The Free Staters will be the featured entertainment at the Mennonite Heritage Museum of Goessel, Heritage Dinner planned for 6:30 p.m., Saturday, April 1 at Cross Wind Conference Center near Hesston.
The Free Staters sing and play fast-paced music from 1850s America on banjo, sun-dried buffalo bones, skin-head tambourine, guitar, upright bass, dumbek, spoons and jews harp.
Reservations are required. Tickets may be purchased for $65 from museum board members Fern Bartel, Howard Birky, Agatha Duerksen, Mary Ediger, Aileen Esau, Mary Graber, Donavon Schmidt, Jan Schmidt, John Schroeder, Mayleen Vinson, ElRoy Wiens, or at the museum office.
The public is invited to experience a taste of the mid-19th century's musical culture. For more information call 620-367-8200.
Potluck to kick off Chat & Dine season
The Chat & Dine organization at Marion County Lake will kick off its season of activities with potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, April 1, at the South Lake Hall.
A survey of participants at the final gathering of 2005 indicated four priorities: eat and visit, bingo, cookouts and a variety of program suggestions.
The potluck dinner will be the first of eight monthly events. Planning the event are Judy and Wayne Reno, Grace and John Yoder, Wilmer Gilmer and Neysa Eberhard.
Other activities include a signup for Upland Road cleanup in May and recognition of birthdays, anniversaries and first-time attendees. Members will review a proposed budget.
The giveaway item for the rent-subsidy drawing is a decorative double-deck pastry carrier. Anyone interested in participating in the drawing can acquire tickets at Central Parks Antiques until April 1, as well as at the Chat & Dine meeting. The drawing will occur that evening.
R.J. Bartel family to mark 90th birthday
The children of Roland "R.J." Bartel are planning a 90th birthday open house for him from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, March 19, in the lower level of the Park Villa Apartments, Hillsboro.
Friends and family are invited to come.
USD 397 to screen for kindergarten
Unified School District 397 will be screening for kindergarten on Friday morning, March 31, at the Centre Elementary School in Lost Springs.
Children who will be 5 years old on or before Aug. 21, 2006, are encouraged to participate in the screening. To make an appointment, parents should call the district office at 785-983-4304.
The district is asking parents with children who will be 4 years old by or on Aug. 31, 2006, to contact the district office by April 4 in regard to the district's at-risk program.
Whether parents are interested in the program or not, it is essential for the district to have information about the child in order to make decisions about the program's future.
Goessel kids choir to give 'Castaways'
A choir of fourth, fifth and sixth graders from Goessel Grade School will present the musical, "The Castaways," at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., March 30, in the high school auditorium.
The story is based on events that took place at the turn of the last century indicative of conditions existing in large Eastern cities between 1855 and 1929.
The Goessel area was directly influenced by this story as five orphans were brought to the Bethesda Hospital in 1929 by the "orphan train" to be adopted by families.
In the spirit of helping those in economic need today, the school is asking those who attend the musical to bring a nonperishable food item for the Goessel Food Pantry.
Marion to screen for kindergarten
Unified School District 408 will conduct pre-kindergarten screening April 6 or April 7 for children who will be 5 years old by Aug. 31, 2006.
The evening screenings will be in the kindergarten rooms at Marion Elementary School.
Parents who wish to enroll kindergartners in the fall must call or contact MES at 620-382-3771 or 1-800-498-2014 to set up an appointment for the screening.
Area students play at music festival
Several area students participated in the Spring Music Festival sponsored by the Newton Music Teachers Association and held at Tabor College March 11.
The 30 students who participated in the event were rated for their individual performances and listened to a presentation and concert by pianist Martin Cuellar, associate professor of piano from Emporia State University.
The area students participating were Harry Faber, Becky Faber, Phillip Kliewer, Jacob Kliewer, Jacob Humber, Isaac Friend, Remington Friend, Michelle Morrison, Julia Seibel and Amy Bartel.
Teachers of these students are Beverly Richards, Deborah Toews, Marilyn Reimer and JoAnn Nickel.
Elyria School offers musical on Jesus
Elyria Christian School will be presenting "Watch The Lamb," a musical/drama depicting the ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus as told by a modern-day homeless young man.
Performances are planned for 7 p.m. April 7 and 8 at the McPherson Community Center at 122 E. Marlin.
Admission is free, but an offering will be received to help cover expenses.
Morning Star sets open house, April 2
Morning Star Church near Durham will hold an open house and time of singing from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 2.
The celebratory event will be held at the church, which is located north of Durham on Kansas Highway 15 to 330th, two miles west to Falcon, and then north one mile.
