By this time next year, area golf enthusiasts are sure to be teeing off, putting and generally enjoying a relaxing day of golf at a newly renovated golf course just west of Holden on Highway 58.

The course, previously named “Broken Tee,” was purchased by area sod expert Don Hardy in January. Hardy, who said he originally purchased the land because it contained rich sod that he thought he could use for his business, chose to renovate and keep the course instead after discovering what an impressive investment had been made by the business’s previous owners in irrigation systems and other features.

However, opening the course would not seem an easy feat considering it had sat unattended for nearly one year. “The greens have to be watered at least every two to three days or they will die, so they were really a mess,” Hardy said. “During hot weather, we (Hardy and his crew of workers) have been watering them twice a day.”

In addition to basically starting the greens over from scratch, Hardy, along with three to four workers he has hired, have burned off all overgrowth of grass and brush, re-seeded all the fairways and added new bridges over low spots and creeks on the property. The clubhouse has also received a facelift with a new coat of paint, new carpeting, new sheet rock and a new bar inside.

Although Hardy has not yet made a decision as to what the course will be called, he has already organized a game plan for the course’s features. The course will include a 9-hole golf course complete with water, sand traps, golf carts and beautifully maintained greens.

In addition, a clubhouse will offer a cool resting place where golfers can watch t.v., purchase supplies and get a cool drink from the bar. If all goes well, Hardy hopes to eventually open a restaurant in the clubhouse where people from the area can dine in the evenings since the clubhouse includes a full kitchen with restaurant quality equipment.

So far, Hardy said his only regret in the purchase of the course is that he is unable to be there full time because of his other business. “I love it. I am just having a ball,” Hardy commented. “I wish this was all I had to do.”

Hardy said he is grateful that the Holden and Kingsville communities have seemed so supportive of his efforts thus far. “People have been stopping and asking me when I’m going to open,” he said. “It sounds like I am going to be able to have a good business here.”

Hardy hopes to open next fall, but plans to open no later than next spring.

By Christi Stowe
News Editor

Kingsville R-I School Board members voted to attend a budget work session to become more familiar with all the intricacies of the working budget, at their regular meeting Thursday night.

According to Superintendent Kevin Coleman board members have been interested in learning more about the district’s budget and had asked for a work session to accomplish that goal. After some discussion, it was decided that the board would meet on Thursday, June 30 at 7 p.m. for a budget work session conducted by Coleman.

In other old business, John Griffith gave a summer school update to the board noting that June 9 was the last day of summer school. The total number of students attending was 98 with an attendance average of 96 percent. “The kids all seemed to enjoy the programs,” Griffith said. “They had a good time and learned something in the process.”

Summer school consisted of several field trips this year including a trip to the Holden City Lake for fishing, a visit to the Kansas City Zoo, and grades K-6 went to Savanah Land in Pleasant Hill. “Overall, it was a successful program,” Griffith added.

Griffith voiced a number of concerns to the board regarding summer school credits. Griffith suggested the board determine how many days of summer school students may miss and still receive credit for summer school classes. In addition, Griffith questioned the issue of credit recovery. He asked the board for guidance regarding what action to take if a student is failing a subject, takes it in summer school and makes an A in the class. He asked the board if the summer school grade should be allowed to take the place of the grade accumulated throughout the year. In addition, Griffith questioned whether summer school credits should be counted toward a student’s grade point average. These concerns were discussed by the board, and it was determined they would revisit them in February or April and set guidelines on these issues.

Also in old business, Coleman reported that the new school sign is in the multi-purpose room and said he is quite pleased with its appearance. After some discussion it was decided the installation would be on posts instead of brick. The board approved a motion to spend up to $450 to get the new, illuminated sign installed at the park on 58 Highway directing traffic down Olive Street toward the school.

In staff reports, Chris Short represented the faculty in front of the board. He thanked the board on behalf of the faculty for recent salary raises and the creation of a sick leave pool. “However, after realizing our insurance premiums are going to increase, it doesn’t seem like we really got a raise at all,” Short commented. “The faculty is requesting that the board fully fund the insurance premiums for teachers.” He stressed the importance of getting and keeping good quality educators in the district, and said, in his opinion, the insurance benefits could play a role in some teachers coming and staying with the district. The board decided to take the matter under advisement and voted to discuss it later in closed session.

In new business, the board voted to adopt a policy that will allow students to take three agriculture courses for a science credit. As part of the policy, students will still be required to complete Science 9 and 10 (biology). This decision was reached after Coleman informed the board of a new mandate through the State of Missouri allowing three ag courses to equal one science credit. The board agreed to adopt the mandate for this district.

In financial matters, John Ferguson reported that the ag department received a $6,000 enhancement grant of which 75 percent is matched. Ferguson told the board he will use the funds to purchase a new laptop and some digital projectors for the classroom.

In other financial business, the board approved the final budget and expenditure figures for the 2004-2005 school year.

In open forum, Coleman introduced the board to several new faculty members who will be joining the R-1 district in the fall. The new teachers are Emily Decker, Parents as Teachers coordinator, Sherry DeSchepper, sixth-grade teacher, Jeanne Thomas, elementary special education, and Olivia Schuman, second grade. Other new faculty members who were not in attendance are Jennifer Hicks, speech teacher, Jaqueline Treece, elementary physical education and Caitlin Wright, art teacher.

Coleman also reported that the Kingsville All-School Reunion was held on Sunday, June 5, with attendance of over 200. Coleman said the next reunion will be held in five years.

The regular meeting was closed, and the board went into closed session. The next meeting of the Kingsville R-1 Board of Education will be Thursday, July 14 at 7 p.m.

By Dana Neubert
Staff Writer
For the past two years a church supported organization called the Christian Youth and Family Alliance (CYFA) has been providing Holden area youth a place with a focus on equipping them with wholesome moral and family values. Through a faith-based youth center called “Crossroads,” the group provides both a place for local youth to sing, dance and play along with a place where volunteers and pastors teach the youth Christian values.

When the group began providing Wednesday and Friday night activities for youth at Crossroads Youth Center, located in the Holden Jaycees building at the intersection of Market and Third streets, they had no way of knowing just how big their impact on the youth of the community would be. However, not long after opening the doors at Crossroads, program volunteers were surprised to see as many as 150 young people walk through the facility’s doors on Friday nights, according to volunteer Ernie Hillsman.

Although a number of youth regularly attend programs at Crossroads, the program was recently dealt a sharp blow when the Jaycees building was sold, leaving the program essentially homeless. The members of CYFA quickly put their heads together and came up with a plan to build a new youth center on a large piece of land at the intersection of Tenth and Niagara streets.

According to Hillsman, the eight supporting churches along with other individuals in the community have begun the task of funding the project, which will include a 120’x 60’ building with an even larger fenced in area. “We were blessed with a $60,000 anonymous donation toward the project,” Hillsman said. “However, we are still lacking around $40,000 for the project.”

Plans for the new facility call for simple construction, using the bare minimum of materials and labor. “We’re not doing anything extravagant,” Hillsman explained. “There won’t even be any windows; the only glass in the facility will be the front doors.” The facility will include indoor and outdoor basketball goals, a stage, a kitchen, two bathrooms and a conference room. Hillsman said the building will be mostly open which will offer multi-purpose space with concrete floors. This will provide space for indoor sports, concerts and church services, but also future expansion as needed.

“I’ve been in this town all of my life and the one thing this town has always lacked is something for kids to do,” Hillsman said. “The dream of CYFA is to offer a supervised, safe haven on Friday nights where kids can hang out and then on Wednesday nights, teach them about Christ during the devotionals.” According to Hillsman, the work done at Crossroads thus far has already sparked a change in the lives of a number of Holden’s youth. “We have watched kids come from not knowing Christ to knowing him and then becoming a part of the group bringing other kids to Christ,” Hillsman said. “We have seen kids stop substance abuse because of what they learned at the center on Wednesday nights.”

In addition to the aforementioned programs, Hillsman said CYFA hopes to have enough youth to divide them into pre-teen and high school groups, allowing volunteers at Crossroads to provide programs with more age relevant focuses. Hillsman said he hopes the community will embrace CYFA’s efforts to help the youth in Holden. “We know there is a stigma attached to Crossroads because of past youth centers in town, and operating out of a building that houses the beer garden at the fair every year doesn’t help.”

Hillsman said. “We want to fight the stigma. That’s not what CYFA is, and that’s not who we are or what we are about.”

Some of the stigma associated with past youth efforts also came in part from the lack of control of those individuals outside the facility. CYFA has addressed that problem in two ways which also helps to provide a safe environment for the youth attending Crossroads activities. First is by requiring all youth to sign in upon arrival, sign out when leaving, and once a youth leaves the facility they can not come back in. Second, those individuals who choose not to come inside the facility but loiter around the fence and talk to youth inside are strongly encouraged to leave the area. Hillsman said that as part of providing that safe environment, the land that houses the new Crossroads building will be completely fenced.

In addition, the facility’s non-downtown location will help to eliminate some downtown loitering because youth who normally spend time “hanging out” in the downtown area will likely spend time at the center instead. But also, for those individuals who choose not to sign in and hang around in front if the center were it located downtown will now have a longer walk. “Being a little way from downtown is a good thing,” Hillsman commented.

According to Hillsman, CYFA depends on the support of the community to offer programs for area youth and for the new facility’s construction, both financially and hands-on. “Not only do we need about $40,000 more to be able to complete the project, but we would welcome the volunteer work of builders, contractors and those who know about erecting metal buildings and constructing a parking lot,” To help furnish the new facility Hillsman explained. “We also welcome the donation of equipment items, such as chairs, sound equipment and fencing.”

“We read over and over in the Bible how kids are at the center of Christ’s heart,” Hillsman said. “What better place to donate time and funds could there be?” Anyone who is interested in assisting CYFA in the construction of Crossroads Youth Center or to volunteer to help on Friday nights may contact the organization through Rick Goeking at (816) 405-3368, Rhonda Wilt at 732-4516, or Renee Kozee at St Patrick’s Catholic Church 850-4410. In addition, donations to the building fund may be made at Farmers and Commercial Bank.

The Christian Youth and Family Alliance is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, and all donations are tax deductible. CYFA is supported by the members of eight churches in the area, including First United Methodist Church, Community of Christ, First Baptist Church, First Christian Church, First Presbyterian Church, Forward Community Church, Kingsville Baptist Church and St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

By Christi Stowe
News Editor
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