In the News

Celebrating 50 years, The King’s Singers present HBPA concert at Bethel

A group well-known and -loved by local audiences, The King’s Singers, will be at Bethel College as part of a tour celebrating 50 years of performing.

The concert is Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in Memorial Hall on the Bethel campus, part of the 2018-19 Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts series.

The King’s Singers will be presenting their “Gold50” program as part of the tour and three-disc recording that mark 50 years of the group’s existence.

The King’s Singers was born May 1, 1968, formed by six recent graduates of King’s College, Cambridge. By chance, the original vocal lineup was two countertenors, a tenor, two baritones and a bass, and the formation has never changed since.

The current members of The King’s Singers are countertenors Edward Button and Patrick Dunachie, tenor Julian Gregory, baritones Nick Ashby and Christopher Bruerton, and bass Jonathan Howard.

The group has appeared on the world’s great stages, from London’s Royal Albert Hall to the Sydney Opera House to Carnegie Hall and been ambassadors for musical excellence across the globe.

Among many accolades are two Grammy® Awards (2008 for Best Classical Crossover Album, Simple Gifts; 2011 for Best Choral Performance on Eric Whitacre’s Light & Gold), an Emmy® Award, and a place in Gramophone magazine’s inaugural Hall of Fame.

The King’s Singers have also been nominated for four additional Grammy® Awards, including for their 50th-anniversary recording, Gold, in the Best Classical Compendium category. (The awards ceremony is Sunday, Feb. 10, two days before the HBPA concert.)

Their consistent love of musical diversity has fueled The King’s Singers’ commitment to creating new music.

Over 50 years, they have commissioned more than 200 works, by composers who include Luciano Berio, Gabriela Lena Frank, György Ligeti, Nico Muhly, John Rutter, Toru Takemitsu, Sir John Tavener and Eric Whitacre, as well as countless arrangements of everything from jazz standards to pop charts.

The King’s Singers’ “Gold50” program reflects the group’s half-century of musical diversity, whether ancient motets, brand new commissions or much-loved arrangements of close-harmony music from the last 50 years.

In addition to releasing the compilation album in honor of 50 years, The King’s Singers also has established a U.S.-based charity, The King’s Singers Global Foundation. The group hopes to extend its impact by way of education and commissioning new works even further.

In the spirit of The King’s Singers’ commitment to teaching and coaching young singers, they will hold a masterclass with the Bethel College Concert Choir and Hesston College Bel Canto Singers ahead of their Feb. 12 evening performance, at noon in Memorial Hall.

Two events remain in the HBPA season. On March 5, the Berlin-based Armida Quartet performs “Mozart Exploded” at Hesston Mennonite Church, juxtaposing Mozart with contemporary composers as well as letters written by Mozart.

Wrapping up is singer/songwriter Ruth Moody and her band, April 9 in Memorial Hall. Many audiences know Moody as part of the all-female folk group The Wailin’ Jennys.

Single tickets can be purchased at either Hesston or Bethel College weekdays during regular business hours. Bethel and Hesston students receive free admission. See hesstonbethel.org for more information.

The series started in 1982 as Hesston Performing Arts, then expanded in 1998 when Hesston College joined forces with Bethel College for Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts, to present five performances by world-renowned or regionally acclaimed artists each school year.

HBPA is funded in part by the City of North Newton, Excel Industries and Hustler Turf Equipment (Hesston), the North Newton Community Foundation, the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, and media sponsor KMUW-FM 89.1, with additional funding from area businesses and patrons.

Jefferson Dinner opens doors for dialogue

Over dinner Sunday evening, Hesston College history, economics and psychology students had conversation around the value of college and education in the format of a historical “Jefferson Dinner.”

Built on the premise of sparking civil conversation, the event at Hesston College and historically brought together voices from a variety of backgrounds and schools of thought to listen and share with one another.

“Studies show that increasingly, we’re not listening to each as much – especially politically,” said history professor Peter Lehman. “Jefferson Dinners, then and now, are opportunities to talk about issues of public importance.”

Lehman shared that the first Jefferson Dinner was held in 1790 when Thomas Jefferson, then secretary of state, gathered representatives of different sides of a disagreement on how the new country would pay for the Revolutionary War. To that point, the disagreement had resulted in a deadlock in Congress, and Jefferson hoped civil dialogue would bring about a compromise. And it did – The Compromise of 1790, also known as The Dinner Table Bargain.

Today, Jefferson Dinners are being encouraged by the Village Square, a non-profit, non-partisan, educational organization based in Florida. Likewise, rotary clubs around the country are sponsoring dinners to facilitate dialogue.

An important part of the format is being set around round tables so no one is at the head and there is no hierarchy.

At Hesston College, the buzz of conversation and laughter permeated the air as students engaged with one another in a new way.

“Our tendency is to group with people who are like-minded rather than build common ground with people who disagree,” said Lehman. “These are issues which affect off of us, so we should all be in on the conversation.”

Aviation approved for bachelor’s degree program

Hesston College has been granted approval by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the college’s accrediting agency, for a bachelor’s degree program in aviation-professional pilot. The college plans to launch the program for the 2019-20 year.

The bachelor’s degree in aviation will be the second baccalaureate program for Hesston College, joining the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, which began in 2015. Hesston College will also continue to offer the Associate of Applied Arts and Sciences – Professional Pilot degree, giving students options for their educational and professional goals.

“The FAA has increased its expectations for pilots, especially those who transport people, and offering a bachelor’s degree prepares our students to meet those expectations more quickly,” said Brent Yoder, vice president of Academics. “In the past, co-pilots have been able to build flight hours on the job, but that’s not the case anymore. They need more experience and knowledge to get the jobs that are available.”

With rising pilot demand nationwide and worldwide, Hesston College Aviation has also seen building interest. In fall 2018, 18 new students enrolled in the aviation program as compared to eight a year prior, and eight more joined the program in January, bringing the total number of students enrolled with Hesston College Aviation to 38 with the start of the spring 2019 semester.

“The industry is definitely on an upward trajectory, and we’re seeing that right now and with our current enrollment and with our prospects for the coming fall semester,” said Yoder. “Hesston College has always been committed to offering the best student experience possible, and that starts with providing the programs and training our students need for their careers.”

With accreditation approval granted, the next step is to gain FAA approval of the bachelor’s program, which will allow student pilots to earn the necessary certificate to transport people – the Air Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate – at 1,000 hours of flight time as opposed to the 1,250 hours needed with an associate’s degree.

Students will continue to earn most of the required certifications and ratings in the first two years of the program, and much of the junior- and senior-level work will be classroom-based or, in some cases, a hybrid of online and on-campus classes. Students in the third and fourth years of the program will continue to build their flight hours through industry internships, which Mike Baker, director of Hesston College Aviation, is working to organize.

“Upper level aviation students will gain industry experience and build their flight hours through internships with partnering companies and organizations or even as flight instructors with Hesston’s program,” said Yoder.

Hesston College Aviation began in 1970 as an associate degree program at a time when the college had just revised its general education curriculum and wanted to implement more career options.

Operating from its own hangar at the Newton City/County Airport, about 15 minutes from the main campus in Hesston, the program currently maintains a fleet of five single-engine Cessna and Piper series aircraft, and a Piper Twin Comanche. Other training equipment includes a Redbird MCX C182 G1000 GFC FAA-approved Aviation Training Device (ATD). Part of the HLC’s program recommendations were to upgrade aircraft, a project which the college has already undertaken, having already purchased one Piper Archer and a commitment to purchase a second with the possibility of more.

In 2009, Hesston College Aviation introduced an Air Traffic Control (ATC) program in addition to flight training. In 2010, the ATC program was one of 36 programs nationwide approved as a Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) program by the FAA, and the only program in the state of Kansas to earn CTI status. As a preparatory program for further training through the FAA, the ATC program will continue to offer only an associate’s degree.

More than 700 pilots have trained at Hesston College in the program’s 48-year history, and work in a variety of roles across the industry, including pilots for regional, national and world-wide airlines, corporate and charter companies, serve as missionary pilots or with humanitarian organizations, flight instructors, aerial application, FAA inspectors, medical evacuation pilots and more.

“Hesston College Aviation has long held a standard of producing highly professional pilots,” said Yoder. “As the industry changes, we’re so pleased to be able to continue offering that high level of preparation.”

Dyck Arboretum flora appears in Kansas governor’s inauguration celebration

Because of a deep appreciation and understanding for Kansas and its flora, the staff of Hesston’s Dyck Arboretum of the Plains recognizes the subtleties of the beauty of Kansas in winter – as in every season – and works daily to educate others to it as well. On a cold January day, they were able to spread the arboretum’s mission and passion for Kansas nature to the state capitol of Topeka and to the highest seat of state government by playing a role in the gubernatorial inauguration of Laura Kelly.

A few weeks prior to the Jan. 14 inauguration, arboretum staff received a call from an Inauguration Planning Committee member asking about renting evergreens for a stage display.

“She said she saw our website and loved it, and wanted to support a Kansas institution and a place with Kansas history,” said arboretum Grounds Manager Katie Schmidt.

As a public garden rather than a greenhouse production, the arboretum wasn’t able to fulfill the initial request, but Schmidt persuaded her to consider floral arrangements using native plants instead.

“I convinced her to go the floral arrangement route, but with eco-friendly natives as the focus,” Schmidt said. “Though we don’t offer floral services, the arboretum was happy to provide a wide range of native and adaptable cuttings to a florist (Blue Morning Glory Studio in Lawrence) who could use them to create the displays. We have lots of healthy evergreens and haven’t cut down our garden beds for spring, so the timing was just right.”

Schmidt collected native grasses, cedar cuttings and ornamental branches that reflect the Kansas landscape in January from the arboretum’s 29 acres and delivered them to the florist. On her personal time, Schmidt assisted Blue Morning Glory with the arrangements.

“We wanted arrangements that honor the landscape,” said Schmidt. “Really, they were such a small detail of the big inaugural day, but it can send a message – are we valuing the native plants of Kansas that are part of our heritage? Are we being genuine to what it means to live in a prairie state? I was so happy we could use materials that reflect the beauty of our state in a way that is classy but conscious, polished but not perfect.”

While it’s not in the business of doing floral arranging, Dyck Arboretum, which is owned by neighboring Hesston College, does serve as a place for people to be educated about the Kansas ecosystem to be able to nurture native plants on their own.

The arboretum’s Native Plant School series includes several beginner’s classes on landscaping with native plants, responsible landscape practices, using native plants at home to attract wildlife and how to reproduce native plants. The twice yearly FloraKansas: Native Plant Festival in April and September is an opportunity to learn about and purchase native prairie plants for use in personal gardening and landscaping. In addition, the four-person arboretum staff and a myriad of volunteers are always happy to share their knowledge of indigenous plants.

“Having lots of wonderful native plants in your home landscape means you can create your own floral arrangements any time of the year,” said Schmidt. “With our educational offerings at the arboretum, we hope to cultivate transformative relationships between people and the land.”

Submissions being accepted for third Hesston College play writing festival

It’s time again for south central Kansas playwrights – both amateur and experienced – to exercise their creativity and storytelling abilities with submissions to Hesston College Theatre’s “Pen to Paper to Performance” play writing festival.

Submissions for the 10-minute play festival will be accepted through March 11. Eight winning submissions will be notified March 18 and will be produced in the final showcase event April 26 and 27. Playwrights of winning submissions will receive a percentage of the box office earnings.

Now in its third year, the “Pen to Paper to Performance” play writing festival, which was launched by Hesston College Theatre Director Rachel Jantzi, has become a sought after experience both for local playwrights and audience members who get to see the stories come to life on stage. With the plays performed by Hesston College Theatre students, the event allows voices and talent from the community and across the region to be heard and shared.

The 2018 event featured nonfiction accounts based on historical events both recent and further in the past, fictional works as commentary on important societal issues, and lighthearted humor.

10-Minute Play Festival submission criteria

Scripts accepted until March 11. Eight selected submissions will be produced in the final showcase event, “Pen to Paper to Performance,” April 26 and 27 in the Keim Center Black Box Theatre on the Hesston College campus. Winning submissions will be notified March 18, and will receive a percentage of the box office earnings. Auditions and rehearsals for the chosen shows will begin the following week.

Submission rules:

• We will accept no more than two (2) plays per playwright.
• Scripts should fall between 8 and 12 pages and run roughly 10 minutes.
• Suggested number of characters is three to five.
• Characters in plays should be able to be portrayed by college students.
• Location/setting expectations should be kept minimal for the sake of logistics.
• No musicals.
• Original work only; no previously produced work will be accepted.
• We will acknowledge submissions via email, but we will not offer critiques.
• Please staple hard copy of scripts. Please no binders, covers or folders.
• We reserve the right to edit of the sake of time or logistics in collaboration with the playwright.

How to submit:
Please submit both a hard copy and an emailed copy. Hard copies will not be returned. Plays should include a cover page with the following information:

• Play title
• Playwright’s name
• Playwright’s phone number
• Playwright’s email address

Deliver submissions to Rachel Jantzi in Hesston College’s Keim Center

OR

Mail a hard copy to:
Hesston College
c/o Rachel Jantzi
PO Box 3000
Hesston, KS 67062

Email an identical copy to rachelj@hesston.edu with “10-minute play” in the subject line.

Registration open for AVDS conference focused on spiritual formation

Registration is now open for Hesston College’s annual Anabaptist Vision and Discipleship Series (AVDS) conference, that will take place on campus Feb. 1 to 3, with the theme “Growing More Like Jesus from the Outside In: Transforming Heart and Mind.” Registrations are due by Monday, Jan. 28.

Featuring keynote speakers Mark and Lisa Scandrette, internationally recognized experts in Christian spirituality, conference participants will offer spiritual formation grounded in community and explore the pursuit of a life that is deeply soulful and connected to real needs and good news in the world.

Mark Scandrette teaches in the doctoral program at Fuller Theological Seminary (Pasadena, Calif.), and is the founder of ReIMAGINE: A Center for Integral Christian Practice. Together, Mark and Lisa Scandrette co-authored FREE: Spending Your Time and Money on What Matters Most.

A primary source of guidance for the weekend will be the Ninefold Path of the Beatitudes, which was created by Mark Scandrette. The Ninefold Path is an experiential journey of blessings Jesus presented in the Sermon on the Mount, exploring the radical life-giving invitation they provide, engaging the dynamic of shared experiments and practices, creating space to rest, connect and refresh and coming away with tools and skills to lead others on the journey.

“What participants will learn at this year’s conference moves away from the concept of an outside speaker coming in, lecturing and expecting that anything can really change within the community from that approach,” said Hesston College Director of Church Relations, Dallas Stutzman, a member of the planning committee. “Instead, Jesus and the event will call us to change in practical, Kingdom ways. From the outside in.”

“Following Jesus in the 21st century is challenging,” said Clayton Gladish of the planning committee and pastor of Hesston Mennonite Church. “Between social isolation and multiple things vying for our time, we need help finding ways to connect with one another for the purpose of practicing our faith. Mark Scandrette give practical advice based on personal experimentation and experience that helps us to embody the call to make disciples.”

The conference is intended to be accessible to church leaders as well as congregants across all Christian denominations and those exploring their faith and spirituality.

“This event is an outstanding opportunity for all area Christians to develop their faith practice to serve in a variety of ways within their context,” said Stutzman.

Find conference registration and information, including notes about suggested advanced reading and further resources from Mark Scandrette.

December 2018 graduates and academic honors recognized

Hesston College recognized students who completed graduation requirements and earned degrees following the Fall 2018 semester.

On December 13, a nursing pinning and graduation ceremony recognized 25 students who completed bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree requirements from the RN to BSN program. A new class of students is set to begin the RN to BSN program with the spring 2019 semester in January, joining another part-time cohort completing the second year of the program.

Ten students, recognized during a December chapel, completed two-year degree requirements and earned associate degrees.

Academic honors

Also recognized were full-time students whose fall 2018 semester grades earned them a place on the Dean’s List (3.90 to 4.00) and Honor Roll (3.50 to 3.89).

Dean’s List – Freshmen

Gabriella Audrey, Semarang, Indonesia
Willow Baer, Marshallville, Ohio
Erin Beachy, Middlebury, Ind.
Sabrina Bellar, Conway Springs, Kan.
Thomas Brown, Valley Center, Kan.
Simone Burgess, Los Angeles, Calif.
Abby Busby, Bandera, Texas
Matthew Byler, Shipshewana, Ind.
Levi Geyer, Oxford, Iowa
Denazia Jeffers, Midwest City, Okla.
Hannah Klusman, Ford, Kan.
Sadie Leatherman, Kouts, Ind.
Brayan Martinez, Soyapango, El Salvador
Rachel Miller, Freeman, S.D.
Jessie Miranda, Turlock, Calif.
Masataka Miyake, Tatebayashi, Japan
Cicely Moody, Bazine, Kan.
Michael Mullet, Lagrange, Ind.
Amber Petrie, Murdock, Kan.
Tobie Plett, East St. Paul, Manitoba, Canada
Kate Ramirez Ingold, Goshen, Ind.
Raelynn Reeves, Abilene, Kan.
Mackenzie Smith, Richmond, Texas
Rei Vuksani, Tirana, Albania
Navy Widyani, Jakarta, Indonesia
Laurine Yeboah-Appiah, Lancaster, Pa.

Dean’s List – Sophomores

Louisa Angeline, Semarang, Indonesia
McKenzie Brown, Estes Park, Colo.
Lucas Comfort, Salina, Kan.
Jenna Denlinger, Lancaster, Pa.
Erika Ensz, Hillsboro, Kan.
Will Gaby, Goshen, Ind.
Jade Gleason, Brush, Colo.
Faith Hallmark, El Dorado, Kan.
Annalys Hanna, Fraser, Colo.
Grant Harding, Louisburg, Kan.
Cal Hartley, Benton, Kan.
Jaden Hostetter, Harrisonburg, Va.
Laura Huang, SanMing, China
Leah Huyard, Staunton, Va.
Kylee Kasselman, Claflin, Kan.
Lily Kauffman, Mountain Lake, Minn.
Cassidy King, Cochranville, Pa.
Morgan Lantz, Bristol, Ind.
Ivonne Ledesma, Wichita, Kan.
Taylor Longenecker, Rockingham, Va.
Faith Manickam, Hesston, Kan.
Mariana Martinez Hernandez, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Sophie Miller, Goshen, Ind.
Rio Mori, Osaka, Japan
SungHyoun, Gyounggi-do, South Korea
Jared Oyer, Hubbard, Ore.
Camryn Roth, Canby, Ore.
Zachary Smisor, Valley Center, Kan.
Harune Suzuki, Osaka, Japan
Addie Swartzendruber, Henderson, Neb.
Lilian Trifena, Tangerang, Indonesia

Dean’s List – Upperclassmen

Kristy Bell, Andover, Kan.
Ashley Call, Wichita, Kan.
Autumn Gehman, Adams, Tenn.
Kristi Hill, Newton, Kan.
Kate Kilmer, Goshen, Ind.
Nicole Loewen, Hutchinson, Kan.
Kaitlin McGhee, Wichita, Kan.
Krystan Miller, Inman, Kan.
Sophia Miller, Newton, Kan.
Darrian Mosqueda, Hesston, Kan.
Kallie Provost, Wichita, Kan.
Ashley Rohleder, Salina, Kan.
Alyssa Rostetter, Hesston, Kan.
Kaitlyn Shaw, Newton, Kan.
Vanessa Steckly, Milford, Neb.
Moira Wells, Elbert, Colo.

Honor Roll – Freshmen

Grant Bloyer, Winfield, Kan.
Josiah Brejda, Lincoln, Kan.
Brooke Brenneman, Parnell, Iowa
Muskan Budha Magar, Ghorahi Dang, Nepal
Dimitri Giannakopoulos, Houston, Texas
Ryusei Hando, Sanda, Japan
Alyssa Hershberger, Wellman, Iowa
Kyoya Himori, Yamamoto, Japan
Mio Hirata, Kani, Japan
Emilie Johnson, Canton, Kan.
Disleve Kanku, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo
Ellena Lehman, Sarasota, Fla.
Dane Milburn, Lincoln, Neb.
Reese Nebel, Hesston, Kan.
Jonathan Ortiz, Wichita, Kan.
Alexis Salmans, Bel Aire, Kan.
Hudson Smith, Waukomis, Okla.
Justus Sneary, Harrisonburg, Va.
Yonas Taye, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Jasmine Taylor, Nassau, Bahamas
Sarah Teeter, Hesston, Kan.
Masemo Wakibogo, Hesston, Kan.
Stephen Waltner, Freeman, S.D.
Kaylee Wedel, Moundridge, Kan.
Dalton Woody, Cibolo, Texas
Laura Yeboah-Appiah, Lancaster, Pa.
Ejona Zogu, Lezha, Albania

Honor Roll – Sophomores-Juniors

Alexis Avalos, Yucaipa, Calif.
Erica Baer, Wooster, Ohio
Risa Fukaya, Kanagawa, Japan
Kalen Haynes, Trophy Club, Texas
KaDrea Hulett, Atlanta, Ga.
Lindsey James, Butte, Mont.
Misato Kawamoto, Ibaraki, Japan
Kaylen Lassley, Salina, Kan.
Ian Lecki, Overland Park, Kan.
Lindsay Manwell, Wichita, Kan.
Joel Plank, Syracuse, Ind.
Hannah Rosenbaum, Richmond, Texas
Roe Russey, Richmond, Texas
David Ryan, Tulsa, Okla.
Jenna Schneider, Lodi, Calif.
Dylan Slabach Brubaker, Harrisonburg, Va.
Teo Soler, Orleans, France
Samantha Trejo, Lyons, Kan.
Lily Wait, Parker, Colo.
Mackinzie Weber, Hesston, Kan.

Honor Roll - Seniors

Anna Baggett, Council Grove, Kan.
Krystal Duerksen, Goessel, Kan.
Darcy Yadon, Council Grove, Kan.

Aviation program finalizes first industry partnership

In an effort to provide a variety of continuing education and career opportunities to students, Hesston College Aviation recently established a partnership with SkyWest Airlines, a passenger airline company that operates in partnership with Delta Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines.

As an official SkyWest Airlines Partner School, students from Hesston’s aviation program will gain a more streamlined and efficient pathway to transition into a flying career at SkyWest through the Pilot Pathway Program.

“Hesston College Aviation’s partnership with SkyWest Airlines, an established, formidable industry leader with the regional airline market, affords its current and future students with a myriad of professional development and career opportunities,” said Mike Baker, director of Hesston College Aviation. “Through this new partnership, SkyWest Airlines’ Pilot Pathway Program will provide qualified and accepted Hesston College Aviation graduates with essential mentoring and career development opportunities, positioning them well for a future in commercial aviation.”

SkyWest describes the Pilot Pathway Program as providing “a direct path for exceptional pilots with a desire to take control of their aviation careers.” As part of the program, pilots can gain enhanced seniority, guaranteed final interviews and have access to pilot mentors.

Hesston College student pilots have long benefitted from networking with Hesston College Aviation alumni and industry professionals, and the SkyWest partnership is the first of several Baker hopes to put in place for students in the program.

“Hesston College Aviation recognizes the imperativeness of preparing each student for their future aviation endeavors,” said Baker. “Through the establishment of substantive industry partnerships such as that with SkyWest, Hesston College Aviation will be better positioned to facilitate the successful placement of its graduates.”

Benefit run in second year to continue raising money and spreading the love

The Neuf Memorial Run, a 9K and two-mile run, will hold its second annual event at Bethel College (North Newton, Kan.) on Saturday, Jan. 12, to honor the memory of Russ Neufeld, a Hesston alumnus, director of Hesston’s Information Technology department and transplanted Canadian who lived his last 15 years in central Kansas. Neufeld passed away on Jan. 21, 2017 after an 18 month fight with non-hodgkin’s lymphoma. The event raises money for the Russ Neufeld Memorial Scholarship at Hesston College and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The race will start at 10 a.m. outside of Mojo’s Coffee Shop (300 E. 27th St.) on the Bethel College campus. The Neuf early entry fee ends at midnight on Dec. 9 and is $40 for the 9K and $30 for the two-mile. The entry fee increases to $45/$35 on Dec. 10, and online registration closes on midnight on Jan. 9. On-site registration will be available on race day for $50/$40.

According to Kendra Neufeld, Russ’ wife, “This race is to remember Russ who encouraged us all to push a little harder when we feel like giving up. He never settled for how the world is, and always strived to make it better.”

The race celebrates Neufeld’s never-give-up spirit. His final Facebook post exemplifies his view on life. “Take all this love you have and share it,” he said. “It only multiplies and there are so many who could use it…just spread the love folks – it’s the only thing in this world that endures.”

The 9K distance is as unique as Neufeld. Neuf, which means nine in French, was a nickname for Neufeld, and his stick shift handle on his car was a 9-ball.

The inaugural Neuf 2018 had more than 200 runners run the races in North Newton along with satellite runners running in 18 locations in the United States as well as in Australia, Colombia and Canada. The Neuf donated $7,000 in race proceeds to its charity recipients, and generous donations brought in additional funds. Race organizers hope to exceed those numbers this year.

All registered runners receive a timing bib, a Neufbeuf (a neck warmer), a Neuf sticker and post-race festivities at Mojo’s which include coffee, hot chocolate, and continental and hot breakfast items. Medals will be awarded to age group winners, and the top three male and female finishers receive handmade pottery wall artwork from Hanna Eastin Pottery. Race day registration closes 15 minutes before the race and may not include a Neufbeuf.