Anna’s Blog

Are you ready for yet another cool bit of SE Kansas site-seeing? Well, you’re here so I’m guessing you are dying to know more.

About 20 minutes from my house is a turn-off into what looks like a huge field. About a mile up the road is a piece of property where the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder sits. That’s right, the official historic site of the Little House on the Prairie.

I don’t know about you but I grew up on Laura Ingalls books and didn’t miss a single episode of Michael Landon’s show. It’s too bad that Laura grew up. I loved that series…it was good television!

Now, time for the history lesson….

(The next time you think you live in a small place…think again)

The Little House on the Prairie, written by Laura Ingalls Wilder and published in 1935, had peaked the imagination and interest of readers for decades when Margaret Clement and Eilene Charbo of the Kansas State Historical Society set out to locate the Little House location. Years of painstaking research work culminated in 1977 with the discovery of the actual foundation of the Ingalls family’s original cabin site and the well Pa Ingalls dug with help from a neighbor.

Research of the 1870 census of Montgomery County, Kansas, located the “Ingles” family in the eighty-ninth residence in Rutland Township.  C.P. Ingles was cited as a 34-year-old carpenter along with his wife, Caroline, and three daughters, Mary, Laura, and Carrie. This 1870 census and the Ingalls’ family Bible record that Carrie was born on this site on August 3, 1870. The family lived here only a short while as they mistakenly settled on the Osage Indian Diminished Reserve. After hearing that they were to be moved, the family decided to return to Wisconsin. The Ingalls didn’t know it, but six months later, the Osage Indians were moved to Oklahoma and the family would have been able to homestead the land.

In 1977 local volunteers reproduced the Little House with special efforts to build the cabin according to descriptions in Laura’s book.

(This historical accounting was taken from the following site: http://www.littlehouseontheprairie.com/web/facts1.htm)

It’s almost here. The countdown has begun. This week I’ve located the traditional new backpacks, sat through countless shoe choices…oh, no!…not my own…Master Connor is totally picky when it comes to the “new school tennis shoes”. It’s an experience that this mother has to prepare for days in advance. Its BRUTAL. Connor must have tried on 10 different pair of shoes and EVERY one of them had an issue. Too tight, too blue, too white, not cool enough…the list goes on and on. This adventure is not nearly as much fun as the choosing of the Trapper Keeper/binders and folders. Now, that’s just a whole different sort of fun!

As for Hunter, its all about the items he needs for football. Cleats, practice shorts, under armor, oh, can’t forget the no-show socks (this is so new to me…why do kids “not” want their socks to show?). He could care less about the new school shoes. His only requirement… make sure they’re lightweight for running.

My favorite part about the first week of school… PICTURES!

My boys have always indulged their mom’s need to capture every blinking moment of their lives on film. Now that I have a digital camera they are totally doomed. No film to deal with. Immediate gratification. I’m in shutter-bug heaven!

So, as it is every year, the boys gave in to my “issue” with taking the traditional “First-of-the-School-Year” pictures. Hunter, the Freshman, gave me some nice shots that I can frame for my office. I even got to photograph him in his new football jersey.  Connor, Mr. 6th grader, was all smiles as well. He even let me take some pics in our backyard.  I’m beginning to wonder what’s up with all the cooperation…hummmm….?!!???

Now we wait until Wednesday morning when school officially begins. Where Hunter “The Moose” Keith is concerned, it starts bright and early Monday morning with “Two-A-Days”. Basically it means that Hunt will be up at 5:30am and on the field in his football gear by 6:00am for a couple hours of conditioning and then back again at 3:45pm for another couple hours of running plays and practicing. I don’t plan on seeing much of my young man aside from feeding him and turning off his light after he crashes in his bed from exhaustion. The first full week of practice is simply a grueling experience..and I’m just the mom! But, as Hunter tells me, its all about a player’s AEP. Yeah, I know, what’s AEP stand for?

Its where the rubber meets the road in the quest to be successful. Wouldn’t it be cool if we all had a personal mantra like that? If you don’t, you are welcome to borrow this one.

Do you have any back-to-school traditions or stories that you would like to share? Tell me, I’d love to read them.

~ Ciao Summer! Hello Fall !!!!

It’s a regular thing to call my sister (or visa-versa) most days. We’ve had the “agreement” since I began traveling so much. So it was not unusual that I called my sister on a Saturday morning at 7am to see what her day would look like. Shortly after I hung up the phone, I was in the shower, and within an hour I was heading west with my son, Connor, to meet up with Amy and her family, as well as a few hundred other people, in Mulvane, KS. to celebrate the settlers of yesteryear.

I’ll be honest, the opportunity to give Therap readers this kind of surprise just sounded COOL. How many folks that read our Therap blogs get to attend a virtual parade and country fair? I’m guessing not that many. Besides, if anyone would get a kick out of this event it would be our dearest New Yorker, Sir Richard. He has a love of history. Although, this “type” of history, complete with funnel cakes, a rodeo, and lots of banjo pickin’ may not be exactly the history he prefers.

Oh well… the day was a lot of fun for me and my little Conn-o-roo. I’ll show you several of the pics…but, first the history lesson about this wonderful event called Old Settler’s Days.

It’s been a tradition in Mulvane, Kansas for the past 135 years. The community comes together to celebrate its original settlers.

It began as a picnic organized in 1873 when a man named Jessie Bowles invited neighbors and friends to enjoy a basket dinner in the walnut grove of his farm to celebrate harvest. The next year a different community member extended the invitation. The picnic was held on different farms or at a grove on the Ninnescah each year and was called the Harvest Home Picnic.

Another year, Jim Brown, who had a trading post at Littleton, started promoting a colt show for the 4th of July. The community decided to put the two celebrations together and the picnic and colt show were held in Major Freeman’s grove near the trading post. Settlers would bring their prize animals for all to see.

The first organized picnic and written account was held in 1884 in Major Freeman’s grove. Logan’s national martial band enlivened the woods with patriotic airs. Alonzo Shull was chairman of the after dinner program which consisted of speeches and awards for the settlers, first to break ground, first to raise corn, and etc. This was the end of the Harvest Home Picnic and the start of the Mulvane Colt Show.

In 1900 the Mulvane Colt Show merged with the Mulvane Agricultural Association. In 1904 it was decided to make it a Quad County Old Settlers Picnic.

The parade was started in 1915 at George Blair’s instigation. Historians cannot locate when the first carnival was started but the merry-go-round seems to be remembered by all old timers. The equestrian Quadrille was held in the mid- twenties, and received national attention by being invited to perform at the National Livestock Show in Wichita plus many other places. A queen was chosen in 1937, Mrs. Sarah Jane Jones, to honor the pioneer women. In later years a King was added.

The Quad County Old Settlers Picnic was changed to Mulvane Old Settlers Picnic. Many changes have taken place over the years, but the
covered wagon and the oxen have always been a part of the parade starting with George Seaman’s excellent white oxen.

When was the last time you saw a Calliope?

Nice John Deere!

Those Shriners do a whole lot to help disabled children!

This is Connor and his friend, Colton, while on the ground.

This is Connor and Colton in flight mode.

The Bucky Fowler Family Band

I just thought this…whatever it is…was COOL (be even better in orange)!

This is Amy, Richie, and Abby across from me on a ride (yes, I got dizzy).

Planet Ehtpar may be in Waterbury, CT. but Therapville is in any location that a Therapite happens to inhabit. Why you ask? Well, because Therap is a passion that follows each of us no matter where we’re based. In this case, at least over the next couple weeks, Therapville, for me, shall be located in Neodesha, Kansas, about 90 minutes east of Wichita. This is where I’ve raised my family, grown a business, and contributed countless hours to our community, schools, and civic clubs. It is “home” and I’d like you to be a guest of mine, at least virtually, for the next several days.

As I mentioned, while here in my SE Kansas office, I want to share some of the fascinating features that small-town living has to offer. Nope, it’s not all about Dorothy, Toto, and flat land…in fact none of those features are indicative of this area. Instead, SE Kansas offers lakes, trees, hills, and lots of land that you won’t see a single human being on for miles.

There are some special features to my home-base that I want to tell you about including the real Little House on the Prairie, Cobalt Boats, Elk City Lake, and a few other surprises. But first…the history lesson.

The land Neodesha now sits upon was first settled by the Osage Indians in the early 1800’s. Coming from an Osage word, Neodesha (Knee-o-day-shay) means “where waters meet.” And the town is appropriately named, sitting between the Verdigris and Fall Rivers.

In October of 1867, A. McCartney and A.K. Phelon came from Neosho Falls to the neighborhood of what is now Neodesha and established a trading post for traffic with the Osage Indians. In one year, from the erection of the McCartney and Phelon store there were 200 buildings in the town, and six months later the population had reached 1,000.

In March, 1871, Neodesha was incorporated as a city of the third class. A post office was established at Neodesha in 1870, and A.K. Phelon appointed Postmaster. The first school was taught in the town in 1870, James A. McHenry being the teacher.

Today, Neodesha has a population of just over 2,800 people. Although most folks haven’t heard of our little community, you have probably heard of Cobalt Boats.

Founded by my friend, Pack St. Clair, Cobalt Boats is an icon when it comes to luxury ski boats and yachts. Why have a boat company in Kansas? I bet Pack would like a dollar for every time he’s been asked that question. Well, why not? It’s in the center of the US and near a pretty nice lake.

Cobalt Boats has received numerous J.P. Powers awards for Excellence and is known nationally as well as internationally to have an impressive reputation for quality and customer service (hey, sounds a lot like Therap, don’t you think?). No wonder I love these guys so much!

If you haven’t visited the CDS website recently and caught their August e-newsletter edition you might want to take a visit…or….just catch up with the happenings of Therap and CDS right here!

(Bill Tapp, National CDS Director hanging out with a Therapite!)

The following is the article taken from the College of Direct Supports: August 2008 Edition: Volume 10

Therap and the College of Direct Support (CDS) will present their first-ever joint training conference – “Side-by-Side Technology: Therap, CDS Training Conference I” – in Overland Park, KS, on October 28-30 at the Ramada Inn Overland Park near Kansas City.

This historic conference will bring together two industry leaders in the field of utilizing web-based technology to support people with developmental disabilities and educating and training a workforce to deliver the support services.

Therap Services, LLC, based in Waterbury, CT, is a web-based service organization that provides an integrated solution for documentation and communication needs of agencies providing support to people with disabilities, especially developmental disabilities. It offers an easy and efficient alternative to the immense amount of paperwork that is done manually by the care providers. Within a few years Therap has extended its services to satisfied users in over 30 states in the United States, as well as Bangladesh and Nepal.

CDS is an online learning management system and curriculum used to develop, educate and build careers for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). CDS is currently being used in 32 states, Canada and Australia and has approximately 70,000 learners online at any one time of the day. Also embedded in CDS is the College of Frontline Supervision and Management used to train managers and those considering becoming supervisors. CDS is a collaborative work of the University of Minnesota and Elsevier/Mc Strategies. CDS is headquartered in Knoxville, TN, and its curriculum is developed by the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration.

“Therap and the College of Direct Support working together and side-by-side is a natural evolution of the services that we provide, services that complement one another and make our respective clients work more efficiently and effectively,” said Richard Robbins, Chief Executive Officer and a co-founder of Therap. “This is going to be an exciting conference for current users of both companies – and non users – to see what we offer and why it works well.”

Early bird registration prior to September 12 for the three-day conference is available for a $150 per person fee. After September 12 the fee will be $225 per person. The fees include all meals for the three-day conference.

The conference will feature multiple interactive sessions and workshops focusing on the services provided by Therap and on the curriculum and the Learning Management System offered by CDS. There will be specific sessions for advanced users of both systems, for system administrators and for those who have not used CDS or Therap.

“This will offer one and all an up-close experience with our distinct and respective technologies as both companies work to offer state-of-the-art supports to our clients and prospective clients,” said Bill Tapp, National Director of CDS. “Our focus is on education and Therap’s focus is on documentation. What we both do is instrumental in improving the lives of those people served and supported by our clients.”

To learn more about the conference and register for the event, please visit www.therapservices.net and click on the “Conferences” link. For additional information, call 203.596.7553

PS. Look who else I caught up with this past week in Baltimore - Bill’s “better” half… Jeannie. Yep, that’s us along with Sr. VP for MC Strategies, Jim Hicks. One question Bill… How did you find such a sweetheart! ?

Ciao for now…. getting ready to introduce you to SE Kansas. Stay tuned!

Representing Therap isn’t a hard job to do. In the case of the Re-Inventing Quality Conference, held this week in the beautiful harbor area of Baltimore, Maryland, people come to my “office” not because they want a piece of chocolate or a squeegee ball…nope…people visit the Therap exhibit to actually learn more about what we do and how we can help their business get better.

This week, Warren and I spent a few days attending sessions and talking to A LOT of people. Some of our Therap family members stopped by to say hello or…to seek out Justin. Some of these folks included; Nina (OR); Camille (FL), Brett (OR), Larry (KY), and a bunch of Delaware folks.

Warren and Kari Amidon, Education and Foundation Director with ANCOR, facilitated a simulation game that was a great success. Way to go you two!

A HUGE Congratulations to Nancy Weiss for her excellent work to pull off an enormous conference that totaled over 700 people. What a terrific job. This is why the lady is one of my mentors. She is just an amazing leader.

Next up for this Therapite, some serious Kansas time. I’ll be at my office in SE Kansas until the end of August and then meet up with my friend and colleague, Brett Turner and the Adult Learning Systems of Oregon team to do a bit of training. I’ll also get a bit of R&R with Molly Turner over the holiday. Should be fun!

Next week the boys begin school. This summer has flown by. Hunt begins high school and Connor becomes a 6th grader. Gee whiz, its crazy how time flies!

Enjoy the pics. This was a great experience.

BIG kuddos to Nancy Weiss and the Leadership Institute planning committee for an awesome day of organizational planning with Elizabeth Vasquez and the evening dinner cruise around the Baltimore Harbor. What a terrific day.

High points for this Therapite…well…there are a few:

1) So many of my Institute friends arrived and we got to hang out all afternoon and into the evening.

2) The “Giff” arrived! (That’s all that needs to be said)

3) Sue Swenson, Nancy Weiss, Lynne Seagle, Patty Scott, Steve Eidelman.

4) The crabcakes on the dinner cruise

6) All of the special participation during our skit. Brett, you were the best Pat Sajak I could have asked for. Wanda..your sound effects were vavoom! Cinda, Carol, and Phil, you were the greatest game show contestants that the Institute has ever had! David…wow, you can hold a cue card! Oh…Jason…you made the best “space” ever!

(Hey Lynne, thanks for the dance!)