Atchison County: Good Living & Opportunity

Today's guest blogger is Brock Nuckolls, a fellow Atchison County native and one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. I wonder if you'll be able to tell by this post how much he loves living life with his two gorgeous girls in our awesome county!

My wife Kymm and I both grew up in Atchison County. She grew up in Rock Port where we live today and I grew up in Westboro but went to school in Tarkio. Both of us really loved the towns where we grew up and loved the High Schools where we attended. Yes, Rock Port and Tarkio are and always will be arch rivals but both communities are very similar. All of our communities strive for success both in school and in business. Everyone does the best they can to make their communities strong and prosperous today and on into the future.

Kymm and I were married in Rock Port on April 26th, 2003, we lived in Kansas City at the time but always thought of Atchison County as our true home, not the city. Don’t get me wrong the city has its perks. You are a hop, skip, and a jump from all kinds of things. From movie theater to shopping malls to restaurants, an abundance of golf courses, Worlds of Fun, KC Royals baseball in the Spring and Summer, and my beloved KC Chiefs in the Fall. But, when we started talking about raising a family, we didn’t see ourselves in the city. We hardly ever saw each other as it was with our busy job schedules and if we were about to become parents, we wanted to be with each other every step of the way.

Sooooo we moved back to Tarkio in the Spring of 2004. I went to work running the Tarkio Golf Club and Kymm started at Citizens Bank & Trust where she still is today. We had our first and only (so far) child Kylie on May 31st, 2005. There really is nothing quite like being a parent. The best part of being a parent is being able to witness first hand all of the milestones, including your babies first words, first time sitting up, first time standing up, and first time walking, all the firsts you want to witness first hand as a parent. Living in a small town really does have its perks too! They are a bit different than the city but are much more special. No, we don’t have a local theater any longer or a shopping mall or professional sports teams. But, I will tell you what we do have and that is GOOD LIVING and OPPORTUNITY!

What I mean by GOOD LIVING is that we get to wake up every day in a strong, healthy, safe, and prosperous community. We don’t have to fight traffic, although the 59 did turn into I-59 this past summer and fall because of the disastrous Flood of 2011. Everyone knows everyone, this can be good and bad but it is mostly a good thing in my eyes. Seriously, would you rather know your neighbor or just occasionally say hello to the stranger(s) next door? I love my neighbors, I love watching their families grow, and I love being able to possibly make a difference in their lives.

I worked at Tarkio Golf Club for three years from April 1st 2004 through October 31st 2006. I coached the Tarkio High School boys’ and girls’ golf teams for three seasons as well. Winters were spent finding work at three different factories in our area. I worked at Pella Corporation, Auburn Consolidated Industries, and Eaton Corporation. These three different and successful businesses provide very good jobs to our local population. But, I got tired of the uncertainty of being able to find a job locally in the winter months to be able to provide for my family. So, in February of 2007, I interviewed for a Loan Officer/Branch Manager position with Citizens Bank & Trust out of Craig. I worked in Craig Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and at our Mound City Branch on Tuesday and Thursday. I did this for three years from February 2007 until August of 2010 when I was moved to the main branch in Rock Port where I am today. Kymm, Kylie, and I sold our house in Tarkio in the summer of 2010, purchased a home in Rock Port, and moved in to our home in August. I truly believe we are where we are supposed to be. We absolutely love our home, our neighborhood, our community, and all of Northwest Missouri.

I love waking up everyday to help my wife get our daughter ready for school. I love being able to take her to school and drop her off. I love having the ability to leave work and pick my daughter up from Marcy McMahon’s most wonderful daycare. If you don’t know Marcy McMahon, you need to meet her. She is probably the nicest, most caring, honest, and loyal person you will ever meet. She runs a daycare right out of her beautiful home with love and understanding. She is such an asset to this community.

I am lucky to be able to work with my beautiful and amazing wife each and every day, go to lunch every single day with her, and have dinner every single night with Kymm and Kylie. I truly am blessed.

Atchison County has so much OPPORTUNITY. Each one of us has the opportunity to live a rich and successful life in our community. We are what we make of ourselves and if we all make the best of our situation, anything is possible. Atchison County provides us with everything a person needs including: Education, jobs, good quality healthcare, church, financial services, farm services, insurance services, recreation, and most importantly TIME to spend with family and friends. Life is a lot slower here in Atchison County than it is in the city giving us the time we need to both work and play. As I mentioned earlier, I live in Rock Port, and I have to brag and say that this community is thriving. There truly are a lot of young professionals moving back to our area to experience what I have and continue to experience. I really believe the future of our community is in great hands.

Those things that we WANT but don’t “have to have” are just a short drive away. Maryville, St. Joseph, Council Bluffs, Omaha, Lincoln, and Kansas City are all close enough for us to go and get the things we need and get or experience the things we want.

We love to spend time with family. The majority of our relatives live in or around Atchison County. Kymm, Kylie, and I also love to watch Bearcat Football in the fall in Maryville. Kylie really doesn’t watch the game all that much, but cheers just as much as any of the Rickenbrode Rowdies. I think she knows the cheers and chants as well as the Bearcat Cheerleading Squad. And Kylie loves having the opportunity to take a picture with Bobby Bearcat. Golf is a passion of mine, always has been, always will be. Every chance I get, I head out to the course. I didn’t get my daughter out as much as summers prior, but plan on taking her out as much as I can in 2012. Kylie tried t-ball this last summer but didn’t like it all that much. She’s going to try it again this year so we will see how much she likes or dislikes it this summer. I had the opportunity to coach her t-ball team this past summer and I had a blast. I can’t wait until she is old enough to start playing organized basketball. Three more years and it is ON!!!!!!!! Besides sports Kylie LOVES to swim, dance, sing, and play with her friends. She is the girliest girly girl I know. Lucky me;)! Kymm is our ROCK! If there ever was a Do-It-All Wife, it is Kymm. She is probably the best cook I know. She keeps us organized and our home is always neat and tidy, which I love. She truly is the love of my life and my best friend. She supports Kylie and I in all that we do.

I’ve probably rambled long enough about my life and some of my experiences here in Atchison County. I just want to let anyone reading this know that Atchison County is a wonderful place to live and raise a family. If anyone reading this is ‘On the Fence’ about moving back to our neck of the woods don’t be. Make the move! You will love it here and you won’t ever regret it! To those who do live in Atchison County, take a moment and reflect just how lucky we are to call Atchison County our “home”!

Take care and God bless!
Brock Nuckolls

Community Pride on Display in Jeff City

[Our apologies for being such slackers during the month of January. Clearly, we were exhausted after so much holiday awesomenesss...]

This week, 18 counties from our region descended upon Jefferson City for the annual Great Northwest Day at the Capitol. In case you don’t know about GNW Day, it’s a cooperative effort designed to unify and enhance our region’s image in Jefferson City and to pursue issues and legislation beneficial to the “Great Northwest.” With a delegation of over 300 northwest Missouri constituents, GNW Day includes introductions to the House & Senate, educational forums, and an evening buffet with State legislators, department heads and elected officials.

GNW Day is one of those things where we ask ourselves from time to time, ‘But – what do we really get out of this?’ It’s not an easy question, because the answer is somewhat intangible, but here’s what I think: I love Atchison County, but I’m also wildly proud to be a Northwest Missouri native. We’ve got good stuff going on up here, and we’re often doing those things together. Leadership Northwest Missouri, Roundtable of Economic Developers…these types of groups do not exist in all corners of our country, let alone all corners of our state. They are rare and wonderful examples of true regionalism. And how awesome that once a year, we get to put that excellent regionalism on display in front of legislators from across Missouri.

While part of the purpose of GNW Day is to convey our support to our local legislators and to communicate the issues that are most important to our region as a whole, the other purpose is to strut our stuff at a big ‘expo’ at a hotel ballroom. I often describe this event as a cross between your senior prom (Mardi Gras, THS, 1996!) and a trade show complete with county/city booths. With live blues music, PowerPoint presentations, jambalaya, giveaways, and some carnival-like games thrown in here and there, it’s a truly bizarre and fun event.

Booths typically try to do several things: educate, entertain, and brag a little. Last year, Atchison County highlighted the construction in 2010 (new grocery store, hospital, grain elevator), but this year was difficult. In such a festive atmosphere, how could we discuss the disaster that was the Flood of 2011 and respectfully convey its impact on our county to legislators from St. Louis, Taney County, Hannibal and everywhere in between? How could we educate State Legislators (who likely can’t have much of an impact on any Federal ‘fixes’ many are looking for anyway) on our tragedy and still portray our pride in the fact that we are proactively repairing and fixing and moving forward every chance we get?

After numerous, sometimes hilarious suggestions, we zeroed in on our theme: “Atchison County: Still Afloat!” The handout? A travel pack of wet wipes with a note declaring that the Flood of 2011 didn’t wipe us out. The game? A bag toss game, complete with mini-sand bags to help us plug the hole in the levy – get all three in the hole and win a pack of life savers! Decorations? What better to use than what you have laying around – leftover sandbags, a ginormous inflatable raft, and life jackets. Cute, but how can we convey the damage? Two big pictures (an aerial shot of the flood at its peak and a close-up view of the damage to Highway 136 after the water had receded) and several quick flood facts.

What we get out of this event a dose of community pride and the opportunity to demonstrate who we are, where we’ve been, and what’s going on in Atchison County to people from across the state. This year, our booth was visible from across the room – every one of the several hundred people who walked into that ballroom saw our raft and understood in an instant that we made it. Those who made it over to our booth learned from our photos and facts that 2011 was sickeningly tragic and had the opportunity to learn more from our citizens in attendance. And, they learned that Atchison County is home to resilient, proactive people who can always find a way to laugh.

New Years Challenge - have you decided?

Well, it's been a month since we issued our challenge - read it here, if you haven't yet. Look around; what do you care the most about in your backyard?

Have you decided how you're going to get involved in 2012??

Help inspire others by sharing your plans and ideas!













Twenty years from now, you'll be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
-Mark Twain

The Music of Christmas in Atchison County

It’s Christmastime in Atchison County, which means it’s more awesome than normal. Storefronts are alight with sparkly wonder, Main Streets display red and gold and green, homes and trees are strung with lights…even without my beloved snow covering the ground, Christmas is here.

In Atchison County, the music of Christmas isn’t restricted to choirs and congregations on Sunday mornings. School children sing Silent Night and Away in a Manger and Santa Claus is coming to town. The county courthouse plays hymns and carols on the hour. I live in a place where O Holy Night and Santa, nativity scenes and reindeer, Linus telling the Christmas story and the Grinch and his heart, are all welcome and celebrated.

Take a moment to consider how blessed we are to live here, where we can raise children who honor the divine miracle of the first Christmas AND believe in the wonder of Santa and his elves.

It is my hope and prayer that your heart is full this Christmas season. In case you need some help focusing on the wonder and goodness of this most wonderful time of the year, I’ll share this song with you that has been played in my vehicle approximately 47 times this month…


The Music of Christmas
Steven Curtis Chapman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxpQ7vPzEno

Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” Joyful, all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With th’ angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!” Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

There’s a man who stands in the cold wind tonight,
And he greets everyone passing by with a smile and a ringing bell;
And the song that he’s playing, is his own way of saying:
Love is here, it’s the music of Christmas.

And there’s a lady who sits all alone with her thoughts,
And the memories of all that she’s lost, when she hears a sound at her door,
And a song comes to find her, as a gentle reminder:
Love is here, it’s the music of Christmas.

So listen, listen with your heart
And you will hear a song in the laughter of a child.
Oh won’t you listen for the sound of hope,
And you will hear the music of Christmas,
For the music of Christmas is love.

So light the fire, tell the family to gather around,
And the walls will echo the sound of memories that are and will be;
And their voices, like a chorus, will sing it so sweetly for us;
Love is here, it’s the music of Christmas.

Long ago, a baby was born in the night,
And as He let out His very first cry, the sound was bringing hope alive.
Stars were shining, angels singing; All heaven and earth was ringing:
Love is here, this is the music of Christmas.

~MMB

Part 2 of 2: Band Aids, Babies and History

(Read the first post if you haven't at Part 1)

Government changes, technological additions, the coming home of physicians like Dr. Burke and the passing or moving away of other long time physicians, have defined the last 20 years at CH-F. In 2010, a new facility was built and the hospital moved away from the building that had been home to 60 years of healthcare in Atchison County.

The supporters of CH-F are a dedicated and loyal group. Just in the last five years, a capital campaign was established to support the new building. The goal was 1.5 million and donations were last reported to be nearing $2.2 million.

Despite a history of devout support, small town hospitals face many challenges. There is often the feeling that everything is better an Interstate’s drive away. Somehow, the nurses, techs and family practice physicians know more if they work in a 3 story building. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard this beloved hospital called a band aid station or an ambulance stop on the way to the place where you can get “real” care.

Having spent five days a week in this building for the last 3.5 years, I can testify to the heroes that make up the team of rural healthcare providers that take care of me, my family and my community. Rural healthcare is a specialty. Not one of the techs, nurses or physicians I work with show up to work and take care of one kind of patient each day. On any given day, an RN in this building can help deliver a baby, respond to a code on a heart attack or take care of a port for a cancer patient.  Our physicians do not send our patients to the next building over for c-sections or scopes. They do not call the ER doc when an emergency arises. They respond and save lives.

Just like your local grocery store, we can’t do everything in a cost effective manner. Our goal is not to be the Mayo clinic, but instead to provide the most services we can in a safe manner. Just this month, we added a digital mammogram, scoped our first knee and added a radiological group that will bring many new procedures to Fairfax.

Beyond the services, I am often struck by the enormity of the responsibility on the shoulders of the healthcare providers in this building. I can say with certainty that I can’t imagine being the person responsible for so many lives in a completely healthcare isolated area. Thankfully, the team of healthcare providers in this hospital knows when to take care of someone and they also know when they can’t. That knowledge gives me the confidence to put my life, that of my children and family in their very capable hands knowing that they’ll do the best for me.

 

The best endorsement a hospital can get is from the community it serves.  I’d say that 60 years of support from a community that knows a good thing when they see it is…well that is pretty much ringing isn’t it?

So there you go. If you didn’t get enough bragging in your mailbox today, read this. 

Part 1 of 2: Band Aids, Babies and History

 This week's post is split into two parts. I hope you will humor me as I recount a bit of history this week and tell the "rest of the story" next week....

I enjoy writing Christmas letters. I try not to brag too much about my perfect husband (yes he does the cooking and grocery shopping), my exceedingly good looking and talented children (yes Aaron is so good at math that he started balancing my checkbook, Lizzie is so social she can make friends with a lamppost and Josh is talking so much he nearly gave the sermon at church last Sunday), but…well, you can tell that putting a limit on my boastfulness is a bit of a challenge.

In all the letters I’ve written over the last 10 years, I usually spare a sentence or two for my job to let my friends and family who couldn’t believe I majored in Political Science know that I am gainfully employed. I doubt I will write a Christmas letter this year, but if I did I think I would write this about my job:

  

I work at Community Hospital-Fairfax (CH-F.) It is an 18 bed critical access hospital located in Fairfax, MO. CH-F was established in 1949 by a group of community members that sold $100 shares to their friends and neighbors to establish a hospital.

November 29, 1946 Fairfax Forum announcement on front page: local group seeking $110,000 to build a hospital in Fairfax. Shares will sell for $110 a share. Volunteers canvas city and county asking for subscribers and promising 8% return. Subscribers are asked not to consider just financial gains, but to consider it an investment in the health of the county. A meeting is held at the school on November 29 where $83,600 was raised.

By December 13, 112,530 had been raised. Article reads “so popular was the idea of building hospital in Fairfax, that many subscribers invited solicitors to call back if more money was needed. Petty differences were forgotten and all worked for the success of the drive.” By December 20, more than $115,000 was raised. By Dec. 27, an attorney was hired, articles of incorporation and bylaws were drafted.

Petty differences were put aside...pretty cool, huh?

November 7, 1949, Fairfax Forum: Fairfax Community Hospital, a 34 bed facility, opened for service November 7.  Some twenty-five persons and organizations furnished rooms with donations.  Three thousand people attended the Open House. 

The good times rolled at CH-F. 900 babies were born by the 5 year anniversary, Dr. Bare, Dr. Carpenter, Dr. Humphrey, Dr. Neidermeyer and Dr. Wanamaker were mainstays on the medical staff and in 1964 the hospital announced that it was entirely debt free despite several major additions since its opening in 1949.

In 1970, changes in the way that healthcare payments were made quickly changed the financial situation at the hospital. An emergency plea was made and residents of the local community pulled funds together to raise $123,000 in a few weeks. The January of 1971 addition of the Fairfax Forum details a community meeting:

 “President Ralph Hackett called the meeting to order. Days of strain and weeks of sleepless nights showed in his face, as he took the floor to give an account of the situation…..He frankly stated that the institution could not continue operation unless money was raised to pay outstanding bills and retire part of the indebtedness against the new addition opened in Sept. 1969…..His voice cracked as he related how one widow woman came to him following the meeting and said she wanted no pay for the month, she was willing to contributed that. Her job is her only means of support. Others have expressed similar intentions”

So strongly did the community feel about saving the hospital that the Fairfax Forum actually ran a front page article threatening to print the names of the people who owed the hospital money on the front page! The community again rose to the occasion raising the funds to keep the hospital operating and by the late 70s early 80s another addition was completed for the hospital and Dr. James Hunter joined the Medical Staff.

In the 1984 35^th Anniversary Edition of the Fairfax Forum, Dr. Neidermeyer is quoted as remembering “One of my most vivid memories of an emergency situation caused by the rupture of a pregnant patient’s uterus. This rarely happens and is frequently fatal to mother and child. In this instance, we did an immediate emergency Caesarean Section, and saved both mother and child. In 35 years of serving people in Northwest Missouri, I’ve been increasingly aware of the subtle differences that can influence health or sickness and even life and death.

Stay tuned for next week.......I know you are on the edge of your seat!

New Years Challenge - a little early

According to my calculations, we’re almost 6 months into this blog dedicated to sharing stories about our corner of Missouri, stories that celebrate the awesomeness of living in Atchison County.

Ann & I have enjoyed coordinating and writing so far, and we look forward to many, many more months. As rewarding and worthwhile the process is for us as regular contributors, sometimes we struggle because ideas that seem great to us feel a little clichéd. Small town customer service is the best, harvest is beautiful, neighbors are friends…many of the topics we’ve posted so far could be fodder for the next cheesy wonderful Hallmark movie. But while every day isn’t sunshine and puppies around here, and while we are aware of our challenges, the fact is that the positive spin on our stories isn’t spin at all – it’s the truth. There is good to be found in Atchison County, and by purposefully focusing on what’s worth celebrating, we find ourselves celebrating more.

There’s a lot of love and encouragement ‘round these parts. We get positive feedback about this blog from church ladies, family friends we bump into in the grocery store, buddies who live states away, and, of course, parents and siblings, the most biased of all readers. We appreciate every response, and we are touched when something that comes from our collective ‘pen’ resonates with you.

Recently someone said that the blog inspires her, a comment that has come to my mind numerous times as I’ve read back through our conversation. I thought about it when I read Ann’s post the other week about the women who taught her how to be a leader. I thought about it when I read comments about Doug Summa and the impact he’s had on our community and county. I thought about it when I read the posts by a couple of beloved pastors. I thought about it when I read the stories of professionals returning home to live and work and lead. I thought about it again when I read a recent post from Julie Hurst’s blog about church ladies, and her critically important question: who will replace them?

Things are good here because of the people we are surrounded by, those who lead groups and model values and actively participate in this county. I’m asking myself this question even as I am asking you: what are you doing to contribute to the good of Atchison County? How are you passing on what you learned from your grandparents, parents, Sunday School teachers and Scout leaders about integrity and leadership and kindness to the next generation?

One of the benefits of living in such a small county is that it's not difficult to find an opportunity to do good or leave a legacy. So, go enjoy everything this most wonderful time of the year has to offer, but in the meantime, spend some time considering what you love most here or what you'd like to see made better.

And in January, rather than swearing to eat celery and grapefruits the rest of your life, make a commitment that will last longer, maybe even a generation or two. Get involved. Do something. Ready, set....go!

~MMB