Dear Chamber Supporters,
What a great time to be a Kansas City sports fan. Bobby Witt Jr. and Patrick Mahomes give fans something to cheer for every time they're on the pitch. An undefeated record for the Chiefs and the Royals sweeping the wildcard game against the Orioles has our region on the edge of our seats. The Royals' first game against the Yankees is this Saturday. Their second game is set to start just before 7pm on Monday at Kauffman Stadium, with the Chiefs kicking off at Arrowhead right at 7:15pm next door. The Truman Sports Complex is bound to be electric as this rare double home meeting does not happen very often. It'll be a two-screen kind of watch party!
Chamber Board Member and local Royals super fan Betty Birzer is not surprised by Bobby Witt Jr. and Co's success. She shared those thoughts with KCTV5 on Monday when they drove down to discuss securing a place in the playoffs (watch this news segment here). She predicted their success prior to their two wins against the Orioles, and she says she remains optimistic. Thanks for making Ottawa look good Betty, and go Royals!
Ottawa's 19th Annual Ladies Night Out
Last Friday, the 19th Annual Ladies Night Out was another success throughout Ottawa businesses. With 42 participating locations, reaching as far north as Front Porch Antiques and as far south as Thriftopia, there were plenty of opportunities for ladies to discover the many stores that make our business community so unique. We also had ten groups set up at Legacy Square to accompany our event check-in. Here is a picture prior to the one o'clock start time at Legacy Square (picture here). We had 120 ladies come through in the first half hour! At the start, they were lined up to the edge of the large pavilion and continued to trickle in through the following 5-6 hours. Over the course of the event, we had close to 400 ladies officially check in at our Events and Promotions Committee table. Through conversations I had with businesses and friendly faces along the sidewalks of downtown, there are easily another 50-100 unregistered folks who participated but didn't necessarily take a map and bag or even start at Legacy Square. Whether groups of friends checked in or not, we just hope they had a good time (pictures here of the smiles at this year's LNO)!
The extended hours from 1-7pm mean this event is less of a ladies night and more of a ladies day. But what we hear from businesses each year since this change is more shopping takes place, the sales go up, and it allows staff a breather on what is a very busy day for so many retail locations. We can't determine the full scope of sales that were made on that Friday or what will take place the weekends following the event. However, we do know it's significant, both in sales tax and the impact on those businesses that open their doors to hundreds of ladies each year. Our organization looks forward to celebrating the 20th anniversary of the mainstay event in 2025. We can't wait to make this next year as big as they come. Our Events and Promotions Committee would love to have your ideas, your perspective, and your hands as they plan this milestone achievement. Let Sherri or me know that you're interested in playing a part, and we'll get you plugged in!
Franklin County Optimists Celebrate Half a Century
Last Friday we had a Chamber Coffee for the Franklin County Optimists as they celebrated their anniversary year, the big 50 taking place in 2024. Along with their Chamber Coffee, they gathered at Ottawa University with a banquet, inviting members, regional Optimists, and those in the community to memorialize this achievement. This entailed a night of food, reflection, and commemoration (picture here). Among those in attendance were two club charter members, Al Keefer and Ron Spencer. They shared that once chartered, their club had incredibly humble beginnings. So much so that they almost fell apart as quickly as they came together. Following this realization, these two members decided to put the club on their backs and bring it into good standing once more. That's precisely what they did; as President and Secretary/Treasurer, respectively, they pulled in members and support to allow these fifty years to happen. Many individuals have since played their part in the club's success, like Russ Testorff, who has inducted 25 members to the club. Or Dale Fox, who has served in every capacity at the club and district level, serving as President for eight of the last ten years. These individuals and the dozens more who make up the club are why youth programming is still taking place through our local Optimists.
Something that stood out to me when Kansas District Governor Judy Morris spoke at the event was that the Franklin County Optimists was one of the biggest clubs in the state. What a great look for our rural county! Dale also mentioned that last Friday at their Coffee, they connect with more than eight hundred students each year. After further examination, there was a strong emphasis on the words 'more than' as he figures that their programs directly impact four to five thousand youth in Franklin County. Multiply that by fifty years, and that is a substantial number of kids and adults who have felt the touch of optimism this group brings.
Riding into the Future with New E-Bike Outpost
We had the pleasure of cutting a ribbon this morning at Ottawa Bike and Trail's newest location at 106 S Main Street, their E-Bike Outpost (pictures here). Jeff Carrol started this business in 2018, and it has continuously grown throughout his six years on Main Street. This new addition is a testament to that. A perfectly situated on two state trails, and the growing market for electric bikes made this expansion a no-brainer. Along with offering a convenient location down the block, it also provides the opportunity to add some equipment that makes maintaining and fixing electronic bikes easier. The motors that propel e-bikes make them significantly heavier than a regular bicycle. Because of the substantial weight difference, lifting these bikes up onto the rack to be fixed is hardly a one-person task. This new location allowed them to expand with a motorized lift that took the weight off Jeff and his team's shoulders. This space also allows them to hold more inventory of e-bikes, which take up more space than their regular inventory.
These motors don't take the exercise out of biking but allow riders to go even further and explore more of Kansas or any other state they're riding in. Even though we often joke about Kansas being flat, we are home to the Flint Hills (emphasis on the hills). And what often feels like a small climb for a car can feel like a mountain when on a bike. There's nothing wrong with getting a little help every once in a while! Jeff wants his business to remove any barriers for locals and tourists alike to experience biking in Kansas. He's particularly interested in making Ottawa and Franklin County THE biking destination within the state. Thank you Jeff, for inspiring others to live a healthier lifestyle and find a lifelong hobby in the process!
If you're not completely sold on an electronic bicycle, it's easier than ever to give one a test ride. Reserving yours looks like scanning the QR code outside the E-Bike Outpost, heading to their rental page on their website, or stopping into their 130 S Main location and a friendly face will get you sorted. Rentals for an electric bike start at $50 for two hours. But if you decide you enjoyed your ride so much that you want one for yourself, they waive that rental fee off the purchase price of your new bike.
Jeff has done more than just bring two great Main Street locations to Ottawa. He has also breathed life into the bicycling culture that exists in our community. While building excitement with local riders, he also acts as a conduit for tourism in Ottawa/Franklin County, promoting our community to riders nationwide. Great examples of this are two major biking events in our county: the Moonrise Bike Ride event (great video here) and the Bad Astra Gravel Bike Race (beautiful photos here). The Moonrise ride is Jeff's brainchild, a casual ride that acts as a music festival, bikepacking experience, and foodie event. This year, the Moonrise Bike Ride sold out, having over 250 riders, 91% of whom came from outside of our county. 62 of those 91% came from outside the state, with representation from Kentucky, Texas, and even Hawaii. Though the Bad Astra is not Jeff's event, he helps local organizers facilitate this 100, 50, and 25-mile gravel bike race. This year, they had around 250 riders spanning from under fifteen to over seventy years old. Another illustration of biking acting as a lifetime sport. Whether you're riding 100 miles on gravel or looking to ride an electric bike that gives you a boost along the way, Ottawa Bike and Trail is the place to learn more.
~
Early tomorrow morning, Makayla and I will be headed to the Little Apple as she takes on her second marathon of the year. She has a passion for running, and I have a passion for driving to viewing points to see her run; we're the perfect pair! She has incredible determination, and I look forward to seeing her compete, even if it's just with herself mentally throughout the 26 miles. I'll make sure to give an update next week on how it goes. See you soon!
Ryland Miller
President/CEO
Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce
ryland@ottawakansas.org
785-242-1000
