It's time for Positively Kansas.

Coming up, we'll show you why the local cemetery has been the talk of this Kansas town for many generations now.

We'll also go sweatin with the oldies.

This is no Geritol generation.

You'll meet some senior citizens with bulging biceps and abs of steel who are competitive power lifters.

And in the tradition of Martin Luther and C.S.

Lewis, we'll show you how the Bible and beer are an inspiring combination for these Kansas Christians.

Im Sierra Scott.

Those stories, along with the Kansas Wild Edge, are cued up and ready to roll in this edition of Positively Kansas.

A Kansas farmer has made a name for himself in a most unusual way.

And in Hiawatha, Kansas, he's been the talk of the town for 90 years.

As Jim Grawe shows us, this man named John Davis spent his life savings to ensure that neither he nor his wife would be forgotten.

And the debate continues on.

Was it for love or was it for spite?

Cemeteries have long been places of reverence, reflection and honor.

There was a time when they were also places for picnics.

Enjoying Sunday dinner with a late loved one was a common occurrence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

But what John Davis did in Hiawatha is Mount Hope Cemetery is anything but common.

People are just shocked.

This is probably the most unusual cemetery landscape in the country.

John Davis was kind of an eccentric, wealthy farmer.

He was a self-made man, having come to the area from Kentucky to work as a farmhand.

When he up and married the farmer's daughter, the farmer and others in this tight knit community for some reason were none too happy.

He didn't feel that they were welcome in the town.

Still, the Davises inherited the farm.

John proved to be a good farmer and a shrewd investor.

And then after 50 years of marriage-- He loses Sarah.

They have modest funerals.

Things are fine.

A few years later, things started to change at the gravesite, and the statues started coming in.

And these statues, carved of marble were being shipped in from Italy.

One by one, over the course of a few years, they are depictions of John and Sarah at different stages of their lives together.

It started out as when they were courting and as they got older, as they get into middle age, their later years and they're sitting in the chairs together.

And then when he loses her, you'll see that the statue is different when it's the vacant chair and John sitting there.

They're made out of granite instead of marble.

And that's because he started running out of money.

But he wasn't done with this project.

He used to spend time at the memorial when it was being built.

He would answer questions, though he was extremely private.

He got annoyed when people were walking through the memorial, used to not have the canopy and the walls around it.

Davis then added the canopy and surrounding wall to protect the statues from townsfolk who were becoming enraged by the extravagant memorial.

The town was not so thrilled.

They wanted John to invest in a hospital or a swimming pool.

Things to help the community.

And he pretty much said, it was my money and I'll spend as I damn well please.

And that's quoted that that is actually something that he said.

In 1947, having spent everything on the memorial.

John Davis died broke at age 92, but there would be no pauper's grave for him.

There was a place already for him next to Sarah.

The Marysville advocate lamented at the time that Davis had devised a sensational way to spend his fortune of $500,000.

How much more good could he have done for the Hiawatha community had he used the money to build a memorial hospital?

But the funny thing is, when they talk about the fact that we needed the hospital, we needed the pool, we needed all these things to help the community.

What he left us brings 20 to 30000 people here a year and he is more remembered for that, where a hospital would have crumbled if it had to be rebuilt.

Just since I've been alive, we've had two public swimming pools and we'll probably get another before I'm dead.

So these things that people thought would last really, didn't, yet this legacy has.

But exactly the motivation for this legacy is the subject of ongoing debate.

Was the memorial built out of spite or was it built out of love?

So there's lots of ways that people interpret the story.

Some people believe that John really was truly lost without his wife.

They didn't have children.

They were together forever.

And she was gone.

Some people say it's because he was an orphan and the family never approved of him and he was determined that they wouldn't get any money from him.

So I kind of lean towards the love story with the bonus that he kind of got to stick it to his family.

And it would be one thing if he had these locally made.

It took a lot of effort to find an Italian marble sculptor who would work with your photographs and bring them back.

And we have some photographs of John.

We have some photographs of Sarah.

We know they look like them.

So he he took the time to find that out, to get what he needed.

And you only do that out of love.

If you're just going to do it out of spite, you're going to build some other monstrosity and, you know, stick your name all over it.

It's an interesting thing to ponder as one gazes upon this three dimensional timeline of the Davises relationship.

The artwork absolutely appeals to me, but I also am moved by the story, but I'm also moved at the dedication that a husband would have for his wife in creating something totally beautiful that is everlasting.

And another thing, if there's value in your life and your name not being forgotten, John Davis made the right investment.

Nobody remembers his critics.

We don't know any of them.

No, no.

He did win.

He won in life.

I guess he won in death, for sure, in terms of being remembered.

And the tribute to his wife is obvious.

We all know around here who John and Sarah Davis are.

We know the story of their lives.

We know the story of their deaths.

And we know the tribute of love that was created.

It would make a great Hallmark movie.

In Hiawatha for Positively Kansas.

I'm Jim Grawe.

The Davis Memorial was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

It's free to visit every day of the year.

Some seniors are finding that lifting heavy weights can help lighten their personal burdens.

Chris Frank shows us how power lifters are strengthening their outlook on life by strengthening their pecs, delts quads and glutes.

Two Wichita power lifters working out their muscles in different gyms, preparing not just for national competitions, but for healthier lives.

What they're learning can inspire and benefit others.

66 years young Brian Byers.

This will be for the National Record on his third attempt.

Before setting a national record.

This is a national record, come on, take it up!

Brian Byers spent many hours, days and weeks lifting weights, preparing for powerlifting competitions.

Myers regularly works out at Wichita's Northwest YMCA.

When he's not working out at home.

I definitely recommend it.

Across town.

Another power lifter, buffets her body with heavy weights, also in preparation for power lifting competitions.

I always feel kind of like it's an achievement.

I did that.

One more workout.

One more step, Rachel Brown says towards a bigger goal than a single competition.

Both got into the powerlifting competition part of weight lifting later in life.

Byers trained with weights as a college football player, but he says it wasn't as intense as this training.

Originally from Iowa, Byers was recruited to play at Pittsburg State University.

He then spent as adult career coaching football at the Collegiate and Wichita City League High School levels.

Yeah, I lifted as a player, but when I was teaching I didn't do very much lifting because I was coaching three sports and teaching in the weight room all day.

Brown grew up in a small community in the United Kingdom.

I was in a very small high school, so if you wanted to be on the team, you're on the team.

She then went on to medical school, becoming a physician and psychiatrist.

Brown says her studies and work left little time for workouts.

Because you really don't have time when you're junior doctor to work to do anything much except work, especially then.

She later immigrated to the U.S.. Now, Doctor Brown is a professor and heads of the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department at the KU School of Medicine in Wichita.

In earlier years, she got into martial arts, earning two black belts in taekwondo and jujitsu.

Then, decades later, in her mid-fifties, she was introduced to powerlifting.

Her favorite exercise is the deadlift.

I'm good at them.

It's a very good thing.

So, yeah, I'm not I think I'm not a very athletic person.

I've never been good at anything in my life athletically, but I've always done something.

So this is the only thing that I'm actually pretty good at.

So that's why it's so enjoyable.

And Brown also competes at state and national powerlifting competitions.

Come on.

You got it.

This video is from a national meet in 2019.

Yeah.

Alright!

Tragedy struck the Byers household when in 2014, Byers wife of 29 years, suddenly and unexpectedly passed away.

It was a shock to everybody.

Cardiac arrest.

He was only 59 at the time.

Instead of making plans for the retirement years, he had to make other plans.

It changes everything.

I mean, you had ideas of where you were going to be and what you were going to be doing when you got older.

And it's just completely different.

You know, you just you learned to accept the fact that your life is different.

And it's just it's not what you had thought it was going to be.

That's what it comes down to.

The life changing event made him stop and take a life assessment.

I realized that I probably need to get into a little bit better shape than I was, so I started lifting a little bit and, you know, something like that.

It's just life changing.

You know, you fight depression and things like that.

And I was I didn't want to get on medication, so I knew working out of some sort would help.

So I started lifting pretty, pretty heavy, doing a lot of different things.

His health and outlook were improving, but there was still something missing, he says.

And that was one of the things that was missing when I first started back lifting weights, you know, I'd come in here and work out, but I really didn't have any set goals.

Then a couple of his former students suggested he get involved with power lifting.

Byers tried power lifting and enjoyed it right away.

He's been competing in the sport for about six years.

Takes care of that competitiveness that I had when I was coaching and also lets me set some goals.

So when I'm working out in the weight room, I have something to shoot for.

Come on... pull, pull!

And speaking of goals, that's why you will notice Byers constantly reaching for his smartphone after each set, recording the number of reps and the weight.

It maps where he's been and helps guide where he needs to go.

Brown does the same thing, tracking her workouts and goal setting.

Now I have some goals and and shoot for the goals and that's always very helpful.

Those goals motivate him to push forward, to add more weights to the bar, to do more reps, more sets, whatever it takes to be ready for the next competition.

Most of the time I'm ranked number one in my weight class and age group in the country.

Masters state record attempt here.

So let's make some noise for him.

He wants his record.

Let's go Brian!

You got it!

Good fight.

The referees say that is a good lift.

You may not reach the goal, but part of it is the journey.

Getting to the goal is is probably more satisfying sometimes than reaching the goal.

I think.

I do two one minute rest, two one minute rest, one.

So I'm doing five reps.

I get better quality rep when I take a little break.

I don't have the air capacity, the VO2 capacity that young guys do.

This powerlifting, he says, fills some voids in his life.

For me, I'm pretty competitive, so allows me to be competitive.

I like working out and and I like pushing myself.

So it allows me to do that.

The workouts, he says, also allows him to eat what he likes.

I love food, I love pizza and, you know, stuff like that.

So I eat what I want to eat, but I do watch my weight and just control it.

And ever since I have been lifting all my numbers are way up or down.

Both powerlifters say they are enjoying workout benefits at multiple levels.

Physical, mental, emotional.

The two are different in this aspect.

Byers typically works out alone.

No trainer, but Brown employs personal trainer and gym owner Kate Jones to coach her.

Be patient from the floor and lock those knees out as fast as you can after your pause.

For Brown, she says, it's one less thing to think about.

So for me, it's so.

If I had to think about what I wouldn't do my own programing.

It'd be like working and I'd rather turn my brain off.

And it's the job of the coach to get that outside perspective and say, Hey, you might want to try it this way and see if that makes things a little bit more efficient, because that's what powerlifting is all about, is moving weight more efficiently and as powerful as possible.

Brown has overarching goals and motivations that makes all the grunting and straining worthwhile to her.

So I enjoy the whole process.

I find it relaxing.

It helps with stress.

It's just an enjoyable way of spending some time.

But the overall goal is really to stay as active and mobile as I can for as long as I can.

Brown says all can benefit from exercising.

I think all of us should be thinking about that, but I think it's really important for older adults.

I see a lot of, I hear about, I'm a psychiatrist, I'm a physician.

I work mostly with brains and minds and people's emotions and behavior.

But it's really clear that as we age, our muscle strength goes away, our muscle mass diminishes.

For a lot of women, in particular, our bones thin and we get osteopenia and osteoporosis.

So we're more prone to fractures, exercises that are strength, that are build strength, as well as flexibility and mobility, help us with our activities of daily livings.

Brown holds some Kansas powerlifting records in her age and weight class.

The competitions give both power lifters goals to reach for as they sweat through their heavy lifting regimen.

That was a killer.

Thats a killer.

One more, maybe.

Just about wore you out, huh?

Yeah, that one damn near killed me.

That's it.

I'm done.

Done for tonight.

Finished until the next workout.

Adding strength for competitions in the arenas and for life in general.

This is Chris Frank for Positively Kansas.

Our super seniors recommend you check with your physician before starting a rigorous exercise program.

You may also want to consider working with a trainer to get started on your workout program.

Discussing the Bible over a pint of beer may not sound like your typical Tuesday night, but for some Wichitans, it's a can't miss weekly ritual.

Anna Spencer introduces us to a local group that's breaking down church walls while building up community and fellowship at a local pub.

This downtown Wichita Brewery invites patrons to come both hungry and thirsty.

The group upstairs invites them to do the same and serves up so much more.

Brewery Ministries meets every Tuesday night at the Pourhouse.

Here, believers and nonbelievers gather to break bread, grab a pint and wrestle with some of life's biggest questions.

Founder Nathan Snyder explains the ministrys start.

I met a lot of people playing in bars because I was actually a musician and I would be there and I'd hear people talking about faith and God.

And I just realized they didn't really have a place to go to explore where they felt comfortable.

My church at the time talked about starting a service for some of the people I was having conversations with, but I realized after a while they're probably not going to go.

They don't have any experience with church, and it's kind of an unfamiliar culture.

So that's when we started thinki neutral location that they were familiar with and comfortable.

And the first place I thought of as bars.

And then we were like, Well, let's go to a brewery.

So that's how it started.

Brewery Ministries began meeting two and a half years ago.

An idea developed by four friends, the group attracts people from all walks of life and provides a safe space to share thoughts, hopes and most importantly, questions of faith.

Through Bible study and discussion, the participants transformed this upper room into a sacred space where all are welcome.

One of the reasons I keep coming back is just the diversity amongst people here.

I enjoy connecting with younger people for some reason.

I enjoy mentoring them.

But I also I've got two kids at home and theyre right in that age group where Im trying to understand why do they think the way they do?

And so this helps me to understand them better.

Listening is key.

Nathan says some of the most memorable moments of the ministry occur when participants share their own perspectives and take on biblical stories.

Since its beginning, the ministry has branched out and now includes an online Zoom group that continues the pub atmosphere.

Additionally, Nathan has put together both a podcast and YouTube channel to further encourage a Faith dialog.

It's particularly exciting for me when somebody says like, Wow, I didn't get to talk about these kind of things in a church service because the format is just not as conversational, right?

Nathan writes the studies and leaves space for lots of discussion, something that regular attendees like Bryan appreciate.

He says it's open sharing of diverse perspectives that make this group so unique.

Some of them are either former church people who left for various reasons or some that have never believed.

Some, you know, it was crammed down their throats by their parents or whatever.

But I love connecting with them because I hear their story and I understand why they feel the way they do.

The conversation grows louder as the group breaks out into mini sessions.

This is exactly what Nathan envisioned when he began this ministry, and he hopes to continue to offer authentic fellowship and faith dialog that's accessible to all.

No Church Building Required.

In Wichita, I'm Anna Spencer, for Positively Kansas.

Brewery Ministries meets every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. and offers online meetups on Sunday evenings too.

No matter what the season, Taking your kids or grandkids fishing on a Kansas lake or river offers a great opportunity for togetherness.

That's what Mike Blair shows us in this week's Kansas Wild Edge.

One of a child's great discoveries is that beneath the smooth surface of a lake or pond live slippery, scaly creatures that bite on hook and line.

Fish.

There's a certain wonder about them.

Unseen, except for an occasional ripple, unheard but for a slurping strike deep in cattails, they lurk in dark water, awaiting the offerings of the most special kind of person- a fisherman.

To a youngster, a fisherman can be almost anyone.

Anybody with a rod and reel who knows the way to the water is a fisherman.

Anyone who can spade a wedge of earth to collect worms, or even a dad or mom who's fresh from the sporting goods store with the uncertain prospect of their own first fishing trip, qualifies.

And that's faith.

It's the reason, too, that fishing is made for kids.

They possess the imagination that makes fishing a real old fashioned adventure, the kind that makes chasing grasshoppers through meadow grass an exciting prerequisite to baiting a hook, or the kind that leaves Sesame Street forgotten in favor of a ride in a rowboat.

Or best of all, one which lets them know they're big enough to be part of such an important outing.

You remember how it was, don't you?

Your first fishing trip when someone introduced you to what has become a way of life.

Nothing was better than waiting before a spread of colorful bobbers and nothing beat it when they dance to striking fish, the bouncing tip of a fishing pole expanded the youngster's world like nothing else.

All children need a chance like that.

A chance to be in the open air, to study the way that ripples spread on water.

A chance to wade barefoot in the creek.

Or to turn over rocks in search of crickets.

A chance to hear the redwings conk-la-ree, and to watch the birds build their nests in waterside reeds, or to get to know their own families and friends in this special way that only fishing allows.

It carries over, you know.

Little anglers grow up to be big anglers.

Gender makes no difference.

Men and women alike enjoy the thrill of fishing.

How about you?

Get on the water and enjoy fishing.

Connect with children and give them the gift of the outdoors.

A cane pole with a hooked, wiggling worm is still the best way to satisfy a youngster's curiosity.

And it's simple enough for young minds to understand.

Want to have some fun this summer?

Take a kid fishing the old fashioned way.

Teach about herons and muskrats and show how to catch crawdads for bait.

Tell them the biggest fish stories you know and hook them on the mysteries of wild waters.

Then sit back and watch them become fishermen.

I'm Mike Blair, for Positively Kansas.

Well, that's a wrap for this week.

Our email address if you have a question or comment.

Until next time.

I'm Sierra Scott.

So long.