Dear Chamber Supporters:
Last Saturday Makayla and I went back to Fun Town RV to check out their exotic car show (picture here). As well as snag a hot dog and chips they were slinging. Ended up coming home with some deck chairs as well… which fit our budget a whole lot better than an RV! There were loads of people either eating, jumping in the bounce castles, or shopping for a new camper. Seemed like a great way to have an opening weekend.
After Hours for Corner Market
Corner Market hosted Chamber members this Tuesday afternoon to send off three-year General Manager Randi Michaelson and introduce new GM Katelyn Alley (pictures here). Randi is making a move down to Texas with her husband and children to explore new opportunities professionally and personally with closer proximity to family. Since Randi has been GM at Corner Market, she has been a part of our Events and Promotions Committee, helping plan Chamber events like Ladies Night Out. She is also a mainstay at Chamber Coffees and Ribbon Cuttings as Corner Market regularly provides refreshments for these weekly events. Randi also started one of their more recent programs called “Market Mashups”, where businesses and organizations in town can communicate drink ingredients/names, creating new specials at the restaurant. In turn, this helps promote their group while also keeping Corner Market’s drink menu fresh. I look forward to seeing this program continue as well as seeing the new ideas as Katelyn steps into this new role. Randi mentioned Katelyn has worked at Corner Market for just as long as her actually, and has been her #2 for a large chunk of that. It seems like a no-brainer to have Katelyn transition into this position with her experience and loyalty. I never have an issue making a shameless plug when OU alums stick around, especially ones I’ve been to school with. Katelyn is on this list as well!
Recording Legislative Videos
We often talk about our Legislative Action Committee when our local legislators are in session up in Topeka and in that time frame we have Legislative Coffees on a monthly basis. Along with that program, this committee has also decided to be proactive with educational pieces and is in the process of producing short information videos on different legislative activities (picture here). Janet Paddock, County Clerk was kind enough to be one of our first guinea pigs… I mean actresses. The first topics to be covered in this series is voter registration. With the help of the City of Ottawa’s IT department, these videos will be able to be posted on social media and our website. I’ll make sure to share them here once completed for you all to see as well! This is just one way this group feels like they can promote engagement with our community on legislative procedures, I think it’s a great idea and look forward to seeing the finished product. More to come!
Ribbon Cutting
This morning Josh Walker, owner of Loyd Builders invited Chamber members to check out Southgate Living Apartments (pictures here). As many know, formerly Econo Lodge hotel, Josh purchased this building to transform the space into long-term living apartments. Not unlike the rest of the region, the need for housing in Ottawa and Franklin County is abundant. This project brings 44 doors into our community, taking us one step closer to solving our housing needs. With a handful of options, rooms include one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and studio-style apartments for rent (pictures here). This is one of the many projects Loyd Builders has completed recently, having built much of our modern town. Under the leadership of Josh Walker, this company has done more for the community than just erect structures. When they build locations for new businesses, they grow our local economy. When they build a new café downtown, they create spaces for meetings, memories and happy coffee drinkers. When they turn an underutilized hotel into apartments, they make a space for new residents to call Ottawa home. This list could continue to go on and on! Sherri shared a conversation with me that she had with Sam Walker, Josh’s father at the Corner Market After Hours event. He mentioned that when Josh was twelve years old, he told him that when he grew up he wanted to run his own business… this makes his third! I look forward to seeing in what ways they build up our community next.
Last Minute Thoughts
Don’t forget about the County Fair today! Lots of 4H kids showing their projects and livestock, along with the carnival and evening showcase events down at the fairgrounds. You can check out a list of events and times here on our website. Having not grown up in an ag family, I am always so amazed at how well the youth interact with their animals. I imagine there are loads of life lessons they learn with this responsibility, as well as memories when it’s all said and done. Thanks to all the 4H parents and grandparents that allow this learning to take place.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Chamber Blue insurance program is still in the survey period for new businesses. Because of this, there will be an online webinar that is scheduled for today at 2pm. This is a great opportunity to ask questions or listen in on concerns or thoughts from other Kansas businesses. If you can’t tune in, this will be recorded and can be watched back later. Click here to join that call. If you are wanting to speak 1on1 with a representative, they’d be happy to get that scheduled as well. Click here for our website tab with all the info on this program and links to get help/started. Less than a month away from the survey deadline, we want to make sure as many people in Franklin County know that this is a possibility for their business. Spread the word!
I am writing to you all from Hutchinson Kansas today as Makayla’s side of the family is taking a short vacation together (picture here). We have plans to check out the Cosmosphere today which the kids are incredibly excited for. Lots of laughs and memories coming together, it’s crazy how big the nieces and nephews have gotten just since I joined the family. They are a hoot! Talk to you soon when we return home, have a great weekend :)
Ryland Miller
President/CEO
Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce
ryland@ottawakansas.org
785-242-1000
