STAYING UP-TO-DATE

Larned Area Chamber, Economic Development looking at full 2023

BY MIKE GILMORE mgilmore@gbtribune.com

This April, Larned Area Chamber Executive Director Alex Filbert will have begun her sixth year as key representative and advocate for the business owners and employers of the community.

Among other things. In terms of hats worn for the position, Dr. Suess’ Bartholomew Cubbins comes to mind.

“I don’t think about one sole focus, because we do so many things,” Filbert said. “We do so many things and wear so many hats, it’s hard to articulate what the one sole mission is. We want to keep doing the awesome, fun things that we’ve been doing, but we want to add to them.

“We’re keeping up with our current events, work with our Chamber members, but we want to add more fun things to do. We’re working to grow, to help the community thrive, that’s what it all adds up to.”

In addition to the commercial aspect, there’s also working with community and county officials, contacting and working with state agency officials and their programs and bringing them back home.

The Annual Antique, Vintage and Collectable Show, event in February kicks off the new year, along with Thursday Chamber Coffees. There’s Santa Fe Trail Days to get ready for in late spring, then Moonlight Madness, the Last Chance Golf Tournament, Fall Frenzy, Community Chamber Banquet, tree lighting and Christmas Celebration throughout December that includes the 100-plus year old Christmas Parade down Broadway Street.

Filbert noted that two of the Chamber’s local spending initiatives, both summer and holiday, brought in more than $260,000 to participating Chamber businesses in the month-long events.

In addition, the youth of the community benefitted from the Pawnee County Entrepreneurship Challenge and a digital marketing workshop. Both events will happen again in 2023.

And after a threeyear effort, the Chamber partnered with 53 other Chambers across the state to offer Chamber Blue of Kansas Health Insurance to help with employee recruitment and retention for Chamber members, kicking off in January with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas.

Also this year, the Chamber is working in a historic flavor with events tinged in Larned’s 150th anniversary year, building into full-fledged programs slated for the fall.

Last but not least, some numbers: the Chamber hosted four ribbon cuttings, 32 coffee hours, two after-hours programs and one ground breaking as well as distributed nearly $22,000 in Larned Chamber Bucks and adding five new members to the roster in 2022, with more to come in 2023.

With Julie Bugner-Smith sharing the office at 502

Broadway as program coordinator, “we’re excited to continue the momentum throughout 2023 with our existing fun events, businesses and projects, but also as we add new programs, work with new businesses, and work united with several entities to help our community thrive,” Filbert noted.