Sometimes a touch of irony tells the story. That was the case when this reporter contacted Kathy Hamilton Dix, SIM volunteer extraordinaire, to gather information for this article. Kathy answered on her cell phone, but she couldn’t talk right then because she was driving, running yet another errand for the Mission. Put simply, she couldn’t talk about her work for the Mission because she was too busy doing work for the Mission.
Since 2003, casino nights to Christmas parties, Kathy has been at or near the center of just about every special event at the Mission. Small of stature but large of purpose, she not only expands and improves old favorites like the Fall Festival, she constantly conceives new events like the Chili Cook-Off. That event that has been so popular, it’s already become The Annual Chili Cook-off.
As is typical of Kathy’s productions, that event expanded. No longer just a culinary event (although that’s the main attraction), the Cook-Off now includes a spirited auction of hand-painted aprons donated by local artists. Between the cooks, the artists, the bidders and the tasters, Kathy has managed to attract scores of new visitors, many of whom are seeing the Mission for the first time while enjoying a hot bowl of chili on a cold winter night.
Kathy herself has been coming to the Mission since she moved to her house in Fairway in 1984. While house-hunting in the area with her husband Tom (another mega-star at the Mission), Kathy noticed that the Mission was close to the house they were considering. Right away, she thought this would be “a great place to raise our boys.”
The Mission grounds soon became a favorite walking trail for Kathy. In the early 2000s, after years of enjoying the beauty and quiet of the Mission, she decided it was “time to give back.” And she’s been giving generously, creatively and energetically ever since.
Kathy chairs the Events Committee, which means she adds that special ‘KHD touch’ to just about everything that happens at the Mission. The Fall Festival, the largest event and a community favorite, is over thirty years old and now includes a crafts fair, Native American dancers and displays, pony and wagon sides, food trucks, an exhibition of hand-made quilts and even a pet-rescue adoption station. It’s grown into an all-day destination for visitors from all over the Midwest. As Kathy puts it, “There’s nothing better than a beautiful fall day, arts and crafts every here, local foods and acres of visitors discovering the Mission.”
Even when she’s just walking through the Mission grounds, as she’s been doing for over 40 years, she’s always on the look-out for new ways to welcome visitors and improve the ‘Mission Experience.’ Even the canine visitors owe Kathy a round of thanks. She’s responsible for the doggie stations scattered around the property.
On her daily walks she also serves as Deputy Dix, the Mission’s most vigilant defender. When the living history cabin was vandalized, she was not only the first to discover the damage, she was the first on-site with a hammer to secure the building.
Jennifer Laughlin, Site Director for the SIM, said, “Kathy’s truly amazing. She’s here almost every day and I rely on her for so many things. There are very few things she can’t do…and even fewer that she won’t do. I can’t remember the last time she said ‘No.’ I don’t think that’s in her vocabulary.”
Kathy understands that special events and first impressions are critical components of any robust marketing plan. So it’s not surprising that Kathy, with her long professional background in print media, is a key member of the Mission’s marketing committee. She manages the production of the signs, banners and flyers that promote the Mission and present a consistent image to the community.
It was the latest of these print projects that was competing for Kathy’s attention when she was contacted about this article. She has designed and is producing a desktop calendar featuring seasonal images of the Mission. It highlights the year-round beauty of the Mission and confirms that the Shawnee Indian Mission will never go dormant as long as Kathy Dix is around.
