County commissioners approve final bond phase

?At their Feb. 26 meeting, the Rawlins County commissioners gave the go-ahead for the final step in the securing of the $1.1 million revenue bond for projects implemented by the Rawlins County Hospital.
The bond, Resolution 2010-6, will give the hospital board the needed funds to finish their first phase of development of the main building.
While there, the commissioners brought up the citizens group who lobbied for the board to attempt the hiring of Dr. Gary Slavens at the hospital board’s Feb. 22 meeting.
“We’d love to have him,” said Administrator Deanna Freeman.
The members did follow-that statement with clarifying comments on the difficulty of bringing obstetrics back to the Rawlins County Hospital and that there wouldn’t be a way to truly consider doing so until construction on the building is complete.
In other business related to the health of Rawlins County residents, Pam Stuczynski of the health department appeared and gave updates on grant applications.
Stuczynski advised the commissioners that departments would be applying separately this year, believing this to be the best way to secure funds.
She said that the uninsured and underinsured population of the county has risen and that many residents now have deductibles as high as $10,000.
After telling the commissioners that the department still has flu vaccine available, Stuczynski requested an executive session. Following the closed session, the commissioners announced their approval of hiring Karen Mann as a part-time auxiliary nurse.

Dr. Slavens meets with RCHC board, public

?A document of signatures supporting the hiring of Dr. Gary Slavens was presented to the Rawlins County Health Center board when they met in a special session March 1.
About 20 interested citizens were present to lend support to the signatures.
Board Chairman Phil Studer expressed pleasure at the visitors’ interest in the hospital and welcomed their comments as they exchanged information with Dr. Slavens.
The Colby doctor said he enjoyed Atwood and was willing to come if circumstances permit.
“I love [obstetrics] and want to get back into delivering babies,” Dr. Slavens said. “I think I have a lot of ladies who would follow me here. I know o.b. is not a money maker, but this hospital could become a hub for the area, as families tend to continue to doctor with the physician who delivered their babies.”
There haven’t been any scheduled deliveries in Atwood since 1997.
Dr. Slavens took his obstetrics training at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita and described it as “intense”. He said he has delivered about 1,800 babies in his career.
Several board members expressed concerns about the cost of delivering babies; changing renovation plans that are already in place: finding nurses: and being sure there would be enough births in the future to justify the re-instatement of an obstetrical department.
The board adjourned to executive session with Dr. Slavens.
When they returned to regular session, Administrator Deanna Freeman was instructed to do a cost analysis of an o.b. project and process a background check on Dr. Slavens.

Atwood celebrates
BSA's 100th anniversary

?Atwood Boy Scout Troop 121 and Cub Scout Pack 121 celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America and kicked off the next century of Scouting at a special Blue and Gold/Centennial Banquet Sunday evening.
More than 135 Scouts, family members and supporters came together for the festive occasion, which took place at Sacred Heart Church.
As guests gathered in the fellowship hall, they were invited to view displays of troop memorabilia, including photographs and costuming of the Tribe of Golden Eagle, the leadership society at Boy Scout Camp Dane G. Hansen.
The Atwood Lions Club, chartering organization for Troop 121, prepared and served the ham dinner, with guests furnishing side dishes.

During the awards segment, leaders presented Cubs and Scouts with honors they have earned so far this year. Awardees included Cubs receiving their Bobcat Badges: Tiger Cub Laustat Chessmore; Wolf Cubs Harrison Colgan, Nash Dunker, Taytem Huetfle and Henry Kastens; and Webelos Dalton Enfield, Sidney Hillman, Devin Horinek, Sawyer Skolout and Louis Zorn.
Each Cub Scout presented his mother with a Bobcat Mother’s Pin.
Chessmore and each member of the Wolf Den also earned activity beads for their recognition emblems. Webelos Enfield, Hillman and Skolout earned Engineer activity pins.
Several Troop 121 members earned merit badges this Scouting year. Receiving special recognition for earning Tenderfoot rank were Cameron Colgan and Joey McFee.
Eagle Scout Jack Kanak was presented with the Bronze Palm and was recognized as the first Eagle in recent history to earn palms.
At the conclusion of the centennial celebration, Davis-Vrbas presented the Scoutmaster patch to David Studer, who is assuming the role of Scoutmaster for Troop 121 as the new century of Scouting opens in Atwood.
Studer, a local farmer who is active in Sacred Heart Church as well as community organizations, has served Troop 121 over five years as Assistant Scoutmaster. In addition to leading the troop at Philmont, Studer has served as a leader at the Dane G. Hansen Scout Reservation, as well as leading local camping activities and excursions. His son, Cole, is in the process of completing his Eagle rank.

Honored Scoutmaster inspires parents
to 'pick up the ball and run with it'

?Kathy Davis-Vrbas, 16-year veteran Scoutmaster for Troop 121, was given an honor that only two others in the county, the late Bill Horton Jr., and the late Don Beamgard, have received since the inception of the local Boy Scout troop.
The District Award of Merit, given for outstanding service to youth, recognizes that not only did she do right for her three grown Eagle-Scout sons, but she also helped raise some of the most responsible and respectable boys in the county. Thirteen boys achieved the rank of Eagle under her leadership.
Kathy and her husband, Jerry, have one daughter and three sons. When their oldest son, Jacob, was 11, they wanted to get him involved in an activity that would challenge his adventurous side, while teaching core values and citizenship.
Kathy believes that Jacob, now a naval aviator, got some of the best preliminary training to lead a service-oriented life for his nation as a member of Troop 121.
The Vrbases’ two other sons, Ben and Andrew, who are also Eagle Scouts, followed suit. Adventurers at heart, Ben is a geologist and outdoorsman and Andrew, a student at Hastings College, is independently studying abroad in Perú.
Though she is stepping down as Scoutmaster and passing on her legacy to the next leader, David Studer, her years as a scouter are far from over. She will still be an assistant troop leader, as well as being an active Cub Scout leader.
“Boy Scouting is a parent-led program,” Kathy said. “Since my boys are grown, it’s time to get out of the way and let other parents experience the fun.
“Now it’s time for this generation’s parents to pick up the ball and run with it,” she said.

Full stories in this week's Square Deal.

Courtesy of McDougal-Sager, Snodgrass Grain, Inc.
WHEAT: $3.96; MILO: $2.93; CORN: $3.13