Mural Movement Draws Visitors, Bolsters Hometown Pride in Clay
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Mural Movement draws visitors, bolsters hometown pride in Clay Center By Donna Sullivan, Editor the mural project first There’s a movement started, it was a challenge afoot in Clay Center – a to find buildings to put Mural Movement, to be the murals on. “Early on exact. The brainchild of it was like pulling teeth Clay Center Rotary presi- to get business owners on- dent Brett Hubka has far board,” he said. “Now they exceeded what he or any are approaching us.” of the other members of The designs for the mu- the organization could rals are a group effort be- have possibly imagined. tween the committee, the “One of our members artists and the building suggested we do a small owners, all going back and mural and see if people forth until the final design would get behind it,” is something everyone is Hubka said. They started happy with. Included in the project last July, but the fundraising are mon- found fundraising to be a ies earmarked for upkeep challenge due to restric- of the murals. “Murals tions brought on by COVID- don’t last forever,” Hubka 19. Also, they hesitated to conceded. “But the way solicit donations when so these guys are prepping many people were out of and painting them, they’ll work due to the pandemic. last a good twenty years at They were part of the Clay least.” He added that they Center Community Match put a clear coat over each Day, which allowed peo- one that includes UV pro- ple to make tax-deduct- tectant and they are stra- ible donations and raised tegic in where they place $15,000. They also received them, to protect them from a $5,000 matching Rotary the sun. District Grant, as well as a Located on highways $7,500 arts grant from the 15 and 24, Clay Center is state of Kansas, which is giving motorists a reason earmarked for a mural on to veer off their route and the Wardcraft Home Store explore the town. There building that will be com- is an interactive map on pleted in September. their Facebook page, www. The project snowballed facebook.com/A-Mural- as enthusiasm grew in the Movement-of-Clay-Cen- community and the group ter-108662967620628/, that will begin their 11th mural directs visitors to each of soon. the murals, and a tri-fold The most extensive map is in the process of project yet is set to begin being developed by Clay May 17 and will be paint- Center High School art ed on the Key Feeds feed teacher Tracy Lebo that mill. Hubka says that while will be available in dis- most of the murals have pensers near some of the Farm to Fork is the theme of the two murals on the Ray’s Apple Market building west of Clay Center on Hwy. cost in the five to six thou- murals. Hubka said that 24. “We really owe the Floersch family and Ray’s Apple Market for that one,” Rotary president and Mural sand dollar range, this one while driving to his job as Movement organizer Brett Hubka said. will cost about ten times president of GN Bank in works of art. that amount. Key Feeds is Clay Center, it’s not unusu- The artists themselves helping to fund it, as are al to see cars with out-of- have found Clay Center to Jim and Carol Brown. The state license plates pulled be the epitome of small Mural Movement organi- over looking at the murals. town hospitality, with peo- zation has also donated “With the two highways ple bringing Tasty Pastry $20,000 and is continuing there, we have something rolls or lunch from the to solicit donations. The going for us,” Hubka said. 1524 Brewhouse, or simply mural will take a month “We just needed a reason keeping them company as to paint, so they have until for people to stop.” they work. “The artists call June 17 to raise the rest Social media has been Clay Center ‘The Middle of of the money. Once com- a boost to the mural proj- Somewhere,’” Hubka said. pleted it will include what ect, with visitors posting “They say they’ve never Hubka believes should be about them on Facebook been treated so well in the largest painted Her- and Instagram. They also their lives as Clay Center eford in the midwest, as receive many messages on has treated them. Artists well as a big red barn and their Facebook page from in big cities are a dime windmill. people who have stopped a dozen, but in Clay Cen- Hubka said that when to admire the unusual Artists Whitney Kerr III, of Kansas City; Mike Trujillo, Los Angeles; Ryan Estel, Denver, and Jeremy Bena, Kansas City, work on a mural depicting emergency workers entitled, Heroes Live Here. Mural Movement photos ter they are treated like estate. The project is still tions can be made to the celebrities. They’ve been pretty young. Never in my Clay Center Community treated really well and it wildest dreams did I think Improvement Foundation warms my heart.” we would have this many online at www.ClayCenter- Representative Michael L. Dodson, Senator Tom Hawk, Representative Suzi As for the future of done by now. It most defi- CIF.org or mailed to Thur- Carlson, and Representative John Wheeler visited Clay Center to see the veter- the project, Hubka said, nitely exceeded my expec- low and Associates at 432 - “It will come to an end tations and our commit- Court St., Clay Center, KS an’s mural. Located on the Edwards Jones building, owner Dave Bloom, a Viet when we either run out of tee’s expectations.” 67432. nam veteran, requested the mural include the words Freedom Isn’t Free. money or run out of real Tax deductible dona- Munson’s Prime, LLC steakhouse and The Brookville Hotel II, Inc. family-style chicken house to reopen as Legacy Kansas, LLC Combining two desti- nation and legacy restau- rants into one location is the goal of Chuck and Deanna Munson of Munson Angus Farms and Mun- son’s Prime steakhouse. The Munson family is purchasing the Brookville Hotel in Abilene and will reopen the restaurant as Legacy Kansas on Wednes- day, June 23, 2021. An artist’s rendering depicts the remodeling of the former Brookville Hotel restaurant in Abilene to Legacy Initially, the restaurant will feature the Brookville Kansas, LLC as it has been purchased by Munson’s Prime LLC and is set to re-open in June. Hotel’s world-famous award-winning steaks, Deanna Munson, Legacy Former Brookville Hotel is important for both the family-style fried chick- gourmet burgers, and Kansas. “We will contin- owners Mark and Connie Munson and Martin fami- en dinners, while adding homemade ice cream fea- ue to work over the com- Martin are returning to lies to continue their leg- in hand-breaded chick- turing a replica of Mun- ing months to expand our support the reopening and acies.” en fried steak from Mun- son’s Prime Steakhouse’s menu featuring our locally new concept. Legacy Kansas plans to son Angus Farms. Within iconic ice cream maker. raised Angus beef.” “Munson Angus Farms hire thirty employees and the next year, customers “It is important for us Legacy Kansas custom- started in 1869 and the offer meeting space for will also be able to enjoy to reopen for the sum- ers will also see famil- Brookville Hotel opened large groups, noon meet- Munson Angus Farms’ mer travel season,” said iar faces when they dine. in 1870,” Munson said. “It • Cont. on page 3 Page 2 Grass & Grain, May 11, 2021 possible. It’s often called “just in time delivery,” for this reason. When it works, which is the vast majority of the time, it lowers prices for everything by reducing the need to hold inventory. The Logistics Logjam When there’s a once-in-a- By Greg Doering, sorts of shortages across century pandemic on top Kansas Farm Bureau the ag industry for things of other more regular in- I recently received an like fertilizer, herbicide terruptions, prices go up email from a local car and even the plastic wrap for everything. On Thursday, when I normally would have been finishing laying out the front dealer offering to buy my used for hay bales. Overall, we’ve benefit- section of the paper, I was instead on a media call with Ag Secretary Vilsack, truck. Normally I just de- Not all of these are di- ted greatly from this effi- White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, Interior Secretary Deb lete these types of pitches, rectly related to COVID-19, ciency. It’s one of the rea- Haaland, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Council on Environmental sons Americans enjoy an but in this instance curi- but it served as the first Quality Chair Brenda Mallory. The subject? The America the Beautiful plan osity got the best of me. domino in the chain re- abundance of affordable I opened the email and action that’s led to higher options for our food, elec- developed in response to President Biden’s Executive Order that set a goal of quickly discovered my gen- prices for just about ev- tronics and other goods. conserving 30% of the nation’s land and water by the year 2030 in an attempt to tly used vehicle was worth erything needed to make The downside to having mitigate climate change. more than I expected — a anything. Other factors only the appearance of Newspaper deadlines are unforgiving things and did not allow me to read the abundance and not an ac- lot more.