging people to get on the road, enjoy the journey, whatever kind of bump and dust and- ... whatever you might run into, enjoy the journey. But also, you can make a difference just by being Kansans in those places, and once people see... We just had a conversation yesterday. We're not sure what the 2026 [00:18:00] word for swagger is, but, uh, bringing swagger back to rural is something. Rizz. Yeah I, that's kind of what I wanted. rizz. Rizz. I...
Sydney Collins: I got a teenager.
Simone Elder: Whew. Thank goodness.
Gus Applequist: Kansas rizz.
Simone Elder: Yeah the Kan- We're bringing in the Kansas rizz.
So Kansas is cool, and I, I'm proud of it.
Gus Applequist: Love that.
Sydney Collins: Does Western Kansas sometimes feel disconnected from the rest of the state 'cause you aren't really... You're not close to Topeka, you're not close to Wichita, where things seem to always hap- quote, unquote, "Happen"?
Simone Elder: Sometimes. I, I appreciate... I love Morton County. If you've never been out to Elkhart, you need to go. Point of Rocks, they have a great downtown. Uh, the movie theater there is really, really cool, The Doric. Uh, it's the home of Mitchell Theatres, which have, theaters across New Mexico, Colorado. Anyway, Elkhart feels... They are closer to three other state capitals than they are to Topeka.
Gus Applequist: Wow. Wow. Isn't, isn't that wild?
Sydney Collins: That's crazy.
Simone Elder: Um, but they [00:19:00] are, they are proud Kansans and they gave me a shirt a few years ago, and I'm trying to think. Um, "This is how we roll," um, and it had a tumblewe-
weed on it. And then they had another one and it was very clever. I wish I could think of it right now, but... my experience, actually, I went to the state fair, um, for the first time and... This year, and I thought, "Why, why have I never been?" Well, farm family. It- I wasn't a 4-H-er. And we also would go from Atwood.
I mean, it was easier to go to McCook, Kearney- uh, Denver, Colorado, than it was to come
Sydney Collins: All the way to Hutch.
All the way to Hutch.
Simone Elder: So, I think there's some disconnect, but I think there's still, like, this... The soil is still Kansas. The, again, that unassuming, hardworking... I- I don't know the...
I think you can grow it. I guess you grow it here in Kansas. Hardworking and unassuming. Um, but I do think sometimes the things that happen in Topeka or [00:20:00] Wichita do feel, and even Pittsburgh, uh, you know, it feels like a whole nother world from what we experience in Western Kansas.
Bridging Statewide Networks
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Gus Applequist: We were talking a second ago about like the disconnect, right?
And I, I feel like so much of what I've seen from Marcie on Facebook has been just this like intentional effort to create these networks across Kansas.
Like this town needs somebody who specializes in blank, and, and she's making that connection. How do you sort of take that forward, that, that piece of it, that networking and building these- webs of connections across the state?
Simone Elder: That's a great question. We do have, um, we have some ideas for like what could this look like, and some of the ideas we've, we had, we did a strategic plan last year, were very tech-oriented. But we just had a meeting and we brought people from all across the state together in person, and I mean, that's where the, that's where the magic happens. And it's, [00:21:00] it's high touch work, um, but that's what I think we need. We need more of, not just in Kansas, but like across the entire nation- and world is like get face to face, be intentional about that time spent together. And so I'm gonna do more of that. I love gathering people. Uh, we were part, in that event, we actually were part of a nationwide effort called the Declarations of Interdependence Relay. Started by a guy up in, in Milwaukee, and I heard about it, and they needed a Kansas landing spot.
So I'm like, "Hey, I have a group of people. I'm gonna bring them together. We are gonna talk about what does interdependence look like." you know, there's first defining independence- defining dependence, and then like what does it look like when we come together in a group, and again, that networking.
Like, I can bring this to the table, you can bring that, and nobody gets left behind. So-
Gus Applequist: And, uh- I was just talking about this with my leadership coach, this dependence, independence, interdependence. [00:22:00] It's great.
Sydney Collins: When we think of supporting rural, smaller towns and how we can get them, not necessarily to grow, but-
Gus Applequist: But maybe to grow.
Sydney Collins: But maybe to grow. But it's... what's the difference between saving these small towns and then- helping them recognize their strengths?
Gumption and Cultural Elements
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Simone Elder: Oh, that is, that is right up our alley because, w- one of the things that Marci defined early on with the Kansas Sampler Foundation is, like, we work with the communities that have the gumption to help themselves. I love that word, gumption. I love the
Sydney Collins: word gumption.
Simone Elder: It's like, it's a good one. And I really think that kinda sums it up. Like, we are here, our door is open, and I think a lot, a lot of statewide resources would say that. but you gotta take that first step, uh, to get connected with, with what you need.
And so we, we believe communities know what they need better than we do. And sometimes all we're doing is holding up a mirror for them to see that. So whether it's introducing them to the idea [00:23:00] of the eight rural cultural elements, or it's just saying, "Oh, I see you, you have a community garden. Like, do you need a resource?
Or you've been talking about this. Um, how can we connect you to someone to help?" So, we don't, we're, we're not coming in, we don't have superhero capes, but we, we believe in communities that believe in themselves first.
Gus Applequist: You can't drop a phrase like eight cult- rural cur- cultural elements-
without explaining it, so please tell me what that is.
Simone Elder: So as Marci was first, and her dad, Mill, were first going around the state, like, they would come to communities and they'd be like, "Oh, we don't have anything. Keep going down the road." And so they developed this framework, um, and it's, the eight elements are art, architecture, commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history, and people. And so if you look at your community, if you just talk to a community and say, "Oh, surely you have something. Like, look at these eight buckets. What do you have?" Even if it's [00:24:00] somebody who grew up here and moved away. I mean, Steve Tasker is from Leoti, Kansas, Buffalo Bills player. So- um, that's, we got a feather in our hat for that one. And those, I think, are ways, just a entry point for communities to see themselves differently.
And then which helps others- see Kansas differently as well.
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Programs Kansas Sampler Offers
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Gus Applequist: Can you kind of give us the, the, what are the programs of- Yes ... we've sort of hit on Kansas Sam- or, sorry, uh, the Kansas [00:25:00] Explorers Club.
Uh, explain that maybe a little more and, and what else- you guys do.
Simone Elder: so I mean, our overall mission is preserve and sustain rural culture.
And so then you kinda divide it into two buckets of work, the Explore Kansas side, which has the Kansas Explorers Club. Um, that's where all of our guidebook, we recently launched a online Kansas guidebook, back in May, and so that's available. All of the, the previously published books that Marci and Wendy wrote, all those resources are online for free. But if you're a Kansas Explorers Club member, you get access to a trip planner and a bucket list maker and get to track your investment in rural Kansas. And then the third thing sort of under the Kansas Explorers Club, or the Explore Kansas side, excuse me, is our Big Kansas Road Trips, which evolved from the Kansas Sampler Festivals, which were the whole reason we're called Kansas Sampler Foundation to begin with.
It was an opportunity for organizations and attractions to come together [00:26:00] so Kansas could come, one-stop, see all there is to do, taste, see, hear, buy, in one place. Um, and then that evolved to the Big Kansas Road Trips. So now instead of getting a little sample and a handful of brochures, you now get to go to these places and experience, uh, rural Kansas. And so the other side of our work is our We Can programming. So under that, uh, we believe We Can, it's all about that network you were talking about. How do we bring together doers, volunteers, leaders from across the state? There are 625 incorporated cities, and about 75% of them are 1,500 population or less.
Wow. And so that is our target market, but we want everybody to come because likely, because of the way Kansas is, they have a rural connection or have rural- rural roots to begin with. And so under We Can, we have things like our we- annual conference. It's either the We Can conference or the Big Rural Brainstorm.
We alternate those [00:27:00] every other year. We have a monthly Tidbits newsletter. Um, and then we also have a thing called a Duologue, which is like a show and tell for communities. So we'll be on the road and say, "Man, they're doing this really well. How do we-" and that's a common theme. So we recently had one in Solomon where it was all about their swimming pool.
And so we invited people, "We're not gonna talk about the money side of swimming pools." "But we're gonna talk about, how do you take this community asset that people want and makes a difference, and build it up, um, make it a third place in the summer that families... It's not just for the kids. The pool is, can be for everybody." So, And then of course, Power Ups, um- Wow ...kind of falls under We Can! work.
Gus Applequist: you mentioned Power Ups. Tell me more, like how does that work? You, do you go out and talk to these people? Or w- what, what's-
Power Ups Future
---
Simone Elder: So we're, we're kind of in a holding pattern.
Um- it's funny to think, like that original group of Power Ups Marcy identified as all, we say, aged out- um, [00:28:00] to become Power Ons- which are 40 plus. And they're still valuable in the community. They're still doing great things in their community. And so we're, when I was hired in 2023, I was the Power Up manager, and my role was to just to continue talking to Power Ups, figuring out, what do we need?
How can we connect, and keep, keep you engaged, keep people happy where they are? And so that work is, is continuing in that way. But we, we hope it shapes, looks differently in the future. We're just not quite sure. It's different than, it's different than YP, Young Professionals. and it's also like a different space than some of the good work that the Kansas Farm Bureau does with their Young Farmers and Ranchers.
And so we're sort of in this in-between... Like everybody can fit, but it's also more of a mindset than a-
specific set of programs.
Gus Applequist: More cultural than professional.
Simone Elder: That's a good way to say it. Thank you. I'll put that in the bank. [00:29:00]
Team On The Road
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Sydney Collins: Um, how big is your team?
Simone Elder: Um, so Marcy and Wendy are still on staff, but they will be done officially at the end of the year.
So we've got three, three of us and a bookkeeper. So at the beginning of the, of the year when I moved to director, we then hired Monica Fry. Um- she's from McPherson-
for Explore Kansas, and then Carley Frederick out of Lions for the We Can! program manager. So they're, they're awesome. They've spent the summer, uh, being on the road, and
what's it like having a team that's so spread out? Like, is it, is it hard? Is it e- I mean, the power of Zoom is great, but-
Gus Applequist: It allows you to have-
further reach, I imagine.
Simone Elder: It, it is really nice. I was glad we were able to hire the two of them to be central, 'cause it- I mean, it's four hours just to get to Salina almost- for me. but it's really good. You know, I am glad we have things like Zoom and Google, Google Meet to be able to stay in touch. Um, as far as manage- like, we, we all chat usually once a [00:30:00] week as a team call, and then have a couple of one-on-ones.
So a lot of time managing and communicating, but it's, like you said, we have a further reach across the state, which is really nice.
Message To Rural Expatriates
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Gus Applequist: You know what's interesting when we look at, uh, where people are listening to Ask a Kansan. Oh, There's a few kind of, like, odd places that are- Okay ... we're not- Like Argentina
like Singapore or something . Like, I don't know how that hap- anyway, we gather that there's some people listening from outside the state or from larger communities- um, like Kansas City, and, and I'm, I'm curious, you know, if, if you were talking directly to them for a second, and there's maybe- you know, a little bit of their heart that is lying out there in a rural community somewhere-
what, what would you, what would you say to them?
Simone Elder: I've given you a lot of examples about, uh, Atwood today, like that nostalgia, that- that pull. So I understand that when you're away from the place that you love, and I also, I guess I'd remind them, like, [00:31:00] rural, rural has a future.
Again, every rural community has the opportunity to choose, where do we wanna go from here? Do we wanna go forward? And I think, we don't do a very good job inviting people to come back and reminding them, like, waving our own flag about, "Hey, we do have things going on." And that inconvenience of being, you know, a little bit further from a shopping center, remind me, how lo- how often do you actually go to the mall or- get to take advantage of a Royals game, um- amidst all the traffic and other, you know- teen mom, like youth sports and all the other things- Oh, that you have going on.
Sydney Collins: All the things.
Simone Elder: And so, um, just remind them, like, rural Kansas has a future. It's not just something that was. We're still here. We're still going.
Gus Applequist: I would tell people too that, like, um, you don't necessarily have to move back home to make a difference.
Like, you can make a difference where you're at [00:32:00] too. And you can be involved wherever you're at.
And that's an exciting thing, I think.
Simone Elder: I think that's a good point.
Rural Curious And Coming Home
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Simone Elder: Um, Carly recently... We, we talk a lot about the Power Up movement and how we have these different names for different age groups. So there's Power Ups, but before that, if there's some kid, uh, like I would've been a Spark when I was in high school. Like, this kid who was just super passionate about rural.
So they have, there's Sparks, Power Ons, Super Powers, and we were, talking this year, there's this whole group of people who are living in urban areas who come to our programming because they, they wanna know rural, and so we're calling them Rural Curious. Rural Curious, so, um-
Sydney Collins: I like that so much.
Simone Elder: And they're, they wanna know, and I think a lot of our explorers fall into that category, but you're right.
Like, if they grew up in a rural place, it, I, if there's an opportunity for them to invest or just even talk differently, speak differently about, um, their rural experience and what, [00:33:00] what it's like. I mean, Wichita County has this fair that brings home tons of people from the city every year. Our carnival. And so it's another example of, like, that that opportunity and those strings that tie you back to home,
Gus Applequist: Beautiful.
LeRoy Main Street Revival
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Sydney Collins: Is there a story or an experience, um, that has really stuck out with you as you have done your work at Kansas Sampler?
Simone Elder: Um, one of the first really neat experiences or, or people, power-ups that I, I honestly don't even remember how he came into our network, was a young man who was, is living in LeRoy, Kansas. And he was starting to invest in his local downstreet, downtown. He'd bought an old building and was doing the, pin tucking on the, the old bricks and stuff-
Sydney Collins: Oh, wow
Simone Elder: ... the mortar himself.
Gus Applequist: Oh, wow.
Sydney Collins: Oh my gosh.
Simone Elder: And so he has renovated this place.
It's [00:34:00] now an Airbnb, and beautified Main Street, and then he has visions for understanding, and I think this is a cool example of, like, the power-up, sort of that bridge. His grandfather was really instrumental in rural Kansas and, and just, he was a banker, well-respected, well-revered, and they cared deeply about the history of the place. And there was, um, some sort of battle that took place along the river near the town and, like, he has this big vision for making it a really cool walk, sort of like in Council Grove. Like, how do we bridge this gap between what was, this history of the place, and then offer something like a walking trail for the people who live here now?
So there's, there are just people like that all across the state. But that one in particular, comes to mind when- when you ask about people doing really cool things.
Point Of Rocks Adventure
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Simone Elder: Places, I mentioned Elkhart. I love Point of Rocks. It-
Gus Applequist: What is that? I, this is the first [00:35:00] I've heard of Point of Rocks.
Simone Elder: So... Oh.
Gus Applequist: I'm so sorry.
Simone Elder: So it might be... No, that's great. I'm, uh, um, so in Cimarron National Grassland, there is, of course it was a Santa Fe Trail, along the Santa Fe Trail, and there is a place that you drive into the, into the grasslands, and it's pretty high, and it has a beautiful vantage point. And so, like, if you go in the spring and the wildflowers are blooming, you can stand on this point and look.
Like, you're probably looking into both Colorado and Oklahoma- Oh, wow ... from that space. And I like to think, like, man, if I were in a covered wagon, how frightening this would feel. Though the first time I went out there, my car, I turned it off to walk around somewhere- and it wouldn't start.
Gus Applequist: No. Oh, no.
Simone Elder: And I, and there was no cell phone service, so I mean, I g- I guess I got that pioneer experience.
Sydney Collins: You did. Your covered wagon, the wheel is off, and your horse has taken a nap.
Simone Elder: I thought, "What am I going to do if my car doesn't restart?" So anyway, The
Sydney Collins: Oregon Trail of your life.
Gus Applequist: What did you do?
Simone Elder: I, I, I was patient.
I went and did a little [00:36:00] walk, and I came back and- I, I guess, you know, push-button cars, it's
Sydney Collins: The key fob needed to be in the exact specific place in your pocket
Simone Elder: I was like, "It must have been in the wrong spot."
Gus Applequist: Way to stay calm.
Simone Elder: I'm like, "Well, somebody'll come look for me." I'm like, "I have a meeting.
They'll wonder where I am, right?" But so Pointer Rock is- Wow ... a really neat vantage point. Um, and I think when you put yourself in the, in the shoes of the pioneers who were westward bound, man, whoo.
Support Kansas Sampler
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Sydney Collins: how can, um, Kansans help support Sampler Foundation or S- Dan Sampler?
Simone Elder: Uh, well, we, we are a 501[c][3] nonprofit- so, uh, donations are always welcome. But I think two other things, um, that would also benefit them, like become a Kansas Explorers Club member. It's fun. Uh, one of our values at the Kansas Sampler Foundation is that fun is motivating, and I think it's true. Like, get out there and explore. You can [00:37:00] explore with your family. And then it just gives you something positive to, to tell others about rural Kansas.
So speak positively about Kansas also.
Sydney Collins: And where can people find more information?
Simone Elder: kansassampler.org is our website. Okay. Um, and I mentioned the Kansas guidebook, so, and that's at kansasguidebook.org. So it's free, free information for people to scroll.
So.
Gus Applequist: Well, thank you so much for-
Simone Elder: Thank you ...
Gus Applequist: including us on this trip across the state.
Simone Elder: Thank you. Thank you.
Gus Applequist: And safe travels..
Simone Elder: I appreciate it.
Want to spread your organization's message across Kansas? Consider becoming a sponsor. Ask a Kansan has a unique focus on Kansas and its people. By sponsoring our podcast, your organization can reach people from Kanorado to Kansas City, Wichita to Washington, and all the great places in between. We have a variety of sponsorship packages available to fit your budget and needs.
For more information, visit askakansan.com/sponsorships or call us at [00:38:00] 785-571-9507.
Host Reflections And Hope
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Gus Applequist: One of my favorite things on the podcast is when we have somebody come in and they're just a little bit nervous. I couldn't tell Simone was nervous, but as the interview went on, she warmed up so much- and had so much to say, and was so warm, which just matches the energy of her organization.
Sydney Collins: And I'm just so, and I, I, I, I mentioned it in the, uh, conversation, but I, I'm giddy that we finally have, like, a true...
Not that we haven't had true western Kansas, but she-
Gus Applequist: It doesn't get more western
Sydney Collins: But it doesn't get more western than where she is from.
And so it was great to kinda get her point of view, 'cause we, we keep tr- It's, it's sh- That's a long drive, and-
Gus Applequist: Four hours,
Sydney Collins: Four hours. And so I just cannot appreciate her enough- for, for doing that.
Gus Applequist: But that, uh, that raises expectations for other parts of the state
Sydney Collins: A little bit. So- Uh ... eastern Kansas, southern eastern Kansas, how are you looking out there?
We'd love to have you in.
Gus Applequist: I think one of the things Simone touched on, um, that I [00:39:00] wanna just elevate a little bit more is the thought that, like- I don't think she specifically named this, but she sort of talked around it, and that's that, like, there's a lot of doom and gloom in the world.
And a lot of the answers to that, like on the personal level, if you're feeling that and it's like just all-consuming, which it honestly is a lot of the time.
The answer is to go out and be a part of the community that's right there outside of your door.
Don't look on Facebook, not that Facebook is just evil, but like literally go out and discover the community that's right outside your door because there's so much hope to be found there and so much that, that, that is asking you to be a part of it. Um, and that's I think what this podcast is about and what we hope to see across Kansas. So bravo, Simone, and thanks for, for joining us.
Dartography
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Gus Applequist: Well, I, I thought w- we're gonna, we're gonna try to change things up a little bit with our segments. We're gonna go a little bit shorter, um, but we're not gonna abandon Dartography, uh, because Dartography is essential.
Sydney Collins: Oh, Dartography.
Gus Applequist: This is our segment where we throw a dart at a map of Kansas and then we [00:40:00] discover what is special about that spot on the map.
So last time you hit, uh, Trego County, uh, somewhere along K-147 between Ogella and the Cedar Bluff Reservoir.
So here are three facts about that area.
Okay.
So the first is Cedar Bluff Reservoir itself. Uh, the Cedar Bluff Dam went up on the Smoky Hill River starting in 1949 and was finished in 1951 and it was a Bureau of Reclamation project. Um, and the reason they embarked on the, on the project was the Dust Bowl. The goal was to irrigate Western Kansas so that dry farming stopped kicking up the dust that was just- causing havoc. It took until 1958 to organize an irrigation district and until 1963 to finish an 18-mile canal that was supposed to provide that irrigation. But then the river quit and flows fell through the '60s and '70s and the system delivered its last irrigation water in 1978. Um, and [00:41:00] by the 1980s the reservoir was close to dry, but the irrigation district dissolved in '94 and then in the wet '90s gradually it began to refill.
And now, uh, it's a state park and it provides the drinking water for the city of Russell.
Sydney Collins: Cool.
Gus Applequist: My second fact about where the dart hit last time is, uh, west of that dam there is a canyon named for a piece of farm equipment. It is called Threshing Machine Canyon, and it sits on the old Smoky Hill Trail at the site of a Butterfield Overland Dispatch stop called Bluffton Station.
Sydney Collins: Hold on.
Gus Applequist: I don't know what Butterfield Overland Dispatch is, but, uh, that requires its own whole
Okay.
So sorry I don't have more information on that.
Sydney Collins: Maybe it just has a lot of cows, and cows make milk that make butter.
Gus Applequist: Sure. We'll go with that. A freight train camped there years ago. Um, I, I think this must have been in the 1800s sometime. Um, and they were carrying horse-powered threshing machines that were bound for Salt Lake City. And as they camped under the bluff, um, instead of [00:42:00] out on the flat that night, a war party came up the gully and killed the freighters and burned everything.
Sydney Collins: Oh my gosh.
Gus Applequist: And so a charred machine sat in the canyon for decades, and travelers would pocket pieces of the machine.
And what was left of it is apparently now in the Trego County Museum in Wakini. Uh, the canyon walls still, still carry names cut by Pikes Peak gold rushers in 1859 and cavalry, cavalrymen in 1865. And, and there was also a quarry down in that canyon, and that's where they got the cornerstone for the local Swedish Lutheran church. My final, uh, fact about the area that you hit with the dart is, uh, that Ogella was originally a fort. So the town at the top of the road is named for the Oglala Lakota, a Sioux name on a Kansas map. So it was platted in 1878, and the 2020 census counted about 28 residents, so it's not a huge place. Before the town there was this fort, Fort Ogella, [00:43:00] and it was a 30 foot by 30 foot sod embankment with a well built to protect nearly 300 railroad graders pushing the Kansas Pacific Railroad west.
So I, I'm trying ... I've checked this, this fact on a couple different websites- because I was like 30 by 30 foot is not a large space- No ... for 300. I don't understand how they all fit in there, or maybe I'm misunderstanding something, but apparently they all packed in there. Um, and so like, uh, grader, what is a grader? Um, you know, Kansas is not flat, as you may or may not know. Right. And so in order to, to make it flat enough for the railroad- Oh, these graders had to go in and, you know, take piles of dirt and move it.
Terrible job, especially before tools that we have now. In June of 1868, the, the grading boss, Thomas Parks, was killed, and the fort took its name. So Parks Fort never had a real building. They just had this dirt circle basically. Oh. Um, and the railroad put a water pumping station there instead. So that's kind of, uh, the [00:44:00] background of, uh- Ogella. And of the place that we hit in Trego County. So bravo. Cool.
New Dart Throw Rooks County
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Gus Applequist: Um, We're probably not set up for another dart throw.
You want-- Shall we do it now? Okay I will once again narrate as Sydney prepares to throw the dart.
Have you been practicing? No.
uh, Sydney's approaching the dartboard She is going to remove the dart from Trego County. Very good That's okay. We had a slight rip of the map. She is winding up. She's getting her footing correct. Yep. And here comes the throw. Oh, we are in North Central Kansas, a little bit further west, like maybe above Hays-ish or Woodston? What county is that in? Rooks County. Okay, well that will be for the next segment of Dartography, uh, when we will see what is in that neck of the woods. Stockton. Stockton is where a lot of, uh, my wife's friends live, and my friends too. Uh- They're, they're not just [00:45:00] my wife's. They're good people, so that- that'll be fun.
I'll be excited to talk about that. I-
Sydney Collins: You guys don't always have to have the same friends.
Gus Applequist: That's true. But we're- But they are my friends too.
Stories From A Hat
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Gus Applequist: I don't wanna- I thought we'd also do a little bit of, uh-
Sydney Collins: Oh, We could do stories- ... stories from a hat here ...
Gus Applequist: stories from a hat.
Sydney Collins: We haven't done this in a while
Gus Applequist: And just see what, uh, what pops up.
This is our little segment where you learn a little bit more about Sydney and I, uh, from random words pulled out... of a hat. Um, okay, so the story I'm gonna tell. Uh, couple years ago I was in... I, I was going to Colorado, I was in Colorado, west of Denver, and a huge hailstorm came up out of nowhere. And- ...I, I was stuck in it because the traffic was stopped because everybody tried to park underneath the overpass to protect their car. And, um, there's, like, cars around our car that their, their windshields were getting smashed. It was, it was very terrifying. Um, by the way, they say, like, that a bridge and overpass-
Sydney Collins: The worst place to be in a storm
Gus Applequist: that's, uh... Okay, don't [00:46:00] quote, quote us on that but I don't think it's a great place to be.
It does protect you from hail, but-
but be considerate of others, people.
Sydney Collins: What was your prompt?
Gus Applequist: A bridge or overpass.
Sydney Collins: Oh, a bridge or overpass? That makes sense.
Sorry.
Okay. so mine is a smell you wish you could bottle I don't know. I don't know. I guess I really like I'm not really a smell, like I'm not a candle person.
I barely use lotion. I'm terrible. Do not come f- to me for moisturizing tips. I'm not a big smeller.
Draw another one. I, here, I'm gonna- Oh ... I'm gonna tell a little story about that. Okay. Um, did you know that the, like the human nose is exceptionally good at detecting a specific smell, which is that, the smell of rain?
Oh.
Gus Applequist: Like dogs, despite having a much more sensitive nose than we do, they can't smell that smell near- like it's like, I don't know, one part per million or something that we can detect of that, that aroma of rain.
Sydney Collins: Interesting.
Gus Applequist: So
Sydney Collins: All right, [00:47:00] this says the best excuse for leaving a party early. Gosh. It has to be something like, I'm trying to think of things that I've used, but it's usually been about kids or babysitters or... But I think if you really wanna get creative with it, the best excuse for leaving a party is like I wanna say like a zoo animal got out or something like that and you had to go help. I don't know.
Gus Applequist: Well-
Sydney Collins: I was trying to think creative over here ...
Gus Applequist: you have, you have a great excuse right now to do pretty much anything you want.
I mean, don't kill anyone, but you're pregnant and you can-
Sydney Collins: I am pregnant. That is the best excuse ...
Gus Applequist: you can use that and you should use that.
Sydney Collins: I can use that a lot. Be like, "Oh, sorry, I need to get to bed. Oh, sorry, the baby is just kicking the crap out of me."
Gus Applequist: Um, okay, let's do one more.
Sydney Collins: Okay.
Gus Applequist: Um,
Sydney Collins: All right, I'll do mine. A local legend or character everybody seems to know It's hard to do this Cause I don't think I know any, like, dead ones, and that's the thing, is, like, I wish I could not name-drop a person, but local legend or character everybody seems to know. [00:48:00] And I f- feel like, Gus, you are a local legend or character that everybody seems to know-
Gus Applequist: Oh, no.
Sydney Collins: in some capacity. Well, like, even when... Like, s- sometimes if I'm in Lindsborg or if I'm even in McPherson, people are like, " oh, you work for Fili. Oh, is that, They always ask, "Is that Roy's kid?" And I was like- "Yes."
Gus Applequist: It doesn't help, I, I have a, a license plate that says Gus Bus.
Sydney Collins: you do have Gus.
Gus Applequist: And so-
Sydney Collins: You have the Gus Bus ...
Gus Applequist: people kinda know where I go, so I have to be responsible and Um, okay, my last story I will tell, uh, my prompt is a vending machine that never lets you down. Uh- Oh ... my wife and I met in the community theater pit here in Salina. Um, or that's where we got to know each other anyway- for, uh, a musical that we were in. And so I'm currently in that pit for another musical, um, Guys and Dolls.
And so when you, when you do something, you know, this is typically a three or four-week commitment, four or five nights a week, and, uh, like, it's [00:49:00] crazy how established your routine becomes in that amount of time. And part of my routine is going to the, the vending machine- Vending machine ... every night. And Dean Kranzler, if you don't know Dean Kranzler, we might have to have him on sometime.
Sydney Collins: Oh, he's a, he's a good
local legend.
Gus Applequist: Dean, Dean is a, is a percussion teacher and a, and a drummer, phenomenal musician.
Sydney Collins: The bomb.
Gus Applequist: Um, he was named- He's- ... into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame- I think last year. And, um, so Dean's with me in the pit.
He's playing drums. I'm playing upright bass. And every time Dean comes into the pit, he's been teaching all day. Oh, He's like, "Well, gotta go get some supper." And he goes to the
vending machine- ... and he gets, like, a bag of chips.
Sydney Collins: I'll never, I'll never forget, if you... 'Cause I grew up here in Salina and I was a percussionist, and a lot of the people that I were, was in band with, if they had lessons with The Dean, they were, like, the coolest person alive. And they didn't call him Dean.
He was The Dean.
So
Gus Applequist: Dean, Dean's had a huge impact. He's taught hundreds of students.
Hundreds.
Well, you've done [00:50:00] it.
Wrap Up And Credits
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Gus Applequist: You've reached the end of another episode of Ask a Kansan.
Sydney Collins: Make sure to check out our website, askakansan.com. Um, you'll find our library of previous episodes.
Um, you can also find those on Spotify or Apple, wherever you get your podcasts. Um, links to our social media, um, our merch line, and a Curious Kansan newsletter. Um, Tanner explores, um, throughout, uh, Kansas, and so his stories are there. and I believe this month, um, coming out, um, you might see some fun things from, like, the local airport and how they do kind of emergency management. Um, some other fun stories that he's been able to, to capture, so make sure to, um, sign up for the Curious Kansas newsletter.
Gus Applequist: Ask a Kansan is a production of Fili Creative based in Salina.
Our show is produced by Tanner Colvin and Julie Mindrup. We are technically directed by Merlin Shippy.
Graphic design is by Austin Tone, and we are edited by Brian Steele and his team at Forge Podcast.
Sydney Collins: Thanks to Everyday Lights for the use of their song Horse Thief Canyon.
Gus Applequist: [00:51:00] For everyone here at Ask a Kansan, thanks for tuning in. And remember, every Kansan has a story.
Sydney Collins: What's yours?