Dear Chamber Supporters:
For many in the Ottawa community, this weekend is the perfect time to declutter some space in their home as the city-wide garage sales are on for today and tomorrow. One person’s clutter is another person’s treasure! My family was big on going to garage sales growing up, though I don’t often find things that I cannot live without, the idea that the perfect item could be one stop away is worth the hunt. If you don’t know where to start your route, the Ottawa Recreation Commission graciously helped compile those with sales, you can check out that list here. If you weren’t aware, they actually make these maps free of cost for those having sales and those looking to shop. Saw a need and filled a need, thanks ORC!
For all of those who have sales and end up with any leftover treasures that didn’t find new homes and are not accepted back into the house, skip the landfill and choose to donate them to our local Thriftopia… the perfect home for the things you don’t want/need in your home. Drop-off times are Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 12-5pm on the south side of the building. Happy shopping and selling!
Airport Fun Day
Last Saturday the Ottawa Municipal Airport was blessed with some great weather as they hosted their annual airport fun day (pictures here). Whether you’re into aviation or not, they had a little bit of everything on offer which was just “plane” awesome to see. With a selection of planes to go and check out (both big and small), bounce house and other yard games, silent auction, Ottawa’s Fire and Police Departments were out with gear to try on, and plane rides for kids! Plenty of families were on the tarmac that morning to participate in the festivities. A great opportunity for youth and adults alike to find a renewed (or new) appreciation for aviation. If you weren’t able to make it out, you can check out this spoiler alert here. COF was also there to hold the annual plane pull (picture here). A good group of teams came together to pull the large aircraft a sizeable distance (what doesn't seem like a big distance for onlookers, those doing the pulling most likely feel otherwise). I believe Patrick Gardner and his COF team came out victorious, wielding the bragging rights for the next 12 months. I love this unique fundraiser opportunity, fun to watch and I imagine fun to participate in too.
Fiber to Ottawa
I was invited over to Kwikom Communication’s groundbreaking this past Monday as they fully announced their fiber coming into the Ottawa community (picture here). Work had already begun up on North Davis as this event was taking place. Though Kwikom is new to Ottawa, they have been present in Franklin County for going on a decade now as they have worked with some of the rural areas in our community. They’ve also been Chamber members here since 2016! It’s great to have them move into the city limits to give our residents and businesses more options.
The Deputy Director of broadband for the state of Kansas was also present at the groundbreaking event. He shared that their department is working hard to connect all Kansans to high-speed internet by 2030. When you think about some of the areas in Franklin County that still struggle in this department, it doesn’t take much to imagine what is lacking in rural areas over in western Kansas. I applaud this goal as so much of our lives exist online, whether it is health, education, or most recently employment opportunities. It is no longer a want but a need. You can see the full article by Kwikom here.
I also don’t want to leave out one of our newest Chamber members, Twin Valley, as they also are burying fiber in Ottawa. Having talked about this move for over a year, recently they’ve also made the plunge into offering internet options to our community. What a great sign that Ottawa and Franklin County are in a stage of growth, having not one but two companies interested in serving our residents and businesses (those here now and in the future). Welcome to Ottawa! I look forward to further incorporating both of these groups into our business community.
Davids’ Team in Ottawa
I was contacted by Representative Sharice Davids’ office letting me know that their team, both here in Kansas and DC staff, were coming to Ottawa. Traveling down by bus, they stopped by Zelda’s Café for some cookies and drinks and then headed back north to their Johnson County office. Before that they also allowed me to ride along with them quickly through town to shed some light on what Ottawa’s history looks like and what cool things are happening now. What ended up being a thirty-minute bus ride to the south end of town and back, seemed like just a blip as I tried to include details of all the neat things that make Ottawa so special. One of the things that was pointed out was how many of our buildings have served several purposes through the years and have been given new life as of late in their new role. Whether that is office space, an event center, a restaurant or health building. We also discussed housing and other infrastructure needs in our community (that also seem to be present elsewhere coincidently). One staff member mentioned she got caught in conversation with someone in town during their brief visit, she mentioned how pleasant the conversation was and how she felt the sense of hospitality. As this was many of their first visit to Ottawa, I’m glad we left an impression!
Kansas Infrastructure Hub
The Kansas Infrastructure Hub is a resource group that has been built to connect different Kansas communities (municipalities, state/regional organizations, local organizations, the list goes on...) to BIL. BIL is shorthand for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is providing a historic investment in the United States infrastructure over a five-year period. In total, there will be 1.2 trillion pushed out across the entire U.S. through 400 different programs through 2027. Kansas specifically has 3.8 billion dollars allocated through six different sectors (view this layout here). Though this is allocated for our state, projects are still chosen at a federal level. This is an awesome opportunity for communities across Kansas to find funding for their needs… but can be incredibly overwhelming with the amount of opportunity on offer. To help combat these entry barriers, the Kansas Infrastructure Hub is putting the finishing touches on “Build Kansas”. A massive resource in the field of BIL funds, as they will help communities identify needs or project ideas to pursue, find a grant program that matches those needs and can even go as far as assistance and expertise in the grant writing process. In my conversation with Vanessa Lamoreaux, the Senior Director of KDOT, she said the purpose of Build Kansas and the Infrastructure Hub is to “bring as many dollars to Kansas as possible to make critical infrastructure projects”. I look forward to continuing this conversation with our community leaders to see how Ottawa and Franklin County might be poised to make use of this upcoming benefit!
Sports Medicine and Rehab
Our Chamber Coffee this morning was held at the newly renovated AdventHealth Ottawa’s Sports Medicine and Rehab facility located in the County Annex (pictures here). Though this is a benefit that has been available for some time now, patients have had to get moved around recently because of all the construction. Their patience pays off… here are pictures of the department now. The space was designed with the needs of the group in mind, to allow for workflow efficiency... making it easier to move around the space as both a patient and caregiver. This is phase 2 of the three-phase investment that AdventHealth Ottawa is making in Franklin County. Phase 3 is already underway as the second half of the Health Park is under construction with plans to be completed by December of this year. Those in attendance were able to go to all the new rooms and learn about the programs that exist in the facility by talking with all the staff on hand. I was able to learn so much! As the name suggests, these offerings include those for athletes, as well as any individuals seeking recovery or rehab for their injuries/surgeries. These tailored plans address injury recovery, pain relief, and mobility improvement. When working with athletes in sports injury treatments, ensuring safe and efficient returns to the field/court is the goal. Moreover, the rehabilitation services extend to various conditions, from joint replacements to musculoskeletal disorders, with customized care plans that include therapeutic exercises, manual techniques, and advanced modalities. Performance enhancement programs are available for those aiming to optimize their skills, while orthopedic care covers a wide spectrum of conditions. Speech therapy is another offering in this facility, whether that be from a stroke or other hearing impairments.
If you’re interested in learning more, check out their website here for a full rundown of what is offered. Thanks to all those who work in all of our local health fields, we’re a healthier community because of the care you provide!
For those of you who are off on Monday, enjoy your long weekend! Makayla and I are planning to see both sides of the family in what will be undoubtedly a whirlwind of a weekend. Not before we go treasure hunting tomorrow morning ;). Safe travels and we'll see you again Tuesday.
Ryland Miller
President/CEO
Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce
ryland@ottawakansas.org
785-242-1000
