2021
OCTOBER
NEWSLETTER
Thank you, CATALYST Level Members! Photo by Kelsie Ball
POINTS TO PONDER
From the Executive Director
I
f you’re wont to get your news from County 10, then you may know that the Lander Chamber of Commerce has begun featuring our members on the brand new Lander Biz Show on KOVE 1330 AM / 107.7 FM and the County 10 Podcast. Introducing the Lander Biz Show - Exclusively for Lander Chamber Members! One of the core functions of the Lander Chamber is to promote the Lander community and the businesses within it. We share news about our members’ products and services through daily social media posts, weekly email blasts, monthly features in our newsletter, member highlights on our blog, regular advertisements on local radio, and more. Through our long standing sponsorship of the #landerbiz series on County 10, we share the stories of the local movers and shakers of our Fremont County economy. Now, we’re doing even more for Lander Chamber members! A New Way for Fremont County to learn about YOUR Business Each week, Charene Herrera (of County 10 Morning Show on JACK-FM fame) and I welcome a Lander Chamber of Commerce member to join us at the mic to provide insights that only a local expert can give. It’s a fun and free-wheeling conversation designed specifically to help you get out the word about your business or organization and position yourself as a voice of authority in your given field. Already we’ve highlighted Cornerstone Realty Group, Messenger Girls bookstore and boutique, and Justin Hegwer, Lander’s newest Farm Bureau Insurance agent. Contact us to reserve your appearance on the show! A Lander Biz Show Appearance is Included in Most Chamber Memberships If you’re a Lander Chamber member at the Cultivator Level or above, you’re appearance on the Lander Biz Show is included in the cost of your annual membership investment. Classic Level members still can reserve a spot at a deep discount, members-only rate. Contact us for details. The Lander Biz Show airs each Thursday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. on KOVE 1330 AM / 107.7 FM and is added to County 10’s podcast page on county 10.com. Your appearance also will be promoted as a standalone story on the County 10 news stream and Facebook page as well as the Chamber’s blog and social media channels. The Lander Biz Show provides significant promotional bang for your investment buck. Lock in your spot today! Are You a Young Professional? Connect with the Lander Young Professionals! The Chamber and several local businesses are supporting a new Lander Young Professionals group. LYP is creating a community of young individuals in Lander that fosters professional relationships and promotes local businesses. Learn more about LYP and connect with your peer group @LanderYoungProfessionals.
Owen Sweeney Executive Director Lander Chamber of Commerce
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Jon Tonkowich, President Wyoming Catholic College
Eric Andrews, Vice President Fagnant, Lewis & Brinda P.C.
John Ferrelli, Treasurer
SageWest Healthcare
Michelle Mazur, Past President Elevate Rehab
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ann Espinosa Home Source Realty, Inter Mountain Builders
Dave Fehringer Fremont Engineering
Rick Bestul NAPA Auto Parts
James Whiting Whiting Law PC
Chris VonHoltum Central Bank & Trust
Alyssa Lozier Edward Jones
PROFESSIONAL STAFF Owen Sweeney Executive Director
Carol King Associate Director
Carlos Solis Membership Development Intern
OCTOBER 21 535 E Main St, Suite D, Lander 2021-22 Schedule
December 16 Teton Therapy March 17 Hayden Outdoors
November 18 Atlantic City Federal Credit Union January 20 State Farm Insurance Agency April 21 Ron’s Flooring
February 17 Messenger Girls May 19 Lander Golf Course
September Business After Hours hosted by Cornerstone Group Realty
Business After Hours is an excellent opportunity to showcase your business, make new connections with fellow businesses, and develop new relationships with potential customers. Everyone is invited to attend!
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Business After Hours!
NEW MEMBERS
Welcome, New Members! Wind River Visitors Council The Wind River Visitors Council’s (WRVC) mission is to “stimulate tourism by increasing awareness of, and encourage visitation to, the unique destinations, activities and events in Wind River Country.” The WRVC, located at 100 N 1st Street in Lander, (in the same building as the Lander Chamber) is responsible for promoting the travel and tourism industry in Fremont County and on the Wind River Indian Reservation. The Council was formed by a Joint Powers Agreement in 1989 between the Fremont County Commissioners, the cities of Lander and Riverton, and the towns of Dubois, Hudson, and Shoshoni. The WRVC’s staff consists of Helen Wilson, Executive Director and Melanie Hoefle, Community Engagement Manager. Helen and Melanie enjoy living in Wind River Country and are thrilled to promote the wonderful and unique communities throughout Fremont County and on the Wind River Indian Reservation. If you have events that you’d like posted to the Wind River VisiHelen Wilson, front left; tors Council’s website, which automatically posts to the Wyoming Office of Tourism and County 10, then please send them to commuMelanie Hoefler, front right nity@windriver.org. If you’re in need of Wind River Visitors Council vacation guides, driving tours and/or Continental Divide Trail information, then let us know. For more information, visit www.windriver.org, email Helen at hwilson@windriver.org or Melanie at mhoefle@windriver.org.
Messenger Girls Tanya and Tasha Messenger started their Faith and Frontier Book & Boutique Store after the last of the Messenger men who could carry on the family name passed away. The mother and daughter team wished to make their new store resemble the virtues they were raised on: to have faith in God, appreciate history, and be patriotic Americans. They are an all-female business that not only includes the two women from Lander, but also Tasha’s sister, Shylah, who is the brand of the company; Tanya’s sister, Tara, who creates all the canvas paintings and homemade home decor; and the two cousins/nieces LeeAnn & LaRae who have a hand in creating clothes, jew-
elry and home decor as well. Tanya designed and decorated the store and Tasha handles the management. Special orders are available on anything they can fulfill. “We have a lot of gift items, Bibles and devotionals, clothes, jewelry, handbags, books, backpacks, art and more.” They have a nice community area in the back for studying, meetings, lunch breaks, and game playing equipped with free coffee year-round. To honor the veterans and first responders (including doctors and nurses), they offer a year-round, storewide 20% discount. They also just added a new feature on their website, www.messenger-girls.com. Locals can shop online and pay securely while choosing to pick up their items at the store. Curbside pickup is also available.
Tanya, front far left; Tasha, front far right
EVERY TUESDAY Book Nook at Lander Library 1-5 pm EVERY THURSDAY Parkinson’s Support Group, Lander Senior Center 2-3 pm Fremont Co. Roller Derby open skate, recruitment, Fremont Center @ fairgrounds, Riverton, 6-9 pm Kiwanis Club, noon, Mamaw’s Kitchen @ Inn at Lander (formerly Summit) THIRD THURSDAY Foot Care Clinic, 8-noon, Lander Senior Center EVERY FRIDAY Book Nook at Lander Library noon-4 pm EVERY SATURDAY Improv Acoustic Music Jams Lander Art Center 10 a.m.-noon
1-31 Artist in Residence Show Lander Art Center
Library 10:55 am 14 Social Emotional Learning 332-5508 for details
1-31 “The Arapaho Way” western art exhibit Pioneer Museum
16 Halloween Night at the Museum Pioneer Museum, 6-9 pm
1-3 CWC Rustler Roundup 16 Pumpkin Trail Harvest Rodeo https://www. & Halloween arts & crafts facebook.com/cwcrodeo/ for Riverton Museum, 5-8 pm details/schedule 2-3 Lander Soccer Shootout various fields and game times
16 Haunted Downtown Walking Trek Riverton Museum, 5:30-8 pm
2, 9 Lander Valley Farmers Market 9-11:30 am, Lander City Park
21 Business After Hours Elevate Rehab, 5:30-7 pm
6 Fremont Haunts by Alma Law Riverton Museum, 6-7 pm 9 7th annual Fall Fun Fest Riverton Museum, 2-4 pm 9 MET opera live Lander
23 MET opera live Lander Library 10:55 am 23 Lander Kiwanis Guns, Boots & Brands Tickets @ Chamber, 332-3892 for info 30 Halloween at the Museum Dubois Museum, 5
Member Highlights Westward Heights Care Center Board of Directors and team members are proud to be serving Fremont County for going on 43 years. In that time the needs of long-term care have evolved, and last year Westward Heights added on 20,000 square feet to the existing building. The Board decided to enhance the facility to meet the current and future expectations of those living in skilled nursing in Fremont County. With that in mind, 20 new private rooms were added, 10 semi-private rooms, a beautiful therapy gym, chapel, nursing station, dining room, and a gorgeous courtyard. Today, up to 66 residents can live at Westward Heights. Westward Heights specializes in short term rehabilitation after surgery or hospitalization to return home, and these stays range from two weeks to 100 days. The majority of those living at Westward Heights are there for long-term care. Continued on next page
CALENDAR
October Calendar of Events
MEMBER HGHLIGHT
Westward Heights Care Center, continued The mission of Westward Heights is to provide “Dignity in Life,” as they believe every person we work with and serve should be treated as the most important person in your life. Their team is comprised of 110 members who work diligently to provide a great living environment, quality care, quality of life, and a family serving family environment. Westward Heights is a non-profit nursing home opened in 1979 to provide long term care to Fremont County. A group of interested citizens started working toward this in 1972, and our community has benefited ever since. Today Westward Heights is owned by the Westward Height Board of Directors (Bob Nagy, President; Lauren Hubble, Vice President; Dean McKee, Treasurer; Lucy Cone, Secretary; Betty Baker, Amy Smith, Jeff Kimber, and Becky Packer) and managed by Vetter Health Services. Many CEOs like to say how hands-on they are with their company, but for Jeff McMenamy of Teton Therapy, “hands-on” is more than a saying. As a Certified Occupational Therapist, Jeff regularly sees and develops treatment plans for patients in addition to his duties as CEO. It’s a practice that began 20 years ago and has become a cornerstone of the Lander community. Humble Beginnings The best success stories start with humble beginnings, and Teton Therapy is no exception. Started in 2001 in a renovated garage in Riverton, the company has grown to about 40 employees spread across three clinics statewide. “I started Teton Therapy because the large corporation I had been working for [as an Occupational Therapist] just wasn’t responsive to the needs of the patients I was treating,” McMenamy says. “I wanted to provide both physical and occupational therapy services to our patients, and no clinics were offering those practices together.” Along with the Riverton clinic, Teton Therapy in Cheyenne has been meeting the community’s needs for six years, and Lander’s clinic will celebrate 10 years in business this December. During this time, Teton Therapy has followed through on its commitment to the communities it serves. The company has been a long-term sponsor of everything from the Paws for Life animal shelter to the athletic booster clubs for Central Wyoming College, and Lander and Riverton schools. Riverton Ice Hockey Association has been another beneficiary of Teton Therapy’s philanthropy, following 20 years of McMenamy family coaching and participation in the league.
Focus on Family In addition to focusing on the community, a focus on family has strengthened Teton Therapy’s practice through the years. Jeff’s wife Michelle serves as Finance Manager of the company, with son Ian in the role of Administrative Communicator. Continuing in the proud tradition of McMenamys in physical therapy, Jeff and Michelle’s youngest son Sam is studying Physical Therapy at the University of North Dakota, and oldest daughter Taylor is a practicing Physical Therapist Assistant in Minnesota. But Teton Therapy employees needn’t have the McMenamy surname to feel like family. According to Teton Therapy Riverton Occupational Therapist Zac Schaller, “after meeting Jeff [and] all the therapists and staff, I discovered how family-based the company is,” The family atmosphere has led to long-term staff satisfaction, with three employees celebrating their 10-year anniversaries with the company this past September alone. Future Success Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, building on the successes of the past two decades might have seemed simple for McMenamy and his employees at Teton Therapy. But with careful attention to future potential growth, the business looks to thrive because of - not merely despite - adversity in current events. Teton Therapy was the very first therapy clinic in Wyoming to train therapists in the use of Diagnostic Ultrasounds, Nerve Conduction Studies, and Electromyograms. As a result, patients didn’t have to make a separate trip to get these exams performed by referring doctors’ offices. This speeds the feedback used in the course of treatment by Teton Therapy’s physical and occupational therapists. “Being able to do comprehensive, in-house testing has been beneficial for our patients and referring doctors because it allows us to uncover underlying problems that may
Academy of the Winds Jenny Schucker 780 Von Bieker, Lander
Hudson, Dave & Nancy 425 Baldwin Crk Rd, Lander
St. John’s Health - Lander 175 N 1st St., Lander
Hudson’s Funeral Home Dominick Weigel 680 Mount Hope Dr., Lander
Schurg Financial Services Rodney Schurg 405 Main St., Lander
Basecamp 307 Reid Schell PO Box 1092, Lander
Hyde Out Guest Cabin & Snowbound Studio Pamela Spencer-Hockett 15 N Dexter Ave, Atlantic City
Smartt Insurance Agency Eric Smartt 505 Main St., Lander
Boyle Electric David Hess 707 Garfield St., Lander
Kusels Furniture & Appliance Larry Kusel, owner 326 E. Main St., Riverton
Clark’s Landscaping, Inc. Brian Clark PO Box 1204, Lander
Lander Valley Animal Hospital 1185 Hwy 287 N, Lander
Allen’s Diamond 4 Ranch, Inc. Jim, Mary & Jessie Allen PO Box 243, Lander
Dubois Museum 909 W Ramshorn, Dubois Edward Jones Alyssa Lozier 911 Main St., Lander Elevate Rehab Michelle Mazur, owner 535 E Main St, Ste D, Lander
Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union Charity Cowling, branch manager 873 Main St., Lander New York Life Insurance Beau Wendling 592 Main St., Suite B, Lander Pirate Propane Inc. James & Dani Schafer 608 Main St., Lander
First American Title Insurance Co. Margaret Pugh, manager Rocky Mountain Power 902 11th St., Lander Mike Morrissey, WY regional business manager Fremont Therapy Group 2840 E. Yellowstone Hwy, Casper 8168 Hwy 789, Lander SageWest Healthcare Holiday Lodge John Ferrilli, CEO Kiki Zhang, Michael Li 1320 Bishop Randall Dr., Lander 210 McFarlane Dr., Lander
Teton Therapy, continued affect treatment. It also allows our patients to stay close to home for the entirety of their treatment, saving them time and money.” And this successful use of this technology has not gone unnoticed: In August, staff Physical Therapist Sarah Flatt had her paper on the use of Teton Therapy’s ultrasound technology published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. According to McMenamy, “Sarah was also recognized at the International Conference in EMG and Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in San Antonio this month. It was a wonderful confirmation that what we’re doing as a clinic is beneficial to the communities we serve.” With innovative diagnostics and a patient-centered
Sprout’s Greenhouse Griff Sprout 8591 St Hwy 789, Lander Valley Lumber & Supply Co. Mike, Jason, Justin Yardas 290 N 2nd St., Lander Western States Propane Julie Kraus, CEO 719 E. Main St., Riverton Whitco Blasting Kevin Whitmore PO Box 1207, Lander WELCOME NEW MEMBERS! Elevation Chiropractic & Wellness Center Dr. Matthew Johnson 500 E. Fremont Ave., Riverton Lander Pet Connection 120 Chittim Road, Lander Rock Church, The Jeff Courtier 150 Baldwin Creek Road, Lander
approach to physical and occupational therapy treatments, “hands-on” will continue to be more than a saying to Jeff McMenamy and the employees of Teton Therapy.
RENEWING MEMBERS
Thank You, Renewing Members!
Convener Investors
___________________________________ Collaborator Investors
RENEWING MEMBERS
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NEWSLETTER SPONSORS
Catalyst Investors
Special thanks to Western Printing for printing the monthly newsletter.
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. Postage Paid LANDER, WY PERMIT NO. 78
