eFlash July 19, 2022 | Olathe, Kansas

IN THE NEWS

Fourth Friday party is back

It’s never too hot for a Fourth Friday party in downtown Olathe. The food trucks, live music, adult beverages, car shows and family fun take center stage this week and you won’t want to miss out.

Be sure to join us from 5:30 – 8 p.m. this Friday for the July Fourth Fridays.

The annual celebrations are sponsored by the Olathe Chamber of Commerce’s Olathe Convention & Visitors Bureau. And they are back in downtown Olathe in full force this summer.

Stop by and enjoy great kids’ activities like face painters, balloon artists, glitter tattoos, caricature drawings and bubbles. There will also be $1 science experiments available from Mad Science, a mobile teddy bear truck, and different animals from Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm each month. Let’s not forget Touring Taps serving up adult beverages, and cars from both the Bronco Club and KC Mustang Club will be on hand.

Taking the stage this month will be The Voice alum and Nashville recording artist, Matt Snook. Check him out here.

A big thanks to our Fourth Fridays sponsors the City of Olathe, Humana, Olathe Communities that Care, Simmons Bank, VanTrust Real Estate and Xfinity.

Check out some pics from previous Fourth Fridays here. And stay up to date on everything going on with the Olathe Chamber of Commerce’s Fourth Fridays right here.

Panasonic chooses Kansas for mega project

DeSoto and the state of Kansas scored a huge win last week when Panasonic announced plans for a $4 billion mega project on the site of the former Sunflower Ammunition Plant. The Kansas Panasonic factory will supply a new high-capacity battery for Telsa.

The multi-million-dollar project will bring several thousand high-paying jobs to the area.

“We are thrilled that Panasonic has chosen the state of Kansas and our neighbors to the west in DeSoto,” Olathe Chamber CEO Tim McKee said. “We look forward to working with them and the state to bring thousands of high-paying jobs to our community. Along with global giant Garmin, we’re certain Panasonic will help this area continue to be a destination for those looking for the highly-sought-after technology jobs.”

Candidate forum set for this afternoon

The Johnson County Public Policy Council, the public policy arm of the Johnson County chambers of commerce, is hosting a candidate forum featuring candidates running for the chair the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners.

The forum will take place from 3 – 4:30 p.m. today in the Hudson Auditorium at the Nerman Museum inside the Regnier Center on the campus of Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd.

The four candidates in this countywide race – Shirley Allenbrand, Mike Kelly, Charlotte O’Hara, and Ken Selzer – are expected to participate.

Those in attendance will learn more about their backgrounds, their vision for office and their positions on issues important to businesses and the community.

Be sure to stay up-to-date on everything related to the upcoming election here.

The forum is free to attend. Please RSVP to Mary Barrios.

Third BLS puts spotlight on medical advancements

The Olathe Chamber of Commerce is hosting its third Business Lunch Series of the year, “Advances in Medicine.” The event will take place at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 10 at the Hilton Garden Inn.

The world we live in is ever changing. We’re seeing innovation at every turn, and the majority of those changes and advancements are happening in the world of medicine. Join us to hear from medical experts about some of the revolutionary advances in medicine.

Register now and hear from Jonathan Fisher of AdventHealth, Mike Jensen of Olathe Health and Darrin Kistler of the University of Kansas Health System.

A huge thanks to BLS #3 sponsors Garmin, Humana, Johnson County Community College and Nabholz Construction.

Be sure to register today.

Open house planned at Starfish Project Foundation

This spring, the Olathe Chamber of Commerce Leadership Olathe Class of 2022 chose the Starfish Project Foundation as the beneficiary of their volunteer project.

In celebration of that volunteer project, there will be an open house from 3 – 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 28 at the Starfish Project Foundation, 134 S. Clairborne Road.

The class helped raise money for Starfish as they continued to meet the needs of those in need in Olathe. Part of Starfish’s mission is helping the large number of people in our community in need of food. So, the Starfish Project helps by collecting food from restaurants and school districts that they won’t be using and distributing it to those in need.

Not only did the class helped raise money to help them purchase food storage equipment such as an industrial size fridge and freezer, they also helped renovate Starfish’s office. If that wasn’t enough, they also helped put together “Blessing Bags” for Starfish to handout to those in need. The bags contain items such as personal hygiene products, food, socks, underwear to handout in our community as needed.

Please stop by and help us celebrate Starfish, Leadership Olathe Class of 2022 and their great volunteer project.

Leadership Olathe alumni happy hour coming in August

Be sure to join fellow Leadership Olathe alums at a networking happy hour from 5 -7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 17 at Tall Trellis Brew Co.

Connect with classmates, meet some new friends and learn about some of the great things going on with our Leadership Olathe program at one of the newest places to sit back, relax and enjoy a beverage in Olathe.

WHAT'S NEW

Explore KC with KC History Trip

The KC Destinations KC History Trip is a free way to explore Kansas City! Download the OtoCast app on your phone and start exploring. Did you know that Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm is one of the stops along the KC History Trip this year? Get out and see everything, earn three badges along the way and be entered to win a $250 prize. Check out more information here.

MEMBER MINUTE

Let’s get an update from Shelby McCreedy of the Arrello Apartments in this week’s #MemberMinute.

Be sure to check out all of our #MemberMinute videos here.

CHAMBER CONNECTION

Olathe West High School technology education teacher Kevin Hulsen was named the Technology Student Association’s (TSA) Advisor of the Year for the 2021-22 school year. The TSA awards and recognition programs are designed to recognize the achievement and contributions of TSA members and others who support the organization.

In an effort to help meet the need for local students, the City of Olathe Municipal Court is accepting school supply donations for a $50 credit toward traffic or parking fines. Partnering with the Olathe Public Schools Foundation’s goal to provide more than 2,200 backpacks for Olathe’s most vulnerable students, the school supply campaign will run from through Aug. 12. Check here for more info about what is needed.

The Community Blood Center is looking to connect with organizations willing to support local healthcare systems through blood donations. If you would like to inquire about hosting blood drives, please contact Community Blood Center representative, Logan Marney, or call 816-977-7959. The CBC is also looking for blood donors to help with the current low levels of blood. Check here for more information.

Olathe West High School social studies teacher Jordan Boyd was selected by the National History Day organization as a 2022 Teacher Award nominee from Kansas.

The Olathe Parks & Rec Master Plan will guide the department for the next 10 years as the City of Olathe continues its commitment to a quality parks and outstanding recreation programs. Provide your feedback during a virtual open house at 6 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, July 20. The plan will provide strategic direction and specific plans for the redevelopment and expansion of parks and open spaces, facilities, and recreation opportunities to the community. Visit here to learn more and get involved.

DID YOU KNOW

Are you too busy to make it to all of our networking events? Make the most of your Olathe Chamber of Commerce membership by engaging with us online through our social media channels. See more here. It’s your membership. Own it.

A LOOK AHEAD

NOTE: You can reach the Olathe community and beyond through the Chamber’s online calendar of events. Members can complete the online form and then submit their events online for approval by staff. If you have multiple day events, a form must be submitted for each day. Listings must meet the established criteria.

July 21 – Chamber Coffee at KC Grilling Co., 16509 W. 159th Terr., 9 a.m.

July 22 – July Fourth Fridays in downtown Olathe, 5:30 – 8 p.m.

RECENT CHAMBER MEMBERS

Click here to see who has joined or re-joined the Chamber this past week.

COUPONS AND DISCOUNTS

See savings our Chamber members are offering you.

CAREER CONNECTION

Looking for a new job? A better job? For information about available jobs, check out Chamber Connection page.

Please send us the names and e-mails of members you know who might not be receiving this e-newsletter or other Chamber e-communications. We do not yet have e-mail addresses for every member representative. Also, please forward this e-newsletter to others you know who might like to be included in our every-Friday distribution!

Don’t forget to add webmaster@olathe.org to your address book so we’ll be sure to land in your inbox!