Osage City Chamber of CommerceNovember
December
Jeanette Swarts, Executive Director would like to see the memberships surpass 2017 & also the attendance grow at the member meetings. This year, mark the 3rd Tuesday of each month on your calendar to attend the Osage City Chamber of Commerce Member Meeting. The meeting starts at noon, is held at the Flint Hills Beverage Hospitality Room. A light lunch is provided & generally the meetings last approximately an hour. The Chamber of Commerce needs the support of the members to make Osage City a better community.
The membership drive will start on October 28 aiming toward a promising year for 2018 members. Please consider the opportunities to grow your business & connect with the community. We would also like to encourage existing members to invite potential new members.
A membership is not restricted to business owners in the community. Any person, firm, association, corporation, partnership, non-profit organization or estate having an interest in the objectives of the organization shall be eligible for membership. Memberships are separated in three types.
Regular Memberships – Any person, firm, association, corporation, partnership or estate having an interest in the objectives of the organization shall be eligible for membership. Any regular member shall have the discretion to designate their voting member.
Non-Profit Memberships – non-profit organization being a regular member with a member designated for voting purposes.
Associate Memberships – Any person having an interest in the objectives of the organization. Associate Members have no voting rights, nor may they serve as an officer or director, unless otherwise approved by the Board, but they will have all other membership privileges and responsibilities.
Membership Investment Form: For more information about becoming a member, email osagecitychamber@gmail.com, or click to download the membership investment form here, or call 785-219-2510.
We welcome all member’s suggestions and comments, and appreciate your confidence and support in the Chamber and our programs. Thank you for your investment as we work together to put business in motion.
Started on your Christmas shopping yet? Consider purchasing “Chamber Bucks” through the Osage City Chamber of Commerce. These may be used in any of the local Osage City businesses to make a purchase. Contact Jeanette Swarts at 785-249-5451 & she will get them for you.
Planning is continuing for the annual Christmas on Market celebration Nov. 25. We encourage you to mark the date on your calendar and plan to shop local that weekend as many of our hometown businesses will be offering great opportunities for holiday gifts. The theme this year is: Christmas on Market 2017: “Treasured Memories”.
In addition to shopping, activities will be held throughout the day including breakfast, lunch, visits with Santa, a 5K run, chili cook-off & feed, gingerbread house building, craft show, raffle, live Nativity, emergency services showcase, fire truck rides, ping pong drop, live reindeer, and the traditional lighted Christmas parade. If you own a business or are a part of the community, this is a great time for you to be a part of a fun community event. Let’s get together and make this great. There have been a few changes or additions to the event this year. Be sure to watch for the posters that will be in the stores & also handouts for you to take home (available first part of November). Some of the main changes is that the CRAFT SHOW will be downtown this year at the COF building which is the old Dollar General Store & the north end of the Depot. The RAFFLE will take place earlier in the day, starting at 1:45 and located on 6th street between Main and Market streets. This year, it will be required that Winners MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN. This year, the raffle is including some very nice retreat packages, so look in the participating stores for the raffle can by the register & buy your tickets. An addition to the event this year will include a live reindeer that will be here for the day & will be available between 3:00-5:00 at the Santa Fe Park. Be sure to come by and take a look at a live reindeer and take some pictures. The reindeer will be pulling a sleigh with Santa & his elf in the parade.
Diane Michael, Parade Chairman, is working diligently to have a parade to remember. All individuals and groups are welcome to participate including individual floats, decorated golf carts, ATV’s (age 17 or older required for golf carts & ATV’s), marching bands, emergency service vehicles, cars, trucks, tractors. There will be prize money for float entries, decorated golf carts and ATV’s. Prize money for float entries will be 1st-$125; 2nd-$100; 3rd-$75; 4th-$50. Prize money for golf carts/ATV’s will be 1st-$30; 2nd-$20; 3rd-$10. The parade starts at 6:00 pm, judging for floats, golf carts & ATV’s is at 5:00 pm, lining up at the west end of Market street. For registration, contact Diane at 785-608-2277, 510 Holiday, m.diane27@yahoo.com. Don’t forget, the theme this year is “Treasured Memories”.
Join us for Sunday morning breakfast at the Osage City Golf Course. Starting November 5 from 7am.- 11am.
Nov. 5 – Biscuits & gravy
Nov. 12 – Pancakes
Nov. 19 – Scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, sausage
Nov. 26 – Mens club choice
Freewill donations accepted.
Last chance in 2017 to play in a night golf tournament…
Osage City Municipal Golf Course
Saturday, November 4
Tee off at 7:00 p.m.
$15.00 per person to play
$5.00 per person for cart
Call the golf course if you have questions 785-528-3329
Come out for an evening of fun & recreation!!!
Submitted by Dave Azwell
In November, more than 600,000 Kiwanis-family adult and youth volunteers will celebrate their partnership in community service. The Kiwanis family promotes ideals of voluntary services as a means to improve lives and give something back to the community. The Kiwanis family of clubs consists of adult Kiwanis clubs, Circle K clubs for university students, Aktion Clubs for persons with disabilities, Key Clubs for high school students, Builders Clubs for middle schools and K-Kids for elementary schools. Also included is the BUG program (Bring Up Grades) for elementary students. Osage City Kiwanis is actively involved with the Kiwanis family of clubs in USD 420. The Kiwanis club sponsors the high school Key Club, the middle school Builders Club and the elementary school K-Kids. Also known as Service Leadership Programs (SLP’s), the students are encouraged to learn and understand the value of service and leadership in their school and community. OC Kiwanis also sponsors a BUG (Bring Up Grades) program in the elementary school which encourages improving and maintaining grades and good citizenship in school.
KIWANIS KEY CLUB WEEK: Nov. 6-10, 2017
Kiwanis International has declared Nov. 6-10, 2017 as Key Club Week in honor of Key Clubs around the world. Formed at the Sacramento, California high school in 1925 as a junior service club, the first Key Club was patterned after Kiwanis Clubs which offered service to the community as well as leadership skills to its members. After 92 years, the Sacramento Key Club is still active. By 1940, over 50 clubs had been formed in seven states. Key Club is now the largest international high school service organization in the world with 6,000 clubs in 38 countries and more than 270,000 members. Osage City Kiwanis has sponsored a Key Club at Osage City High School since it was chartered in 2001. It’s a Kiwanis Service Leadership Program (SLP) made up of OCHS students who are interested in learning the value of service to their school and community, enjoying growth in leadership skills and knowing how to fundraise to support their activities. They are enthusiastic and undertake a variety of projects that benefit their school and community. The club is led by a faculty advisor who is also a member of the OC Kiwanis. Key Club is one of three SLP’s available to students of USD 420 which also includes the middle school and the elementary school.
Osage City has been asked to welcome the bicycle riders & relay runners as they travel through Osage City on the Dirty Kanza Promotions “Rush the Rails” event on October 7th from 10:00 am-6:00 pm. There are three locations that will designate the length of the trail chosen by the participants. The route starts in Osawatomie, full distance (96 miles); Vassar/Pomona State Park, half distance (54 miles); Admire, short distance (25 miles); finish line at Council Grove. Participants may choose which course length they want to participate in. The relay runners will be either a four person team or eight person team. This is not a timed event.
The Chamber of Commerce would like to take this opportunity to show off our community & express our generous hospitality. The Gilday Gas Station has been designated as the stopping point for the participants. However, there will be numerous activities taking place throughout the Santa Fe Park, Santa Fe Depot, Theels’s vacant lot. The day will include business sidewalk sales, bouncy house, food vendors, ice cream social, children’s activities, craft show, yoga sessions, fine arts display, music from the new downtown speaker system. Plan on being at the park throughout the day as there will be riders, runners & support teams coming through Osage City from mid-morning to approximately 6:00 pm. This marks the first year for the event for the Dirty Kanza Promotions & they hope that it will become an annual event with all of the communities along the trail participating as well.
Osage City Lions Club Night Golf at Osage City Golf Course
August 18, 2017 – Tee Off at 9:30 p.m.
Four Person Scramble – $60 per Team
Limit to first 18 Teams
All Proceeds to go to the Osage City Golf Course
This will be a Nine Hole Tournament
Carts are available for $10
Call the golf course to sign up your team 785-528-3329
Rain Date Saturday, August 19
It is the time of year again when we start planning for the annual Christmas on Market Street event. So many of you have great ideas, are great at planning events, and genuinely want to see our community continue to thrive. The theme for this year’s event is “Treasured Memories” which will be fun to work with, and the theme can go in so many directions as to your actual treasured memories.
Now that the fair parade is over, we will begin planning for the annual Christmas on Market Street event. The event will held Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017, which sounds like a long time from now, but will be here before we know it. We would love to make this year the best event we have had so far.
If any of you have any ideas or are interested in helping plan, please let me know. We have some traditional events that need someone new to take over. We need lots of volunteer help. We also are interested in any new events you might like to add. If you own a business or are part of a community group, this is a great time for you to be a part of a fun community event. Let’s get together and make this great.
Christmas on Market Street events will include the annual raffle, parade, chili cook off and Kiwanis breakfast.
An organizational meeting for anyone wanting to volunteer will be at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 23, at Artfully Quilted by Barbs. Call Jeanette Swarts at 785-249-5451 if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.
The Osage City Chamber of Commerce served concessions at the baseball concession stand July 5-7. A variety of food items other than the items furnished by the Osage City Parks and Recreation were served. Food items that Chamber members donated were frozen grapes, baby carrots with ranch dressing, sloppy Joes, walking tacos, chili, cookies, brownies, root beer floats, ice tea and ice. A new suggestion and was a big hit this year which was grilling hamburgers and hot dogs. The aroma of the hamburgers grilling got the attention of the hungry parents and ball players, thus kept the grill going most of the evening!
The Chamber would like to thank members Jan Ogleby, Jeanette Swarts, Diane Michael, Kathy Ayers, Julie Carlson, Vida Lewis, Jim Lohmeyer, Casey Mussatto, Tara Azwell, Nancy Washburn, Jeanette Stromgren, Vintage Park, Ann Lusk, COF, Thelma and Joe Humerickhouse, and Robyn Williams for their contribution of either food items or working at the concession stand. Would also like to thank Richard Swarts for keeping the grill going. The success from the events are measured by the support and enthusiasm from everyone and we did have a successful three days and the proceeds go back to the Chamber.
A ribbon cutting and grand opening was held June 27, 2017, at Garrett’s Fireworks. Garrett Fireworks is a family owned and operated business located in Osage City, Kan. They wholesale nationwide and are the largest importer of Grand Patriot and Lil Patriot Fireworks in the United States. They are proud to announce the opening of a fireworks super store located in Osage City. They offer competitive prices, high quality and are leaders in innovative products. Visit their website at www.garrettsfireworks.com
By Jeanette Swarts
The Osage County Fair Board worked hard this year to have this as one of the best fairs so far. Weather issues created some delays throughout the week, however, Jeff Pearson, fair board president, indicated that this year was the largest attendance. The fair had an increase in vendors, 4H livestock exhibits, and antique tractors.
Activities this year went from Wednesday, June 28, through Sunday, July 2, 2017, and included exhibits, 4H activities and competition, Chamber of Commerce parade, carnival, family fun night, pet shows, barnyard olympics, outdoor movie, antique tractor show and pull, kids pedal tractor pull, barn dance, ice cream social, concert and fireworks. Osage City’s own chef Rita Ford stepped in and gave an interesting and entertaining cooking demonstration.
A huge thank you to the organizers of the spectacular fireworks display. It was a grand finale to a week of community support and involvement. Looking forward to another great fair week in 2018.
The annual Osage County Fair parade, sponsored by the Osage City Chamber of Commerce, was Thursday, June 29, 2017. The theme for the parade this year was “Summertime Fun”.
Diane Michael, parade chairman, coordinated a variety of entries including the mounted color guard and 1st Division Infantry Band from Ft. Riley, Boy Scouts, emergency vehicles, including the city and county law enforcement, ambulance and fire department, parade marshal Ann Lusk, and Mr. and Mrs. Osage City Richard and Jeanette Swarts, floats, golf carts and ATVs, band, politicians, and horses.
The float entry awards were presented as follows: Conklin Plumbing, first place, $125; Friends of Pomona State Park, Going Retro, second place, $100; RCIL, third place, $75; Osage City Middle School cheerleaders, fourth place, $50. The golf cart and ATV entry awards went to: Osage City-Great Life Golf Course, first place, $30; Jody Lohmeyer Stark, State Farm Insurance, second place, $20; First National Bank of Osage City, third place, $10. The high school band competition first place prize of $100 was presented to the Osage City High School band.
As Diane Michael stated, we are hoping that next year there will be more involvement of floats, school bands, etc., thus there will be have a larger parade for 2018. Your support contributes to the growth of our community.
The Osage City Chamber of Commerce and Diane Michael, Parade Committee Chairman would like to take this opportunity to thank those that participated in the 2017 Osage County Fair Parade. Everyone that attended the parade seemed to have a good time and enjoyed the entries.
Richard and Jeanette Swarts represented Osage City in the 2017 Osage County Fair Parade as Mr. and Mrs. Osage City. They said they feel very honored and appreciative and would like to thank the Chamber of Commerce for selecting them.
Richard has been a life-long resident of Osage City. After high school graduation, he attended Flint Hills Vo-Tech, studying automotive. He has held a variety of employment including DuPont, Buzz’s Automotive, co-owner of Buzz’s Automotive, and Kansas Department of Transportation. Upon retiring from KDOT, he now assists his brother-in-law with his farming operation.
Jeanette grew up in Burlingame and moved to Osage City after they got married. After high school graduation, she received a business-secretarial degree from Emporia State University. Retirement in 2012 concluded a combination 40 years of service with Hallmark Cards and Kansas State High School Activities Association. Jeanette has enjoyed supporting the community, where she has served on the school board for 12 years, recreation commission for 12 years, and treasurer for the Osage City Country Club. Jeanette continues and is enjoying the opportunity to serve Osage City as executive director for the Osage City Chamber of Commerce and Third Ward representative on the Osage City Council.
The couple is always looking for ways to improve and support the community. On June 28, they celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary. Together, Richard and Jeanette’s hobbies include attending car shows and traveling. They are active with the Twin Lakes Cruisers Car Group and organizing the annual Cruis’n and Cook’n Car Show. They enjoy spending time at The Lodge, in Branson, Mo., and attending Kansas State Football games as season ticket holders. They also enjoy spending time with their two sons, Shawn, Baker, Mont, and Ty and Jill, Shawnee, Kan., five grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, and four step-great grandchildren.
Longtime Osage City resident Ann Lusk was chosen as the 2017 Osage County Fair parade grand marshal.
Ann said that she is very honored and pleased to be asked to be the grand marshal. Osage City has always been an important place to her. She was born in a hospital in Osage City and lived on a farm near Olivet (now under the Melvern Lake). Osage City was the town where they went to buy tractors, groceries and clothes. She also enjoyed the skating rink and the regional basketball tournament.
After Harold and she were married, they opened a DeSoto dealership on Market Street. They bought the house where she lives now and where their children, James and Luree, grew up.
Harold was sheriff of Osage County and later chief of law enforcement for Kansas Fish and Game. When he retired, they began buying rental houses, of which Lusk Properties now has 25 rental houses in Osage City.
Ann has been president of many organizations, including Sorosis, Mothers’ Study Club, and Osage City PTA, and has been treasurer of just about everything. Ann said, “In 89 years you get a lot of things done.”
Ann said she would like to thank the Chamber of Commerce for choosing her to be the parade grand marshal and it will be a treasured memory.
Click here or the schedule above for a printable version. See www.osagecountyfair.org for more information.
Ladies, Gentlemen, Clubs, Organizations and Individuals,
I would like to invite you to participate in our fun filled “Summertime Fun” Parade. You may enter a float, truck, car, ATV/Golf Cart (age at least 17yrs to drive in parade), anything you feel would be fun and the people along the parade route would like to see. Also there is prize money in two different catagories. There is a float judging and an ATV – Golf Cart judging. Prize money is 1st – $125.00, 2nd – $100.00, 3rd – $75.00 and 4th – $50.00 for the float catagory. ATV – Golf Cart prize money is 1st – $30.00, 2nd – $20.00 & 3rd-$10.00.
It’s always fun for the crowd to wave at the entries and for the parade participants to wave back, throw candy and just make people smile!! A fun evening to forget troubles and just have a great time!!!
This years theme is “Summertime Fun.” It is a wide open catagory. Whatever you feel “Summertime Fun” is. Whether it is vacation, boating, fishing, camping, swimming, golfing, the races, barbeque in the backyard or baseball the ideas are open to your imagination!!! It will be fun to see what everyone thinks of as “Summertime Fun.”
Let’s make this year’s Osage County Fair Parade one of the best we’ve seen. I know it’s possible with the participation of all of the fabulous businesses, organizations, clubs, schools and individual people we have in this area!!!
Attached is an entry form for you to fill out and send to me. If you prefer e-mail, call, or text me, with your information and I will fill a form out for you. The “Summertime Fun” parade is on June 29th, parade begins at 6:30. Line up for judging of floats, ATVS & Golf Carts is 5:30. All other entries be ready and in your designatd line up spot in the parade by 6:15 at the latest!!
Thank you so much for taking time to read this letter and I’m thanking you in advance for your participation in our “Summertime Fun” parade.
Diane Michael
510 Holliday Street, Osage City, KS 66523
785-608-2277
m.diane27@yahoo.com
Click this form for a printable pdf version: