I am truly humbled and honored to have the opportunity to be a part of Meadowlark Hills.
HOGtoberfest: 12th Annual Event Boosts Good Samaritan Fund
November 13, 2025
Blog
Making friends can be hard to do—especially when you are on the hunt for “couples friends.” Since Edward and I have been married, we have acquired a few married friends in the area and the process is much like dating. In fact, it is dating.
There are butterflies in the beginning. Will the wives get along? Will the husbands have common interests? Is dinner too forward—should we just start with drinks? Add a whole other layer if kids are involved. That’s more than five personalities to combine for a pleasant afternoon or evening.
When I was seven-years-old, my parents took my younger sister, Holly, and I on our first summer family vacation. The destination was San Antonio, Texas and there are two things I remember well from that trip. I can recall our day at Sea World where I sat in the splash zone to watch the Shamu show and I was disgusted when the salt water from the tank was splashed into my mouth. My smile that had been wide, and apparently agape, faded and I looked up at my dad in horror as he laughed saying, “Then keep your mouth shut!”
Arriving home to Meadowlark Hills one night after flying into Manhattan’s airport, Anna Walsh, apt. 408, noticed something amiss as she looked toward the visitors’ entrance. Our American flag, which flies daily from a pole near the circle drive, was hanging in darkness.
Seeing this, she remembered a poorly lit flag that had spurred her husband to action several years ago. A member of the Kiwanis club in Council Grove, he led an effort to bring a poorly lit flag into the light.
For many years, beginning in the late 1700s, a young woman or man in the Northern Hemisphere, hoping to increase the magic of that special date, might have applied a drop of “smell-good” that most likely contained some amount of an extract from the white verbena plant. This verbena, with lemon-scented flowers, a native of western South America, early on became one of the scents frequently used in the formulation of perfumes, colognes, and toilet waters.
Pauline (“Polly”) Wood Ferrell was selected to receive a “Who’s Who In Clovia” award at the 2017 Meeting of the National Association of Clovia on April 8, 2017 at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. Polly became a member of the Alpha Chapter in 1950 while attending Kansas State. Her career has included teaching, being an Extension Home Economist, and most recently being a motivational speaker. Clovia is a 4-H Leadership House with a history steeped in 4-H, an organization which Polly has been involved in throughout much of her life.
The past six weeks were filled with baby snuggles and cries punctuated with the occasional opportunity to sleep. Baby Eilish attended daycare with her sister for the first time on Monday; a bittersweet day for mom. She did great and to tell the truth, I am enjoying spending my days at work with my colleagues and the residents, guests and families of Meadowlark. So ladies and gentleman, I can officially announce…I’m back!
During a 24-hour period in late April, 866 donors gave more than $400,000 to 51 local non-profit endowment funds. Local business leader and former Meadowlark Hills board member Phil Howe provided matching dollars totaling nearly $190,000, bringing the total raised during the 5th annual Grow Green Match Day to $612,142.78!
Five residents honored at 15th annual event
In 2004, Sugarland, Texas, resident Don Rasmussen was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. His doctor at the time wasn’t optimistic. “I hope you have a bucket list,” Don remembers the physician saying. “You won’t be doing anything in five years.”
A half decade later in 2009, Don and his wife, Bea, had been Meadowlark residents for nearly two years, and Don appeared to be nowhere near kicking that metaphorical bucket.
Submitted by Helen Roser
Though two hundred year old wine needs a cool, dark place, the now famous “world’s most expensive bottle of wine” was on display in a sunny window with a spotlight beaming on it.
The hilarious true account of what happened at the auction in England was written by a wine expert who knew the men involved. Christie's’ was going to auction a bottle of wine that had been owned by Thomas Jefferson. Its cork was covered by a wax seal and the J was on the label.
I am wrapping up my fifth week of maternity leave with sweet baby Eilish. When Murphy was born nearly three years ago, I took the same amount of time off, six weeks, but the shock of sleep deprivation, overwhelming new lessons and constant flow of visitors made the time off fly by and end up a complete blur. This time around has been a whole new experience. I was prepared for the sleepless nights and days.