May 2018
in this issue
:: May Chamber Coffee
:: 2018 Chamber Coffee Schedule
:: Dilly Dally in Cowley County
:: WMS Paint the Town
:: Business Appreciation Month
:: BAM Reception
:: Labor Market Report
:: Chamber Activities
:: Destination BootCamp
:: Ribbon Cuttings
:: Lunch Bites Series
May Chamber Coffee 
 
hosted by 



The firm's long history is rooted in a humble yet explosive beginning in Winfield, Kansas by a man named William Caton. Mr. Caton would go on to leave a large impact on Winfield, Wichita and around the Country for his English Country Homes and non-residential projects. Caton owned and operated the firm for 42 years. Upon the end of Caton's ownership, Bob Yadon and Don Potter became the new owners. Don Potter is known for many residential projects similar to those of William Caton's. More notably still is Don's thoughtful planning for commercial projects such as the Cowley County Courthouse. Don Potter owned and operated the firm with personality for 35 years. During Potter's ownership he was joined by Merrill Kern Gordon III who has shaped the firm that most are familiar with today. Under Merrill's ownership, the firm was Gordon & Associate Architects. Gordon & Associates is known in Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and other surrounding states for expertise in all industries. Merrill owned and operated this growing company for 43 years. 
 
From this long legacy of successful and notable owners came what is today, Agora Architecture. Agora strives to serve returning customers, who are 75% of total clientele, and new customers with excellence in service and design. This legacy of success and future full of achievements will keep Agora Architecture successful and long-standing.Led by four members of the local and nearby communities, Agora Architecture is known for creating quality designs that defy common thinking. Focusing on the client's individual needs, Agora's designs serve the modern lifestyle while capturing the beauty found in necessity. Their mission is to create spaces that address the client's needs and desires for design producing an end-result that is guaranteed to impress.
 
A traditional agora, in early Greek history, is a space defined by the surrounding architecture, often a plaza, where people would come together to exchange and discuss ideas and work together to coordinate new endeavors. Architecture in Ancient Greece strove to be well planned, well executed, and long lasting. As a company we strive not only to create designs that embody these ideals, but to create lasting relationships and continue to be a part of our community culture.  Agora Architectural Design is the common ground where people and ideas come together.

Thursday, May 24th
10:00 AM
Winfield Chamber
123 E. 9th Ave.

2018 Chamber Coffee Schedule

Please mark these dates in your calendar and plan to attend to network and hear from other members!

May 24
Agora Architecture

June 28
Custom Internet Services, LLC

July 26
William Newton Hospital

August 23
Southwestern College

September 27
Winfield Chiropractic Relief & Wellness

October 25
RCB Bank

November 15
USD #465

December 20
Union State Bank & Cumbernauld Village


Dilly Dally in Cowley Co.


Winfield Main Street



PAINT THE TOWN

The Winfield Main Street Committee through the Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking help from the community to clean up and paint select downtown businesses. This project helps business owners complete improvements to their storefronts that would otherwise not have the time and/or resources to do so. Paint the Town will take place on May 31st and June 1st from 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.

Volunteers are needed to do the manual labor of scraping paint, painting, washing awnings, and other cleaning duties. Certified Boom Lift Operators are also needed as well as people to run supplies and bottles of water to different locations. The committee will also need help with supplies such as long-handled paint rollers, tall ladders, buckets, scrub brushes, paint brushes and rollers, paint trays, drop cloths, etc. Donations to buy supplies are also greatly appreciated.

Folks that would like to help keep Winfield's downtown district vibrant and beautiful can sign up for shifts through the VolunteerLocal.com or call 221-2420. Monetary donations can be sent to the Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 640, Winfield, KS, 67156.  

 
Business Appreciation Month




 
April 2018 Labor Market Report



 
Materials for Newcomer Packets

Don't forget! As a free member benefit, you can bring promotional materials to the chamber for packets that we put together for people moving into town! Please bring us about 50 of your brochures, rack cards, pens, or other promo items at a time. This is a great way to make newcomers aware of your business or organization!

Resources
  • Visit the chamber's website for all of your business and community needs: 

 www.winfieldchamber.org

 


Chamber Activities this Week

Chamber Board Meeting
Monday, May 21, Noon, Chamber office

RISE Cowley County Meeting
Tuesday, May 22, 10:00 AM, Chamber office

Chamber Coffee hosted by Agora Architecture
Thursday, May 24, 10:00 AM, Chamber office


Upcoming Chamber Activities

Chamber office CLOSED Monday, May 28th in observance of Memorial Day

Winfield Main Street Paint the Town Event
Thursday & Friday, May 31 & June 1, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Meet at the Chamber office


Destination BootCamp Business Workshop

September 11-13
Longmont, CO

RISE Cowley County


Area partners invited to RISE Cowley coalition meeting May 22

Grant coordinators will present ways Pathways grant can help organizations

RISE Cowley, the local healthy communities coalition, invites area business and organizations to attend its next coalition meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 22 in Winfield.

This meeting will be at the Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce office, located at 123 E. Ninth Ave.

Charissa Wall, Pathways to a Healthy Kansas grant co-coordinator for RISE Cowley, will give a presentation on the many ways community partners can benefit from the Pathways grant program.

She will outline the steps necessary for new partners to follow in order to obtain grant funding for eligible expenses, such as grants to offset energy efficiency improvements or help with new signage.
You do not have to be a current RISE Cowley partner to attend this meeting. Representatives of any Cowley County business, governmental agency or nonprofit organization may attend to learn more.

Those that may benefit most from the meeting, however, include any of the following industries:
  • Local grocery store(s) and/or other food retail locations, such as gas stations, dollar stores and corner stores;
  • Restaurant owners and caterers;
  • Health care providers, including physicians, dentists, pharmacies and chiropractors;
  • Any employers - large or small - that are interested in saving money on insurance premiums and helping their employees to improve their overall health and wellness.
As milestones are met throughout the course of the three-year Pathways to a Healthy Kansas grant program, Cowley County will become eligible for additional, non-competitive implementation grants and achievement grants. Implementation grants are designed to assist with the actions taken by an organization to complete a Pathways goal. Achievement grants are intended to reward an organization for meeting the goal of a pathway. The implementation grant and achievement grant funds available total up to $400,000 per community.
 
About Pathways to a Healthy Kansas
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS) envisions Kansans living in healthy communities that provide the highest possible quality of life and well-being.
Three risk factors - physical inactivity, poor nutrition and tobacco use - lead to four of the leading causes of chronic disease - heart disease, type-2 diabetes, lung disease and some cancers - that cause 80 percent of the deaths in the United States.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show increasing physical activity, eating healthy and avoiding tobacco are among the best ways to lower risk for developing chronic diseases and to live healthier, longer. Thus, the purpose of the Pathways to a Healthy Kansas initiative is to:
  • Inspire long-lasting, community-wide well-being by creating supportive, healthy environments;
  • Focus on strategies that build community engagement and transform the way residents stay healthy as they work, play, and interact socially;
  • Incorporate more opportunities to be healthy in normal daily routines - through access in schools, worksites, health care providers' offices, food establishments and social networks - so that a healthy culture will be cultivated to improve the quality of life in the community now and for generations to come.
The Pathways to a Healthy Kansas initiative provides community coalitions such as RISE Cowley with the tools and resources needed to remove barriers and engage their communities in ways that enable healthy eating and tobacco-free, active living to become a way of life.
Each Kansas community has its own identity, with valuable traditions that contribute to the overall character of the state. The Pathways to a Healthy Kansas framework establishes pathways and guidance for each of the three focus areas - healthy eating, physical activity and tobacco - and encourages community coalitions to identify the strategies within each pathway that will work best for their residents, while both preserving and enhancing the culture of each of the 16 communities.

By designing and funding Pathways to a Healthy Kansas as a piece of its Blue Health Initiatives, BCBSKS is investing in community health throughout its service area to promote health and improve quality of life - not only for its members, but for all Kansans living in its 103- county service area.
 
2018 Lunch Bites Series



Mark the following dates down on your calendar for the annual Lunch Bites Series! Area leaders will give a presentation over a catered lunch.

June 21
State of City of Winfield
presented by Mayor Greg Thompson
Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce
Please RSVP by Monday, June 18

August 30
State of Cowley County*
presented by a member of the County Commission
Community Center at Baden Square

October 4
State of USD 465
Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce

All presentations are at Noon. 
Lunch is $10.
To RSVP for any of these dates, please email  admin@winfieldchamber.org or call 221-2420.

*Indicates these luncheons are co-hosted by the Arkansas City Area Chamber of Commerce and the Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce.




1025 The River has generously decided to match every dollar new chamber members spend on advertising for the first three months!

Spread the word about this great opportunity! Applications for Chamber Membership can be found online at WinfieldChamber.org or at the Chamber office at 123 E. 9th.

 

The Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce is a local chamber without ties to either the Kansas or the U.S. Chambers of Commerce.  We believe that being independent allows us the best opportunity to serve our members with an unbiased approach to issues that are important to the local communities where we serve.  

 

 

Community Events

Cowley County Swine Classic
Saturday & Sunday, May 26 & 27, Winfield Fairgrounds, 1105 W. 9th Ave.

Crop Hop Fun Run
Saturday, May 26, 7:00 AM, Island Park, 200 Main St.

Opening Day of Walnut Valley Farmers Market
Saturday, May 26, 7:30 AM, Island Park Entrance, 200 Main St.




News from Chamber Members
  
Please help us promote your business by sending us information to include in this section! Email information to admin@winfieldchamber.org and we will add it to this email blast. Information will need to be received each Friday by noon in order to be included in the following week's news. 
 

~~~~~~

Walnut Valley Festival looking for Merchants to take part in Feisty's Treasure Hunt

Walnut Valley Festival is looking for area merchants who would like to take part in our second annual Feisty's Treasure Hunt. Last year, we kept our treasure hunt down at the fairgrounds. This year, we would like to start a little earlier (before Festival starts, even), and include Winfield businesses in the game. Any businesses who are interested in taking part will be asked to contribute in-kind prizes, to be included in collective prizes to the top 3 teams who complete the treasure hunt.

This is not the typical scavenger hunt, in that we will not be asking treasure hunters to bring actual items to a finish line. Rather, those who figure out the clues will need to visit the site, monument or business indicated by the clue, and then scan a QR code located somewhere there. Those who successfully find all of the codes will solve a puzzle and can then present the completed puzzle in order to claim a prize--first, second or third place.

Contact us at hq@wvfest.com , to get your business involved. We'll start the hunt on Saturday, September 8, so your business must be open that day. Minimum prize value for donation is $50, and deadline for getting your business involved is June 22.

~~~~~~



~~~~~~

Southwestern College to Host Several Camps
 
Southwestern College will host several day and overnight camps this spring and summer. 
Day camps include:
  •        Community Music School (CMS) dance classes, Saturdays and Sundays from June 2 to Aug. 19
  •        Story theatre for kindergarten through third grade and youth theatre camp, May 29- June 1 and June 4-8 (register through Winfield Arts and Humanities)
  •         Musical theatre workshop, June 11-15 (register through Winfield Arts and Humanities)
  •        CMS ukulele camp, June 4-8 and July 16-20
  •        Southwestern College basketball camp, June 11-14
  •        Winfield Recreation Center (WRC) chemistry class, June 11-16 (register through the WRC)
  •        Play writing camp, July 9-13 (register through Winfield Arts and Humanities)
  •        Improvisational acting camp, July 9-13 (register through Winfield Arts and Humanities)
  •        Winfield High School choir camp, July 17-19 (for Winfield High School students only)
Overnight camps include:
  •        Leadership Rotary camp, May 29-June 2
  •        Amp It Up! Camp, May 29-June 2
  •        Southwestern College tennis camp, June 10-14
  •        Southwestern College Summer Music Festival, June 10-16
  •        Jardine Builder Bound camp, June 19-22 (by invitation only)
  •        Southwestern College soccer camp, June 22-24 and June 29-July 1
  •        Truesdell Builder Bound camp, June 26-29 (by invitation only)
  •        Building for the Future conference, June 29-July 1
  •        Southwestern College football camp, July 9-10 and July 11-12
  •        Summit Youth Academy, July 22-28.
For more information about the camps, contact Brittany Donley, director of camps, conferences, and events at Southwestern College, at (620) 229-6141 or online at www.sckans.edu/other/camps-and-conferences.

~~~~~~



~~~~~~

Affordable Air Service Meeting

The ability to access affordable commercial air service plays an integral role in the success of every business in south-central Kansas. As a result, it is imperative to raise awareness and promote the strengths of the services and carriers from Eisenhower Airport. The Wichita Regional Chamber Airport Advisory Committee, Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP) and the Sumner County Economic Development, are hosting meetings to get input from business leaders to gather information about air related priorities and needs across the region.

Are there destinations that are difficult to get to? What nonstop destinations would help your business grow? How often do you use an airport other than ICT for your travel needs, and why? Join leaders from across the private and public sectors as we collect information and learn more about Eisenhower Airport.

Where: Sumner County Economic Development, 314 N. Washington, Wellington, Kansas 67152
When: May 17th at 9:00am
RSVP: mcanfield@workforce-ks.com

~~~~~~




~~~~~~

CMS Offering Dance Lessons
 
The Community Music School (CMS) at Southwestern College is offering dance lessons and classes this summer with Sheila Harding. The dance classes will take place on Saturdays and Sundays starting May 19 and ending July 29 in the Helen Graham Little Theatre on Southwestern's campus. The CMS is offering these classes to the community for anyone who is middle-school age and older.
Harding is a choreographer and dance instructor and has taught dance residentially at many competitive studios around the United States.

Saturday classes include dance techniques from 3 to 4 p.m., ballet from 4 to 5:30 p.m., tap from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., and hip hop from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday classes include jazz from 4 to 5 p.m., and jazz funk heels from 5 to 6 p.m. Private dance lessons with Harding can be set for one hour a week. Pricing for the classes begin at $45 per month, two classes a month for $90, three classes a month for $80, four classes a month for $70, five classes per month for $60, and all six classes a month for $50.

To sign up, email the CMS at cms@sckans.edu or online at www.sckans.edu/cms and find the registration form under the "Enroll Here" tab.


~~~~~~



~~~~~~



~~~~~~




~~~~~~






~~~~~~

2018 Purple Pack Catbacker Events

K-State Family Fun Day
Wednesday, May 23rd: 11 am - 1 pm
Wilson Park Rotunda - Arkansas City
Join K-State coaches, players and Willie the Wildcat for lunch, inflatable games and giveaways. Kids will receive a FREE lunch and K-State gift. Adult lunches will be available for $5. Exclusive auction items and ticket packages will also be featured.

Also Join Us For:
Bill Taylor Memorial Golf Scramble
Saturday, June 2nd: 10:00 am
Quail Ridge Golf Course - Winfield
$100/player and includes lunch and gift
 
We are also looking for golf hole sponsors at $100/sponsor. This sponsorship includes your business name on a tee box and banner. If you are interested in helping us with a sponsorship or making reservations for the K-State Day and/or golf scramble they can be directed to catbackers@hotmail.com.



~~~~~~



~~~~~~

Want to advertise your business with 12,000 of our closest friends?

Do you have an ad you would like to share with 12,000 or more people who will be spending a week or more in Winfield? The Walnut Valley Festival Program is given to every festival goer who enters the fairgrounds, and contains general information on the featured artists and stage schedules, as well as area attractions and events. Do you offer a discount to festival attendees? What better way to get the word out than an ad in the WVF program?
Contact us at hq@wvfest.com, and we will send you our ad sizes and rates. Ad space is sold on a first-come, first served basis, and absolute deadline for program ads is June 15.


~~~~~~




~~~~~~



~~~~~~



Gottlob Lawn & Landscape Coupon Program

Join our 2018 Coupon Program for $25 and receive great deals and save big each month through the entire year! You'll also receive a free pot and a set of gardening gloves (pictured below)! Get started this season! Stop by our Nursery & Garden Center today and start saving.


~~~~~~



~~~~~~





~~~~~~





 

~~~~~~


 


~~~~~~



~~~~~~

 

~~~~~~

Join Our Mailing List!