Dear Chamber Supporters,
Your Chamber team knows how to throw a party! Last Friday was a great day to hold a concert in downtown Ottawa. We had a blast kicking off summer with the hundreds of folks who came out and took part in dancing, drinking, and having an all-around good time at Legacy Square (pictures here). Though there were chances of rain throughout the event, a light sprinkle was all that came down for a few minutes at one point; thankfully, the pavilion did its job and kept everyone dry from the mild inconvenience. Savanna Chestnut and the Field Hands put on an excellent country show, mixing classic tunes and some original songs throughout the evening. The music was good enough to have regulars on the dance floor (pictures here)!
We have historically done a 50/50 raffle at our concerts, a fun way to raise some money by charging to play the game of chance. This year, we added to the excitement, adding a twist to the regular 50/50 raffle by including large inflatable dice (picture here)! Whatever you roll, that’s how many tickets you get. The more rolls you buy, the more tickets you can receive. This booth was manned by Brett and Terry Chartier, and along with running the table, Brett also got to literally run down the dice as the wind would often try and blow them away! They’re both great sports though, and even through the regular tribulations, continued to keep the comically large dice rolling. We were blessed to have them on hand, along with the rest of our volunteers, who are often related to staff members… It takes a lot of folks to put on an event of this magnitude; we couldn’t do it without all those who pitched in! Along with volunteer support, we could not hold this event without our sponsors; thank you to both our Pit and Banner Sponsors who played a role in supporting the free community event (sponsor businesses here).
Our annual outdoor concert was such a hit that we've decided to do it all over again on August 9th. We're switching up the genre this time, with local rockers Clevermax taking the stage. As an Ottawa staple, they will surely bring the party to us. And of course, our beer garden fundraiser will be back to keep your thirst quenched. We can't wait to see you there and share another unforgettable night of music!
Solving Downtown Clues with Prairie Paws
On Saturday morning/afternoon, I spent some time with my two youngest sisters, running around town in Prairie Paw’s Downtown Scavenger Hunt (here are some photos from the experience). I was so excited when Sydney Shrimpton announced this new program, as it looked like a fun way to spend some time in Ottawa supporting a good cause ―and that’s exactly what it ended up being! Teams of four were given an app that included hints/riddles/trivia that prompted the participants to find the monument/business/items that related to the question at hand. The Prairie Paws team came up with one hundred clues for teams to sift through in the handful of hours allotted. This took us up and down Main Street to piece these together, sometimes as broad as a picture next to grass or as specific as band-aids in Kramer Pharmacy. I saw many teams stopping for drinks in Corner Market or grabbing a bite of pizza or tacos. Following the hunt, teams gathered at Not Lost Brewing to catch a cold drink following our hard work, as well as snag a special edition dog or cat glass from the brewery (pictured here). Us Miller’s give this event two thumbs up! I look forward to playing again in the future.
E-Community Summit
I have shared in previous newsletters of the good work that our local E-Community does in Franklin County (the E stands for entrepreneur). If you’re unaware, they (myself included) have been able to award over $450,000 in gap financing with the help of our local banking partners. Along with helping entrepreneurs gain financial support, the E-Community also hosted the county’s first-ever Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (YEC). This competition brought in seven groups (eleven kids) and even sent a student to the state competition. This has all been accomplished in the past 18 months since Franklin County was approved as an official location, adding to the other 75 communities statewide.
As this fiscal year comes to an end, our eastern region of E-Communities came together for a summit to look at what’s been accomplished this past year and what lies ahead (here is a great stat sheet at what has been accomplished across the state through this program). Paul Bean and I left with new info on programming, resources for entrepreneurs, and updated info on how to continue distributing funds through gap financing. If you are someone (or know someone) who is looking to start a business or expand your business, ask your banker if partnering with the Franklin County E-Community might be advantageous for you! Along with potential access to low-interest loans, it can also open up doors to further resources as you join the Network Kansas family. As more opportunities arise through this program, I’ll continue to share how the Franklin County E-Community is positively impacting our area. As more opportunities arise through this program, I'll continue to share how the Franklin County E-Community positively impacts our area.
Get Ready for Sparkling Skies this 4 of July
Our business community received letters in the mail this past week providing information about our upcoming 4th of July celebration (view here). The Chamber's Chautauqua Festival Committee has a fantastic fireworks show planned for Ottawa at dusk this year. The process for a show of this magnitude is more challenging than stopping by a fireworks tent on the day before, as it takes almost a full year of planning from beginning to end. To be able to receive the best deal for the pyrotechnics, they need to be purchased six months prior and scheduled for pickup on the day of the shoot to avoid storage complications. All bundled with many forms and regulations from beginning to end. The City of Ottawa plays a massive role in purchasing, obtaining, and shooting the fireworks each year. We’re incredibly grateful for this partnership.
The mailer that was sent also had information on how to donate to this committee. One of the many unfortunate outcomes of the worldwide pandemic and general inflation we’re experiencing is the cost of fireworks has skyrocketed (figuratively… and literally). With prices rising nearly 60% from the purchase price three years ago. Fundraising is more imperative than ever if we’re going to have a show the following year. With that in mind, we are always accepting donations to support this initiative; this can be done online here or by writing a check to the “Ottawa Chamber Foundation-Fireworks”. All funds donated go to the purchase of fireworks for Franklin County! Thank you to the City of Ottawa and Franklin County Government for pitching in about 2/3rds of the funds, as well as all the individuals and businesses who donate each year to keep our small-town display alive!
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Makayla and I are doubled down on concerts this weekend, with a show in KC this evening and local Taps and Tunes tomorrow night. Then the two of us are headed back up to Kansas City for a Sunday wedding! There is plenty to do over the next few days; hopefully, I'll see you either enjoying taps or the tunes on Saturday at the OMA. You can find tickets here if they haven’t sold out. See you soon!
Ryland Miller
President/CEO
Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce
ryland@ottawakansas.org
785-242-1000
