January 2009 - Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce

January 2009, Volume 5, Issue 1, www.manhattan.org
A publication of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce
Congratulations Leadership
Manhattan Class of 2009!
Contact us:
501 Poyntz Avenue
Manhattan, KS, 66502-6005
785-776-8829 phone
785-776-0679 fax
chamber@manhattan.org
www.manhattan.org
TDD Kansas Relay Center:
800-766-3777
The Manhattan Area Chamber of
Commerce and the Leadership Manhattan Board is honored to announce the
Leadership Manhattan Class of 2009.
The class includes: Therese Adams,
Coldwell Banker Realty Group One ★;
Blake Bauer, United Bank & Trust;
Mary Bowen, Kansas State University
Department of Agricultural Economics;
Kristin Brighton, New Boston Creative
Group; Monica Cameron, Diamond
Solar Solutions, LLC; Erin Dunlap, Varney & Associates CPA’s, LLC ★; Peggy
Frazier, Capitol Federal Savings ★;
Cheryl Grice, Kansas State University
Division of Human Resources; Jason
Hilgers, City of Manhattan; Donna
Logback, Florence Manufacturing ★;
Thaniel Monaco, BG Consultants ★;
Janelle Reichert, McCullough Develop-
ment ★; Penny Senften, Manhattan
Arts Center; Melinda Sinn, Kansas
State University Division of Continuing
Education; Brad Sonner, Olsson Associates; and Alice Wagner, UMB
National Bank of America ★.
The first session of Leadership Manhattan is January 14th and will be held
at Meadowlark Hills. A total of five sessions will be held with class graduation
scheduled for April 22, 2009.
The mission of Leadership Manhattan
is to ensure the vitality of our community by providing a continuous source of
motivated leaders who are educated
about the community, its challenges
and opportunities, as well as trained
and inspired to assume leadership roles
in the Manhattan community at all levels. Leadership development for Manhattan and Riley County was identified
in the Chamber initiated Advantage
Manhattan program as necessary for
economic growth and prosperity in the
region.
More information about Leadership
Manhattan visit our website: www.manhattaned.org/leadershipmanhattan.
Leaders’ Retreat 2009 Chamber elects new
This year’s Leaders’ Retreat will be held January 16-17, 2009 at the Overland Park
Sheraton Hotel and Convention Center.
Steel & Pipe Supply ★, Hawley Printing/ Sir Speedy ★,
Hi-Tech Interiors ★ and Southwestern College are the sponsors of
the retreat that begins on Friday at 11:30 am with a luncheon followed by an afternoon
session of timely topics. A reception /networking event takes place at 5:30 p.m. at
the hotel. Saturday morning will begin with a buffet breakfast followed by a planning
and wrap up session. The retreat will end Saturday morning at 11:30am. Reservations for the Leaders’ Retreat 2008 are required by January 9, 2009 and further
information is available on our website www.manhattan.org or can be requested
by calling the chamber at 776-8829.
The nature in part for this Leaders’ Retreat is to have some joint sessions with the
Chamber and Civic Leadership from Junction City, Wamego, Geary and Pottawatomie
County. The tentative agenda for joint topics include BG Perry Wiggins and Fort
Riley, NBAF, the Docking Institute and the 2009 state legislative session. All communities will also have plenty of their own time to separately study issues specific to the
respective communities.
You may register for the retreat by contacting the Chamber 776-8829,
www.manhattan.org or chamber@manhattan.org by January 9, 2009. The cost
is $160 per member/ $250 per non-member and includes all sessions, materials,
Friday lunch, Friday evening reception and Saturday morning breakfast.
The ★ denotes these businesses as Investors in Advantage Manhattan 2.
Leadership for 2009
The Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, during its regular
December Board meeting, elected Linda Weis as the 2009 Chair of the Board. She is
the Broker/Owner of Realty Executives Weis Real Estate Company ★. During the past several years Linda has been very active in the Chamber serving both as a member on the
Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. In addition, she served for two years as
Chair of the Retire to the Flint Hills Committee.
In other elections by the board, Neil Horton, Vice-President-CEO of Bayer Construction
Company ★ was elected to the position of Chair-elect, Jeff Levin of Varney's Book Store
will now serve as Immediate Past Chair, Fred Willich, President, Hi-Tech Interiors, Inc. ★
was elected Treasurer, and Bob Krause of K-State and Dave Dreiling, Owner, GTM
Sportswear ★ will serve as Vice-Chairs to the Board.
As the new Chair of the Board, Linda Weis appointed and the board approved the
following 2009 Chairs for several standing committees of the Chamber of Commerce.
They include: Dick Hayter, Kansas State University, for Transportation Committee;
Jennifer Hill, Farmers State Bank ★, for Membership Committee; Ross Grynkiewicz,
Little Apple Toyota/Honda ★ for Retail Committee; Mike Shilling, Shilling Construction
Company ★ for the Economic Development Committee; Barbara Nelson, Strecker-Nelson
Gallery for the Convention & Visitors Bureau; Dick Wertzberger, Landmark National
Bank ★ for Military Affairs Committee; Jeff Chapman, Meadowlark Hills ★ for Retire to
the Flint Hills; Keith Westervelt, Blueville Nursery for the Diplomats; Tom Burnett,
Burnett Automotive ★ for the Ambassadors; Mike Clark, Kansas State University for
Leadership Manhattan; Neal Farmer, Community First National Bank ★ for Public Affairs;
Stan Hambright, Bayer Construction Company ★ for Workforce Development and
Frank Connizzo, Danker Roofing ★ for the Chamber Champions.
Page 2
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review
January 2009
The mission of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce is to
foster a changing environment for business success that enhances
the quality of life in our region.We market the region,advocate for
business, and provide services to our members and customers.
Are you interested in being a member of the Manhattan Area
Chamber of Commerce? Give Rais a call at 776-8829 for more
information.
This is a publication of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce –
all advertising is the responsibility of The Manhattan Mercury.
To place an ad or for more information, contact Jemie Wataha at
776-2200, ext. 231 or classdisplay@themercury.com.
84th Annual Meeting – Friday, February 6, 2009
K-State Student Union Ballroom
With four voices that blend
together so seamlessly they sound
like one, you won’t believe your
ears when you hear your favorite
songs performed by Marcoux Corner. Every performance is filled
with great songs and a stage show
that is not only a treat for the ears
but a ton of fun. The audience
can’t help but get involved as these
four guys from Minneapolis, MN
entertain and amaze with vocal
acrobatics and a feel good stage
show that has brought smiles to
faces from corporate clients such
as 3M, LL Bean and General Mills,
just to name a few.
The date for the Annual Meeting
has been set for February 6 at the
K-State Student Union Ballroom.
Flint hills Beverage, LLC will
sponsor the cocktail hour, allowing
all attendees to receive one free
drink. The cocktail hour begins at
6:00pm, dinner at 7:00pm and the
program will begin at 8:00 pm.
Historically, the Annual Meeting
has been one of the most popular
gatherings of business and community leaders. Decision-makers from
both the private and public sector
convene for a night camaraderie
and commemoration. We celebrate
the successes of the previous year
and will pass the gavel from 2008
Board Chair Jeff Levin of Varney’s
Book Store to 2009 Board Chair
Linda Weis, of Realty Executives,
Weis Real Estate Company ★. We
will complete the evening with our
surprise announcements of the
2008 Volunteer of the year and the
2008 Lud Fiser Citizen of the year
awards.
In addition, you have an opportunity to showcase your business by
sponsoring a table. Last year over
400 business leaders attended the
Annual meeting. Sponsoring and
decorating a table will put your
business in the spotlight. For more
information contact Pam Teller at
the Chamber 776-8829.
Individual seats are $55.00 each
and are first come, first serve.
Reservations can be made beginning Monday, January 12 by calling
776-8829 or emailing
chamber@manhattan.org.
Defer payment on your map ad until 2009
With our map campaign crossing over to the next calendar year, you can take advantage by calling us to help
with your ad placement and requesting to be invoiced rather than paying online. This moves your due date for
payment to the end of January 2009!
In addition, we can design and build your ad for you “FREE OF CHARGE”. You will receive a proof of your full
color ad to approve or make changes accordingly. We are here to keep this easy for you.
This is the only “official” street map of Manhattan. It will be delivered in late April 2009. Distribution will begin
with all incoming soldiers at Fort Riley, all people and businesses requesting relocation information, local
residents and businesses needing a current map and as an advertiser, you will receive an allotment to distribute.
The map is available online at http://www.xmediapublishing.com/buy/ManhattahKS_2008map.
Your choice space can be reserved today, paid for in 2009 and we do all the footwork for you here. Be first to
impact the newcomer and Manhattanites alike with your ad.
Diplomat of the Month
Congratulations!!
January’s Diplomat of the Month is Angela Cunningham of
Waddell & Reed.
The Diplomat Committee is a group of volunteers from various
businesses throughout the Manhattan Community who mentor new
members of the Chamber throughout their first year. Jackie Patton has
demonstrated her dedication to the Diplomat Committee by attending
committee meetings, making regular contacts with her new members,
and reporting contact results back to the Chamber in a timely fashion.
January 2009
December’s
Business After
Hours
It was a full house (Service
Department) at Briggs Auto ★
where close to 350 members and
guests gathered for a memorable
evening. There were incredible
menu choices that ran the gambit
from prime rib to shrimp and
every finger food imaginable in
between. And, of course, that
presentation of “main course”
choices had to be followed up and
topped off with a dessert table
offering calories in every flavor.
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review
All of this was enveloped by background, live music that set the
holiday tone for all of us and
beautiful red and white floral
arrangements throughout .
Thank you to Russ and
Ilene Briggs for underwriting
this wonderful mixer. And a BIG
thank you to their staff for all
the efforts expended to transform
a work area into a perfect place to
host a party.
Members winning door prizes
were Joanne Hercules of Bartlett
& West and Sherese Terrill,
McCullough Development ★ each
winning a box of chocolates; Pat
Johannes took home a CD
player; Mark Rose of Mark Rose
Photography won a K-State
Kitchen Trio and Karen Streeter
won a set of extraordinary TV
trays. Clarence Bauman,
Stoneybrook Retirement Community won the 1-year Business After
Hours Pass. The winner drawn
for $250 Chamber Cash was not
present so the next drawing will
be for $300.
There will not be a
Business After Hours
in January. See you
in February 2009
at Alorica.
The ★ denotes these
businesses as
Investors in Advantage Manhattan 2.
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Page 4
Since our December newsletter,
these businesses have renewed
their investments in the Chamber.
The Board of Directors and staff
thank these businesses for their
continuing support of the Chamber.
15 Years and Over
AT&T ★
The Buckle
Super 8 Motel - Manhattan
Pella Windows of Kansas
Century 21 Irvine Real Estate Inc.
ACEware Systems, Inc.
ERA The Conderman Group
Sydney Carlin
Thermal Comfort Air, Inc. ★
Yellow Book USA
The Trust Company of Manhattan ★
Manhattan Arts Center
Vista Drive-In
10-14 Years
Manhattan Public Library
Ed Krieger
Appleseed Art & Frame
Arrow Stage Lines
Fairfield Inn by Marriott
Network Resource Group, Inc.
Manhattan Jaycees
All Star DJ
Rothwell Landscape, Inc.
Glass Impressions
RC Auto Body
Candlewood Health Mart Pharmacy
5-9 Years
Martin Tractor Company, Inc. ★
Wieters Construction
Western Extralite Co.
ALLTEL Corporate Accounts Payable
Edward Jones ★
Quality Inn
Manhattan Advertising Agency, Inc. ★
Copy Kats
1-4 Years
4 Olives Wine Bar
Auntie Mae's Parlor
Konza Lab Connection, Inc.
Timberline Cabinetry & Millwork
Document Resources, Inc.
Capitol Federal Savings Bank ★
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review
Pam Westmeyer
Hey Baby!
Capital Title Insurance Company, L.C.
Copy Co Corporation
Planet Sub
T2 Wireless, Inc.
Hemmert Electric
James M. Schottler
Ashley Furniture HomeStore
Chocolate Elegance
Maberry RFD Inc.
Brown Chevrolet Buick, Inc.
Appletech Construction, Inc.
Salvation Army
Robert L. Buttrey
P.O. Box 7
Manhattan, KS 66505-0007
785-539-9399
Email robb_buttrey@usc.salvationarmy.org
All Star DJ
Dave Lewis
P.O. Box 1941
Manhattan, KS 66505-1941
785-537-4581
Email: dlewis@allstardj.com
MAMTC
Mark Chalfant
2601 Anderson, Suite 102
Manhattan, KS 66502
785-537-2244
Email: mchalfant@mamtc.com
Riley County ATA Bus
Anne Smith, Director
115 N. 4th Street
Manhattan, KS 66502
785-537-6345
Website: www.rileycountyks.gov
aTa Bus is general public transportation for Manhattan and Riley county.
We operate M-F 7:00am to 5:00pm.
Please call 24 hours in advance to
schedule rides. The cost is $2.00
each way in Manhattan. Residents
outside of Manhattan are $4.00 each
way.
January 2009
2009 “Official” Manhattan City
Map Advertising Sales Campaign
As our maps continue to move
from our office to the hands of
prospective Manhattan residents
combined with the ever changing
topography due to new streets
and developments that are defining our continued growth, it is
time for a new “official” map.
This publication includes the city
of Manhattan, the lake area, the
Timber Creek area, the airport,
Kansas State University and Fort
Riley. It is completely supported
by advertising and is a great way
to get your business in front of
newcomers to Manhattan.
vital tools for marketing our area
to new residents, businesses and
area developers. With the NBAF
announcement last month, the
inquiries for relocation information are expected to be higher
than usual. In addition, these
inquiries will be coming from a
demographic of individuals and
firms that you will want as your
customers and clients.
As an advertiser you will have
access to free design and layout
of your ad, location of your business pinpointed on the map and
triple your exposure with the
online version.
Map advertising prices start at
$295.00 and include a
designated number for your own
distribution. Access to the exclusive online preview is available at
http://www.xmediapublishing.
com/buy/ManhattanKS_2008
map. You can “Select Your Ad
Position” and make your
purchase online.
Ron Hamilton, from CommunityLink, will be handling outside
sales beginning January 5, 2009.
If you would like an appointment
to discuss and have help with
your ad, please contact Pam
Teller at 776-8829.
We find the map and online
counterpart to be one of our most
Do you like an audience? Then sponsoring a Good
Morning Manhattan or Let’s do Lunch in 2009 is for
you. These networking events are fast paced,
informative and very well attended.
Your sponsor benefits are:
• Having your business logo and name on approx. 1750 promo invitations, logo listing on the online
registration page, repeated in Chamber Weekly Update and on the table agendas
• Distributing printed support material from your business to each attendee
• Welcoming attendees and sharing about your business or product
• Networking time for individual contacts
• A list of attendees and contact information.
• You and a guest attend for free
There are only a few sponsorship opportunities left for 2009. The cost of each sponsorship is only $275.00.
This is a great way to market yourself to your fellow members. Call Pam Teller at 776-8829 or email
pam@manhattan.org for availability.
The ★ denotes these businesses as Investors in Advantage Manhattan 2.
Upcoming Events:
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Tallgrass Brewing Company
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Dr. Adam Paquette - “Fit Sitting”
January 2009 • Volume 9, Issue 1
A publication of the Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau
Get your red-hot visitors guides here!
A new year means new Visitors Guides, and the Manhattan Convention & Visitors
Bureau is your source for
the latest!
The Manhattan CVB is
pleased to announce the
arrival of the 2009 Manhattan, Kansas Visitors
Guide, featuring information on local attractions,
accommodations, and
dining opportunities.
For the second consecutive year, the Manhattan Visitors Guide
has been produced in
the fold-up brochure size, which is
convenient for carrying in a
pocket, purse, or car glove compartment. The smaller size
means it is easier to carry and
use, but the guide is still full of
useful information. This convenient size proved itself in 2008, as
the entire printing of last year’s
version of the Visitors Guide were
completely distributed around the
country.
New State Visitors
Guide now available
The Kansas Travel & Tourism
Division of the Department of
Commerce recently unveiled its
latest edition of the Official
Kansas Visitors Guide 2009-2010.
This guide, produced once every
two years, features information
about the entire state for travelers
from around the globe.
Printed in magazine format, the
guide includes a feature article
about the Freedom’s Frontier
National Heritage Area, of which
Manhattan is a partner. Other
articles include information about
barbecue restaurants, cowboy
country, and many other attractions from around the state.
Stop in the Manhattan CVB and
pick up your visitors guides today.
Discovering the attraction of the Flint Hills
The Kansas Flint Hills rise above
the average. Not only do the Flint
Hills provide stunning scenery,
they also protect the largest
remaining stand of the great
American tallgrass prairie.
With the popularity of Flint Hills
stories in national publications
like Midwest Living and National
Geographic,
more people
around the
country are discovering the
beauty and significance of the
Kansas Flint
Hills. It is only
appropriate the
city of Manhattan continues
working on
plans to develop
a Flint Hills Discovery Center
that will serve
both the needs
of the community and attract
visitors from
across the country to come discover this region for themselves.
In December, during a public
meeting at the Manhattan Public
Library, the consulting team hired
by the city of Manhattan
presented a preliminary program
plan that included potential
design concepts and components
of the proposed Flint Hills Discovery Center. The intent of the meeting was to receive feedback from
the public as part of the consulting team’s efforts in creating a
master plan for the Discovery
Center.
The presentation offered a
glimpse at the potential of the
Flint Hills Discovery Center, while
emphasizing the final design and
structure could take a different
shape in the final master plan,
The discovery center will serve
a dual role of meeting the needs
of the community while attracting
tourists to the region. To that end,
the consulting team presented
three potential exhibit schemes
for organizing the content of the
discovery center, including core
exhibitions, temporary exhibitions,
educational and public programming, and resources for community services and special events.
The proposed core exhibition
would tell the story of the Flint
Hills, including their history, heritage, and ecology. The projected
hands-on exhibits would immerse
the visitor in a Flint Hills experience and encourage further exploration throughout the region.
Potential components of the
exhibit include a multi-touch
Continued on Page 2
Page 2
Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau Tourism Topics
January 2009
Discovering the attraction Kansas Mission of Mercy
of the Flint Hills
Coming to Manhattan!
Continued from Page 1
screen that teaches about habitats, activities to teach children about the
role of Flint Hills limestone in regional architecture, activities to participate
in a virtual controlled burn, a hands-on display of the underground root
system of the prairie, an immersive theatre experience, and other
activities.
Temporary exhibitions could potentially include an ever-changing program
of displays and activities that will bring visitors back on a regular basis.
Proposed public programming would offer residents and tourists of all
ages a schedule of lectures, performances, and workshops designed to
reach out to a wide range of interests and attract more visitation. The
presented design concepts of the discovery center also incorporated
venues and space for special events for the community.
The consulting team continues work on the final comprehensive master
plan and seeks more public input into the process. The current documents
presented in December can be found online by clicking on “Discovery
Center” on the City of Manhattan’s website at www.ci.manhattan.ks.us.
The consulting team welcomes feedback by email at caroline@vernerjohnson.com. More detailed information about the master planning process
can be obtained by contacting assistant city manager Lauren Palmer at
(785) 587-2404 or by email at palmer@ci.manhattan.ks.us.
Attention Youth
Sports Organizers
The Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau is calling everyone who
works with youth sports organizations in Manhattan. Does your sports club
or association host youth sporting tournaments in our community on a
regular basis? Then make plans to attend a luncheon at the Manhattan
CVB offices at noon on Friday, Feb. 13. We want to discuss ways to
improve youth sporting tournaments in The Little Apple® and how we can
work together to benefit all youth sports. If you are interested, please contact Dennis Toll at the Manhattan CVB by calling (785) 776-8829 or by
email at dennis@manhattan.org.
Kids admitted free to
Sunset Zoo during January
In case you have wondered what the animals do at Sunset Zoo during the
winter months, January is the perfect month to find out. To encourage
your visit, the folks at Sunset Zoo are offering a special deal during the
entire month.
From now to the end of the month, all kids ages 12-and-under will be
admitted free of charge to Sunset Zoo. So make plans now to visit the zoo,
bring your children, and together learn how the animals spend the winter.
For information on
zoo hours and other
special events, call
(785) 587-2737 or
visit the zoo online at
www.sunsetzoo.com.
The eighth Kansas Mission of Mercy
will be in Manhattan on February 2021 at the United States National
Guard Armory located on Levee
Drive.
The Mission of Mercy is a dental
clinic targeted to low-income individuals and families. The dental work is
performed by licensed dentists and
hygienists who have volunteered their
time to provide care to the patients
absolutely free of charge. Patients
are screened and treated based on
their most urgent dental needs extractions, fillings, oral surgery and
dental hygiene.
The Armory will be transformed
overnight to a dental clinic with 80
chairs and hundreds of volunteers
ready to treat approximately two thousand patients in two days.
The Kansas Mission of Mercy is asking local businesses to help support
the project in a number of ways,
such as providing gift certificates to
your store, donating meals, volunteers, snack foods, water, coloring
books and crayons to entertain the
children or making a cash donation
to support supplies and food.
The Kansas Mission of Mercy is a
project of the Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation and has treated
nearly 14,400 patients since it’s
inception in 2003 with over $6.2
million in free dental care. For more
information or to volunteer please
visit www.ksdentalfoundation.org.
See you in Kansas City, or maybe Omaha
Manhattan offers visitors the whole
outdoors! Including hiking the many
local trails, fishing at Tuttle Creek or
Rocky Ford, camping in the state
parks around Tuttle Creek, or hunting
on the thousands of acres of public
access land north of Tuttle Creek,
Manhattan offers visitors many
opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors.
To promote the whole outdoor experience and attract more visitors to
The Little Apple®, Tourism Sales
Manager Dennis Toll spends much
of the winter months attending outdoor sports shows in the region.
This year, Dennis will attend the
55th Annual Kansas City Boat &
Sportshow at Bartle Hall on January
7-11. This sportshow is a long-standing tradition in Kansas City, attracting
thousands of outdoor enthusiasts.
The Manhattan Convention & Visitors
Bureau will have a booth at the
sportshow, where Dennis will promote the outdoor attractions of the
region.
The Manhattan CVB and the
Kansas Department of Parks and
Recreation at Tuttle Creek are also
teaming up to sponsor a give-away
package including a free weekend at
one of River
Pond State
Park’s cabins.
So if you are in
Kansas City in
early January, stop by the show and
sign up!
The CVB will also have a booth at
the Omaha Boat Sports and Travel
Show in Nebraska on February 26 to
March 1. Like the Kansas City show,
this outdoor travel show features boat
and RV manufacturers and attracts
thousands of visitors. Having a booth
at these two shows allows the CVB
the opportunity to spread the word of
Manhattan’s great outdoors.
Flint Hills Heritage Conference
to celebrate community festivals
Everyone interested in community
festivals in the Kansas Flint Hills will
want to circle Friday, Feb. 20 on the
calendar. This will be the date of the
third Flint Hills Heritage Conference,
which will focus on the theme “Celebrate our Festivals; Celebrate our
Heritage; Make the Connection.”
“We are excited about our conference theme of connecting the Flint
Hills to community festivals,” said
Linda Craghead, Executive Director
of the Flint Hills Tourism Coalition,
which is sponsoring the conference.
“These festivals are an integral part
of Flint Hills Heritage. It’s a privilege
to present our speakers, Judge Deannell Tacha and Marci Penner, who
will help make the connection.”
The conference, which will be held
at the El Dorado Civic Center, will
focus on ways to promote and sustain local festivals and encourage the
connection of those festivals to one
another and to the heritage themes
of the Flint Hills. Featured speakers
include Judge Deannell Tacha, a
U.S. Court of Appeals Judge for the
Tenth Circuit and board chair of the
Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage
Area; Marci Penner, Executive
Director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation; Dr. Jim Hoy, Professor of
English at Emporia State University
and author of several books on Flint
Hills Heritage; and Becky Blake,
Director of the Kansas Travel and
Tourism Division.
Judge Tacha will make a presentation about the impact of the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage
Area and the local stories this association seeks to preserve and promote.
Judge Tacha will also offer a breakout session designed for local elected
officials and anyone interested in the
politics of national heritage
areas. Penner will speak on
ways to celebrate Kansas heritage through local festivals
and the contributions of rural
Kansas. Dr. Hoy will speak on
the heritage of the Flint Hills,
while Blake will offer a workshop on
ways to market local festivals.
“Participants will benefit from a
panel of festival organizers who will
share their stories,” said Craghead.
“Additionally, Becky Blake will share
marketing strategies to make your
cash registers ring.”
Registration for the conference is
$30, which includes lunch at the
Civic Center. For more information,
including the conference schedule,
or to obtain a registration form,
contact Linda Craghead at
(866) 660-2622 or by email at lindacraghead@fhrd.net. Information
is available online at
www.kansasflinthills.travel.
January 2009
Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau Tourism Topics
Tim McGraw to Perform at the 2009
Affiliated Foods Midwest Country Stampede
Organizers of the Affiliated Foods
Midwest Country Stampede are
thrilled to announce the return of
superstar Tim McGraw to the Country Stampede lineup.
grossing 20 million dollars and performing to 500,000 fans. You can
see Tim McGraw’s return to Country Stampede on Saturday night,
June 27.
“Tim McGraw holds a special
place in Country Stampede
history,” said Wayne Rouse, president and general manager of Country Stampede. “Tim was actually
the very first artist ever confirmed
to play Country Stampede, back in
1996. Tim McGraw’s last appearance at Country Stampede was in
1999, so it is exciting to see him
return after a decade, especially
because of the success he has
seen since then.”
Multi-platinum recording artist
Dierks Bentley, who has several
number-one hits to his name, will
headline the event on Friday, June
26. Also included in the 2009
lineup are Blake Shelton, fan
favorites Sawyer Brown, CMA
Awards New Artist of the Year nominees Kellie Pickler and James
Otto, southern rockers 38 Special,
Randy Rogers Band, Luke Bryan,
The Lost Trailers (Holler Back),
Zac Brown Band (Chicken
Fried), Dancing With the Star’s
Julianne Hough, The Bellamy
Brothers, Lane Turner, Aaron
Watson, and LoCash Cowboys.
The final lineup of
artists will be
announced in February.
Since his career began in the
early 90's Tim has sold over 40
million records and placed 31 singles at No. 1. McGraw recently
wrapped up his "Live Your
Voice Tour"
Page 3
Beppe Gambetta
Music lovers should not miss this!
Spend a melodious evening at the Manhattan Arts Center and as a bonus, get
an open and disarming smile that is also
the contagious and irresistible smile of a
person who invites you to a musical journey with light heart and curiosity.
Make plans now to attend the performance of Beppe Gambetta at the MAC's
BirdHouse acoustic music series on Friday, Jan. 9 at 8 p.m.
at Tuttle Creek State Park in Manhattan, KS. Country Stampede also
features tons of activities, great
food, plenty of shopping, crafts,
over 2,500 campsites, and much
more.
Tickets and general campsites are
on sale now. Single day admission
tickets for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday are priced at $50.
Complete ticket and camping package information can be accessed
by calling (800) 795-8091 or on the
web at www.countrystampede.com.
For information on tickets call the MAC box office at (785) 537-4420,
or send an email inquiry to boxoffice@manhattanarts.org. More information can be obtained at www.manhattanarts.org.
Spot the differences: Can you spot
5 differences with the new Manhattan
Visitors Guide.
Manhatten
The Big Apple
2010
The 14th Annual
Affiliated Foods
Midwest Country
Stampede will take
place June 25th
through the 28th
K-State Theatre Presents
Award-Winning Intimate Apparel
On February 5-7 and 11-14
Kansas State University Theatre
joins with Ebony Theatre to present Lynn Nottage’s criticallyacclaimed play, Intimate Apparel,
in Nichols Theatre at 7:30 p.m.
Intimate Apparel takes place in
New York in 1905 with its story
inspired by the playwright’s actual
great-grandmother and the tintype
pictures of that era. Esther
designs and sews intimate
apparel for a variety of clients,
from wealthy women to
prostitutes. With her life savings
tucked away in a crazy quilt, the
lonely seamstress dreams of owning her own beauty parlor. Her
desire for love seems to find fulfillment from a long distance correspondence with a poetic
stranger, but reality soon offers
her a harder picture that threatens to shatter her romantic illusions along with her entrepreneurial spirit.
This widely produced piece was
named “Best Play” in 2004 from
the New York Drama Critics and
won the Outer Critics Circle
Award.
According to director Tyler
Woods, “Esther’s is a journey that
I believe to be universal and quite
human. Every character in this
piece has something that Esther
dreams of possessing from the
wealth of her client, Mrs. Van
Buren, to the unquestioning faith
of her fabric vendor, Mr. Marks, a
Jewish Romanian man, right on
down to Mayme, a popular prostitute in New York’s brothel district.
Our challenge will be reflecting
Esther’s journey in the sets, costumes, sound design and so
forth.”
Ebony Theater was founded
more than thirty years ago to create and produce plays with
African-American playwrights,
actors and directors. Over the
years this student group at KState has expanded to include
multicultural casts with shows like
Intimate Apparel. Celebrating
Black History Month in February,
Tyler Woods and Ebony Theater
invite audiences to witness one
woman’s story against the background of race and class in turn
of the century America.
Tickets are $8 for students,
$11 for military and $13 for the
general public. Tickets can be
purchased at the McCain Box
Office from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
weekdays or at the K-State Union
Little Theatre Box Office from
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. To order
by phone call (785) 532-6428
during box office hours. For group
discounts call Marci Maullar at
(785) 532-6878.
Apublication of the Bureau
Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau Steering Committee
Barbara Nelson, Chairman - Strecker-Nelson Gallery
Dave Lewis, Ex-Officio - All Star Midwest Entertainment
Curt Loupe, Ex-Officio - Manhattan Parks & Recreation
Nancy Bartell - Holiday Inn at the Campus
Lynda Spire, Ex-Officio - KSU Conference Office
Jennifer Fritchen - Clarion
Bernie Haney - Kansas State Athletics
Brad Everett - Fairfield Inn
Teresa Morris - Hampton Inn
Diana Nickel - Scenic Valley Inn
John Pence - KSU Housing & Dining
Visit the CVB’s
website for a
current listing
of local events www.manhattancvb.org
The Mission of the
Manhattan
Convention &
Visitors Bureau is
to expand the local
area economy
through increased
visitor spending.
•K-State Men's
Ongoing events:
•Jan 10-Feb 21, Grandma Layton Exhibit, M-F 10-5pm; Sat 1-4pm, Manhattan Arts Center
•Through Jan 11, Christmas Exhibit at the Wolf House Museum, Sat 1-5pm; Sun 2-5pm
•Through Jan 11, Martin Luther King, Jr. Art and Writing Contest, Manhattan Public Library
•Through Jan 17, Favorites, M-Sat 10-6pm; Sun 12-4pm, Strecker-Nelson Gallery
•Jan 20-April 5, Recent Acquisitions: Works on Paper, T W F Sat 10-5pm; Th 10-8pm; Sun 12-5pm, Beach
Museum of Art
•Through Jan 31, Sunset Zoo- Kids free all month, 12-5pm
•Through Feb 1, Return of the Yellow Peril: A Survey of the Works of Roger Shimomura, T W F Sat 10-5pm;
Th 10-8pm; Sun 12-5pm, Beach Museum of Art
Basketball hosts
Idaho State, 1pm
•K-State Women's Basketball hosts Central
Arkansas, 6pm
•Tuttle Creek Lake Eagle
Day, 9am, Manhattan Fire
Station
Church Development
Fund Blueprint Tour
"Building Bridges in Your
Community", 9-3pm,
MCC
K-State Men's Basketball
hosts Chicago State, 7pm
•Birdhouse Acoustic
Music Series: Beppe
Gambetta, 8pm,
Manhattan Arts Center
•Conference on Reproduction, Calving, and Calf
Care in Cow-Calf Herds,
8-5pm, K-State Veterinary
College
•Young Author's Program, 9am, Manhattan
Public Library
•Milford Lake Eagle Days, 10:304:30pm, Milford Nature Center
•Sports Cards, Comics &
Collectibles Show, 10-9pm,
Manhattan Town Center
•K-State Women's Basketball
hosts Iowa State, 2pm, Bramlage Coliseum
•24-26, Kansas Professional Photographers
Association, Clarion
•KSU Symphony Band Concert, 4pm, McCain Auditorium
•Children's Theatre: The
Princess & the Pea, 3 & 7pm,
Manhattan Arts Center
•Canine Care Workship, 8-5pm,
K-State Veterinary College
•K-State Women's
Basketball hosts
Creighton, 7:00pm,
Little Apple Brigade
Bramlage Coliseum
Lunch Bunch, 11:30-1pm, •Salvation Army Fund
CoCo Bolos
Raiser Chicken Dinner,
Social: 6:30pm, Dinner:
7:00pm Holiday Inn at
the Campus
•Milford Lake Eagle
Days, 11:30-4:00pm,
Milford Nature Center
•Sports Cards, Comics &
Collectibles Show, 12-6pm,
Manhattan Town Center
•Manhattan Bridal Show,
12pm, K-State Student Union
Ballroom
Missoula Children's
Theatre: "The Princess &
the Pea" Auditions, 4pm,
Manhattan Arts Center
Jan 20-27, Kansas
Children’s Service
League: Klicks for Kids,
Mon-Sat 10-9pm; Sun
12-6, Manhattan Town
Center
K-State Women's
Basketball hosts
Nebraska, 7pm,
Bramlage Coliseum
Manhattan
Convention &
Visitors Bureau Staff
•K-State Men's
Basketball hosts
Baylor, 8pm, Bramlage
Coliseum
•Lunch & Learn Series:
Alternative Medicine,
12:15-12:45pm, Manhattan Public Library
K-State Men's Basketball
hosts Missouri, 8pm,
Bramlage Coliseum
•22-25, Winter Sidewalk
Sales, Manhattan Town
Center
•Books at the Beach, 11:30 am
or 7pm, Beach Museum of Art
•Nunsense, 7:30pm, McCain
Auditorium
•22-24, Crafty Seniors Craft
Show, 10-9pm, Manhattan
Town Center
•29-30, Timothy
Days at Manhattan
Christian College
•Japanese Settlement of
Kansas: Talk by William
Tsutsui, professor of History, University of Kansas,
5:30pm, Beach Museum of
Art
•Happy Chimp Year!
12-5pm, Sunset Zoo
•K-State Women's
Basketball hosts Kansas,
6pm, Bramlage Coliseum
•K-State Men's Basketball
hosts Oklahoma, 12:30pm,
Bramlage Coliseum
•MAC Late Night Theatre presents "A Devil
Inside", 9pm, Manhattan Arts Center
•30-31, Kansas Academic
Decathlon
•30-31, Kansas Christmas
Tree Growers Association
Annual Convention, Clarion
Karen Hibbard
Dennis Toll
Summer Dierks
Marcia Rozell
Director
karen@manhattan.org
Tourism Sales Manager
dennis@manhattan.org
Convention Sales Manager
summer@manhattan.org
Service Coordinator
marcia@manhattan.org
•McCain Performance
Series: Russian National
Ballet Theatre, 7:30pm,
McCain Auditorium
•K-State Women's Tennis
hosts Drake, 11am, Washburn Tennis Complex
•Young Author's Program,
9am, Manhattan Public
Library
501 Poyntz Avenue
Manhattan, KS 66502
(785) 776-8829
(785) 776-0679 fax
PRESORTED
STANDARD
US POSTAGE PAID
MANHATTAN KS
PERMIT NO 359
Convention & Visitors Bureau
501 Poyntz Avenue
Manhattan, KS 66502-6005
January 2009
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review
Noteworthy News
CompetitivEdge Business Solutions
CompetitivEdge Business Solutions has moved to a brand new location 1601 Tuttle Creek Boulevard in Manhattan. To commemorate the relocation, a Ribbon Cutting ceremony was held on Tuesday, December 2, 2008. CompetitivEdge Business Solutions creates a professional, forward thinking, confidential and motivational relationship that will create great results in your business and staff. Specializing in affordable mid-level training and professional development, you will be
impressed with what you and your team can accomplish. “Our passion and main
objective is to help you get what you want out of your business”.
All American Towing
On Thursday, December 4, 2008 All American Towing had a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. All American Towing is a family owned and operated full service venture. Roy Palmer, owner, has operated Palmer Truck &
Trailer Repair in Salina since 1993, including towing for the past 13 years. All American provides towing for
all vehicles from motorcycles to 18-wheelers, recovery of truck/ trailer rollovers, as well as lock outs, out of
fuel deliveries, and jump starts. The facility also provides full range of services to trucks and trailers.
Page 9
Page 10
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review
Business Barometer
Nov 2007
Nov 2008
BUILDING PERMITS - source: City of Manhattan
Total Issued
30
30
$ Amount
$10,300,130
$11,118,950
Permit Fees
$46,492
$44,380
RETAIL SALES (Manhattan) - source: City of Manhattan
Retail Sales
$76,303,200
$78,431,900
Sales Tax Collections $763,032
$784,319
LABOR - source: Kansas Labor Market Information Services
Manhattan
Civilian Work Force
28,149
28,031
Employed
27,493
27,165
Unemployed
656
866
Rate
2.3%
3.1%
Riley County
Civilian Work Force
36,208
36,062
Employed
35,337
34,916
Unemployed
871
1,149
Rate
2.4%
3.2%
January 2009
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Improvements –
now 25% off!
Rarely am I able to inform readers of real, honest-to-goodness
grants. Rather than granting funds, the United States government
and the Small Business Administration generally choose to help
small businesses with loan guarantees, somewhat like having
Uncle Sam co-sign your loan. However, the United States Department of Agriculture has a program
where renewable energy systems and energy efficient improvements can qualify for grants of up to 25%
of the project cost: Rural Energy for America Program (formerly Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency
Program, Section 9006).
The program was created “to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase
renewable energy systems or make energy efficient improvements.” Renewable energy systems may
include wind, solar, geothermal, bioenergy, hydrogen and anaerobic digester. Grants range from a minimum of $1,500 to a maximum of $500,000, but note that the applicant must provide at least 75% of
the total eligible project costs. The grants are reimbursable only, so applicants purchase and install
equipment after applying and then receive funds. For project costs, there is also a guaranteed loan program with a generous maximum of $10 million.
Energy costs recently have dipped a bit, but no one expects these relatively lower costs to last. Once
the current economic conditions stabilize and growth, particularly overseas, once again that will put
pressure on demand, we’ll see our energy costs rise. Luckily, Manhattan still qualifies as “rural,” as
the 2000 census determines eligibility, but we’ll likely be well beyond 50,000 in population by the next
census, so act now! As Richard Cushing notes, “Always plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built
the ark.” There are additional terms and limitations to this USDA program. For more information,
please see:
USDA Rural Energy for America Program website: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/farmbill/
Kansas USDA Rural Development website: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ks
Or contact:
Richard Boyles, Area Director, Manhattan, KS, 785-539-7582, richard.boyles@ks.usda.gov
David Kramer, Business Specialist, Topeka, KS, 785-271-2730,
david.kramer@ks.usda.gov
Contact Information:
John Addessi, Business Consultant
Washburn University / Kansas Small Business Development Center
Manhattan Chamber of
Commerce
501 Poyntz Manhattan, KS 66502
john.addessi@washburn.edu
PH: (785) 587-9917
FAX: (785) 776-0679
January 2009
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Little Apple® Business Review
Military Update
Page 11
By Bevin Landrum,
Military Relations Manager
K-Staters give Military Families some much needed help
For the second year in a row, K-State sorority volunteers
donated their time to take care of military children.
Dubbed Operation Santa's Helper, the Military Relations
Committee coordinated care on December 6th at Westview Community Church for area children of deployed or
wounded Soldiers. Children enjoyed free lunches, activities and gifts from Santa, while the moms were free to
finish Christmas shopping, run errands or just relax over a
cup of coffee. Each military family also received a gift
card to Manhattan Town Center mall where retailers
offered special discounts to military during their Yellow
Ribbon campaign.
The Lunch Bunch at Houlihan’s in December.
Hungry kids munch on lunch.
Make new friends at the
Little Apple Lunch Bunch
Ladies of the Military Relations Committee host an informal lunch
gathering the second Monday of each month for Fort Riley spouses
who are members of the Officers and Civilian Spouses Club. The
Lunch Bunch visits a different Manhattan restaurant each month
and is an excellent way to network. Our next gathering is January
12th at 11:30am at Coco Bolos. See you there!
Cheese!
Making holiday crafts.