"PUMP BOYS AND DINNETTES" at the Great Plains Theatre
Tue, Aug 9th - Sun, Aug 14th
Check Website for showtimes
401 Cottage Avenue
(785) 263-4574 for more information.
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ANNUAL RECEPTION - hosted by the Arts Council of Dickinson County
Wed, Aug 10th @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, Library Courtyard
200 SE. 4th Street
(785) 263-1884
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QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING - hosted by the Abilene Abilene Area Chamber of Commerce
Mon, Aug 15th
Session 1 - 8:00 am
Session II - 1:00 pm
Nichols Education Center, 1003 N. Brady Street
(785) 263-1770
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"JASON BOURNE" at the Great Plains Cinema
Fri, Aug 19th -Tue, Aug 23rd
Check Website for showtimes
401 Cottage Avenue
(785) 263-4574 for more information.
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BONEBRAKE CONCERT SERIES
Eddie Delahunt, irish folks music
Great Plains Theatre
Sat, Aug 27th @ 7:00 pm
401 Cottage Avenue
(785) 263-4574
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MHS - LEARN & GROW DEPOT
Childcare Worker
Childcare worker needed for Learn and Grow Depot. Full-time, part-time, and substitute positions available. One year experience in a licensed facility preferred. To apply, visit
www.mhsks.org.
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Chamber Board of Directors
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Kyle Becker, Vice Chairman
Marc Beswick, Past Chairman
Todd Moore, Vice Chairman
Raelyn Swisher, Secretary
Diane Miller, Treasurer
Matt Engle
Denise Guy
Jeff Hoover
Becky Schwab
Jennifer Waite
David Walters
Glenda Purkis
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| ABILENE BUCK'S PROGRAM PROMOTES SHOPPING LOCAL |
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Did you know that the Abilene Area Chamber of Commerce offers the Abilene Bucks Program, which is designed to foster local spending while promoting Chamber member businesses and organizations. Here are a few commonly asked questions about the program.
What are Abilene Bucks?
Abilene Bucks are checks drawn from a Chamber-owned checking account through First Bank Kansas. Abilene Bucks are deposited the same as any other check in any bank. Abilene Bucks may be accepted as cash by participating businesses and organizations that are members of the Abilene Area Chamber of Commerce. The use of Abilene Bucks encourages spending in local merchants, thereby retaining commerce in the community. Abilene Bucks are purchased at face value and make great gifts for customers, employees, family, friends and anyone from whom you are purchasing a gift for.
Where can I get Abilene Bucks?
Abilene Bucks may be purchased at the Abilene Area Chamber of Commerce office in denominations of $10 and $25 at face value with no additional cost. Abilene Bucks are available at:
Abilene Area Chamber of Commerce
201 NW. 2nd Street
Abilene, Kansas 67401
(785) 263-1770
chamber@abileneks.net
How can my business participate in the Abilene Bucks Program?
By virtue of Chamber membership, your business may participate in the Abilene Bucks Program at no cost. Your business will be listed on the Chamber website as a participant and the list accompanies each Abilene Bucks purchase. This reflects your support for local commerce and is FREE advertising.
For additional information on the Abilene Bucks Program, contact the Chamber office at (785) 263-1770 or by email to chamber@abileneks.net.
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| TRAILS, RAILS AND TALES - 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHISHOLM TRAIL CELEBRATION |
Don't miss your chance to be a part of history while helping your community
Abilene was quiet and peaceful, a whistle-stop town without much more than a dozen log cabins and a prairie dog farm. Joseph McCoy, the Illinois cattle dealer, arrived with a dream and a little money. Within two short months of his arrival, McCoy was able to turn the fortunes of Abilene forever, and on a small budget, was able to make this cow town the best advertised small-town in America.
150 years later, Abilene is attempting to bring back the glory to this lost cow town. Trails, Rails and Tales is a celebration of the Chisholm Trail, and Abilene's importance at the end of it. To make this event truly special and to pay homage to the drover legends that made the trail historic, a volunteer effort is needed. This event is a global celebration, and to make Abilene stand tall, we request the help of the fine townsfolk that can show the world how great our cow town is.
Your place on the trail can be invaluable. How would you like to help keep traffic from driving into a herd of longhorn? How about greeting tourists from the far reaches of Asia and Europe at the ticket booth? Buckaroo Camp includes ten different stations to teach kids how to rope and wrangle like an authentic drover. These are just a few of the great opportunities awaiting for you at Trails, Rails and Tales 2016, September 2-4 at Old Abilene Town.
This celebration will include Joseph McCoy making his triumphant return to Abilene. Red Steagall, Western musician and cowboy Hall of Famer, will headline the event. Dennis Rogers leads a Native American powwow, Diamond W Wranglers, Kansas Western Musicians, mounted shooters, Melodramas, fireworks, the U.S. Calvary and a loading of the longhorns on a cattle car.
For more information on volunteering or any questions about Trails, Rails and Tales, call us at 785-263-2231 or email
events@abilenecityhall.com.
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 The following Abilene Area Chamber of Commerce members participated in the 2016 Central Kansas Free Fair parade this past Thursday:
Abilene Police Department,
Dickinson County Sheriff's Department,
Kansas Army National Guard,
Abilene Public Schools,
John Barker,
Dickinson County 4-H,
Almost Home Realty,
Rawhide Portable Corral,
Abilene Rent-All & Sales,
Holm Automotive,
Memorial Health System,
Don's Tire,
Kansas Best Realty,
TCT and Nex-Tech,
KJIL Christian Radio,
The Community Foundation of Dickinson County
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Mid Kansas Coop,
Webb Home Center,
Eagle Communications,
M and M Tire,
CES Alarms,
Abilene Animal Hospital,
West Country Mart,
Ike's Place Bar and Grill,
Hirsch Real Estate,
First Bank Kansas,
AuBurn Pharmacy,
Land Pride - Kubota,
A big thanks goes out to all of those who participated and support the Central Kansas Free Fair and Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo.
Memorial Art Company of Salina recently purchased Robertson Monuments of Minneapolis. They renamed their Abilene location at 509 NE. 14th Street, Abilene to Robertson Monuments.
Abilene Chiropractic & Sport Rehab
held a well attended Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting on July 26th. We welcome Dr. Wes Duey and family back to Abilene and wish them success.
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| Abilene Chiropractic and Sports Rehab Ribbon Cutting |
The Chamber is offering a professional "Quality Customer Service" training for frontline employees. This training will be provided by Vicki Flesher of InterAct Training Group of Wichita at the Nichols Training Center, 1003 N. Brady, Abilene on Monday, August 15th. There will be two separate sessions along with an optional box lunch and trolley tour between the sessions. If your business has a need for customer service training, contact the Chamber at (785) 263-1770 or by email to chamber@abileneks.net for more information. Chamber members receive a discounted rate for this training.
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Eddie Delahunt |
The Great Plains Theatre and Bonebrake Promotions is reviving the Bonebrake Concert Series after a couple year hiatus. Between 2001 and 2014, the Bonebrake Concert Series, brought over 30 different live music acts to Abilene. The 2016 performer line up is:
- Sat, Aug 27th @ 7 pm - Eddie Delahunt, Irish folk music, $10
- Sat, Sept 17th @ 7 pm - Brandon Jenkins, Red dirt country, $15
- Sat, Oct 21st @ 7 pm - Tim & Myles Thompson, folks, bluegrass, $20
- Sat, Nov 5th @ 7 pm - Piper Leigh & The Smoking Section, blue, rock, $10
Tickets and sponsorships for these events are available. Reserve table seating and adult beverages available.
Contact the Chamber office or Great Plains Theatre for more detail. Call (785) 263-1770 or (785) 263-4574.
 For the sixth year in a row, Memorial Health Systems (MHS) is compiling a Christmas gift catalog of items from local merchants from which MHS employees select gifts as an employee benefit. Local merchants are encouraged to enter items that they are willing to sell for $25, which have a normal retail price over $25. MHS will pay the merchant $25 for each item selected by their employees for delivery December 15th and 16th.
This is a great way to promote your business, retain MHS Christmas spending in local businesses and a fun benefit for the employees of Memorial Health Systems. For more information on submitting items for sale, contact Amy Altwegg by phone at (785) 263-1431 or by email to ahochalt@mhsks.org.
Renewing Members
Robertson Monuments - 509 NE. 14th Street, Abilene; (785) 263-3062
Ron Shouse (individual) - 2467 Flag Road, Abilene
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James' Random Thoughts ....................
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Change Sneaks Up On You
Recently, Sabrina and I had occasion to stay at The Oxford Hotel in the "LoDo" area of downtown Denver. She used to live in a Denver neighborhood, and I first visited the Wynkoop Brewery in LoDo in 1997 while on a business trip. Since 1997, I have returned approximately every five years to LoDo and every time I have see changes, big and small, that have led to the vibrancy and buzz you feel there now. It is very noticeable when you show up once every 5 years. However, when you see it on a daily basis, the incremental changes seem to blend together, and it is only upon reflection that you see the transformation. I read about the transformation of LoDo in "Changing Places - Rebuilding Community in the Age of Sprawl" by Richard Moe and Carter Wilkie in 1998. This book heightened my interest in reinvestment in commercial areas, mixed use downtowns, and the accumulation of changes that lead to economic success.
I have seen some of the same incremental improvements to Abilene's commercial areas over the past several years. While it's easy to focus on vacant storefronts, of which there are not that many, the positive changes that have occurred over the years have become cloudy in our minds. Let me hold up as a great example: the 300 block of Broadway Street. Over the past 15 years, at least eight of the buildings on the block have had significant and noticeable improvements to the structures and an increased vibrancy. The property owners and tenants along this block have improved the buildings, brought their businesses to the sidewalk, and have dressed up the windows since 2000. The environment along this block of Broadway has improved greatly and is appealing to customers. We have seen similar activity in other blocks of downtown, all of which add to the economic viability of this collection of affordable commercial spaces. There is also more activity in the 2nd floors and basements.
Although at a slower pace, we see some of the same incremental improvements along north Buckeye and the stage is set for a renaissance in large-scale commercial redevelopment. The Texas Street and 1st Street area has also seen neighborhood improvements that collectively make the area more inviting than it was 15 years ago. I am optimistic that the attention business owners are giving to these areas will lead to further business investment by others. Every small positive change pushes the community forward to greater economic health.
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