Iola Shocktober Fest
Jane and Tig spent about 2 months planning and coordinating the Southeast Kansas AFS Shocktober Fest weekend. We had visiting students, AFS volunteers, and an AFS club member come from Western Kansas and the Wichita area to help support us in introducing AFS to the community by getting local families to host for an overnight stay and manning a booth at the local community festival.
Carol Ann, Michelle (teacher from China) and Peggy enjoy spaghetti lunch at the Burleson home.
Joe (AFS club member parent), David (Switzerland), Masumi (Japan), and Yuta (Japan) get some lunch.
Good food, good company. Jordan (AFS Club member), Peggy, Isaac (AFS Club Member), Eduardo (Italy), Carol Ann, and Michelle.
Julia (Germany) and Celine (Belgium).
Eduardo (Italy), Ennis (Turkey), David (Switzerland).
David imitates a squirrel.
Starting out for our walking tour of downtown Iola. We live about 1/2 mile from downtown, so it's a nice walk.
Our first stop was the old Allen County Jail, which is where our tour guide had told Tig he'd meet us. But, no one was there. So, we posed for pictures outside and peeked in the windows.
A view of the whole jail.
We stopped by the City Hall on our way over to see if the tour guide had gone to the other museum office.
Celine signs the Funston Museum guest book while Isaac waits his turn.
Ennis, Joe, and Jordan wait for the tour to begin.
Looking in the museum gift shop, before the tour.
The first thing we did was watch a movie about General Funston.
Masumi, Isaac, and Jane check out the Funston House privy.
Eduardo and Ennis check out what it might be like to use a late 1800's American privy.
Tour guide Michael Anderson shows Jane, Masumi, and Isaac how to ring the dinner bell.
Julia (Germany), Narissara (Thailand), Tania (Bolivia), Celine (Belgium), and Claudia (Belgium) at the Funston House.
Part of the group in front of the Funston House.
Back to the jail... Jane, Celine, and Eduardo check out a cell.
The more, the merrier!
Lots can fit in this cell!
Upstairs, in the restored jailer's quarters.
Jane tries a typewriter in the old jailer's office.
This picture is made from human hair. "Hair wreaths" are an art form from the 1800s that you very seldom see.
Jane and Natha (Thailand) help show off "creepy crawlies" at the mental health center's booth.
Setting up the AFS table.
"Hi, would you like to host a student?"
Masumi helps show the hedgehogs at the "creepy crawlies" booth.
Jane poses with Tania and Narissara, who dress in their traditional native costumes.
Jane and Erin wait in line for the haunted house.
After the Shocktober Fest, we went bowling and our group was joined by a lot of local teens.
Erin, Claudia, and Natha wait to see what they hit.
A great time was had by all!
Last edited on October 26, 2003.