Steamway Ribbon Cutting

(From left) Greg Chalker, chairman of the Parsons Chamber of Commerce board, and Steamway Restoration Inc. employees Chris Mazzocco, Lori McPherson, Doug Knapp, Jamie Truchon and Shane Daugherty participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Steamway’s new location, 1715 U.S. 59. Steamway also is the newest member of the Parsons Chamber of Commerce.

Joanna Wilson of Parsons will receive the LeadingAge Kansas 2015 Champion for Elders award for excellence in advocacy leadership with the Good Samaritan Society, a nonprofit organization, and the community of Parsons. 

Wilson began her career as a registered nurse, and quickly found her skills as a nursing home administrator were a perfect match for her skills and passion. She served as administrator at Good Samaritan Center in LaCrosse from 1986 to 1997, then served in the same capacity at the Good Samaritan Society in Parsons from 1997 until her retirement in 2015. During her 30 years with the Good Samaritan Society, she was an advocate for elders, presenting programs to various organizations, implementing person-centered culture change in her center, voicing concerns regarding legislation impacting vulnerable elders, serving as a preceptor for many administrators in training, empowering her staff members, serving on the LeadingAge Kansas board and creating dementia care without walls. 

“Joanna is an outstanding individual who dedicated her entire life to taking care of seniors in her community,” Debra Zehr, CEO and president of LeadingAge Kansas, said in a statement. “She impacted the entire field of aging services one relationship at a time, whether it was reading to residents, supporting her staff, or developing programs and services on a shoestring budget. Once she saw a need, she would dream of a solution. She is a shining example of a true champion for elders and the field of aging services.” 

Through her advocacy, Wilson raised awareness of the value of aging service providers in Kansas. She receives the award from LeadingAge Kansas, the statewide association of 160 not-for-profit aging services providers dedicated to serving the needs of over 20,000 seniors in Kansas each day. The annual award is presented to an individual or group who is a champion for elders and has provided outstanding advocacy leadership on behalf of older Kansans.

An inspirational evening celebrating the award winners will take place at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 10 at the Doubletree by Hilton in Overland Park.

 

Finnegan’s is open

Finnegan’s Pub and Deli, 112 S. 18th, opened on Friday.

The business offers a full bar. While plans include adding food, for now Finnegan’s is operating only as a bar.

Entrances for now is only through the front door. The back door is being used only as an emergency exit until construction is complete on a back wall.  

 

O.J.’s closes

O.J.s Bar and Grill, 2007 Belmont, has closed.

The bar closed after its last night of operation on Aug. 1.

Pat and Shanna Ryan, owners of the business, declined to comment on the closing.

Silver Wheels update

Silver Wheels Roller Rink, 225 N. 10th, has closed temporarily.

Silver Wheels co-owner Rod Salyers said on Monday afternoon that he plans to reopen the business as soon as possible.

Silver Wheels announced in a Facebook post on July 22 that the business will be closed until further notice and that any parties or events already scheduled should be considered canceled. The post instructed people to check out the Facebook page for further updates, but none have been posted.

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