Holiday Galleria begins today!

The holiday season will officially start this weekend!  The Junior League of Wichita is hosting their eighth annual Holiday Galleria fundraiser event at the Century II Convention Center.  This four day upscale shopping extravaganza will provide you with a simple solution to your overwhelming holiday shopping list; over 110 merchants from all over the Midwest will be selling a variety of amazing products including home décor, children’s gifts, clothing, jewelry, gift wrap, books, food, and spices.

Funds raised from this event will sponsor projects based on the Junior League of Wichita’s goal of ending child abuse in the Wichita area.  By attending this exciting event, you are not only putting a dent in your holiday shopping list but you are supporting your very own community as well!

Diving Out with Pulse

When I was in high school I had the opportunity to spend several weeks in Australia, and while I was there I got to see the Great Barrier Reef. We spent a day out on the reef, and while I did get to see some incredible sights while snorkeling, I’ve always wished I’d gotten certified to scuba dive before the trip. So, this summer I decided to go with a friend to get certified, so that the next time an opportunity like that came along, I wouldn’t be kicking myself afterwards for having let it slip by.

Scuba diving is a highly safe activity, so long as you know what you’re doing. If you try to dive without proper training, you can get into trouble quickly. There are a number of organizations worldwide that train and certify scuba divers, but the largest is the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). PADI has some of the best training available, and its certifications are recognized worldwide. At this point you might be wondering where to earn a certification; Kansas doesn’t exactly have a lot of beachfront property. Well, believe it or not, the Wichita area has not one, not two, but three dive shops, all of which offer PADI certification: Adventure Sports (where I went), Pro Ski and Scuba, and Amber Waves Diving Co. in Augusta.

So, now that I was ready, what did it take to get certified? First, the bad news, there’s homework. Before the first scuba class I had go through a course book and a video that tells what is involved in diving. It covered all the basics from equipment, to hazards, to dive planning, and even basic underwater navigation. Once that was done it was time for class, where the instructor (who in my case happened to be KSN meteorologist Dave Freeman, kinda cool, no?) reviewed what we’d learned in order to make sure we fully understand it.

Now, it was finally time to get in the water. So off we headed... to the pool. Our first dives were “confined water” dives. The pool offers the best environment to learn in without worrying about things like current, temperature, or low visibility. Our first two days were spent in the pool learning what it was like to breath underwater, how to use our equipment, what to do in an emergency, and all the basic skills we’d need before we took on open water.

So, now that our pool work was done, we were ready for “open water”. However there was still that pesky “no ocean” problem I mentioned before. But, just because there isn’t an ocean, it doesn’t mean there isn’t water. It’s just a short drive to Joplin, MO and you can find an old zinc mine (said to have been the largest of its kind in the world) that has been flooded to create a 14 acre lake reaching over 200 feet deep. At the lake we practiced many of the same skills as during our pool dives, but this time we were more than twice as deep and dealing with all the issues (current, temperature, visibility) that the pool didn’t have. At the end of our last exercise, our instructor held up a sign (we were still underwater), it read “U R a scuba diver”.

Now, after just two weekends, and a few hours underwater, I am a certified Open Water Diver. This is just the beginning, though. There are still more levels I can try for, from Advanced Open Water Diver, to Rescue Diver, all the way to Master Scuba Diver, or I could even take the “professional” track and become a Divemaster or an instructor. Plus, with a scuba certification, I can go almost anywhere in the world and explore what’s hidden just below the surface, from reefs to wrecks.

So, if you’ve ever considered learning to dive, I would encourage you to do it. And, if you’re never considered it, maybe you will now.

about the author:
Cory Theobald grew up in a suburb of Cleveland, and earned a degree in aerospace engineering from Case Western Reserve University. He then moved to Wichita to work for Spirit AeroSystems, where he is currently employed as a design engineer. He enjoys skiing, softball, quality craft beer, and fencing; a sport he picked up in college. He is also an avid reader, with Douglas Adams topping his list of favorite authors.

YPW Tallgrass Film Fest Discount!

The Tallgrass Film Festival has graciously offered to team up with YPW so we can offer our members a great discount to all of their events this October!

Beginning today, enter this discount code: YPWWAMtallgrass at this website on the TALLPass or Early Bird TallPass option and it will offer them a discounted all access pass for $140 plus processing fees. (The normal price is $175).

The VIP TALLPass allows bearers entry into the following all weekend long:

• All Galas (4) plus after parties
• All General Admission screenings
• Access to the VIP Filmmaker Lounge open all weekend in the Orpheum Building where they can get snacks, drinks, massage, mani/pedi and mingle with filmmakers and VIP's in between films
• Entry to the VIP Mayor's Reception at WAM on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 5-7
• Entry to the VIP Firkin Filmmaker Brunch on Sunday, Oct. 23 from 10-11:30 at Tanya's Soup Kitchen

The full feature film lineup will be announced this Friday, Sept. 30 and will be available on the Tallgrass Film Festival website. The official program will be available as an insert in the Wichita Eagle on Friday, October 14 and then will be available at select venues around town.

Great opportunity from the Rotary Group Study Exchange program!

The Rotary Foundation’s Group Study Exchange (GSE) program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for businesspeople and professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 who are in the early stages of their careers. The program provides travel grants for teams to exchange visits in paired areas of different countries. For four to six weeks, team members experience the host country's culture and institutions, observe how their vocations are practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas.

Rotary District 5690 is accepting applications NOW for their outbound GSE team travelling to Russia in 2012. The outgoing team will depart April 29, arriving in Russia on April 30, 2012, and will return May 21.


Their exchange is with District 2220, which represents the European part of Russia. District 2220 has Rotary Clubs in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novgorod, Volgograd, Ekaterinburg, Kazan and Perm (the city, not the process). The final itinerary is not yet set, but this trip will offer the participants an opportunity to experience one of the most interesting countries in a manner few tourists can enjoy.

More information about this unique program of Rotary International can be found on their website here.

Potential applicants must be between 25 and 40 years old and cannot be a Rotarian or the spouse, child or grandchild of a current Rotarian. Please contact individuals in your community who may be interested and qualified or employers who may want a unique leadership enrichment experience for a young professional.

Please have applicants or employers direct inquiries or applications to the District GSE Chairperson, Steve Woods, at GSEWoods@aol.com or by calling him at 316-683-3561.

Dining Out with Pulse: Fizz Burgers and Bottles

Wichita has the market cornered on burger restaurants. But if you are looking for great burgers and great atmosphere, look no further than Fizz Burgers and Bottles. Located at 7718 E. 37th Street North, it's a nice alternative to fast food burger joints. The burgers are thick and juicy and can be topped with an assortment of condiments. Fries were brought before the burgers, along with 6 different dipping sauces. The roasted garlic sauce and the smoked pepper mayo were outstanding. The 1/2 lb house burger is so good but so big!


Not only does Fizz serve burgers made to order, they also have great regular fries, sweet potato fries, fresh coleslaw, pasta salad and pickles. If you aren't a burger fan, Fizz has BBQ pulled pork, zesty pulled pork, tangy chicken, and cheddar-bacon chicken sandwiches. Fizz has a large selection of bottled soda pop, bottled beer and wine. The grape and cherry sodas were excellent. You may have to ask for a list of soda pop, as there are so many to choose from.

If you are health-conscious, the menu has a variety of salads to choose from. Dessert is one of the best things about Fizz. Wait staff will bring a tray of homemade cafe truffles, which are artisan cake balls. Fizz provides a fun atmosphere for lunch or dinner and the wait staff does an excellent job of making you feel at home. Diners can also call ahead and order to-go. If you want to dine somewhere relaxed and unique, I suggest trying Fizz.

About the author:
Darren Murphy grew up in NW Kansas, graduated with a degree in Communications, Public Relations from Fort Hays State University. He enjoys playing music on his guitar, attending NewSpring Church, and watching college sports. In addition, he enjoys attending WSU basketball and baseball games, as well as spending time with friends and family. Darren also likes traveling to new places and taking in Wichita's art and music scene.