Great Bend Economic Development Director Sara Arnberger and Marketing Director Lee Ann June updated Great Bend Chamber members on several of the organization’s projects, including the return of Final Fridays on Forest Ave.
“Our mission is to improve the economic quality of life for the working families in the area,” Arnberger said. “We have two other organizations beneath us. Great Bend Alive! houses some of our big fundraising projects, as well as all of our downtown Main Street organization. And then we also have ABCCC - Advancing Barton County Child Care.”
Volunteers and sponsors are needed for Great Bend Alive! projects. June said volunteers are needed to serve as gatekeepers at Fridays on Forest for two-hour shifts. She also reminded Chamber members that financial support is also gladly accepted. Fridays on Forest starts April 25 and continues on the final Friday of each month through October.
This event is entering its fifth year and continues to evolve, June said.
“We’ve added some new vendors. We’re utilizing The Landing there on Williams and Forest.” Admission is free thanks to the sponsors, starting with SOFTwarfare LLC in April.
Homegrown businesses
While the organization will continue to recruit big stores such as Harbor Freight, it supports homegrown ventures with courses for entrepreneurs. GBED works with Great Plains Development and Network Kansas to find loan programs for start-up businesses and help them with their business planning.
“We also partner with the Chamber every year and do our Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge. This is a fun way for us to instill that mindset from middle school age and up,” Arnberger said. Next year, they hope to spark some interest in even younger minds by adding Lemonade Days for elementary students to the youth challenge.
Downtown
GBED is also focused on improving Main Street, Arnerger said, explaining downtown is the first place people check out when they visit a rural community.
“We wanted to make sure that we were putting our best foot forward, so we became a Main Street organization. We are registered both nationally and through the State of Kansas,” she said. Credit goes to the property owners for jumping on board with GBED and allowing changes to happen now that part of Main Street is a historic district. Projects on historic buildings can be difficult but are rewarding, Arnberger noted. The designation allows property owners to get 50% of their project costs back on renovations. That will increase to 60% after July 1.
For more information about Great Bend Economic Development online, see GBEDinc.com or email director@gbedinc.com.
Chamber announcements
• The Business and Career Expo will take place on April 16 at the Great Bend Events Center. Thirty businesses are signed up and there is still time to sign up.
• USD 428’s Pre-K and Kindergarten Pre-enrollment Night will be Wednesday, April 16, from 5-7:30 p.m. at the District Education Center/Little Panthers Preschool, 1809 24th St.
• The Wheels and Squeals event that was scheduled for April 5 at Barton Community College was canceled due to the weather forecast.
• Sandra Burton with Sandra Burton Massage is offering a free 15-minute massage through April and May at Renue Salon and Spa, 1419 Main. This is for new clients only. Call 620-792-2086 or schedule online at schedulicity.com.
• Great Bend Noon Lions will have a fundraiser on April 9 at Freddy’s, 3008 10th St., from 4-8 p.m. Say, “I’m here for the fundraiser” at the checkout and 15% of the sale will go to the organization.
• Chamber President Megan Barfield said the Pints and Politics event on April 2 had an “amazing turnout” with 80 people in attendance. This members-only event that replaced the public Legislative Coffees, which “weren’t serving you, our members.” She also said the Western Kansas Delegation, which includes representatives from Great Bend, planned to leave for Washington, D.C., on Friday.
• The next Chamber Coffee will be at 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 2, at the Chamber Office. It will be hosted by the Southwest Area Agency on Aging.
