We Kan! Tidbits

November 13 , 2025

The Kansas Sampler Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit located near Inman.

Our mission is to preserve and sustain rural culture. We do this by educating Kansans about Kansas and networking and support rural communities.

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We Kan! Program Manager position open with the Kansas Sampler Foundation

A month ago we opened the position for Explore Kansas Program Manager. Now we are posting our second and final job opening--We Kan! Program Manager .

If you are passionate about the future of rural communities and drive to help them be sustainable and thrive, read on. As the We Kan Program Manager at the Kansas Sampler Foundation, you’ll help finish a bold statewide research and storytelling effort and lead the next chapter of our We Kan movement to connect, equip and empower community builders across Kansas. You’ll help small towns feel less alone by creating opportunities for connection, peer support, and shared learning while amplifying what works. This role is perfect for someone who believes rural people are the best hope for rural places and who is ready to help them lead with confidence, creativity, and care.

This person will be part of a dynamic small team with the soon-to-be announced Explore Kansas Program Manager and led by incoming executive director Simone Elder. Click here for the job description. The deadline to apply is November 30.

Note: The Kansas Sampler Foundation works to educate Kansans about Kansas in a way that will create a thoughtful, supportive audience for rural communities (Explore Kansas Program Manager position) and also to work with rural communities, especially those with a population of 1,500 or less, to be sustainable by being the best they can be at being themselves. (We Kan! Program Manager position).

Tips from the KSF PowerUp Manager

The power of practicing welcoming: The holidays are a great time to welcome PowerUps home. A warm welcome and simply letting someone know you're glad to see them can leave a lasting impression on college students and alumni. When we practice being friendly to people we know, we can become better at welcoming everyone to our communities.

The KSF PowerUp Manager is Simone Elder.

We Kan! award: Meet the newly-minted Secretary of Swagriculture. That's what it said on Nick Levendofsky's We Kan! award plate. Nick, Kansas Farmer's Union executive director, is known for freely handing out Farmers Union swag (stickers and buttons).

Along with doing good work for Kansas farmers, Nick has become a spokesperson for American farmers in the national media.

We surprised him at Irrigation Ales. He thought Luke Mahin was being presented with an award from Susie Haver and Michelle Bombardier. What a great ruse. Surprised he was!

News release.

Holiday Online Kansas Product Shopping List Is Coming: The first shopping list of the season will be out November 16. Criteria to be on the list is that the product be made in Kansas and that it has an online shopping cart. See LAST YEAR's final list to see who is in it. If you have a business to add, submit here. Books are not included but independent bookstores are. If you'd like to be a sponsor for $500 and be listed near the top of the list, submit here. The list is sent out four times and goes to an average of 4,258 contacts with a 45% open rate.

History Makers: Plan for the Future: Do you have a plan for the future? "History Makers: The Future is Now" is a free, hands-on strategic planning and doing opportunity for rural museums. Inspired by America's 250th and in recognition of the importance of local history in telling America's stories, Humanities Kansas is inviting rural history museums and historical societies to apply to participate in a forward-thinking, energetic, tailor-made year-long strategic planning process led by a professional small museums consultant.

Museum re-opening: The Kansas Museum of History is ready to show off a three-year renovation project and everyone is invited to the celebration on November 22. Get details here.

Burdett: Your city sign shows pride, Burdett! Located at the Stop N Go on K-156, Burdett was a successful recipient of the Pitch Your Porch program through Larned Area Chamber of Commerce and Network Kansas!

Formoso: When the family who ran the Formoso Skating Rink decided to step down, the community rallied to keep this beloved custom rolling. Community members stepped up to manage the operations, while some volunteered to take different weekend shifts, and others showed up to clean up the property that had been closed/unused since April. Way to go, Formoso!

Sew Loved Quilt Shop: With first place winnings of the Pitch Your Porch contest, sponsored by the Morton County Chamber of Commerce and Network Kansas, this popular Elkhart business renovated the face of their building.

A nice-looking exterior makes people want to come in and shop!

This is how it looked prior to .renovation. The colors and upgrades really enhanced the appearance.

Patterson Fellows program: Are you an entrepreneur looking to create something big? Next year, the Patterson Family Foundation will offer a new entrepreneur fellowship program. Patterson Fellows will be a cohort-based model that will support high-caliber, high-impact entrepreneurs for a three-year period, with the goal of igniting viable, scalable companies for change in rural communities. Learn more here.

Unmasking Belong: Kansas Spanish Speakers, great job on your thought-provoking video on belonging.

Tourism award: At the recent Kansas Tourism Conference, it was announced that Holly Lofton is the 2025 Governor’s Tourism Awardee.

Holly is the director of the Lindsborg Convention & Visitors Bureau and serves on the state fair board and the Kansas 250 Commission, to name a few. Listing just a few of her roles doesn't do justice to the all-out effort she makes wherever she is involved.

Congratulations Holly!

Rural Grocery Program Manager position open: The Rural Grocery Initiative is hiring a Rural Grocery Program Manager position to help advance K-State’s healthy food access initiatives. Learn more here.

Congratulations Kansans!: Ron Wilson and the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development honored the following 2025 Leaders of the Year recently:

Categories, winners, and towns of this year’s award winners are as follows:

Food and Agriculture: Karen and Darrin Moege, Flint Hills Pints, Alma.
Agribusinesses: Heather Strate of Edwards County Economic Development, Kinsley/Blue Sky Farms dairy, Lewis; Dan and Jan Smoots, Fanestil Meats, Emporia.
Entrepreneurship: Brad and Lynn Roepke and Jo Hammel, Solid Bar Fitness, Waterville.
Tourism Development: Jordan Roemerman, Kansas Tourism – Sunflower Summer, Topeka.
Business Development: Jill Kuehny/Jen Kern, Border Queen Harvest Hub, Caldwell.
Community Service: Howard Miller and Sig Collins, Cheney Lake Watershed, Cheney.

Take care of your building exterior: Here is information from Mid-Continental Restoration Company of Fort Scott on preventive maintenance for your building's exterior.

Survey about AI for agriculture: Do you have a role in agriculture? Consider taking this survey. It's designed to assess the educational needs of those involved in agriculture regarding Digital Agriculture and Artificial Intelligence.

Kansas Tourism Attraction Development Grant Now Open: Applications for the Kansas Tourism Attraction Development Grant are now open and are due Friday, January 9. Kansas Tourism will be hosting a webinar on Thursday, November 20 at 11am to go over guidelines and any questions.

Zoom Link Meeting ID: 824 1397 0779 Passcode: u89A0Q

New addresses:

The general Kansas Sampler Foundation address remains the same: 978 Arapaho Road, Inman, KS 67546 but if you want to send something directly to our incoming executive director Simone Elder, send to 2504 Q Road, Tribune, KS 67879.

The Kansas Department of Commerce and Kansas Tourism have moved to the new Docking State Office Building. Their new address is 915 SW Harrison, Ste 250, Topeka, KS 66612.

See previous Tidbits: The October We Kan! Tidbits was full of excellent information.

Sign up for We Kan! Tidbits: If this Tidbits is forwarded to you, sign up here for this monthly blast. Find the KSF Facebook page here.

Donate here to support the work of the Kansas Sampler Foundation. If your name is on this list, thank you.

Kansas Sampler Foundation Board of Directors: Stacy Barnes, Greensburg, president; Sarah Werner, Winfield; Luke Mahin, Courtland; Dave Procter, Manhattan; Lea Ann Seiler, Hanston. Staff: Marci Penner, WenDee Rowe, Inman; Simone Elder, Tribune; Kim Clark, The Highlands; and Amy Sallee, Hutchinson.