Fort Scott Manor celebrates 50 years

Fort Scott Manor's residents and employees will be celebrating 50 years of service this week.

Dan and Jan Kiel, who own the facility, are also the proprietors of The Residencies at Pleasanton and Quality Care Home Care. The businesses employ 105 people, including 62-65 in Fort Scott.

"Jan used to be a nurse here and when it came up for sale, she wanted to buy it because she believed in the place and especially the reputation for the quality care we provided," Administrator Lynette Emmerson said.

Emmerson always knew she wanted to go into health care.

She has a bachelor's degree in management marketing with a health care emphasis from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo., and a master's in business administration from Pittsburg State University.

Starting out at Southwest Baptist, she wanted to go into nursing, but passed out several times when blood was discussed.

After that, she went to the career center and took a career test. She found she was still interested in health care, but administration was more her speed. She's been at it for 18 years.

"I love to be with the people. I don't like to spend time in my office," Emmerson said.

She has worked at Fort Scott Manor since February 2008. Before that, she spent eight years at Presbyterian Village, helping to open that residence, and she was with Via Christi in Pittsburg, previously known as Cornerstone Village, for five years.

She's found Fort Scott Manor is just the right size. The facility offers a full spectrum of care from short- and long-term rehabilitation up through Alzheimer's care.

It also offers adult day care seven days a week for 10 hours or less a day. Families can also use adult day care overnight.

Last year, she noted, three people left Fort Scott Manor for every one who passed away.

"We work with people with an hour's notice if we've already assessed them," Emmerson said of the day care option.

With a living room type area in front and separate resident rooms, it's more like a home, she said.

"It's homey," Emmerson said. "There's a good corps group of long-term staff that is very caring. ... The staff takes the residents in like their own family."

On Friday, Fort Scott Manor will feature harpist Connie Wollenhaupt from 4- 6 p.m. A punch and cookie reception will also go on during those hours.

After that, families and residents will be treated to an elegant dinner of chicken alfredo.

A cookout will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday in front of the building, 736 Heylman St. The event will also feature musical entertainment from the Branchy Boys, Fuss and Feathers and Shel Dreyer.

The owners will also speak and 50 ice cream flavors plus an equal number of toppings will be served, along with a special anniversary cake.

A drawing will be conducted for the staff to celebrate a year without a lost time accident. Emmerson said the prize would either be a trip to Las Vegas or two $500 cash drawings.

The fete will be open to the public. "We want it to be a reunion," Emmerson said. "If someone had a parent here 20 years ago, we want them to come back and see it," but she also wants community members to attend.