March 2, 2023 Chamber Matters

Stephen Wampler discovered the benefits of the great outdoors when he was a young child. Coming to understand that it was an important stepping stone in his life, he attended a wilderness summer camp for children with disabilities, returning every summer between the ages of 9 and 18. He went on to graduate from college, and with his wife, Elizabeth, have two children, Charlotte and Joseph. Having been forever changed by his own experiences at camp, he understood that these benefits were not unique to him. Steve’s dream was “to be able to own his own camp”. In 2002, Steve and Elizabeth founded The Stephen J. Wampler Foundation, and “Camp Wamp” was opened in 2004. With the wilderness as the backdrop, kids enjoy the fun and camaraderie of camp life. With Steve as their inspiration, their experiences push each one to discover how capable they really are.

One of the first things you’ll notice about Steve visually is that

he utilizes a wheelchair, because Steve has Cerebral Palsy (CP). Over the years he has learned not to only live with his disability, but to thrive in life with his condition. He wants to ensure that others with physical disabilities have the same opportunity as he has had so they can live a fulfilling life.

In 2010, Steve became the first person with Cerebral Palsy to climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, a vertical slab of rock twice the height of the Empire State Building. Wampler’s climb, which took 6 days and 20,000 pull-ups to complete, was featured in the award-winning documentary Wampler’s Ascent. Steve and Elizabeth have been featured in the New York Times, the Hollywood Reporter, the LA Times, the Village Voice, Good Morning America, The Ellen Show, Saturday Night Live, and ABC News. Their viral TikTok account (@the.wampler.way) has over 700,000 followers, 24.4 million likes, and 76.9 million views. Steve and Elizabeth reside in Coronado, CA.

Wendell Foster is a non-profit organization located in the heart of Owensboro whose mission is to empower people with disabilities to realize their dreams and potential. For decades, Wendell Foster has supported children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing services such as: on-site and communitybased residential housing and supportive programs; physical, occupational, and speech therapy; assistive technology; a transportation program; day training; community programs; and more.

In 1937, Wendell and Edith Foster’s daughter, Louise, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of 5 months old. Because of Louise, the Fosters committed their lives and opened their home to support children with developmental disabilities. The Fosters provided a residential option to children of seven local families and offered their home as a meeting place while children received therapy in the Fosters’ backyard. Over the years, Wendell Foster has grown from a single residential home at 815 Triplett Street to an extensive campus occupying six city blocks. In 2022, the organization provided more than 75,000 services to over 2,000 individuals across Kentucky and Indiana.

Upcoming fundraisers include the Annual Golf Scramble at Ben Hawes on June 16th, the Forever a Difference Maker Gala on September 30th, and the Wendell Foster Half Marathon & 5K, returning to its inaugural month of March on March 23rd, 2024. Wendell Foster looks forward to hosting the race in a month that means so much to its mission: Disability Awareness Month. An exciting addition to the 2024 Race will be announced at this month’s Rooster Booster! Wendell Foster looks forward to another exciting year of empowering people with disabilities. Take your first steps to get involved as a Wendell Foster Difference Maker by contacting the Community Engagement Department at 270852-1458.

founders of The Stephen J. Wampler Foundation, and “Camp Wamp”. Reserve your spot now at www.chamber.owensboro. com or by calling the Chamber office at (270)

926-1860 by noon on Wednesday, March 1.

Meet Julia

watch her gifts take flight in our work.”

Julia Kimbrell has joined the staff of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce as its Communications and Events Coordinator.

In her role with the Chamber, Kimbrell will be responsible for the coordination and implementation of all printed, electronic, and social media communications and the coordination of all Chamber events.

“We are thrilled that Julia Kimbrell has joined our team,” said Candance Castlen Brake, President and CEO of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. “She is a success story of our community’s talent recruitment effort – the young people that go off to college and then come back to give back. We are so fortunate that she cares so deeply about Greater Owensboro and the future and we cannot wait to

Kimbrell was born and raised in Owensboro and her family has called Owensboro home for generations. As a graduate of Owensboro High School, she was involved in many community organizations such as the Wendell H. Ford Statesmanship Academy and Impact 100 Next Gen. Julia went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky, where she majored in Integrated Strategic Communication with a minor in Community Leadership Development. Julia brings a breadth of experience in creative advertising, strategic communication, and digital marketing to the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. Her background includes roles in strategic advertising campaigns, branding, web design, email marketing, social media marketing, SEO, content creation and advertising strategy.

Alcoa Warrick Operations

(812) 853-6111 4400 West State Route 66, Newburgh, IN alcoa.com/global/en/home

Amvets # 119

(270) 683-3448

1400 Triplett Street

Aquatic Resource Center (270) 297-0333

2757 Southtown Blvd aquaticresourcecenter.com

B & B Extermination Inc (270) 925-0476

2810 New Hartford Road bandbextermination.com

Briarpatch

(270) 685-3329

2760 Veach Road briarpatchresturants.com

“It is an honor to be stepping into the role of Communications and Events Coordinator with the Chamber of Commerce. I am looking forward to using my skills and talents to serve our community.” said Kimbrell.

“My family has deep roots in Owensboro, and I have always been passionate about the initiative to promote growth and success within the Owensboro area. The Chamber is an outstanding advocate for our community, and I am delighted to join a team that is recognized for their leadership, empowerment, and growth.”

Founded in 1913, the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce has worked for a century to provide valuable benefits and services to Member businesses and individuals. Today, with a membership base of nearly 1,000, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives, serving as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region.

Cleveland Cliffs

(812) 362-6119 6500 N US 231, Rockport, IN clevelandcliffs.com

Commonwealth Concrete Coatings LLC (270) 314-5655 owensborofloorcoatings.com

Hayden Precision Welding, LLC

(270) 314-9000 1311 River Road

Owensboro-Daviess County Veterans Organization

(270) 485-3617

Progressive Sports Therapy, Inc.

(270) 685-9499 1605 Scherm Road, Suite 1 progressivesportstherapy.com

CANDANCE CASTLEN BRAKE

PRESIDENT & CEO cbrake@owensboro.com

SHELLY NICHOLS VICE PRESIDENT shelly@owensboro.com

ASHTIN WARREN DIRECTOR, TALENT PROGRAMS awarren@owensboro.com

JULIA KIMBRELL COMMUNICATIONS AND EVENTS COORDINATOR jkimbrell@owensboro.com

LYDIE BOONE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT lboone@owensboro.com

Chamber Matters is published monthly in the Messenger-Inquirer for the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 825, Owensboro, KY 42302-0825 (270) 926-1860 • chamber.owensboro.com

BOARD CHAIR

SARAH MURPHY FORD HARTZ CONTRACTING, LLC

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @GOCHAMBER

American Engineers, Inc.

Barron Commercial Group

Big Rivers Electric Corporation

Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum

Briarpatch

Carmel Home

Catholic Diocese of Owensboro

Century Property Management

Chick-fil-A

Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club, Inc.

Coke Farms

Dismas Charities of Owensboro

Domtar Converting & Distribution

E M Ford

Edward Jones - Financial

Advisor: Kevin Young

H & R Agri-Power KB’s Kid Zone

L. Steve Castlen Realtors, Tyler Shookman Legends

Limos By Knight

Metalsa Structural Products Oddball Creative Opportunity Center of Owensboro Owensboro Career Development Assoc., Inc. Owensboro Family Eye Care Owensboro Surgery Center PNC Bank RiverPark EyeCare, PLLC Rotary Club of Owensboro Wright Implement

He has a passion for helping Veterans which led him to start Veterans Empowered Together, a non-profit, along with some of his closest friends who served in the military. Brian has been married to his beautiful wife, Sarah, for almost 14 years and they have two daughters, Addyson and Avery. He and his wife are active members at Crosspointe Baptist Church and he enjoys serving alongside his church family.

He joined the United States Army in 2001 and deployed to Iraq in 2003 for 13 months where he helped build back a broken country. Brian has always felt the need to be a bigger part of his community, which led him to be an Ambassador for the Owensboro Chamber of Commerce for almost 3 years. This year, Brian is looking forward to helping the Chamber and the city of Owensboro continue to grow.

March Calendar

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February Ribbon Cuttings

From stroketoyogastretches.

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