Star-Journbal Editor
The countywide electrical outage Monday evening occurred during the Hillsboro Community Foundation's annual dinner, plunging the banquet hall into total darkness for most of the keynote speaker's address.
What would have been an average orator's absolute worst nightmare, Larry Hatteberg handled with remarkable ease.
Even in the dark and windowless auditorium at the Parkview Mennonite Church, the Emmy award-winning journalist from KAKE-TV in Wichita kept more than 180 uneasy guests focused on his message.
Someone found a pair of ordinary flashlights to shine upon the Kansas journalism icon. He was still wearing the pancake makeup that had cut the glare of the spotlights during the evening news.
Hatteberg, who is best known for telling stories about the heroic contributions made by everyday people, came to the banquet to encourage Hillsboro citizens to consider making heroic contributions to the new Area Impact Fund, established by the Hillsboro Community Foundation.
"I think it's a great thing that your foundation is doing," he said. "I love it when people feel strongly enough to help their fellow man. That's what life is all about. And I meet those people all over the place."
According to Westar Energy officials in Topeka, a hunter shooting at electrical equipment just west of Center Point caused a main transmission line to fail at 8:07 p.m., cutting power for about 35 minutes to 2,785 customers in Newton, Abilene, Salina, and Marion County.
Hatteberg had talked for about 10 minutes before the outage. Power was restored at about 8:40 p.m.
In the buildup to the keynote address, master of ceremonies Gordon Mohn, a Hillsboro native and USD 410 superintendent, shared the names of dozens of former community leaders from all walks of life who've made Hillsboro a better place to live. Older members of the audience nodded in recognition of their names, and the contributions they made.
Next, Mohn introduced a living legend, Marcella Bruce, former co-publisher of The Hillsboro Star-Journal, as a "great example of what it means to give back to the community,"
Marcella and her husband, Bud, published this newspaper for 30 years until his death in 1999. She told the audience that coming to Hillsboro to buy the newspaper was the best business decision they ever made.
"I hope that all of you will be truly interested in the Hillsboro Community Foundation," Bruce said. "It's a chance to pay back what we've all received from Hillsboro through the years."
In introducing the Emmy Award-winning journalist, Hillsboro Mayor Delores Dalke said, "I could talk probably for an hour about our speaker, but you didn't come to hear me, you came to hear him.
"Larry Hatteberg has been involved with television for 43 years and we all believe that we know him," Dalke added. "He has become part of each of our families; each day, each night as we watch him on TV; as he does 'Hatteberg's People', and as he brings us the news."
In a resonating baritone voice that a Sunday preacher would gladly tithe for, Hatteberg retold the stories of ordinary people about whom he has produced television segments, and their extraordinary contributions to their communities.
Hatteberg developed an everyman's rapport with the crowd by making fun of himself.
"If you're sitting out there and you're kind of elbowing the person next to you and you're saying, 'Is that guy up there wearing makeup?' The answer to that question would be yes, but trust me, it's OK.
"I just got off the newscast and if you have any sense at all when you go onto television if you're a male, believe me, you will put on makeup because you don't want to scare small children."
He then read an e-mail he received recently, "I once had an opportunity to run you over in a convenience store parking lot, and I didn't. I should have, though. You are an idiot!"
Over the roar, he added, "I always think it's important to keep perspective of who's watching us on television."
In a phone interview from the Channel 10 news room earlier in the day, Hatteberg said, "I'll do the early show at 5 p.m., and the top of the 6 o'clock, and as soon as that is done I'll head up there." He added that he had many reasons to be happy about his visit.
"I have many friends in Hillsboro," he said. "I've spent a lot of time in Hillsboro. I have attended the Mennonite church, and I love the church and the Mennonite people. I've done a lot of stories at the college.
"Hillsboro is a great little town," he added. "I've always felt that Hillsboro is a bright light on a dark prairie. A great little town."
The dim lights shining on the dark podium made it possible to see Hatteberg, but he didn't need lights to deliver his remarks, because he spoke without notes.
Most of the stories he told were from past "Hatteberg's People" segments, which are archived on the station's web site www.kake.com.
Stories are posted about people who Hatteberg describes as "a Kansas prairie full of caring people," including at least two segments from Hillsboro and Marion County.
Hatteberg came to Hillsboro in December 2004, the segment read, "where last March, the bedrock Mennonite Church burned. Now, the staff of a local newspaper publishes a book based on that fire. A portion of those proceeds will go to help build a new church."
A Sept. 10 segment about Marion Lake and Park as a "bright spot on the Kansas prairie. Many visit, and some lucky ones get to live on the lake. But for those who just visit, one lake resident wants to make sure lake history is not forgotten."
Given a preference, Hatteberg said he rather do stories about people living in small towns.
"I find people in smaller towns to be more honest, really," he said. "They seem to be more open with me, and I like that a lot."
After Hatteberg's speech Mohn called on Hillsboro Fire Chief Ben Steketee to demonstrate the effectiveness if the department's new thermal imaging camera, which was purchased in part with foundation funds.
"Well as luck would have it, it's dark," Steketee said. "I want to show you what you can see in the dark, or in the light, or in thick smoke with a thermal imaging camera.
"It's a valuable tool.
"In the time we've had the camera it has been used numerous times, both on Hillsboro calls and mutual aid calls across Marion County," he said. "Thank you for helping us put this camera into the hands of the skilled and dedicated Hillsboro firefighters."
The last speaker to step up to the darkened lectern was foundation chairman Mike Kleiber. He used a flashlight to begin his opening remarks.
"Husbands," he said, "if your wife wondered why you brought her here, now you can add, not only a good meal, but a romantic candlelight evening."
A one-time goal of $250,000 has been set for the Impact Fund, he said, adding that $100,000 had been raised in the silent phase of the campaign.
When the lights came on during his speech, he looked heavenward and said thank you.
Kleiber said gifts to the Impact Fund had been divided into the following Founding Member Designations,
— Gold Founder — $10,000 and up.
— Silver Founder — $5,000 to $9,999.
— Bronze Founder — $3,000 to $4,999.
— Foundation Friend — gifts up to $2,999.
Pledges to the fund may be paid in full, or in payments over a number of years.
Anyone wishing to learn more about how the Impact Fund could be included in their estate plan should contact one of the board members, he added.
In addition to Kleiber, Mohn, Dalke, and Bruce, Brad Bartel, Steve Garrett, Jim Brennan, Jayson Hanschu, and Kim Kaufman also serve on the board.
After the banquet was over, a smiling Hatteberg greeted well-wishers and said it had been for him an historic evening.
"This is the first time I've ever given a speech when the lights went out," he said. "But it's much like television, and in television you have to be prepared for anything.
