Kansas Sunflowers group loves lake
Staff writer
Thirty-one people — 15 couples and one granddaughter — spent Wednesday until Sunday at Marion County Lake, and loved it.
In fact, it's possible a lot more than 31 did so, but these 31 were members of the Kansas Kountry Sunflowers Chapter of the Newmar Kountry Klub, motor home/RV owners out to have a laid-back, good time.
The group meets once a month during the summer, each time at a different Kansas lake.
Host couples at the local lake were Mel and Joyce Wiggers of Hesston and Larry and Sherry DeWitt of Madison. The club appears to have no Marion members.
"We love your little lake here," Lynn Gable, of Wichita, a club official, said. "It's beautiful and the Kingfisher's Inn has wonderful food."
Gable and her husband, Dale, were at the lake with their "rig" and the other club members.
When it was too hot, which it often was last week, the campers had the air-conditioned building at the lake available, for a fee.
"And this is such a nice campground," she said.
They also had all gone to Carlsons' grocery store, to McGillicuddy's Restaurant, and to The Big Scoop while here and had good words for all of them.
Members visit, eat, see the sights and enjoy the weather and being near, but not on, the water.
Next month, they're going to camp out at Webster Reservoir, near Stockton. Future sites include Wichita and Louisburg.
Lots of amperage (electricity) is needed for the couples' "big rigs." Thirty amps per unit will suffice, though, they said.
Dee Posch, of Wichita, camping with the group with her husband, Norb, said the men played bean-bag games part of the time, inside the cooled building.
Twenty-seven couples are members of the Kansas Kountry Sunflowers Chapter, and 15 of those couples were at MCL, or 56 percent. A good attendance, Dee Posch and others said.
Some of them arrived Tuesday, and some were not leaving Sunday; they were going to stay at least until Monday.
After a one-hour visit/interview Sunday morning, Lynn Gable said, "We are so fortunate, we want(ed) to give something back."
So they took up a collection and handed this reporter $45 in cash to give to the Marion County Food Bank. Nice folks.
