Pickleball and golf were some of the activities planned for the Home on the Range cabin fundraiser.
The state song of Kansas was written in Smith County by Dr. Higley. The cabin which Dr. Higley lived in has been refurbished and refurnished. That took a lot of money and the property that surrounds it also needs upkeep like cutting trees down, putting in new bridges that have been washed out constantly, and the roads that need maintenance.
What is planned is trails for walking and biking and also an amphitheater up on a hill for concerts and even maybe a wedding. {{more}}
The property was owned since 1935 by Pete and Ellen Rust. They were given blank checks by Pioneer Village in Nebraska and Knott’s Berry Farm in California to buy the cabin and move it.
They slid the check back on the tabletop just as quickly as it was passed to them and Pete would say “it’s going to stay right here.”
After the Rusts were gone, nephew El Dean Holthus and great-nephew Mitch Holthus planned the fundraiser.
It just worked out that Mitch was the play-by-play announcer for the Kansas City Chiefs, and with some players brought to town to the fundraiser, garnered a lot of interest especially since the Smith Center Redmen are the state champs in football in Kansas for several years.
Mitch does a Chiefs talk in the high school auditorium with the Chiefs. After the Super Bowl, they planned to have a big Super Bowl parade downtown Smith Center just like in Kansas City but then Covid came and canceled all the plans.
The people from out of town who come to Smith Center and go to the cabin for the first time, always say that it is so peaceful out on that property along Beaver Creek. They also tell us that the people in Smith Center and the community have something special that other communities don’t have and they just can’t pinpoint what it is. Probably the pioneer spirit left behind by Dr. Higley and his friends.
 |
| Patrick Mahomes Signed Football |
 |
| El Dean Holthus on air interview |
 |
| Kansas City Chief Ring |
 |
| Pickle Ball |
 |
| Mitch Holthus giving out prizes |
 |
| Mitchell Schwartz # 71 Chiefs |
 |
| Shawn Barber |
Sharon Black is from Smith Center, Kansas. We welcome her to our team of volunteers.
Sharon Black has been writing for many years including newspapers, short stories, and as a publisher. She was born in Nebraska and has lived in Kansas most of her life. In her hometown of Smith Center, Kansas, Willa Cather’s hometown is to the north and Bob Dole’s hometown is to the south. Sharon is a press release writer for the National Parks Arts Foundation and writes for b U n e k e magazine. The biggest project she has accomplished is the co-writer of the TV movie Home on the Range. The movie is about the song, which is the state song of Kansas and the lawsuit surrounding it in the 1930s and finding the rightful author of the song. Sharon is distantly related to the Mississippi writer Eudora Welty.
How you can help?
- We are always on the look out for sponsors and advertisers for this PAGE.
- Send us great positive stories, videos and photos. (Go to the SUBMIT button at top.)
- And you can make a donation to our 501(c)3 and write in LOCAL in the checkout. We put a percentage towards our local homeless shelter. The balance helps with other lifestyle related events and content.
- Or you can buy our merchandise.
- We are looking for writers for all things “local”! (Think Roving Reporters and Town Criers!
)
THANK YOU!
Positive News For You, LLC is registered in New Hampshire. We have a “sister” nonprofit, PN4UINC, that promotes positivity, educates on a more positive lifestyle and helps with the promotion of positive writers.
Thank these advertisers for their support of Positive News For You, by letting them know you appreciate them. (And spending money with them doesn’t hurt either!)
 | 
|  |
 | 
|  |
Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today
