Long-awaited medal comes home

Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 04 June 2013 17:06

Patty Decker / Free Press<p>Father Emil Kapaun’s nephew, Ray Kapaun, views the Congressional Medal of Honor before leaving it with the people of Pilsen Sunday. The medal was given to the Kapaun family by President Barack Obama April 11 in Washington, D.C. An overflow crowd of people attended Father Kapaun Day Mass Sunday at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church in Pilsen and to witness the arrival of his Congressional Medal of Honor.

Kapaun’s nephew, Ray, made the trip from Wichita to Pilsen to deliver the medal, which was given to the family by President Barack Obama in a ceremony April 11 at the White House.

“My dad always wanted to have the medal to bring here,” Ray said. “This is where the medal belongs.”

It was something agreed to by the entire Kapaun family.

Sharing a story about his grandmother, Ray talked about how once or twice a month his family would visit her in Pilsen. His grandfather died when he was young.

Ray said they would come into town and his grandmother, Bessie, would stand on the porch, regardless of the weather, and be waving and happy to see them. With tears, she would wave farewell from the porch because she was sad to see them go.

“From this point on,” Ray said, “the Congressional Medal of Honor is for everyone to see, for everyone to know, and for everyone to remember what Father Emil stood for and what his life was all about.”

Sylvia Bezdek, who knew Father Kapaun during their youth, shared several lighthearted experiences.

Fathers John Hotze and Darrin May challenged the crowd to follow the example of Father Kapaun once they left the church.

Rose Mary Neuwirth was also introduced as the person who was responsible for starting Father Kapaun Day.

Others recognized were Jon Hefley, co-owner of The Lumber­yard in Hillsboro, and the Marion Record for their support of the church and security for the new medal.

Father Emil Kapaun was honored for his service among prisoners of war during the Korean War. Todd Heitschmidt, president of Central National Bank, was on hand for the bank’s donation of land south of the church to be used in honor of Kapaun.

Father Hotze said a committee is being formed to consider how the land will be used. He recognized the 170 walkers finishing the trek from Wichita to Pilsen, which started Friday.

“It shows your devotion to Father Kapaun,” he said.

Father Kapaun was also remembered through the parish bulletin, which Father Hotze spoke about at the service. In part, he stated serving as a prisoner of war in such a demoralizing situation called for leadership and character.

“Years earlier in his boyhood diary, Kapaun had recognized the importance of setting a good example,” he said. “One of his radio broadcasts from Japan had emphasized the same ideal. Now, this was his chance to live up to his words.

“Whenever the column of POWs paused for a short rest, Kapaun hurried up and down the line, a prayer here, a smile there, exhorting the exhausted men not to give up.

“Sometimes the prisoners were too weary to help the wounded and refused officers’ orders to carry the litters. The men could not be left to die by the snowy wayside, so Kapaun and others shouldered the makeshift stretchers.

“The POWs watched the chaplain struggle to his feet, and his example eventually shamed the recalcitrants into picking up their buddies.”

The Chinese guards were not sympathetic with the POWs and kept yelling and prodding them with bayonets to move faster.

“The prisoners who survived the cruel trek,” Hotze said, “were certain that only Kapaun’s faith in God pushed him on, mile after mile.”

Tabor investing $2 million in campus improvements

Written by Don Ratzlaff Tuesday, 04 June 2013 16:57

Tabor College is planning to invest about $2 million in campus infrastructure improvements starting this summer and into the next school year.

Work has already begun on improvements to the women’s quad and cafeteria.

“If you’ve been walking, you’ll notice what the wall face looks like at the (women’s) dorm,” President Jules Glanzer said during a recent Chamber luncheon. “That will be all changed out to look like what it does at the men’s quad.”

That project will include replacing the two-story interior walkways as well as replumbing a total of five residence halls on the campus. A new roof is slated for California Hall, which is part of the men’s quad.

Another project already under way is to remodel and slightly expand the cafeteria.

Soon to begin is replacement of the parking lot between the men’s quad and the Campus Recreation Center off Adams Street, south of D Street.

Before the Joel H. Wiens Stadium was constructed, the CRC lot served as the primary parking area for the college’s football and track and field facility, as well as student parking near the men’s quad.

“The parking lot by the CRC is going to be put in completely new,” Glanzer said.

“If there are some funds left, C Street and Madison Street (within the campus itself) will be made into two cul-de-sacs instead of what you see right now,” Glanzer said. “What is between those then becomes green, so that will finish that portion of the campus until we build something else there.”

Glanzer said funding for these projects is the result of calling in past bonds and reissuing new ones.

He said the improvements to the campus will benefit both the college and the community as a whole.

“I think Hillsboro has a lot to offer,” he said. “Our desire at Tabor is to be park-like (in appearance) and for the community to be idyllic. I hope we all realize we are dependent on each other to be successful.”

County’s Circles organization entering next stage of work

Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 28 May 2013 10:18

It was all smiles Thursday as Circles of Marion County members prepared for dinner and a meeting at the Marion Presby­terian Church.

“It might seem like a loud, rowdy bunch (from the outside),” said Jackie Volbrecht, one of the original organizers. “But inside, there’s a feeling of hope with participants saying they wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

“The allies are so brave and committed, and they believe in the power of friendship.”

Linda Ogden, also an original organizers, said: “It’s happening.”

Read more: County’s Circles organization entering next stage of work

End of a faithful tradition

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 28 May 2013 10:16

Wesley Fenske leads one more rifle salute at age 95

Wesley Fenske, 95, led his last Memorial Day rifle salute at Lin­colnville Cemetery Monday after volunteering for nearly two decades. A member of the Gilbert-Poppe American Legion Post 347, Fenske said he volunteered because it was something that needed to be done. In an interview last year, he said that if his health ever became an issue, he would pass it along to someone else. That time has come. Roy Houdyshell of Lincoln­ville, and a member of the American Legion post, said he believed Fenske was the oldest person in Marion County to lead the rifle salute at Memorial Day services. He could even be one of the oldest participants in Kansas—if not the oldest, he said.