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What People Say
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EGW
AUGUST 20 AND 21, 2016
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PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING
FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1895
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Scott Mouse
was a member
and baritone
soloist for
the sanctuary
choir of the
First United
Methodist
Church for
more than 50
years. After the
church burned
in 1957, he was
secretary of
the building
committee for
the new church.
Labor of love
leads to
generational
discovery
By Mary Ann Redeker
[email protected]
MARY ANN REDEKER/GAZETTE
The First United Methodist Church is located at 823 Merchant St.
It was in this church that Lindy Whetzel discovered her love of
church music. Above, during a recent remodeling project at the
church, Lindy Whetzel noticed handwriting on the wall above a
ceiling of a previous remodeler. It read, “Scott A. Mouse, ceiling
hanger, 22 Aug ‘61.” Mouse was Lindy’s father, who died in 2010.
Whetzel’s sister, Marcy Looper, who died in 2015, left a memorial
gift to be used for updating the choir and bell choir room where
Whetzel found the signature.
Lindy Whetzel found a piece of
her heart recently when she took
on a remodeling project at First
United Methodist Church in Emporia.
Inspired by her sister Marcy
Looper’s memorial gift to the
church, Whetzel decided to use
the money for a remodel of the
church’s choir and bell choir room.
Whetzel said she and her sister
grew up in the church and it was a
special place for her family.
“The money for the remodel
was given by my sister’s memorial
when she died in 2015,” Whetzel
said. “I didn’t want it to just be
given to the church — I wanted
the donation to have a purpose.
Lindy Whetzel
Our parents were really big in
the church choir. My dad, Scott
Mouse, was a soloist and we were
always really good friends with
those who directed the choir and
the organist. It was always a big
part of my family, and I have many
fond memories of that time.”
Whetzel said her sister didn’t
specify what she wanted the money to go toward, but did want it
to go to First United Methodist
Church.
“I’m the one who chose the
choir room,” she said. “Marcy
didn’t say she wanted the money
to go to the choir room because we
didn’t talk about that. I know she
would have liked to have known,
though — that the money went to
the choir room — because Mom
and Dad were so much a big part
of that choir.”
Whetzel said her dad, who died
in April 2010, had a great love for
his church.
“They honored my dad back in
the 90s for his service to the choir,”
she said. Daddy sang solos and a
specific one was, ‘There Is A Balm
In Gilead.’ When they had this party for him, he sang this song. We
had it taped so when he died, we
played it at his funeral and had his
picture up there. It was so special
that he sang at his own funeral.”
Driven by her love of music in
Please see FUMC, Page 3
KICKS OFF
By Jessie Wagoner
[email protected]
Flint Hills Beef Fest kicked off
Friday morning with breakfast and
the beef producers seminar. Tracy
Brunner, the 2016 President of the
National Cattleman’s Beef Association, gave an update on issues facing the industry.
Brunner explained the Federation of State Beef Councils is focused on advocating for the industry in a number of ways. Global marketing and outreach is one priority.
Brunner said beef is under attack by
many groups with people wanting
to keep “cattle off the land and beef
off the plate.”
The group markets for beef
through advertising highlighting
the health benefits of beef. The
group also maintains an active social media presence attempting to
connect with younger consumers.
Food safety is a top priority for
JESSIE WAGONER/GAZETTE
the beef industry. Brunner said
more than $30 million has been Attendees at Flint Hills Beef Fest enjoyed a hearty breakfast before the beef producers seminar on
spent to improve food safety. At this Friday morning.
time, illness related to beef is at an
all-time low.
“We do a lot of market research,
a lot of product research and a lot
of safety research,” Brunner said.
“One of the most important areas of
research is in food safety. Over $30
million in food safety research has
been invested by the Federation of
State Beef Councils and the National Beef Check Off. No one wants to
buy a product that may make us sick
so food safety is very important.”
Creating and implementing a response plan to address the potential
for foreign animal disease also remains a top priority. Brunner said it
is imperative that U.S. beef producJESSIE WAGONER/GAZETTE
ers have timely access to immuniza-
Good Evening
Please see Beef Fest, Page 3
Teams began arriving for the barbecue competition at Flint Hills Beef Fest by late morning Friday.
The competition will be judged at noon on Saturday.
VOL. 125, NO. 43
Where’s the beef ?