Growing food and growing people are the goals of a young rural leader in Kansas. Those goals have propelled this young leader to not one, but two national agriculture awards. In addition, she’s actively involved in promoting FFA and 4-H in her region. Go to this website for the full blog post ..read more

 When the owners of a specialty business in Denver were looking to relocate their business, Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University, says a rural community in Kansas ended up being the perfect fit for the company – a company that makes brass fittings for natural gas, propane and other devices. For more information, go to https://andersonforrester.com. Go to this website for the full blog post ..read more

Many businesses had to pivot quickly when COVID-19 hit – especially those deemed to be essential. The chief executive of S&S Drug in Beloit had to keep the business going while battling COVID-19. Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University, says she and her head pharmacist spearheaded an effort to provide vaccinations in the region and administered more than 7,000 shots across Kansas in eight weeks. For more information about the community, go to www.beloitks.org. Go to this website for the full blog post ..read more

When Heather Johnson and her husband moved to her hometown and had the chance to join her family’s pharmacy business, she wanted her children to have the same benefits of small-town life that she had enjoyed growing up. Now that she is CEO of the family business, she is making that dream come true by leading various efforts to benefit the community, just as her parents had done. For more information about the community, go to www.beloitks.org. Go to this website for the full blog post ..read more

Sarah Siders is the executive director of SPARK non-profit organization is working with several partners to support entrepreneurs and startup business owners in the greater Manhattan region. Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University, says SPARK wants to be a hub where entrepreneurs can connect with resources that support their businesses. For the Full story, check out Ron's blog.   Sarah Siders encourages everyone to go to www.sparkmhk.com for more information and to share resources, contacts and events.  ..read more

There are several kinds of community service projects. However, sometimes you need something out of the ordinary that will make a lasting impression. A service project recommended by the president of the Clay Center Rotary Club was a downtown mural. The mural was so well received that it turned into a dozen murals within 11 months. For the Full story, check out Ron's blog.   For more information, visit A Mural Movement Experience for an interactive map of all the murals, social media links, a donation page and more.   ..read more

Children often develop the same interests as their parents. In this case, the father pole vaulted in high school. When his son got to school and needed a pole vaulting coach, he volunteered. It went so well that he founded his own pole vault club in rural Kansas. That club now has hundreds of youth, including Olympians from across the nation.   Mark Breault For the Full story, check out Ron's blog.   For more information, visit Tailwind Pole Vault Club online ..read more

An artist and art teacher who grew up on the west coast where her father was a movie stuntman and quick draw consultant for Hollywood westerns, now lives in Dodge City. That’s where her father was gunned down by U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon in the opening of the hit TV show Gunsmoke. After representing her father at the 50th anniversary Gunsmoke reunion in 2005 and subsequent reunions, she settled down near Dodge City where she paints, draws, carves and sculpts. For more on the artist Inga Ojala follow this link: https://bit.ly/3lwS3Sh ..read more

The search for the perfect wedding dress can be exhausting. However, a bridal shop in rural Kansas is making the process as stress-free as possible. The owner studied clothing and fashion design in Russia. After coming to the U.S. she was able to buy a long-time bridal shop. Her free alterations policy and international connections have enabled her to grow the business to include customers across the nation and overseas.   For the Full story, check out Ron's blog.   Visit  Schoen's Bridal World.   ..read more

A rural Kansas woman who grew up with flowers on the family farm, has taken a few acres of unutilized land on her current farm to plant flowers. She is now creatively marketing and selling the cut flowers by subscription.     Follow this link for more on Prairie Field Flower ..read more