Month: October 2014

Pen club meets in KCK

At the recent meeting of the Kansas City Stylographic Society in Kansas City, Kan., Father John Melnick talked about the history of writing instruments, and also spoke about the Victorian art of letter writing. (Photo by William Crum)
At the recent meeting of the Kansas City Stylographic Society in Kansas City, Kan., Father John Melnick talked about the history of writing instruments, and also spoke about the Victorian art of letter writing. (Photo by William Crum)

by William Crum

The Stylographics, as they are known, is a local pen club that is based in Kansas City, Kan.

This is a club that is made up of people who enjoy collecting ink pens and enjoy the true art of writing with a good quality pen like it used to be in the past.

A wide range of people belong to this organization, including Judge Robert Serra, who is an avid pen collector.

Some of the members enjoy collecting fountain pens; others enjoy collecting roller ball and ballpoint pens as well.

Some of the members have large collections of very rare pens, others are just starting their collections. They not only collect pens, but are interested in the true art of good penmanship.

Many may remember the days when they wrote a letter by hand and sent it off in the mail. For many, the letters they received that were written by hand had a special meaning in their lives.

I remember the days when we were in school and we were taught how to write cursive. Now this is no longer taught in many schools. Because of the computer age, everything is done by a computer for us and handwriting is not as important.

This group, on the other hand, is out to change this, even though their membership is very small. They want to encourage people to use a pen, whether it is a fountain pen, a rollerball and or a ballpoint pen, and practice good penmanship.

At the recent meeting, Father John Melnick talked about the history of writing instruments, and he also spoke about the Victorian art of letter writing.

Blythe Larson with Patterdale Pens, a local online pen retailer, talked about new pens on the market.

If you’re interested in learning more about the club you can email stylogropher@gmail.com.

The Kansas City Stylographic Society recently met in Kansas City, Kan., to discuss fountain pens, ballpoint pens and writing instruments. (Photo by William Crum)
The Kansas City Stylographic Society recently met in Kansas City, Kan., to discuss fountain pens, ballpoint pens and writing instruments. (Photo by William Crum)

Cold weather baseball offers challenges

Royals team physician Dr. Vincent Key says there are challenges playing baseball in colder weather.

The Royals play Game 3 of the American League Championship Series Tuesday night with temperatures getting down to the 50s. If they move on to the World Series, even colder weather is possible.

Dr. Key, who is with The University of Kansas Hospital’s Sports Medicine and Performance Center, said cold weather can lead to injuries but the players can help prevent injuries by longer warm-ups and staying warm.

To see a KU Hospital video on this topic, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghphff1NWLU.
– Story and video from KU Hospital

Fall is a time for fun, increased safety awareness

by Sarah M. Travis

Fall and winter invariably remind us of spiced cider, pumpkin pies, holidays, and time with family and friends. Amid all of the fun and preparation, we must remember to take time out for safety.

While putting away sunscreen and bug spray, perhaps we can remember a few of the following ways to protect our homes and loved ones:

• Due to the increased incidence of house fires, it’s important to check on batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

• Make sure to keep extra, unexpired batteries for alarms and flashlights safely stored in the house.

• Teach children to be aware of at least two exits from every room in the house, and practice using these routes.

• Remind children how to “Look, Listen, and Feel” at doors, and “Stop, Drop and Roll” in the event that clothing catches fire.

• Families should decide on a safe meeting place outside so that everyone can be accounted for after evacuating the home.

• Teach younger children how to dial 9-1-1 from cell phones; make sure your child either knows how to unlock a cellular phone from sleep mode, or knows how to use the “Emergency Dialer” setting from the home screen. In addition, make sure young children know how to press “Send” after dialing 9-1-1 from a cellular phone.

• If your home carries a fire extinguisher, check for any rust or damage, and ensure that the pressure gauge is at an acceptable level for your particular model.

• Fall safety includes notifying neighbors with pets or small children any time you put fertilizers, weed killers, or other chemicals in your yard.

• Abide by city and county laws when burning leaves, and ensure that no dangerous foliage (such as poison ivy, oak, or sumac) sneak their way into your burn pile.

• Have regular furnace maintenance performed in preparation for winter, and have any leaks in your roof repaired.

• Flashlights, blankets, fresh water, and nonperishable food items may be beneficial in the event of a power outage.

• It’s always a good idea to unplug any appliance with a heat source when not in use (coffee makers, toasters or clothing irons).

• When pulling out winter wardrobes from storage, shake out or wash clothing to prevent brown recluse spider bites.

• Dig out the snow shovel and rock salt from the back of the garage for ready availability.

• Last, check on neighbors who live alone or who are elderly during inclement weather.

Let’s make sure we all have a safe and enjoyable fall and winter season.

Sarah M. Travis is a registered nurse who lives in the Turner neighborhood of Kansas City, Kan. She also is a full-time student at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, where she plans to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in May.