Wichita’s Keeper of the Plains will be re-dedicated with a big party May 18 to mark its 50th anniversary. Here are some things to know about the Keeper and its creator, Blackbear Bosin. According to legend, the site of the Keeper at the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers was a popular hunting […] The post ‘Party for the People’ to mark Keeper’s 50th anniversary appeared first on The Active Age ..read more

WHITEWATER — Natalie Sollo calls it a learning curve. Dave Sollo is blunter about the couple’s wine-making skills when they started Grace Hill Winery in 2004. “We didn’t know what the hell we were doing,” he said. But Dave, a retired anesthesiologist, and Natalie, a pediatrician, learned by doing. Their winery 30 minutes northeast of […] The post Docs grow love of wine into family business appeared first on The Active Age ..read more

A young Tom turkey has turned a busy intersection in east Wichita into his personal playground since earlier this year, catching the attention of motorists, businesspeople and others in the area with his antics. He’s called Mr. G — for Gobbler — by employees at the Wheat State Credit Union, where he sometimes hangs out, […] The post Turkey entertains, ruffles some feathers at busy intersection appeared first on The Active Age ..read more

ANDOVER — The Foster Grandparent Program needs a lot more people like Rita Grimes.  Grimes spends several hours each day at Sunflower Elementary School helping kindergarteners with their letters, science projects and just generally being an encouraging older figure. A grandparent, in other words. “I try to show the kids, even in kindergarten, about being […] The post Wanted: Foster Grandparents to help in schools appeared first on The Active Age ..read more

Skilled gardeners prove you can pull up roots and still be successful. The last time Everett and Michelle Price were on the Sedgwick County Garden Tour, in 2014, they showed off a sunny yard in Haysville. Now they live on the former Brown Nursery property in west Wichita, where they inherited about 65 trees, including […] The post Spring Garden Tour features one made in the shade appeared first on The Active Age ..read more

McCormick Museum movie Local film buff Rick Every will host the McCormick School Museum’s third annual showing of 16 mm educational films, complete with popcorn and lemonade, at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 1.  Every is a former projectionist at the Orpheum Theatre and technician at KAKE-TV and Century II, plus a collector of reel-to-reel films […] The post May to-do list appeared first on The Active Age ..read more

Last month, I attended the AARP Smart Driver Course. I’ve been driving Wichita streets and U.S. highways for 66 years, since I was 14. But I was still impressed with how much new stuff there is to learn about our roads, signs and car safety. The husband-and-wife volunteer presenters —Tom and Brenda Gibson — keep […] The post Save money and maybe yourself with AARP Driver Course appeared first on The Active Age ..read more

Mary Clarkin took first and second place in the Seniors Story category of the 2024 Kansas Press Association awards for articles in The Active Age.  Clarkin won first place for “How old is too old?” (July 2023), a look at how older voters view the leading presidential candidates, and second place for “Seniors grapple with […] The post Clarkin, The Active Age take KPA awards appeared first on The Active Age ..read more

The Wichita Library is now offering Experience Passes that allow families to explore area museums and other attractions for free. Attractions are listed below. There may be additional fees for special exhibits or add-on experiences. Experience Passes do not cover the cost of concessions or gift shop purchases.  Botanica (701 N. Amidon)  Cosmosphere (110 N. […] The post Wichita Library offers free passes to area attractions appeared first on The Active Age ..read more

The Great Plains Nature Center is hosting a free family play day and resource event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 27th. The center is located E. 29th St. North in Wichita. Called “Grow Together,” the event is designed for  children of all abilities and their families to learn about resources available in […] The post Great Plains Nature Center to hold free family play day Saturday appeared first on The Active Age ..read more